PROUD RAZORBACK fan. I did not have to leave the room a single time during the Hogs’ win over the powerhouse Panthers from Eastern Illinois University, Saturday. This was a remarkable occurance because as you know so well I am the Official Number 1 Fairweather Razorback Fan. I abandon ship at first sign of trouble.
It was a truly satisfying weekend of college football since both Texas and Michigan lost. That is really, really sweet.
The two kids from Nashville who are now wearing Razorback red really made us proud.
AND the Scrappers haven’t lost to the Hope Bobcats since the season opener of 2013. Last loss before that was 2005. We went on to win a state championship that year. I expected to win again this year, but, my goodness, THAT (57 pts.) margin? And it was 49-0 at halftime?
This week the De Queen Leotards (yes, that’s spelled right) come to town, and I hope they remember to bring the Saline River Walking Stick because someone from the visitors’ side will need to present the ‘Stick’ to the Scrappers after the final horn.
By my count (fingers and toes) this will be the 20th time The Stick has been presented.
AND my take on the LSU-Miami game: Normally I point out that the LSU players don’t look like college kids; they look like they just got out of solitary confinement at Angola State Prison. But, Miami takes the cake. I knew there would be some kind of altercation no matter how holy their coach looks or talks. Glad for the Tigers and the SEC.
AND BY THE WAY, it is really, really nice when your football rival cares SO MUCH for your well-being.
In talking Tuesday morning with De Queen Mayor Billy Ray McKelvey, I learned of a really nice gesture some De Queen fans plan to make.
Billy Ray was the newspaper publisher in De Queen in 2000, when I had the same job in Nashville. Even then, we had been newspaper industry friends for a long time. For a couple of years he had suggested that the rivalry needed a traveling trophy. I was easy to convince. The two newspapers would establish the trophy and Billy Ray had a good idea. He would provide the trophy if I would concoct a story announcing it.
He got a fine hickory staff from the deep woods of Sevier County and took it to the Weyerhaeuser kiln in De Queen. Then he got a gent from Daisy to woodburn it with names of the teams.
I came up with a truly fine and believable ficticious story about its origin. We named the trophy the Saline River Walking Stick, after the river which separates Howard and Sevier counties.
I don’t know how many Arkansas high school football rivals have a traveling trophy, but we got ourselves TWO here (counting the County Cup which goes to the winner of the Dierks-Mineral Springs game).
BUT BACK TO the nice deed Leopard fans plan to make.
Billy Ray says that a bunch of Leopard Moms are getting together on the night before the game. They will whip up a batch of healthful potato salad and send it over for the Scrappers’ pregame meal Friday.
Isn’t that nice! Because they don’t want the chilled potato salad to hurt sensitive teenagers’ teeth, the Leopard Moms will leave the food offering out overnight in order to get it to room temperature.
It should be alright, they promise.
“Tell the Scrappers to be sure to clean their plates,” the mayor of De Queen helpfully suggested.
AND MORE LOCAL high school football.
Are the Mineral Springs Hornets as good as their press clippings?
The Hornets travel to Fouke this weekend. The Panthers have won three consecutive games from the Hornets.
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HEARD FROM. A local guy asked me if I remembered a time when the late Glen Power, wearing his trademark Santa outfit sometime around Christmas, was attacked by beserk guy armed with a knife.
I sorta remember the event, but the details are real fuzzy.
Since I don’t have 30 years to devote to going through old ‘Nashville News’ files and microfilm I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who remembers anything about it.
Glen wasn’t hurt in the attack, by the way, and he continued to be the community Santa for several more years.
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THINGS I LEARNED from opening email: Cats have over more than one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10.
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WORD GAMES. Another set of triplets: Lock, Stock and Barrel.
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HE SAID: “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” Johnny Cash, musician
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SHE SAID: “A positive attitude is not going to save you. What it’s going to do is, everyday, between now and the day you die, whether that’s a short time from now or a long time from now, that every day, you’re going to actually live.” Elizabeth Edwards, attorney, author and health care activist
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
