RESIGNATION SENDS SHOCK WAVES THROUGH PIRATE NATION
Friday, April 25th of 2003 was a sad day indeed as legendary coach, Don Greco, tendered his resignation as head football coach at Pattonville High School. Shock gave way to sadness and deep regret as Pirate fans everywhere realized that an era had come to an end. Coach Greco would not offer any explanation other than to say that he felt the time was right for him to step down. He currently has no immediate plans to coach elsewhere and, thankfully, he will be staying on at Pattonville as part of the teaching staff. There was some speculation among fans that perhaps football was becoming less fun and more burdensome as PHS athletics became more and more political over the last couple of years. But in any case, we're sure Coach Greco thought this through carefully and we respect his decision. But that doesn't lessen the sting of our loss. To assuage our pain, let's take a walk down memory lane and put a great career and a championship program in it's proper perspective.
* Coach Greco was "born and raised" in the Suburban North Conference as an All Conference player in his junior and senior seasons at Riverview Gardens.
* He went on to play college ball at Western Illinois University and started all four years.
- Holds WIU record for most consecutive career starts
- Two time All America
- Conference Most Valuable Lineman his senior year
- Team MVP his senior year
- Two time captain at WIU
- Inducted into WIU Hall of Fame in 2000
* He played in the NFL with the Detroit Lions
- Drafted in the 3rd round, number 72 overall
- Started on the offensive line for 5 years
- Made NFL playoffs twice
* He has won numerous coaching honors and other prestigious awards ... here are a few
- Named to St. Louis All Millennium Football Team (#61) in 2000
- Nominated to College Hall of Fame in 2003
- Named Coach of the Year 5 times
- 1997 Rams High School Coach of the Year
- 1999 St. Louis Football Coaches Association
- 2000 National Football Foundation
- 2000 St. Louis Football Coaches Association
- 2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Coach of the Year
* He served in other capacities during the PHS years
- St. Louis Renegades Defensive Coordinator in 2001
- St. Louis Believers Color Commentator in 2002 and 2003
* He set a standard at Pattonville that won't soon be surpassed
- 15 years at PHS, 14 as head coach (tied for longest tenure with Coach Linn)
- Record of 119-44 (all previous coaches combined had 125 wins and only 1 winning season in 30+ years)
- 13 district championships in 14 years
- most dist. championships and playoff appearances in the state since the current system was implemented
- Two 10-0 regular seasons in 1992 & 1999
- Four SNC Championships in 92, 96, 97 & 99
- 8 appearances in the sectional
- 3 trips to the quarter finals
- 3 appearances in the semi-finals
- Yes ... and that glorious 2000 when we made it to the finals at the
Dome
- Finished 2000 ranked #1 in St. Louis
Coach Greco's greatest accomplishments don't show up on the stat sheets. He will always be best known for developing young men ... building their character
and preparing them to succeed in life and contribute to the community.
Yes, this is a sad time for us ... but no one can take away these accomplishments, these memories. I know from personal experience growing up in the Suburban North and playing for Hazelwood that Pattonville was a perennial doormat before DG arrived on the scene. But that certainly changed. The Greco Era at Pattonville will always be remembered as our glory days, the time when the Pirates ruled the roost ... the time when we were champions. A SALUTE TO COACH GRECO! We wish you continued success ... nothing but the best.
Steve A. Stranghoener
Players React To Coach's Resignation
As word leaked out about Coach Greco's resignation, reactions started streaming in from former players who were shocked and saddened by the news. Here are a few examples that say it all.
Tyrone Roberson
The former Mizzou and PHS tailback and current Tiger outfielder had this to say. "Having Coach Greco for a football coach in high school was definitely a privilege for me as well as many others. He did many things off the field to get players ready for college. Coach Greco is a great guy."
Antonio Mason
Antonio called me from Champaign as soon as he learned of Coach's resignation. The Illini linebacker was stunned by the news and at a loss for words. His reaction spoke volumes for the sadness we all feel over the ending of such a glorious era in Pattonville's history.
Chris Hall
Never one to be long winded, Chris efficiently put the situation into perspective when I saw him over the weekend. Pattonville's last QB under Coach Greco summed it up nicely when he surmised that Pattonville football will never be the same without Coach Greco.
Eric Stranghoener
"His Airness" was a bit more loquacious when he sent the following e-mail message from Mizzou. "It's not easy to sum up someone like Coach Greco in a few words. Intensity, dedication, integrity and determination are just a few words that immediately come to mind. Although the job description may have read, Don Greco: Head Coach Pattonville Varsity Football, those who have had the pleasure of playing for Coach know that what he taught us went beyond playbooks and tackling drills. He taught us not only to be great football players but he gave us tools that apply to being successful in all facets of life. He taught us how to set goals and pushed us to do whatever it took to meet and surpass those goals. He taught us to give 110% in all that we did. He did this not just by preaching to us but through leading by example. Most importantly, he taught us how to have fun playing the game. He pushed us to do whatever it took to win while always keeping the 'big picture' in sight.
Coach Greco always put his heart and soul into coaching. He was always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. If a player wanted to stay after practice to get extra help, he was always more than happy to do so. There was never a time when his door was not open. Coach always took care of us and treated Pattonville football players as members of his family. Coach Greco didn't just coach teams but he built a program at Pattonville. Coach Greco was, is and always will be Pattonville football. It certainly will never be the same without him. I'm sure that all of his former players, myself included, wish Coach more than the best in all of his future endeavors."
And there you have it.
I'll keep the lines open for other former players who want to share their thoughts about Coach Greco.
GO PIRATES!
 Firday April 25, 2003
RECRUITING NEWS
Pattonville is traditionally fertile ground for college recruiters. Pirate grid men have been a hot commodity since Coach Greco has been at the helm. This year is no exception with three more signings to report ... two in football and one in basketball. First, there are the Chris "brothers". That is, the dynamic duo of Chris Musselman and Chris Hall. Chris M, who is one of our best big men from 2002 and the son of one of our most active Boosters, Susan Hall, is headed to McKendree College on a football scholarship. Chris Hall, our quarterback and one of the better all-around athletes on the 2002 squad will ply his trade under a football scholarship to Mesabi Range Community College in Minnesota. Congratulations gentlemen and best of luck! Please drop a line to your old Pirate Reporter once in a while and keep the Pirate Nation apprised of your exploits on the field and in the classroom and community.
Lineman James "Too Tall" Stingley has hung up his cleats to compete on the hardwood in college. He accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Mineral Area Junior College. With the fancy footwork he learned under Coach Greco, he's sure to be successful in the paint for MAJC. Congratulations James and stay in touch.
Remember, the Pirate Nation is interested in all of our former football players so please let me know of your plans and accomplishments so I can keep everyone up to speed.
PROUD POP
If you're tired of me bragging about my favorite Pirate ex-QB, I'm sorry but I can't help it. The kid just keeps winning scholarships. After winning the Boeing Scholarship for outstanding business undergraduates at the University of Missouri earlier this year, Eric Stranghoener recently was awarded the Arthur F. Holtman, Jr. Memorial Scholarship for outstanding marketing undergraduates at Mizzou.
CALLING ALL CORPORATE BOOSTERS
I recently received an update from one of our friends and corporate boosters, Chip Walther. You'll recall that Chip was a talented, tenacious guard on Mizzou's basketball team a few years back. More importantly for Pirate fans, Chip arranged for his employer, Riddell, to donate new football shoes to our entire 2000 squad for their trip to the Show Me Bowl at the Dome. Chip informed me that Riddell changed its company name to Andes Group. Although the name has changed, they still carry that fabulous footwear from Riddell. As you know, we never forget our loyal boosters so, if you have a need, please look to Chip for your business. You can contact him at cwalther@andesgrp.com.
In the meantime, this one goes out to all the potential corporate boosters out there. There is no better marketing value in North and Northwest St. Louis County ... that's what I said, none better ... than being a Pirate Football corporate booster. We're talking high profile folks ... free media exposure ... TV, radio, newspapers and word of mouth. Dollar for dollar, the biggest bang for the buck comes from your affiliation with the Pirate Nation. If you want to jump on board in time to take full advantage of our next championship season, just contact me, your friendly, neighborhood Pirate Reporter or our Booster Club President, Mike LeBlanc.
GO PIRATES!
Saturday April 19, 2003
THE ULTIMATE GAME PLAN
To be a great coach, you have to be able to develop and implement great game plans ... and train players to effectively execute the plans. Each play is a building block in the overall plan and is designed to achieve a specific objective ... a first down, short yardage at the goal line, recovering an on-side kick and ultimately a touchdown. Each piece of the plan should fit together in an intricate mosaic to achieve the final goal ... VICTORY. But the best game plan is useless without the right personnel to carry it out. Yes, coaching a football team to a championship is much like a maestro conducting an orchestra to achieve a musical masterpiece.
In a much higher way, Easter is a celebration of the success of God's ultimate game plan for mankind. While I attempt to draw comparisons to earthly matters for our enlightenment, we should keep in mind that the stakes in the "game of life" are infinitely higher. To that point, let's review. God's plan for mankind was perfect and sinless. That perfect goodness and holiness was ruined by Satan's pride and the dreadfulness of sin that came upon all mankind through Adam and Eve's fall. Since the beginning of history there has literally been a battle between good and evil. God had every right and reason to destroy his creation in utter disgust and start over. But instead he decided to carry out a totally different plan out of his incredible love and grace.
God, being the perfect, all-knowing Creator who made the universe and everything in it simply by speaking his words was certainly capable of developing a plan to save mankind. No, that was not the problem. But who would carry out the plan? You see, God's perfect justice required that a price be paid for mankind's sin. Could any mere mortal pay that price and satisfy God? No ... we all know by our own nature and from God's Holy Bible that no one is perfect, without sin, able to earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:23). Who then could God send to carry out his plan? Well, in the most incredible and unfathomable plan ever devised, God sent himself to get the job done. Yes, he took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, true God and man, to serve one purpose. That is, to live the perfect life that none of us could lead and then willingly offer himself up to suffer mockery, beatings, lashings and death ... even the cruel death of crucifixion ... and most importantly, somehow in 3 hours of darkness on the cross, yet outside of earthly constraints of time, God/Jesus actually suffered in hell and took our punishment upon himself for the sins of all mankind for all time. He paid the price we couldn't pay to win the salvation we couldn't earn. He reconciled sinful man to God through himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Incredible! God's plan was so complete that he left nothing to chance. All that is left for us to do is believe and the free gift of salvation is ours. And even the faith required to believe is a gift from God. He has done it all and we receive the benefit. Only those who reject his free gift of salvation will be banished to hell for eternity.
Finally, God did something that we celebrate on Easter to "post the score" for everyone to see. You see, the work was done when Christ declared on the cross "IT IS FINISHED" (John 19:30) and bowed his head and gave up the ghost. But God did not want to leave any doubt. And, thus, he raised Christ Jesus from the grave to show that death has been defeated. That is what we celebrate ... that is our hope and joy ... that is the good news that cannot be denied.
In closing, let me share God's game plan which you can see for yourself in his playbook, the Holy Bible. First from I Corinthians 15:17-22, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Finally from Luke 24:1-6, "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone and rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen."
Celebrate, worship and thank the Lord God. HE IS RISEN!
Tuesday April 08, 2003
Antonio In The News!
Our man in Champaign, Antonio Mason, was featured in a Post-Dispatch article over the weekend. If you missed it, the headline read, "Pattonville High product impresses Illini coaches". Well, it seems the Post-Dispatch finally got something right. Of course, as loyal readers of this column, you know that your Pirate Reporter scooped the Post-Dispatch several weeks ago when we updated you on Antonio and several other notable Pirates.
It's still mind boggling to recall Antonio's stats from that glorious 2000 season when he made 128 ... yes I said 128 ... solo tackles and 67 assists. As Coach Ron Turner alluded to in his recent comments to me, it appears Antonio is doing quite well at the University of Illinois and has a good shot at competing for a starting job at linebacker. Congratulations Antonio and keep up the good work!
Now, you might be asking, what's my beef with the Post-Dispatch? It's simple. The Post-Dispatch is biased in it's reporting ... in every aspect including their sports coverage which was revealed again recently with their latest guilty-until-proven-innocent, witch hunt vendetta against Mizzou. But more importantly, how sad is their unpatriotic, partisan coverage of the war in Iraq? Their negative coverage is so out of line with the facts from the front it makes you wonder if they're getting their coverage from the Iraqi Information Minister. Yeah, that's Baghdad Bob who yesterday swore to the Iraqi people that American forces had not yet entered Baghdad while U. S. tanks were stationed yards away from his broadcasting center in the heart of the city. The Post-Disgrace cannot stand the fact that President Bush has led such an incredibly successful, honorable and courageous effort to liberate the oppressed people of Iraq. Their coverage is so slanted and negative it seems they want to see our troops fail. Shameful!
Please say a prayer for President Bush, our troops, allies and the people of Iraq.
As always, we invite you citizens of the Pirate Nation to provide us with updates on our boys, past and present.
GO PIRATES!
Wednesday March 26, 2003
ARE YOU A BELIEVER?
Did you know that the River City Renegades of the National Indoor Football League have been resurrected as the Show Me Believers? Yes, that's right. And our own Don Greco, Pattonville's football coach extraordinaire, is the color commentator for the Believers. If you're unfamiliar with the Believers, you can catch their next game this Saturday, March 29th, at the Family Arena in St. Charles against the Omaha Beef. If you're worried that a football team from Missouri would never have a chance against a team from Nebraska, think again. That's because the Believers' new head coach is none other than former Mizzou Coach, Warren Powers. You may recall that Coach Powers led the Tigers to a record of 46-33-3 and 5 bowl games during his 7-year tenure ending in 1984. Coach P has the distinction of being the last MU coach to record a victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1978 ... in Lincoln, no less! (Please note that this does not include Mizzou's victory over Nebraska in 1998 that was stolen in the final seconds by the officials.) If I still haven't made a Believer out of you, how about this for proof positive? In the Believers' first game last Friday night, Coach Powers led them to a thrilling come-from-behind 24-21 victory over the Lincoln (Nebraska!) Capitols. So much for the Neb jinx!
Now, let's get back to our favorite color commentator. If Coach Greco ever decides to hang up his clip board for a full time job in the booth, I think he could be a great one ... the sky's the limit. To me, Coach G could be the Mike Shannon of football. Way back when, I remember when Mike Shannon wasn't given a chance of surviving amongst the tall trees like Harry Carrey, Vin Skully, Jack Buck, et al. But yet he persevered to become a Cardinal icon and a fixture in the booth that is home to the best fans in baseball. Granted, Mike Shannon doesn't fit the mold of your typical broadcaster ... in fact, they broke the mold when they made Mr. Shannon. But he has survived while numerous silver-tongued smoothies have come and gone. Why? Because he knows the game from personal experience and has a unique folksy style and sense of humor that the fans understand and enjoy. Coach G is cut out of the same cloth in many respects. He certainly knows the game better than most from personal experience as a coach and player. And he has a fan-friendly style and distinctive voice that sets him apart from the talking heads. Like I said, the sky's the limit!
But for now, let's come back down to earth and thank our lucky stars that Coach Greco will be at the helm again in 2003 to guide Pattonville to another championship season.
GO PIRATES!
Monday March 17, 2003
St. Patrick's Day
History on St. Patrick
Who Was St. Patrick?
