11 posts tagged “homewood patriots football”
Wow! There has been much ado in the state of Alabama this week in regards to Class 6A high school football. Remember all of the contraversy surrounding Hoover High School's football coach and the team that I mentioned
Well the hammer came down this week and they were forced to forfeit 4 of their 7 wins due to an ineligible player participating in the game. The ineligibility stems from residency requirements. Very sad for the football players and the team but it sure caused a shakeup in Class 6A Region 6. Hoover dropped in ranking from #1 to #6 (just behind us). And those 4 teams got credited with a win against Hoover LOL! Unfortunately our game was not one where this player played (they were already wise to what was going on by that time and kept him on the sidelines). This put Hoover in a very precarious and embarrassing situation. The 'king of Alabama football' was in danger of not making the playoffs! What? The almighty Hoover was gonna roll out the basketballs in November? It all depended on their game tonight against Oak Mountain. More about that later.
Tonight WE played Vestavia. The previously #2 ranked team in our region that just got a free ride to #1 (thanks to Hoover's misfortune). Homewood and Vestavia have a beloved rivalry that pre-dates my involvement with Homewood football. These two towns are neighbors, they are practically next door. The kids know each other and so do many of the adults. The last 2 years we have beat them on their home turf. In 05, when we were still in 5A and they were 6A it was a non-region game and we beat them easily (because we had such a killer team that year) but we won every game that year and took home the big trophy at the end of the season, but it WAS their homecoming so it was still pretty sweet. Last year it was a region game and our late comeback and eventual win was what propelled us into the playoffs.
Well their team is much better this year and they had only lost to Hoover coming into tonights game. I had very little hope that we could beat them but I was still feeling pretty 'rosy' about the game.
We were running late, Hailey did not feel good, she chipped her reed and lost her ligature at the pep rally so her clarinet was useless (she waited to enlighten me with this bit of information as we were walking out the door). We were BOTH very ill and upset heading out to the game. We were SO late that she almost didn't get to march in with the band.
My son came with us tonight. He came to one game in 05 and didn't come at all last year. I was very glad that he was able to come see Hailey and the band. Even though he didn't want to admit it (metal head non-conformist that he is) he was also enjoying the football 'just a bit'. My Mom was so excited to see her eldest Grandchild (she's not sleeping her eyes just shut as I took the shot LOL). And I don't know WHY he can't take a picture without doing that 'rock on' sign with his hand. The child is 26 years old LOL!
Tonight was Senior football and cheerleader night. So they all got recognized with their parents just as the band did last week.
Before I begin going through the game (because there's not that much to tell) just let me remind you of our band competition at Prattville two weeks ago. Homewood was competing against Vestavia and won every trophy they could have possibly won. In fact, except for the Best in Class Majorette award they won (since we don't have majorettes) they were effectively 'shut out' by Homewood. Well they came to our stadium tonight hell bent on showing us up, but they only succeeded in showing what a classless, disrespectful band they are. There are two things you don't mess with at a High School football game, or any sporting event for that matter. The High School alma mater, National Anthem and raising of the flag prior to the game and the lowering of the flag after the 3rd quarter. Vestavia's band started playing some loud ridiculous song as the announcer asked for a moment of silence. Everyone was just standing there staring at that band and they just kept on playing. When they FINALLY stopped the announcer said "Thank You". So we were finally able to get some respect from the visiting band to conduct our opening ceremonies. Our first stand song prior to the game starting was 'Shout it Out'. After we played it, they immediately played it (this is common between opposing bands), but it just seemed like they were trying to taunt us. So after they finished, WE PLAYED IT AGAIN! They did not.
At the end of the 3rd quarter Homewood has a very ceremonial lowering of the flag complete with Jr Air Force ROTC members and a selected snare and a few horns from the band to play while the flag is lowered. It is a moment of complete silence and respect. Again, Vestavia's band played, loudly and very disrespectfully. Totally classless!
I've always heard that Vestavia was rude, cocky and classless and thinking back to the 05 game I remember that when my Mom and I walked over to their home side to watch our band perform their student section was screaming and throwing a blown up dolphin into the air during our whole performance. We could barely hear the band. I now believe the widely publicized rumor that Vestavia people put cow manure under the visitor grandstand when Hoover played them last year. Granted, they have a very good football team this year, but their band and their people are totally tacky and classless.
Their show sucked just like it did when I saw it at Prattville. Their dancers look like hookers with their little 'halloween costume' fake 60s dresses put on OVER their blue sequined uniform. You can SO see the blue straps and a little blue 'peekaboo' everytime they do a high kick. CHEAP AND TACKY! WHAT A COMBINATION!
