Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve all across the great state of Texas as high school football begins tomorrow. Hmmmm....... decisions, decisions. Head to Pennington Field in Bedford on Friday for a great 3A game featuring Celina vs. Robinson or to Grapevine-Colleyville Stadium for defending 5A-DII champ Cedar Hill at Colleyville Heritage. Or maybe I'll go west young man for the Abilene/Austin Westlake matchup. Then again going south to see Giddings/Wimberley or The Woodlands and Smithson Valley seems appealing. Decisions, decisions..........maybe.........I'll sleep on it.

What to watch for in 07'
Coach Bob Shipley moves to 5A Coppell from 3A Burnet
Hal Wasson tries to extend 48 game win streak at Southlake Carroll
After 22 years as an assistant Larry Cone takes over at 2A Somerville
Galena Park Northshore looks to extend 60 game regular season win streak
Will steroid testing be implemented before season's end?
Alto dominated class 1A by outscoring foes 744-58 in 06'. Can they repeat?
Giddings QB Brock Fitzhenry (pictured at right), who has 5,478 career rushing yds., looks to move into the top ten all-time rushing list

Five Must See Games in 07'
Gilmer vs. Tatum September 7th
Southlake Carroll vs. Miami Northwestern September 15th
Shiner at Thrall September 21st
Wimberley at Liberty Hill September 28th
Copperas Cove at Waco November 9th

2007 Associated Press Top Ten Poll

This year's Texas High School Football Associated Press Top Ten Poll is unusual in the fact that it doesn't seem that unusual.

In what typically seems to be an AP Top Ten Poll tradition, they usually pull out some surprises that appear to have been mailed in from the planet Pluto. This year the picks actually seem to have been made by common earthlings that have half a football brain.

Hard to be picky at all with this years' selections, but here's my comments:
Class 5A - Many seem to be high on the Grapevine Mustangs this year, but I'll take a wait and see attitude. Grapevine does have 14 returnees, but only 6 on the defensive side, and therein lies the problem. The Mustangs gave up an average of 30 points a game last year including 56 to Coppell and 41 to Haltom. They did improve during the season, but the lack of defense reared it's ugly head again in a 48-42 playoff loss to Desoto. Can't see ranking them ahead of Desoto, Longview, Abilene and Mesquite, among others.
Class 4A - Can't argue with the picks.
Class 3A - 3A looks good too, but I'm surprised China Spring didn't receive votes. They have 14 starters back from an 8-3 team that includes the QB Eskew to WR Hicks connection.
Class 2A - Altair Rice seems a little low to me.
Class 1A - Everyone seems to be on the Bremond Tigers bandwagon this year. I think they'll be a fine team, but a #4 ranking seems way out of line. Yes they return 16 starters, but this was a 5-6 team last year and I see them as no better than the third place team in their own district. District foe Chilton is the reigning state champ and even though they return only 5 starters don't underestimate the heart of a champion, while Normangee also returns 16 starters from a 7-3 team, including the Mullinnix twins at QB and RB.

Associated Press Top Ten Poll
http://www.txprepsfootball.com.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=348

Ex Coppell RB Ponders Move to Gators

News out that former Coppell high school running back Emmanuel Moody is considering the University of Florida after leaving USC.

USC has ten All-American running backs on the roster and they are well known for rotating their backs. Word is that RB Joe McKnight from John Curtis high school in Louisiana has impressed Pete Carroll and his staff and has been all but guaranteed playing time.

Moody wants to be a "featured back" after having a decent freshman season where he gained 458 yards at USC before being sidelined the last four games with a sprained ankle.

The question is, didn't Moody know going in that the Trojan backfield situation would be extremely conjested? Remember he also backed out of a UT commitment upon leaving high school. Seems it's time for him to make a decision and realize there is going to be stiff competition no matter where he goes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/specials/preview/2007/08/23/florida.moody.ap/index.html?eref=si_topstories

The Rivals Fab 50

The Rivals.com Fab 50 is out and it includes four teams from Texas: #1 Southlake Carroll, #10 Katy, #29 Smithson Valley and #38 Copperas Cove.

Don't get me wrong, the Copperas Cove Bulldogs are a good team (we have them ranked as the #2 class 4A team), but to rank them ahead of 5A powers Euless Trinity, Lufkin, Cedar Hill and Spring Westfield seems questionable at best. As Randy on American Idol would say; I ain't feelin' ya' dog.
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=704359

The Gingerbread Haka?

The Euless Trinity Trojan Haka was imported from New Zealand and now the same country brings us the Gingerbread Haka for your viewing pleasure.
http://www.bakeryoftheyear.co.nz/net/best-bakery/gingerbread-video.aspx

It's Soooo Hot ...... It Must Be Texas HS Football Season

Texas high school football team workouts are now in full force and the first scrimmages will be this weekend. Along with the start of practice came the traditional Texas heat. Football practice and 100 degree heat just go hand-in-hand in these parts don't they?

Actually the big story most of the summer was cooler weather and flooding throughout the state, and now tropical storms are bringing more rain to the southern part of the state. Old man sunshine will continue to dole out high temperatures until September though, so we might as well break out the "it's so hot" jokes.

It's so hot ..................

• I saw a dog chasing a cat and they were both walking
• I saw a robin pulling a worm out of the ground and he was using pot holders
• Chickens are laying boiled eggs
• You eat a jalapeno pepper just to cool your mouth off
• When the temperature dips below 95 you break out a jacket
• You use your seat belt buckle for a branding iron
• You learn how to drive with two fingers
• My french poodle is now a french fry
• You take turns standing in each others shade
• You burn your rear from the boiling water in your toilet bowl
• Trees are whistling at dogs