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I had a longggggggggggggggggggggg talk with the interim AD last night. Trust me, Mackey's ducking and dodgin' to keep somethings under wraps so those clowns on the school board won't have a leg up on what's going on. I offered some suggestions everywhere from potention HC's to maximizing existing buildings at the current campus. My man listened and I hope people in the community will stand behind him while he tries to right the ship and stand against stupidity in the name of Julia Samuels......

Sports review for Mackey's ears only Nearly a year ago, Port Arthur schools superintendent Willis Mackey told The News that he and athletic director Dean Colbert were working on a thorough evaluation of the district's athletic program. He said last February, "as soon as the season is over," presumably the school year ending last spring, "I'm going to get an evaluation of all the programs and the coaches ... We (Mackey and Colbert) will sit down and talk about the future of athletics in this district." The News, in a Texas Public Information Act request in December, sought "a copy of paperwork generated by the superintendent's 2005 review of the district's athletic program under coach Colbert." In late December, Mackey reported that he was waiting for Colbert to assemble all the information he needed. This week, Mackey informed The News there was no paper report or paperwork for the newspaper to review. He said Colbert delivered his report to the superintendent orally. "That's with coach Colbert," Mackey said. "He kept all his information. He just verbally shared it with me. We don't have the stuff you're asking for." That was just one of many non-revelations in a 30-minute Tuesday interview with the city's top educator that yielded little to educate this newspaper's readers on specific plans to improve what everyone agrees is an under-achieving athletic program. A man who earns $208,575 a year from PAISD taxpayers (counting allowances and other benefits), Mackey did offer up a few non-specific opinions. He was asked his opinion of Memorial High's boys' and girls' basketball teams. Both teams currently stand in the middle of the District 22-5A pack, facing an uphill battle to make the playoffs: "I feel like they're working hard," he said. "The kids have been aggressive. I think they're going to continue to improve." Asked his overall opinion of the district's athletic program, Mackey again was positive but non-specific. "I think we stand great. We have great kids. We have some good coaches. And we're going to work towards next year," he said. The superintendent started the tape-recorded interview by bringing out his own tape recorder. And his tape will show what The News' does: that he consistently failed to offer specific answers to questions but peppered his comments with educational buzzwords that mean little to the general public. He also passed the buck, telling the interviewer that he should seek answers from the various campus principals, from the district's information director and even from Colbert, who is mostly calling in sick at Memorial while waiting to start work in his new job at Humble next month. Here is a partial transcript of the interview: The News: Where do we stand on the athletic program? Mackey: I think we stand great. We have great kids. We have some good coaches. And we're going to work towards next year. The News: What about athletic periods? That was something the coaches have brought up that have not been consistently scheduled and don't have at the middle schools. Mackey: I don't know about that. They haven't shared it with me. The News: Would (assistant superintendent for administrative services) Mrs. Gatson be able to answer that question about athletics? Mackey: No. I can. The answer hasn't been shared with me. The News: Who has the answers? You say it hasn't been shared with you. Do you mean there are no answers coming out of the Port Arthur school district to that question? And probably some others I'll ask too? Mackey: I feel like our principals are doing an adequate job on their campuses taking care of their campus for their course requirements and periods that need to be taken care of. The principals take care of their own campus. They set their own schedules. The News: So if coach Fonteneaux (girls' basketball coach Joe Fonteneaux), for instance, said for instance he doesn't have an athletic period in the ninth grade, you're not concerned about that? Mackey: I'm concerned about all of our kids, all of our programs. I think if the coach has a concern, he needs to visit with that principal on that campus. The News: Do you see there's a difficulty putting the desire for better academics together with a strong athletic program? Mackey: I think we can have both, strong academics and strong athletic programs. I think that's what we're going to work and strive for. The News: Do you foresee any particular changes to it (the status quo), the way it's coming about? Mackey: Well, we're looking forward to it, to making the necessary changes. The commitment we started 2 1/2 years ago in helping and encouraging a strong academic and a strong athletic program. The News: Can you cite anything that's happened in 2 1/2 years to make it better? Mackey: Yes. We're working on it. We're working on our curriculum in all our programs. The News: Can you cite some specifics? Mackey: Curriculum in all our programs. Staff development. Workshops. And things of that sort. The News: Can you explain that to my readers, who don't understand (educator jargon)? Mackey: Strong curriculum program, that's what I would tell them that we're building on, a strong curriculum program. The News: That's going to help athletics how? Mackey: That sure will. The News: How will it help athletics? Mackey: There's a number of ways. It'll help athletics. The News: Can you explain them to me? Mackey: A strong curriculum program helps athletics. The News: I don't know if you think I have an agenda or what. Maybe it's not me .... I'm just trying to find somebody in the school district that I can talk to for straight answers. Mackey: Well, you're talking to the superintendent. I'm as straight as I can be. The News: You're just dancing around answers ... Mackey: No, I'm not dancing. I'm answering your questions and I said what I wanted to say: A strong academic program, building up curriculum and staff development, that's how we build a program, that's where we start.

