Coaching What Matters

It's very easy to be cynical about the world of sports. Ego's get out of control. The importance that we place on the outcome of sporting events is ridiculous compared to how little importance we sometimes place on things in our lives that really matter (i.e. God, Family, Country, Friends). The pedestal that we put even high school athletes on based solely on their ability is nothing short of shameful.

But then there are nights like Tuesday night that makes all that bad stuff seem less signifcant. Tuesday night I had the honor of attending the National Football Foundations annual banquet hosted by the NFF's Dallas Gridiron Club at Cowboys Stadium. The NFF's is about promoting amateur football and rewarding not only athletic achievement, but primarily academic achievement and citizenship. Several college football players and 53 local high school players were recognized in front of family, friends and coaches.

It was a chance to acknowledge some young men who, while they may not make it into your living room on Sunday's...they will have a tremendous impact on the world around them when they go on to become Doctors, Air Force Pilots, and leaders in business. It was also a reminder that at the heart of amateur football are coaches who, despite what you may have heard or believe, actually care about shaping young men to be more than hitting machines.

The Keynote speaker was SMU coach June Jones. Jones gave a wonderful speech about persistence, determination and having the courage to take calculated risks in your life, the kind of risks that usually lead to the greatest rewards of your life. Jones was truly uplifting when he closed with this thought: That the reason we are here is to let God work through us, to reach out to others with the love of Jesus Christ and to that our lives may bring glory to God.

It struck me as I sat in a room full of men that I admire greatly (Todd Dodge, Ronnie Gage, Steve Lineweaver, Randy Allen, Chad Hennings, Art Briles and many others) that as long as football is coached by men of character like this, there will be young men of character graduating into the world....and that is a wonderful thought indeed.

All we are is Dust in the Wind

Watched the implosion of Texas Stadium this morning. I heard some people cheer, saw some people in tears, and while everyone is entitled to their own reaction, my own emotions fell somewhere in the middle. Too many memories, too much regard for the events that transpired in that building to cheer its demise, but I also understand that it is a building, and buildings, now matter how special, are not worth crying over.

I saw some great football games at Texas Stadium. Some of them Cowboy games, but most of my memories are of the high school games that I had the chance to call there. Among the many memorable games I had the privilage of seeing, here are a few that stand out:

Carthage vs. Celina (2009) TXA 21 This was the final high school game ever played at Texas Stadium. It was a 3A State Championship game that was won by Carthage behind the spectacular performance of running back Dwight Smith who you will be seeing soon running the ball for TCU. It probably would have been a more storybook finish if Celina had won the game, but it was a great way to end almost 40 years of high school football tradition at Texas Stadium.

Abilene vs. Southlake Carroll (2008) TXA 21 The game that brought the Southlake Carroll dynasty to an end. The Dragons lost quarterback Riley Dodge early in the game due to a hit from Abilene LB Chris Williams. Dodge was 8-8 passing at the time and was poised to lead the Dragons to a rout, but then came the Williams hit, resulting in a seperated shoulder for Dodge, and the game changed. Abilene deserves credit, they played well, they won the game, but I for one have to believe that the game would have been another convincing Dragon victory were it not for the injury to Dodge.

Southlake Carroll vs. Smithson Valley (2006) TSN Radio Carroll got all they could handle from the Rangers and future All Big-12 LB Joe Pawelek, but a 41 yard field goal by Kevin Oretega as time expired gave the Dragons a state, and a national championship.

Among the other memories...Lewisville winning four of their six playoff games at Texas Stadium on their way to the 5A-DII State Championship in 1993...Chris Francis' goal line stand, and William Cole looking super human as Cedar Hill beat Garland in the state semifinals on their way to their first State Championship...Watching future college stars like Stephen McGee, Jordan Shipley, Matt Stafford, Greg McElroy, and many many others. Texas Stadium will be missed.

Meanwhile up the road another stadium is in its last season. Fouts Field at the University of North Texas is in its final year and it is long overdue. UNT needs the new stadium that is being built right across I-35 in Denton for so many reasons, namely, recruiting, revenue and respectability, all of which are very much tied together. You know another thing that builds the three r's? Winning. That is what the Mean Green have to do to this year to keep Head Coach Todd Dodge employed. Judging by Sunday's spring game, they have a better chance to do that than in recent years. North Texas seems to have some good playmakers including QB's Nathan Tune and Derek Thompson, RB's Lance Dunbar and James Hamilton, and a bevy of WR's that now include former qb Riley Dodge. If DC Gary Deloach can bring the defense around, the Mean Green should be able to win at least as many games in 2010 as they did in the last three years combined (5).

Coming, a look around the state at some of the biggest questions teams are hoping to answer this spring.