A WIN IS A WIN IS A WIN
Mules hold off Matadors 21-14 to go 3-0 in District Play
They say "it's not how you play the game, but whether you win or lose." Well, that's not exactly how the saying goes, but on this night, The Mule Fan watched from the stands as Head Coach Don Byrd gently took off his headset, placed it on the equipment table and breathed a huge sigh of relief as the Mules escaped Seguin with a 7 point victory. As expected, Seguin pulled out all the stops in what amounted to a must win game at home for the Matadors. This has to be the best 0-3 team in any district around. On this night, the Mules overcame a few miscues, but once again, halftime coaching adjustments and a tough defense paved the way to a victory.
The rains blew through the area Friday leaving behind a wonderful, cool evening for football. Coffee sales kept the concession stands busy as a brisk north wind blew towards the Mules faithful who came out to Matador Stadium. As has now become a tradition, the Mules lost the coin toss (possibly 0-6) and received the ball to start the game. The Mules drove into the wind with Cullen Mills connecting with Zach Richter for his first of seven catches on the night. As an aside, this Mule Fan writer believes Richter is possibly the toughest kid pound for pound on the field. Actually, it would be neat to see Richter and Car-Car square off in one of those WWF matches on Univision where the cage encloses the contestants and the duel is last man standing. Maybe throw an animated Chris Troilo in as the judge and we're all set. Let's wait until January before we pursue that pay-for-view special. After a Mules turnover, the Seguin offense, led by strong QB Brig Gerlich drove, including a third and 17 completion. The defense held after forcing an intentional grounding (Jill – that's where the quarterback throws the ball away to avoid getting sacked. Jill – that's where the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage. Jill – that's where the play begins). The Mules set up at their own 18 and drove again nicely, including runs and passes by Mills, including a fourth down catch by Justin Rosenthal and a 3rd down pass to David Garza to the one yard line. Mills ran it in for a 7-0 Mules lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Gerlich again was back on track. For those who missed the game, the kid has a great release and can throw the ball seven yards to the sideline as well as anybody in the district. After a Biltz stop, Gerlich's next pass was tipped and intercepted by Garrett Hisle. As another aside, Hisle is not the tallest kid on the team. But on this night, he played like a giant. All night, it seemed, he was man to man against #3, Dustin Reed, a 6'3", 205 pound, wide receiver with the most catches in the district. The teams exchanged possessions and with the Matadors driving to the Mules 21, Seguin decided to go for a 4th and 1. A bad snap gave the Mules the ball back at the 21, but the Mules were unable to drive the ball and again gave the ball back to Seguin. On the following drive, key defensive plays were made by James Uhl, who broke up a pass over the middle, and Hisle, who knocked down a sure touchdown in the end zone. Hisle's play forced the Matadors to attempt a field goal which was wide right. The Mules drove nicely with a minute left in the half but couldn't get close enough for a decent field goal attempt. The 50 yard field goal attempt into the wind was off. The Mules led 7-0 at halftime.
We mentioned how critical this game was for the Matadors. At 0-2 in the district, this amounted to a must win game for Seguin. That is concerning to a spectator knowing the Mules clung to only a 7 point lead and the Matadors are a well coached team, on the edge of desperation. But that same spectator would know how well coached the Mules are as a team with the eyes of Coach Harris and Coach White watching from up above (No – they didn't die, they are in the press box where they watch every offensive and defensive design attempted by the other team). And with Coaches Byrd, Hooks, Moody, Newton, Norment, Osborne, Troilo, and Walker (it's alphabetical, Mike – nothing personal) on the field, the Mules could make their own adjustments and respond to any Matador adjustments. In the second half – they would handle both with a grade of A+.