22-5A PA Mem WB Lee Sterling Kingwood Humble (altho' the next realignment when Kingwood and Humble each split will be really interesting) From there, UIL has several options: Lufkin was considered last time but rejected because of travel. Spring and Westfield wll probably go elsewhere (they appealed the last realignment because they didn't want the travel to PA and Bmt). You might see some combination including Deer Park, North Shore and/or La Porte. The talk is that some districts are going to because larger because of the extra playoff team. You could have some districts combined (22, 23 and 24 reduced to only 2 districts). Or they could leave 22-5A as it is, and add 2 teams (North Shore?). Talk about a football district!!!!

Great article by Jdawg. It's amazing that no School in SE Texas has Turf. I can see BH getting it eventaully with the growth there. There has been talk of Silsbee getting it. In Beaumont is was brought up one time at a School Board meeting about building a new Stadium at Ford Park with Turf for all the Beaumont schools to play on but that fell through with the Money problems Jefferson County has. WOS is pushing for it but doubt it will happen either.

Imagine if Central, Ozen, and West brook combined schools!! That would probably be around 4,000 kids but man talk about some talent.

Yes, it is a nice and refreshing site. 100 and counting and should be around the 1000 real soon. Good luck and thanks for another site to talk football and other sports.

CLASS 4A GREATER HOUSTON ALL-AREA TEAM MOST VALUABLE PLAYER QB Jarrett Lee Brenham JR 6'3 200 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR RB Jacquizz Rodgers Lamar Consolidated SOPH 5'7 165 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR DT Richard Jones La Marque SR 6'1 265 COACH OF THE YEAR Lydell Wilson Lamar Consolidated FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB Orie Lemon Yates SR 6'2 220 RB Keith Toston Angleton SR 6'2 195 RB Nathan Guillory Kashmere SR 5'8 180 RB Lamont Roberts Brenham SR 5'10 200 WR Jonathan Lister Lamar SR 6'1 175 WR Jared Perry La Marque SR 6'3 170 WR Darnell Jackson Terry SR 6'2 185 TE Eric Mensik Terry SR 6'6 245 OL Roy Watts Houston Worthing SR 6'6 300 OL Brian Ruiz Furr SR 6'3 305 OL Ty Wagner La Marque SR 5'11 280 OL Sean Warren Texas City SR 6'3 315 C Ryan Kristynik Lamar JR 6'0 230 UT Cordero Williams Bay City SR 5'7 165 K Taylor Wilkens La Marque SR 5'5 140 FIRST TEAM DEFENSE DL Therman Jones Yates Sr. 6'0 205 DL Ron Mohica Nederland SR 6'1 300 DL Mack Randle Ozen SR 6'8 295 DL Jerald Celestine La Marque SR 6'4 230 LB Issac McZeal Kashmere SR 6'1 245 LB Chikege Hobbs Angleton SR 5'11 182 LB Willie Johnson Galena Park SR 5'10 170 LB Luke Addicks Brenham SR 6'0 215 LB Greg Carlson Klein Oak SR 6'3 215 DB James Rodgers Lamar Consolidated JR 5'8 155 DB Adrian Davis Terry SR 6'4 195 DB James Thomas La Marque JR 6'0 180 DB James Cooper Washington Sr. 5'9 175 DB Nick Ekanem Terry SR 5'10 175 P David Porter Klein Oak SR 5'10 165 SECOND TEAM DEFENSE QB L.J. Castile La Marque SR 6'2 205 RB Remus Neimbhard Jones SR 5'7 175 RB Colton Johnson Waller JR 6'0 235 RB Michael Dugat Dayton JR 5'8 180 WR Lee Orr El Campo JR 6'3 180 WR Derrick Hall Central SOPH 5'10 180 WR Chris Royal Ozen SR 6'0 205 WR Ryan Butler Nederland SR 5'9 160 TE Jartel Rollins Kashmere SR 6'4 240 OL Jarvis Jones Lamar JR 6'6 255 OL Justin Walters Klein Oak JR 6'0 260 OL Wes Skrla Dayton SR 6'3 265 OL Jacobey Oliver King SR 6'1 248 OL Bryan Krauskopf Santa Fe JR 6'3 270 K Jason Gore Brenham SR 6'1 180 P Jose Zaragose Reagan SR 6'3 205 SECOND TEAM DEFENSE DL Davon Mason Texas City SR 5'10 265 DL Hunter Davis PN-G SR 6'3 225 DL Winston Sylvester Central SR 5'11 270 DL Marcus Fishbeck Angleton SR 6'0 212 DL Tyler Turner Foster SR 6'3 195 LB Anthony Bradshaw El Campo SR 5'10 220 LB Justin Font Terry JR 5'9 180 LB Deron Minor Ozen SR 6'1 197 LB Danny Gaskamp Dayton SR 6'0 190 LB Dennis Grebe Bay City SR 6'1 220 DB Josh Lee Reagan SR 6'1 185 DB Ben Wells Ozen JR 6'1 174 DB Derrick Addai Sharpstown SR 6'5 210 DB Brandon Collins Brenham JR 5'10 160 DB Josh Lee Reagan SR 6'1 185 Talk about it in: The Recruiting Scoop

