UIL Realignment

[DBut82]

Damn, I'm a year older than your Mother ?

Dammit NTG!  Now I have to refer to you as "sir" ?

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Hey Mark! What do you mean by the highlighted statement?  I ask because I read it and instantly thought of "Remember the Titans" lol.  Plus I also find that time period interesting.  While we often put segregation at the back our minds, it honestly wasn't too long ago.  I attended the same elementary school as my sweet mother, who turns 70 this year. She has a framed picture of her kindergarten class. She also has a picture of my kindergarten class. The difference being 1) her picture is in black and white and 2) my class was both black and white (get it ?)

Until that year, Daingerfield had two high schools. One was Rhodes High School (all black). The other was Daingerfield High. The two were merged. Rhodes High became the DF Jr High. The HS students were put together at DHS.

There was no violence, no demonstrations, no real friction at all. I would say DF is one of the least racist ET towns I've ever known. But the thing was, these kids didn't know each other. The coaches didn't know the Rhodes athletes.

But by the 3rd game or so, they started gelling. They became a close group. Two of them went on to play in the NFL. I am good friends with the guy who was the starting RB (Chris Hall).

So yeah, kinda like your movie, but without anyone having to be kicked off the team and no racial groupings.

 

[DBut82]

Until that year, Daingerfield had two high schools. One was Rhodes High School (all black). The other was Daingerfield High. The two were merged. Rhodes High became the DF Jr High. The HS students were put together at DHS.

There was no violence, no demonstrations, no real friction at all. I would say DF is one of the least racist ET towns I've ever known. But the thing was, these kids didn't know each other. The coaches didn't know the Rhodes athletes.

But by the 3rd game or so, they started gelling. They became a close group. Two of them went on to play in the NFL. I am good friends with the guy who was the starting RB (Chris Hall).

So yeah, kinda like your movie, but without anyone having to be kicked off the team and no racial groupings.

I LOVE that! thanks for sharing. I absolutely didn't consider the fact that the kids, coaches, parents, etc., just simply weren't familiar with one another.  And the natural apprehension that comes along with that. I couldn't imagine being the coach and being in charge with the difficulties involved with evaluating the talent and then putting a team together to be successful. What a life lesson for all involved. Good for them!

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I LOVE that! thanks for sharing. I absolutely didn't consider the fact that the kids, coaches, parents, etc., just simply weren't familiar with one another.  And the natural apprehension that comes along with that. I couldn't imagine being the coach and being in charge with the difficulties involved with evaluating the talent and then putting a team together to be successful. What a life lesson for all involved. Good for them!

That coach was Bill Lane. Everybody loved coach Bill. After winning state, Grant Teaff at Baylor called him up and brought him to Waco. He was a coach there until Teaff retired.

Bill Lane recruited Thomas Everett from Daingerfield. Everett ended up being an AA at Baylor, drafted by the Steelers, then traded to the Cowboys, where he won a Super Bowl with them as the starting free safety.

Daingerfield went up to AAA the next year (1970) and won district, but couldn't get past Jacksonville. That happened two years in a row. After that, DF went into a wasteland where we didn't win a district championship in 1983.

 

[BWilk55]

That coach was Bill Lane. Everybody loved coach Bill. After winning state, Grant Teaff at Baylor called him up and brought him to Waco. He was a coach there until Teaff retired.

Bill Lane recruited Thomas Everett from Daingerfield. Everett ended up being an AA at Baylor, drafted by the Steelers, then traded to the Cowboys, where he won a Super Bowl with them as the starting free safety.

Daingerfield went up to AAA the next year (1970) and won district, but couldn't get past Jacksonville. That happened two years in a row. After that, DF went into a wasteland where we didn't win a district championship in 1983.

My high school, West Brook in Beaumont, won a state championship the first year of integration (1982). I don't know much about the background of the team except that the Head Coach Alexander Durley was the first black coach to win a state championship (In 1976 at Hebert High School). Prior to integration, he was the coach at the all white South Park High school as part of a desegregation effort within the school district. 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

My high school, West Brook in Beaumont, won a state championship the first year of integration (1982). I don't know much about the background of the team except that the Head Coach Alexander Durley was the first black coach to win a state championship (In 1976 at Hebert High School). Prior to integration, he was the coach at the all white South Park High school as part of a desegregation effort within the school district. 

My dad used to take me to track meets here and there, especially when he knew there would be some competitive races. In the mid-70s we went to a meet where Longview, Beaumont Hebert, Mt Pleasant, Texas High, Marshall, etc were running. What a show it was. Hebert had some tremendous sprinters and won several races.

 

[Eastexhorn]

Some were suprized by only districr winners going to playoffs. Any one remember the lower class schools only going to districl only.

 

[DBut82]

Some were suprized by only districr winners going to playoffs. Any one remember the lower class schools only going to districl only.

