Sunday, August 28, 2011

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and Upsets

I will try to compare what I saw in WEEK ZERO with my Preseason Top Ten in D1 and D2. I watched a game on Thursday night, a couple on Friday night and a hand full on Saturday. I picked a few games correctly and I missed a few as well.

Thursday night in Trent I expected Bryson to handle Highland. The game was closer than I thought it would be. Friday I thought Richland Springs would beat Avalon and they did. As a side note to that game, Avalon has a couple of outstanding athletes. Richland Springs was the best team I saw in WEEK ZERO. They are monsters and I believe are on their way to another title. Not just district, the BIG TITLE.

Through the years I have met lots of good folks from Richland Springs. I am happy to report I was able to visit with Richland Springs NUMBER ONE FAN. Pres. He is still going at 87 years young. I was happy to here he was able to make the HONOR FLIGHT out of Abilene not too long ago. He was pretty pumped up about that trip. I am extremely proud of him and for him and to all our servicemen and women past present and those to come in the future.

I thought Strawn would beat Calvert but they did so much more convincing that I thought they would. The second game at Hico saw Motley County snap a 29 game winning streak owned by Garden City. Took overtime and a couple of crazy bounces of the ball but they did it. BTW, I thought MC would win. I had Throckmorton ranked ahead of Valley in the Preseason Poll but I thought Valley would defeat Throckmorton. The Greyhounds proved me wrong but it was a tight game. I believed Ira would take down Follett and that Walnut Springs would do the same to Rising Star. They both did.
Out in far west Texas, McCamey to be exact, my preseason number one was doing battle with my number 8 and I thought it would be a great game with Borden County prevailing. Guess what? Rankin defeated Borden County 38-26. Let that be a lead in to the newest SIXMANCENTRAL POLL.

DIVISON 1
1. Throckmorton
2. Ira
3. Sands
4. Rankin
5. Aquilla
6. Ropes
7. Borden County
8. Garden City
9. Walnut Springs
10. Grady

DIVISION 2
1. Richland Springs
2. Sterling City
3. Motley County
4. Miami
5. Milford
6. Strawn
7. Jonesboro
8. Panther Creek
9. Gustine
10. Balmorhea

The earth moved in WEEK ZERO especially in D1. What will WEEK ONE bring? Thankfully, more SIX-MAN FOOTBALL. I can hardly wait! See you there.

Friday, August 26, 2011

WEEK ZERO = THE LIGHTNING ROUND



I have a history with the Highland Hornets and lightning. A couple of years ago Ira and Highland had very talented teams. I made my way to Highland to watch them square off. Without either team even so much as taking the field to loosen up before the big game, it was over. LIGHTNING defeated the Hornets and Bulldogs that night around 8:45PM. Nothing but lightning. Not a drop of rain.

Fast forward if you will to last night and the opening game of the 4th Annual Trent Gorillas’ RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE. The participants last night were the Bryson Cowboys and the Highland Hornets. As I drove out to the game I knew there had been some rain in the area. It is always a good thing around here when there is rain in the area!

This game was set to start at 7:00 PM. I was excited to get the new season underway. The game started promptly at 7:00PM. THAT was a good thing. I soon got a tweet from @sixmanguru who was at Zephyr watching a Jonesboro team defeat Rochelle 50 to zip. Things did not improve for him as the second game he watched ended with Zephyr defeating Woodson 48-0 at the half. The game is Six-Man football and on the average, 50% of the games end as a result of the “Mercy Rule”. Not my game in Trent.

Highland received the opening kickoff, ran four plays and Bryson took over on their own 39. Nine plays later from the 6 yard line, Kirby Hefner runs it in, Bryson with a PAT leads 8-0 3:39 left in the first.

Highland came back with an impressive six play drive covering 84 yards culminating with a 3yard TD run by Tyler Falcon. PAT good and it was tied up 8-8 with 1:32 left in the first quarter of play. The quarter ended in a tie score. Bryson would score on a 27 yard pass play with 7:21 left in the first half and the PAT made it Bryson 16 Highland 8. That was the halftime score. Bryson ran 31 offensive plays to 16 by Highland according to my stats.

With the clock counting down the halftime break, at around 3:00 minutes, BAM!!! Not thunder but thunder’s friend LIGHTNING makes is first appearance of the night. DELAY is in order.

