There were no computers in classrooms when I first started teaching. In fact, the average size of a computer was about the size of an average classroom back in the day.
I may have forgotten a few names of my former students, but I never forget their faces and individual traits.
Last year, I remember telling my students to "let me go" first. What brought that about was the death of a former student. I meant that last year and I stress it again today.
This morning I saw an obituary of a former student of mine. He moved to Dallas and "left us" from that big city. I remembered his face immediately and the name under it brought back many memories.
It just doesn't seem fair that those who were once in my classroom "go home" before I do; but then who am I to question God's perfect timing?
Friday, December 28, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Will the real LSU please stand up?
Long, long, long time ago, when television was still in its black-and-white broadcast days, there was a show where a panel of special guests tried to guess who was telling the truth about their job or some other unique lifestyle or situation. I believe it was called "To Tell the Truth".
Out of the three guests who claimed to be someone special, only one was the real thing--much like the 2007 LSU Tiger football team.
Just who are the LSU players wearing the purple and gold this season? Are they the real thing, or simply imposters? Their opening line was very convincing against Virginia Tech. Their second and third lines were also pretty good statements when Middle Tennessee and Mississippi State showed up to play.
However, the Tigers must have been trying to fool the national panel of guests for the rest of the season with their performances against all the other teams. They never really put anybody away like true champs and that was frustrating to long-time Tiger fans.
Only one more step for the LSU football Tigers remains to prove to the national panel just who they really are, and that's coming up Monday night, Jan. 7.
Will the Tigers show up like the real thing, full of pop and energy; or will they fizzle out like yesterday's leftover soda?
Out of the three guests who claimed to be someone special, only one was the real thing--much like the 2007 LSU Tiger football team.
Just who are the LSU players wearing the purple and gold this season? Are they the real thing, or simply imposters? Their opening line was very convincing against Virginia Tech. Their second and third lines were also pretty good statements when Middle Tennessee and Mississippi State showed up to play.
However, the Tigers must have been trying to fool the national panel of guests for the rest of the season with their performances against all the other teams. They never really put anybody away like true champs and that was frustrating to long-time Tiger fans.
Only one more step for the LSU football Tigers remains to prove to the national panel just who they really are, and that's coming up Monday night, Jan. 7.
Will the Tigers show up like the real thing, full of pop and energy; or will they fizzle out like yesterday's leftover soda?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Boring, boring Friday night
Yawwwwwn! What an absolutely boring Friday night last night was. It happens ever year though, so by now one would think the effects would not be so dramatic.
I mean there was no rush to get home to change and rush back to the ball game. There was no hustling to beat kids out of the parking lot to get to the out-of-town game. There was no sleeping in a hotel following a football contest. Something's wrong when one has to go from high school football games every Friday night to sitting in front of the tube watching "Wheel of Fortune". (My gosh, Vanna White is getting old.)
The number of E-mails coming in did increase somewhat Friday night. Several of them argued, and rightly so, that Sam, Smiley, Jacob, Logan, James Michael and others should have made the All-State team.
I am pumped about the basketball and soccer teams, but with basketball I always get a crick in my neck, and soccer just happens to be played during the deep-freeze period of the year. Oh well. I guess it's time I stock up on the aspirin and dig for those long johns in the back of the closet.
I mean there was no rush to get home to change and rush back to the ball game. There was no hustling to beat kids out of the parking lot to get to the out-of-town game. There was no sleeping in a hotel following a football contest. Something's wrong when one has to go from high school football games every Friday night to sitting in front of the tube watching "Wheel of Fortune". (My gosh, Vanna White is getting old.)
The number of E-mails coming in did increase somewhat Friday night. Several of them argued, and rightly so, that Sam, Smiley, Jacob, Logan, James Michael and others should have made the All-State team.
I am pumped about the basketball and soccer teams, but with basketball I always get a crick in my neck, and soccer just happens to be played during the deep-freeze period of the year. Oh well. I guess it's time I stock up on the aspirin and dig for those long johns in the back of the closet.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Dome brings about agoraphobia
I never knew I was afraid of crowds, but I found out Saturday night at the Louisiana Superdome. People, people everywhere, and none of them I know! It was a record-setting crowd in The Big Easy this weekend for the state championships in football.
All three games were blow-outs. South Plaquemines, with four seventh graders and five eighth graders on the roster whipped West St. John to take the 1-A state title in the first game.
