Friday Night Lights--Let The Games Begin

Tonight begins the local football season as Snyder takes on Monahans here to kick off the largest social gathering in our town each year--HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

I'll be in the booth again (5th year) doing the message board and announcing for the band.  Doesn't seem like I've been doing it that long, but it has.

There's a buzz in the air this week as we anticipate seeing the team and the band and making it through all of the unfinished improvements to the stadium.  Truth is, there's no other place I'd rather be on Friday night.

All of my family is involved with this.  Kids are in organizations and Mom/Dad are tagging along to see what needs to be done for Band/Choir boosters etc.  It's a pretty grand place to be.

Where will you be during FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS this year?

Friday Night Lights

It's that time of year again when you travel in the darkness and see bright lights shining from small towns all across the nation. It's an American past time that we all know--FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.I made the first game this year, and now we're almost at the half way point and that's all I've seen is one game. Kinda makes me think I'm missing something.

Anyway, Friday's here in our town are filled with black and gold banners, kids wearing their school colors to class and the Friday morning pep rally. Here are some shots from this morning's pep rally.

Mattie is playing the smallest drum in the band this year.

Taylor is going with Chance and he's on the football team.

Now, here's a clip from "GLEE" that I don't think you'll see this Friday night on the Football field. These people at FOX don't get FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL---in fact, they might get beat up if they tried this on a real FRIDAY NIGHT GAME!


Thanks to my friend Chuck Harris for alerting me to this clip!

Let The Games Begin.. Snyder Tiger Football

I once heard a story about a seminarian who interviewed with a church about a pastoral position. The seminarian returned to the campus and told his professor "they kept asking if I was community minded?" The professor asked "What did you say?" The seminarian said "Yes! But they kept asking it again and again". The professor asked "You know what they mean don't you?" The seminarian "No". The wise old professor said "They want to know if you go to the out of town football games!"There is nothing more important in a small town than the local football team. The year and it's greatness hang in the balance every Friday night.

Tonight we begin the season in Big Spring. We'll have one in the band, one in the youth group bus and one with us. So--"we're community minded"

The picture above is our oldest and her friend Chance Young at the Pep Rally this morning. Yes, we even attend the pep rallies!

Click here to view this video

Go TECH--Beat the Baptists!

Today my Red Raiders will close out this historic season with a game against Baylor University.  We're hoping for redemption (not in the biblical sense) of this season after last week's game in Oklahoma.  (The truth is the real Red Raiders never made it to Norman.  Their bus broke down in Wichita Falls.  I'm not sure who that team was that showed up).

This game with Baylor has always been a special one for my family.  My Dad was a Baylor alum and each time the Bears came to town it meant that we would get to go to the Tech game.  I think Dad really wanted us to go to Baylor, but who could afford to go there ( not a Minister's child).  Anyway I still have his Baylor diploma displayed in our hallway.

We have some good Baylor friends and I hope and pray that we win today so that I will not have to endure their taunts.

We're also cheering today for OSU and Texas A&M--we need both Aggies to come through for us.

One More Time...RAIDER... POWER!

Tonight we'll be hunkered down around the TV to watch our RED RAIDERS take on the Sooners in a very very important game not only in the Big 12 South race, but also in the BCS Standing.

So, if you call my house tonight and I don't answer--you know why.

Let me hear you say   RAIDER..... POWER!!  Go Tech!

Go Tigers-Round 2

It's Round 2 tonight as we travel back to Andrews for the Area round of playoffs against Monahans.  

This is the 4th time we've met them in the playoffs (we're 3-1 against them) and hopefully we'll come out on top this evening.

Here's to the Tigers!  Go 

get'em one more time.

The Playoffs Begin--Go Tigers!

Tonight is another big night for the Tigers as they begin their second season--Playoffs are here.  

We'll travel about 2 hours West to meet Lubbock Cooper whom we met at the beginning of October ( we beat them 53-0, but I'm not holding my breath.  Anyone can come alive in the second season and go further than anyone expects them too. 

I'm hoping that for the Tigers this year.  The district race has been tough and we're  a little shaky coming in the last few games.

Go get'em Tigers

I'm Here Saturday Night

After last weeks exciting finish to the Tech/Texas game, we were blessed with some tickets to the Tech/OSU game this week. It's the same time as last week's game--7PM, which means we'll be rolling in pretty late Saturday evening.

But it will be worth it. The whole family is going!

Look for pictures Sunday afternoon from this adventure. GO TECH!

TIGERS WIN--56 to 49...What A Game!

It was a great game tonight as the Snyder Tigers moved into the playoff round via a victory over Brownwood. It was an offensive shootout with each team scoring and scoring. I don't know if they didn't both leave the defensive teams in the locker room. It ws a cold November night.

On to Round 1--most likely against Lubbock Cooper (whom we beat Oct. 3 53-7). Let the second season begin.

BIG GAME FOR THE TIGERS

It's a huge night tonight for the Tigers as they take on Brownwood for the right for chance to play next week in the playoffs.  It's do or die tonight--one team will advance and one team will hit the hardcourts for basketball on Monday.