Legend has it that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. But is it true? No, not in a literal sense but there is a grain of truth if you take this figuratively to mean that St. Patrick brought the truth of the gospel to Ireland and drove out pagan worship.
- Patrick was born about 389 A. D. He was not born in Ireland. His place of birth has been given as England, Scotland or more likely northwestern France.
- Patrick was raised in a ministerial family and given a devout Christian upbringing and education.
- At the age of 16, he was captured and sold as a slave in Ireland. He herded pigs for his Irish slave master for 6 years before escaping and returning home.
- He was shaped by this life experience and prepared for a calling to God's service by earnest study of the Holy Scriptures.
- At great personal risk, Patrick returned to Ireland in early 432 A. D. at the age of 42 to start his public ministry which lasted for 29 years.
- In his second year of ministry, one traditional account says that Patrick was summoned before King Loigaire and his princes who were celebrating a Druid festival at Tara near Dublin. Patrick had reportedly violated a ban on fires by building a bonfire to represent Christs gospel as a light to lead the Irish pagans out of spiritual darkness. It is told that Patrick persuaded the King to pardon him and allow him great freedom to evangelize throughout Ireland.
- Patrick was apparently not affiliated with the Church of Rome. But some 345 years after his death, an Irish scribe, Fredomnach, wrote in the Book of Armagh that "Bishop Patrick was sent to teach the Irish by Bishop Celestine, The Pope of Rome."
- Patrick was a leader of the Celtic Church which paved the way for some 400 years of unmatched evangelizing in the British Isles and Europe. The first documented evidence of any permanent missionary work of the Church of Rome in Britain began in 597 A. D. with the coming of St. Augustine of Canterbury.
- Patrick's own twenty-page Confession (statement of doctrine) and six-page Letter (against Coroticus) are the most reliable sources of information we have about him.
- The association of the shamrock with Ireland recalls one of St. Patrick's sermons in which he picked up a shamrock to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity.
- In his aforementioned Confession and Letter, St. Patrick quoted numerous passages from the four gospels and cited St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans over 22 times. He acknowledges his sins and unworthiness and confesses belief in the Triune God. He finds forgiveness in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and calls for good works as evidence of faith rather than a justification for salvation. He rightly taught that justification is outside us in the merit and work of Jesus Christ that salvation comes by grace through faith alone in Jesus.
- So, yes, in a way he drove the "snakes" out of Ireland.
St. Patrick died at the age of 72 on March 17, 461 A. D.
Tuesday March 11, 2003
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
I didn't want to believe it when I read in the Post-Dispatch recently that Tyrone Roberson is giving up football at Mizzou to devote his full-time attention to baseball. I was hopeful that it was just another case of bad reporting by the folks at the "Post-Disgrace" whose brains have been softened to mush by their blind devotion to ultra-liberalism. Please bring back the Globe-Democrat! Oops, I digressed again ... okay, I'm back on track. Rather than relying on the P-D, I did what any good journalist would do ... I checked with reliable sources at the scene. That is, I contacted our man on the streets in Columbia, Eric, who confirmed with Tyrone that in fact he is focusing on baseball rather than football.
As much as we will miss Tyrone's exploits on the grid iron, when you think about it, this is just another indication of Tyrone's good judgment. It is not easy to complete a university education while participating in a Division I sport, much less two. As good a football player as he was at Pattonville (St. Louis' Offensive Player of the Year), Tyrone was just as good if not even better in baseball. If Tyrone feels he has a brighter future in baseball and this allows him to concentrate more time on his studies, then more power to him. Best of luck to Tyrone The Tiger as a hardballer at MU ... and thanks for all the wonderful football memories at PHS and Mizzou!
While Eric was talking to Tyrone, he had the chance to meet Tyrone's roommate, future Heisman Trophy candidate and NFLer, Brad Smith. Number 12 was very impressed with Number 16's deportment ... quite a gentleman. Eric said Brad was soft spoken and very down-to-earth which is unusual in this day and age for someone so young who has achieved such notoriety and national acclaim. His Airness also said that Brad's hands are as big as catcher's mitts. I guess that explains why Mr. Smith can tote the football around like a loaf of bread without fumbling.
By the way, Eric reported that he saw two of Tyrone's baseball games last week and he tripled in one and homered in the other. Tyrone would look good with those red birds on his chest someday, wouldn't he? Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
GO PIRATES!
Thursday March 06, 2003
ALL IN THE FAMILY
We have another addition to the growing ranks of Pirate grid iron greats who have moved on to the next level. Our congratulations go out to Tony Helms who is the latest of Coach Greco's charges to receive a football scholarship. Tony signed a letter of intent on March 1st to play for Central Methodist College. What a smart move by Central Methodist! We expect great things out of Big T ... on the football field and in the classroom.
Here's a page out of the old PHS history book. Did you know that Tony's dad, Bob, also played football at Pattonville? Yep, that's right. You're probably thinking ... hmmm ... I wonder who was coaching way back then, George Halas? Well, believe it or not, Bob relayed some very fond memories of one of his favorite coaches, John Hamilton! John must have started coaching when he was 15. Riiiiiiiiight! This is a great example of how our football program is steeped in tradition. Gee, I wonder if Coach Greco will still be at Pattonville when Tony Helms, Jr. plays ... or maybe Steve Stranghoener III ... or Eric Stranghoener, Jr??? Let's hope so!
Congratulations again to Tony ... we're proud of you.
This goes out to the rest of the Pirate Nation. Please let me know about other players' college plans as they firm up. Thanks.
Monday February 24, 2003
Wintry Odds & Ends
What's worse than an off-season with no football? How about the winter that wouldn't end? What is it with this snow?? And what happened to the sun ... did it head south for the winter? If I get any more pale, someone might mistake me for Michael Jackson! Ouch ... sorry, I'll leave the one liners to Jay Leno. I guess I shouldn't complain about the cold weather. It could be worse. At least I don't have to wait outside in the cold for a bulike PHS students. I'm reminded of this every morning when I leave for work at 6:20. As I cruise to the corner in my nice, warm vehicle, I always pass my neighbor, Thomas Strickland, who is walking to the bus stop. It just so happens that Thomas is a Pirate football player, so he's always there like clockwork come rain, sleet, snow or hail. Yeah, those Pirate football players are tough, tough, tough! He always offers a hearty wave while bracing stoically against the bitter cold. If I could read his mind, I'd see thoughts of footballs spiraling under the glint of a warm, beaming summer sun. Although he doesn't know it, Thomas is serving as my inspiration as I look forward to spring. Yes, he represents the good things that lie ahead ... a new crop of Pirate grid men brimming with intensity and the anticipation of stepping into the breach to carry on the tradition of Pirate football ... and lifting high the banner of hope for another championship season.
Rather than going stir crazy with bouts of cabin fever, many of our Pirate footballers are participating in winter sports to bridge the gap. And several grid heads are distinguishing themselves quite well with these "diversions". Take James "Too Tall" Stingley for example. He has become a real force inside for Pattonville's resurgent basketball team. James is showing improved endurance and excellent athleticism as he leads the Pirates into district play. Let's hope he translates this time well spent into an even greater ability to "dunk" opposing quarterbacks. How about gridsters turned grapplers, John Roberts and Tim Patrick? High school wrestling is an extremely demanding, physical sport. Tim had a very good year in the highly competitive 215 pound weight class and qualified for state. Big man, John Roberts is a dominant heavyweight who just earned a fifth place medal at the state meet in Columbia. Congratulations to these fellows and all the other PHS football players who are representing Pattonville in winter sports. Also, good luck to those who will be honing their football skills this spring in baseball or track and field. Did I just say spring? Yes folks, it's just around the corner ... no kidding!
I ran into old number 10, Chris Hall, over the weekend and tried to get the latest on football signings but things are still up in the air for some of our favorite recruits like Chris, Corey Henley and Gerald Davis. This word goes out to these three fellows and all the other Pirates who will be moving on to the college football ranks. Please contact your Pirate Reporter and let me know your plans as they unfold so I can pass them along to a hungry Pirate Nation.
Go Girls Part Deux: The PHS Lady Pirates continue to dazzle the competition. They just earned a number one seed in district play. Go green, go white ...Lady Pirates, fight, fight, fight!
Our sympathies to the family of Devaughn Black who died suddenly at the tender age of 25. Devaughn was one of the best players to come out of the Suburban North conference in recent years. As a Hazelwood West player he led the Wildcats to their best season ever and went on to distinguish himself as a fine running back for the University of Missouri. May this serve as a reminder to us all that our time on this earth is short and we should always be prepared for eternity through God's grace. May Devaughn's family be comforted with the peace and joy of the blessed assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ. May this blessing be to us all.
Saturday February 15th, 2003
WHERE ARE THEY NOW???
One of the great things about the Pirate Nation is that it's like a big family. As players graduate from PHS they move on to other things but they will always be part of the family. With that in mind and in occupying my thoughts during the off season doldrums, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with some of our "kids". Before bringing you up-to-date on a few of our most distinguished alums, let's set the stage by taking a quick trip back in the old time machine. The year was 2000 ... and what a year it was ... it was the year of the Pirate. A young fellow named Tyrone Roberson darted and slashed through enemy defenses in setting a school record for total yardage on his way to being named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Offensive Football Player Of The Year. He also helped man a stout Pirate defense. Chaun Tate teamed with Tyrone to form the most potent backfield in St. Louis. As good as he was in that prolific backfield, he was even better in anchoring Pattonville's awesome defensive secondary. Eric Stranghoener was our field general in helping to implement Coach Greco's exciting, new, no huddle offense. "His Airness" as he was dubbed by Mike LeBlanc, set school records for most passing yards and touchdowns in a season. One of his favorite targets, Martin Nance, was an imposing figure streaking through opposing backfields to snare darts from number 12. Martin also did double duty in pitching in on defense. Then, on the other side of the ball, was a big defensive lineman, Bernard Quinn, who wreaked havoc upon opposing quarterbacks and stopped would be runners in their tracks. He was an anchor on an excellent defensive line. Finally, there was the man in the middle, Antonio Mason ... a monster on defense who played with the heart of a lion. Folks, he was flat out scary. He was so good on defense that some people have forgotten that he too was a two-way man who made significant contributions to the Pirates' offensive output. He finished second in the Post-Dispatch's voting for Defensive Player Of The Year. He should have been first! Yes, it was a magical year with Coach Greco and Coach Simmons signaling in the no huddle plays from the sideline and Coach Manu asking the players after each victory ... "Who wants to go for a soda!" The thrilling victory over nemesis Parkway South in the semi-finals to gain Pattonville's first ever trip to the state championship at The Dome, will not soon be forgotten.
Ah, the memories! But, let's fast forward back to the future and ask, where are they now? Well, I'm happy to report that all of these fine gentlemen are making their marks in some of the nation's finest universities ... either on the field, in the classroom or in many cases both. I tracked down our men with the help of some of the most respected college coaches in the land. As for Eric, well, I have my sources!
Let's start with Tyrone. He's obviously the smartest one of the group since he chose to play football at Mizzou (oops ... am I showing my black & gold colors
again!). But seriously folks, if you follow MU football you already know that Tyrone made his presence known as a freshman and has garnered more playing time with each passing game. He's poised to make an even greater contribution as he prepares for his junior year. Tiger Coach, Gary Pinkel, told me recently that "Tyrone is doing well and will participate in both baseball and football in the Spring". Kudos to Coach Pinkel for allowing Tyrone to pursue his other love, baseball, too. As you will recall, Coach Pinkel's latitude in this area helped attract Tyrone to Mizzou. Tyrone is keeping good company. His roommate, Brad Smith, is one of the hottest prospects in the land and is certain to vie for the Heisman Trophy, God willing, if he stays healthy. Tyrone and Brad are both devout Christians who provide the type of character which Coach Pinkel looks for in his players. While I was at it, I asked Coach Pinkel about the newly arrived RB, Damien Nash. You''l recall the amazing athletic prowess he demonstrated when he faced our Pirates as a Riverview Ram. Coach Pinkel said, "Damien is working on rehabilitating his knee and doing well." Won't it be fun to see Tyrone and Damien team up to help restore the glory in Columbia?
Martin Nance is playing under the tutelage of Coach Terry Hoeppner at Miami, OH. Coach Hoeppner was effusive in his praise. "Martin is doing a great job and I expect this year to be a break-out year for him. He played in every game last year and had 12 catches for 179 yards. He showed us what he can do in the spring game last April when he caught 3 TD passes. Martin is up to 208 and is really getting strong. He has done well in the classroom with a 2.7 GPA. As you know, Martin comes from a great family and everyone should be proud of how Martin conducts himself. He is a pleasure to coach, and I look forward to watching him become an outstanding player. He is already an outstanding person." Martin is a class act! He's sure to prosper under the guidance of such a fine gentleman as is Coach Hoeppner.
Southeast Missouri State struck gold that year when they landed both Chaun Tate and Bernard Quinn in addition to PHS's own Travion Brock the year before. SEMO's St. Louis recruiter, Kip Shaw, was kind enough to bring us up to speed. As you may be aware, Travion suffered multiple breaks in his arm a couple of years ago and had to be red shirted. But he began shaking off the rust last year in serving on special teams and even got a couple of starts at linebacker. Coach Shaw noted optimistically that Tre's best years are still ahead and said he's working hard in the classroom and weight room. He added, Tre "has put on 15 lbs. of muscle since he has been here and has a 2.6 GPA." Isn't it great to hear that our ball players are doing well in the classroom too? More kudos to Coach Greco! Tre with 15 more pounds of muscle ... that's a scary thought. Coach Shaw reported that Bernard Quinn is serving a year of Academic Residency. That's good ... first things first. But knowing Bernard, it's only a matter of time before he's terrorizing backfields once again. We all remember how special Chaun Tate was at Pattonville. Here's what Mr. Shaw had to say about his progress at SEMO. "Chaun Tate has shown he is going to be a special player. His freshman year he started the last 4 games and this past season he started 2 games before he injured his knee. Chaun is an inspirational leader who leads by example. Chaun will miss spring football this year while he rehabs his knee. Chaun is expected to recover fully from his injury and be back in the starting line-up this fall." Same old Chaun ... special!
The Fighting Illini's Coach Ron Turner had this to say about one of the most inspirational players ever to come out of PHS, Antonio Mason. "Antonio does a great job for us. He is a hard worker both on and off the field. The coaching staff and I are very impressed with his work ethic, and I wish we had more players like him." These are impressive words from a man like Coach Turner who has a keen eye for talent. He has also recruited the likes of Christian Morton from Riverview and Brian Schaeffering from Hazelwood East who both gave the Pirates fits in their day. Like Coach Pinkel, Coach Turner has once again landed one of the top recruiting classes in the country this year. That will make it just that much more exciting to watch the Illini and Tigers square off again this year at the Ed in St. Louis on August 30th. Of course, everyone in the Pirate Nation will be paying particular attention to the personal battle between old teammates, Tyrone Roberson and Antonio Mason, as the black& gold clashes with the orange & blue.
