RELECTIONS ON BIG JOHN FROM MY LONG RIDE WITH HIM

[CITYSLICKER]

MY RIDE WITH BIG JOHN STARTED REALLY IN 1960, I WAS MERELY A CHILD, NOW I AM BACK TO A CHILD, ONCE A MAN TWICE A CHILD. I ALWAYS FELT THE COACH NEVER PLAYED BY THE RULES, FROM THE BEGINNING, I HATED HIM. SUMMERVILLE HAD A 100 PLAYERS OR MORE, NEW CARS EVERY YEAR, A BEACH HOUSE, AND WEIGHT ROOMS WHERE NO ONE ELSE COULD AFFORD A WEIGHT MUST LESS A ROOM WITH THEM, SUMMERVILLE CAME ACROSS LINES AND RECRUITED PLAYERS, MOVED MILITARY FAMILIES IN TO HAVE PLAYERS THAT WERE GREAT, HOLD BACK PLAYERS TO LET THEIR SKILLS AGE A YEAR, THE POWER WAS USED WITH NO REGARD TO OTHER THAN WINNING. I ALWAYS FELT THAT WAY AND COULD NOT STAND THE PROCESS. THEY WOULD BRING 4 PLAYERS IN AND 4 OUT EVERY PLAY AND BY 4TH QTR YOUR TEAM WAS MOSTLY PLAYING BOTH WAYS AND COMPLETELY WORE OUT AND THE WAVE WOULD SLAY YOU. YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE SAME BEATING, YES, WE WOULD WIN EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT THAT'S ALL, THEY KEPT BUILDING AROUND SUMMERVILLE HIGH TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD BE THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL THERE. DONT KNOW IF YOU EVER TRIED TO GO THOUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT YOU NEED A MAP TO GET AROUND THE MAZE. FINALLY THEY HAD TO ADMIT THEY NEEDED ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL, THE FORT WAS BUILT AND THE MIGHTY WAVE STRUGGLED BADLY WITH THE LOSS, THEN ASHLEY RIDGE AGAIN, THE SCHOOL HAS LOST THAT FOOTBALL DYNASTY, IT ONCE WAS. AS HE AGED, I WISHED HIM GONE EVERY YEAR, BUT IN ABOUT THE 90'S, I REALIZED HE WAS WHAT I HOPED MY COACHES COULD BE AND MY HATE FOR HIM, TURNED TO RESPECT AND ADMIRATION, HOW COULD A MAN HIS AGE AFFECT SO MUCH, THE PAINS OF MY AGE WERE KICKING IN AND KNOWING HIS AGE, WHAT A MAN HE REALLY WAS, HE WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST COACHES OF MY WHOLE LIFE, YES, HE DID WHAT HE DID TO WIN, WOULDN'T I TOO. THE SUMMER YOU REALIZED IT WAS OVER, I WATCHED YOU SUFFERING IN THE SUMMER SUN AT YALLS SPRING GAME AND I KNEW IT WAS END TIMES FOR YOUR RUN, MY YEARS OF GREEN WAVE BEATINGS AND HATE, TURNED TO LOVE AND RESPECT FOR YOUR MANY YEARS, I MATURED AND UNDERSTOOD YOU, I WILL MISS YOU, YOU DID YOUR JOB WELL, REST IN PEACE, GREAT WARRIOR COACH OF MY LIFE'S JOURNEY, THIS IS MY OPINION AS I SAW IT, OTHERS MAY NOT AGREE.

1960- STAGS WON 3, LOST 6, TIED I
1970-STAGS WON 1, LOST 9
1980- STAGS WON 5, LOST 7
1990- STAGS WON 5, LOST 6
2000-STAGS WON 2, LOST 8
2011- STAGS WON 3, LOST 7

[GoBigGreen]

Wow....thank you for that Slick. You found yet another way to surprise me.

[CITYSLICKER]

MANY HERE THINK ME A GOOFY OLD USELESS SLICK, YOU KNOW BETTER, ITS NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION, MORE ABOUT THE JOURNEY, MY GREEN WAVE FRIEND

[GoBigGreen]

I over did it with the blush .

[CITYSLICKER]

CAMERAS DO IT, PRISSY

[CITYSLICKER]

BUMP

[CITYSLICKER]

BUMP ONE MORE TIME FOR BIG JOHN

[96fanatic]

Great article Slick.

[CITYSLICKER]

[GoBigGreen]

Hey I see someone I recognize in that video. Coach's funeral yesterday was the perfect send off for such a great coach...He is really going to be missed.