This has been an interesting year.  We are in THE toughest district in the state (they call it the District of Death).  5 of the 6 teams in the district were in the playoffs last year and two of those (Wylie and Snyder) were in the State Semi-Finals.

Hang tough Tigers!  I'll do my part in the Pressbox with words of encouragement and cheer.

Oh My Goodness!

Texas Tech did it.  They beat TEXAS--39-33 in Lubbock tonight.

I'll admit that I was nervous the whole night long.  

I was holding my breath the during the game and only came alive during that last play from Harrell to Crabtree.. OH MY GOODNESS.

Thanks to Tres and Sherry and family for a great evening of food (STEAK!) and fellowship around the football game.  It must have been a great game to be at!

Go Tech!

Go Tech! Beat Texas

For 4 years I was in the GOIN BAND at Texas Tech. At times we needed a GOIN' BAND Linebacker.

The game with the University of Texas was always the biggest game of the years. I can remember traveling to Austin for the games and the battle with the UT BAND for bragging rights to see who won halftime. In those days the Tech football team wasn't very good and that's all we had to compete. The story is different these days.


Tonight in Lubbock #1 Texas takes on #7 Texas Tech in a game of epic proportions. This is really the first UT/TECH game that has been really important to both schools. Other than pride-they're playing for position and standing in the polls.

We'll be Tailgating it here in Snyder with some friends at their house. Although we'd love to be in Lubbock, being here might be safer.

Must Win For The Tigers

It's another big game for the Tigers tonight. They travel to Breckenridge for a MUST win game in order to stay in the playoff hunt. If they don't take a trick or treat from the Buckaroos-it will set up a showdown next week with Brownwood here in Snyder for the final spot in the playoffs. Should be an interesting game.  We'll be listening by radio since we're doing something in our driveway for the neighborhood kids for Halloween.

Here's pictures from last week's game with Sweetwater ( we lost 14-7). That's me (arrow) in the pressbox where I run the message board for the games.

Good Job Bears! The Season Is Over

Today ended Daniel's first season of tackle football.  The Bears lost to the Niners--it wasn't close.

To begin with I wasn't really sure that I wanted Daniel to do tackle football this year.  He's done so well with the flag football the last 2 years.  But he went ahead and participated.  He played offense and defense and did a pretty good job.  Here are some pictures from his games. He's quite proud of these and has made them our home backgrounds on our family computer.

Football is done for him and now he looks forward to basketball season that will begin after Christmas... at least for now a break from the Saturday sports schedule.  Way to go Bears!

SNYDER vs. SWEETWATER---Let's get ready to rumble!

Tonight is a big night.. SWEETWATER vs. SNYDER (7:30-Tiger Stadium). This is a huge rivalry that goes back years and there is no love lost between both teams and communities.

From 1997-until 2001 we lived in Sweetwater (that's where these pictures are from) and we cheered for the MUSTANGS and against the Tigers. Now we live in SNYDER and can I say that when we see folks from Sweetwater some of them think we have leprosy because we're wearing the black and gold.

Anyway--big game--sold out stadium--no love lost. It will be an epic battle tonight.

Sometimes The Ref Isn't On Your Side

It's true that sometimes the refs have an opinion about the game. This ref seems to have interjected himself in the game. Wonder what happened to him?

I'm Not Your Typical Dad

I attended my son's football game on Saturday.  It was the first one that I've been able to see all  year.  The first ones were while I was gone to Egypt.   They didn't win although they gave it a valiant effort.

What was even more interesting was watching the coaches and the fathers that help with the team.  It was nothing short of a "banty rooster" contest between the men to see who could yell louder and meaner at the boys ( at one point one of the sons shouted at his Dad " I'm doing the best I can--get off my case").  Wow--what an eye opening experience.

Even more interesting was hearing a father walk up and down the sideline on my son's team and say " it just feels good to hit somebody!"  Less than 5 minutes later this father was being thrown out of the game because of his mouth on the sideline.  All across the stadium you could hear him yell and scream as he was told to leave the grounds.  I felt sorry for his son who just bowed his head.  What an embarassment.

I realized then that I'm glad I'm not that way.  In fact when my wife arrived I told her about the incident and promptly told her that I'm an "atypical" father.   I don't do those things to my son and wouldn't think of doing that in public.  Maybe I'm odd, but that's just who I am.

Have you seen behavior like this?  What did you think when you saw it?

Let The Games Begin--High School Football

The Snyder Tigers open their 2008 Football season tonight against Big Spring here in Snyder.  Snyder advanced to the State Semi-Finals last year.

If you don't already know, Football in Texas is King.  I jokingly refer to it as the largest house of worship in town.  In fact, this season we have new carpet in the house of worship (new turf!)  So that will be exciting.

For my 3rd year, I'll be in the press box being the CREATIVE behind the scoreboard goodies.  I've got to come up with some new stuff this year.  I'm kinda bored with what I have from the last two years.  If you know of a site with some great ANIMATED GIFS that would work well--let me know.  The only thing I don't have access too is the PA system or I would be playing those crazy clips that you hear at the baseball and football games of the pros.

We'll also be watching the band a little closer this year at half-time since our daughter Mattie is playing with the percussion in the pit.

Do you follow a local football team?