Eric Stranghoener has hung up his cleats ... unless you count Greek League football at Mizzou. But Eric continues to do the Pirate Nation proud by being a champ in the classroom. While he is just halfway through his second year, Eric is technically a junior with 65 credit hours and ... yes ... he's still carrying a perfect 4.0 GPA. Earlier this year, he earned another scholarship (I need the money!) when he was awarded a Boeing Scholarship from MU's Biz School for outstanding undergrads. Eric was recently accepted to Missouri's School of Business where he is majoring in marketing. The pride and tenacity instilled by Coach Greco serves well in the classroom too. Oh yeah ... and Principal Marion, the administration and Pattonville's staff of excellent educators deserve accolades too.
Well, this was fun strolling down memory lane and catching up with some of our notable alums. But there are so many more. I would love to hear about how others are doing in football, the classroom, business and life in general. Just looking back to 2000 I'm wondering about our friends Doug Francis, Matt Grodie, Mike Montgomery, Andre Bradford, Dave Wright, Dan Hill, Mike Lawrence and Jesse Guilliams just to name a few. And going further back, how about Willie Robinson and Brian Lewis? If you have updates about any of our alums, please contact your Pirate Reporter and give The Nation a blast from the past.
OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE
How about those Lady Pirate B-ball players! You go girls!
Monday January 13th, 2003
Off season Update
Things are slow at this time of the year but here are a few tidbits of interest to the Pirate faithful.
Congratulations are in order for three Pirates named to the All Metro Team that was published in recent weeks. Corey Henley was named 2nd team at corner back, Tony Helms to 3rd team at offensive tackle and Jesse Robinson received honorable mention at linebacker. Also, did you see where Gerald Davis made the Top Twenty List of college football recruits from the St. Louis area? Good work men! This reporter asks that all the Pirates keep me informed about your college plans so I can pass along updates in this column.
While I was out and about with Mrs. Pirate Reporter over the Christmas break, we enjoyed a couple of celebrity sightings. First, we stopped to grab a bite to eat at the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant by the Creve Coeur Cinema only to find Ryan Klenovich working the tables. Then a few nights later we were dining Texas style at Lone Star in Bridgeton with a hungry #12 ... yep, Mrs. Pirate Reporter didn't do a lot of cooking over the holiday ... and came across QB Chris Hall. What a couple of fine young men ... both working hard to prepare for moving on to college life next year.
Finally, I experienced a Pirate blast from the past at work last week. A fellow named Jim Pfeiffer out of Chicago made a sales call to demonstrate some high powered, new procurement software. During the introductions he mentioned he was from St. Louis. Of course, that prompted us to ask The St. Louis Question ... "where did you go to high school". My ears perked up when Jim said Pattonville. Well, as you might expect, I had to drill him for the details. Here's what I found out. Jim played football but was better known as a wrestler. Jim graduated in 1984 BC (Before Greco) so he lamented about the lousy football teams but he has been keeping in touch from Chitown and was well aware and proud of the Pirates winning tradition of dynastic proportions under Coach G. He said he knew Coach Greco played for the Lions but asked if he was really that good as a coach or just blessed with good players. I said "oooooh
yeaaaaah" in my best Macho Man Savage voice ... "he's that good ... the best". I asked Jim who was his favorite coach back in the "old days". He answered without hesitating and declared, "Coach Jeffries", his wrestling coach. It was great to hear from an alum. I guess it just goes to show that the Pirate Nation stretches across the globe ... no boundaries!
GO PIRATES!
December 25th, 2002
CHRISTMAS FOR CHRISTIANS ONLY???
If you read this column with any regularity, you know by now that this is a full service news agency. You get more than just sports. If you want hard news, editorials, history or even theology with your sports, this is the right place to come, especially around the holidays. In the latter respect, your Pirate Reporter is an anachronism. I'm out of place in a time where most people say "happy holidays" instead of "merry Christmas" in fear of offending this or that special interest group or people of other faiths. It's sad but almost comical in an odd way these days to see the look of astonishment, embarrassment, anger, dumbfoundedness, loathing or utter shock (pick one) that often appears on someone's face when you offer the simple, timeless greeting of "merry Christmas". This has caused me to pause and ponder why. Is Christmas a celebration that should be shared privately among Christians only? In the spirit of the season, I would like to share my thoughts with you.
By its very nature, Christianity must draw certain, very distinct lines. First, Jesus claims to be something very different, absolutely unique from what unbelievers see in him. Jesus told Philip, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). God tells us this about Himself, "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:1 & 14). Jesus repeated his own words to Moses as recorded in Exodus 3:14 when the told the New Testament Jews, "before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). Jesus leaves no doubt about His true identity when He says, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). No, there is no room for quibbling or compromise. God in the person of Jesus Christ himself said you are either with me or against me (Matthew 12:30). He said you can't be lukewarm about Him (Revelation 3:16). Christianity's message is crystal clear and, thankfully by the grace of God, wholly unambiguous when it comes to the way of salvation. God has only provided one way to heaven. God tells us that, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12) and, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ" (I Timothy 2:5). Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6). God's plan for the salvation of mankind leaves no room for compromise. This leads to divisions where many people do not want to hear God's message proclaimed because it necessarily contradicts those who want to be their own god and trust in their own imaginations of faith for their salvation. God in the person of Jesus leaves no doubt about the end that awaits all unbelievers who reject him when he proclaims, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). So that is it ... it is the uncompromising nature of God's true word that causes the secular world to abhor the Christmas greeting or any mention of Jesus Christ the God-man and Savior of the world.
If you do not wish to offend, create divisions, stir up controversies or draw unfavorable attention or even ill will and persecution to yourself, you should not make mention of Jesus Christ in public or even in private in "mixed company". However, I"m sorry to say that, for believers, God does not give us that option. He commands us to make disciples of all nations (people) and spread the good news of salvation far and wide (Matthew 28:19-20). Thus, we must ask, is it appropriate to share the gospel with Muslims, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Hindus and other non-Christians? Does God really want us to offend people of other faiths or even agnostics or atheists? Of course not. But we must remember that God made the perfect sacrifice of infinite worth for ALL PEOPLE. He came down from heaven and took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life and then offered up that life upon the cross in order to redeem all of mankind. Hear the blessed good news of God's plan of salvation for YOU. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for EVERY MAN" (Hebrews 2:9). Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). God's salvation is truly objective toward all men ... "Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon ALL men to condemnation: even so by the righteousness of one the FREE GIFT came upon ALL MEN unto the justification of life" (Romans 5:18). God wants everyone to be saved and has provided the means so that everyone can enjoy eternity in heaven. And while He tells us that unbelievers will suffer the eternal torments of the damned in hell, that is not the will of our loving God. Jesus proclaims, "And this is the Father"s will which hath sent me, that of ALL which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John 6:39). "Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ezekiel 33:11). "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentence" (II Peter 3:9).
So there you have it ... the message of Christmas ... God's plan of salvation for YOU ... for ALL. Celebrate the true meaning of Christmas which is the love of God toward ALL MANKIND in the person of the Incarnate Word who has paid the price for all our sins and opened the door to heaven. So when you hear the words, "merry Christmas", offer a smile and give thanks to our gracious and loving God.
A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!
 Thursday December 12, 2002
Pirate Reporter's Annual Coaching Awards
Yes Pirate fans, it's that time of year again for the unveiling of one of the most coveted titles in all of sportsdom. No, not the Heisman ... no, not SI's Sports Personality of the Year (or even the swimsuit cover!) ... nor the ESPY .... or even the Lady Bing. No, I'm talking about the exalted honor of being named the Pirate Reporter Coach of the Year.
But before we get to that grandest of grandeurs, let's cover a few other categories of note.
Assistant Coach of the Year: John Ramsdell, QB Coach of the St. Louis Rams. Who could argue with this pick? You lose the two time NFL MVP and Superbowl MVP to injury and what happens? Well, you plug in a rookie and he reels off 5 straight wins. What preparation by the Rammer!
The Okay, We'll Give Him One More Year Award: MU Coach, Gary Pinkel. You've got to give him credit for coming up with red shirt frosh phenom, Brad Smith ... and the entire Tiger offense. But what a sad state of affairs on defense! The key will be to capitalize on Brad Smith's notoriety and potential to attract some talented new recruits. And we really need help on defense. Perhaps we should line up some of the offensive talent on the other side of the ball. Next year we will accept nothing less than a 7-5 record plus a bowl win.
Ex-Coach of the Year Award: Bobby April, Special Teams Coach of the Rams wins this one hands down. What's that you say? He's still on the Ram's staff? Okay, I'll hold off for a few weeks.
Best Hair Do: No, it's not Lou Henson. Retaining his title for the third consecutive year is MU Basketball Coach, Quin Snyder. Can you say, Final Four?
Best Staff: This one was tough but the votes are in and Pattonville wins by a landslide. Congratulations to Jim Greco, Brian Simmons and John Hamilton.
Lifetime Achievement Award: No contest! Congratulations to Coach John Hamilton and thanks for 32 years of dedicated service to the Pirate Nation.
And now, what you've all been waiting for. Drum roll please. Dddddddddddddddddddddddddddda!
Coach of the Year: Pattonville had a tough year, right? Yes, we must admit it given our W-L record. We didn't really distinguish ourselves the way we wanted to in this the year of parity. We didn't win the SNC and we didn't even win a playoff game. But we did have a championship season winning a very tough district. Now, I like to win as much as the next guy ... well maybe a bit more than the next guy. But coaching is really about more than just winning and
losing. It's about training young men, guiding them, building their character and teaching them to handle adversity. It's about giving. Giving to the players, the school and the community. No one is more "charitable" in that regard than this year's recipient. No one is more patient. No one has set a better example. No one is more dedicated to the game and the moral principles it reflects when it's played at it's best. To see the reflection of this year's winner all you have to do is look at the quality of the young men who played for PHS. This didn't happen by chance. This year's Coach of the Year is none other than Coach Don Greco ... a man of honor who we are proud to have at the head of the Pirate Nation. Congratulations Coach Greco!
GO PIRATES!
Saturday December 7, 2002
LET'S CELEBRATE
The annual awards banquet is scheduled for this Monday, December 9th, at 7:00 p.m. at PHS. This is a great opportunity to celebrate another championship season and show our appreciation to the Pirates and their coaches. There will be plenty of fun, food and entertainment (there's no telling what Booster Prexy Mike LeBlanc is liable to do!). To the Pirate Nation, this one is bigger than the Academy Awards ... so come on out and help us recognize our players and reflect on all the fond memories from this and past Pirate campaigns. This year, there will be a special treat. We will have the chance to honor Coach John Hamilton upon his retirement after more than 30 years of dedicated service.
Speaking of honors, did you see Corey Henley featured in the Post-Dispatch this week as one of the elite defensive backs being recruited in the St. Louis area this year? Corey is truly a special player ... one who has been an integral part of our program for four years. He has thrilled us with his slashing, cutting and darting running skills and electrifying kick returns. But his defensive work has been perhaps even more outstanding. Corey is a small package by football standards but he has real power ... that is the force generated by the combined effect of speed and strength. And he has a giant heart. When Corey comes up for run support, one of two things happen. If the opposing back has a head of steam, Corey will meet him head on and stop him dead in his tracks. If the runner tries to employ finesse, he's likely to find himself going backward at a high rate of speed until he's stopped with a thud by the ground below.
For you young Pirates coming up to take leadership roles next year, you need look no further than Corey Henley if you want an example of what it means to be a Pirate football player. He has PIRATE INTENSITY.
More on this later but I'd like to toss out a couple of objectives for the Pirates ... and the rest of the SNC ... in the coming years:
1) We need to restore St. Louis' dominance over the western part of Missouri when championship time comes.
2) BEAT ROCKHURST!
'nuff said. GO PIRATES!!
Tuesday November 26, 2002
CELEBRATE WITH THANKSGIVING
My how time flies! The Thanksgiving Holiday is upon us once again. It's a time for football, turkey, family, fun ... and most of all, a time to offer our thanks for so many blessings. So, Pirate Nation, let's ponder our blessings and give thanks.
First, on behalf of the fans, boosters, class mates, faculty, administration, community and coaches ... thanks to our Pirate football players. You endured hours upon hours of physical conditioning and practice from the sweat and dust of summer to the chill and blustery winds of autumn. You gave us thrills and excitement, you left your hearts on the field every time you proudly donned the green and white, you carried the banner of Pattonville's tradition well and treated us with another championship season.
On behalf of the players ... thanks for the opportunity to be a Pirate, to be part of a tradition, to serve. We have been blessed with a bond of friendship that will endure a lifetime. Thanks to our coaches for guiding us on and off the field. You taught us not only the Xs and Os but many valuable life lessons .... you helped build our character and gave us inner strength that will help us meet life's challenges. Thanks for the great memories that we will take with us and cherish through the years.
On behalf of all of God's children, thank the Lord for He is good and His mercy endureth forever. Thanks be to God who created us in His image of perfection and holiness with a free will. But then, of our own free will, we sinned and brought the curse of temporal death and eternal damnation upon ourselves and everyone who has ever lived or will live since the fall of Adam and Eve. Yes, "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But God offered us a way of escape when He promised a deliverer to Adam and Eve and all subsequent generations ... the promised Messiah of Judah of King David's line. God restated this gospel promise over and over again reassuringly through the generations ... "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). God kept His promise. He fulfilled it personally by taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, living the perfect life we couldn't lead, then willingly offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice ... "the Lamb of God". He stood in our place and poured out His divine wrath upon Himself and paid the ransom price in full. God's perfect justice was satisfied by Christ's suffering and death. Through God's messianic promise and fulfillment in Jesus Christ we share in His resurrection and have gained life eternal. Jesus has promised, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24). Believe, and it shall be yours. Thank you God!
Happy Thanksgiving.
Tuesday November 19, 2002
SAY IT ISN'T SO!
Just when we were really starting to have fun again, the Pirates' 2002 season came to an unceremonious end on Saturday when the Mehlville Panthers clawed their way out of a deep hole to nip Pattonville 17-14 in the opening round of the 6A playoffs. Pattonville thoroughly controlled the game for 3 quarters and appeared to have a commanding lead of 14-3 in what had been a run dominated game. At one point, the Pirates had a chance to put the game away with another touchdown but fell prey to an untimely fumble that stopped a drive in the red zone.
The Panthers featured a run oriented offense much like Pattonville but, perhaps out of desperation, went to the air late in the game and found success. This game turned out to be another thriller with the outcome hanging in the balance right up to the final minutes. It would be easy to play the could'a, should'a, would'a game but, alas, it just wasn't meant to be this time around.
This was a different season for Pattonville. In the "year of parity" where streaks were rampant and no SNC team was able to dominate consistently, the Pirates took us for a roller coaster ride. Yes, there were many ups and downs. The Pirates ascended to a #2 ranking in St. Louis only to hit the skids with a 4 game losing streak where most people gave them up for dead, especially after losing to McCluer in the opening round of district play. But our Pirates were not done and came roaring back to win the district championship by a hair and provide the Pirate Nation with additional thrills.
Like all Pirate fans, I'm sorry to see the season come to an end. It's been fun. But while the 2002 grid year is ready for the archives, it won't soon be forgotten. The Pirates distinguished themselves as an unusually resilient team with plenty of heart. They adopted a new option offense that took many weeks to get on track, but once it did, it was a thing of beauty. When we think back on this season, we'll fondly remember a group of young men who refused to quit no matter how insurmountable the odds. We'll recall how the best coaching staff in Missouri led by Don Greco kept the helm steady on this Pirate ship through some very stormy seas to once again complete ... ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON.