I made several videos of Homewood's halftime show but people were walking in front of me and I got really frustrated. You can 'hear' my frustration and a few choice words on the videos so I don't think I will even upload them. This was our last home game and I just wanted to video them one last time. People are so rude! Why do they think that halftime is time to a) get up and talk to somebody, b) go to the bathroom, c) go get food...aaarrggghhh! I just get so angry! But I've still somehow got such a 'rosy' attitude about this game.
The temperature dropped steadily as the night went on and it was quite cold near the end of the game. Vestavia was up 30 points on us and we were ZERO, NADA, ZIP! My Mom decided she would leave with about 4 minutes left on the clock. Well with about 2 seconds left on the clock we FINALLY scored! So the final was 30-6 Vestavia. It was a good clean game with very little penalties and although we lost, our defense was tough and equally matched to theirs. Nobody even scored until almost the end of the 2nd quarter. There were numerous interceptions by both teams. They have some very big players and moved the ball much better than us. So it's all good. Everything's still 'coming up roses' in my book!
After the game was over the band stayed in the stands and played the fight song as they always do. Then the band directors told them all to sit down and be quiet. I thought they were going to get in trouble or something. We all waited as Mr. Pence got the megaphone and began telling them how well they had done this year and how proud he was of them and how blessed he felt to be their band director. Then he made apologies to the Seniors for some reason. I wasn't sure why. Then he said he had sent in an application for them to be invited to appear in a parade. Then he said he received a phone call today and we had been invited to march in the 2009....
WOOHOO! California here we come! This is what I have been praying for! What a wonderful addition to my daughter's Senior year! What wonderful memories she will take into adulthood with her appearing in both the Macy's Parade and the Rose Bowl Parade during her 4 years of high school. Being a part of a quality band program can provide so much opportunity for kids and give them memories that last a lifetime (as a couple of my neighbors have attested to). It is really overwhelming and I would LOVE to be able to call my Dad and give him this exciting news, but I know, somehow, he knows!
I'm so excited! I'll provide more details as they come available...
So we're....whatever, I don't even know what our record is...we've only won 2 games out of 8.
We're off to Thompson next week. It's a non-region game at a stadium that I've heard is horrible. FUN, FUN! Yipee! We beat them last year and can probably (hopefully) beat them again.
I'm very sad that we're not going to the playoffs but in a way I'm kind of relieved because I'm just so darn tired. Hailey is tired. We're ready for this season to end. Hailey wants to get an after-school job and my classes start back on November 12th.
So take that you tacky, classless Vestavia band as you ride back to your school in your yellow school buses because you aren't good enough to travel on charter buses like we do. Your behavior tonight was unforgiveable and your band director should be fired for allowing it to happen! You really showed your true colors tonight!
We may have lost the football game but we won the class game hands down!
MY CHILDREN, TWO WONDERFUL AND UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS!
"I'M GOING TO CALIFORNIA!"
Btw, Hoover beat Oak Mountain 21-18.
Well, since we are in class 6A, Region 6, it is required that we play the almighty Hoover Bucs! They are Hoover, the 2nd largest school in the state of Alabama (they have approximately 2000 students in grades 10-12, we have a mere 750). It's a large disparity and definitely labels us as the 'underdogs'. They have 5 consecutive 6A state championships but suffered a disappointing loss in the championship game last year, losing to another Alabama football powerhouse, Prattville.
Hoover was once ranked the #1 High School football team in the nation. They were featured in two seasons of the MTV show 'Two-A-Days'. After the loss to Prattville last year and an undercurrent of some contraversy surrounding the school and specifically the football program, MTV did not pick the series up for a 3rd season.
Speaking of the contraversy, I'm not going to say alot because, I don't really know very much about it and also because this reflects on the entire state of Alabama, not just Hoover High School. Plus I feel kind of bad for them, they crowed around acting like they were #1 (which they were) for so long and really had their pedestal knocked out from under them when they lost to Prattville and then salt was effectively rubbed in the wound with all of the allegations that ensued.
In short, there are confirmations of changing grades for football players who were not making the grade, so they could continue to play. One of the students happens to be a very famous starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide (I won't name any names). Further allegations, aimed mostly at Hoover High head coach, Rush Probst, include both financial and moral improprieties including unauthorized use of vehicles, to having affairs with teachers and even having a 'secret family' in another Alabama city.
It's all very disheartening and has definitely affected the football players this year. They are 7-1. They have a tendency to schedule big, out-of-state teams for their non-region games. They lost their first non-region game to a team in Ohio. Hoover has not lost a region game in a very long time.
