I'm still following the Texas High School Football Playoffs and now, as we enter the 4th week of competition, the contenders have definitely emerged from the pack. Some pretty good teams have fallen by the wayside.
If any of these games come to your back yard, it might be a good time to take in some Texas High School Playoff Football.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Plenty To Be Thankful For
A few weeks ago, I wrote here how excited I was about the new direction I was taking in my career. That new direction came to an abrupt end last week. I wasn't given an explanation. I was just told things aren't working out. So, at the age of 37, I get to start all over again - from scratch. Pretty cool, huh? It doesn't help that I have to look for permanent work just as the holidays are getting started. Job counselors have all said the same things "it would have been nice if you were let go after the holidays. This isn't a good time to be looking for a job." Just what I needed to hear.
But before I go too far and make it sound like I may be bitter about what has happened, I pause to say I'm a very thankful man. A wise man once told me "real problems are the kind that money can't solve." Considering the kind of year we've experienced as a family, we've got plenty of financial problems. But, we've been blessed that we haven't been visited by any real problems. Jobs, money, houses, etc., come and go. People are what matter, or so I'm finding out. Thankfully, my entire immediate family is healthy. My father-in-law had a scare recently, but it appears his condition was discovered in time and can be treated.
Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. You don't have to exchange gifts. You really don't have to spend a lot of money - unless you plan to eat a lot. All you have to do is get together with people you love and celebrate each other. I like that. No expectations - unless you plan to eat a lot. Our family usually plans on eating a lot. We also pause to tell each other what we're thankful for. I've had time over the weekend to reflect on what I'm thankful for. Here's just a few things...
I'm thankful for my family. My wife is an incredible encouragement to me. She is the master of giving me more of what I need instead of what I want. If I'm feeling bad about how things are going and would like sympathy, she doesn't give it to me. Instead, I get that swift kick (it's not too hard, though) in the pants that lands me back on my feet. I'd be a mess without her.
I've learned so much from my children. I know it's supposed to be the other way around. Some of my most enjoyable entertainment of my life is to watch them when they don't think I'm looking.
God has given me incredible parents. I enjoy asking my dad for advice. He often says "I don't think I can offer any advice for that." I still ask anyway. I figure I can learn something from someone who survived the Battle of Bastogne. I think I get my grit from my mother. She doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit." Maybe it's because she's German. Dad is Scotch/Irish descent. No wonder I'm stubborn. (Which is why I often need the aforementioned kick.)
I'm thankful for my in-laws (they'll likely see this blog, so I'd better mention them). I've heard horror stories about people and their interaction with their in-laws. I don't have nearly that many. Just kidding! My in-laws (which includes both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law as well) have always been supportive of both me and my family. It means so much.
I'm also thankful for friends. My family has been blessed to be part of the Vineyard Church of Conroe for the past 5 years. We've known many of the same people for much longer. They've been there for us through some of the most challenging events of our lives - and they continue being there for us, even now. Proverbs says it best - "better to have a friend close by than a brother far away." I'm glad I have a lot of friends close by. Some of them are just down the street.
I could continue, but it would make for some pretty boring reading - for anyone that actually reads my blog (according to my page count, somebody must be reading something).
I close by asking this question: what are you thankful for? You might say "not much." Really? Try writing a few things down. Before long, you'll have quite a list - if you're honest.
I know I don't have much in the way of money. Hopefully, something will come along to change my job prospects. Still, I have what counts, which means I've got plenty to be thankful for.
But before I go too far and make it sound like I may be bitter about what has happened, I pause to say I'm a very thankful man. A wise man once told me "real problems are the kind that money can't solve." Considering the kind of year we've experienced as a family, we've got plenty of financial problems. But, we've been blessed that we haven't been visited by any real problems. Jobs, money, houses, etc., come and go. People are what matter, or so I'm finding out. Thankfully, my entire immediate family is healthy. My father-in-law had a scare recently, but it appears his condition was discovered in time and can be treated.
Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. You don't have to exchange gifts. You really don't have to spend a lot of money - unless you plan to eat a lot. All you have to do is get together with people you love and celebrate each other. I like that. No expectations - unless you plan to eat a lot. Our family usually plans on eating a lot. We also pause to tell each other what we're thankful for. I've had time over the weekend to reflect on what I'm thankful for. Here's just a few things...
I'm thankful for my family. My wife is an incredible encouragement to me. She is the master of giving me more of what I need instead of what I want. If I'm feeling bad about how things are going and would like sympathy, she doesn't give it to me. Instead, I get that swift kick (it's not too hard, though) in the pants that lands me back on my feet. I'd be a mess without her.
I've learned so much from my children. I know it's supposed to be the other way around. Some of my most enjoyable entertainment of my life is to watch them when they don't think I'm looking.
God has given me incredible parents. I enjoy asking my dad for advice. He often says "I don't think I can offer any advice for that." I still ask anyway. I figure I can learn something from someone who survived the Battle of Bastogne. I think I get my grit from my mother. She doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit." Maybe it's because she's German. Dad is Scotch/Irish descent. No wonder I'm stubborn. (Which is why I often need the aforementioned kick.)