The third quarter opened with the Mules kicking off to the Matadors (see coin toss above). The Matadors took over with Gerlich as quarterback. Oh, excuse me. That's not Gerlich. He is at receiver. What? The district's leading passer at receiver? What is going on? Did the Matadors coach suffer a memory loss at halftime? No – it was wide receiver Thomas Cochrum running the wildcat offense. He ran for 15, then defensive back Matthews ran at quarterback to the Mules 10. On fourth down, the defense stiffened with Garrett Hisle again making a huge fourth down stop. Mills hit Trevor Lovelady on a pass for a key first down. Brad Sundin, doing his best impersonation of Rick Shaw and Eric Andersen led the cheers of "That's Enough for another Alamo Heights – First Down." The Mules, having established the pass with Mills in the first half, then went to work on the ground, driving the ball down to the Matador 10. A speedy Matador stepped in front on a pass and went 96 yards for a Matador touchdown and a 7-7 game. Both teams had made adjustments (the Matadors went to Wildcat and the Mules went to the ground), but now we would see who could handle the other teams adjustments best. The Mules took the kickoff and Rosenthal picked up huge chunks of yardage – behind the terrific offensive line. As the quarter ended, the Mules had taken away some of the Matador momentum by driving to the Matador one. Third quarter – 7-7.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Mills faked the handoff and walked in for a 14-7 Mules lead. But the Matadors were not done. Gerlich threw for 20 on a traditional quarterback play and then with Matthews and Lawson rotating in the wildcat offense, the Matadors bulled their way quickly down the field with Lawson carrying it in from the 34. Suddenly, it was 14-14, with still 9:11 left in the game. This is getting a bit common, but the Mules needed a long drive and they needed to run some clock. A Mules penalty and the fans become nervous. Fortunately, the Mules and their coaching staff did not. Mills connected with Trevor Lovelady on a key third down. On the play, Lovelady was injured, and we all pray for his quick recovery. Rosenthal moves the ball on the ground over and over, David Garza makes a huge catch on fourth and five and on a brilliant call, Mills lofts the ball beautifully to Steven Elder down the middle for a touchdown. The extra point made it 21-14 with three minutes left in the game. On the Mules kickoff, the pooch kick (sounds like a game played by Michael Vick and his friends) was bobbled and recovered by the Mules. The Mules seemed to be in good shape as they pounded out yardage on the ground. [This part gets tough folks!]. As Rosenthal was going in for the touchdown, he was gang tackled, and his momentum appeared to be stopped but no whistle blew. The ball was stripped and returned by the Matadors to the 27. The Matadors drove and on a fourth down play, with neither this Mule Fan writer nor his son able to watch, Carter Thurmond closed quickly on an open receiver batting down the Seguin pass and turning the ball back to the Mules for the win. Thank you defense! Ball game. 21-14 Mules.
The Mules are now 3-0 in district play – grinding out a great victory on the road against a solid team. The defense again was spectacular. The defense held the leading district quarterback to 15 28 for 151 yards. Though the Matadors wildcat offense was effective, the Mules were able to shut down the offense at key times. On offense, Mills was 22 for 29 with over 200 yards and Rosenthal ran for 201 yards. But, as we've noted all year, while those two players have statistics, they are absolutely nothing without the offensive line and tight ends that continue to open holes for the run and prevent holes while providing terrific pass protection. The receivers were terrific as well – catching everything and holding their blocks. The special teams continue to improve as the snaps, holds, blocks and kicks were good on all extra points, and the pooch kick was jumped on by no less than six Mules. Great game for the Mules.
LOOKING AHEAD
San Marcos Rattlers at Alamo Heights Friday at 7:30 Show your support for the Mules!!!
Once again, the Mules will face another team desperate for a victory. San Marcos is 1-2 in district play and will pull out all of the stops (like Seguin) to stay alive in the district playoff hopes. This will be another big test for the Mules. The Rattlers return 5 players on offense and 5 players on defense. The Rattlers play a slot T offense. For those of you who did not attend the game in San Marcos last year, this is an offense that runs ball control, similar to the Mules, but with essentially four running back options, its like watching a trick play every time as you never know who will have the ball. The Rattlers fake the ball to several people on every play, meaning if one runner is not guarded, the Rattlers can explode for big yardage at any moment. The Rattlers return three running backs---Codgill, Walker and Wilburn and a huge tight end Bagley (6'5", 245 pounds). Their leading tackler from last year, linebacker Jeremy Gonzalez, is back as well.