Dodge's 5A dynasty leaves area coaches shaking their heads -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: 12/20/05 - 11:54:32 pm CST -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bob West column for Wednesday, December 21, 2005 Count football coaches in Southeast Texas among those who have difficulty putting into perspective what one of their own - Todd Dodge - has accomplished at Southlake Carroll. From West Brook's Craig Stump - Dodge's sophomore backup QB on TJ's 1980 state finalists - to West Orange-Stark's Dan Hooks, to Nederland's Larry Neumann, to PN-G's Matt Burnett, there was a tone of disbelief after Saturday's 34-20 thumping of Katy gave Dodge's Dragons their third title and a 63-1 record in four years at the 5A level. “It's amazing,†said Stump, whose Bruins were overpowered by Katy in the third round of the playoffs. “I don't think we'll every see another team dominate 5A the way Southlake has. That school had a great tradition when Todd went there, but he's taken it to another level. He's a step ahead, a play ahead of everybody else. “Plus, he's built a great organization and has the kind of administrative and community support on all levels that can make a difference. I remember going in there as a recruiter for Mississippi State. The Southlake football team was such a huge deal. Kids in the fifth and sixth grade can't wait their turn to be Dragons.†“It's impossible to explain,†said Hooks, whose Mustangs won back-to-back 4A titles and played for a third from 1986-88. “They don't just win, they dominate good programs. With the parity and quality programs in 5A, it's just incredible. You say it can't go on forever, but I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the next two with his son (Riley) playing quarterback.†“He's way ahead of everybody else, it's not just talk,†Neumann declared. “I watched the Katy game just shaking my head at the things they did. To move up a classification and do what they've done is a truly amazing feat. There have been some remarkable programs in Texas, some dynasties, and Carroll is at the very top. “It just seems like that program and that town are in a different zone. They had a great tradition when Todd went there, but it's like he's taken a fire and thrown gasoline on it. What jumps out is the confidence those kids play with. Katy made a run at them and had momentum in the third quarter and they answered with a three-play, 80-yard drive. They just seem to be in a different league from the rest of 5A.†“It's mind boggling,†declared PN-G's Burnett, who as a player was part of an Indian program that went to the semifinals or finals four consecutive years in the mid 1970s. “As a coach, if you win one state championship it's an outstanding feat. Just winning a district championship is hard. You really can't relate to what he's done. “He's got a system going that's just phenomenal. What's so incredible is the way he keeps turning out great quarterbacks. They all seem to have height, strong arms and throw the ball with amazing accuracy. It would be like us having Dustin Long playing QB every year. Obviously, he's developing them and that's a key to their success.