This Week in HS Sports - December 5, 2009

Random thoughts on Week 15...

As the fifteenth weekend of Texas high school football in 2009 draws nearer, many different topics vie for my attention...
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Our featured 5A playoff game this week is Stony Point vs. Cypress Woods.  Both teams average over 35 points per game and 400-plus yards of offense.  This should be an excellent matchup and we are pleased to bring you all the action in high-quality audio at the LSN.  We're bringing our 'A' game, too...complete sentences and all!
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How many Texas high school football playoff games have ever been played in snow?  If our fearless meteorological experts are correct, there could be some that are on Friday night. 
When the season winds down and the number of playoff teams dwindles, many games move from Fridays to Saturdays, and such is the case again this season.  Across the state, in all classifications, there are only 11 Friday night games. (There were originally 12 on the schedule, but Sinton-LaGrange has been rescheduled to Saturday to avoid a weather problem.)  In places like San Antonio, San Marcos, Corsicana and Waco, there appears to be a chance that some snow will be on the turf or falling at gametime.
Still, it is hard to get a historical perspective on Texas high school football games played in snow.  Try googling 'Texas high school football in snow' and you'll learn more about Indianapolis Colts' long snapper Justin Snow (from Abilene Cooper HS) than you really need to know.
I'm noteven sure there's a section in the officials' handbook on how to deal with snow. Lightnin g? Yes. Snow? Doubtful.  Officials may navigate some uncharted waters Friday night.
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Speaking of officials, the Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) has filed a lawsuit against the UIL, which had several weeks ago announced its intention to require all officials who worked a UIL-sanctioned sporting event to be registered with the UIL. 
In effect, the UIL wanted to be the governing body over the officials that are used in their games, a move that effectively would destroy TASO as an organization.  TASO is attempting to block the UIL's move through court action.
There are arguments both for and against what the UIL is doing (Randy Byers at Houston5ABaseball.com has done a good job of following this issue and elaborating on the ramifications as they relate to baseball umpires), but no matter which side you take, there had to have been a better way to handle this.
Could we see potential officials' boycotts of big-time UIL events down the road? We'll see. You can certainly expect salvos fired from both sides and general nastiness before this issue goes away. 
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What was this Florida State offensive lineman thinking on this play?  Perhaps sophomore tackle Zebrie Sanders--who hails from Ohio, nowhere near Texas--was having a premonition of Bobby Bowden's impending 'retirement' and needed a moment to cope.
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The TAPPS football championships in all six divisions are being played this Saturday, and LSN's sister network, TAPPStv.com, will provide live video streams of the games from the Temple/Killeen area.  There is a nominal charge for the broadcasts, but unlike other media outlets who have covered championships in the past, TAPPStv.com doesn't require you to take out a second mortgage to view the games.  A one-time $10 fee gets you every championship game.
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Okay...I've resisted as long as possible. I can't hold out any longer:  Tiger, what the...??? 
There isn't enough money in the world, much less Eldrick's bank account, to alleviate the self-inflicted agony he is going through at this very moment.
And though you've undoubtedly already heard this, he will now be known (instead of Tiger) as Cheetah Woods. 
Get it?  Hilarious!
Signed, Third Grade.
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I think the greatest thing America learned on this past Thanksgiving Day is that, while Colt McCoy is very good, he's certainly no Jerrod Johnson. Johnson is probably the greatest QB ever to play the game, certainly better than VY ever hoped to be.  In fact, JJ practically sewed up the Heisman on Turkey Day. 
(The previous paragraph is dedicated to all you Longhorns out there.  Remember this: you cannot correct an opinion, no matter how absurd it is.)
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Speaking of the McCoy family, Dad Brad and Little Brother Case play Friday night on the LSN, as the Graham Steers take on the Wimberley Texans in the Class 3A Division 2 Regional Final.
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Okay folks, bundle up this weekend and remember: when the weather outside is frightful, the computer is so delightful...and the best way to stay in touch with some great high school football.

Previous stories : August 15, 2009  August 20, 2009  August 26, 2009  August 31, 2009
                                September 8, 2009  September 16, 2009  September 18, 2009  September 25, 2009
                        September 28, 2009  October 5, 2009  October 7, 2009  October 15, 2009
                        October 19, 2009  October 23, 2009  October 25, 2009  November 2, 2009
                        November 9, 2009  November 11, 2009  November 18, 2009  November 25, 2009