The Rattlers are for real. They stunned Kerrville Tivy last week 44-22. In the game, San Marcos jumped out to a 21-0 lead, led 30 to 7 at halftime and were ahead 44-14 before Tivy countered with three late scores. Can they run? Yes. Walker ran for an 80 yard touchdown and Ray ran for a 68 yard touchdown. The Rattlers ran an incredible 59 plays and passed only 12 times, though one was a 44 yard pass to Ray. Take away two long runs by Kerrville QB Manziel and Kerrville ran 17 times for only 50 yards. This is a very good team on both sides of the ball, and the Mules need to be on their game. In their second district game against Canyon, the Rattlers were missing 8 starters due to the flu (who can beat this reporting?). Though losing 35-14 to Canyon, San Marcos actually outgained Canyon and held Canyon to only 39 yards on the ground. Three turnovers cost San Marcos an opportunity to win the game. In their district opener against Steele, San Marcos ran for over 200 yards, but gave up big yardage to Malcolm Brown and the talented Steele squad. In their non-district games, San Marcos rolled past Lampasas 33-0 running for 269 yards and holding Lampasas to 5 first downs, 0 passing yards, and only 3 yards per carry against the run. San Marcos lost to Waco University in their season opener and beat Bastrop 20-0 in their second game of the season.
District statistics? Ray is fifth in the district on rushing. The Rattlers are second in district in yards rushing. The Rattlers average 251 yards a game rushing (behind only Steele) so the Mules defense must be ready. The Rattlers average more points than the Mules and have the #1 defense in the district based upon yards allowed. The Rattlers are the strongest defense against the pass. There is nothing easy in this tough district and this team will be out to show that it is a playoff contender as well.
DISTRICT DOINGS
Now that we are into district play, this segment does your homework for you. This segment allows Mule Fans to keep up with the season's district games, to determine who has done what when and captures district records.
WEEK THREE
Alamo Heights (3-0) 21 Seguin (0-3) 14
San Marcos (1-2) 44 Kerrville Tivy (2-1) 32
Clemens (1-2) 21 Boerne Champion (0-3) 10
Steele (3-0) 27 N.B. Canyon (2-1) 7
WEEK TWO
Alamo Heights (2-0) 58 Boerne Champion (0-2) 14
Steele (2-0) 28 Clemens (0-2) 7
Kerrville (2-0) 31 Seguin (0-2) 14
N.B. Canyon (2-0) 35 San Marcos (0-2) 14
WEEK ONE
Alamo Heights (1-0) 27 Clemens (0-1) 14
Steele (1-0) 44 San Marcos (0-1) 20
Kerrville (1-0) 28 Champion (0-1) 13
N.B. Canyon (1-0) 24 Seguin (0-1) 14
Photos courtesy of Mary Candee-Dulce Designs
A Few Words with the Head Coach of the Mules – Don Byrd
October 13, 2009
The Mule Fan: In the first quarter of the Seguin game and the first half it seemed like it was a “feeling out” process. The Mules were trying to find their rhythm. You saw that they would key on Justin Rosenthal, opening up running opportunities for Cullen Mills and the passing game. What were you learning in the first half that led to the offensive production in the 2nd half?
Coach Byrd: We were going to go in with the running game and short passing game for what they were giving us. In the second quarter we got put in a bind with a couple of penalties and a play that didn’t work out so it put us out of rhythm where we couldn’t just rely on short passes and Justin running the ball. So we got out of sync a little in the second quarter. But we only punted once. We got down deep in their territory twice and we had turnovers and didn’t get points out of it. The other one we were getting close and didn’t get in. We missed two field goals. So I guess the word “finish” comes in. On offense we’ve just got to finish. The defense played very well. It was also nice having those long running-short passing game drives that ate up a lot of clock where the defense didn’t have to be on the field as much. That’s kind of how the game flowed. But again we’re just going to have to finish drives and protect the football.
Mule Fan: You controlled the line of scrimmage a lot during the game and you mentioned the long drives. How was the offensive line’s performance and what was their contribution to the win?
Coach Byrd: They saw a lot of different stunts. A lot of different looks from Seguin’s defensive front. To be able to not only manhandle them but as the ball was snapped, different things occurred where they would have a different assignment and to be able to adjust on the run was the most impressive part of their play Friday night. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. And then just how physical they’ve been. They use great technique. Coach Norment does a great job with them. I’m proud of all of them.
Mule Fan: Jumping ahead to the 4th quarter for a moment, how did you feel about the way your offense responded after the 96 yard interception return for a touchdown? I wonder if the Clemens experience hardened them up a little and helped keep them focused?
Coach Byrd: Well a couple of things. Seeing what happened with Clark and not getting a win. Knowing that you’re going to have to fight to the end. With Clemens-being nice to another team and giving them 14 points right before the half and being able to fight-I think they’re getting confidence. We’re executing well on third and fourth down. So there are a lot of things coming together with the offense.