Remember, the 2003 season starts today. Keep the tradition alive.
GO PIRATES!!
Monday November 11, 2002
PIRATES REACH "PROMISED LAND" ... AGAIN!
This is a special group of Pirates, my friends. A few weeks ago, they were given up for dead. Trapped in an inexplicable funk and the throes of a vexing four game losing streak, it would have been very easy for them to fold up their tents and be labeled as losers. When they lost their opening district match, it appeared to all but the faithful that their hopes of a championship season were dashed. But no, these buoyant buccaneers had a different idea ... they refused to relinquish their dream.
Any thoughts of that terrible losing streak were blasted into oblivion on Friday night when Pattonville thrilled the home crowd with a scintillating display of Pirate intensity. It was just like old times again. We were having a blast in the stands ... hooting and hollering, cheering and exchanging hearty high fives as our guys showed an excellent Desmet squad what real Suburban North football is all about.
Corey Henley set the tone for the night with a breathtaking 85 yard kick-off return to start the game. Then Gerald Davis displayed his fleetness of foot with an 82 yard touchdown jaunt from scrimmage. The Spartans came to play and battled back fiercely but the Pirates were not to be denied on this marvelous night. Gerald Davis piled up more than 200 yards. And our option offense really clicked once again with the three headed monster of Chris Hall, Corey Henley and Gerald Davis wreaking havoc upon the Spartan defense. We featured a great mix of plays which kept Desmet guessing as to whether to defend the quick hitter by Gerald, a slicing keeper by Chris or a well timed pitch and run around end by Corey. It was a well oiled machine. Everyone pitched in on this marvelous effort including the defense and special teams. James Cherry put the icing on the cake with an interception and run back for a key Pirate touchdown.
At the end of the evening, there was still suspense in the air as the Pirates had to depend on a Hazelwood Central victory over McCluer to ensure another Pattonville trip to the playoffs. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read the newspaper the next morning to see a quote from Coach Greco cheering on the Hawks. But that's what we all had to do. Our wishes were granted when Central squeaked out a 7-6 win over McCluer. This continued an unprecedented streak by Coach "Moses" Greco who has amassed an incredible string of district championships at Pattonville over the past 14 years. While savoring this championship and marveling over a roller coaster season that represented what was perhaps Coach Greco's best coaching job during his distinguished tenure, I couldn't help but remember how many times opposing coaches claimed that Pattonville had been given an easy pass in district play in years past. Well, this just goes to show that it's never easy to win a district championship. If you don't believe me, just ask the valiant Spartans who fell just short after an outstanding season. Congratulations to the best coach and staff in the state of Missouri!! And thanks to a resilient bunch of Pirates who thrilled us on Friday night and answered the call of duty in upholding Pattonville's rich gridiron tradition!
Now, on to the playoffs. At 5-5, there may still be some doubters ... some who may look past the Pirates. But it's more likely that other teams are not at all pleased with the prospect of facing a Pattonville team that has found the key ingredient to a championship season just at the right time ... yep, that is, PIRATE INTENSITY.
GO PIRATES!!
Tuesday November 5, 2002
THEY'RE BAAAAAAACK!
I always get a bit nostalgic going back to my alma mater. It's fun to remember when my Hawk team mates ruled the roost in 1972 with our school's first state championship in football (actually a state co-championship that ended in a muddy tie against KC Southwest). But Saturday was oddly different. I only wanted one thing ... a Pattonville victory spiced with a good dose of Pirate Intensity. If I felt any nostalgia it was in remembering our victory over the Hawks 2 years ago when it was similarly frigid and blustery. Oh well, I guess the transfusion has long been completed and only green and white is coursing through my veins.
In spite of the poor weather, it was heart warming to witness the Pirates' resurgence on Saturday. While PHS enjoyed a wide 21-7 margin of victory, even that score did not reflect the dominance displayed by Pattonville. Our guys put on quite a show as they came out fired up for the opening kickoff and maintained that intensity throughout the game. It was simply a rollicking performance by a gritty, determined bunch of Pirates who threw off the shackles of a 4 game losing streak and said, no mas! Gerald Davis had a spectacular performance resembling a runaway freight train as he ran around, through and mostly bulldozed over frustrated Hawk defenders. The option offense looked better than anytime this season. There was a good mixture of keepers and pitches with Chris Hall slicing north and south through Hazelwood's defense and Corey Henley turning the corner on numerous occasions. But, personally, I thought Corey had a better game on defense this week. Time after time he came up from the secondary to thump Hawk ball carriers and stop them cold in their tracks. Patrick Ryan displayed a lot of Pirate intensity on defense. On one play, judging from his limp arm, he apparently suffered a shoulder stinger but had to be forced reluctantly out of the line-up. He quickly returned to continue asserting himself. James Cherry came up with a nice pick and return to show that the Pirates could control the airways in addition to shutting down the Hawks' vaunted ground attack.
What a difference a week makes! Even though the field conditions were not ideal, I think our guys were just happy to be out of the quagmire we encountered at McCluer last week. Our Pirates really showed a lot of heart. This included the injured players like Chris Mussleman and Kevin Roseman who cheered from the sidelines and the reserve players who stepped it up a notch to fill in for their fallen comrades. What a relief to end "the streak" and get that 500 pound gorilla off our backs! We have every reason to be optimistic. In spite of everything, the Pirates are still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot. A 12 point or greater margin of victory over Desmet or a narrower win coupled with a Hazelwood Central victory over McCluer would put us in. If we play with the same intensity as we did against the Hawks, there will be no stopping us!
GO PIRATES!!
Tuesday October 29, 2002
STRANGE DAYS
This has been an odd season in the Suburban North Conference. It's always powerful with multiple teams in the area rankings but rarely has there been this much parity from top to bottom. This past weekend's games put an exclamation point on parity. Top ranked Hazelwood East was blanked by McCluer North who enjoyed a convincing 20-0 win. Hazelwood Central was upset by non-conference foe, Desmet. Perennial doormat Hazelwood West continued its great season by pouncing on Troy Buchannan in a non-conference district match-up. And then, of course, our beloved Pirates fell to McCluer. This continued Pattonville's unfathomable slide since peaking at #2 in the P-D rankings 4 weeks ago.
What happened??? Frankly, I can't even offer a guess. I'm just chalking it up to strange days ... it's been a weird, streaky season for many teams in the area including Parkway South and Columbia Hickman to name a few. But as dark as the cloud seems that hangs over PHS right now, there is still a silver lining. Normally, a district loss would mean there is no hope for a playoff berth. But not this year. Hazelwood Central, like Pattonville, has a district loss already. And Desmet and McCluer don't appear to be the type of dominating teams that can't suffer at least one loss in the district playoffs. So let's look at the glass as half full and give it our all. Stranger things have happened. All we need is something to turn the momentum around. Like maybe some Pirate intensity? Yeah, let's dig down deep and give it our best against the Hawks and let the chips fall where they may.
TIGER TALES
Did you catch any of the highlights from Mizzou's trouncing of arch rival, Kansas? It was good to see the huge homecoming crowd tear down the goal posts at Faurot Field in jubilant celebration. It was also good to see that Pattonville's own Tyrone Roberson had a major role as he and fellow running back T. J. Leon teamed up to fill in for injured tail back Zack Abron. Quarterback Brad Smith was nursing a sore thumb and so the Tigers had to rely on the ground attack. Tyrone was up to the challenge and helped lead a dominating ground attack that buried KU in the second half. Also, Tyrone showed his versatility in executing a tremendous block that sprung Brad Smith for a 75 yard TD scamper that broke the game open. Way to go, Tyrone.
GO PIRATES!
Monday October 21, 2002
WHERE'S CHRISTIAN BARNARD WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
Here's a left over question from the Booster Club's Trivia Night fund raiser. Do you remember Christian Barnard? Well, he was a famous South African doctor who pioneered heart transplants back in the 1960s. What's the relevance you say? I thought of Dr. Barnard on Saturday while watching the first half of the game at PHS. Yes, I wondered if we could get a collective heart transplant for our Pirates. I know that may sound harsh but, I'm sorry ... the mighty Pirates of Pattonville should not be man handled by Hazelwood West, anytime or anywhere, much less on homecoming day. Everyone realizes that the Wildcats are a much improved team this year but there's no way they should be able to steam roll the Pirates like they did on Saturday ... that is, unless our guys just aren't trying or just don't care. Let me add a few notable exceptions. Corey Henley goes all out on every play whether his line is blocking or not. And I've yet to see one person take down Gerald Davis ... it usually takes at least 2 and more often 3 or 4. It was good to see a disgusted scowl on Ryan Klenovich's face. He for one knew we shouldn't be laying down against West. It was nice to see new comer Patrick Ryan back in the fold and mixing it up on Saturday. I know we've had some injuries to key people lately, in particular, Chris Musselman and, on Saturday, Kevin Roseman. But that's part of football and the rest of the team has to step up and fill the voids. And how many times do we need to mention that special teams play is crucial? Getting burned on kick returns proved to be our downfall again. There was some solace in the fact that the team showed some life in the second half and made a game of it. But that just underscored the unacceptable lack of effort in the first half.
So what's the point of all this criticism? Hopefully, it will show you that your fans still care ... that we're not ready to give up on you. District play starts this week. That means it's do or die time. If we've learned anything from this season it should be that it takes all of our players ... not just some .... going all out for a full four quarters to gain a victory. Anything short of that will lead to bitter disappointment in our district where we will be facing three very hungry foes who are tired of seeing Pattonville make the playoffs every year while they sit at home. They are going to pull out all the stops and fight you tooth and nail for this coveted prize. Your coaches are behind you, your school is behind you, your fans are behind you. But we can't suit up and block or tackle for you. In the end, when you put on the pads and buckle your chin straps, it's up to you. Go green, go white.
GO PIRATES!
Tuesday October 15, 2002
TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH!
You can expect a good game every week when you play in the Suburban North, the toughest conference in Missouri. That was proven true again when the Pirates ran into a buzz saw at McCluer North on Saturday. This determined bunch of Stars controlled the line of scrimmage out gaining Pattonville by almost a 2.5 to 1 edge. To their credit, the Pirates deployed a bend but don't break defense that kept the score close but in the end, we succumbed 12-7. This changes the outlook a bit. With East soundly beating Central 35-0, a Suburban North Conference title appears out of the question barring something truly out of the ordinary. So we need to focus our attention elsewhere. That is, we need to get this ship righted before district play begins. There are some positives. Not that comparative scores matter that much but East's trouncing of Central may provide us some hints on how to stop the previously high flying hawks. Also, did you see where Columbia Hickman dealt Parkway South their first loss? It just goes to show that on any given day, you can beat anyone if you play your heart out and execute. Remember, district play begins a whole new season. You can throw out the previous seven games and the Post Dispatch poll which will never get you into the playoffs. Everyone's record goes to 0-0 and it's a best of three tournament to see who plays and who stays home. So, pick up your chins you Pirates and let's get ready to go all out for another championship season!
Oh yeah, districts don't start quite yet. There's a little matter coming up this week called homecoming. This is your chance to start building the momentum for districts. And what a test it will be when the most improved team in the Suburban North comes to Pirateville for a visit. That's right, Hazelwood West is coming to town to spoil your homecoming. The stands will be full with great Pirate grid men from the past. Are you going to let West rain on our parade???
It's time to regroup and get after it. Take a cue from the St. Louis Rams who were given up for dead this week at 0-5 but came out fired up and battered the NFL's last undefeated team. If you see your old Pirate Reporter jogging down the Rock Road this week, please take note of the tee shirt I'll be wearing. It says, 2002 Pirate Intensity ... 'nuff said!!
NO TRIVIAL MATTER
The Pirate Nation gathered at the Maryland Heights Community Center this past Friday night for the Booster Club's Trivia Night fund raiser. The room was full of luminaries like Harry & Regi Grodie, Bruce & Carole Williamson, Jane Calloway, Sue & Ken Wallace and many others. We even had some Pirates from the
past like Eric Stranghoener who rolled in from Columbia, MO to dump 6 weeks of dirty laundry on me and Bonnie. He was the only person in the audience who actually was the subject of a trivia question. We had a blast folks. It's amazing how much fun we had in spite of the fact that the questions were drawn up by a demented, evil genius. Yeah, that's right. Can you believe we had literary questions about Ezra Pound, Dorothy Parker and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow? I think Pattonville's teaching staff had a hand in developing the questions ... I think I sprained my medulla oblongata. Kudos to Prexy Mike LeBlanc who served as master of ceremonies. He's quite the entertainer. He was singing, dancing, you name it ... anything to get people to open up their wallets to help our Pirate football team. He even did impressions. He's the only person I know of who has ever done an impression of President Kennedy doing an impression of Bugs Bunny ... really. The only problem Mike had was pace ... as in slow ... that is, until Susan Hall broke out her electric cattle prod and got him moving. Way to go Susan! There was a lot of work that went into the event, so many thanks to Mike, Susan Hall, Carol Kohensky and all the other Boosters who pitched in. Thanks also to the many sponsors who donated prizes for the silent auction ... Anheuser-Busch, Schweig-Engel, et al. (Mike will
provide a complete list that I will publish in an upcoming column.) The bottom line is that we had a great time and raised a lot of cash to benefit the program. Yep, it's all about dah boys.
If you want to get an early start on homecoming, be at Ryan's Steakhouse this Thursday evening for dinner. The boys will provide the entertainment ... you gotta see it to believe it. We're coming home for homecoming boys ... let's turn it up a notch or three!
GO PIRATES!
Monday October 07, 2002
GUT CHECK TIME!
This one goes out to our Pirate football players ... I hope you all get a chance to read it and take it to heart.
Friday was a sad, sad day in Pirateville. What started out in fine fashion turned into a nightmare for PHS. There was a large, partisan crowd and the Autumn chill put a charge into the crowd. Anticipation mounted as the Pirates won the toss and elected to receive. Our first drive looked like Grant marching through Richmond and the fans were frenzied. But a funny thing happened on the way to the end zone. We stalled out around the 15 yard line, had to settle for a field goal attempt and suffered a five yard penalty that was just enough to result in the kick bouncing off the right upright. Yes, we came away with nothing and you could feel the air come out of the stadium like it was a flat tire. After two quick scores by Hazelwood East, James Cherry momentarily reignited our engines with a thrilling kick return for a touchdown that should have provided the "spare tire" we needed. But we didn't seize this momentum and then all the wheels came off.
What started out so optimistically turned into what I must unfortunately say was a very poor performance on our part. I hate to do it guys but here's my critique of what went wrong. I hope you'll take this in the spirit intended and use it to build upon.
*Big games usually come down to basics ... blocking, tackling and execution. We didn't take care of the basics.
*Coach Greco hit the nail on the head when he said we didn't tackle. There was an awful lot of arm tackling going on. This was not just on defense but on special teams too.
*Several fans in the stands around me commented that there were a lot of people standing around after our offensive plays and special team plays. This indicates that we weren't sticking with blocks or going after a second or third block. When a bunch of Pirates and opposition players are picking themselves off the ground after every play, then you know folks are getting after it.
*Football is a game of emotion. For some strange reason, it didn't seem like we were fired up. We didn't help much as fans but there really wasn't much to feed off of ... there was no contagious enthusiasm. Sometimes, especially in big games, it comes down to who wants it the most and who's willing to go get it. We just didn't seem very hungry.