Last night was no different...
But we were up for the fight! My daughter came home with this painted on her cheek:
And wearing this t-shirt:
if you think our game shirts are a little tasteless, I was told that the t-shirt they sold to the Hoover students to wear to the game said "OUR COACH SCORES MORE THAN YOU DO!" Wow!
Last night the place was absolutely packed. There were many things going on. It was 8th grade night. This is when the 8th grade band gets to march in and play in the stands with the High School band. This gives them a little taste of what is to come next year. I got a little weepy because I can remember Hailey's 8th grade night like it was yesterday and now here she is a Junior.
It was also Senior band night. This is when all of the Senior band members and their parents get recognized for their accomplishment. Again, I got a little weepy because I will be out there escorting Hailey next year.
Finally, it was also the Star-Spangled Girls Dance Clinic night. The SSG hold a dance clinic for future Spangles and then let them come to a game and dance with the girls.
Somewhere, in the midst of all this, a football game broke out!
After getting taken to the cleaners in the first quarter by Mountain Brook last week, I really didn't know how this game was going to go. I was pleasantly surprised. Our defense was incredible. We scored first! Hoover immediately countered with a touchdown, and then another. The score was something like 14-10 Hoover at the half. Still anybodys game right?
Hoover has a large band. It's questionable which band is bigger. I think they probably have about 20 more members than we do. Their show was good but didn't get me out of my seat. I didn't take any pictures of them on the field.
So now it was our turn, immediately my Mom noticed that our big drums on the rack were not on the field! I kept looking and waiting for someone to bring them before the closer, but nobody did. The percussionists managed to fake it pretty good. I still don't know where the drums were.
So after the half both teams had renewed energy. I love to watch Coach Probst on the sidelines. He's so animated!
I got a couple of pics of him in all of his orange glory!
In response to the contraversy Hoover had a very uncharacteristic sign hanging on their grandstand:
It said, "re-establish Hoover Buccaneers".
So the score was 42-20 Hoover at the buzzer. I didn't feel bad at all. Although I would have LOVED to beat them!
I was proud of our guys! They played a great game! The band had a great time impressing the 8th graders and everyone else on the field and in the stands! Our packed stadium was filled with Homewood energy!
So we are 2-5, 2-4 in the region. Our playoff hopes are most definitely dashed. Unless we can beat Vestavia next week. And I don't even know if that will be enough to get us that coveted 4th seed. This will be the first time the Patriots have not gone to the playoffs in probably 10 years. I hate it for the Seniors, but they have played a good season with the team that they have.
Later today we leave for Muscle Shoals to compete in the Tennessee Valley Invitational Marching Competition. We have some stiff competition, especially from a band in Mississippi. Wish us luck!
Next week we are having a community pep rally at Homewood Park on Thursday afternoon. That should be lots of fun. Football season is winding down. It just goes by like a whirlwind.
Well, there were some good and bad things about this game. The first good thing was....
WE GOT NEW TUBAS! THEY ARE SOOO PURDY!
I'm sure it was for contest tomorrow (today) but I'm so glad because our old tubas were looking kind of dingy and had some dings in them. The way they shine and sparkle just makes the band look that much better. Oh yeah, they SOUND great too!
The second good thing is we got a standing ovation after our show at an away game. That always means a lot!
Now, about the football game, well it had a theme:
And it was, but what you don't know is which side of the police tape this sign resides on. You see Mountain Brook is one of the most, if not the most affluent school systems in the entire state of Alabama, yet their stadium leaves much to be desired. It only has one grandstand! Both the home and visitor people and bands sit in one grandstand together, separated by, yes, police tape! Odd, I know, but hey I've just about seen everything in my 2 years on this Crazy Train called high school football!
So the 'IT'S GOIN DOWN' sign was on THEIR side of the tape. Mountain Brook has zero state championships, or even region championships as far as I know and they have never been 'known' for football. As I've stated before, we have 6 state championships but in 5A Classification and with teams with much more depth and talent than our current team has. Although Mountain Brook beat us last year it turned out to be sort of a fluke after we made the playoffs and all. Going into this game this year our records were pretty much the same. A win against Mountain Brook could have at least kept us hopeful for a playoff spot, a loss would pretty much shut us out. There are only 2 region games left and we play the number 1 and number 2 teams in the region so I was really hoping for a W against the Brookies.
Mountain Brook was not shy with the pomp and circumstance:
I couldn't read their sign because it wasn't pulled taut enough but it said something to the effect of "You're not HOME in these WOODS". Cute.