The third quarter gets underway and on their second possession of the second half Bryson scores again with a PAT lead 24-8 with 7:21 left in the third. It would wind up being the final score. With 2:15 left in the third BAM2!!! Not thunder. You guessed it. LIGHTNING, round two and a 30 minute delay.

In the 4th quarter turnovers made this long and low scoring Six-Man game get a little ugly. As Coach Joe Helms of Bryson said after the game, “It was a win and it was ugly. Week 8 when we look back, it is still going to be a win”.

It appeared to me in the second half that Highland was playing better football but in the end a couple of Hornet turnovers kept them from at least getting the score closer if not perhaps winning the game. And so went WEEK ZERO. In fairness to both teams the lightning delays made it hard to get or keep momentum on their side.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Almost like Christmas












August 25th and football season is open for Texas high schools. No scrimmages but live games commence this very day and I am excited. I will take in eight games between tonight and Saturday. That is a great way to kick off the season.

It truly is Christmas in Hermleigh, though windy. They have a new school and athletic facilities. Take a look at the pictures.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

It is Over (2 a days)

There may well be a scrimmage taking place this morning, perhaps as late as this evening, but folks, the dreaded 2 a days are done. Stick a fork in them they are done.

The season gets underway starting Thursday August 25th at selects spots around the state. Friday will see more action and Saturday there are a number of Kickoff Classics that will seal the deal on WEEK ZERO. That is the good news. The bad news is after Saturday August 27th we will have one tenth of another regular season behind us.

We all know it has been hotter than normal this year. Why do we subject our kids to doing two a days workouts anyway? The reason is simple. There are things the coach wants to work on, but in the bigger picture, the kids need it. Summers are long and busy and some kids take a break. Translated, they are out of shape. This isn't the NFL, I know. However, WEEK ZERO rolls around and we watch the games begin. No more we outscored them 3-2 or they scored 5 to our four. No, from this point on it is we won or we lost. The temperature will most likely be brutal for the first two or three weeks and with two a days behind us, the kids have a much better chance to be in shape.

It has been good for me to make a few scrimmages as I stay out of shape. I pushed myself the last two days trying to somewhat prepare me for opening weekend. Made a trip to Petersburg on Thursday for a 4 way scrimmage between Petersburg, Meadow, Knox City, and Valley. Friday I found by way to a 3 way in Richland Springs to watch them go against Oglesby and Throckmorton. Lots of travel but I have to be ready, right? I went to Trent last week to watch a three way between the Gorillas and Lueders-Avoca and Paint Creek. I am in better shape than I was.

Thursday night I will be in Trent to watch the first game of the Rumble in the Jungle featuring Highland vs. Bryson. Friday night I will find my way to Zephyr for a couple of games, Morgan vs. Zephyr JV and Avalon Vs. Richland Springs. To wrap things up WEEK ZERO a day in Hico.

The 8th Annual Hico Six-Man Super Saturday has five games scheduled. The first game is at 10:00AM, Strawn vs. Calvert. Game 2 sometime around High Noon, Motley County vs, Garden City. Third game of the days pits Throckmorton against Valley. The fourth game of the day if the field is left intact from the previous game will be Ira against Follett and for the 5th game Walnut Springs goes against Rising Star. Come to Hico and pay $10.00 and watch a game or five games if you are in shape.

I would love to be in McCamey and Trent and at Jayton but time travel is not ready.

Don Hardin
Abilene

Friday, August 19, 2011

SIX by Marc Rasmussen

Martyn Beeny, Marketing Director for the South Dakota State Historical Society asked me to review the book.

Six: A Football Coach’s Journey to a National Record
Marc Rasmussen
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
ISBN 978-0-9845041-4-5, paperback original, $16.95
b/w photographs, maps, appendices, indexes


Historical accounts at times seem like reading a White Paper. This book is tremendously different as it has a wonderful story unfold out of a written history.

SIX is a winner! This wonderful book’s storyline has uncovered an outstanding piece of South Dakota history too long hidden in obscurity. A coach, a community without direction, a ragtag group of athletes that came together to produce a powerful and storied six-man football program well worthy of attention all across this Nation. Set in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, it tells of a time and place where the townspeople languished in that difficult time shortly after World War II. I believe any sports fans who read this book will enjoy and relish the outstanding feat,( 61 wins in a row), accomplished by Coach Welsh and the Claremont Honkers players as well as the fine folks of the community that gave their support. Three cheers from Texas!!! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!

