(“The TEN” is not a top ten but ten items worth being included in “The TEN”)
1. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers 34-27 on Thursday night Football.
2. The LA Galaxy clinched a spot in the MLS Playoffs with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake Wednesday night.
3. LAFC clinched the MLS Supporter’s Shield with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Houston Dynamo Wednesday night. LAFC’s Carlos Vela scored his league leading 30th goal of the season, two ahead of the Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
4. Running back Melvin Gordon ended his holdout after nine weeks and returned to the Chargers.
5. Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his foot.
6. The Angels would have an interest in hiring manager Joe Maddon if he leaves the Chicago Cubs.
7. Sierra Vista (4-0) will host Garey Friday night.
8. The New York Yankees, Minnesota and Houston have all clinched Division titles in the American League; The Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves have clinched Division titles in the National League.
9. On this day in 1988 Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was disqualified from the Seoul Olympics 100m after he tested positive for the steroid stanozolol. American Carl Lewis was awarded the gold medal and a world record 9.92.
10. Former Philadelphia Phillies third baseman/ Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt turns 70 today.
If football teaches you anything about life it is to never give up even against long odds. Remember, the schools are well heeled but not necessarily the player. Those teams do not represent high school football anymore than OC House Wifes represent real moms. To my point I give you local boy Matt Fink. At the time of his rise he was good but there were other QB’s in the area that got more attention. He stuck it out and now he has his chance. Your team does not not have to be invited to the White House to be a champion. Often its about sticking in there that makes you one.
How can you fault MD for having a top performing program. More and more schools are struggling because kids are choosing not to play football. The kids who want to play and are good enough to perform at the top schools go to those top schools and play with the elite. Not everyone was born to play football.
I just saw a group photo of the Mater Dei football team gathered in front of the White House. They’re in town to play a private school from the District of Columbia. We’re seeing more and more of these well-heeled private schools traveling cross-country to play other elite teams. At the same time, we’re seeing more and more of schools such as Glendale, struggling to keep a team on the field, having to forfeit games due to lack of numbers, with little hope for the future. It’s symbolic of how our nation is evolving, with the wealthy few at the top, and the rest of us left to wither away.