I was conducting an interview with El Dorado senior Emily Sinclair the other day at the office. I'm on a bit of a diet so my stomach was doing its low roar of a growl. For the first time in a long time, I thought back to my youth and began craving a good, old-fashioned fried bologna sandwich.
For no reason, I asked Sinclair, "you ever had a baloney sandwich?"
She looked around to make sure I was talking to her.
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah, you ever had a baloney sandwich?"
She looked at me as if I was an alien who had just dropped down from outer space.
"Uh, no," she said. "What is that? Is it like bacon? I like bacon."
No, child, it's not like bacon.
Wow! Times have changed.
I grew up on baloney sandwiches. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for baloney sandwiches. It was the first meal I could prepare for myself. When I got home from school, both of my parents were at work so I would slice off a hunk of bologna and throw it in the skillet. It was easy and delicious.
I'm not sure our fridge was ever without bologna for very long. It was a staple for our family and, as far as I'm concerned, the original fast food.
I guess it's not a popular choice for today's youth, who have advantages of microwave foods that we didn't enjoy.
As disgusting as a fried baloney sandwich might sound to kids these days, it's there loss.
***
The Arkansas Activities Association announced today that Benton High School self-reported that it had played an ineligible player(s) during the 2010 football season, and has forfeited its three Class 6A South Conference wins. The Arkansas Activities Association has placed the Benton football program on warning throughout the 2011 football season.
During the season Benton defeated Sheridan, 29-24, Little Rock McClellan 49-8 and Little Rock Fair 61-13.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Kyia on the way up
I just got back from Norphlet, where a signing assembly was held for senior Kyia Williams. Kyia signed to play basketball at Tyler Junior College.
After failing seventh grade, she's certainly come a long way in her career both on and off the court. It was an emotional day as Coaches Justin Welch and John Thompson talked about her growth. Thompson became overcome with those emotions as he read a paper Kyia wrote for one of his classes where she talked about how much she has changed.
It was a nice day.
It was even better when Tyler coach Trenia Jones addressed the Norphlet fans. She told Kyia's friends and family that she was going to kick her butt and ride her endlessly to make sure she got her degree and advanced on to a four-year school. She told the fans, if you want to help Kyia, when she calls up crying and wanting to come home, tell her to keep her butt in Tyler and finish what she started.
Kyia finished up the day by reading a statement thanking all of the people who helped her get to this moment.
It was a nice day.
I had just talked to Kyia a couple of weeks ago. But, when I spoke to her on Thursday, she seemed more mature, more composed, more thoughtful. She's come a long way since the seventh grade. I really believe she can go even farther in the next few years.
After failing seventh grade, she's certainly come a long way in her career both on and off the court. It was an emotional day as Coaches Justin Welch and John Thompson talked about her growth. Thompson became overcome with those emotions as he read a paper Kyia wrote for one of his classes where she talked about how much she has changed.
It was a nice day.
It was even better when Tyler coach Trenia Jones addressed the Norphlet fans. She told Kyia's friends and family that she was going to kick her butt and ride her endlessly to make sure she got her degree and advanced on to a four-year school. She told the fans, if you want to help Kyia, when she calls up crying and wanting to come home, tell her to keep her butt in Tyler and finish what she started.
Kyia finished up the day by reading a statement thanking all of the people who helped her get to this moment.
It was a nice day.
I had just talked to Kyia a couple of weeks ago. But, when I spoke to her on Thursday, she seemed more mature, more composed, more thoughtful. She's come a long way since the seventh grade. I really believe she can go even farther in the next few years.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Frazier first team but not best
Congratulations to El Dorado's Whitney Frazier, who was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas First Team in basketball today. It was a no-brainer of an honor.
Parkers Chapel's Savanna Langston was named All-Arkansas second team for the second year in a row. I thought she should've been given first team consideration as well but that point was arguable.
Frazier, however was named MVP of the state tournament. She led the Lady Wildcats through a dominant season and was the best player I saw.
But, the state Player of the Year Award was decided as soon as Arkansas signed Fayetteville guard Calli Berna. That closed the deal, ended the debate, sealed the case.
