Part of Joe T.’s office
By Joe Torosian
“In came Miss Progress in her black dress, look at the mess, she is a killer.”—The Avett Brothers
Kick it!
Right off the Top: As of today…the New York Mets are one game up in the National League East. Go Mets!
***
This is the second consecutive summer I’ve been out of town for most of the passing tournaments. I worked a vacation in, but I spent most of my time assisting at Granite Ridge, a Christian campground in Creston, California. The camp is in it’s infancy but part of the plan is to build a high end athletic field/complex to invite baseball and soccer teams to come. Also, like Hume Lake, to host tournaments where schools can participate and spend the night in dorms.
Down the road, but it’s exciting stuff.
Anyways, I’ve been gone so much I’ve begun to get sick of Peterson’s complaining about doing all the heavy lifting. Truth is, Peterson and Barker have been doing all the work this summer.
It’s weird to invest so much of yourself into something for 16 years and then suddenly feel out of touch with it. I began to wonder if this part of my life was coming to a close, hard to imagine, but it was what I thought.
However, after spending six hours on the road home from my last camp—with kids barfing/ralphing/puking/wretching in my backseat—I began thinking about football and this coming season.
It’s not like I haven’t been thinking about it. I’ve been doing some work (take a look at my office and my magnetic/dry erase boards)…just not the amount I’ve done in the past.
I didn’t exactly step away, but after easing back on the throttle a little bit I came to realize an important thing: I love football.
And I’m going to be so sorry when the suits, lawyers, politicians, administrators, and fraudulent advocates for “player safety” eventually kill the game.
Because of all the things I’ve seen before, I really want to enjoy this coming season.
So what comes to mind? For me? To name a few?
Burroughs, led by Lucas Yanez, coming back from a 28-0 deficit to beat Burbank 38-35 in 2010. That was huge.
San Gabriel at Arroyo in the second round of the 2011 playoffs. “Doubles Right Zip Gator”, Andy Guerrero going 22-yards to Joey Villalobos on fourth & seven with 56 seconds to play for a touchdown…Matadors 40 Knights 38.
Rosemead-South El Monte at “The Swamp” in 2005…
The Schurr title run, Joe Orduno playing the best four weeks of quarterback I’ve seen at the prep level, and the upset of La Habra and Santa Fe in 2006.
Temple City’s Desmond Reed tracking down Los Altos’ Shaun Cody in the 2000 match between the schools at North Field.
Alhambra’s Zion Babb hurdling Montebello’s Fernando Toy.
The 2009 CIF Final at Citrus College when San Dimas, and Tre Evans, beat Monrovia in a hurricane.
Dominic Salmon going long to Sergio Leon against La Serna in the second round of the 2004 playoffs.
El Monte’s Brandon Martinez going 35-yards to Memo Silva to beat Rosemead in 2011, 31-28.
Rosemead’s Joe Silva making three consecutive defensive plays inside the Panthers ten to turn back El Monte in 2000. First varsity football game ever played at EMHS.
Connor Van Ginkel climbing the ladder to make a non-touchdown/touchdown catch in last season’s Southeast Division title game.
Forrest Elder at Muir and Audarrius Bailey at Arcadia. “The Age of Audarrius”, has always been my favorite MVS headline.
I got a thousand more, I’ll share some of them Thursday.
***
Regards:
In regards to Fantasy Football: Is it impossible for a Fantasy Football expert to talk in a deep voice and not wear a bow tie or a purple suit?
In regards to “fraudulent advocates”: While I believe there are honest people out there, who really care about player safety, I believe the majority are hacks trying to make a name or buck for themselves. Race, environment, guns, education, there are dirtbags everywhere. My first instinct is to trust no one…especially when they lead with; “Hey, I’m just here for the kids.”
In regards to former Bonita quarterback Greg Spathias: Happy Birthday! In 2010 it was Spathias, after starting quarterback Garrett Pendleton was injured in August, that saved the day and led the Bearcats to a 5-0 record. With Pendleton back at the helm Bonita eventually went to the finals before losing to West Covina is a classic.
In regards to Anne Frank: It was on this day in 1944 she and her family were captured by the Nazi Gestapo and sent to a concentration camps
In regards to the Mets: Did I mention that they’re in first place?
The Dude abides…
605
Psalms 96:4
Contact Joe at joe@midvalleysports.com
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