A Blast From The Past...USA Today Top 25 1982-2005

[RedZone]

Be nice, Ragin' Cajun!. 

 

[Omaha Vol]

28 minutes ago, RedZone said:

WE just want to make your poll one year!!

Please? 

 

From what you’re saying they look promising this year. I can see the boys from Metairie cracking the poll and becoming a no nonsense type of team. 

[RedZone]

4 hours ago, Omaha Vol said:

From what you’re saying they look promising this year. I can see the boys from Metairie cracking the poll and becoming a no nonsense type of team. 

I can take it if you don't, but please rank columbia whatever you do.

That little guy needs the respect.

 

[sausmann9]

17 hours ago, BigDrop said:

Addendum:  I’m looking at photos of the Wilkes Barre Memorial stadium and it looks like they tore down the stands on one side of the field.  It was 20 or more years ago when we went there and it looked very different from recent photos.  It also sounds like it’s literally falling apart.

So much for character!

Its funny you mention that specific stadium and district.  They just merged three smaller schools and will be in a new stadium for the 2020 season.  that old stadium was built back in the early 1900's and had something to do with GAR (Grand Army of Republic).  We called it "concrete turf" up there.  Berwick played many of their playoff games there in late November/early December, lol. 

[BigDrop]

5 hours ago, sausmann9 said:

Its funny you mention that specific stadium and district.  They just merged three smaller schools and will be in a new stadium for the 2020 season.  that old stadium was built back in the early 1900's and had something to do with GAR (Grand Army of Republic).  We called it "concrete turf" up there.  Berwick played many of their playoff games there in late November/early December, lol. 

That was who we saw.  I can’t remember who they played but somehow, after the game, we ended up at a place called The Victory Pig that I think was only open on weekends.  And, despite the name, it was known for pizza.

[BigDrop]

http://www.victorypigpizza.com/aboutus.html

The Victory Pig is still there!!!  

I should also mention Old Forge, PA between Wilkes Barre and Scranton.  It was famous for (from memory) a similar kind of pizza.   Below is the link for what may have been the best of a half dozen or more places that had acquired  a reputation for a unique but really good pizza that was regionally famous. The white “cut” was memorably good.

https://arcaroandgenell.com/about-us-our-services/

The Victory Pig was special though because it was open so few hours each week.  Arcaro and Genell’s notes the Friday night tradition of high school football and “Old Forge pizza.” Interesting that both websites say they will ship their pizzas all over America.

[Slotback Right]

On 6/8/2019 at 12:23 PM, BigDrop said:

 Also to the comments about Moeller who were USA Today’s first #1 team in 1981 in a thread started by sammyswordsman..  Note that Servite.was # 4 that year.  They played each other at Kings Island.

Correct. The lead in that game went back and forth. 

3-0 Servite

7-3 Moeller

9-7 Servite

14-9 Moeller

15-14 Servite

22-15 Moeller

but then Servite failed to score and Moeller put it away 29-15.

[zulu1128]

Moeller completely dominated the 4th quarter of that game. 

[Slotback Right]

Yes they did. Behind the running of Francisco Hiawatha...or was it Hiawatha Francisco. Servite was somewhat one-dimensional at that time (Servite's season opener, while it was Moeller's third game of the season). In Servite's third game,  QB Steve Beuerlein did not play due to a minor injury. The result was the discovery of a running game for Servite behind RB Tim Prukop to compliment Beuerlein's passing game, and Servite would not be stopped after that. 

[DevilDog]

On 6/8/2019 at 4:52 PM, BigDrop said:

I do.  I spent 125-150 days each year on the road every year from ‘83-2013 when I retired.  I spent a lot of Friday nights driving miles-sometimes hours-to see teams play.  I once had a couple in Mojo’s Permian stadium tell me they had “never met a Yankee before.”  I bought a scalped ticket in Valdosta to see them play Clarke Central.  A friend in Cincinnati dragged me to a game at UC stadium in ‘81 to see his team, Moeller (in Faust’s last year) beat “some team from Maryland.”  DeMatha Lost 35-0 that night.

In truth however I do not know anymore than anyone else on here and, to be really honest, know less than most.  Probably much less since this is a very sophisticated, knowledgeable board.

But I built a career on my opinions and, obviously, I still haven’t stopped.

Man great story.  I would be interested to know the following with you visiting all those hallowed Football towns.  What was some of your best experiences and games?  That's awesome.  I run around Texas a bit currently and get a kick out of all levels and experiences.  But this is awesome sir.   Any dude that has seen Moeller, Valdosta and Permian in their heydays Incredible.

Believe me you know more because you clearly have seen more.

 

[BigDrop]

1 hour ago, DevilDog said:

Man great story.  I would be interested to know visiting all those hallowed Football towns.  What was some of your best experiences and games?  That's awesome.  I run around Texas a bit currently and get a kick out of all levels and experiences.  But this is awesome sir.   Any dude that has seen Moeller, Valdosta and Permian in their heydays Incredible.

Believe me you know more because you clearly have seen more.

 

Honestly (please forgive me) the best game I ever saw was last November when Gonzaga threw a 50+ td Hail Mary to beat DeMatha as time ran out.  This was after a 90+ yard kickoff return that put DM ahead with 15 or so seconds.  This was after GZ scored to take the lead a few seconds before.  Etc., etc.

FWIW Most impressive player I ever saw was Hampton, VA’s Ronald Curry in ‘96 or ‘97.