From that point, Frazier could've dunked six times backwards and averaged a quadruple-double and it wouldn't have mattered.
That's just the way it is in this state. That's how it was in football, too. Whoever the Razorbacks sign will automatically win Player of the Year.
That's fine, especially since our players in Union County don't seem to put much stock in that stuff, anyway. But, don't be surprised in a couple of years if what Whitney Frazier is doing at Louisiana Tech isn't making today's decision look stupid.
Parkers Chapel's Savanna Langston was named All-Arkansas second team for the second year in a row. I thought she should've been given first team consideration as well but that point was arguable.
Frazier, however was named MVP of the state tournament. She led the Lady Wildcats through a dominant season and was the best player I saw.
But, the state Player of the Year Award was decided as soon as Arkansas signed Fayetteville guard Calli Berna. That closed the deal, ended the debate, sealed the case.
From that point, Frazier could've dunked six times backwards and averaged a quadruple-double and it wouldn't have mattered.
That's just the way it is in this state. That's how it was in football, too. Whoever the Razorbacks sign will automatically win Player of the Year.
That's fine, especially since our players in Union County don't seem to put much stock in that stuff, anyway. But, don't be surprised in a couple of years if what Whitney Frazier is doing at Louisiana Tech isn't making today's decision look stupid.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Refs make the calls
I know the state tournament was last week, but I have a few random thoughts.
First, I've monitored some of the message boards. There has been some criticism for the way the Parkers Chapel girls game was officiated.
Fact is, the referees didn't call many fouls.
Did that have an impact on how the game was played?
Well, yeah. Players had to be tough with the basketball. You had to go up strong on layups and you had to grab rebounds with two hands and be prepared to fight to keep them.
It was not a game for soft players.
But, it was the same on both ends of the floor. And, for the most part, it was the same all the way through the game. The players were given the opportunity to adjust to how the game was called. Good players can do that. Not-so-good players can't.
State championships should be decided by good players. Not-so-good players shouldn't be in state title games.
It was a rough-and-tumble game. If you can't play in that type of game, the state finals is the wrong place for you to be.
That's why coaches put their teams in every possible situation during the season. You have to be prepared for anything.
This brings me to my second random thought.
El Dorado's game against Little Rock Parkview was the complete opposite. The referees called everything. Every touch. Every grab. Every foot slide.
There were so many whistles, I felt like a pretty girl walking past a construction site.
Parkview couldn't adjust. The Lady Patriots got into foul trouble and, instead of understanding the style of game they were in, they started barking at the officials.
In basketball, the officials often dictate the style of play. Officials are human beings, which mean every game is different. As a player, all you can ask is for the calls to be consistent on both ends and throughout the game.
If the game is called consistently, you cannot blame the refs if you come out on the short end.
To win a state title, a team has be to be able to adapt. You have to be able to win a finesse game and you have to get tough when it turns into football. That's what a state championship team is.
Credit the Lady Wildcats but also, my hat is off to the Lady Trojans. I haven't heard one PC player or coach complain about the refs. The Lady Trojans got tough when they had to, just couldn't get a bucket they needed.
I must say, I was proud of both of my girls teams.
First, I've monitored some of the message boards. There has been some criticism for the way the Parkers Chapel girls game was officiated.
Fact is, the referees didn't call many fouls.
Did that have an impact on how the game was played?
Well, yeah. Players had to be tough with the basketball. You had to go up strong on layups and you had to grab rebounds with two hands and be prepared to fight to keep them.
It was not a game for soft players.
But, it was the same on both ends of the floor. And, for the most part, it was the same all the way through the game. The players were given the opportunity to adjust to how the game was called. Good players can do that. Not-so-good players can't.
State championships should be decided by good players. Not-so-good players shouldn't be in state title games.
It was a rough-and-tumble game. If you can't play in that type of game, the state finals is the wrong place for you to be.
That's why coaches put their teams in every possible situation during the season. You have to be prepared for anything.
This brings me to my second random thought.