Don Hardin
Abilene, TX
sixmancentral.blogspot.com
lonestarfootball.net
On twitter@sixmancentral

Thursday, August 18, 2011

For Crying Out Loud..............

it was just a scrimmage. Drove three hours to Petersburg to watch a four way scrimmage involving Petersburg and Valley and Knox City and Meadow. They're four very good teams.

My belief is Valley looked the sharpest of the four but if you have any of the other three on your schedule you better bring a sack lunch with you because you will need it.

I visited with the coaches afterward and they all said they had lots to work on next week. Coach O'Malley got his players attention more than once with his tender voice directed at their mistakes.

All the coaches had a time or two that they just let the words fly at their guys. Hey, that is what a scrimmage is all about. If there was a coach that seemed to have a bit of hangover heat, it would have been Coach Allison from Meadow. I commented to him that there was some bright spots. He did not particularly respond with "thank you for your kind words". He and I have been friends for several years and I know that look on his face. All the teams have work to do and I am certain that the Meadow team will have the opportunity to do just that.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

SixManCentral Preseason TOP TENS

PRESEASON TOP TEN

DIVISION 1
1.Borden County
2.Throckmorton
3.Valley
4.Garden City
5.Sands
6.Ira
7.Aquilla
8.Rankin
9.Knox City
10.Follett

DIVISION 2
1.Richland Springs
2.Sterling City
3.Motley County
4.Miami
5.Milford
6.Balmorhea
7.Strawn
8.Calvert
9.Jonesboro
10.Iredell

Lord have mercy!!!!!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

WEEK ZERO ACTION

Seems like it has been a year that I have been waiting for WEEK ZERO to get here. Lots of action that week but it is the Classics that are great for the fan in general. I am partial to Hico. I missed the first one but have been ever year since.

Depending on where you live you might rather attend a Classic in Jayton, Trent, Zephyr or McCamey. Great games to watch at all of them. Remember lots of teams are opening up the season all over Six-Man land. Take in a game somewhere. It is a required assignment.

Class dismissed.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Friday August 12th

What's with the date? Today I am finding my way to Trent, Texas for a 10:00 AM three way scrimmage. Trent, Lueders Avoca, and Paint Creek are the participants. Trent was decent last season. The other two were not. They all three gave it all they had.

My football itch needs a scratch. Tried last night watching a pro game on TV. Sorry pro fans your game doesn't do it for me. Eleven-man in general doesn't do it for me. I know there are lots of folks that don't like Six-Man football. It is kind of like politics, you go with what you like not because it is right but because you like it.

Church and State, Football and Politics............. Separation is best but I can not help but comment on Texas Governor Rick Perry who is supposed to announce soon that he will be in the running for POTUS. Separation is best. Mr. Perry once played the sport I love. That isn't enough for me.

Blaze Herring is back in Six-Man. He left for awhile but he is back now where he is coaching and doubling as Principal at Paint Creek. Maybe one day he will be our Governor. We could do worse. We have done worse. We are doing worse.

Go see some football and thank you Stephen Edward Ephler. One last thing check out the new design over at Lone Star Football Network at lonestarfootball.net.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The C-word

Not that one. Concussions. There is a new state law (HB 2038), all public schools must have a Concussion Management Plan for their athletic programs. Don't wait until it happens (a concussion). Be proactive in this, PLEASE!!!!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Sorry to report............

These schools will not be fielding a Six-Man team this season.

Fort Elliott HS UIL D2 Dist 1
Samnorwood HS UIL D2 Dist 2
Dell City HS UIL D2 Dist 6
Byers HS UIL D2 Dist 11
Morgan HS UIL D2 Dist 13

SCHEDULING???????

What is your take?
How many coaches do you know that when they schedule they look for the softest teams possible? Why do they do that? They might be interested in padding their win totals, you think? I am sure they have a hundred reasons for doing so.

How about the coach who has decided that he is moving on next season and schedules the toughest teams he can find for “the new guy”? Which one do you think is worse?
What about the “elite” team that goes out and is always looking for the very best competition available? This guy would schedule a Top Ten team every week if it was possible?

What difference does it really make? What is the point of the regular season? Win your district or finish as a runner up so as to make the playoffs, am I right? That being the case it would be well to be tested somewhere before Bi District wouldn’t it? Reminds me of the old NBA question, can the Lakers really just turn on the switch when they have to? How does building team confidence play into it? Can you “beat “ yourself to death with a hellish type schedule?