Bastrop, with the skills of Randall Mackey at quarterback, ran up a 38-0 score before Archbishop Shaw could make their fifth first down of the game to win 38-14. The Rams' only weakness is that they could not seem to convert on extra points.
Mackey is still the real deal. He can still run, pass and even rated a 9.5 on his back flip into the endzone on his first touchdown. He also was recognized by the referees for an unsportsman-like penalty of 15 yards on his celebration.
Class 5-A has a new champion, the Destrehan Wildcats. The Cats dethroned defending champion Acadiana by 41-21, breaking open a close game in the final period of play.
All three games were blow-outs. South Plaquemines, with four seventh graders and five eighth graders on the roster whipped West St. John to take the 1-A state title in the first game.
Bastrop, with the skills of Randall Mackey at quarterback, ran up a 38-0 score before Archbishop Shaw could make their fifth first down of the game to win 38-14. The Rams' only weakness is that they could not seem to convert on extra points.
Mackey is still the real deal. He can still run, pass and even rated a 9.5 on his back flip into the endzone on his first touchdown. He also was recognized by the referees for an unsportsman-like penalty of 15 yards on his celebration.
Class 5-A has a new champion, the Destrehan Wildcats. The Cats dethroned defending champion Acadiana by 41-21, breaking open a close game in the final period of play.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Dome Tell-Me-Whys
Tell me why Coach John Curtis has won 22 state championships and still has not one gray hair on his head?
Tell me why the sound system is so 'hot' at the Superdome? I felt like I was at a rock concert.
Tell me why the public address announcers lost their French accents this year?
Tell me why the former lead singer for Louisiana's Lereaux has never been invited to sing the National Anthem before?
Tell me why Calvary's artificial surface looks 10 times better than that in the Dome?
Tell me why my wife and I have to chose to sit on the row where everyone wants to get up and pass in front of us five times during the game to go to the john or to the concession stand?
Tell me how Parkview and Westlake got so big?
Tell me why the sound system is so 'hot' at the Superdome? I felt like I was at a rock concert.
Tell me why the public address announcers lost their French accents this year?
Tell me why the former lead singer for Louisiana's Lereaux has never been invited to sing the National Anthem before?
Tell me why Calvary's artificial surface looks 10 times better than that in the Dome?
Tell me why my wife and I have to chose to sit on the row where everyone wants to get up and pass in front of us five times during the game to go to the john or to the concession stand?
Tell me how Parkview and Westlake got so big?
John Curtis proves best 28-13
The secret to beating St. James is to keep Luther Ambrose in check, and John Curtis did that all night, with the exception of one play to win the 2-A state football championship.
Ambrose broke lose one time for a long touchdown, but that was about it in the game that saw 7 fumbles and an interception in the first half alone. Five of the fumbles were recovered by the other team.
I didn't care who won the game, but was kind of glad when I sat on the John Curtis side after remembering that St. James boos so loudly when the other team comes onto the field for the first time. After all, they booed my Cavaliers. So much for the "spirit of the game" the LHSAA so often reminds us about.
I had always heard that John Curtis brings a small following, and even though I have been to the dome more times than I have fingers on my hand, I never noticed their crowd. After tonight's game, I must disagree with what I had heard. JC had the home side almost packed on two levels.
It was hard to figure out if John Curtis was more happy to win the state championship, or to get revenge for their 16-14 loss to St. James in the regular season. I mean 22 state championships can kinda get boring; or can it?
In the second game of the night, Parkview managed a 1-point win over a tough, stubborn Westlake group. I had no preference in that game either, but was impressed by the masses of orange T-shirts all over the city from the Westlake fans.
Parkview had some monsters on the line, and I mean humongous monsters! Westlake tried to psych out the fans and Eagles when they sent out players in pre-game warm up that were about the size of normal sixth graders. They then sent out the big boys that were almost as large as Parkview's linemen.
Westlake's Vincent Collins may be the second-coming of Jacob Hester.
Ambrose broke lose one time for a long touchdown, but that was about it in the game that saw 7 fumbles and an interception in the first half alone. Five of the fumbles were recovered by the other team.
I didn't care who won the game, but was kind of glad when I sat on the John Curtis side after remembering that St. James boos so loudly when the other team comes onto the field for the first time. After all, they booed my Cavaliers. So much for the "spirit of the game" the LHSAA so often reminds us about.
I had always heard that John Curtis brings a small following, and even though I have been to the dome more times than I have fingers on my hand, I never noticed their crowd. After tonight's game, I must disagree with what I had heard. JC had the home side almost packed on two levels.
