The Battle of the Axe

No place in Texas takes it's high school
football more serious than the Sherman-
Denison area of North Texas. On November
6, 2009 Sherman and Denison will tee up
the football for the 111th time. It is the
oldest continuing rivalry in the state of Texas.
As of this writing, there have been six tied
games in the long and storied history of this
game. Denison has won 35 times and Sherman
has won 56 times. During the 1950's & 1960's
the rivalry almost got out of hand with
vandalism, theft, and fights around the annual
battle.

Enter Denison businessman Jack Barker. The
owner of an ice cream parlor came up with the
idea of a trophy that would annually go to the
winner of this particular game. The trophy came
to be a chrome plated, double-bladed battle axe.
Each year the score and year are engraved on
the axe with the stipulation that when it was
filled up the school with the most victories would
keep it as a permanent trophy. The axe has
filled up both sides of the blade, but now a second
double bladed head has been added to the handle to keep it in play.
This game is always a sellout and local bragging
rights make for a heated contest.

 One year Sherman came into the game ranked as number one in the
entire state, only to have the Yellow Jackets send
them home in defeat. On the other hand, Denison
has come into the final game of the season undefeated
only to finish second best to the Bearcats.
In the 2009 contest things look to be following a
consistent and historic trend. Both Denison and Sherman
sit at the top of the District 9AAAA standings, having
gone through the district schedule unbeaten and
untied. November 6th only one team will leave the
field with the victory, but both will be winners.
Sherman and Denison bring out the best in each
other and this is 'THE' game for both schools. Both
are already eligible for the playoffs, but more
importantly, this game decides bragging rights for the
next 365 days..

Down Through The Years

1901---Sherman 12,Denison 0 1901---Sherman 5, Denison 5 1901---Sherman by forfeit 1902---Sherman 0, Denison 0 1902---Sherman 15, Denison 6 1903---Sherman 11, Denison 0 1904---Denison by forfeit 1905---Sherman 23, Denison 0 1906---Denison 5, Sherman 0 1906---Denison 5, Sherman 0 1912---Sherman 13, Denison 0 1912---Sherman 13, Denison 6 **2 games played in 1906 & 1912 1913---Sherman 41, Denison 0 1914---Sherman 12, Denison 0 1915---Sherman 71, Denison 0 1916---Sherman 30, Denison 0 1917---Sherman 25, Denison 0 1918-1919---no games 1920---Sherman 41, Denison 0 1921---Sherman 6, Denison 2 1922---Denison 19, Sherman 5 1923---Sherman 38, Denison 0 1924---Sherman 21, Denison 0 1925---Sherman 78, Denison 0 1926---Sherman forfeit to Denison Denison 1, Sherman 0 1927---no game 1928---Sherman 14, Denison 0 1929---Sherman 32, Denison 0 1930---no game 1931---Sherman 18, Denison 2 1932---Sherman 19, Denison 6 1933---Sherman 6, Denison 0 1934---Denison 7, Sherman 2 1935---Sherman 61, Denison 0 1936---Denison 7, Sherman 6 1937---Sherman 27, Denison 13 1938---Sherman 6, Denison 6* 1939---Sherman 13, Denison 0 1940---Sherman 20, Denison 7 1941---Sherman 7, Denison 7* 1942---Denison 45, Sherman 6 1943---Sherman 7, Denison 7* 1944---Sherman 6, Denison 6* 1945---Denison 21, Sherman 13 1946---Denison 13, Sherman 6 1947---Denison 39, Sherman 7 1948---Denison 21, Sherman 6 1949---Sherman 13, Denison 7 1950---Sherman 14, Denison7 1951---Denison 26, Sherman 7 1952---Denison 15, Sherman 0 1953---Sherman 41, Denison 6 1954---Sherman 27, Denison 6 1955---Denison 27, Sherman 13 1956---Denison 49, Sherman 0 1957---Sherman 20, Denison 13 1958---Sherman 8, Denison 6 1959---Sherman 22, Denison 0