When is it best to risk a loss even to a superior team? Early on? Wait for district and let the chips fall where they may? What is the answer? To each their own?
Why do I enjoy Hico every year? It is the competition! I like coaches that say “let’s see where we are starting in WEEK ZERO”, rather than waiting to WEEK FIVE or worse in the playoffs.

Does a fan and a coach think differently about such business?
What is your take?

Texas Two A Days.....How Hot Is It???????????

Ode to Texas

The devil wanted a place on earth
Sort of a summer home
A place to spend his vacation
Whenever he wanted to roam.

So he picked out Texas
A place both wretched and rough
Where the climate was to his liking
And the cowboys hardened and tough.

He dried up the streams in the canyons
And ordered no rain to fall
He dried up the lakes in the valleys
Then baked and scorched it all.

Then over his barren country
He transplanted shrubs from hell.
The cactus, thistle and prickly pear
The climate suited them well.

Now the home was much to his liking
But animal life, he had none.
So he created crawling creatures
That all mankind would shun.

First he made the rattlesnake
With it's forked poisonous tongue.
Taught it to strike and rattle
And how to swallow it's young.

Then he made scorpions and lizards
And the ugly old horned toad.
He placed spiders of every description
Under rocks by the side of the road.

Then he ordered the sun to shine hotter,
Hotter and hotter still.
Until even the cactus wilted
And the old horned lizard took ill.

Then he gazed on his earthly kingdom
As any creator would
He chuckled a little up his sleeve
And admitted that it was good.

‘Twas summer now and Satan lay
By a prickly pear to rest.
The sweat rolled off his swarthy brow
So he took off his coat and vest.

"By Golly," he finally panted,
"I did my job too well,
I'm going back to where I came from,
Texas is hotter than Hell."
- Author unknown

(copied)

Friday, August 5, 2011

RIP James Rufus Cobern

James Rufus Cobern

LAMPASAS James Rufus Cobern, age 73, passed away peacefully at home July 29, 2011, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Rufus was born in San Saba, Texas, on Aug. 30, 1937, to Lillian (Gage) and L.P. "Slim" Cobern. He was a beloved coach, teacher and mentor and influenced the lives of hundreds of former students from Comstock to Santa Anna to Paint Rock and Lometa, where he retired in 1992, to his ranch on the Cherokee Creek near Bend. He was a member of the Bend Church of Christ and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason with the Masonic Lodge of Paint Rock, Texas. Rufus married Lee Ellen West on Sept. 13, 1958, in San Saba, Texas. She preceded him in death on Aug. 6, 1989. He married Tommye Mae (January) Marley on Aug. 30, 1995, in Bend. Rufus was also preceded in death by his father, L.P. "Slim" Cobern. Survivors include his wife, Tommye Cobern of Bend; his mother, Lillian Cobern of San Saba; his daughter, Vickilee (Cobern) Peters and son-in-law David Peters of Duncanville; and his son, Rusty Cobern and daughter-in-law Pam (Quirk) Cobern of Austin. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Ryan and Garrett Peters and Chase, Mason and Aubrey Lee-Ellen Cobern. When Rufus and Tommye married, his family was expanded. Rufus loved Tommye's children as if they were his own. He was preceded in death by son Wade Marley. Survivors include son Kerry Marley of Katy; daughter Tanya (Marley) Chalfant and son-in-law Jeffrey Chalfant of Austin. He is also survived by grandson Adam Marley and wife Rebekah (Ferrel) Marley of Huffman; granddaughter Lorie (Marley) Williams and husband Oscar Williams, also of Huffman; grandson Kort Marley and wife Morgan (Kreager) Marley of Atascocita; granddaughter Ashley Chalfant; great-grandchildren Christiana Williams, and Kameron and Kandance Marley; and sister-in-law Sammie (Lemmons) Eddleman and Charles Eddleman of Evant. Rufus will be laid to rest in a private burial. A celebration of Rufus' life will be scheduled at a later date pending the return of his two oldest grandsons who are out of the state for the summer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Lee and Rufus Cobern Scholarship Fund care of Lometa ISD, P.O. Box 250, Lometa, TX 76853. Arrangements are by Sneed Funeral Chapel, 201 East Third Street Lampasas, TX 76550.

Reminder

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Two A Day Sights








Match the pictures with these captions.
He is NOT praying.
Learning new plays.
Smiling when the day is over.
More Running.
Giving instructions.