Mule Fan: Seguin went into a “Wildcat” style offense in the second half which was a big change after halftime. Had you seen that in their films and what adjustments did you have to make in the second half because the defense seemed to adjust well and quickly?
Coach Byrd: The defensive coaches had a great plan for both types of offenses. Of course they’re not throwing out of it. They’re attacking a lot of different gaps with people with motions, crosses and leads and so forth so you have to step up and play a little bit more a run-type defense. They did hurt us a little bit. You were looking at some very talented athletes. That’s just going to happen. But all in all we held them to seven points on defense. When you do that you’re going to win a lot of games.
Mule Fan: Looking at the sequence late in the fourth quarter. You’ve scored to take the lead and recover a pooch kickoff and now have a chance to drive and pad the lead. You drive down and on a play where Justin is barging forward and literally moving a pile of people almost to the goal line. He appeared to have the ball stripped but the ball actually came out of the pile then scooped and run back downfield. Take us through that and what was going on down there?
Coach Byrd: Well it was just Justin really fighting for yards and trying to get in the end zone. The pile kept moving and moving. The whole Seguin team is on him just about so you really can’t see what caused the fumble. But that’s just part of the game and sometimes that does happen. You can’t tell whether it will stop the momentum or not. After watching the film, you know Justin is so strong and as he’s fighting for yardage the ball just popped out. We had to show a lot of character by stopping them. Thank goodness that drive did two things. It got the ball where they had a very long field and then they had to burn up all their timeouts. So those were the two things that the drive accomplished. Of course the ultimate goal was to go ahead 28-14 and have a two score cushion with not much time left so thank goodness we were able to run that much clock out where they had to gamble and do a few things and was going to be hard for them to overcome.
Mule Fan: One of the highlights of the night was really what happened at that point with the defense having to make a stop. I’m sure everyone was in a little bit of shock at that point. What did you tell them on the sideline and during the timeouts after the defense had to jump back out there with the game on the line when they didn’t expect it to be?
Coach Byrd: Not really a whole lot. We work on that in practice. The secondary coaches, coach Hooks and coach White work hard on making sure we’re in a defense that will keep them in the field of play and not give them the big plays and so forth. They moved the ball a little bit. We got them out of sync and they felt like they had to go to the “wildcat” to try to move the ball. They can’t throw it so the clock would be running and they were out of timeouts so that worked in our favor. The defense made plays and got a stop. The offense finished the game.
Mule Fan: San Marcos comes into the game this week having upset Kerrville Tivy but they were obviously salty enough to pull that off. They still run an “old school” offense that you don’t see too often. What should we expect this week out of the Rattlers.
Coach Byrd: They’re very aggressive. They attack. They have deceptive speed. When you run a condensed formation with everyone in tight sometimes you don’t see them break into the open field but they did against Kerrville and made some great plays. This program is a good program. They made the playoffs a couple of years ago and beat Smithson Valley. They’ve done some great things over the years. They’re playing well for Coach Van Ness. They’ve got about five or six guys going both ways. They play hard and don’t get winded. Alamo Heights is going to have to come out and play just like they’re going to have to each and every week. We’ll be saying this about Canyon the next week and Kerrville and Steele the rest of the way and just like have said about teams up until now. It’s just a great district with unbelievable competition. Defensively they play a 4-2 with a lot of man coverage. They do a lot of games with their linebacker and their free safety. So we’re going to have to be prepared for a lot of different looks with their front and lot of different blitzes. Hopefully we can stay balanced and continue to run and throw the ball and this time protect it and finish drives and then good things will happen for the Mules.
Mule Fan: The win last Friday did not come cheap as we lost (senior receiver) Trevor Lovelady who tore his ACL on a leaping grab and he is now out for the season which is certainly a big disappointment and loss for the team. Did you get a good look at the play while it was happening and did it appear to you that he was hurt when he went down?
Coach Byrd: You know he went up in the air and twisted and the leg he really came down on was his left and that wasn’t the one that had the problem. What he tried to do was put his right leg out wider to try and get some balance to see if he could land on his feet and it buckled on him. I hate to see it for Trevor. What a fine young man. He always has a great attitude and is always working hard. He’s a big part of this team. You hate to see it for anybody. But Trevor has been special. I’m hoping for the best for him and Tammy and his family.