It was hard to figure out if John Curtis was more happy to win the state championship, or to get revenge for their 16-14 loss to St. James in the regular season. I mean 22 state championships can kinda get boring; or can it?
In the second game of the night, Parkview managed a 1-point win over a tough, stubborn Westlake group. I had no preference in that game either, but was impressed by the masses of orange T-shirts all over the city from the Westlake fans.
Parkview had some monsters on the line, and I mean humongous monsters! Westlake tried to psych out the fans and Eagles when they sent out players in pre-game warm up that were about the size of normal sixth graders. They then sent out the big boys that were almost as large as Parkview's linemen.
Westlake's Vincent Collins may be the second-coming of Jacob Hester.
Rod's 2007 Dome Blog
FRIDAY, DEC. 7, AFTERNOON UPDATE-- So far, Westgate fans out-number everyone else around the Dome. I see orange shirts everywhere. I bumped into a few St. James folks and a couple of their coaches at the Riverwalk. On the way out of "Mothers Restaurant" for lunch, I saw my first Parkview fans.
Now, it's back to the hotel for some rest before the football games tonight.
FRIDAY, DEC. 7--It sure is quiet around here this morning. Since 1993 I have been awakened by fans of teams from around the state with their pre-game war chants.
Different hotel and different teams this year being on an unfamiliar experience, but then there's John Curtis. I think I saw someone in a Patriots' hat chasing away the dust bunnies in the Superdome locker room. I thought the tape on the floor was from a Saints' game, but it still had JC logos on it. I am going to find out it they really have a dedicated dressing room just for John Curtis each year here at the Dome.
No offense against West St. John, but I have to pull for the South Plaquemines in the 1-A game tomorrow simply because Calvary drove through that area when we played Boothville-Venice. That part of the state was several feet under water the last time I saw a photo of the place.
We went on a walk last night and decided to eat at Bubba Gumps. Their microwave must have been broken because my fish and shrimp were both cold. Even after I asked to have it "nuked" again, it was still lukewarm.Even the bread pudding was "just warm" for some reason. As Forrest would say, "That's all I have to say about that.
"THURSDAY, DEC. 6-- The road trip from beautiful downtown Greenwood was not that bad. (Yes, I played hookie from school today.)
Observations: The blown out gas well over the Atchafalaya has been capped. I had hoped to have seen it all aglow one more time.Whoever said the population of New Orleans is down hasn't driven through the I-10 traffic in the late afternoons.
The old standby Hyatt Hotel is still apparently closed for business, so we got reservations on down a piece from the Dome.Tomorrow's first game starts at 5 p.m. between St. James and John Curtis. JC will be the home team. We haven't decided if we are staying for the entire AAA game which follows.
Now, it's back to the hotel for some rest before the football games tonight.
FRIDAY, DEC. 7--It sure is quiet around here this morning. Since 1993 I have been awakened by fans of teams from around the state with their pre-game war chants.
Different hotel and different teams this year being on an unfamiliar experience, but then there's John Curtis. I think I saw someone in a Patriots' hat chasing away the dust bunnies in the Superdome locker room. I thought the tape on the floor was from a Saints' game, but it still had JC logos on it. I am going to find out it they really have a dedicated dressing room just for John Curtis each year here at the Dome.
No offense against West St. John, but I have to pull for the South Plaquemines in the 1-A game tomorrow simply because Calvary drove through that area when we played Boothville-Venice. That part of the state was several feet under water the last time I saw a photo of the place.
We went on a walk last night and decided to eat at Bubba Gumps. Their microwave must have been broken because my fish and shrimp were both cold. Even after I asked to have it "nuked" again, it was still lukewarm.Even the bread pudding was "just warm" for some reason. As Forrest would say, "That's all I have to say about that.
"THURSDAY, DEC. 6-- The road trip from beautiful downtown Greenwood was not that bad. (Yes, I played hookie from school today.)
Observations: The blown out gas well over the Atchafalaya has been capped. I had hoped to have seen it all aglow one more time.Whoever said the population of New Orleans is down hasn't driven through the I-10 traffic in the late afternoons.
The old standby Hyatt Hotel is still apparently closed for business, so we got reservations on down a piece from the Dome.Tomorrow's first game starts at 5 p.m. between St. James and John Curtis. JC will be the home team. We haven't decided if we are staying for the entire AAA game which follows.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Joy, happiness only reason for tears
After Calvary's 34-14 loss to St. James, my wife and I made our way across the football field from the press box heading toward the car. There was no need to rush as the infinite lines of red tail lights beamed from every exit of the Wildcat campus, so we mingled with the Calvary folks and exchanged handshakes, hugs and words of encouragement.