Here's the good news fellas. We played poorly. Yes, the Spartans certainly out played us but we weren't beaten by a better team with superior talent. I'm convinced we have the talent to win big games like this if we bring our A game and play full tilt for four quarters. Also, you don'' need to give up on any of the goals you've set for this season. You could still be Suburban North champs if, for example, Central beats East this weekend and we beat Central later in
the season. Even if East were to go unbeaten, that would not change our chances of making the playoffs and pursuing a state championship. Yes, you heard me right. Remember, the greatest Pirate team in history had its set backs too. I remember in mid-season when that 2000 team tried to arm tackle against Hickman and they ran up 63 points on us (we posted 56 so at least there was no quit in us). That team also lost a heartbreaker at East after some key injuries. Did we fold? No way. That team righted itself and ran off seven victories in a row to get to the state finals. The question is this ... do you want to give in and wind up being a fairly good team or do you want to distinguish yourselves and be a champion?
A word to the wise. We have a very, very tough district this year with West, Central and Desmet. I personally feel that, in the end, Hazelwood Central will be standing in our way. They may not be as talented as Pattonville but they are a very physical team with plenty of heart. If we play them the way we played East, we will be going home early for the first time in many years. But we have something they don't have, we have a reserve to call upon which we will need against them, McCluer North, Hazelwood West and all the tough opponents left on our schedule ... PIRATE INTENSITY. Do you have it? Then BRING IT ON!
GO PIRATES!!
Monday September 30, 2002
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE!
Riverview came out hungry on Friday night as they hosted the visiting Pirates. And at the end of the evening, the Rams came away with their stomachs full ... full of goose eggs that is. Four to be exact ... one served up for each quarter as the Pirates tossed a shutout in this key Suburban North match up.
Good, old fashioned SNC football was on the menu in what turned out to be a rock 'em, sock 'em slugfest. The Pirates' defense turned in a stellar performance in holding the dangerous Rams' offense in check. Multi-talented QB Jamiah Wade was held in check all night as Pattonville applied constant pressure and registered seven sacks. On two occasions when the Rams seemed to be gaining momentum, the Pirates stopped them short with timely pass interceptions, first by Kelvin Hulsey and then later by Chris Melton. Registering a crucial pick was especially sweet for Chris since he grew up in Riverview's program before transferring to Pattonville. We're sure glad Chris is one of the good guys now!
Last week in this column, it was mentioned that Pattonville has the tools to go to the air or march by land ... whatever it takes. That was proven true again as last week's aerial circus turned into a Panzer attack this week. It was time to grind it out and the Pirates' line was up to the task. Riverview hung tough in this mighty struggle but, in the end, the Pirates proved to be too much for the Rams to contain. Pattonville employed a one-two punch with Corey Henley and Gerald Davis each racking up 100 hard earned yards. Corey put the finishing touches on two late TD drives and the Pirates were home free with a 3-1 record. Let's not forget the kicking game. Last week we were looking for some improvement in this area and we got it with a perfect two for two on extra points. This will be vital to the team's success in the weeks to come.
My sources told me that Coach Greco was breathing fire at half-time and really inspired the team onto victory against his alma mater in the second half. I wonder if anyone went for a soda after the game???
Things are really coming together for the Pirates. And the timing couldn't be better. With East St. Louis knocking off #1 Edwardsville (didn't I tell you that one wouldn't last) and Parkway South bumping #3 Eureka from the unbeaten ranks, Hazelwood East should be moving up to #1 and Pattonville could be #2 heading into this Friday's match-up at PHS. Oh yeah ... this will be a two copter night folks. Get there early if you want a seat because this one will definitely be SRO.
By the way, who were those good looking, athletic, talented young ladies clad in green in white on this Sunday's edition of the Prep Sports Show? Why, none other than PHS's cheer leading squad. If you want to see them live and in person, come to Friday night's game ... no extra charge!
GO PIRATES!
Tuesday September 24, 2002
PRIME TIME PLAYERS
Lights, camera, action was the theme of the day at Pattonville on Friday night as the match up with Jackson was the featured game of the week on Charter Communications cable. Apparently, our guys like the heat of the spot light upon them because they performed like champs. The game was barely underway when senior Ryan Klenovich scooped up a fumble and rambled all the way into the end zone providing a rousing start to a high flying game for the Pirates. Thereafter, the action was fast and furious. Apparently, the Pirates were a bit confused thinking it was a track meet instead of a football game. Everyone joined in on the fun with long touchdown runs and receptions by Corey Henley, Gerald Davis, Brian Quinn and James Cherry to name a few. Quarterback Chris Hall showed off his arm, flinging more bombs than a B52.
The defense was active too. Kevin Roseman got in on the fun with a fumble recovery and long run of his own. Chris Musselman was a disruptive force all night spending more time in the Indian's backfield than their tailback. Chris Melton kept sweeping in from the corner to flummox Jackson's offense. Jackson had some good linemen and hard nosed backs but the Pirate defense was definitely up to the challenge.
It was an all around great effort. Kudos to all the Pirate linemen on both sides of the ball. Job well done! Let's work on that kicking game a bit though. We'll need everything clicking when we take on Central, West, East, McCluer North and Riverview. Boy, the Suburban North is tough, tough, tough!
So what caused this dramatic turnaround? Was it simply the lure of the footlights? No, I think there were a few other critical ingredients that contributed to the Pirates' success. First, it was clearly evident that the Pirates possessed greater team speed and used it to their advantage on offense, defense and special teams. Second, the Pirates executed well. On offense, there was a noticeable difference created by Coach Greco's decision to start right out of the blocks with our regular offense. The team looked more comfortable and confident. It appeared that Jackson was prepared for the option offense and definitely was geared to play the run. For most of the evening they were packing 8 or 9 guys into the box, daring the Pirates to throw. I guess they didn't realize that Coach Greco will take advantage of whatever the defense gives us. But they should have caught on when Chris Hall delivered the first bomb to a wide open receiver. However, they refused to adjust and Coach G. kept seizing the opportunity. It was bombs away folks with Pattonville's wide receivers playing catch in center field, twenty yards behind the nearest defender. Opposing teams will have to play honest defense against the Pirates because Coach Greco has a lot of weapons at his disposal and will not hesitate to attack through the air or over the ground.
I watched the game again on Charter on Saturday. It was interesting to hear the commentary of Demetrious Johnson and Randy Karracker. DJ was having fun watching the Pirates, "take it to the house"! At one point, he compared Corey Henley to Barry Sanders with his juking, jitterbugging cutback style preceding another long run. DJ also gave high praise to Coach Greco as not only one of the best coaches in Missouri but anywhere in the country. Mr. Johnson obviously knows what he's talking about! The game will be replayed several times on Charter this week. Check it out. It gives another perspective altogether.
We've got a good test coming up this week at Riverview. Let's keep building on this momentum.
GO PIRATES!
Monday September 16, 2002
LET THERE BE LIGHT!
Friday was a grand and glorious evening for football. The weather was picture perfect, the stands were full, the hot dogs were cooking, the crowd was excited....what a marvelous way to launch things with Pattonville's home opener. But then came the big THUD! As game time rolled around, an announcement came over the PA system that the game was being cancelled because the lights weren't working. Oh, this was just another prank from our playful PA announcer ... an early April Fool's joke, right? No, it soon dawned on the stunned crowd that this was no joke. In 30 years of watching high school football, this was a first. What an embarrassment for the Pattonville School District and the entire Pirate Nation! Then came the even more incredulous announcement that the game would be played the next night at ... Ritenour?? Yes, you heard that right, Ritenour. Of course, this was especially tough on the players who had worked so hard to prepare and were stoked with Pirate intensity with no orange and black release in sight.
This left us all with many unanswered questions. What are they doing with our tax money ... did we fail to pay the electric bill? Why hadn'' the lights been properly checked before game time? Why was the game called so quickly? Couldn't an electrician have been called in on short notice? Why was the game rescheduled at Ritenour? You mean to tell me that we couldn't get the lights on within 24 hours? Very mysterious! Pattonville football is starting to resemble an old Scooby Doo script. Only this must be one of those "to be continued" episodes. Yes, this follows on the heels of last year's still unanswered mystery of why the Band and Poms were not allowed to go to the playoff game at Webster ... "it was never about the band". Not to worry though. Remember that in the end, Shaggy and Scooby always exposed the twisted villain who was hiding in the shadows with an ax to grind.
In any case, the Pirate faithful showed up at Ritenour on Saturday night. What a difference a day makes. The weather was rainy and the viewing was poor from the visiting stands which are so low you can barely see over the heads of the players on the side lines. Not surprisingly, the players had a tough time regaining the intensity from the night before. The first half was frankly an uninspired performance by the Pirates who only led by 7 when the gun went off. But they were able to gather themselves and assert their dominance in the second half, pulling away for a 42-13 victory. Way to go Pirates!
By the way, one good thing came out of the change of venue. That is, we may have discovered a new PA Announcer. Did you hear the guy in the Ritenour booth? He was fantastic, awesome, totally professional and entertaining. Who was that guy? I can't place him but he sounded vaguely familiar. Can we hire him to do the Pattonville games?
Let's hope the lights are on for Friday night's game against Jackson. It's a bit longer drive than going to Ritenour.
Monday September 9, 2002
All's Well That Ends Well
The Pirate Nation showed up in force this past Friday in Columbia for the opening game against Hickman. The visiting stands were full and our cheerleaders were front and center as we enthusiastically rung in the new season amid a festive atmosphere. The crowd included a number of Pattonville football alums like Matt Grodie and Eric Stranghoener. As has been the case the past two seasons, everyone expected a tight, well fought game ... and we weren't disappointed. Unfortunately, the Kewpies nipped our Pirates at the wire, 21-14. That's the bad news.
But let's put this in its proper perspective. The greatest football team in PHS history lost to Hickman by a touchdown in a thriller two years ago and went on to play in the state final at the Dome. This is a team with a brand new offense that will take a little while to gel. Even the Rams with "The Greatest Show On Turf" need some playing time to turn their offense into a well oiled machine as evidenced by their season opening loss to the Broncos yesterday. But do you think that's going to change their goal of returning to the Super Bowl? No way!
What can we take away from this game to build upon? First, let's give some credit to the Kewpies. They played hard nosed football from start to finish in grinding out their victory. They're a tough team which is especially tough at home. For the Pirates, we showed progress in just this one game playing stronger in the second half than the first. But there's definitely room for improvement. Here's what your Pirate Reporter took away.
*The option offense will be very effective. But we need to get comfortable in making the pitch. Corey Henley appeared to be guiding the offense as a running back, his natural position, rather than an option quarterback. There wasn't a threat of a pitch and thus the Kewpies were able to key on him. Corey's much more effective when he can get his shoulders squared and use his quickness to bust upfield. *The Pirates lacked intensity, especially in the first half. I think that can be attributed to first game jitters, the unfamiliar surroundings and having to think too much. When the new offensive and defensive schemes become old hat, the intensity will flow naturally. But we need a few guys to step up and lead by example. I think we saw this starting to percolate in the second half.
*Gerald Davis is the real deal folks. On almost every carry he demonstrated a bull dog's tenacity in refusing to go down. After one long run in the first quarter, the Kewpies finally had to push him out of bounds since they just couldn't get him off his feet. And on his touchdown run, he showed the blazing speed that will strike fear into opposing defenses and cause college recruiters to drool. More Gerald.
*Coach Greco pulled one out of his bag of tricks by switching offensive personnel in the second half. It reminded me of Rocky II where Mickey had Rocky fight right handed before switching to his natural southpaw style in the late rounds to flummox Appollo Creed. When Chris Hall moved from WR to QB and Corey switched to tail back, it injected new life into the Pirate offense. It allowed Corey to attack the line of scrimmage with his quickness and agility and introduced a passing threat that caused pause to the Hickman defense. But we still failed to use the pitch effectively. This offense will only get better and better. Having interchangeable parts will be a big asset to Coach Greco.
*In another comparison to the Rams, we need to turn it up a notch on special teams. This will be extremely important in the big games ... the close games.
All in all, it was a good start for the Pirates in spite of the loss. I see good things ahead for this team if they work hard to improve every week. Won't it be nice to be back at home on Friday night? Here's a final thought as we prepare for Ritenour ... it's not who wins the first game of the season, it's who wins the last game that counts.
GO PIRATES!
Tuesday September 3, 2002
DOME SWEET DOME
The Pirate Nation was well represented at the Ed this past Saturday for the border war between Mizzou and Illinois. Booster Harry Grodie and his son, Matt, were there and Coach Greco and Booster Prexy, Mike LeBlanc, also enjoyed the festivities. There was also a large contingent of Pirate players who attended the game. (Is this the last time the Pirates will see the Dome this year???)
A good time was had by all. It was a bowl type atmosphere with legions of Illinois fans garbed in orange and blue while an equal throng of Tiger loyalists were festooned in black and gold. The bands played and the cheerleaders stirred the crowds into a frenzy. The Illinois cheerleaders looked great but, of course, they couldn't touch Mizzou's Golden Girls.
It was a big day for Tyrone Roberson's Tigers. Yes, that was Tyrone wearing the same number 25 he wore as a Pirate. He was deep on kick-offs and also logged a few carries out of the backfield. Mizzou shed its underdog image and dominated in surprising fashion. Their freshman QB, Brad Smith, had quite a coming out party in helping the Tigers make a big statement that, "we're back".
At half-time, I had the chance to ask Coach G. about Friday night's jamboree at Marquette. Coach was very pleased with Pattonville's performance. As you know, Coach normally refuses to reveal anything to opposing scouts prior to the start of the season but, with the installation of a new offense, he played his first stringers liberally and let it all hang out. Pattonville scored early and often against perennial powerhouse Parkway South. And the defense was flying to the ball like a bunch of heat seeking missiles.
So, it looks like the Pirates are ready to get it on with the Kewpies of Hickman High in Columbia this Friday night. Don't miss the start of another championship season. Be there or be square!
GO PIRATES!
Thursday August 29, 2002
NEWS FLASH
If you haven't spied a copy of today's Post-Dispatch yet, hurry to your newsstand right away. Today marks the inauguration of a new sports section devoted solely to high school sports and the first edition is dedicated completely to high school football ... hallelujah! It's chocked full of good stuff ... a pre-season poll, player profiles and prognostications on individual races including, of course, their predictions for the toughest conference in Missouri, the St. Louis Suburban North.
Here are a few tasty tidbits from today's article.
*Pattonville is picked number 4 in the pre-season poll. That's worthy recognition but please note that Hazelwood East is two notches higher at #2. Not to worry, we can settle that in the showdown at Pattonville on October 4th. But Edwardsville ranked number one??? Give me a break!
*Pattonville is picked to finish second to Hazelwood East in the Suburban North. Well, at least they're consistent.
*There's an interesting feature on building the perfect running back. It's a composite picture with Corey Henley's arms used to demonstrate his versatility ... he can run, throw and catch.
*They mentioned players to watch as Corey, Gerald Davis and Jesse Robinson and touted James Cherry as a newcomer to watch.
*They really didn't do justice to Chris Hall. Instead they included a feature article on Riverview QB, Jemiah Wade. This will change though. I think you will see Chris getting a lot of ink once the season is underway.