Mule Fan: One of the highlights of the night was really what happened at that point with the defense having to make a stop. I’m sure everyone was in a little bit of shock at that point. What did you tell them on the sideline and during the timeouts after the defense had to jump back out there with the game on the line when they didn’t expect it to be?
Coach Byrd: Not really a whole lot. We work on that in practice. The secondary coaches, coach Hooks and coach White work hard on making sure we’re in a defense that will keep them in the field of play and not give them the big plays and so forth. They moved the ball a little bit. We got them out of sync and they felt like they had to go to the “wildcat” to try to move the ball. They can’t throw it so the clock would be running and they were out of timeouts so that worked in our favor. The defense made plays and got a stop. The offense finished the game.
Mule Fan: San Marcos comes into the game this week having upset Kerrville Tivy but they were obviously salty enough to pull that off. They still run an “old school” offense that you don’t see too often. What should we expect this week out of the Rattlers.
Coach Byrd: They’re very aggressive. They attack. They have deceptive speed. When you run a condensed formation with everyone in tight sometimes you don’t see them break into the open field but they did against Kerrville and made some great plays. This program is a good program. They made the playoffs a couple of years ago and beat Smithson Valley. They’ve done some great things over the years. They’re playing well for Coach Van Ness. They’ve got about five or six guys going both ways. They play hard and don’t get winded. Alamo Heights is going to have to come out and play just like they’re going to have to each and every week. We’ll be saying this about Canyon the next week and Kerrville and Steele the rest of the way and just like have said about teams up until now. It’s just a great district with unbelievable competition. Defensively they play a 4-2 with a lot of man coverage. They do a lot of games with their linebacker and their free safety. So we’re going to have to be prepared for a lot of different looks with their front and lot of different blitzes. Hopefully we can stay balanced and continue to run and throw the ball and this time protect it and finish drives and then good things will happen for the Mules.
Mule Fan: The win last Friday did not come cheap as we lost (senior receiver) Trevor Lovelady who tore his ACL on a leaping grab and he is now out for the season which is certainly a big disappointment and loss for the team. Did you get a good look at the play while it was happening and did it appear to you that he was hurt when he went down?
Coach Byrd: You know he went up in the air and twisted and the leg he really came down on was his left and that wasn’t the one that had the problem. What he tried to do was put his right leg out wider to try and get some balance to see if he could land on his feet and it buckled on him. I hate to see it for Trevor. What a fine young man. He always has a great attitude and is always working hard. He’s a big part of this team. You hate to see it for anybody. But Trevor has been special. I’m hoping for the best for him and Tammy and his family.
Meet Coach Jeff Hooks
Name (how many years at Alamo Heights): Jeff Hooks Spouse’s Name: Shan
Children (ages): Sam (30), Andy (27)
Hometown: San Antonio College Attended: Trinity
High School: Judson
Coaching responsibilities this season: Defensive Secondary
Career path that got you to Alamo Heights: After 31 years of teaching and coaching, Coach Byrd/Dr. Foster offered me a great opportunity
Subjects you also teach at AHHS: Finance
Hobbies: Outdoor activities
The thing you had the most fun doing this past summer: Visiting family and friends
High School or College Athletics you played (position): Football/Track-Wide Receiver
What was your best subject in school: Math
What teams do you follow as a fan: Texas Tech
Fondest memory or the greatest moment in your athletic or coaching career: Seeing “the light come on” for athletes that I coach
Most embarrassing moment in your athletic career: Fumbling the ball while running for an apparent, uncontested score
Most well known athlete(s) you’ve competed with or against in your playing career (who, what team or game, what level, where, those kinds of details): Sammy Baugh, before the Eastland-Rotan scrimmage
Outside of Coach Byrd (of course), what coach at any level of any sport do you admire most: Tom Landry
What is your pre-game ritual or any superstitions: Listening to music
First car: 1963 Pontiac Bonneville
Favorite type of music or favorite artist(s): Rock and Roll
Musical instruments played?: Dashboard drums
Which song from your youth would you consider your favorite: “Going up the Country” by Canned Heat
If you were doing one song in an “air guitar” concert, which one you tear ‘em up with?: “Communication Breakdown” (by Led Zeppelin)
Four people alive or dead you’d most like to have dinner with: Tom Landry, Marily Monroe, General George Patton, Bill Murray
Favorite food: Enchiladas Favorite concession stand food: Starburst
Most recent book read: Fleeced
Favorite place to go on vacation: Caribbean
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three items would you want with you after your survival gear was covered: I-pod, yard darts, hammock
Favorite TV show from your youth (not a cartoon): FBI
Favorite Saturday morning cartoon show from your youth: Bugs Bunny
Favorite movie ever: Patton
What’s the best thing that you cook: Huevos Rancheros
Favorite breakfast cereal from your youth (or now if it still applies): Cocoa Krispies
At what kind of trivia contest would you be invincible? Pre 1990 Football
You don’t want to play me at (game/sport/board game/video game/card game, etc.): Washers
What do you like most about coaching at Alamo Heights: The players, coaches, administration, community, free meals
What advice do you have for your players at this point in their lives: Enjoy the moment.
