T GAMBLE: Win, lose or cheatin’ refs, parents will be there

The Hurricane Boy is now more a man than a boy, having just turned 18. I’ve written about him since the day he was born. He was born five weeks early, and every time he ran into trouble, his Mama says, “He can’t help it, he’s just a preemie.”

He’ll be on my couch at 35, unemployed and she’ll still be saying, “He can’t help it. He’s just a preemie.” Well, the preemie is now 6-foot-2, 245 pounds of wanting one last Friday night lights. He will graduate from high school in a few months, and soon he will play his last football game at Terrell Academy.

His team is set to play Valwood in Valdosta Friday night in the state playoffs. We lost to them, 19-14, earlier in the year at their place when the refs cheated us and took back a touchdown on a pitiful call with only a couple of minutes left in the game. I’ve watched every game he’s played for four years, and I only call a cheating play when I see it, basically every time we lose a game. Funny how it seems to work out that way.

His freshman year he didn’t play too much but did get into a few blowout games. But I was there. He started his sophomore year, and that made me proud. I was prouder when he made honorable mention All-Region as a sophomore. Then he started his junior year and made All-Region. That year, the team made it to the state final and lost when, you guessed it, the refs stole it from us late in the game.

But now he is a senior and this is it. He made the state All-Star team I’m told, so again, I’m proud. I’ve watched him since he began with Coach Willie Mitchell in the Terrell County Rec Department at 6 years old. He loved Coach Mitchell, and I think his coach loved him.

They say starting them too young in football can damage their brains. Some days I’m beginning to think they may have a point. But it was here with Coach Mitchell he learned the fundamentals and learned to love the game. He’s been blessed with good coaches ever since. I never second-guessed the coaches. It is their job to coach ‘em and my job to watch him.

Well, now, I did wonder why he wasn’t starting at fullback. Could be a 5.5 40 time played a part, I’m not sure. I remember when I was at spring football practice in the 10th grade. Every player was in full gear and asked to run the 100 yard dash. I was skinny as a rail, and my weight doubled once I put on a helmet and pads. I could barely walk 100 yards.

Every player would complete the run and the coach would say something like, “12.4, good time, Johnny … 13.3, way to hustle, Joe.” And so forth. They got to me and the coach just said, “Way to finish.” To this day, I don’t know what time I ran. Truthfully, the boy runs pretty good, and I still want him at fullback.

If we lose, then that will be it. Another chapter closed in a life that is just beginning for one and near the end for another. I pray we will get our revenge this Friday night. If so, we go on to play John Milledge Academy. They haven’t lost a game since the Eisenhower administration, so it might be a challenge. I don’t think the Hurricane Boy cares.

Win, lose or cheated again by the refs, I’ll be there. So will those other parents of the other seniors who have bled Eagle blue and spilled their guts on the field for the last four years. Notre Dame beat UCLA after a 98-game winning streak. So if we beat Valwood, watch out John Miledge. I’m not quite ready to hang up fussing at the refs. There may be a Hurricane coming your way.