I'm thankful for my in-laws (they'll likely see this blog, so I'd better mention them). I've heard horror stories about people and their interaction with their in-laws. I don't have nearly that many. Just kidding! My in-laws (which includes both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law as well) have always been supportive of both me and my family. It means so much.
I'm also thankful for friends. My family has been blessed to be part of the Vineyard Church of Conroe for the past 5 years. We've known many of the same people for much longer. They've been there for us through some of the most challenging events of our lives - and they continue being there for us, even now. Proverbs says it best - "better to have a friend close by than a brother far away." I'm glad I have a lot of friends close by. Some of them are just down the street.
I could continue, but it would make for some pretty boring reading - for anyone that actually reads my blog (according to my page count, somebody must be reading something).
I close by asking this question: what are you thankful for? You might say "not much." Really? Try writing a few things down. Before long, you'll have quite a list - if you're honest.
I know I don't have much in the way of money. Hopefully, something will come along to change my job prospects. Still, I have what counts, which means I've got plenty to be thankful for.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Have You Seen A John Woo Film Lately?
There's been a lot of talk in the news about the decline in proceeds at the boxoffice within the last couple of years. This is with good reason: the material sucks! For every good movie, there are 5 or 6 terrible ones. At $5-8 a pop, it's no wonder that people are staying away from the silver screen. It's much cheaper to rent the same films on DVD and discover this same release was a complete bomb.
That leads me to the director, John Woo. If you happen to see his name as the director of any movie you might be interested in watching, stay away. Why, you might ask? There are several reasons.
After seeing his 2003 release, Paycheck, I was reminded all over again why his films suck. For one, they are known for dazzling explosions, combined with lots of broken glass, plenty of sparks and ridiculous live-action stunts. That might be fine for some movie-goers. But, if you're interested in an actual story in your film, you probably won't find it. In this particular movie, the main character becomes a science experiment, which involves erasing his memories. Somehow these have a link to the future. Make sense to you? Me neither - even after 2 hours of watching the story unfold. Several times my wife and I looked at each other and said "this is ridiculous!" But, with nothing to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon, we hung in there.
Still the worst specimen of Mr. Woo's film expertise I can think of can be seen in the movie Windtalkers. The story is based on the true story of a small group of Navajo soldiers who were responsible for developing a code based on their language. If you know your history, the Navajo code was impossible to be cracked by the Japanese and Nazi forces in World War II. In the film, the story is lost amid Woo's trademark sparks, "death-defying" stunts and meaningless explosions. It was an incredible story - lost in a terrible movie. Sadly, Windtalkers followed much better movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line and never matched the quality.
But, there are other bad examples of Woo's movie-making acumen. There's the ridiculous Face Off, where Nicholas Cage and John Travolta exchange their faces so they can fit in to their roles in separate worlds. If the idea wasn't bad enough, it emerged again in the movie Mission Impossible II, with the manic Tom Cruise trading faces in that one. Broken Arrow, Hard Target, Once A Thief and Blackjack have the trademark explosions, car crashes, broken glass and physical stunts just like any Woo movie would. They also have the typical 1 or 2 star rating that usually accompanies his movies.
Don't think that John Woo is content to rest on his movie-making laurels. He's scheduled to release more feature films in the near future. In 2006, there are 7 scheduled, of which 1 is currently being filmed and 2 are in production.
So, when you're thinking "that might be a good movie. I might like to see that one..." make sure that the name "John Woo" is nowhere in the movie credits. If it is, I can save you some money... it's probably going to suck!
That leads me to the director, John Woo. If you happen to see his name as the director of any movie you might be interested in watching, stay away. Why, you might ask? There are several reasons.
After seeing his 2003 release, Paycheck, I was reminded all over again why his films suck. For one, they are known for dazzling explosions, combined with lots of broken glass, plenty of sparks and ridiculous live-action stunts. That might be fine for some movie-goers. But, if you're interested in an actual story in your film, you probably won't find it. In this particular movie, the main character becomes a science experiment, which involves erasing his memories. Somehow these have a link to the future. Make sense to you? Me neither - even after 2 hours of watching the story unfold. Several times my wife and I looked at each other and said "this is ridiculous!" But, with nothing to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon, we hung in there.
Still the worst specimen of Mr. Woo's film expertise I can think of can be seen in the movie Windtalkers. The story is based on the true story of a small group of Navajo soldiers who were responsible for developing a code based on their language. If you know your history, the Navajo code was impossible to be cracked by the Japanese and Nazi forces in World War II. In the film, the story is lost amid Woo's trademark sparks, "death-defying" stunts and meaningless explosions. It was an incredible story - lost in a terrible movie. Sadly, Windtalkers followed much better movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line and never matched the quality.
But, there are other bad examples of Woo's movie-making acumen. There's the ridiculous Face Off, where Nicholas Cage and John Travolta exchange their faces so they can fit in to their roles in separate worlds. If the idea wasn't bad enough, it emerged again in the movie Mission Impossible II, with the manic Tom Cruise trading faces in that one. Broken Arrow, Hard Target, Once A Thief and Blackjack have the trademark explosions, car crashes, broken glass and physical stunts just like any Woo movie would. They also have the typical 1 or 2 star rating that usually accompanies his movies.
