And so closes the book on another high school football season....

[WOSgrad]

While watching the Coldspring game last night, I was struck by the fact that their very appearance last night, whether they realized or not, represented the highest of highs yet the lowest of lows for the 2010 football season at SETX.  Of course, the high was obvious as Coach Barbay and the Trojans marked another year that an SETX team had journeyed to a state championship final.  The low, probably less apparent, was represented on each of the Trojans' helmets which still adorned the "12" sticker in honor of the late Reggie Garrett and the "CB" in honor of the late Coach Curtis Barbay.  Yet, while those stickers certainly marked the low points of the season, they also represented a realization for me about this thing we call SETX.  It is not, as we have stated before a community…it is a family.  Yes, we will fight and pick on each other.  However, in rough times, we will come together to comfort one another without regard to the school name or color.

This has been an exciting season here at SETX as a number of landmarks were reached.  We branched out from just merely web casts into radio broadcasts and established partnerships with quality people like our friends at KETX in Livingston.  In fact, our own Mike Sanchez was part of a landmark idea by Channel 6’s Lance Edwards to bring area high school football into our homes via television broadcast as Mike provided the play by play for the inaugural season of Saturday Night Lights.  We also established new benchmarks in monthly page views both for the message board (3 million page views in both October and November of this year) and the website (5 million views in October and November) as well as new members.

There are a number of folks that are responsible for those benchmarks and I’d like to start at the top with my Jasper-Newton Electric OT Scoreboard partner and the owner of the board, Jordan Wilson.  He may not weigh in on many threads up here, but his work in making this site what it is today is beyond measure.  He is up long after all of us have gone to bed and up way before we wake up in order to make sure that this site ran smoothly.  He is always on call to fix whatever needs repair on the site and does so uncomplainingly. Jordan, the debt that all of us owe to you is akin to the National debt in that it is so large that we can never hope to repay it.

Probably those most directly responsible for the increase in activity on our board is our top notch team of broadcasters and broadcast personnel.  I had the opportunity to try my hand at this part of it and I can tell you that it is much more difficult task than you can ever imagine which makes me marvel at these men that much more because they make it seem so easy.  Adam Davis, Jereme Hubbard, Tim Scoggins, Mike Sanchez, Corey Berg, Joey Vincent, Donnie Meek, Bobby Fillyaw, Ronald Barlow and David Grant, y’all are truly talented gentlemen and it has been a pleasure to be able to work with you as it was with engineering wiz kid Cory Horton and fill-ins BMTSoulja1 Robert, Randall Huffman and Sgt. Rey and my longtime buddy and one time broadcast partner Jerry Hamilton.

I would also take the time to recognize another set of special folks, my correspondents.  These folks were vital in getting information to me so that I could pass it on to you.  These folks made my task very easy!  Thank you folks:

18-3A - dolemite
Anahuac - Anafanatic
Barbers Hill - BHFAN
Baytown Lee - panamamyers
Beaumont Central - BMTSoulja1
Beaumont West Brook - Sgt. Rey
Beaumont West Brook - 82 5A State Champs
Bridge City - BCgrad05
Buna - BUNA95
Burkeville - U_dnt_kno_me
Chester - fbmom
Colmesneil - Colmesneilfan1
Crosby - Cougtalk
Dayton - PURPLE 4EVER
Deweyville - SteelerCzy
East Chambers - ECBucFan
Evadale - BIGMO44
Hamshire-Fannett - HORNS R #1
Hardin - JohnSmith1982, HardinHornet
Hardin-Jefferson - Sloe
High Island - H.I._#20_mom
Hull-Daisetta - HD BOBCAT 55
Huffman - beechnut
Kountze - fbfan
Lumberton - LTrain, RaiderGirl92
Nederland - adminbaberuth
Orangefield - bobcatfan4life
Port Arthur Memorial - The GOAT
San Augustine – SAWolverine
Warren – justafan1
West Hardin - Joharr73
West Sabine-BucketSitR

Another key was the cooperation of our area coaches.  While I envy their position as coaches, I do not envy their tasks which include teacher, administrator, part time parent and public relations director just to name a few.  And many time their mention on boards like ours are as subjects of scorn, rather than a subjects of praise as they should be much more often.  Given all of this, it was probably very tempting for them to tell me where to shove the countless requests for information I heaped upon them.  Yet to a man, they time and again politely forwarded me information I needed in a time period that was amazing giving the constraints upon their schedule and without complaint.  Coaches, we will never state this enough, but we are grateful to you for what each and every one of you do in guiding our young men and in the same way our respective communities.

