Hello everybody and welcome to The Juice this week.
Congratulations to all of the seniors in the Class of 2025 and welcome to adulthood for most of you. The only thing I still remember about my high school graduation was that we had a cool front come through just in time to put on the cap and gown. I also think about the few graduates that I haven’t seen since graduation day. Words of wisdom? Not really. I don’t know if I relate to today’s graduate any more. Only that I’ve lived by one motto for many years now. It’s simply “Never Say Never.” Don’t limit yourself and miss out on an opportunity that could change your life, open your mind, or all of the above. I know most of you thought this would be in black and white. Can’t believe it survived Harvey.
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I attended the memorial for Tony Dallas Monday and during the photo montage I saw something I forgot about that I definitely wanted to mention.
There was a picture of Tony holding up a banner he would bring to football games that read “Punt Team.” I don’t know if he got the idea from somewhere or made it up himself, but it was pure Tony. If you don’t understand, when the opposing teams offense would go three downs without a first down, their coach would yell, “Punt Team” meaning they had to kick it back to the Mustangs offense. And that happened a lot during the Mustangs four year run to the Championship. Tony would say he was just helping the other team get ready for the next play. It made me laugh out loud during a tough moment.
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Two of our community leaders have exited the area. WOCCISD Superintendent Rickie Harris is leaving the area after 10 years with WOS and will be working with a church in Abilene. Lamar Orange President Dr. Tom Johnson has retired following seven years here and moved to the Huntsville area.
I want to thank both men for making themselves available to KOGT. Some of you may remember that Dr. J, as I called him, made many appearances on the KOGT Morning Show. In fact he would usually visit us on Wednesdays which was the day of the week he wore a bow tie. That became know as BOWednesday’s on The Morning Show. One day we surprised him with our own bow ties. Good luck gentlemen in your next chapter.
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Bridge City is trying to make it to the State Championship game while another Orange Countian is trying to do the same. Kingwood Park, who knocked off Nederland last week, is coached by former LCM Bear Chris Buechner. They have Liberty Hill in the 5A D2 semifinal. Good luck Beek!
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A cool moment last week when the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers played each other on May 24. For a brief moment, and I mean brief, we had two Orange County pitchers in a Major League Baseball game at the same time. Grant Anderson for the Brewers and Chase Shugart for the Pirates. Anderson threw seven pitches to one batter and Shugart threw three pitches to one batter AND got the win. I need to get Clint Landry to explain that one to me. Actually I understand I just don’t get it. But obviously I’m happy for Shug.
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After what I said last week following my interview with Jay Novacek I’ve had several conversations about it. I feel like I need to say that he didn’t refuse to answer any questions. He just surprised me with some of the answers. I was just giving you a view from the interviewers seat. We were not given time to visit before the interview which may have changed how a few things went.
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For years I’ve kept a Coaches on the Move page at the end of each school year so we can keep up with our coaches coming in and out of the area. This year it looks like I should have an Administrators on the Move page with all of the movement around the county. Good luck to all of you with your new positions.
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Hurricane season officially begins next week. The NHC came out with their predictions for the season and if it’s one thing I’m not concerned with, it’s their predictions. About like me tell you who will win the Super Bowl in 2050. However we do lean on them from storm to storm. The names I’m concerned about include Dexter, Humberto (not again), Karen (obvious), Rebekah (with a K), Van, and windy Wendy (really?)
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-Gary Stelly-
gstelly66@gmail.com
Volume 1 No. 19
The Juice is a weekly column where Gary Stelly discusses things that happened the past week and mixes it with 40 years of being involved in the Orange County community. (If we think of a better way to explain it we’ll change it) You can also check out his podcast by clicking on the Behind the Mic banner on the KOGT.com front page.
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