Don't think that John Woo is content to rest on his movie-making laurels. He's scheduled to release more feature films in the near future. In 2006, there are 7 scheduled, of which 1 is currently being filmed and 2 are in production.
So, when you're thinking "that might be a good movie. I might like to see that one..." make sure that the name "John Woo" is nowhere in the movie credits. If it is, I can save you some money... it's probably going to suck!
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Texas High School Playoffs - A Follow-up
One week ago, my son and I attended a game which marked the 3rd playoff appearance by my high school alma- mater in the past 60 or so years. I wrote then that I didn't think they, or their opponent belonged in the playoff tournament. A week later, I think that observation has been partially vindicated. The score in the Area round of the 2A Div. 1 playoffs: Newton-62; Hearne-13. Hearne defeated Malakoff last week 41-7. I can only imagine the outcome had the draw for last week's game been such that Malakoff played Newton in the first round instead.
What does it say about a team who squeaks into an expanded playoff system and gets annihilated by a much better opponent? Many will argue "that's just the way it is," and they are right. But, I go back to my original argument in this thread - why invite those who don't really belong? Is there any benefit in allowing more teams in so they can feel good about their season?
Why do I make this argument? Frankly, sport is such that no matter what extent someone tries to make everything fair, at some point it just won't be. There are always bigger and faster players. There are some schools that just develop better players in droves. That usually means that only a few schools are truly successful and the rest are part of the pile.
I remember during the course of high school getting word of district realignment and discovering we would no longer play some of our most hotly rivaled opponents. The way it was explained to us players then was it was a chance to be aligned with teams that we can compete with better. I didn't realize it then, but the realignment process was set up so that the UIL could promote "fairness" so that better teams could not keep a long-standing advantage over weaker ones. Since our school was mostly outmatched by the teams in our district, the prospect of being aligned in a "more favorable" district was very attractive.
Once, after the alignment process had ended, one of our coaches told us "men, you shouldn't be relieved that you won't play those teams anymore. Your new opponents will also be a challenge to you. It should make you sad that you likely will never get the opportunity to get revenge for the last time your old opponents beat you." He was right. We played other schools, with which we had no history and saw long-standing rivalries abandoned. According to UIL rules, it had become necessary to be realigned because many of our rival schools had grown significantly. Still, there would be no chance for revenge or to redeem ourselves as a team against those foes. We also found the new alignment to be just as feisty as the the old one and garnered very limited success.
There has always been a struggle in athletics. There also has been a winner AND, sadly, a loser. Having been on the losing side for most of my athletic career, I have to say losing, far more than winning, builds character. My coaches throughout junior-high and high school sports, who were likely considered also-rans in their profession by their peers, are still some of the most esteemed people in my life. They taught me life would never be fair and, win or lose, the only thing that would matter at the end of each night would be how much effort I gave in each contest.
Why is it, then, that we as parents try so hard to insulate our children and to protect them from the lessons of life? I'm not saying that we should just let them go and learn everything the hard way. That would be ridiculous and stupid. I think our kids deserve the best opportunities we can give them. Sometimes it's important to step in a protect them from something that is potentially a destructive force in their lives. More often, in concern for self-esteem, we intervene and rob them of the richest lessons they will ever learn in life.
At some point, however, we have to teach them that life will not be fair. We have to teach them that most of life's situations and circumstances don't have a story-book ending. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, because there will always be a winner and a loser.
It's ALL about how you play the game.
What does it say about a team who squeaks into an expanded playoff system and gets annihilated by a much better opponent? Many will argue "that's just the way it is," and they are right. But, I go back to my original argument in this thread - why invite those who don't really belong? Is there any benefit in allowing more teams in so they can feel good about their season?
Why do I make this argument? Frankly, sport is such that no matter what extent someone tries to make everything fair, at some point it just won't be. There are always bigger and faster players. There are some schools that just develop better players in droves. That usually means that only a few schools are truly successful and the rest are part of the pile.
I remember during the course of high school getting word of district realignment and discovering we would no longer play some of our most hotly rivaled opponents. The way it was explained to us players then was it was a chance to be aligned with teams that we can compete with better. I didn't realize it then, but the realignment process was set up so that the UIL could promote "fairness" so that better teams could not keep a long-standing advantage over weaker ones. Since our school was mostly outmatched by the teams in our district, the prospect of being aligned in a "more favorable" district was very attractive.
Once, after the alignment process had ended, one of our coaches told us "men, you shouldn't be relieved that you won't play those teams anymore. Your new opponents will also be a challenge to you. It should make you sad that you likely will never get the opportunity to get revenge for the last time your old opponents beat you." He was right. We played other schools, with which we had no history and saw long-standing rivalries abandoned. According to UIL rules, it had become necessary to be realigned because many of our rival schools had grown significantly. Still, there would be no chance for revenge or to redeem ourselves as a team against those foes. We also found the new alignment to be just as feisty as the the old one and garnered very limited success.