El Dorado's game against Little Rock Parkview was the complete opposite. The referees called everything. Every touch. Every grab. Every foot slide.
There were so many whistles, I felt like a pretty girl walking past a construction site.
Parkview couldn't adjust. The Lady Patriots got into foul trouble and, instead of understanding the style of game they were in, they started barking at the officials.
In basketball, the officials often dictate the style of play. Officials are human beings, which mean every game is different. As a player, all you can ask is for the calls to be consistent on both ends and throughout the game.
If the game is called consistently, you cannot blame the refs if you come out on the short end.
To win a state title, a team has be to be able to adapt. You have to be able to win a finesse game and you have to get tough when it turns into football. That's what a state championship team is.
Credit the Lady Wildcats but also, my hat is off to the Lady Trojans. I haven't heard one PC player or coach complain about the refs. The Lady Trojans got tough when they had to, just couldn't get a bucket they needed.
I must say, I was proud of both of my girls teams.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
What a season!
It's been a long time since my last blog. Lots of things have happened, including the conclusion of the high school basketball season.
Despite all my whining and complaining about the bottom teams in the area not being competitive, the season didn't turn out so bad. For the second year in a row, Union County had three girls teams advance to the state semifinals.
This year however, two teams made it to the finals. Maybe those area teams at the bottom weren't so bad after all.
Okay, I'm not ready to make that statement, yet. But, it was a fun postseason.
I hadn't covered a basketball state final since Strong did its repeat several years ago. I had a blast covering El Dorado and Parkers Chapel in Hot Springs last week.
The Lady Wildcats claimed their first-ever state championship. The Lady Trojans lost to England in a heartbreaker 31-29. Those Lady Lions also eliminated Norphlet in the semifinals.
I felt bad for Parkers Chapel because I honestly thought those girls should've won it. That's the toughest kind of loss to take.
El Dorado, on the other hand, didn't leave anything to chance. The Lady Wildcats dominated Little Rock Parkview from the opening tip. Whitney Frazier had her game-face on and it was obvious, she was not going to let her team lose.
Frazier was the MVP but the key to El Dorado's championship run was her teammates. The Lady Wildcats got the most use out of their semifinal loss a year ago. It seemed like all of the key players got better over the summer.
Bria Snowden went from stand-still shooter to a scoring threat off the drive and via the pull-up jumper. Little sister Sequoia sharpened her handle and emerged as a solid point guard. She joined Emily Sinclair to fill the void at that position. Sinclair ran the team like a seasoned veteran. More importantly, she cleaned up her turnovers and made better decisions.
Kanedria Andrews impressed with her overall game. She gave the team whatever it needed whether it was scoring, rebounding, ball handling or defense. She couldn't do that last year.
Everyone got better at El Dorado.
It's great when a team can take a negative and turn it into something great. The Lady Wildcats, more than any other team, turned last year's semifinal loss into a reason to bust their butts in the off-season.
They did it as a team. It wasn't just one or two. The whole team went to work. From Charlotte Bradley to Hannah Burroff to Marchelle Lockhart, everyone on that team was a better player this year than they were last year.
Give Stephen Harshaw some credit. Give the girls the rest.
I guess it was a pretty good season after all.
Despite all my whining and complaining about the bottom teams in the area not being competitive, the season didn't turn out so bad. For the second year in a row, Union County had three girls teams advance to the state semifinals.
This year however, two teams made it to the finals. Maybe those area teams at the bottom weren't so bad after all.
Okay, I'm not ready to make that statement, yet. But, it was a fun postseason.
I hadn't covered a basketball state final since Strong did its repeat several years ago. I had a blast covering El Dorado and Parkers Chapel in Hot Springs last week.
The Lady Wildcats claimed their first-ever state championship. The Lady Trojans lost to England in a heartbreaker 31-29. Those Lady Lions also eliminated Norphlet in the semifinals.
I felt bad for Parkers Chapel because I honestly thought those girls should've won it. That's the toughest kind of loss to take.
El Dorado, on the other hand, didn't leave anything to chance. The Lady Wildcats dominated Little Rock Parkview from the opening tip. Whitney Frazier had her game-face on and it was obvious, she was not going to let her team lose.
