Last week I wrote about the ladies high school hoops scene so this week it is the boy’s turn. This is quickly shaping up to be another outstanding season for high school boys in the county as several are off to excellent starts and the rest are also off to good starts. At the writing of this column all five teams have winning records.
The top of the heap, at least at this point, has to go to the Marianna Bulldogs and the Malone Tigers. The Bulldogs are off to an 9-1 start and look like they can make another run towards Lakeland. They’ve got three big guys like Kruize Pinkins, Kendall Leeks and Tommy Stephens that can control the game down low. And with outside players like R.J. Bowers, Tre Long and Tre Jackson the Bulldogs are solid.
Malone, off to a 10-2 start returns T.J. Smith as one of the top scorers around the Big Bend. And he’s got a supporting cast that makes these Tigers dangerous. Ladarius McElroy, Marcus Leonard, Chai and Ty Baker are just a few of the cast members that make this another classic Tiger team. They’re cat quick, love to shoot the long ball and play pressure D.
Right behind these two squads come the Sneads Pirates and the Cottondale Hornets.
The Pirates are off to a 7-4 start and seem to be coming together just fine. They don’t have the one go to guy like some squads, but they have several players that on any given night that can take the helm. Terrence Green, Jamar White and Jeff Bell have been leading the squad in scoring. But players like Will Holmes, Jeff Davis and Josh Rogers can score as well.
Cottondale, like Malone and Graceville, has a prolific scorer that can light up the scoreboard. Marcus Humose is averaging over 20 points a game and can score from anywhere on the floor. He has a solid group around him as well as big men Drew Bellamy and Cody Saye patrol the lane. The Hornets, 6-4 on the season, have a bevy of talent on the perimeter in Dominique Webb, Juwon Johnson, Tristin White, Darien and Darius Pollock.
The Graceville Tigers are last but certainly not least. They are off to a 4-3 start but don’t let that fool you. They’ve got a kid that can score as well as anybody in North Florida. Cameron Dozier can fog it from the outside or take it to the hoop. He can square up, shoot off balance or weave his way to the basket. He’s had three straight games of 30 plus points. The cast around him is young and inexperienced. But Craig Myrick and Jamal Miller can score as well and Leander Ford is the big man inside.
Simply Put, buckle up it’s time for Jackson County Basketball.
From the front porch: Coach said average is as close to the bottom as it is the top.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
“The Skinny on Girls High School Hoops”
Each year about this time I write a column or two about the local high school hoops scene. You might call it the “State of the County Hoops Address.” Being a gentlemen, I’ll let the ladies go first.
Of the five varsity girl’s teams in the county, one stands head and shoulders above the others. That one would be the Graceville Lady Tigers. As of this past Monday the Lady Tigers are 10-0 under Head Coach John Haboli and look like they picked up right where they left off last year (making it all the way to the Regional Finals before falling to FAMU High). Mychea Williams seems to be the lead scorer but Wynterra Pittman, Tiara Sorey, and Jessica McClendon can all score as well. Brittany Flournoy drives the machine as the primary ball handler.
Not far behind Graceville would have to be the Marianna Lady Bulldogs. Head Coach Chuck Brown has resurrected the Lady Bulldogs program and led the team to the Regional Finals last year. This year’s squad is led in scoring by Sharae Williams. Several other key Lady Bulldogs include Shamiqua Davies, Christina, Tia Bass, Ravin Borders and Temperance Wooden.
Without question the most improved team on the year would have to be the Sneads Lady Pirates. First year Head Coach Tyrone Livingston has infused a new enthusiasm in the program and it shows both on and off the court. It doesn’t hurt either that Sneads has got some ladies that can shoot the hoops. They are led by the trio of LaTilya Baker, Shan Gillette and Jonie Bonine. Down low Meagan Smith patrols the lane and out front Bridgett Dawson runs the floor show.
That leaves two schools and both of them also have new coaches. The Malone Lady Tigers have Kendall and Marcy Murdock as their new coaches, both of whom played for the Lady Tigers. Malone has some good ball players but they are also very young. Vanessa Olds, Venisha Hearns, Shakira Smith and Autumn Speigner have been doing most of the scoring. Tessa Shack has played well and Malone has arguably the best young player in the county in 8th grader Courteanna “Mee Maw” Brelove.
The Cottondale Lady Hornets have a new coach, but a familiar face. Randi Scurlock was a standout athlete at Cottondale a couple of years ago and has returned to her alma mater. Cottondale has been one of the top programs around for the past few years, including several trips to Lakeland for the Final Four. But this would be labeled as a rebuilding year as they have a freshman and sophomore in their starting lineup. They have some experience though in Jakia Grimsley who can score from anywhere. Khadejah Ward and Kieysha Paul handle the ball and can score as well. Syrinna Pope plays down low under the boards.
Simply Put, it should be another fun year of girls high school hoops.
From the front porch: Coach said humbleness is not thinking less of yourself but rather is thinking of yourself less.
