ELWAY KICKED OFF ANNUAL COAL CLASSIC

Former Denver Bronco quarterback and NFL Hall of Famer John Elway entertained a capacity crowd at the Raleigh County Armory for the traditional opening banquet of the Mountain State Coal Classic Basketball Tournament on Sunday.  The popular Elway had a most positive message of the rewards that come from healthy competition and answered questions from the crowd for nearly an hour.  He then signed hundreds of autographs as he individually greeted the participants.  The tournament began last week with the college teams and continues through Saturday with some of the premier prep basketball teams, boys and girls, in the nation as well as the state.  The tournament showcases the industry throughout the week with extensive press coverage through newspaper reports and TV broadcasts.