There has always been a struggle in athletics. There also has been a winner AND, sadly, a loser. Having been on the losing side for most of my athletic career, I have to say losing, far more than winning, builds character. My coaches throughout junior-high and high school sports, who were likely considered also-rans in their profession by their peers, are still some of the most esteemed people in my life. They taught me life would never be fair and, win or lose, the only thing that would matter at the end of each night would be how much effort I gave in each contest.
Why is it, then, that we as parents try so hard to insulate our children and to protect them from the lessons of life? I'm not saying that we should just let them go and learn everything the hard way. That would be ridiculous and stupid. I think our kids deserve the best opportunities we can give them. Sometimes it's important to step in a protect them from something that is potentially a destructive force in their lives. More often, in concern for self-esteem, we intervene and rob them of the richest lessons they will ever learn in life.
At some point, however, we have to teach them that life will not be fair. We have to teach them that most of life's situations and circumstances don't have a story-book ending. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, because there will always be a winner and a loser.
It's ALL about how you play the game.
Monday, November 14, 2005
The Saga Ends...Now Jesus Can Come Back
When I tell stories about my childhood, I usually get a lot of laughs. It's not because they're particularly funny stories. It's usually because they're told in the context of ignorance, misinformation or miseducation - the byproducts of hailing from East Texas. There's lots of superstition and misinformation in just about everything. Church was usually the worst.
Having been raised in a Pentecostal home, I was taught a hodge-podge theology that resembled that of any main-line Baptist church. The Pentecostal aspect of the faith made us more of the wild-eyed, wrong side of the tracks, uneducated and plain old weird church in town. Ours was the church that had the reputation of people who jumped pews, fell out in the aisles and swung from chandeliers - only we couldn't afford chandeliers in our church. The truth was it was an enthusiastic but often Biblically ignorant atmosphere.
Sermons were often preached about the Rapture, a pseudo return of Christ. The actual word isn't in the English Bible. It's actually in the Greek text and it means "caught away." It's then instance when Jesus calls the church out before the "Great Tribulation," 7 years before his actual, earthly return. I heard countless sermons that often ended with "altar calls" that went something like this: "If Christ were to return tonight, if the rapture took place on your way home, or while you were asleep, would you be ready?" That sort of appeal was designed to scare little kids on the edge of their faith, as well as the hardest sinner that might ever darken the doors of the church. In my young life, such preaching made quite an impression. The rapture could happen at any time. Don't mess around with God. Get right!
Another thing that preachers preached about was that attending movies, or "picture shows," was wrong for a Christian. My parent's didn't allow me to watch movies in theaters until I was much older and could afford to get in on my own. There wasn't a good reason, except that God might not want to go into theater to get me for the "rapture." It never really made sense - especially when there were decent movies to watch. Case in point was the release of "Star Wars." I was 8 years old when it was first released and it was out of the question for me to see it. Of course, all of my friends saw it and couldn't understand why I would ask so many questions about the movie and could not fathom why I hadn't been to see it myself. I never bothered to tell them my reason and eventually got around seeing it by reading comic books based on the movie (because there wasn't anything wrong with comic books, unlike movies).
I eventually got to see the movie, as well as the Empire Strikes Back (on the first run in theaters, which is another story) and was totally immersed in the Star Wars story. I learned everything there was to know about the cast, characters, the director, George Lucas as well as the supposed time-line for the release of other movies, particularly the Return of the Jedi. Fans of Star Wars know that in George Lucas' story, there were actually 9 parts to his story. Star Wars, Empire and Jedi were just the middle 3.
If you remember, Empire was released in 1979 and Jedi came out in 1983. Still, this caused a dilemma within my theology: "what if Jesus comes back before Return of the Jedi comes out?" What would become of Luke Skywalker, or Han Solo? Would Darth Vader crush the rebellion once and for all?" Considering the fact that I was so caught up in a movie and wasn't supposed to watch them in the first place put me in a precarious position with the Good Lord. Still, I was grief stricken and often prayed "Jesus, can you please wait until I can see the Return of the Jedi before You come back?" I was sincere in my faith in the return of Christ and just knew it would undermine the Star Wars saga forever.
Of course, it's pretty safe to say now that Jesus didn't return (not necessarily in answer to my prayers) and in the years since Return of the Jedi was released, the entire trilogy has since been re-mastered and re-released twice. (I guess in the heart of the unbeliever, that would be cause to give in to wild living) The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and finally The Revenge of the Sith were finally released, providing a brilliant backdrop for the original story. So far, I own 3 copies of the original trilogy (the original release on VHS, the Special Edition on VHS and most recently the DVD edition) as well as Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones on DVD.
Two weeks ago, Revenge of the Sith was released on DVD. According to George Lucas, this would end the Star Wars saga once and for all. Forget the last 3 installments. 6 movies and 28 years of work are now a complete work for the ages. It ties up the loose ends of the story that came alive to me so many years ago. It is so much more than just a story or a bunch of movies. It was a vital part of my life and development.
But, now that it's over, what am I to do? I guess I can camp out on a rooftop and wait for the Rapture. I can sell my house and all my stuff and make preparations for the return. I can also add a chapter to that ill-fated book "88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988." I'm sure there are many more reasons now than 17 years ago.