That is so crazy to me!  With this discussion I have to ask, do any of you think that the Texas high school playoffs are starting to get watered down?  I mean we now have teams with losing records making the playoffs. I get it; we want all the kids to experience being in the playoffs but it's beginning to be too much imo.  I understand that the state has to accommodate the constant growth; hell I'm hearing rumblings of a 7a classification.  6a hasn't been around too long.  I think there has to be a limit; not that I know what that limit would be. On an unrelated note, and probably not for this thread, college football could use the Texas high school blueprint and develop a true playoff system to crown a real national champion. I think it's ridiculous that EVERY sport and the lower divisions in college has a real playoff but division 1 does not...

 

[aUTfan]

I remember seeing one of Daingerfield's best teams ever that didn't make the playoffs. It was 1977. Daingerfield went 9-1 that year and didn't win the district.

Last game of the year had Daingerfield and Atlanta both undefeated and playing for it all. Atlanta had the heralded Phillip Epps (later of Green Bay fame) and Daingerfield had all-state John Rogers (also went pro). The game was played in Atlanta.

Despite both teams having such explosive offenses and were killing people each week by huge margins, Atlanta ended up with a 6-3 win that night. Defense won the day. And it could have gone either way. Daingerfield was driving for a score as the clock expired.

Even today people say those were the two best teams in the state that year in class AAA. Only one made the playoffs.

Man, those were the days . . . 

One of the best playoff games i ever watched was Atlanta and Gilmer I think it was, cant remember who exactly the other team was but it was played in Longviews lobo stadium and packed, standing room only. Each teams bands were straight across from each other, Div 1 athletes all over the field, hitting and plays being made right and left, the bands were going at it back and forth, the fans were constantly yelling, it was like an NFL playoff game. I didn't have any skin in the game but loved that game.

I recommend playoff games be played in smaller venues where the atmosphere can be better captured. I love high school football and try to go to the title games at Jerry world but the atmosphere is lacking, even though its nice to play in there and there is over 40,000 fans, its kind of blah because of the sheer size of that stadium. 

OR it would be freaking awesome if we filled the stadium. 

 

[aUTfan]

My dad used to take me to track meets here and there, especially when he knew there would be some competitive races. In the mid-70s we went to a meet where Longview, Beaumont Hebert, Mt Pleasant, Texas High, Marshall, etc were running. What a show it was. Hebert had some tremendous sprinters and won several races.

Mt. Pleasant used to have speed in spades back in the day, could hang with anyone. 

 

[BWilk55]

 On an unrelated note, and probably not for this thread, college football could use the Texas high school blueprint and develop a true playoff system to crown a real national champion. I think it's ridiculous that EVERY sport and the lower divisions in college has a real playoff but division 1 does not...

High school football plays multiple preseason scrimmages, 10 game regular seasons and a 6 round playoff. D2 and D3 both have 5 round playoffs. D1 games might have more physical intensity but not more than the NFL where teams can play 20 games a year. Playing few games for "player safety" just doesn't make sense in light of this. 

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I remember seeing one of Daingerfield's best teams ever that didn't make the playoffs. It was 1977. Daingerfield went 9-1 that year and didn't win the district.

Last game of the year had Daingerfield and Atlanta both undefeated and playing for it all. Atlanta had the heralded Phillip Epps (later of Green Bay fame) and Daingerfield had all-state John Rogers (also went pro). The game was played in Atlanta.

Despite both teams having such explosive offenses and were killing people each week by huge margins, Atlanta ended up with a 6-3 win that night. Defense won the day. And it could have gone either way. Daingerfield was driving for a score as the clock expired.

Even today people say those were the two best teams in the state that year in class AAA. Only one made the playoffs.

Man, those were the days . . . 

Back when a District Championship really meant something.

We had two teams from each district qualify in 1986. I find it laughable that we've now got 4. Some clearly don't belong, but not all districts are created equal.

 

[Eastexhorn]

Some were suprized by only districr winners going to playoffs. Any one remember the lower class schools only going to area only.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Mt. Pleasant used to have speed in spades back in the day, could hang with anyone. 

Tell me about it. I can't remember the kid's name but back then he set the state record for the long jump. 25'11' I think it was. They were our arch rival. Every year we'd run over there, climb their water tower, and spray paint "SUX" at the end of "Mt Pleasant." Little did we know they were busy doing the same to ours. lol

Here's one for you . . 

Grand Saline (home of Morton Salt) and Van (oil rigs everywhere) were big rivals. One year Grand Saline went over on Monday of the game week and made a big GS in the middle of their field using salt. he he Of course that lasted for quite some time because of how salt kills grass. The next year, Van kids went over and put a big V in the middle of the field, using oil. lol

 

[Eastexhorn]

Spesking of speed three world class sprinters was born within five miles of my house.

1  can not recall his name DB for TCU ran a 4.27 40 offical timed.

2 Sid Garton most know him.

3 last but not least just older Allen Lawler born in Malta, Texas.r  RIP

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Spesking of speed three world class sprinters was born within five miles of my house.

Now, now, don't discount your own speed. 

 

[Eastexhorn]

I can make to the mail box 60 yards in 10 minutes flat.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I can make to the mail box 60 yards in 10 minutes flat.

No, I meant back in the day. 

 

[Eastexhorn]

Could verly break 12 sec. in the hundred,.

Wondering if any one knew who Allen Lawyer was?