Wanted: Two New (or one) Mule Fan Editors
No we're not going out on strike. We have a whole lot of weeks to go here. But eventually, los dos Bobby’s must hang it up. Our press passes will eventually expire. Our hands will curl up with writer's cramp. We will go to seed. We feel it is time to start trolling for new “talent.”
If you’ve ever sat here reading the Mule Fan and muttered to yourself or anyone who would listen, “These yutzes couldn’t write a prescription. Protozoa could do a better job.” If you think you can do this gig then we want to know who you are and not so that we can beat you up or anything like that. Your big chance is coming. We want to hand this hand-crafted body of work over to someone whose background has been thoroughly checked, whose fingernails are clean, who understands the difference between a semi-colon and an ampersand and who flosses regularly. You’ll need a computer but that comes later.
We know it is only October. But if you want to have time to go through the highly acclaimed Otis Yordnick Memorial Speed Writing and Mule Fan Training Program, we need to get you loose in the bullpen soon. It goes like this. First we see how you do with a chunk of charcoal. Then we move you on to a crayon in a primary color. Next we go old school and check you out on stone tablets and a chisel. If you can get through that gauntlet you face the ultimate test which is holding a Chicago Style hot dog in one hand and typing something about season tickets in the other and not get a spec of mustard on the keyboard.
If you think you can hack it and you are the dad or mom or grandparent or barber of a sophomore or junior, we want to hear from you. We’re gonna give you tips on how to negotiate with management at this rag. We’re going to give you passwords. We’re going to give you the kind of moral support and critical training which we got from our predecessors. All you need is passion and “want to.” And of course we’re going to protect this deal like a mama bear protects her cubs. If you can’t type your name without spell check, then don’t come near us. But if you’ve got the stuff, you’ve got a shot.
Let us know by e-mail or in person (seriously folks, someone please step up) bobcohen@sbcglobal.net or brosenthal@trpsalaw.com.
Mules Radio: Back on ESPN 1250 The Zone
Follow the Mules on radio this season on ESPN AM 1250 The Zone. Airtime for the pre-game show is at 7:00 p.m. Ed Suarez and Dave Parker will call all the action. Please say thanks and patronize all of the generous sponsors.
Get Punt, Pass and Kick on your Calendars Sunday, October 25th
The Mule Fan editors recall fondly the excitement in our homes when the Mule for a Day event rolled around each year. Our younger Mules look forward to the event with the same enthusiasm. This is a really fun event for future Alamo Heights Mules (kindergarten-6th grade) as they get to interact and learn football skills from current players in the Alamo Heights football program. The date of the event this year is Sunday, October 25th from 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. and the event is brought to us by Jefferson Bank and Vivroux Sports. Stop by the athletic office for an official registration form. $30 covers the kids and includes a T-shirt, snack and halftime recognition at the October 30 home game against Kerrville Tivy! You can even pre-order an autographed football signed by the varsity team for $15.