Which brings me to the young men that we have had the pleasure of watching this year.  It was a rough one for some of you, but you never ceased to endeavor to bring your level best to us week in and week out.  Be it our largest school in West Brook to our smallest in Chester, where they were a testament to the fact that sometimes less is more, each of us owe each of you thanks for allowing us to peek in as you develop into our next generation of leaders.  Some of you have performed at a level which has earned you a college education, many of you will never put on pads again and some we will see next year and in years to come on our high school fields as you continue to wow us with how much you have matured.  It matters not as we are truly proud in the way all of you have represented all of us.

And to the members of SETXsports.com as it is you, not us, who make this site what it is.  Whether it is by posting or just merely viewing, you are the vital part of SETXsports.com for which everything else would be pointless.

And finally, but on a personal level most importantly a special thank you to my patient wife, Becky, who has allowed me to engage in this time consuming hobby.  Not only has she proceeded without complaint, she has been a constant and very vocal source of encouragement.  I love you, honey.

All of this makes me look that much more forward to the 2011 year as we will say hi to each other and welcome new friends from all parts of the State of Texas just as we did this year with new friends from places such as Brenham, Friendswood, La Marque, La Porte, Montgomery and Humble, as well as a new football team from my hometown, the Orange Community Christian Lions as they embark on TAPPS 6 man play.

Of course, if you wish to talk high school football, we will still be here…just a few notches lower in the main forum as the other sports take their well deserved place in the spotlight with broadcasters such as Mike, Joey and Rob Lietzke.  Of course, stay tuned as we will announce our All-SETX team just after the beginning of the year.

To all of you, my friends, I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year!

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

and this is why WOSGRAD is Scooter's Poster of the year!!!!

[Kville_Kats]

[quote name="Scooter!" post="936072" timestamp="1292750050"]
and this is why WOSGRAD is Scooter's Poster of the year!!!!
[/quote]

And very well deserved I might add...Congrats  Grad..On a job WELL done...!!!

[kcat-fan]

GREAT job guys!!!!.... :'( :'( ;D

[Rebel Yeller]

Thanks for all you do Grad! Your post about the past footbal season was right on.

How many days is it till two a days start?

[belle-mere]

Grad, your hard work & the work of all the folks you mentioned is appreciated. From checking area scores to the pick-em game to making an occasional comment, I thank you all for making this possible.

[BMTSoulja1]

<tips hat>  8) 8)

[texaggies07]

This year I have posted more on the board than in previous years.  This is probably due to the fact my Trojans had so much success.  It is so much easier to get on here at say things when your team is winning.  I love this message board and rely on it more than I know during football season.  When I'm gone at work and need to know if the Trojans won or lost I can always find out here.  None of the other sites cover Coldspring Trojan football quite like here.  I know sometimes I can get a little too passionate about the Trojans and say some things I shouldn't,  but that is how I have always been about my Alma mater and will always be.  That is probably why my Karma is negative 300 something and I will never be able to climb out of that hole.  Sorry Scooter you add a lot to the board.  WOS Grad thanks for all you do and the many others here that provide indepth high school football coverage.  I may not be on much during the off season, but come August I will back strong to talk about another great season of high school football which I love probably more than college or pro football.  It has been a great year for me with the Trojans going to the State Finals, but I also recognize those which we lost like Reggie and Coach Barbay.  I can't wait till next season.  Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.

[adminbaberuth]

Grad, best year for the board imo, we’re lucky you’re the capitan

[BRONX ROX]

Great job to all!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D

[SgtRey]

Well stated GRAD...I have at least...17 more years to play with people's heads on here....