Of the five varsity girl’s teams in the county, one stands head and shoulders above the others. That one would be the Graceville Lady Tigers. As of this past Monday the Lady Tigers are 10-0 under Head Coach John Haboli and look like they picked up right where they left off last year (making it all the way to the Regional Finals before falling to FAMU High). Mychea Williams seems to be the lead scorer but Wynterra Pittman, Tiara Sorey, and Jessica McClendon can all score as well. Brittany Flournoy drives the machine as the primary ball handler.
Not far behind Graceville would have to be the Marianna Lady Bulldogs. Head Coach Chuck Brown has resurrected the Lady Bulldogs program and led the team to the Regional Finals last year. This year’s squad is led in scoring by Sharae Williams. Several other key Lady Bulldogs include Shamiqua Davies, Christina, Tia Bass, Ravin Borders and Temperance Wooden.
Without question the most improved team on the year would have to be the Sneads Lady Pirates. First year Head Coach Tyrone Livingston has infused a new enthusiasm in the program and it shows both on and off the court. It doesn’t hurt either that Sneads has got some ladies that can shoot the hoops. They are led by the trio of LaTilya Baker, Shan Gillette and Jonie Bonine. Down low Meagan Smith patrols the lane and out front Bridgett Dawson runs the floor show.
That leaves two schools and both of them also have new coaches. The Malone Lady Tigers have Kendall and Marcy Murdock as their new coaches, both of whom played for the Lady Tigers. Malone has some good ball players but they are also very young. Vanessa Olds, Venisha Hearns, Shakira Smith and Autumn Speigner have been doing most of the scoring. Tessa Shack has played well and Malone has arguably the best young player in the county in 8th grader Courteanna “Mee Maw” Brelove.
The Cottondale Lady Hornets have a new coach, but a familiar face. Randi Scurlock was a standout athlete at Cottondale a couple of years ago and has returned to her alma mater. Cottondale has been one of the top programs around for the past few years, including several trips to Lakeland for the Final Four. But this would be labeled as a rebuilding year as they have a freshman and sophomore in their starting lineup. They have some experience though in Jakia Grimsley who can score from anywhere. Khadejah Ward and Kieysha Paul handle the ball and can score as well. Syrinna Pope plays down low under the boards.
Simply Put, it should be another fun year of girls high school hoops.
From the front porch: Coach said humbleness is not thinking less of yourself but rather is thinking of yourself less.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
“Advice For Retirement”
Dear Clint: I didn’t think Dear Abby would understand so I am hoping as a sports man you can help me out. After 34 years of pouring my heart and soul into my job, my supervisors basically offered me an early retirement plan. I was hoping to hang on for another year and feel like after all I’ve done in my job (coaching 34 years at one college) that I deserved to retire on my own terms, not on someone else’s terms. Fortunately I have my faith and my family to rely on, but I must confess I am struggling with how this all ended. Got any advice? Signed “Put Out To Pasture Too Early” in Tallahassee
Dear “Put Out to Pasture Too Early in Tallahassee” - Rest assured that you are not the first person, nor will you be the last person, to be nudged out the door before you feel you are ready. There are many other long time employees, in a variety of professions, who feel like they were shown the door while they were still capable of contributing. You mentioned your faith so here is my advice (gathered from the good book.
Do not be bitter or filled with resentment (Ephesians 4:31). Too often folks who feel they’ve been nudged out the door too early, or at least in their opinion too early, become bitter. They are resentful towards their former employer, who they perceive having wronged them. They spend their remaining years complaining to everyone they encounter about how they were done wrong. So rise above the temptation to sling mud at others. Remember that bitterness and true faith can not dwell in the same house.
Be thankful (1st Chronicles 16:34). You’ve had a long and successful career so don’t sit around having a poor pitiful me party. Not many coaches can say they coached at one place for 34 years, climbed the mountains you climbed, had the relationships that you had and the impact you had on thousands of folks.
Be humble and gracious (Matthew 23:12). There is nothing more appealing than humbleness and nothing more appalling than arrogance.
Be active and serve (Psalms 100:2). You’ve been quoted as saying there is only one big event after retirement (death) and you’re not looking forward to that. Don’t sit around waiting to die. Remember that we never retire from our faith. Use your God given gifts to do things you enjoy while at the same time serving God and others.
Remember your purpose in life (Isaiah 43:7). Our faith teaches us that God created us for his glory. There is no glory in bitterness or feeling sorry for yourself. But by being thankful, humble, gracious and serving God you will fulfill your purpose in life and Simply Put, what more could a man want.
From the front porch: Uncle Bob took the Florida State loss to Florida like a man, he blamed it on his wife.
Dear “Put Out to Pasture Too Early in Tallahassee” - Rest assured that you are not the first person, nor will you be the last person, to be nudged out the door before you feel you are ready. There are many other long time employees, in a variety of professions, who feel like they were shown the door while they were still capable of contributing. You mentioned your faith so here is my advice (gathered from the good book.
Do not be bitter or filled with resentment (Ephesians 4:31). Too often folks who feel they’ve been nudged out the door too early, or at least in their opinion too early, become bitter. They are resentful towards their former employer, who they perceive having wronged them. They spend their remaining years complaining to everyone they encounter about how they were done wrong. So rise above the temptation to sling mud at others. Remember that bitterness and true faith can not dwell in the same house.
