KFDM COOP

PN-G’s Tatum keeps dad’s theme alive By Tom Halliburton The Port Arthur News PORT NECHES — Ronnie Thompson needs to know that a piece of Thomas Jefferson's proud football past still occupies a prominent role with these 2007 Port Neches-Groves Indians. It's a white towel with the old maroon "PA" insignia and the No. 5 on it. The towel belonged to former Yellow Jackets fullback-punter-placekicker Marty Tatum, a most versatile member of the 1980 Class 5A Port Arthur powerhouse coached by current Memorial head coach Thompson. Tatum passed away from cancer on April 27, 2007 and one of his nearest and dearest survivors has enabled that TJ towel to remain quite busy. Tatum's son Harrison, a 16-year-old junior, has had to mature plenty since his dad's death nearly six months ago. There's a whole different young man wearing the purple and white No. 8 this fall than last year. He's more mature. He's more confident and relaxed. He's really served as a unifying element within this outstanding Indians team. It's a crying shame that Marty missed Friday night's victory over Lumberton. He would have been so proud to have witnessed Harrison's performance. The Indians junior completed 8-of-8 first-half passes and finished with 13 of 15 completions for 185 yards and a touchdown. When Tatum and PN-G's offense completed perhaps its best game to date, the pleasant purple and white scoreboard informed its viewers of PN-G 31, Lumberton 24. It translated into five straight Indians wins... or as Marty Tatum would say in 1980, "Another One Bites The Dust." "That's why I wear this towel at every game and every practice," Harrison smiled, still remembering the loss of his dad. "It's never easy... But it helps you to become a lot stronger as a person. "It's helped our team to become closer too and I think that has been a main factor in the last five wins." Instead of taking credit for his most impressive passing night so far in high school football, this fine son of Candace Simmons and the late Marty Tatum dished out the credit to six different receivers, his two running backs and his five interior line players. Tatum directed the same group appreciation to all sorts of vital coaches on the Indians' varsity staff... especially that quarterbacks coach and fellow Dallas Cowboys fan named David Wallace. What do the Cowboys have to do with these Indians? Ohh, plenty. You see, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo just keeps on smiling all the time. He tries not to let anything get him down... even if he throws five interceptions at Buffalo. Tom Brady at New England is the same way. Romo and Brady are Harrison's two favorite pro players. So Tatum borrows a page from their game and attempts to just keep on smiling. "I'm having more fun this year, instead of taking it so seriously," Tatum confessed on Tuesday. "I don't stop smiling. When I wake up on Friday, I put on a smile. And I try to keep it on throughout the whole night." Harrison's relaxed approach can rub everyone positively in the Indians' huddle, too, as well as in between plays. Once in last week's first half, Tatum conveyed that upbeat, supportive demeanor toward senior Clint Burnett after officials flagged the tight end for a false start. No problem. Harrison dialed Clint's number on the next play for a 16-yard reception.