*Corey Henley is quoted as saying Pattonville is coming out with some new things on offense that will allow him to demonstrate his versatility. But Corey clammed up when they tried to drag specifics out of him. You know what he's talking about but ... shhhhhhh! Let's just keep the secret to ourselves until it's been sprung on the Kewpies.
REMINDERS
*Don't forget this Friday's Jamboree against Marquette and Parkway South.
*Make your arrangements to travel to Columbia, MO on September 6th to see our Pirates open up against Hickman.
*Get down to the Dome this Saturday to see two former Pattonville greats, Tyrone Roberson and Antonio Mason, square off when Ol' Mizzou takes on Illinois.
GO PIRATES!
Thursday August 22, 2002
A BOOST FOR THE BOOSTERS
I'm proud to say that I had the privilege of being one of the founding members of the Pattonville Pirate Football Booster Club. It was a lot of hard work getting this thing off the ground but it was great fun and I made a lot of new friends with fellow founders like Coach Greco, Harry Grodie, Mike LeBlanc, Susan Hall, Ken & Sue Wallace and many others. There have been times when we've wondered if "our baby" would survive, grow and prosper because it takes a constant flow of new helping hands to do so. But, my fellow Pirates, I'm pleased to report that the state of the Pirate Nation is very good.
I received a very encouraging report from Booster President, Mike LeBlanc, that a lot of new members signed up last night. (Apparently, people can recognize a good deal when they see it!) Even more importantly, many of the parents of underclassmen are stepping up to get actively involved and take positions of leadership in the Booster Club. I can guarantee these folks that, based on personal experience, this will be a rewarding experience that will benefit them and their children and provide some wonderful memories. And, of course, this will help The Boosters continue to accomplish our mission which is to advance the cause of student athletics and good citizenship at Pattonville and build upon the championship tradition of the Pirate football program.
Mike also reported that we're getting renewed interest from the local business community in supporting the worthy goals of this program. The businesses that have supported us in the past have found that there's no better marketing opportunity than to be associated with a winner ... not just in the won-lost column but a first class program all the way around. Please contact Mike LeBlanc or your Pirate Reporter if you would like recognition on this site.
Welcome to all the new Booster Club members. Are you ready for some football .... intense football ... PIRATE FOOTBALL???
GO PIRATES!
Monday August 19, 2002
SCHOOL'S IN
Time flies! It seems like just yesterday that we were wrapping up the school year and kicking off another summer vacation. Well, believe it or not, school's back in session again at good ol' PHS. I was out of town last week but got back just in time to catch the tail end of two-a-day football practices on Saturday. Judging from what I saw, quite a bit of progress has been made.
First, I was pleased to see so many freshmen and sophomores out for football. That portends well for the future. But, frankly, the numbers are fairly thin this year in the varsity ranks. However, we're making up for quantity with quality. There is a lot of talent on this squad. We're kind of like the Marines ... just need a few good men!
The morning practice focused on defense where Coach D. Greco, Coach J. Greco, Coach Hamilton and Coach Simmons were busy implementing a 3-5 defense. This is a great way to take advantage of our speed at linebacker with fellows like Jesse Robinson, Kevin Roseman and the gang. Watch out for new comer Patrick Ryan to have an impact too. It will also put the spotlight on speedy cover corners like James Cherry. It will be fun to see how fellows like Gerald Davis, Ryan Klenovich, Chris Hall, Corey Henley and Chris Melton fit into this defense. Look for a lot of activity out of the defensive line too. I was impressed with Chris Musselman who appears poised to have a great year. I asked Chris if he would be this year's Greg Johnston. He said he's not as nasty and mean as Greg. But while he may be a "cuddly teddy bear" off the field, he has the right stuff on the grid iron ... Pirate intensity!
In the afternoon practice, I got a bird's eye view of the new option offense. For something so new, it's really coming along folks. We're clicking very well at this stage of the game and it's going to be fun to watch our guys execute this exciting style of offense. You'll need to stay alert and keep your eye on the ball when the Pirates start to wheel and deal. It's great to see the competition at quarterback between Chris Hall and Corey Henley. No matter how this turns out, both of these fellows will be gobbling up a bunch of yards out of the Pirate's backfield. The important thing is that we have two very capable guys who will be able to run the offense. It's so important to have depth here. The thing that stands out about this team on offense is that we have a multitude of weapons ... plenty of guys to haul the rock. Opposing defenses better be in good shape because we'll have someone ready to go 110% on every play.
We have a new trainer this year ... from Clayton High School, home of Rich Grawer (yep ... Brian's pop). Please make sure to welcome her to Pattonville and make her feel at home.
We're only a week away from the opening jamboree at Marquette. So don't rely on my judgment. Come on out and see for yourself.
GO PIRATES!
Wednesday August 7th
CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS (er ... HEARINGS??)
Last evening as I left work, I turned on the Radio and started my normal "surfing" routine. As I slid through the AM dial, I paused at the Big 550 to catch The Large Morning Show In The Afternoon with Frank O. Pinion and the gang. I was just about to move onto another station when I thought I heard Frank mention the name of Larry Jeffrey. So I did a double take with my ear drums, if that's possible, and, sure enough, Mr. Pinion (Do you think that's his realname? Well, guess again. Call up the good folks in Waterloo, IL where he hails from and they can give you his real name.) said their Listener Guest DJ was none other than former Pattonville High School wrestling and football coach, Larry Jeffrey. Unfortunately, it was about 6:00 so I missed most of the show. If you were able to catch the entire show, please shoot me a note and fill me in on the earlier part of the show. Hopefully, they didn't draw a trademark boinnnng out of Coach Jeffrey when Karen Vail said hello to him! Anyway, there was plenty of action in just the last half hour.
At first, everything seemed fairly tame for the AM in the PM crowd. They paid homage to Coach Jeffrey's contributions over his 32 year career and heaped some plaudits on Pattonville HS and particularly our championship tradition in football. At one point, Sports Director, Jim Holder ... The Voice Of The Edward Jones Dome ... gave some nice kudos to Pattonville. But I knew this politeness couldn't last forever and eventually Coach Jeffrey fell victim to the Big 550's merriment. At one point, they suckered him into grunting out an ARD (that's code for movie reviewer Reggie's Billy Bob Thortonish "aw right den" catch phrase) only to use their ubiquitous sound effects to make it appear as if Coach Jeffrey had accidentally released an explosion of flatulence over the air waves. Oh well, I guess that's the price of fame. In any case, we're indebted to Coach Jeffrey for taking one for the team in order to further the reputation of the Pirate Nation as having the BEST FOOTBALL PROGRAM IN THE STATE!
GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES
By this time next week, our guys will be sweating it out on the practice field in preparation for another championship season. Unfortunately, yours truly will be traveling all next week on business so I won't be able to get a first hand glimpse. I would welcome any recaps from Pirate fans who are able to make it out to watch practice.
By the time I get back, school will be in session and we'll be settling into our normal Fall routine (the best time of the year). Fall is great not just because of football ... but because the kids are back in school. If you have a 13 year old daughter like me, you know exactly what I mean! I hate to miss the start of practice but I have a message for the players who might happen to peruse this column in the coming days. Boys, this is where the rubber hits the road. This is where the fun begins. Work hard and enjoy this special time. You're in the toughest conference in the state, you have a chance to play for the school with the winningest tradition in the St. Louis area in the past 14 years, you have the best Head Coach and Coaching Staff in Missouri and loyal and enthusiastic fans that are behind you all the way. The first time you step on the practice field, you should embrace one goal and keep that goal throughout the season ... every practice, every game ... that is, a championship for Pattonville High School.
GO PIRATES!
Friday August 02, 2002
TOP TIPS FOR SERIOUS PIRATE WATCHERS
Okay, so it's just over a week until practices begin and you're frothing at the mouth with excitement about the 2002 Pirate football season getting underway, right? "Right!" "So", you ask, "what's in store for this year, Mr. Pirate Reporter"...."what's going to be different about this squad"..."what signs should we be on the lookout for as intelligent, insightful, enthusiastic Pattonville football fans?"
Well, grid gurus, here you go!
*Coach Greco and his staff are innovative. Unlike most high school coaches who develop a system and then work each year to mold a new group of players to conform to the system, our coaches will assess individual talent and team strengths and tendencies and make adjustments to the system to take advantage of particular skills and tendencies. If you have an individual like Brian Lewis, you're going to gear your attack to feature him, right? You may recall that Coach Greco sprung a surprise and instituted a no huddle offense a couple of years ago to take advantage of players with the intelligence and discipline to handle its intricacies. Some years may feature a running attack, others passing and still others a balanced approach. This year, we don't have any one or two players that will dominate on offense. Rather we have a plethor (that's a bunch!) of talented folks in the backfield with speed, strength and athleticism. So, how do you take advantage of this? If you're innovative, intelligent, versatile and willing to take some risks ... no problem! This certainly describes Coach Greco and the Pirate staff so, voila, let's implement an option offense. This is not an easy task and, Rome wasn't built in a day, so watch for this new offense to gain confidence and grow over time until it's clicking on all cylinders. But don't stop there. If you really want to have fun, keep track of how many formations we're able to insert into this new offense. Personally, I can't wait to see the wishbone (no, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving!).
*Everyone knows to watch the quarterback. So everyone should be paying attention to see how Chris Hall has progressed and what type of competition we have at that position. But you'd be missing a great opportunity if you didn't look at the other side of the ball. Keep an eye on some of the talented players who may be able to play on both sides of the ball. Corey Henley and Gerald Davis quickly come to mind. But look for Chris Hall too. During the passing league, he played some safety and really had a knack for closing quickly on the ball.
*The Pirates have never had a successful team without the big horses up front. As part of the basics, you'll want to check the roster to see how our returning linemen have grown in height and bulk. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Wander into the weight room some time and check their stats to see how much strength they've gained during the off season.
*Some of the finer points can be overlooked but Pirate fans are a discerning bunch. We no longer have Jesse Guilliams' leg to depend on so we'll want to check on the kicking game and especially the synchronicity (is that a word?) between long snapper, holder and kicker. Another critical point that is often overlooked is the exchange between center and QB...it happens on every play so its extremely important that it be fluid, flawless and consistent.
*Intensity on defense is hard to gauge but crucial. I like to keep track of the helmets to see how much foreign paint is streaked on them.
*Speaking of intensity, how about the importance of special teams play. I like to keep track of how many bodies hit the ground, how far they traveled to get there and at what velocity.
*To really gauge a team, you have to look beyond the field. If there are prayers in the locker room before and after the games, that's a great sign. Also, are there any special traditions...do you want to go for a SODA???
*How about school spirit? Keep an eye on our cheer leaders...how many consecutive back hand springs can senior Brittany Tucker complete? What new moves will we see out of the Poms this year? Don't forget Pirate Pete. And will this year's band be able to meet the standard of excellence set in years past? Is everyone in the Pirate Nation pulling together...coaches, players, the athletic department, administration, faculty, boosters, school board and student body?
*To really know a team, it's extremely important to check out what's going on in the stands. Are they full? Which group of mothers will form this year's "senior" cheer leading squad? Is that distinguished gentleman in his trademark green cap, Jim Greco, Sr., in his normal spot? Is our Pirate PA announcer breaking the laugh meter once again? Is EVERYONE wearing green and white? Is EVERYONE attending the road games too? How many alumni are in the stands? How many people are enjoying the oh so tasty dogs, pretzels and cheesy nachos from the concession stands? How loud are Boosters like Mike LeBlanc and Harry Grodie bellowing in the stands? Is your Pirate Reporter behaving himself?
*Now, finally, here are a few tips for the truly discriminating fans who want to be attuned to the minutest details. Who has the dirtiest, foulest, most disgusting ball cap in St. Louis...Coach Greco or Cards pitcher Steve Kline? Will Coach Simmons work in the funky chicken on the sidelines while gyrating in the formation signals? How many helicopters will visit Pattonville stadium this year...in total and average per game? If you're paying attention to these details then, congratulations, you're truly an accomplished Pirate football fan.
Here's to another championship season.
GO PIRATES!
Tuesday July 23, 2002
MISCELLANEOUS MUSINGS
What happened to the Pirate Reporter last week? I can only hope that someone noticed my column was missing! Well, if you must know, I was on vacation with my family last week and, with this year's tight Booster budget, we just couldn't afford to hire a stand in. Anyway, I'm back, refreshed and ready for action. It does wonders to get away from the old routine for a while and unwind. So where did my mind wander while I was away from the daily grind ... would you believe to PHS football??
Driving near Columbia and through Jefferson City on my way to the Lake naturally brought out the pigskin passion in me. Columbia made me think of Mizzou and our favorite Tiger, Tyrone Roberson. If you haven't heard, tickets for the Missouri/Illinois football game went on sale recently and are selling like hot cakes. There are less than 15,000 available at last count. This game, which opens the season for the Tigers and Fighting Illini on August 31st at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, is being unofficially billed as the Tyrone & Antonio Bowl. Yes, this will be a chance to see former Pirate teammates, Tyrone Roberson and Antonio Mason square off against each other. Who will prevail when the lightning fast tailback lines up across from the monster linebacker? I hope to see you there.
Speaking of Columbia, Missouri, it's time to start planning your trip to Tiger Town on September 6th to see our Pirates take on the Hickman Kewpies in the rubber game of the 3-year series. As it turns out, the MU Tigers will be playing Ball State on Saturday, September 7th. So call now and reserve a room and make this a real road trip. It's a great opportunity to see the Pirates in action then get together the next day at Faurot Field with Pirates past and present to enjoy some NCAA grid iron grappling.
As I was driving back from the Lake, I was a little forlorn thinking about vacation being over and the summer slipping away. But that reminded me that school starts up in less than a month ... and that means, the long wait is over .... it's almost time for another thrilling season of Pirate football. Can you believe it? PHS football practice kicks off in just 3 weeks on August 12th. Ah yes, what a great time of year. I can't wait to see the preseason prognostications in the Post and Suburban Journal. With Coach Greco at the helm, Pattonville will surely be a force to be reckoned with!
GO PIRATES!
Thursday July 4th, 2002
Pirate Reporter Comes Out Of Retirement
During last night's passing league at Pattonville, Coach Greco gave yours truly a big thrill by inserting me in the line up against Chaminade. I may feel a little sore this morning but at least for a little while last night I felt like a kid again. Chris Hall wasted no time in getting me involved in the offense when he fired passes my way on the first two plays. Unfortunately, he hit me in a bad spot ... right in the hands ... which were a bit rusty. But to his credit, he stuck with me and gave me several chances to redeem myself later on. I really enjoy watching the Pirates from the stands but it was quite an experience to see them in action from the inside. I tried my best to use experience and savvy to our advantage but let me tell you folks, there's no substitute for youth! There was one harrowing moment when Gerald Davis and I were running deep crossing patterns and met head on, full speed in the middle of the field. Thankfully, the monster fullback did his best not to plow me over so I was able to survive to write another column. To sum up last night's experience ... IT WAS A BLAST ... thanks to Coach Greco and the boys!