Frazier was the MVP but the key to El Dorado's championship run was her teammates. The Lady Wildcats got the most use out of their semifinal loss a year ago. It seemed like all of the key players got better over the summer.
Bria Snowden went from stand-still shooter to a scoring threat off the drive and via the pull-up jumper. Little sister Sequoia sharpened her handle and emerged as a solid point guard. She joined Emily Sinclair to fill the void at that position. Sinclair ran the team like a seasoned veteran. More importantly, she cleaned up her turnovers and made better decisions.
Kanedria Andrews impressed with her overall game. She gave the team whatever it needed whether it was scoring, rebounding, ball handling or defense. She couldn't do that last year.
Everyone got better at El Dorado.
It's great when a team can take a negative and turn it into something great. The Lady Wildcats, more than any other team, turned last year's semifinal loss into a reason to bust their butts in the off-season.
They did it as a team. It wasn't just one or two. The whole team went to work. From Charlotte Bradley to Hannah Burroff to Marchelle Lockhart, everyone on that team was a better player this year than they were last year.
Give Stephen Harshaw some credit. Give the girls the rest.
I guess it was a pretty good season after all.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Lady Leopards back in fight
Congratulations to the Norphlet Lady Leopards on their 58-46 win over Parkers Chapel Saturday in the championship game of the 2A 7-East District Tournament at Woodlawn.
Norphlet played its best game of the season and showed illness might have really been a factor in its mercy rule home loss to the Lady Trojans last month.
I said when the season began this series would be like a boxing match.
Parkers Chapel won the regular season series. In boxing, that's five of the first six rounds. This is a 12-round fight, however, and the upcoming rounds are weighted. As you might have guessed, I don't think Saturday was the last time these two teams will square off.
I'm looking forward to the second half of this fight.
Norphlet played its best game of the season and showed illness might have really been a factor in its mercy rule home loss to the Lady Trojans last month.
I said when the season began this series would be like a boxing match.
Parkers Chapel won the regular season series. In boxing, that's five of the first six rounds. This is a 12-round fight, however, and the upcoming rounds are weighted. As you might have guessed, I don't think Saturday was the last time these two teams will square off.
I'm looking forward to the second half of this fight.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Showdown at Woodlawn
Parkers Chapel and Norphlet played a game of can-you-top-this Thursday at the 2A 7-East District Tournament at Woodlawn.
The Lady Trojans opened the tournament with a 49-16 beatdown of Dermott. The Lady Leopards followed with an equally impressive 55-33 win over Junction City, which was a 31-point game to start the fourth.
Parkers Chapel and Norphlet will meet Saturday in the championship game. The Lady Trojans have won the two previous meetings, including a mercy rule at Norphlet a few weeks ago. However, the Lady Leopards have gotten over their flu bug and looked as good as I've seen them this year on Thursday.
Saturday's game should be great. It's almost worth driving to Woodlawn for.
By the way, the folks at Woodlawn have been great so far this week. They've gone out of their way to help Kev Moye and I do our jobs. They put a sign that reads "Media Room" on the library and we've used that to write and send our stories.
I don't like the drive to get there but I must say once we arrive the folks at Woodlawn have been tremendous hosts.
The Lady Trojans opened the tournament with a 49-16 beatdown of Dermott. The Lady Leopards followed with an equally impressive 55-33 win over Junction City, which was a 31-point game to start the fourth.
Parkers Chapel and Norphlet will meet Saturday in the championship game. The Lady Trojans have won the two previous meetings, including a mercy rule at Norphlet a few weeks ago. However, the Lady Leopards have gotten over their flu bug and looked as good as I've seen them this year on Thursday.
Saturday's game should be great. It's almost worth driving to Woodlawn for.
By the way, the folks at Woodlawn have been great so far this week. They've gone out of their way to help Kev Moye and I do our jobs. They put a sign that reads "Media Room" on the library and we've used that to write and send our stories.
I don't like the drive to get there but I must say once we arrive the folks at Woodlawn have been tremendous hosts.
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