Memorial’s playmakers hoping to turn up heat on West Brook By Cody Pastorella The Port Arthur News Despite back-to-back disappointing losses, Memorial is starting to come around. There is no solid evidence to proof such a thing but that is the feeling in Port Arthur’s locker room, especially among the players who make up District 21-5A’s most productive passing attack. And it’s that attack that has Memorial seniors Harry Brown, Patterson Clay, Glen Windon and Freddie King thinking Friday’s game with West Brook might go in their favor for once. All four of them know what Memorial is capable of and they are all fully aware that they have never beaten West Brook during their varsity careers. “This is a really big game for us,†said King, who caught 10 passes (new single game record for receptions at Memorial) for 110 yards and a touchdown against Baytown Lee last week. “Considering our record (3-4 overall and 2-2 in district), who we are playing and that we haven’t beat them in three years, this is a really big game. It means everything.†Clay, who rushed for 122 yards on 18 carries and caught six passes for 55 yards against Lee, said West Brook is Memorial’s biggest rival by far. “That’s the team we want to beat every year, in any sport. The fans want that game, the community wants that game, the coaches, the players — everybody wants to beat West Brook,†Clay said. “It’s one of those games you want to play a little better,†King said. “It’s one of those games where you want the best to come out.†And don’t tell Windon, who has 19 receptions for 195 yards this season, how well West Brook is playing at the moment. Don’t tell him about the Bruins 6-1 overall record or district leading 4-0 record. Don’t tell Windon about West Brook’s district leading and balanced offense or about the Bruins’ leading defense. “Anybody can be beat,†Windon said. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done, all that matters is what happens in that game — they can be beat. We have to eliminate the mistakes and play our game. “We have to forget about the past and come together right now and play as a team. We have to practice hard and practice like we want to play. We can’t make mistakes in practice. We can’t make mistakes in the game.†About those mistakes, Memorial has turned the ball over 15 times this year. The most recent turnover was rather significant, proving to be the difference in the Titans 29-23 loss to Lee. Memorial outgained and outplayed Lee in every facet of the game except turnovers and penalties. “We have enough talent here to beat anyone in the state,†said King, leads the district with 42 receptions and 695 yards. “We are the best team in the state if we take away all the mistakes. I know we are more talented than them (West Brook).†Brown, who leads the district with 1,465 passing yards, agreed with King about the talent level. “If we minimize the mistakes, we are the best team in this district,†Brown said. “I am concerned about them (West Brook) but I know we can beat them. Most of the time, the only thing that stops us is us. We have to minimize the mistakes and cut out all the penalties. That’s the only difference between West Brook and us, they don’t make the mistakes.†About Memorial’s high-powered offense, all four agreed it could be better and will have to be at its best Friday night when the Bruins visit Memorial Stadium.

Kountze will be just fine!

Poppabear ready!!! 8)

[Hidden Content] click on sports then the WB/MEMORIAL VIDEO

8) 8)

nm

Come on Cards!

Staying in Oakland 'out of the question' for Athletics The co-owner of the Oakland Athletics says the team has ruled out remaining in Oakland as it pursues a new ballpark in Fremont, Calif., about 30 miles away. "We don't want to move. We don't want to start pitting cities against each other, but it's out of the question we'll stay in Oakland," Lew Wolff said Monday after giving an address and answering questions at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. The team can no longer share McAfee Coliseum with the NFL's Oakland Raiders and has not found a suitable site elsewhere in Oakland, Wolff said. The Athletics have envisioned a 32,000-seat ballpark in Fremont on a 200-acre complex that would include a shopping mall, a hotel and 3,000 housing units. The team has yet to formally submit a development application to the Fremont City Council. But Wolff said an application will be filed in the next two weeks, starting the environmental review process. The team announced its intentions about a year ago and purchased 168 acres for the project in May. Fremont is about 27 miles from Oakland and 18 miles from San Jose. Some Athletics fans in attendance at the Commonwealth Club, the nation's oldest public affairs forum, questioned Wolff on the proposed move, raising concerns about traffic, ticket prices and fewer seats at the new site. Wolff said those problems will be solved in time for the new stadium's projected 2012 opening, adding that fans should be happy the team is staying in the area. "We're still here, folks," Wolff said. "We're not moving to Timbuktu. We're just moving down the street."

yep.

It will!

Don't we all.

Congrats! 8)

Go out and support the Lady Cards!

Make your Relignment predictions here for districts/Each Classifications!

These that WOS wore are awesome/2nd pic.

kogt Excited about the playoffs, the LCM Lady Bears play PNG in a warm up match Tuesday at 5pm at the Bear Cave in preparation for their bi-district match up Saturday against New Caney. The match will take place at Barbers Hill at 3pm.

yes!

We'll see. Never know.

Who are they?

[Hidden Content]

[Hidden Content] Click on sports then the Tidwell interview video

[Hidden Content] Click on sports then the interview video

I agree!