So the game begins and before we even know what hit us they have scored on us 3 times! It was like a whirlwind! Everyone was like WHA???? What just happened here? Our guys finally pulled it together and scored before the half. I think it was 35-17 at half.
Halftime was great except for these little kids that wouldn't stop talking behind me. They just kept chattering and chattering...and the Mom was just oblivious so I finally turned around and said "Shhh, let's listen to the band!" I didn't even look at the Mother. Hell, if people aren't going to teach their kids to show respect and behave in public, I'm going to do it myself if it happens to be bothering me! I'm sorry, but PULEEEES! Quit bringing these little kids who have about a 15 second attention span to a 2+ hour event and then acting like nothing is wrong when they disturb everyone else!
Mountain Brook has a small but respectable band. This is the band that Natalee Holloway danced in before her unfortunate disappearance in Aruba. Their show was just OK to me.
But, unfortunate for them, since we were the visitors we got to go first and we totally killed and got a standing ovation. It has been said and I believe it is true: No band likes to follow Homewood!
I made a video of the closer again because I caught a glimpse of my daughter and actually got a close up of her. As the band was exiting the field this guy needed to get by me, I asked him to wait just a second and a very strange conversation took place between us.
Before the closer I made an 'accidental' video during the 2nd song. It mostly consists of the back of a little girl's head that was sitting in front of me (because the camera was hanging around my neck). I only uploaded it because she very cutely exclaims how much bigger our band is than theirs (petty I know, but hey I'm a little biased and a lot proud)!
After the half play resumed and my Mom's back was hurting her badly and she wanted to go sit in the car. I wasn't having the best time myself and it was kind of cold so I decided to walk with her and just stay outside the fence for the remainder of the game.
While outside the stadium the bands were battling it out and our band blew theirs away! ESPN was slamming into the building across from the grandstand and disbursing into the air with tremendous ferver! Although the team was losing, when it came to the bands there was simply no contest!
I tried to take a picture through the fence:
So the final score was 42-20 Mountain Brook. The guys got it together and played very well, but the early scoring by the other team was just too much to overcome. The only way we can get that coveted 4th seed in the playoffs now is if, a)we beat Vestavia in 2 weeks, and, b)Spain Park or Oak Mountain get beat. It has to be both, I don't think either or is enough. Although we have beat Vestavia 2 years in a row, they are VERY good this year and I don't know if we're good enough to beat them. We play Hoover next week, that is pretty much an automatic L. So I guess we will see what happens. I still have just a shred of hope!
More pics I took of the bands entrance and our cheerleaders:
I made a video of the bands entrance and learned a few things: First of all I learned that people don't seem to have a problem walking in front of someone's camera, and I also learned that when someone does that to me I get mad and it causes me to 'spaz' out my video a bit. I also learned that supposedly football players think they are more important than band members. They BROKE our line trying to get to their locker room! Very unclassy! I know, I know, it's all about the football...but can you imagine how BORING a high school football game would be if there were no bands there? It's about the school and ALL of the groups participating in the event INCLUDING the band. You should NEVER break the line of a marching band! Once I spotted my daughter I zoomed in and then ended the video because the video would be too big to upload if I filmed until they were all in the stands. Finally, I got a close up of 'cutie pie' jamming on the snare for my friend Brenda B's daughter! He really is a 'cutie pie'!
So we're now 2-4, 2-3 in the region. We're back at home for the next 2 weeks. Thank God! Our stadium may not be the greatest stadium in the world, but it is not nasty and it is not dangerous, the parking lot is flat and paved and we have parking attendants to make sure the cars move in and out quickly, our bathrooms are clean and they always have soap and paper products. I'm tired of going to places and having to climb over bleachers because the steps don't have rails and I'm tired of nasty, disgusting bathrooms and bad parking. THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!
I know this format is a little cliche and a little out-dated but it SO fits my intentions, so here goes:
Dress: $72.00 at Macy's
Shoes: $22.99 at Payless
Earrings: $10.50 at Claire's
Bootaneer: $12.50 from Homewood Florists
Hair and Makeup: Free at home
Bank Account: ZERO!
Seeing my beautiful little girl blossom into a beautiful young woman
and attend her first Homecoming dance?
**PRICELESS**
Keep in mind that she was VERY aggravated at having to take these photos because she was stressed and we were running late. Although she is forcing a smile you can see the 'daggers' in her eyes for me! But I ask you "How many times does a girl go to her first Homecoming dance?" HELLO? Once! When I was in her room photographing her shoes, dress and earrings she thought I was a little bonkers. But I told her, someday when you are all grown up, maybe when I'm gone, you will be so thankful that I did this. It will be a documentary of a memory.