One of them should be the Star Wars saga is finally over.
Having been raised in a Pentecostal home, I was taught a hodge-podge theology that resembled that of any main-line Baptist church. The Pentecostal aspect of the faith made us more of the wild-eyed, wrong side of the tracks, uneducated and plain old weird church in town. Ours was the church that had the reputation of people who jumped pews, fell out in the aisles and swung from chandeliers - only we couldn't afford chandeliers in our church. The truth was it was an enthusiastic but often Biblically ignorant atmosphere.
Sermons were often preached about the Rapture, a pseudo return of Christ. The actual word isn't in the English Bible. It's actually in the Greek text and it means "caught away." It's then instance when Jesus calls the church out before the "Great Tribulation," 7 years before his actual, earthly return. I heard countless sermons that often ended with "altar calls" that went something like this: "If Christ were to return tonight, if the rapture took place on your way home, or while you were asleep, would you be ready?" That sort of appeal was designed to scare little kids on the edge of their faith, as well as the hardest sinner that might ever darken the doors of the church. In my young life, such preaching made quite an impression. The rapture could happen at any time. Don't mess around with God. Get right!
Another thing that preachers preached about was that attending movies, or "picture shows," was wrong for a Christian. My parent's didn't allow me to watch movies in theaters until I was much older and could afford to get in on my own. There wasn't a good reason, except that God might not want to go into theater to get me for the "rapture." It never really made sense - especially when there were decent movies to watch. Case in point was the release of "Star Wars." I was 8 years old when it was first released and it was out of the question for me to see it. Of course, all of my friends saw it and couldn't understand why I would ask so many questions about the movie and could not fathom why I hadn't been to see it myself. I never bothered to tell them my reason and eventually got around seeing it by reading comic books based on the movie (because there wasn't anything wrong with comic books, unlike movies).
I eventually got to see the movie, as well as the Empire Strikes Back (on the first run in theaters, which is another story) and was totally immersed in the Star Wars story. I learned everything there was to know about the cast, characters, the director, George Lucas as well as the supposed time-line for the release of other movies, particularly the Return of the Jedi. Fans of Star Wars know that in George Lucas' story, there were actually 9 parts to his story. Star Wars, Empire and Jedi were just the middle 3.
If you remember, Empire was released in 1979 and Jedi came out in 1983. Still, this caused a dilemma within my theology: "what if Jesus comes back before Return of the Jedi comes out?" What would become of Luke Skywalker, or Han Solo? Would Darth Vader crush the rebellion once and for all?" Considering the fact that I was so caught up in a movie and wasn't supposed to watch them in the first place put me in a precarious position with the Good Lord. Still, I was grief stricken and often prayed "Jesus, can you please wait until I can see the Return of the Jedi before You come back?" I was sincere in my faith in the return of Christ and just knew it would undermine the Star Wars saga forever.
Of course, it's pretty safe to say now that Jesus didn't return (not necessarily in answer to my prayers) and in the years since Return of the Jedi was released, the entire trilogy has since been re-mastered and re-released twice. (I guess in the heart of the unbeliever, that would be cause to give in to wild living) The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and finally The Revenge of the Sith were finally released, providing a brilliant backdrop for the original story. So far, I own 3 copies of the original trilogy (the original release on VHS, the Special Edition on VHS and most recently the DVD edition) as well as Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones on DVD.
Two weeks ago, Revenge of the Sith was released on DVD. According to George Lucas, this would end the Star Wars saga once and for all. Forget the last 3 installments. 6 movies and 28 years of work are now a complete work for the ages. It ties up the loose ends of the story that came alive to me so many years ago. It is so much more than just a story or a bunch of movies. It was a vital part of my life and development.
But, now that it's over, what am I to do? I guess I can camp out on a rooftop and wait for the Rapture. I can sell my house and all my stuff and make preparations for the return. I can also add a chapter to that ill-fated book "88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988." I'm sure there are many more reasons now than 17 years ago.
One of them should be the Star Wars saga is finally over.
Another Tough Loss For The Tigers
I attended that playoff game in Waco Saturday night. My son and I drove 3 hours to get there (even after a wrong turn) and truly enjoyed ourselves - that is, until the game began. Emotion was running high on both sides of the field as the two mediocre teams squared-off in state playoff competition. Noone cared about their team's regular season record anymore. This was a new season of hope - at least for about 5 minutes after the start of the game.
Malakoff received the opening kick-off, ran three plays and were forced to punt. That's when the trouble began. Hearne blocked the punt and recoved the ball inside the Malakoff 20-yard line. 3 plays later, the score was 7-0, in favor of Hearne. The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by the Tigers, recovered by the Eagles on the Malakoff 17-yard line. 4 plays later, the score read 14-0, Hearne. Malakoff moved the ball after the game's 3rd kickoff, but had to punt again. The punt got away, but only traveled 10 yards. Hearne got the ball on the Malakoff 25. 3 plays later, 21-0, Hearne.
