Good Evening!
"The Soldier" Eric Sepulveda, with his number one fan
T-Minus-141 Days until “The Mid Valley Classic”
Was it just me or was the Lakers game with the Thunder a little close last night…
Anyone ready to say West Covina is the team to beat in the Hacienda League? They’re returning a ton of talent…I think they have more playmakers than Bonita and Rowland. Plus who is going to replace Gus Viramontes at quarterback for Diamond Ranch?
While the WC’s non-league schedule will be its standard form of brutal, a name along the offensive line was floated to me. I couldn’t find any stats on him but one fan out there seems to like tackle Joseph Gibson. Of course his size, 6’4 290 lbs, inspires you to testify…but I don’t know. Is there a WestCo fan out there who can give me a little help?
Citrus Valley Blackhawk head coach and Traveling Man Pete Smolin and his assistant Kirk Olescyski were awesome last night on “The Mid Valley Sports Show”…
Smolin, besides being successful, is interesting for the stops he’s made as an HC (Glendale, Bassett, Cantwell, & currently Citrus Valley) but also for some of his near misses. (Places he was close to being named head coach.)
Plus he tells a great Rugby/Gettysburg story…
While Smolin is from eastern Pennsylvania his quarterback coach Kirk Olescyski is from western Pennsylvania, which is known as the “Cradle of Quarterbacks”. Olescyski enlightened me on the Tom Cruise movie “All The Right Moves”, which I’ve dismissed for years because it’s a Tom Cruise movie. He said the movie was spot on in capturing the atmosphere of football in the steel towns.
The guys brought in gear…and confirmed South Street as the best Philly Cheese-Steak around.
The Mid is going to miss Zeke Prado…although we have a feeling we are going to be working for him as long as he’s at Dakota Wesleyan.
I want a stipend from Zeke for every player he signs out of the Mid-Valley and Southeast divisions.
Last week I asked the tough question about stipend pay for football coaches versus golf coaches at area schools. Arroyo’s Doug Stevens, who used to ride my back about going to class at the old alma mater, was kind enough to send me this response:
“In answer to your question about pay for high school coaches, the football head coach gets twice as much as the golf coach at Arroyo. The varsity golf coach stipend is less than any other head coach in any sport here at Arroyo. In fact the last assistant on freshman football gets more than the golf coach! The only real benefit is the golf coach golfs with the team during matches.”
Doug Stevens…yeah, that dude’s alright.
Last Add Arroyo: The player I’ve been told to keep an eye on this coming season is Robert Thome, who has converted from running back to wide receiver.
Mid Valley B-Day wishes to former Temple City linebacker Eric Sepulveda (A Mid Valley favorite), who turns 26 today.
Sepulveda, wearing his classic number 35 for Randy Backus, had one of the best defensive seasons ever for a TC player in 2001 as the Rams raced to an 11-1 record and their first Rio Hondo League title since the early 1990’s.
“Eric Sepulveda…aka ‘Soldier’…was exactly the kind of kid a coach dreams of as a linebacker,” said new San Marino HC Mike Mooney. “Tough as nails, loved contact, relentless will to compete. Played with total heart and emotion, left everything on the field every time out. A real warrior…hence the nickname.”
Did you see Leander Benjamin pop in last night? We still got news coming on him.
What a ridiculous column by Yahoo Sports Les Carpenter on Tim Tebow as he implied NFL teams may pass on Tebow because he’s too Christian.
I would think with millions of dollars involved the problems with Tebow are: Can he play under center, can he read defenses, and can he do something about his hideous delivery? Not whether or not he’s too energetic in proclaiming the Gospel.
For a little insight, it’s the media and the elites who are frightened of Christianity. Tebow is controversial to them, not to the majority of Americans. Carpenter’s piece raises issues that Tebow might ONLY being playing football to spread Christianity. Oh My God! No! Not that!
A little faith exercised on Ben (suspended for six games) Roethlisberger’s part might have the Pittsburgh Steelers front office sleeping better at night…but I digress.
Anyone who calls themselves a Believer in Christ is called to be ‘salt and light’ to the world. It makes no difference if you’re an NFL quarterback, an NFL waterboy, the President of the United States, or flipping burgers at Art’s. Here’s the thing the paranoids like Carpenter, and his unnamed sources in the NFL, and much of the media, and Rick Reilly, and anyone else concerned needs to know; A Christian doesn’t need words to preach the Gospel.
One of the classic lines from the early church fathers is; “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.”
In the last ten years I discussed faith with a number of coaches, I’ve given the invocation at Little League ceremonies, and I’ve even prayed with an injured player (with permission) on the sideline who blew out his knee. Ask me and I’ll tell you what I believe. Ask me how I’m feeling after winning the Super Bowl, the Heisman Trophy, or having a newborn daughter placed in my hands…and I am going to proudly thank my maker for the blessing.
Unfortunately talk is cheap. A believer needs to live his/her faith. Tebow lives it, and that is why he is so loud in proclaiming his faith.
Now, Christian or not, I want the Rams to draft Ndamukong Suh with the first pick…and if they did take Suh and Tebow is still available in the second round I’d want them to select Colt McCoy. I may like what Tebow puts on his eye black, but his motion is the sickest thing I’ve seen since Peterson picked up a football and attempted a pass last summer.
Stay thirsty my friends…
252
Fanview Lite appears Monday thru Saturday at www.midvalleysports.com
Fanview, the HD version, appears every Tuesday at www.midvalleynewsonline.com
“The Mid Valley Sports Show” is live every Tuesday night (7-9:PM) at www.midvalleysports.com
FaithView appears every Friday in Notes on Joe T.’s Facebook page
Leave a Reply