Musical instruments played?: Dashboard drums
Which song from your youth would you consider your favorite: “Going up the Country” by Canned Heat
If you were doing one song in an “air guitar” concert, which one you tear ‘em up with?: “Communication Breakdown” (by Led Zeppelin)
Four people alive or dead you’d most like to have dinner with: Tom Landry, Marily Monroe, General George Patton, Bill Murray
Favorite food: Enchiladas Favorite concession stand food: Starburst
Most recent book read: Fleeced
Favorite place to go on vacation: Caribbean
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three items would you want with you after your survival gear was covered: I-pod, yard darts, hammock
Favorite TV show from your youth (not a cartoon): FBI
Favorite Saturday morning cartoon show from your youth: Bugs Bunny
Favorite movie ever: Patton
What’s the best thing that you cook: Huevos Rancheros
Favorite breakfast cereal from your youth (or now if it still applies): Cocoa Krispies
At what kind of trivia contest would you be invincible? Pre 1990 Football
You don’t want to play me at (game/sport/board game/video game/card game, etc.): Washers
What do you like most about coaching at Alamo Heights: The players, coaches, administration, community, free meals
What advice do you have for your players at this point in their lives: Enjoy the moment.
Wanted: Two New (or one) Mule Fan Editors
No we're not going out on strike. We have a whole lot of weeks to go here. But eventually, los dos Bobby’s must hang it up. Our press passes will eventually expire. Our hands will curl up with writer's cramp. We will go to seed. We feel it is time to start trolling for new “talent.”
If you’ve ever sat here reading the Mule Fan and muttered to yourself or anyone who would listen, “These yutzes couldn’t write a prescription. Protozoa could do a better job.” If you think you can do this gig then we want to know who you are and not so that we can beat you up or anything like that. Your big chance is coming. We want to hand this hand-crafted body of work over to someone whose background has been thoroughly checked, whose fingernails are clean, who understands the difference between a semi-colon and an ampersand and who flosses regularly. You’ll need a computer but that comes later.
We know it is only October. But if you want to have time to go through the highly acclaimed Otis Yordnick Memorial Speed Writing and Mule Fan Training Program, we need to get you loose in the bullpen soon. It goes like this. First we see how you do with a chunk of charcoal. Then we move you on to a crayon in a primary color. Next we go old school and check you out on stone tablets and a chisel. If you can get through that gauntlet you face the ultimate test which is holding a Chicago Style hot dog in one hand and typing something about season tickets in the other and not get a spec of mustard on the keyboard.
If you think you can hack it and you are the dad or mom or grandparent or barber of a sophomore or junior, we want to hear from you. We’re gonna give you tips on how to negotiate with management at this rag. We’re going to give you passwords. We’re going to give you the kind of moral support and critical training which we got from our predecessors. All you need is passion and “want to.” And of course we’re going to protect this deal like a mama bear protects her cubs. If you can’t type your name without spell check, then don’t come near us. But if you’ve got the stuff, you’ve got a shot.
Let us know by e-mail or in person (seriously folks, someone please step up) bobcohen@sbcglobal.net or brosenthal@trpsalaw.com.
Mules Radio: Back on ESPN 1250 The Zone
Follow the Mules on radio this season on ESPN AM 1250 The Zone. Airtime for the pre-game show is at 7:00 p.m. Ed Suarez and Dave Parker will call all the action. Please say thanks and patronize all of the generous sponsors.
Get Punt, Pass and Kick on your Calendars Sunday, October 25th
The Mule Fan editors recall fondly the excitement in our homes when the Mule for a Day event rolled around each year. Our younger Mules look forward to the event with the same enthusiasm. This is a really fun event for future Alamo Heights Mules (kindergarten-6th grade) as they get to interact and learn football skills from current players in the Alamo Heights football program. The date of the event this year is Sunday, October 25th from 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. and the event is brought to us by Jefferson Bank and Vivroux Sports. Stop by the athletic office for an official registration form. $30 covers the kids and includes a T-shirt, snack and halftime recognition at the October 30 home game against Kerrville Tivy! You can even pre-order an autographed football signed by the varsity team for $15.
Photos courtesy of Mary Candee www.dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com Your Personal PhotographerYour Community PhotographerDulce Design Photography
Video highlights courtesy of Mike Murphy. (Scroll down just a little...Yeah, yeah we know it would be easier if we just placed it higher up on the post but it's late and we're tired and we can't get it to work right so just scroll down four inches and let's get on with it and watch Murph's good shots here.)
Video highlights courtesy of Mike Murphy. (Scroll down just a little...Yeah, yeah we know it would be easier if we just placed it higher up on the post but it's late and we're tired and we can't get it to work right so just scroll down four inches and let's get on with it and watch Murph's good shots here.)
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