I do not intend for this blog to be sports column. There are much better sports writers around than I could ever hope to be. Instead, the outcome of the game, which was 40-7, Hearne over Malakoff, highlights two recent trends in Texas high school football that can be seen statewide. First is the matter of the expansion of the playoff system, which I discussed here previously. The 2005 Malakoff Tigers legally made the playoffs this year, but clearly showed they didn't belong or deserve to be there. The score beared that out.
The second trend, which is a result of shifting population centers, seems to be more of a factor from year to year. The trend isn't just happening in Texas. It's a national phenomenon. People are leaving rural areas for cities and suburbs. Larger cities in rural areas are even feeling the pinch as traditional job sources dry up forcing residents to look elsewhere for employment.
Case in point, Texarkana, Texas, which is a city of roughly 40-50 thousand. The former 5A powerhouse Texas High School was reclassified in 2004 and is now in the 4A class and is the number 1 seed in the 4A playoffs. Palestine, a city of 20,000+ has been a 4A playoff team for decades. This season was their first to be in the 3A class, thanks to an exodus of some 3-5 thousand residents within the past decade. This year, they, too, are well ranked as they begin their playoff run. Hearne was a good sized 3A school just a decade ago. In that span, railroad and oilfield work has dried up, forcing townsfolk elsewhere. Now, they are an underachieving 2A squad. Such stories are repeated all around the state, rural schools are losing students in droves year by year.
As for the cities and suburbs, enrollment continues to explode. New powerhouses continue to dominate throughout the season, year after year. Southlake Carroll, a 3A school only 10 years ago, is now classified as super 5A, enjoying the benefits of DFW area urban sprawl. In Montgomery County, north of Houston, the Woodlands High School also reaps the benefit, as the super 5A football runner-up from a year ago. There currently is another high school in the Woodlands. University Park HS had only 9th grade students this year. Within 4 years, the school's attendance should be roughly 5,000 students. The Woodlands High School also will have roughly 5,000 students. Magnolia HS was a 4A school only 3 years ago. Now, they are a mid-sized 5A school, trying to find their way among 5A powerhouses. There are plans to begin construction on a new high school in Magnolia in the next 3 years.
So, what does this mean? Possibly, the death of the small, rural school - at least as far as athletics is concerned. As the national trend continues, more and more people will continue to move to be closer to jobs available in big cities. As they do, they leave behind a rich history of competition, sportsmanship and small town comeradery that typifies sports in a small town.
Malakoff received the opening kick-off, ran three plays and were forced to punt. That's when the trouble began. Hearne blocked the punt and recoved the ball inside the Malakoff 20-yard line. 3 plays later, the score was 7-0, in favor of Hearne. The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by the Tigers, recovered by the Eagles on the Malakoff 17-yard line. 4 plays later, the score read 14-0, Hearne. Malakoff moved the ball after the game's 3rd kickoff, but had to punt again. The punt got away, but only traveled 10 yards. Hearne got the ball on the Malakoff 25. 3 plays later, 21-0, Hearne.
I do not intend for this blog to be sports column. There are much better sports writers around than I could ever hope to be. Instead, the outcome of the game, which was 40-7, Hearne over Malakoff, highlights two recent trends in Texas high school football that can be seen statewide. First is the matter of the expansion of the playoff system, which I discussed here previously. The 2005 Malakoff Tigers legally made the playoffs this year, but clearly showed they didn't belong or deserve to be there. The score beared that out.
The second trend, which is a result of shifting population centers, seems to be more of a factor from year to year. The trend isn't just happening in Texas. It's a national phenomenon. People are leaving rural areas for cities and suburbs. Larger cities in rural areas are even feeling the pinch as traditional job sources dry up forcing residents to look elsewhere for employment.
Case in point, Texarkana, Texas, which is a city of roughly 40-50 thousand. The former 5A powerhouse Texas High School was reclassified in 2004 and is now in the 4A class and is the number 1 seed in the 4A playoffs. Palestine, a city of 20,000+ has been a 4A playoff team for decades. This season was their first to be in the 3A class, thanks to an exodus of some 3-5 thousand residents within the past decade. This year, they, too, are well ranked as they begin their playoff run. Hearne was a good sized 3A school just a decade ago. In that span, railroad and oilfield work has dried up, forcing townsfolk elsewhere. Now, they are an underachieving 2A squad. Such stories are repeated all around the state, rural schools are losing students in droves year by year.
As for the cities and suburbs, enrollment continues to explode. New powerhouses continue to dominate throughout the season, year after year. Southlake Carroll, a 3A school only 10 years ago, is now classified as super 5A, enjoying the benefits of DFW area urban sprawl. In Montgomery County, north of Houston, the Woodlands High School also reaps the benefit, as the super 5A football runner-up from a year ago. There currently is another high school in the Woodlands. University Park HS had only 9th grade students this year. Within 4 years, the school's attendance should be roughly 5,000 students. The Woodlands High School also will have roughly 5,000 students. Magnolia HS was a 4A school only 3 years ago. Now, they are a mid-sized 5A school, trying to find their way among 5A powerhouses. There are plans to begin construction on a new high school in Magnolia in the next 3 years.
