The El Rock, Bad Dudes of EMHS
From left to right: Christopher Alvarez, Charlie Carrillo, Luis Valerio, Abel Ochoa, John Leon, Christian Alvarez
By Joe Torosian
“Why can’t you tell her to talk to us? We’re the ones doing all the blocking.”—Pineapple Bartholomew, LT, West El Monte Poly
Kick it!
Right off the Top: I want to write a book about offensive linemen.
Wouldn’t a book about high school offensive linemen and all they go through be interesting? Or course, only a good offensive line would be interesting. I mean who wants to see a bad offensive line on Fridays in the fall when you can see the Los Angeles Rams offensive line every Sunday?
I didn’t have a great prep career, I didn’t have a great church league career, but I did have that occasional moment where I hit the home run (a legit home run not a between the outfielder’s legs grounder punctuated by an overthrow of third base) or stroked a three from 25-feet plus. And I was affirmed in those moments.
But…
What affirmation does a good offensive lineman get? The guy he blocks for becomes the MVP. The guy he blocks for becomes the face of the program. The guy he blocks for gets remembered.
A little over a decade ago Schurr had a running back named Jesse Ramirez. “Gordo” had back-to-back 2,000 yard seasons. One of his blockers played some pro-ball can you name him? More importantly when a guy rushes for 2,000 yards (twice), perhaps we should be able to name all five guys that plowed the road for him.
Who were the Apaches that blocked for Audarrius Bailey at Arcadia from 2002-2005? Who were the five guys that blocked for Sal Tovar at South El Monte last season?
I get it…They knew the job was dangerous when they took it. They knew there would be little fanfare regarding them because no one really cares about how the sausage is made. But before writing a book about offensive linemen (or telling somebody else to write a book about offensive linemen), I’d love to hear half the stories I hear about quarterbacks.
What do we hear about quarterbacks?
“This kid is tough…”
“This kid never quits…”
“He’s a leader…”
…yada…yada…yada…
What do we hear about offensive linemen? He’s strong? He works hard?
Besides some attention, a good offensive line needs a nickname. Like Buffalo’s “Electric Company” back in the 1970s…Like “The Devil’s Herd” at South El Monte in 2016. (Yeah, I made that one up.)
Are there any nicknames out there we don’t know about?
Good things do happen for offensive linemen, but it would be better to see everything they go through. The sweat, the labor, the insults…Something more than car pulls, tire throws and yellow flags on Friday night.
Really, somebody should do a book on these guys.
***
Midbits (same as ‘Tidbits’)
Midbits: It was great to read something positive about Cathedral for a change. Most of the stuff I see about the Phantoms on this website starts out like; “I looked as they opened the sixth seal and a beast with seven heads and ten horns rose up near Dodger Stadium…”
Midbits: Oh, by the way, the other day when I dumped the NFL Network I also dumped all (ALL) of my ESPN channels…Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.
Midbits: Speaking of South Pasadena did you know over the course of the last 14 seasons the Tigers have only had a losing record four times and only three playoff appearances (none at home)?
Midbits: Now that Jesse Ceniceros is at El Monte…(A development still rattling the space-time continuum)…I’m going to start calling them El Rock…
Midbits: What was all that gold Yadier Molina was wearing in last night’s MLB All-Star Game? (I only caught the first nine innings)…Molina looked like C3Po from Star Wars…Man, who let the nerds out?
The Dude abides…
667
Job 11:7-8
Contact Joe at joe@midvalleysports.com
Author of “Tangent Dreams: A High School Football Novel” & “The Dead Bug Tales” both available through amazon.com and Barnes & Noble
Follow Joe on Twitter @joet13b
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If you fine yourself back up close to your goal line don’t worry about what the people in the stands are saying (punt) and get yourself out of there it’s all part of football coaches have to have thick skin I have followed high school football for many years and seen some of the most successful coaches get booed for calls they have made at all levels including the pros do you not remember the last call that was made by Pete Carroll in the Super Bowl
What’s wrong with bishop Amat nowadays that it’s starting to decline?
@Eye Ball
Its not about Coach C… He is a great coach and man. Its about the parents and the admin, when at the beginning, in the learning phases of running this very finess, orientated blocking offense. Stumblings, trips and backside blitzes happen all the time. What are they going to do when its 2nd and 14, or 3rd and 9? Being on their own 30 yard line and 4th and 12 and getting a 1st down with the spread, and the parents being use to seeing it. We will see the Boo Birds early or should I say Polly the Lioness.
Let’s not forget Ceniceros is not a video or clinic double wing coach , he actually learned the double wing as a assistant for several years form the developer of the double Don Markham and 5 CIF Championships as an assistant if you think he hasn’t seen cutting THINK TWICE !
Now that they are running the Double Wing we will see how they feel about their linemen getting their knees and legs cut out from under them when they pull. We will hear the crying later when it happens to them. Paybacks a biatch!!
Jesse Gordo Ramirez hands down the one of the best or thee best running back from schurr. Transferred in his junior year from the promise breaking Bishop Amat. Gordo was not the fastest but he had great vision and knew how to use his lineman to get open and into the end zone.
Stack the box, and you shut down the double wing, don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. There biggest problem will be the passing game. And problems are growing within the ranks at El Monte!!!
El Monte is gonna be a nightmare to deal with. Oline that big in that league anxious to see if they have a couple backs to run behind those guys
@ red bird
You’re wrong. He transferred in from bishop amat. But there was stud running back at Bosco tech at the same time. Can u name that kid?. There was like 500 yds rushing combined when Schurr played Bosco that year
He came from Amat…
Those two tackles were there last year and they were horrible but it’s a new year let’s what they can do!
Mike Diaz was the blocker at Schurr and if I’m not mistaken that running back transferred in from of all places Bosco Tech..
behind those 2 tackles El monte is going to do some damage next season.
I don’t want to be the linebacker trying to make a tackle on a guy running behind those big Mofo’s in the double wing.
Now you really got me curious Joe. What do you watch on TV these days after dumping your channels? I’m guessing reruns of Huell Howser’s California Gold on PBS.
From Joe T.: Every Mets game…Well, I don’t watch much news…maybe 30 minutes…Any Kolchak:Nightstalker reruns…Seinfeld & Office…My daughter had me sit through “Stranger Things”…I’ve been reading a lot…No Huell Howser though–that voice is just too optimistic…I’ve also been getting to know a little bit about a multi-positional tough as nails football player who is forced to play some quarterback out in the East Valley for my next football book…
OK, now we know why Cineceros took the EM gig. A picture does speak a thousand words.