Be thankful (1st Chronicles 16:34). You’ve had a long and successful career so don’t sit around having a poor pitiful me party. Not many coaches can say they coached at one place for 34 years, climbed the mountains you climbed, had the relationships that you had and the impact you had on thousands of folks.
Be humble and gracious (Matthew 23:12). There is nothing more appealing than humbleness and nothing more appalling than arrogance.
Be active and serve (Psalms 100:2). You’ve been quoted as saying there is only one big event after retirement (death) and you’re not looking forward to that. Don’t sit around waiting to die. Remember that we never retire from our faith. Use your God given gifts to do things you enjoy while at the same time serving God and others.
Remember your purpose in life (Isaiah 43:7). Our faith teaches us that God created us for his glory. There is no glory in bitterness or feeling sorry for yourself. But by being thankful, humble, gracious and serving God you will fulfill your purpose in life and Simply Put, what more could a man want.
From the front porch: Uncle Bob took the Florida State loss to Florida like a man, he blamed it on his wife.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
“The End of An Era”
Unless you’ve been hibernating in a cave you’ve heard by now that FSU Head Football Coach Bobby Bowden has announced his retirement. I wrote a column a few weeks back about the subject, saying in essence that he should be allowed to coach another year if he wants to, but that I was not convinced that it would be the best thing for the program.
Supposedly Bowden was recently offered two choices for next year, (1) remain in an “ambassador type” role or (2) retire. I suspect he viewed option one as an insult so he choose option two. I also suspect that this whole situation did not play out like Bowden wanted it to, that is going out on top or at least after a real good year so that he could feel like the program was back to where it used to be. He probably wanted to be like his counterpart Joe Paterno at Penn State and prove that he could right the ship. He kept hoping for that one good last run, but it never came.
He has won 388 games, second most in the history of college football. He has won two national championships and will have coached in 28 straight bowl games. For 14 straight seasons, 1987 – 2000, they finished in the AP Top Five and won 10 or more games each year. They only lost 19 games in all 14 years.
It’s been said that the only thing more difficult than getting to the top is staying at the top. In the last nine years they have won 10 games once. They’ve lost five or more games five out of those nine years. In the last four seasons they’ve had 6 losses three times and lost a total of 22 games. Last year things seemed to improve (9-4) and the Seminole nation, including Bowden, felt like we were on the verge of righting the ship. But they finished this regular season 6-6 and need a bowl game victory to avoid a losing season.
Nobody in the Seminole Nation wanted it to end this way. Everyone would have loved it if Bowden could have gone out on top or with the program on the rebound. If anybody ever deserved to go out on top it would be Bowden. And not for just what he has done on the field, but what he has done off the field as well. But life doesn’t always work out that way. We all know, painfully, sometimes life just isn’t fair.
So after 34 years of having Bobby Bowden as our Head Coach he is retiring. Simply Put, it’s been my privilege and honor as a fan to be a part of the Bobby Bowden era, from beginning to end. We likely will never see another era like this again in college football. Tune in next week as I’ll give Bowden some unsolicited advice on his departure.
From the front porch: Coach said life is what it is, not what it was.
Supposedly Bowden was recently offered two choices for next year, (1) remain in an “ambassador type” role or (2) retire. I suspect he viewed option one as an insult so he choose option two. I also suspect that this whole situation did not play out like Bowden wanted it to, that is going out on top or at least after a real good year so that he could feel like the program was back to where it used to be. He probably wanted to be like his counterpart Joe Paterno at Penn State and prove that he could right the ship. He kept hoping for that one good last run, but it never came.
He has won 388 games, second most in the history of college football. He has won two national championships and will have coached in 28 straight bowl games. For 14 straight seasons, 1987 – 2000, they finished in the AP Top Five and won 10 or more games each year. They only lost 19 games in all 14 years.
It’s been said that the only thing more difficult than getting to the top is staying at the top. In the last nine years they have won 10 games once. They’ve lost five or more games five out of those nine years. In the last four seasons they’ve had 6 losses three times and lost a total of 22 games. Last year things seemed to improve (9-4) and the Seminole nation, including Bowden, felt like we were on the verge of righting the ship. But they finished this regular season 6-6 and need a bowl game victory to avoid a losing season.
Nobody in the Seminole Nation wanted it to end this way. Everyone would have loved it if Bowden could have gone out on top or with the program on the rebound. If anybody ever deserved to go out on top it would be Bowden. And not for just what he has done on the field, but what he has done off the field as well. But life doesn’t always work out that way. We all know, painfully, sometimes life just isn’t fair.
So after 34 years of having Bobby Bowden as our Head Coach he is retiring. Simply Put, it’s been my privilege and honor as a fan to be a part of the Bobby Bowden era, from beginning to end. We likely will never see another era like this again in college football. Tune in next week as I’ll give Bowden some unsolicited advice on his departure.
From the front porch: Coach said life is what it is, not what it was.
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