So, what does this mean? Possibly, the death of the small, rural school - at least as far as athletics is concerned. As the national trend continues, more and more people will continue to move to be closer to jobs available in big cities. As they do, they leave behind a rich history of competition, sportsmanship and small town comeradery that typifies sports in a small town.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Texas High School Football
I found out over the weekend that my high school alma mater, Malakoff High School will participate in the Texas UIL State Playoffs for the 1st time in 15 years and only the 3rd time in the last 60. That's big news for the town known as the Gateway to Cedar Creek Lake. In Texas, if somebody goes to the playoffs in football, it's a big deal. Who cares about the other sports! Football is king!
The more I've thought about the success of this Tiger team, I've given a lot of thought to the UIL playoff system in Texas. In at least the last 15 years, there's been a rule change that, in my mind, has diluted the achievement from what it once was. In Texas, there are all kinds of schools, small to really, really big. The classification system has pretty much always been Class A for the small ones and 5A for the big ones. Everything else is graded between A and 5A accordingly. In the "old days" there was one champion per class, which is fitting. The best of the rest.
In the late '80's or early '90's, there was a division made between the "smaller" 5A schools and those called "Super 5A" which were just incredibly big by anyone's standards. It made sense to make a division. Some schools were enormous while the others barely qualified for the rank. Suddenly, there were 2 - 5A champions. Then, the trend followed - 4A was divided, then 3A, 2A and finally class A. The argument goes "it's not fair for a smaller school to have to compete against a larger one within their own division." Everyone wants to be "fair" these days. Here's the playoff pairings for the 2005 football season in Texas. At the end of this football season, there will be 11 state champions from the Lone Star State.
For those reading, you might wonder "what's the big deal?" This is it in a nutshell: of the 3 playoff teams from Malakoff, the 2005 team posted the worst record of them all. The 2005 Malakoff Tigers were 5-5 overall and will be playing an opponent with a 6-4 record this weekend. They lost to teams with winning records and beat the ones with losing records. I doubt this team will advance beyond the Area round - if they can get past their next opponent on Saturday. The issue in my mind isn't whether they'll go deep in the playoffs or get eliminated in the first round. My issue is "do they even belong there at all?"
There were two teams prior to this one who made it to the playoffs in the State of Texas. The Malakoff team from 1946 was a perfect 12-0 and went as far as they could in those days, which was the regional championship. The other playoff team from 1990 was 9-1 and was eliminated in the Area round of the playoffs by a team that lost in the state championship game. See the difference? It's a comparison between outstanding achievement and being an also-ran. I don't know about that 1946 team, but the 1990 team had high hopes from the start. The frustration that followed their early departure from the playoffs that season ultimately led to Head Coach Jim Wills to resign before the next season. That team was that good.
It might seem like I've got something in my craw about this. One could ask "what did the teams you played for do in those seasons?" I never played on a team with a winning record throughout high school. But, as a kid, I was a fan of some of the most incredible teams ever fielded by Malakoff High School, in that playoff drought from 1946 to 1990. From 1977-1983 probably some of the most talented teams I ever saw graced the old Tiger Stadium at the corner of Hillcrest and Smith Streets in Malakoff. Bennie Rogers, Homer Turner, James Jackson, Tim Farrell, Harold Driver, Todd Shelton, Chip Souza, Billy Whitely, Curtis Ivey, Wes Hughes, Ronnie Dennis, Joe Bailey, Clint Clements, John Cross and others were the names of my real-life heroes. They played against teams from places like Red Oak, Crockett, Palestine, Rusk, Lindale, Fairfield, among others which all had one thing in common - an enrollment double to ours.
Anyone familiar with high school sports knows that enrollment is the key to a school's success or failure. Playing schools with attendances that dwarfed ours, my heroes were successful. They stood toe to toe with blue-chip college prospects and held their own. Their success was limited due to the odds they faced each time they walked on the field. For 4 consecutive seasons during this span, the Tigers were 7-3. Twice they were 5-5. There was a time I could recite from memory the events that turned the tide in the crucial games - often just a matter of inches. They were heartbreaking losses - especially to their many fans - kids like me. Under today's rules, those Tiger teams could have gone on to play in the playoffs just like the 2005 Tigers will this weekend.
I mean no offense to the 2005 Tigers. I'm sure you have a good team in your own right. In fact, I'll be in the stands rooting for your success. You will be going where I was not able. But, I can't help thinking what if one of those teams - the teams of my heroes - had the opportunity to advance in a second division? That is a question for child-fans to ponder. As an adult I know, such questions are foolish and a waste of energy.
But, what if?
In the world of the Malakoff Tigers - past and present - we will never know.
The more I've thought about the success of this Tiger team, I've given a lot of thought to the UIL playoff system in Texas. In at least the last 15 years, there's been a rule change that, in my mind, has diluted the achievement from what it once was. In Texas, there are all kinds of schools, small to really, really big. The classification system has pretty much always been Class A for the small ones and 5A for the big ones. Everything else is graded between A and 5A accordingly. In the "old days" there was one champion per class, which is fitting. The best of the rest.