†Ronnie Thompson, who created the Frankenstein monster Dodge has become in the coaching profession, chuckled when asked for a perspective on what his star pupil has accomplished. “I don't think you can put it in perspective,†he said. “It's off the charts, in terms of dominating the highest classification. I've thought about it. Abilene in the 1950s and Midland Lee at the end of the ‘90s had great runs. So did Austin Reagan in the late 60s and Judson in the early ‘90s. “But none of those teams were in the finals four straight years. Todd's one-point away (16-15 loss to Katy in the 2003 finals) from winning four straight. The one he lost, his defensive coordinator was in the hospital dying of cancer and his all-state kicker missed a chip-shot, game-winning field goal. “He's not doing this with a bunch of kids headed to the NFL, either. Year in and year out there are numerous 5A programs with more Division 1 signees. But he's just way, way out there with what he's doing. He's taken a real good system and tweaked and tweaked and tweaked it until it's beyond good.†Thompson said that even as a high school quarterback Dodge had a remarkable grasp of what the offense was all about, and a unique ability to simplify it for players around him. “We were trying to coach a high-powered offense and a lot of kids couldn't understand it,†Thompson related. “Todd, with two or three words or a couple of gestures could straighten them out and make it so much clearer for them than we were able to do. “Now, you watch his team play and you see everybody out there really understands what's going on. A lot of people probably think what they are doing is complicated, but he's made it so simple for them it's like shooting fish in a barrel. “Todd, of course, with his play calling, gives them the ultimate advantage. He finds you defensively, locates you, then knocks you out. And, while from the outside it looks like it's all about offense, he's put a high priority on defense. Without a great defense, they probably wouldn't have beaten Katy.†Stump, who sent Dodge his Katy game tape and told his former teammate what he thought would work against the Tigers defense, remembers Todd's ability to help other TJ players grasp the offense. But he said Thompson deserves more credit for that than he's taking. “Ronnie made his quarterbacks have their head in the game, otherwise we'd have been like most other high school kids. Once a practice or a game was over, you would have other fish to fry. But not with Ronnie. He made sure you put extra time into studying the offense, so you knew what we were doing and why. “I do think, dating back to our days at TJ, that one of Todd's greatest strengths is being able to communicate. Winning coaches are almost always great communicators. You have to be able to tell somebody how to do something in different ways until it clicks.†Stump said he also believes Dodge is as good as anybody in the profession at developing and coaching quarterbacks. “His QBs have been the 5A Player of the year four straight years. I'm sure those kids would have been good no matter who coached them. But Todd coached them up to another level. People like to say great players make great coaches. Well, great coaches can make great players. Without Todd, I doubt any of those guys is the player of the year.†Sports editor Bob West can be e-mailed at [email protected]. His Sportsrap radio show airs Wednesday at 8:05 p.m. on KLVI (560-AM).

