Tim Peterson
So Temple City isn’t folding its football program. Great news. By hiring an on campus teacher as the head coach the administration has at least shown that they are interested in creating some consistency and some interest in a program that desperately needs it.
Is Riley Saxon the savior for Temple City? Will the Rams suddenly make an about face and contend for a Rio Hondo League title? No of course not. But it’s a big step in the right direction. Saxon is familiar with the program having played quarterback for Temple City a decade ago and has coached in the program for several years previously. Saxon was the head coach of the junior varsity in 2012 and ’13, coached the freshman in 2014 and was the quarterbacks coach for the varsity in 2015. He has earned the respect of the players and by all accounts has a great relationship with the administration.
With Saxon on campus on a daily basis it gives him a chance to create a buzz about football and get more kids out. He won’t have to make a long trek to get to the football field for practice every day. Heck, he’s already there. It will also give him the opportunity to keep tabs on his players, not only making sure they’re ready for practice but ready for the classroom. Need to have a quick football meeting at noon on a Tuesday? No problem now with an on campus coach.
All of this is great but without the support of the administration it means nothing. However would Saxon have been hired if the admin wasn’t planning on giving him their full support? Doesn’t seem likely. This could work out. The Rams are seemingly back on the right track.
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I understood Jeanie Buss firing her brother Jim Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak. The Lakers are now in their fourth year of ineptitude and for an organization that was used to hanging championship banners nearly every other year in the eighties and five more in the 2000s this was unacceptable. But what did John Black do? Black, who was the Lakers head of Public Relations for over 30 years, was also sent packing last week. What? So the PR guy was responsible for signing Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng? Rumors were that Black was too close to Kupchak but it still seems odd. Will Magic Johnson make a difference? I don’t know? can he still play point guard?
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Speaking of the NBA did anybody catch that garbage they called an All-Star game last Sunday? The game has been in a steady decline over the last several years but this year it was an abomination. I’d call it pick up ball but that’s an embarrassment to pick up players everywhere. I’ve seen more defense played down at Live Oak Park on a Sunday afternoon. ESPNs Stephen A. Smith called it disgusting and Reggie Miller called it a joke. Can you imagine paying to watch this? Changes need to be made. By the way the slam dunk contest also wore out its welcome years ago.
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If you want to see some real basketball head out to Felix Event Center at Azusa Pacific University this Friday and Saturday nights. Big week for the Rose City. Pasadena, Blair and Maranatha have all made the CIF Finals. Pasadena plays Harvard-Westlake Friday night at 9:00 p.m. at APU. Blair plays West Torrance Saturday night at 6:00 and Maranatha battles Rancho Verde Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Oh,Burbank was the other local team to crash the party. The Bulldogs will face Brentwood Friday night at 7:00. Huge year in sports for the Bank as the football and the basketball teams both made it to the CIF Final.
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Ready for some baseball? It was kind of cool while channel surfing Sunday to see the Dodgers and Brewers playing some spring ball in Phoenix. Cody Bellinger belted a home run and the Dodgers went on to outslug Milwaukee 10-8. While it was cool for me, I’ve never not had the Dodgers channel, I kept thinking how uncool it must be for 70 percent of the fans in Los Angeles that can’t see the Dodgers. Did you know this is the fourth year that fans without Time Warner/Spectrum won’t be able to watch the Dodgers? Does it take a little of the sting away knowing that Vin Scully retired?
Without Scully is it really “Time for Dodger baseball?”
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
How many kids from the city section are going to USC?
@Anonymous is another disgruntled fan of that JC team that calls westwood home. Hate all you want baby Bruins. It will be a long time before you catch the Trojans again. Pray that you don’t get 70 put on you this year. It’s ok, maybe after another awful season Moran will head back to the league and you can brink back Slick Rick or Uncle Carl back. Poor, poor baby Bruins. Lol….
Yea but Hawkins players are going to UsC where you don’t need grades and never see a actual Classroom.
Hawkins program also had a lot of players offered a scholarship to play football at the next level
Hawkins High has been in Academic Trouble The last two year’s. I don’t think you want a coach like that.
Easier to find 5 guys than 30. They can even find 9 for a softball or baseball team. Maybe they should just have basketball and maybe soccer. Its pathetic that they keep the Rio Hondo League schools hostage and lose games. Softball and baseball each school gets 3 less games. Football one less game and if it was a home game lost gate and concession money.
la Miranda or San Gabriel should hire mil’von James. He will bring all his d1 recruits from Hawkins high.
@peterson any chance Jude goes back to SG
That just proves Blair still has plenty of athletes on campus if the right coach can be found in football. A big shout out to their basketball program. The coaching staff sets a great example for these young men to follow, it shows good things do happen to good people.
I just need Sling to add the Lakers station and I can say goodbye to cable and satellite TV.