AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2005 > September > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCan’t interrupt football practice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1. Does cancellation of school mean a reprieve from football practice?
Yeah, right. With Brookwood-Parkview on tap?
Not to mention Stephenson-Douglass, Marietta-Harrison and LaGrange-Troup.
This is Georgia, fool, where priorities are paramount and must be kept straight and in natural order. Although regulations call for suspension of athletic competition whenever school is closed, you just cannot tell a football coach to put away the whistle.
That would be so un-American.
Thus, when your governor — the former Warner Robins High quarterback and University of Georgia walk-on — declared Monday and today gas holidays, he shut down the educational processes.
Football practice, however, must go on. Why, if not, you are letting the “Big Oil” terrorists win. Immediately following the governor’s Friday afternoon decree, the Georgia High School Association honchos huddled at the organization’s Thomaston headquarters, devised a game plan and — drum roll, please! — they punted the ball.
“In reference to Gov. Sonny Perdue’s announcement … all athletic events will be canceled on Monday and Tuesday,” a statement on the GHSA Web site said.
But: “Interscholastic practices will be a local school decision.”
And do you think there is a school administrator in these parts with the gumption — and job security — to tell the football coach, “Well, Big Game or not, no school means no practice!” We are most certain that the governor must be highly pleased.
“From my own days as a high school quarterback, I remember the anticipation of preparing for the big game. Every season there is at least one game with your No. 1 rival that means more than all the rest. And you prepare for that game all year.”
“So I’m honored to help …”
2.Come on, did the governor really say that about football practice?
OK. I’m busted.
The governor actually offered those stirring words back in January, when he announced “Turf Grass Day” across the state. All because ultra-high grade Georgia grass would be used for Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville.
The kind you play football on, that is.
3.Can a team win a title without a TD pass from the starting QB all season?
Well, my grandfather, bless his soul, once told me that when legendary coach Edward J. “Ox” Clemmons (no relation, we think) and Lane College were the scourge of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, they never bothered to implement that new-fangled deal called the forward pass.
But that was way back in the day, when they actually used real pig bladders for footballs (pigskin, get it?).
Which means nowadays, even if you have a King of a running back, and a defense some call the school’s best ever, Parkview must get the passing game untracked.
I mean, what are the Panthers going to do when they encounter a team like — I don’t know, say Brookwood? The Broncos also have a top-shelf running back, and a trio of linebackers some in the know are calling the school’s best ever.
That’s right, I’m supposed to inform; therefore, the answer to your question, is ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: J.C. Clemons
Comments
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By Randell Owens
September 28, 2005 11:49 AM | Link to this
As to the question…”Can a team win a state championship without a TD pass from the QB all season?”…it’s already been done. Elbert Co. HS, 1995, under the leadership of Coach T. McFerrin. Tennison Rucker was the QB…when he threw a pass he looked like a midget throwing hand granades out of a fox hole…(he stood a whopping 5’4”…actually 5’3 3/4”…we rounded it up in the program…we ran the triple option similiar to Georgia Southern…Although he couldn’t throw for dirt…it would have taken three people to catch him in a bathroom…he was a good decision maker, athlete, and had several quality backs to hand off or pitch to…when we needed a pass…we pitched it or handed off and threw half back passes.
By sebastian mesa
September 28, 2005 12:14 PM | Link to this
I have a question for evryboddy on the ajc sport seccion, whyh is it that all u guys like to talk about is about Gwinnett football is all about Parkview and brookwood i mean give that teams in Cobb county a break we have some of the best talent around too, most of the lineman in those teams are just straight up FAT they in no scence of the word athletic and football is a about athletisism teams like Harrison and marietta that have been top notch for a while have some great kid’s playing, i mean im a offensive lineman for the marietta blu devils and i think we work way harder and that we dont have it as esayh as those other team’s, they have like 26 coachs in staff we have like 7 and that is due to the booster club spending limmit that they have of 5 million and mariettas 33 thousand … i just think that they take all the spot light due to thei money how could some of those teams still be ranked in the top 10 after they lost a game, u loose you get of the list, that what i have to say
By Dexter Manley
September 29, 2005 09:27 PM | Link to this
Sebastian - Nice grammar Corky. Good luck soliciting any respect for your cause when there are people in a permanent vegatative state who can convey a thought better than you. Go Broncos…..CPM
By Steve
October 2, 2005 02:28 PM | Link to this
Sebastian:
I resprctfully suggest that you start spending a little more time AWAKE in English classes. Visiting the school library (okay, Media Center) won’t hurt, either. You can’t miss it. It’s the big room at your school with all the books. Maybe it’s just me, but the thought occurs to me that perhaps the books you’re used to seeing haven’t been colored in yet.
I teach English, buddy, and I have to tell you that if you turned in an assignment in one of my classes written like your post, it would be returned with so much red ink that you’d swear the paper was bleeding. And any pressure sent my way from your coaches or teammates wouldn’t bail your butt out of the fire, either.
Pride in your school and team is one thing. Showing your complete ignorance of the English language and absence of basic writing skills is quite another.
By Steve
October 2, 2005 02:32 PM | Link to this
respectfully - and mea culpa. Proofreading my own posts wouldn’t hurt, either
By Steve
October 2, 2005 02:38 PM | Link to this
Randall - good for you on recalling the ‘95 Blue Devils from Elberton. That team was Hell on Wheels, my friend! And you’re absolutely right about Tennyson Rucker. That boy was more slippery than an oiled-up eel in a liquid soap factory.
I played my high school ball at Monroe Area longer ago than I care to think about, and the name of Rucker has ALWAYS been a thorn in the side to Elbert County opponents. The ‘95 state championship Elbert County team was one of the best I’ve ever seen, even if its passing stats had to be examined with a microscope.