Without exception, I noticed the tearful, swollen, red eyes of the football players as they faced their fans and team mates on that chilly south Louisiana night. Some may have described the tears as those of sadness, and sure it stung to taste defeat for the first time after a dozen victories in a row.
Being around most of the football players for some four years now, I think their original tears of sadness were soon replaced with tears of reflection on just how far they have come in such a short period of time and that a chapter had closed in their lives. For the seniors, somebody else will be wearing their jersey next year--that same jersey that became soaked with their own blood, sweat and tears will be handed over to some skinny freshman who has never dressed out as a varsity player for Calvary.
I can just see it now. The freshmen and sophomores are probably going to be sitting around the lunch table playing rock, paper scissors or flipping coins to see who gets to wear the jerseys last worn by this year's seniors.
There was once a song entitled "Big Girls Don't Cry" by the Four Seasons. For the life of me, I can't think of a song which says boys (young men) don't cry. Tears are okay! In fact, a few are making tracks down my face as I write this blog.
The tears are not of sadness, but of joy and happiness. I am overcome with joy at seeing what this year's team accomplished. A dozen wins in a row by any team would be an enviable task and one that next year's team should set as a goal to break.
Shed tears of joy for winning the district championship, for having the only artificial surface at any high school in the city on which to play, for finally beating Evangel and for the friendships developed since becoming a member of the Calvary family.
Shed tears of joy for not having to travel to Wilkinson County Mississippi to play a football game, or to Foreman, Arkansas for the same.
Shed tears of joy for having a group of the finest coaches in the nation and for having a superintendent who makes it to your games with broken ribs--because he values you.
Shed tears of joy knowing that you have experienced what many students your age would love to have.
Shed tears of joy knowing that you have done your best and have dedicated your season to glorifying God.
Shed tears of joy because you are a Calvary Cavalier, and always will be.
When I was in high school, we won the state championship in football, basketball and would have won in track if our sprinter didn't move to Opelousas his senior year. We had quarterbacks who went on to become college stars and moved on to become NFL legends. However, I was more proud of this year's Calvary football team than of any team I have ever been around.
Thanks for the memories.
Without exception, I noticed the tearful, swollen, red eyes of the football players as they faced their fans and team mates on that chilly south Louisiana night. Some may have described the tears as those of sadness, and sure it stung to taste defeat for the first time after a dozen victories in a row.
Being around most of the football players for some four years now, I think their original tears of sadness were soon replaced with tears of reflection on just how far they have come in such a short period of time and that a chapter had closed in their lives. For the seniors, somebody else will be wearing their jersey next year--that same jersey that became soaked with their own blood, sweat and tears will be handed over to some skinny freshman who has never dressed out as a varsity player for Calvary.
I can just see it now. The freshmen and sophomores are probably going to be sitting around the lunch table playing rock, paper scissors or flipping coins to see who gets to wear the jerseys last worn by this year's seniors.
There was once a song entitled "Big Girls Don't Cry" by the Four Seasons. For the life of me, I can't think of a song which says boys (young men) don't cry. Tears are okay! In fact, a few are making tracks down my face as I write this blog.
The tears are not of sadness, but of joy and happiness. I am overcome with joy at seeing what this year's team accomplished. A dozen wins in a row by any team would be an enviable task and one that next year's team should set as a goal to break.
Shed tears of joy for winning the district championship, for having the only artificial surface at any high school in the city on which to play, for finally beating Evangel and for the friendships developed since becoming a member of the Calvary family.
Shed tears of joy for not having to travel to Wilkinson County Mississippi to play a football game, or to Foreman, Arkansas for the same.
Shed tears of joy for having a group of the finest coaches in the nation and for having a superintendent who makes it to your games with broken ribs--because he values you.
Shed tears of joy knowing that you have experienced what many students your age would love to have.
Shed tears of joy knowing that you have done your best and have dedicated your season to glorifying God.
Shed tears of joy because you are a Calvary Cavalier, and always will be.
When I was in high school, we won the state championship in football, basketball and would have won in track if our sprinter didn't move to Opelousas his senior year. We had quarterbacks who went on to become college stars and moved on to become NFL legends. However, I was more proud of this year's Calvary football team than of any team I have ever been around.
Thanks for the memories.
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