Week 1

Carthage 38       Lindale 21

This game, on paper, had all the makings of a classic.  The Carthage Bulldogs are a bit of a dynasty, having won the 2008, 2009, and 2010 class 3A state championships.  The Lindale Eagles (my hometown) were coming off of a  31 - 14 shellacking of last years 3A state champs Chapel Hill.  The two teams played an extremely competitive game last season, with the Eagles coming out on top 31-21.

But they don't play the games on paper.

Week Zero

Van 41       Pine Tree 28

First Friday night game of the season, and for me,  it was a tough one.  Van, Tx.  A town for which I have felt nothing but utter disdain since Day 1, Kindergarten, Lindale Primary School.  A pointless, unfounded hatred, but a hatred nonetheless.  Blame it on geography.  According to Googlemaps, Van and Lindale are a mere 14.4 mile stretch of asphalt apart from one another, so, naturally, we hate each other’s guts.  Always have, (maybe) always will.

So granted, I had my trepidations when my Friday night cohort suggested we go see Van host the Pirates from Pine Tree for our first game of the season.  He, also of Lindaloneon descent, moved to Van about five years ago and has taken quite a liking to the town and its football program.  I, a grown man of 27, a man just one year away from the tenth anniversary of his high school graduation, felt I had matured enough to handle such a situation with class and dignity.  And I tried.  I really, really tried.