I was not allowed to take any pics when I dropped her off at the restaurant they ate at before going to the dance. But I did get a glance at her date. He looked SO cute. He had on a black suit with a white tie so I'm so glad we got the white bootaneer. She had his bootaneer in her hand and he had her corsage in his hand. SO SWEET!
She's not home yet. They went to his house to watch a movie after the dance. I hope to get a pic of them together when he brings her home. More later...
Well she made it home safely but I got no pics :(
She slipped in on me and he left her at the door so no pic of them together was possible (although she told me that his parents took some so hopefully I will get some of those pics)...then once inside I wanted to get a pic of her wearing her corsage...but my camera's batteries were dead and needed to be charged...she wasn't willing to wait...can't say I blame her...nevertheless...she had a great time and is going to see this guy again tomorrow although now they are officially only friends...she and Jeremy are officially broken up and will remain broken up (hopefully). Jeremy has broken up with her twice already only to immediately turn around and ask to get back together...he asked for a 'break' this last time. She basically told him he could have his break....PERMANENTLY! He's a jealous, insecure, under-achiever who just can't deal with Hailey's school, friends and her band schedule. She's better off. She can do much better. I like Jeremy, but I DON'T like the way he has played around with her feelings. Thank GOD she has a strong enough sense of self to extract herself from that negative, enabling relationship. The Jeremy era is OVAH!
Before I talk about last night's game I'd like to go back one year ago when we played them at their homecoming. They were ahead most of the game. Then the band played Basket Case!
DO YOU HAVE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME WHINE?
I don't know what it is about this song but (sometimes) it seems to fire the players up! The crowd was definitely fired up! The band was jumping up and down and stomping (I even heard a few screws fall out of the grandstand they were in)! It was wild!
We came back from a 9 point deficit in the 4th quarter and tied it up at 37 just before the buzzer. 1st overtime: They attempt a touchdown and fail. We kick a field goal and win!
To say we were a little happy is an understatement!
Last night was their chance to redeem themselves from that devastating loss and what better time to do it than OUR Homecoming!
The Homecoming ceremony preceeded the game. The band has to stand on the field and play what my daughter calls 'a boring song' while they introduce the Homecoming attendants.
As I stated in the Homecoming parade post, the band had 3 members in the Homecoming court. Both of our female drum majors and a clarinet section leader were attendants. Our Senior drum major was crowned Homecoming Queen! Congratulations Meredith (in the maroon dress) now go get your drum major uniform on!
Now it was time for some football!
Here's a cute shot of my daughter! That is her look that says "Mom! You and that camera!"
It was VERY crowded and there were these 2 VERY annoying women sitting directly behind my Mom and I that WOULD NOT SHUT THE **** UP! It really annoys the CRAP out of me when someone comes to an event and then spends the whole damn time running their mouths. They talked and talked and talked. I turned around and gave them 'the look' several times as did my Mom but it did no good. One of them was with a man who was sitting behind me and I was tempted to ask him to sit between them to break up the yappfest! I had to listen to them reminisce about their high school years and how one of them played a sport and what kind of uniform she wore...and SHUT UP!!!! Take that sh*t outside! SOME of us actually came here to watch this game! Finally the visiting friend left and the other one didn't have anyone to talk to except her man, who, fortunately was watching the game. I was fully prepared to tell them to take their conversation elsewhere if they proceeded to blab like this during halftime, but luckily I did not have to. Then this morbidly obese woman comes up to me and asks if she can sit in the 1 foot of space that was beside me, "just until halftime". I said "Ummm" and she said "OK thanks!" and plopped her fat ass down practically on top of me!
The game was scoreless for almost the whole first quarter. There were several missed field goal attempts by both teams. Finally, they got one through the posts. So it was 3-0 Spain Park. No score in the second quarter.
Spain Park is a Hoover School. A spinoff from Hoover High School because it just got too big! It's a new school that's been in operation for only a few years. They have a small but good band that usually receives many awards and accommodations. I was prepared to be entertained but I was not.
Their show was slow, boring and downright weird! They had this strange police siren playing through almost the entire show. It was just weird. Plus they went over their 10 minutes and put us in a time crunch to be able to finish our show! Our band KILLED! I know that I'm biased but I really try to maintain a neutral perspective when judging a bands performance. So I'll say once again OUR BAND KILLED! It was the best performance so far this year! I don't know what they did at practice this week but it paid off! They were flawless and received a standing ovation!
I made a video of our bands closer, Malaguena! It's not a great video because I started it after the song had started, plus my REDNECK talking through the whole thing. But they really did awesome!