I gained several important insights about this year's squad last night. Coach Greco made a very favorable comparison between this group and our 2000 State Finalist team. He said, like their distinguished predecessor, this bunch sticks together and are self motivated and hard working. That's a good foundation to build on. Another important ingredient is leadership. At one point in the proceedings, one of our seniors admonished a teammate after an unsuccessful play. Coach Greco took this fellow aside and quietly reminded him that he is a senior now and needs to lead by picking the other fellows up and giving them positive encouragement. This seed of wisdom, taken to heart and nourished, will surely bear much fruit for the Pirates during the season. Last week the passing league was preempted by the Pirate Football Camp which afforded a look at some of the big boys like John Roberts, Tony Helms and Chris Musselman. It was great to see that we have stout fellows up front to compliment the skill players that have been on display in the passing league. There's one element, team character, that we'll have to wait to gauge. I don't know when it will happen but there's no doubt that the team will face adversity at some point and ... then ... we'll see if we have another truly special group that will gain
strength through trials and testings and stick together to prevail in the end.
My favorite former QB, Eric Stranghoener, dropped by to take in the action last night and reminisce with Coach Greco and Coach Simmons. It's great to see so many former players like Eric, Chaun Tate, Tyrone Roberson, Dan Hill, David Wright, Antonio Mason, Martin Nance, Jesse Guilliams, Matt Grodie, Willie Robinson, Travion Brock, Tony Payne, Chris Payne and many others maintain close ties with the Pirate football program. It's a boon to our championship tradition and a testimony to the loyalty engendered by Coach Greco and all the Pirate football coaches.
One Nation Under God
Occasionally, this reporter has to broaden his scope beyond football to address issues that are not only important to our football program but far beyond. Today is such a day as we celebrate our freedom as a nation in commemorating our Declaration of Independence 226 years ago. History, it seems, has become a lost art, or worse, a political tool for revisionists determined to undermine our foundations in the name of "progress". One such example is the spurious notion that our founders somehow intended to erect a "wall of separation" between church and state. This lie has grown to such proportion that last week a federal district judicial panel ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because it refers to us being "one nation under God". As someone who received a degree in education and history and taught high school history 25 years ago, I found this progress of error to be particularly disturbing. We don't have the time or space to go into a full refutation in this column but here are some historical facts I would ask you to ponder. I hope that they intrigue you enough to motivate you to study the past in earnest to seek the truth of our nation's glorious past.
*The first European settlers who risked life and limb to traverse the Atlantic to reach our shores were seeking religious freedom. They did not want to prohibit religion in any way. Instead they were trying to escape a nation where the government had established a single state church, the Anglican Church, to the exclusion of other Christian denominations.
*The first form of constitutional government in America, The Mayflower Compact, was written by the pilgrims in the early 17th century. In it they not only declared their belief in God but stated their specific purpose of furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ.
*As a commander of the Colonial Militia in the French and Indian War, George Washington was miraculously protected by God during a massive ambush by the enemy where the American and British troops were decimated. George Washington attributed this to God's providence as did the tribal chief who had ordered his warriors to target the officers on horseback.
*Many historians today claim that many of the founding fathers were deists who acknowledged a god but didn't believe the Creator had any ongoing role in his creation. This claim is particularly leveled against Benjamin Franklin who admittedly was not as strong in his Christian faith earlier in his life. But at the crucial moment when the constitutional convention was ready do dissolve over the issue of federalism vs. states rights, it was Franklin who invoked faith in Christ and Christian purpose to bring unity and resolution.
*Thomas Jefferson never intended to build a "wall of separation" between church and state as is being falsely promoted today. He used this phrase in a personal letter to the Danbury Baptists to assuage their concerns that there would be a national church established by the U. S. Government to the detrimentand possible exclusion of other Christian denominations.
*Most of our founders openly expressed their faith in Jesus Christ and their firm belief that our nation could only prosper so long as it adhered to Christian principles contained in the Holy Bible, in our laws, institutions, practices and schools. These founders included Washington, John Adams, John Quincy Adams and John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court.
*Until 1947, the Supreme Court and every other court in the land consistently rejected the notion proposed from time to time by a small minority of malcontents that there should be a "wall of separation" between church and state. There remains a well established if now ignored mountain of legal precedence for the founders' original intention of freedom of religion not freedom from religion in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.
*While the progress of error began in earnest in 1947 in this country, it came to a head in 1962-1963 with such court decisions as banning prayer in schools. What has happened since God was removed from our schools? Since 1962-1963 teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, drug use, crime and divorce have sky rocketed. At the same time, SAT scores have plummeted and illiteracy has become all too common. A significant portion of seniors are being graduated without basic skills. Not surprisingly, a disproportionate number of national merit scholars are coming out of private schools where religion is still taught and embraced.
If you would like to learn more about our nation's glorious past, you may want to start with a video entitled, America's Godly Heritage which is available from Wall Builders, Inc., P. O. Box 397, Aledo, TX 76008, (817) 441-6044. Please note that I have no financial interest or any other connection with Wall Builders.
To the Pattonville School District and other public school educators who strive to seek the truth and prepare our students for citizenship, I offer the following recommendations:
*Get a copy of America's Godly Heritage and other similar materials and make it a part of your history curriculum.
*Begin using once again the New England Primer which served for so well for over 200 years in our country's schools as an early grade school text for teaching reading.
*Make George Washington's Farewell Address to the Nation required reading in your American History Classes. Take care to make sure it is the original, unedited version which has not had his 4 religious cautions removed.
*Do not teach the religion of evolution ... yes, it is a faith which is unsupported and unsupportable by scientific fact ... without also studying the alternative viewpoint of creation theory or intelligent design of the universe.
*Take local control of your schools and be guided by the values held dear by your local communities rather than following the dictates of national unions wed to a new age, secular, revisionist, anti-Christian world view.
Enjoy the 4th, celebrate our freedom and give thanks to God ... GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Friday June 21st
PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS
Do you get a kick out of watching the movie trailers prior to the feature presentation to get a glimpse of what types of spills, thrills, chills and adventures Hollywood has in store for us? You know what I mean ... just enough to whet the appetite and allow the anticipation to build until the excitement of premier night is hard to contain? If that's the case and you're a Pirate football fan, don't miss the opportunity to come out to PHS the next three Wednesday evenings to catch the 7-on-7 touch football passing league action featuring Pattonville and a host of other schools.
I had the pleasure of catching yesterday's session and I wasn't disappointed. It was another good turn out for the Pirates along with our guests from Parkway North, Francis Howell North, MICDS and Chaminade. Once again I was impressed by the speed and athleticism of Pattonville's skill players. In movie parlance, the action was Fast And Furious! As far as the Oscar for costume design goes, Coach Simmons won hands down. He was resplendent in his Pattonville green shorts with matching tee shirt, cap and socks. Look for him to appear in next month's issue of GQ.
I took the opportunity to prowl the sidelines for some brief interviews between plays. Here are some of the more memorable quips that were offered. Gerald Davis didn't seem too thrilled about logging time as a wide receiver. When I asked him about this, his only reply was, "I'm a fullback, I need contact". Gerald was later seen running into the brick walls of PHS for some stress relief. I spied the Henley brothers commiserating on the sideline and commented that while their facial features are almost identical, their body types couldn't be more different ... one being built like a leopard and the other a rhinoceros. Corey explained the difference as being strictly dietary ... that his brother owns stock in Jack-In-The-Box. Our old friend Martin Nance paid a visit and I asked him if he wanted to go in for a few plays. He said I would have to talk to his agent. Martin will be returning to U. of Miami (Ohio) this Sunday to begin preparation for his sophomore year as an up and coming wide receiver. Chris Hall is more than a quarterback. Apparently, he has become quite the savvy businessman. As part of his employment contract at a local Bridgeton restaurant, Chris negotiated the rights to all the free steak he can eat. I heard their earnings per share dropped 6% due to all the profits being eaten up by Chris. When Pirate receiver, James Cherry, streaked by like a lightning bolt on a deep route I commented on his blazing speed. One nearby player who overheard me said, "but he's no Chris Melton". Who was that player you ask? Why it was Chris Melton, of course! I told Chris that he was lucky we rescued him from the "evil empire" and turned him into one of the good guys. Chris transferred from Riverview before last year. I looked to see if Coach Greco might take exception being a Riverview graduate himself. True to his colors, green & white, Coach G. backed me up.
See you next Wednesday at PHS.
GO PIRATES!
Thursday June 13th, 2002
Are You Ready For Some Football??
Last evening, the summer passing league opened at PHS with a rousing start. The passing league uses a 7-on-7, touch, controlled scrimmage format that gives backs and receivers a chance to work on their timing, routes and coverages. Four area schools participated with Chaminade, Francis Howell North and Parkway North joining Pattonville.
The Pirates had a great turnout with nearly 20 athletes present including some familiar faces like Corey Henley, Gerald Davis, Chris Hall, Ryan Klenovich and Chris Melton. There were a lot of new faces too with a good looking group of juniors moving up to the varsity level. All in all, my initial take on this squad is that we have a great deal of depth at the skill positions ... a lot of speed and athleticism. Watch out for Chris Hall at QB ... he's coming into his own and has a howitzer for an arm. We'll have to wait a bit longer for the option to be unveiled.
Things got a bit competitive when the round robin format pitted Pattonville against nearby rival Parkway North who had some good athletes on the field. At first it seemed like our defense was breaking down but then the root of the problem became clear ... the Vikings were sending their center out on passing routes giving them an extra receiver. Anyway, it was good to see some passion on the field at such an early juncture. Could we be looking at a possible playoff paring ... hmmmmm???
It was great to see the Greco brothers, Don and Jim, plying their trade along with veteran varsity assistant Brian Simmons. We'll miss Coach Hamilton but there are three new coaches on board at PHS. I had a chance to chat with one of the new fellows, Coach Sweeney, last night. He's a very nice gentleman and will be a great addition to the staff. He will be at the helm with the JV squad. I'll try to profile the new coaches in the coming weeks as I get a chance to know them.
The passing league will continue on Wednesday evenings for the next several weeks so come on out and get an early peek at the 2002 Pirates.
Money Burning A Hole In Your Pocket? Do you have a business in the area that could use an advertising boost? There's no better value than supporting the Pirates. They not only draw a huge crowd but, as usual, they will receive regular coverage in the media ... print, tv and radio. If you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, back the Pirates.
Or are you looking for a worthy charitable cause to help beef up your itemized deductions? Help the Pirates and help yourself to a tax break.
Or do you simply want to help carry on the Pirates' winning tradition and do something to support a bunch of great, hard working young men?
Whatever the reason, just contact me, your Pirate Reporter, for information about becoming a Pirate Booster.
GO PIRATES!
Tuesday May 28th
Senior Leader Steps Forward
I ran into Pirate QB Chris Hall over the weekend. Even though it's been less than a week since the 2002 school year ended, I could already see a change in the affable Pattonville signal caller. As he passed from being a junior to senior, Chris seemed to automatically take on the mantle of leadership. CH is down to earth and very friendly, yet he seems to have a sense of purpose. Like those old All State Insurance commercials, I think we're in good hands folks. Chris is already hard at work under Coach Greco's tutelage in learning the option ... Chris obliged me with a demonstration of his pitching technique. I can't wait ... it's going to be fun!
Chris confirmed that the summer passing league will commence on Wednesday evening, June 12th, at Pattonville against Parkway North. The passing league allows the backs and receivers to work on their routes, timing and coverage. Come on out and get a glimpse of the 2002 football Pirates.
The Mighty Quinn
Congratulations to defensive lineman extraordinaire, Bernard Quinn, who finished fourth in State in the shot put competition at last weekend's Missouri high school track and field championships. Good luck in your college career, Bernard!
Pattonville Pom Goes Pro
Pattonville's Poms are not only the best in Missouri but have even vied for national recognition. To the delight of Pirate football fans, the Poms had perhaps their best season ever during the 2000 football season which concluded with a trip to the dome. What a great squad that was! Your Roving Reporter has learned that one of the distinguished alumni from that group, Amy Willenbrink, recently tried out for and made the Rams Cheerleading squad. Wow! Amy, who just finished her freshman year at Mizzou, will somehow juggle being a Rams cheerleader with continuing her studies at MU. Amy was always a go getter and we know she'll be able to do it.. You go girl!
Kudos To Kinney & Co.
Several honorary diplomas were awarded at last week's graduation ceremonies toPattonville district residents who served our country proudly in the armed forces. This provided priceless memories for a number of PHS graduates such as Drew DeGere who received a diploma along with his grandfather who was one of the veterans honored by the district. Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Kinney, Principal Marion, Board Members, Administrators and other responsible officials for taking the initiative to honor our war veterans with this very special recognition. Remember ... take the time to thank a veteran for our cherished freedom! USA, USA, USA!
Monday May 20th
HEADS ROLL OVER QUEEN ABBY CORRECTION
Apologies to Prom Queen Abby Funderburke whose name was listed as "Amy" in last week's column. While she's a gracious monarch who is forgiving toward her subjects, we could not let this faux pas go unpunished and, thus, had to terminate the services of two top ranking members of our normally crack editorial staff, Ty Poe and Graham R. Ayre. Another victim of this management shakeup was their administrative assistant, Sheryl Cue. Our regrets to Miss
Cue.
PREXY'S DAUGHTER IN THE SWIM OF THINGS
Congratulations to Pattonville's Anna LeBlanc who brought home 3 gold medals at the recent Suburban North Conference swim meet. Miraculous mermaid Anna won the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke and was part of PHS's winning 400 freestyle relay team along with Missy Kaufman, Angie Flores and Kendra Wood. Way to go Lady Pirates!! Of course, Anna's proud papa is our own Mike LeBlanc, the president of the Pirates Football Booster Club.
OTHER PIRATES IN THE NEWS
The finest basketball player ever to come out of PHS who went on to become a tremendous court general for the Missouri Tigers is back in the news again. That's right, Brian Grawer has signed on to be a graduate assistant coach for Quin Snyder's Mizzou Tigers. Brian is a class act and will be a great asset to the Tigers. I wonder if BG will let his locks grow out and go for that long, curly, moussed look made so popular by Coach Q???
WEIGHTY ISSUE
Did you know that the Pirates' weight room under the stadium stands is going to be renovated? That's great news. But in the meantime, where can our boys go to bulk up? If you have any ideas, please contact the AD asap. Thanks!
FINALLY ... FOOTBALL!
As you've seen, the Ol' Roving Reporter has been roaming far and wide in an effort to find material for this column during the off season. But I was so football starved I just had to call Coach Greco for some pre-season tidbits. Coach G was happy to oblige. Coach has been hard at work, as usual, in expanding his football repertoire. He and his staff recently attended the Coaching Clinic at Rams Park where they had the benefit of learning from some of the best folks in the game including Rams Coaches, Mike Martz and Lovie Smith and MU Coach Gary Pinkel.
Coach G let me in on some very exciting news. He and his staff are hard at work installing a new twist to our already potent offense, that is, an option package. Sooners and Huskers step aside, here come the Pirates led by Chris Hall, Gerald Davis and Corey Henley. This should be FUN to watch, folks! Football is just around the corner with the passing league and camps coming up soon. I'll see you out there!
By the way, speaking of the Rams Coaching Clinic, did you see the report in the Post-Dispatch? It said that Mike Martz and Gary Pinkel were seeking advice from CBC Coach Bob Shannon who was, by their estimation, ready for the NFL. Now, I have nothing but for admiration for Coach Shannon and respect what he was able to accomplish with the East St. Louis Flyers but to the Post I say, gimme a break. Since moving over to this side of the river, Coach Shannon is 0-2 against Coach Greco. I think we know who the dean of high school coaches is in St. Louis. But it's okay with me if, like Rodney Dangerfield, he gets no respect from the P-D. We're lucky to have him at PHS so, if the Post wants to play that down, their loss is our gain.
