That's a message to take home from a story yesterday in The Buffalo News, which reported that Orchard Park football and boys lacrosse coach Gene Tundo has accepted a $50,000 payment from local financier Keith D. Maderer to settle a defamation and negligence lawsuit over anonymous letters harassing him and his family, Tundo's lawyer said.

   Attorney Andrew P. Fleming said Tundo has ended the suit, which has its roots in Maderer’s November 2008 misdemeanor plea in Orchard Park Town Court to counts of coercion and aggravated harassment. Fleming said the court actions stemmed from Maderer, 49, harassing Tundo over his coaching performance.

   Fleming said the harassment "took on bizarre proportions” after Tundo decided to have his sophomore son Jeff play running back in 2006 over Maderer’s son, who then was a senior.

   Orchard Park Town Judge Deborah Chimes fined Maderer in the criminal case, the paper reported, and also ordered him to issue a written apology to the Tundo family.

   Court papers in the civil suit accused Maderer of sending anonymous letters to the Tundos threatening to falsely expose the coach for inappropriate behavior. The Tundo family contacted both the Orchard Park police and the FBI to begin an investigation that led authorities to Maderer, who the papeer said confessed to sending them.

   "Gene Tundo has had an exemplary teacher career at Orchard Park and he has coached the school’s lacrosse and football teams to numerous championships,” Fleming said.

   Orchard Park won the 2008 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA football championship and played in the Class A lacrosse final this spring.

   Carthage's Grimm picks Syracuse: Carthage attackman/midfielder Thomas Grimm says he has decided already to his lacrosse career at Syracuse University in September 2011.

   The rising junior confirmed his choice in an e-mail exchange with Justlacrosse.com last week, The Watertown Times reported. Grimm has piled up 158 goals and 146 assists in three seasons, including 111 last spring, putting him within reach of Casey Powell's state-record 553 points.

   Grimm's brothers Rob and Jamie are expected to play at UMBC in the fall.

NYSSWA All-Sport Championship MAIN | 2008-09 top overall school scores Class-by-class boys | Class-by-class girls More about the NYSSWA All-Sport Championship

   Cross country rankings: Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake is ranked No. 23 in the U.S. for the upcoming girls cross country season — and No. 4 in Section 2.

   The rankings are from longtime observer Marc Bloom, editor of The Harrier, and illustrate the depth of the sport in New York.

   Three-time defending Nike Cross Nationals champion Fayetteville-Manlius starts the season at No. 1, with Saratoga, Shenendehowa and Queensbury from Section 2 at third, fifth and sixth, respectively. North Shore is ranked 18th.

   Among the boys, Spokane (Wash.) Ferris is rated No. 1, with third-ranked Fayetteville-Manlius the only New York representative.

   Gordon gives back: Ben Gordon has a $55 million contract with the Detroit Pistons. He also has his priorities in order, as The Journal News noted.

   The former Mount Vernon standout came home yesterday as a playground on 8th Avenue was renamed the "Ben Gordon New Life Foundation Playground" after the player and his foundation gave $125,000 to revamp the facility.

   "We gutted the whole place out and brought it back to life,'' said Rasul Salahuddin, a recreation department official who also played at Mount Vernon. "Everyone in the community is so joyful, it's changing the dynamics of the neighborhood."