Bruce Reyes Jr, a senior, will still make a lil noise in power lifting...

Chris Reyes ( 135 lbs wrestler....10-0 as of yesterday), is a junior...CC/Wrestling another year!

Xavier Reyes, 9 yrs old, an athlete...no telling what he's going to focus on.

Izabella Reyes, 14months...will be a beast! ;D


So, unless you guys PATITAN me...I'll be hangin around. 8)

[LTrain]

Great Stuff Grad and everyone else who put's in on this board...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to ALL  :)

[AggiesAreWe]

Great post Grad!!

Jordan may be the owner and mechanic, but you are the driver. You and I have been friends long before SETXsports and I can truly say that I am blessed to call you friend and we are blessed to have you here on the site.

Todd, thanks so much for what you do for the site. I agree with admin, BEST YEAR EVER!!!

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

this board has went from local to statewide in a short amount of time. we have folks ranging from SETX to Texarkana to West texas on up thru Aledo now.  :o

[RCOLE68]

Thanks alot Grad for the stats and work, no site for us houston area fans to see so this really help us support our teams

[SteelerCzy]

I really enjoyed all the games this weekend, great experience, my best friend and his son normally goes with us however this year they couldn't make it.  I had the honor of meeting some board members there, liltex, bh89-2 and ECBucFan a bunch of great guys and serious football fans, great atmosphere and there was a picture taken so maybe ECBucFan can post it for us. 

[NDNWarrior]

GREAT POST >>========>  WOSGrad

Thanks for all you do and have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

Next year hopefully its a west texas vs. east texas matchup for state, if so im all in.

[Kville_Kats]

[quote name="Scooter!" post="936323" timestamp="1292796946"]
Next year hopefully its a west texas vs. east texas matchup for state, if so im all in.
[/quote]

And I just know you will be all East Texas... ::)...lol

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

[quote name="Kville_Kats" post="936388" timestamp="1292805697"]
[quote author=Scooter! link=topic=77788.msg936323#msg936323 date=1292796946]
Next year hopefully its a west texas vs. east texas matchup for state, if so im all in.
[/quote]

And I just know you will be all East Texas... ::)...lol
[/quote]NOPE! I live in West Texas  8)

[Kville_Kats]

[quote name="Scooter!" post="936389" timestamp="1292806680"]
[quote author=Kville_Kats link=topic=77788.msg936388#msg936388 date=1292805697]
[quote author=Scooter! link=topic=77788.msg936323#msg936323 date=1292796946]
Next year hopefully its a west texas vs. east texas matchup for state, if so im all in.
[/quote]

And I just know you will be all East Texas... ::)...lol
[/quote]NOPE! I live in West Texas  8)
[/quote]

Scooter you ever heard of Franklinton La...My daughter lives there..They are the 4A State Champs..I think the played Abiline Wylie this year..(sorry Grad not trying to hijack this thread...Back to topic...)

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

[quote name="Kville_Kats" post="936391" timestamp="1292806938"]
[quote author=Scooter! link=topic=77788.msg936389#msg936389 date=1292806680]
[quote author=Kville_Kats link=topic=77788.msg936388#msg936388 date=1292805697]
[quote author=Scooter! link=topic=77788.msg936323#msg936323 date=1292796946]
Next year hopefully its a west texas vs. east texas matchup for state, if so im all in.
[/quote]

And I just know you will be all East Texas... ::)...lol
[/quote]NOPE! I live in West Texas  8)
[/quote]

Scooter you ever heard of Franklinton La...My daughter lives there..They are the 4A State Champs..I think the played Abiline Wylie this year..(sorry Grad not trying to hijack this thread...Back to topic...)
[/quote]Abilene High beat Franklinton here  8)

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

is it week zero yet?  :'(

[WOSgrad]

Oh, you don't have to wait for Week 0, previews will start on July 1.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

[quote name="WOSgrad" post="936703" timestamp="1292885706"]
Oh, you don't have to wait for Week 0, previews will start on July 1.
[/quote] 8)