In the late '80's or early '90's, there was a division made between the "smaller" 5A schools and those called "Super 5A" which were just incredibly big by anyone's standards. It made sense to make a division. Some schools were enormous while the others barely qualified for the rank. Suddenly, there were 2 - 5A champions. Then, the trend followed - 4A was divided, then 3A, 2A and finally class A. The argument goes "it's not fair for a smaller school to have to compete against a larger one within their own division." Everyone wants to be "fair" these days. Here's the playoff pairings for the 2005 football season in Texas. At the end of this football season, there will be 11 state champions from the Lone Star State.
For those reading, you might wonder "what's the big deal?" This is it in a nutshell: of the 3 playoff teams from Malakoff, the 2005 team posted the worst record of them all. The 2005 Malakoff Tigers were 5-5 overall and will be playing an opponent with a 6-4 record this weekend. They lost to teams with winning records and beat the ones with losing records. I doubt this team will advance beyond the Area round - if they can get past their next opponent on Saturday. The issue in my mind isn't whether they'll go deep in the playoffs or get eliminated in the first round. My issue is "do they even belong there at all?"
There were two teams prior to this one who made it to the playoffs in the State of Texas. The Malakoff team from 1946 was a perfect 12-0 and went as far as they could in those days, which was the regional championship. The other playoff team from 1990 was 9-1 and was eliminated in the Area round of the playoffs by a team that lost in the state championship game. See the difference? It's a comparison between outstanding achievement and being an also-ran. I don't know about that 1946 team, but the 1990 team had high hopes from the start. The frustration that followed their early departure from the playoffs that season ultimately led to Head Coach Jim Wills to resign before the next season. That team was that good.
It might seem like I've got something in my craw about this. One could ask "what did the teams you played for do in those seasons?" I never played on a team with a winning record throughout high school. But, as a kid, I was a fan of some of the most incredible teams ever fielded by Malakoff High School, in that playoff drought from 1946 to 1990. From 1977-1983 probably some of the most talented teams I ever saw graced the old Tiger Stadium at the corner of Hillcrest and Smith Streets in Malakoff. Bennie Rogers, Homer Turner, James Jackson, Tim Farrell, Harold Driver, Todd Shelton, Chip Souza, Billy Whitely, Curtis Ivey, Wes Hughes, Ronnie Dennis, Joe Bailey, Clint Clements, John Cross and others were the names of my real-life heroes. They played against teams from places like Red Oak, Crockett, Palestine, Rusk, Lindale, Fairfield, among others which all had one thing in common - an enrollment double to ours.
Anyone familiar with high school sports knows that enrollment is the key to a school's success or failure. Playing schools with attendances that dwarfed ours, my heroes were successful. They stood toe to toe with blue-chip college prospects and held their own. Their success was limited due to the odds they faced each time they walked on the field. For 4 consecutive seasons during this span, the Tigers were 7-3. Twice they were 5-5. There was a time I could recite from memory the events that turned the tide in the crucial games - often just a matter of inches. They were heartbreaking losses - especially to their many fans - kids like me. Under today's rules, those Tiger teams could have gone on to play in the playoffs just like the 2005 Tigers will this weekend.
I mean no offense to the 2005 Tigers. I'm sure you have a good team in your own right. In fact, I'll be in the stands rooting for your success. You will be going where I was not able. But, I can't help thinking what if one of those teams - the teams of my heroes - had the opportunity to advance in a second division? That is a question for child-fans to ponder. As an adult I know, such questions are foolish and a waste of energy.
But, what if?
In the world of the Malakoff Tigers - past and present - we will never know.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
History Lesson - Up Close and Personal
Our church spent the last weekend at Fort Parker State Park near Groesbeck and Mexia, Texas. Of course, any time there is a fort something or other in the state of Texas, you can bet there's quite a bit of history involved. Fort Parker is no exception. A cool East Texas slant is part of the story. It's hard to believe that East Texas was once part of the wild frontier. A lot has happened in the last 150 years.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Thank You Astros
It's already been a week since the Astros fell to the Chicago White Sox. Despite being swept by the Sox, there is so much to be proud of and relish as a fan. Despite being swept, the "good guys" never were out of any game. As heart-breaking as each loss might have been, this team thrilled fans, just like me, like never before.
Astros' fans, think of all the teams that have been fielded by the Astros in the last 20 years. The 2005 version was not the strongest team by any stretch. Yet, they were as opportunistic - if not more - than any team before them.
I'm here one week later wishing they were still playing. Of course, the season would be over by now - whether they won or lost. The memories of this season will last for a long time. I hope they last for the rest of my life. I hope folks never forget the excitement generated by this team. This season was fantastic and one to remember.
Astros' fans, think of all the teams that have been fielded by the Astros in the last 20 years. The 2005 version was not the strongest team by any stretch. Yet, they were as opportunistic - if not more - than any team before them.
I'm here one week later wishing they were still playing. Of course, the season would be over by now - whether they won or lost. The memories of this season will last for a long time. I hope they last for the rest of my life. I hope folks never forget the excitement generated by this team. This season was fantastic and one to remember.
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