St. Ignatius travelled to Berwick to play when both teams were at their best in the late ‘90’s. During warmups ten or more Berwick players laid down on ground at midfield at stared at the Iggy players.  They were making a statement that it was their stadium, their turf.  Iggy scored three tds on 3 plays in the first quarter and all were called back for a penalty.  Finally Iggy scored a fourth time and the officials allowed it. Cleveland St. Ignatius blew out one of the great small town teams in America.

Before there was a Herbstreit there was the Buddy LaRosa Classic in Cincinnati.  1990/‘91. Five or six games in one day, Ohio vs. America.  Chicago Mt. Carmel beat Moeller in the marquis game.  14-7 or so in Cincinnati’s riverfront stadium.  20-25,000 were shocked that Mo would lose to a Chicago team. Same day Fairfield, OH beat Berwick and they had been ranked #1 at the time.

Herbstreit:  I saw Independence lose their 109 game winning streak to Elder and sat on the Indy side.  Really felt sorry for the fans while across the field 10,000 or so Ohioans were going crazy.

CB West had an incredible line in ‘98.  I saw them roll over Parkland in a playoff but the most impressive thing was seeing three or four Parkland linemen walking side by side off the field, helmets in hand-all with dark red creases in their foreheads from the line play against CB West.

Mojo was a great experience, too.  Fans I met were wonderful.

Southlake Carroll was a huge experience, too.  And, Converse Judson in the early ‘90’s.  Once I turned off of the interstate when driving near Marshall and saw the football stadium lit up on a Friday night.  Fantastic atmosphere.

Sometime we have to have a thread about bbq.  I used to drive long, long distances because of an obsession with finding the best.  Like the Luling City Market, Louie Mueller’s In Taylor, the original Sonny Bryan’s on Inwood Avenue, etc.  I once carried five pounds of brisket from Clark’s in Tioga (tiny town 50 miles north of Dallas)to Shreveport.  At the time Texas Monthly had called Clark’s Outpost the best in Texas and I had good friends in LA to bring it to.

Anyway, a lot of travel grew old but I rewarded myself with hs football and a love of food.  Along the way I met some wonderful people who welcomed me (and put up with me!) with open arms.

Now retired I have been incredibly fortunate.  

But I must also add that my wife has shared many of the restaurants and joints that I’ve loved and disagrees with many of my opinions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DevilDog]

27 minutes ago, BigDrop said:

Honestly (please forgive me) the best game I ever saw was last November when Gonzaga threw a 50+ td Hail Mary to beat DeMatha as time ran out.  This was after a 90+ yard kickoff return that put DM ahead with 15 or so seconds.  This was after GZ scored to take the lead a few seconds before.  Etc., etc.

FWIW Most impressive player I ever saw was Hampton, VA’s Ronald Curry in ‘96 or ‘97.

St. Ignatius travelled to Berwick to play when both teams were at their best in the late ‘90’s. During warmups ten or more Berwick players laid down on ground at midfield at stared at the Iggy players.  They were making a statement that it was their stadium, their turf.  Iggy scored three tds on 3 plays in the first quarter and all were called back for a penalty.  Finally Iggy scored a fourth time and the officials allowed it. Cleveland St. Ignatius blew out one of the great small town teams in America.

Before there was a Herbstreit there was the Buddy LaRosa Classic in Cincinnati.  1990/‘91. Five or six games in one day, Ohio vs. America.  Chicago Mt. Carmel beat Moeller in the marquis game.  14-7 or so in Cincinnati’s riverfront stadium.  20-25,000 were shocked that Mo would lose to a Chicago team. Same day Fairfield, OH beat Berwick and they had been ranked #1 at the time.

Herbstreit:  I saw Independence lose their 109 game winning streak to Elder and sat on the Indy side.  Really felt sorry for the fans while across the field 10,000 or so Ohioans were going crazy.

CB West had an incredible line in ‘98.  I saw them roll over Parkland in a playoff but the most impressive thing was seeing three or four Parkland linemen walking side by side off the field, helmets in hand-all with dark red creases in their foreheads from the line play against CB West.

Mojo was a great experience, too.  Fans I met were wonderful.

Southlake Carroll was a huge experience, too.  And, Converse Judson in the early ‘90’s.  Once I turned off of the interstate when driving near Marshall and saw the football stadium lit up on a Friday night.  Fantastic atmosphere.

Sometime we have to have a thread about bbq.  I used to drive long, long distances because of an obsession with finding the best.  Like the Luling City Market, Louie Mueller’s In Taylor, the original Sonny Bryan’s on Inwood Avenue, etc.  I once carried five pounds of brisket from Clark’s in Tioga (tiny town 50 miles north of Dallas)to Shreveport.  At the time Texas Monthly had called Clark’s Outpost the best in Texas and I had good friends in LA to bring it to.

Anyway, a lot of travel grew old but I rewarded myself with hs football and a love of food.  Along the way I met some wonderful people who welcomed me (and put up with me!) with open arms.

Now retired I have been incredibly fortunate.  

But I must also add that my wife has shared many of the restaurants and joints that I’ve loved and disagrees with many of my opinions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing!!!!!  Good stuff sir. 

[TheMaximumHornetSting]

9 hours ago, DevilDog said:

Amazing!!!!!  Good stuff sir. 

What do you know about Bellaire HS?

[DevilDog]

41 minutes ago, TheMaximumHornetSting said:

What do you know about Bellaire HS?

They are a marginal 6A program who's greatest accomplishment is getting beat down by Houston Powerhouse Lamar who is 15 - 0 against them in District.   Maybe @Horsefly @Champa or @Texasball can give you more insights.  They know more about that area than me.