GO PIRATES!
 Wednesday May 15th
ONE FROM THE ARCHIVES
Last week I reported on the return of several Pirate grid graduates who attended the prom ... yes, robbing the cradle. Not one to be verbose (yeah, right!) and believing in the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, I've attached a photo from the pre-prom promenade at Vago Park for your viewing pleasure. Take a look and see if you can figure out the identity of this dynamic duo. No, it's not Batman and Robin. Okay, here's a hint. They both call Mizzou home these days. What's that, you need another hint? All right ... they were backfield mates who last played together in the TWA Dome in November 2000. Still stumped??? Okay, final hint ... on the backs of their tuxedos they're wearing the numbers 12 and 25.
Give up? Oh come on, they haven't changed that much! Of course, it's Eric Stranghoener and Tyrone Roberson. Look'n good in those penguin suits boys! Thursday May 09th
PROM OR HOMECOMING???
Last Saturday was Pattonville's prom ... or was it homecoming? It almost seemed like homecoming because of the number of guys from the Class of 2001 who came back to escort some of the fair ladies from the Class of 2002. Bonnie and I went to Vago Park for the annual prom picturama. I saw some familiar faces such as Tom Gillam, Joe Jenson, Chris Hafron, Scott Ellis and John Damlow. Several Pirate football players were there including returning King, Tyrone Roberson, and his backfield mate, Eric Stranghoener, who escorted the talented and lovely Katie Billington ... what a cutie!! Not to be outdone, our 2002 grid men were there in force including Matt Grodie, Drew Williamson and Jesse Guilliams to mention a few. Jesse was looking particularly dapper in his tux and TOP HAT. Matt was sporting a fresh goatee ... bad look'n dude! It was great to see some fellow boosters there including Harry & Regi Grodie and Bruce & Carol Williamson.
Congratulations to Amy Funderburke who was named Prom Queen. Her dad, Coach Terry Funderburke was there looking resplendent in a dark suit with freshly coiffed hair ... very cool!
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD
Did you hear there's a new celebrity in town ... a star of the silver screen (well, actually the smaller tube)? Our very own Coach Don Greco has signed on to be the Color Analyst for the River City Renegages. Move over John Madden!
All River City Renegades' home games for the rest of the season will be shown on tape delay by News20 (NCN News) via Charter Cablevision. News20's Brad Straubinger and Randy Gardner will be joined by "Dandy" Don Greco on the broadcasts. Don will have special insights to offer since he served as the Renegade's assistance coach last year. It kind of reminds you of Mike Shannon going into the Card's booth doesn't it? Except that the only frosty cold ones DG will be slurping will be vanilla milk shakes!
In St. Charles the games can be seen on Channel 47 at 5:30 p. m. on Mondays and Thursdays and in St. Louis on Sunday nights at 7:00 p. m.
Coach G. will have to wear sun glasses to ward off the autograph seekers. Good luck in this new endeavor!
 Tuesday April 30th
HAMILTON HONORED
Yeah, duh! Everyone knows that Hamilton is on the ten dollar bill, right? No, no, no ... I'm not talking about that other Hamilton, Big Al. We've got our own famous Hamilton at PHS.
I've said many times that Pattonville High School has the best football coaching staff in the state of Missouri. Well, you know what, I'm not alone in that opinion. Far from it. Earlier this week, the Pirates' own John Hamilton was awarded the John Kadlec Assistant Coach of the Year award by the St. Louis Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
If you haven't heard, I'm a bit of a Mizzou fan ... just a little bit. Thus, I couldn't be more pleased for Coach Hamilton to be honored in this way. John Kadlec epitomizes this profession. After ending his career as an All-Conference player for the legendary Don Faurot in 1950, he served as an assistant coach under a succession of outstanding MU coaches; Frank Broyles, Dandy Dan Devine and "Uncle Al" Onofrio. Coach Kadlec was subsequently inducted into the MU Intercollegiate Hall of Fame in 1996. If you listen to Mizzou games on the radio you'll be privileged to hear John Kadlec serving as a color analyst on the Mizzou Tiger Network. He still exudes the enthusiasm and loyalty that has made him such a great asset and ambassador for Mizzou for ... 6 decades!
Coach Hamilton is of the same stripe (yes, pun intended!). This award is given each year to the assistant coach who has shown great leadership, dedication and loyalty to his head coach, the kids and his program. Coach Hamilton was an easy choice. He's done this and more for the Pirates for many, many years. He is one class act! The best compliment I can offer is this ... I'm glad that my son, Eric, got to play under the guidance and care of someone like Coach John Hamilton. Coach, you dah man!
While we're talking about great assistant coaches, let's not forget that Pattonville is a triple crown winner with Coach Hamilton, Coach Jim Greco and Coach Brian Simmons. Oh yeah, that head coach isn't bad either! Individually and collectively, they're the best in the state. I rest my case.
GO PIRATES!
Friday April 26th
PIRATE NATION
What makes up a great high school football program ... in particular one like
Pattonville's? I pondered this question recently (yes ... the Ol' Roving Reporter has extra time on his hands in the off season) and came up with quite a long list.
* Coaches
* Players ... Varsity, JV, Freshmen & Camp Attendees
* Trainers
* Band
* Poms
* Parents
* Volunteers (e. g. concessions)
* Faculty
* Boosters
* Alumni
* PA Announcer
* Students
* Mascot
* Community Supporters
* Administration
Whew! It takes a lot of dedicated people and hard work to build a football
tradition like Pattonville's. And if any of the pieces are missing, it can effect the entire program.
Some hard core pigskin fans might be saying, wait a minute, all you really need
are good players and coaches. Not true, not true! Take for example last year's playoff game against Webster Groves. For some reason which still remains a mystery, the Athletic Department did not allow the Band and Poms to travel to the game. It definitely had a negative impact on the team's performance. Now, I don't want to take anything away from WG and I don't mean to imply that the final outcome would have been different but the coaches, players and fans will tell you that it made a tough night that much tougher. When you're on the road against a tough team, having a great band and pom squad in your corner can really help offset the other team's home field advantage. The lesson? We need everyone pulling together and the support provided by everyone on this list off the field makes a real difference.
CALLING ALL PARENTS
If you have a son who is on the team, especially upcoming freshmen, we have a spot for you in the Booster Club. Yes, there will be some work involved but it will be some of the most fun you've ever had. o, don't be shy ... contact Mike LeBlanc or any of the other Boosters and join in!
If you don't have a son on the team but are a fan, we've got a spot for you too! Come be a part of a winning tradition.
SPONSOR ALERT
If you're in business and looking for another marketing channel to reach out to
your customer base in Bridgeton, St. Ann, Maryland Heights and other parts of St. Louis and St. Louis County, you've come to the right spot. Please contact me, your Roving Reporter, to find out how you can be featured in one of my upcoming articles.
GO PIRATES!
Tuesday April 16th
The St. Louis Question
What's the most frequently asked question around our town? Where did you go to college? Where were you born? Where do you live? Where do you work? What's your nationality? Where do you go to church? How about those Rams or Cardinals? How's the weather? No, there's one question that's unique to our St. Louis culture ... one that captures the essence of a person's being in one quick, short answer. There's one question that will tell you everything you need to know about a person's demographics, their socio-economic status, their likes & dislikes, their peer group ... their entire psychological make-up. And that all important question of course is ... WHERE DID YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL?
Yes, when I tell people that I went to Hazelwood High School, it tells them quite a lot. Of course, there's always that follow-up question, "Did you go to Central?" to which I always respond, "It was all one school back then. "First of all, that tells them I'm an old codger. But is says a lot more. It lets them know that I was not raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. It tells them that I went to a football powerhouse that ruled the roost in the Suburban North before a certain Green and White wave flooded the landscape. It tells them I was raised in an era when men were men and women were glad of it! Oh yes, you can learn a lot from that one simple question.
Did you know that Coach Greco went to Riverview Gardens High School? You would never guess it if you didn't know it because he's really cleaned up his act since then! But seriously folks, there comes a time when the past must be left in the dust of history. If you go into Coach Greco's office, you won't see any memorabilia from his glory days at RG. No, he's had a total and complete transfusion and if you cut him you'll see that his blood runs green. Likewise with me. My black and gold 1973 letterman's jacket is packed away somewhere in the basement and our 1972 state champion team picture is also collecting dust somewhere. Do you think my sons, Steve and Eric would allow me to have a Hawks shrine in our house? No way! What do you think would happen if Eric's grid mates like Antonio Mason, Tyrone Roberson and Chaun Tate dropped by only to find a HHS banner in our house. Yes, there would be a rumble. But not to worry, I too have had a complete transfusion and the green is running through my veins. If you come to the Roving Reporter's house, the only high school football picture you'll see prominently displayed is a giant photo of Pattonville's 2000 state finalist team. Likewise, in my office I only feature one high school team...yes, I proudly display my Pirates' Championship Season mug.
So what's my point? Well, rumor has it that a certain administrator at Pattonville is still clinging to a past life and actually has some Hazelwood East paraphernalia hung in his office at PHS. I know this sounds strange...it's like if you walked into the Oval Office only to find a picture of Lenin or Stalin hanging on the wall. But don't be too hard on him. Apparently, no one has had the nerve to help him with this problem. Why hasn't someone said something about it? I don't know ... perhaps it's like to old deodorant commercial where everyone was afraid to tell their friend he had a bad case of BO. But, not to fear, your Roving Reporter is here to handle the dirty jobs. Like when President Reagan challenged Russian President Gorbachev to take down the Berlin Wall...I'm here to say, TAKE DOWN THAT HAZELWOOD EAST PHOTO!
Hail to the Pirate Nation! United We Stand!
Tuesday April 9th, 2002
Celebrity Sightings
A week ago Saturday, Bonnie and I were grabbing a meal at a local Bridgeton eatery and noticed one of the gainfully employed individuals working tables was Pattonville's own star quarterback, Chris Hall. I asked Chris to toss me a loaf of bread from across the room ... man, he's got a strong arm! It's great to see a young man like Chris juggling work along with school and athletics.
Kudos To Jim Greco, Sr.
The Roving Reporter has been on the side lines lately waiting to see what would happen since our old web site was shutting down. But not to fear, Web Master extraordinaire, Jim Greco, came through with a new site ... which if you're readying this, I'm glad you found. It's a beautiful day in the new neighborhood thanks to Jim!
Cupid's Corner
For those of you who prefer the tabloids to the sports page, here's one for you. I was talking to one of my co-workers recently, Sue, who was giving me an update on her daughter, Brittany, who is a cheerleader at PHS. Last year, Sue and her family moved from the Ritenour district to the Pirate Nation ... yes ... because they wanted to jump on our band wagon and support a winner for a change. Smart people, can you blame them? Anyway, Sue was waiting to hear if Brittany made the cut for this year's varsity try outs. I told her not to worry. Brittany, you see, is an ace ... one of the more talented gymnasts on the squad and my personal favorite because she always does my favorite cheer ... the what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what cheer ... on cue. As anticipated, she made the squad again this year. Congratulations to Brittany and all the great gals on the PHS cheerleading squad ... they'll have a lot to cheer about during the upcoming football season. But back to the point of this story. While I was chewing the fat with Sue, she mentioned that Brittany was being squired by a new beau. Sue went on and on about how good looking, polite, nice and funny this fellow is ... a regular knight in shining armor. I said, wow, someone that great must be a football player. Well, you know what? I was right. It turns out this Mr. Perfect is one of our very own grid men. I'm not going to name names but his initials are KR and he hangs out with a tall linebacker named Ryan.
A Good Example To Follow
Did you follow the recent saga involving the University of Washington's attempt to lure Coach Quin Snyder from Ol' Mizzou? Mizzou provided a great example of the important role an administration can play in meshing academics and athletics to create a winning combination that benefits the entire institution. First, there was Athletic Director Mike Alden. As AD he understands his role well and recognizes that while what he does behind the scenes is essential, it's marquee coaches like Quin Snyder and their successful athletic programs that put the university on the map so to speak and reap benefits that extend to all facets of university life. Then there was Chancellor Richard Wallace who took the time to personally engage Coach Q and commend him for not only bringing athletic glory to the program but also academic excellence in encouraging the players to excel in the classroom. They really made him feel appreciated and at home at MU. Yes, Coach Snyder embraces the concept of the scholar athlete ... he was one himself ... and it's no surprise that graduation rates are way up among his players.
This is a great example for all college and high school programs. We have our own superstar in Coach Don Greco who embodies all those same great qualities that help people like Quin Synder to succeed. I'm sure there are many programs across Missouri that would love to have someone like Coach Greco at the helm. The football program has put Pattonville on the map for a long time and drawn attention to a fine academic institution. There's nothing like a Friday night football game at PHS with Coach G and his staff prowling the sidelines and thousands of excited fans cheering our boys on to victory while being
entertained by one of the best bands in the state, the funniest PA announcer around, a nationally recognized pom squad and some of the most energetic cheer leaders anywhere ... oh, and let's not forget Pirate Pete. Yes, we've got a great thing going at Pattonville and we'll have it for a long time as long as we're one team with the board, administration and parents all doing our part behind the scenes to support and encourage the folks like Coach Greco, his staff and players who are leading the charge.
GO PIRATES!
| Friday March 15th, 2002 |
Enough of the winter doldrums!I couldn't take it any longer so I contacted Coach Greco to whet my appetite for the 2002 Pirate football season. I was not disappointed. Coach has been hard at work preparing for next year and he had some exciting news about scheduling.
First, did you know that Missouri is adding Class 6A in 2002? Yes, that's correct ... and PHS will be in the largest classification. The Suburban North Conference however will be further divided along these class lines with Riverview, Ritenour, Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West remaining in 5A while McCluer North will stay put in 4A. Hazelwood Central and McCluer will also move to 6A. And Normandy? Well, they've decided to drop out of the SNC and go independent in football although they will remain in our conference for other sports like basketball and track. So next year our district will be comprised of McCluer, Hazelwood Central and ... drum roll please ... the Desmet Spartans. Do you remember that thrilling OT playoff win over the Spartans in PHS's fab Dome year?
So, who will be the Pirates' nonconference opponents? It was not easy to schedule these games. Apparently, a lot of the area's "power houses" were not available. Hmmmm ... me thinks I smell fear in the air. But who can blame them. Anyway, Coach always wants to take on the toughest opponents available so we're stretching our boundaries to round out our always tough SNC schedule. Once again, we will be traveling to Columbia Hickman to play the Kewpies on September 6. What's a Kewpie you ask? I'm not exactly sure but I think it's some kind of pudgy, pink baby dressed in a purple and gold diaper. Pretty intimidating, huh? In any case, this could be another great road trip. You should consider making it a weekend and stay over for Saturday's Mizzou game against Ball State where Tyrone The Tiger will try to lead his MU mates to victory. Pattonville's third game will be against a brand new opponent. Jackson is coming to our house. Yes, that's the same Jackson that featured top Mizzou recruit, Mario Whitney, last year. According to Coach G., they have another stellar running back waiting in the wings. Get your tickets early for that one folks! Ah yes ... it's going to be a great year!
GO PIRATES! |
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