Sad story but what a happy ending......... She said RUN By: JEFF WICK, The Beaumont Enterprise 12/09/2004 Tom Eckert/The Enterprise Newton junior Toddrick Pendland, right, and his sophmore brother Broddrick have had to overcome a lot in their young lives as their mom was shot to death by their stepdad when they were little boys. NEWTON-His mother told him to run. Toddrick Pendland's stepdad had come home drunk and mad - again. So Tonya Ray (Taylor) Myers made her eight-year-old son take his little brother and leave. Pendland, with his younger brother Broddrick in tow, ran to a neighbor's house. That's where they heard the two gunshots that killed their mother. "They told me she was alright until I got to my aunt's house," said Pendland. It was only then that he was told the truth. That August day in 1996, his mother had told him to run. Nearly a decade later, Pendland is still listening. Saturday, the Newton Eagle High School football team will play for the Class 2A Division I state title. It's a team loaded with superstars, but maybe none better than Pendland, the tailback. This year alone he's rushed for 2,160 yards and 26 touchdowns. "He's a great player," said Newton head coach Curtis Barbay. In two days, thousands of people will fill Waco ISD Stadium to watch just how great. Of all the fans cheering for him, however, one person will be missing. "I think she would have enjoyed herself watching us play," said Pendland. He hardly ever goes to his mother's gravesite anymore, but before he goes out on the field, Pendland always makes sure to say hi. "Before every game, I get on my knees and pray to God to tell my mom I love her," he said. "And that this is another game for her." His mother told him to run. But it was Pendland's uncle Tye Taylor who gave him something to run with - a football. Tye started Toddrick playing pee-wee football soon after the tragedy. "It kept me excited to do something," said Pendland. There was only one problem. At the time, Pendland wasn't big or fast. He was kind of brittle, too. "I broke my arm (playing football) when I was in the fourth grade," Pendland said, explaining why he much preferred basketball early on. "Stiffon Ethridge (who now shares the backfield with Pendland on the Eagle varsity) was bigger than everybody back then. "Coach said he'd give us a dollar if somebody would tackle him. I was the only one who tried. I hopped on his back, then somebody jumped on my back." Etheridge went down - right on Pendland's arm. In time, the broken arm healed, but Pendland stayed small. Even now, he's only 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds. Somewhere along the line, however, he got really fast. "Sixth or seventh grade I started running around everywhere I went," said Pendland. "I don't know why. I just started running." He ran his way onto the varsity as a sophomore. He ran his way into the end zone on one of his first carries with the team. That speed will insure his pick of several college scholarships when he graduates from Newton. His mother told him to run. But he never had to run alone. Broddrick was always there with his older brother - whether Toddrick liked it or not. "We had it out when we were little; we fought every day," Toddrick said. "We're cool now." This season Broddrick, a sophomore, was the starting cornerback on the junior varsity football team. When the playoffs started, he got called up to the varsity. The brothers share the same sideline now. "Watching him makes me want to get better," said Broddrick. "To try to be better than him." His mother told him to run. But it was his grandma who gave him somewhere to run to. After their mother's death, Mary Taylor gave her grandsons a home. She took Toddrick and Broddrick out of Bleakwood Elementary and moved them to Newton Elementary where she worked. She wanted them close. "My grandmother is a very strong person," Pendland said. "She guided me through elementary, middle school, high school. She still gets on me now." And not just about keeping up with his schoolwork. Taylor is an avid Newton football fan. She makes it to most of the games. When everyone else is patting her grandson on the back for another good game, the former star basketball player herself is a little harder on him. "She criticizes me all of the time if I fumble," laughed Pendland. "Or if I make a bad move, I get it." His mother told him to run. But Pendland held his ground that day in court when he had to testify in the trial that put his stepdad away. "They wouldn't let me see any of the pictures (of his mom) or anything like that," said Pendland. "I only went in (to the courtroom) for a second. They kept me in the back, and then I came in and talked, and I came back out." The judge asked Pendland if he knew right from wrong. He did. He was also asked what he remembered from that day. He remembered it all. "I remember all the sounds and everything and where I was at," he said. "He was drunk...he didn't want us to go nowhere...I heard a lamp break. I heard two gunshots when we were already at the house behind us." He didn't talk about his mother's death much after the trial. "I didn't want people to see me crying," he said. "I held my feelings inside." Pendland said time has made things easier. His mother told him to run. So, when he gets home from Saturday's game, Pendland just might sprint to the cemetery. "I think I might go out there if we do win," said Pendland. "I might go out there, put a little '04 (championship) sign out there by her grave. Something like that." ________________________________________________________________ He finally got his state championship in 05....

your right it does turn people away...while a little smack talk is fun everyonce in a while, its no where near the sole purpose of this board...we want this to be a place where southeast texans can come talk about their teams and other teams in an uplifting way

hello everyone...nice to have another site to talk some good sports... HOOKEM HORNS!!!!

Aw, he'll be able to keep up o.k. This is just another great to talk sports, w/o being "slanted" towards one particular team. I think that's a good thing. And this one WILL NOT become another "Smack Attack". 8)