1960---Sherman 18, Denison 13 1961---Sherman 0, Denison 0* 1962---Sherman 20, Denison 0 1963---Denison 18, Sherman 9 1964---Denison 28, Sherman 8 1965---Denison 21, Sherman 6 1966---Denison 17, Sherman 11 1967---Sherman 36, Denison 15 1968---Denison 28, Sherman 7 1969---Sherman 31, Denison 12 1970---Sherman 28, Denison 8 1971---Sherman 30, Denison 8 1972---Sherman 21, Denison 0 1973---Sherman 14, Denison 13 1974---Sherman 28, Denison 12 1975---Sherman 29, Denison 14 1976---Sherman 37, Denison 14 1977---Sherman 51, Denison 7 1978---Sherman 24, Denison 17 1979---Sherman 10, Denison 0 1980---Sherman 14, Denison 14* 1981---Sherman 34, Denison 0 1982---Denison 28, Sherman 10 1983---Sherman 21, Denison 14 1984---Denison 23, Sherman 6 1985---Denison 39, Sherman 6 1986---Denison 31, Sherman 0 1987---Sherman 21, Denison 14 1988---Sherman 33, Denison 16 1989---Sherman 33, Denison 0 1990---Sherman 38, Denison 26 1991---Denison 28, Sherman 7 1992---Sherman 27, Denison 16 1993---Sherman 28, Denison 21 1994---Sherman 21, Denison 0 1995---Denison 16, Sherman 7 1996---Denison 35, Sherman 19 1997---Denison 31, Sherman 14 1998---Sherman 19, Denison 7 1999---Sherman 52, Denison 10 2000---Denison 10, Sherman 7 2001---Sherman 35, Denison 20 2002---Sherman 33, Denison 7 2003---Denison 59 Sherman 33 2004---Denison 24, Sherman 10 2005---Denison 23, Sherman 21 2006---Sherman 48, Denison 44 2007---Denison 44, Sherman 43 2008---Denison 34, Sherman 17 2009---Denison 43, Sherman 28 2010---Sherman 39, Denison 0 2011---Sherman 49, Denison 24 2012---Sherman 42, Denison 21 2013---Denison 42, Sherman 24 2014---Denison 42, Sherman 20 2015---Denison  41, Sherman 14 2016---Denison  35, Sherman 30 2017---Denison 49, Sherman 24 2018---Denison 41, Sherman 16 2019---Denison 29, Sherman 13 2020---Denison 41  Sherman 23 2021---Denison 37  Sherman 13

Note: Games are believed to have been played in the following years: 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, but scores can not be verified. No games played 1918, 1919, 1927 and 1930.



 

                Pictured above is the 1984 Class 4A State Champion Denison Yellow Jackets !
 

Eric Clapton Pulls Out of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The World's Greatest guitarist has had to
pull out of Friday night's performance at
New York.. Here is the story from today's
edition of USA Today...

NEW YORK (AP) — Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in New York after undergoing gallstone surgery.

Kristen Foster, a publicist for the guitarist, said Tuesday that Clapton was doing well and recuperating with his family in England.

The hall says Jeff Beck will replace the 64-year-old guitarist for Friday night's show at Madison Square Garden.

Clapton was to perform as part of a two-night celebration in honor of the hall's 25th anniversary. Beck now joins U2, Aretha Franklin and Metallica for the final night.

The Thursday lineup includes Crosby, Stills and Nash; Stevie Wonder; and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. HBO will air the concerts Nov. 29.

Clapton's website says he remains committed to his 2010 concert schedule.

Just a postnote from me.... Get well soon, Eric..... You 'da man !!!!

Shame On CBS.... The Unit

This is a written condemnation of CBS and the
programming department. Earlier this year CBS
cancelled 'The Unit'. The program ran for five
years and was truly a good representation of
army life in general and Special Forces in particular.

I have an insight on this commentary,..being a former
employee of CBS News and also a Vietnam veteran
having served with a Special Forces unit there.

The Unit was a program showing the professional
and personal life of the five man team,..under the
leadership of Sergeant-Major Jonas Blaine,..played
by Dennis Haysbert. The team was involved in covert
missions around the world, while being headquartered
out of Fort Griffith (fictitious). The show featured the
home life of the wives, who had to handle the families
and household while hubby was off saving the free
world.

The media did not like the program due to its military
theme and thus led to the cancellation of the show. It
now pops up on re-runs on independent stations and
the Fox Network. The Unit was a good show, but it
did not fit in with the standard Cop, Doctor, or Lawyer
show and was doomed. CBS cancelled the show despite
good ratings and millions of fans. Americans deserve better !!

1932 Ford Coupe

I saw this '32 Ford Coupe at a car show in
Brenham, Texas. It is a very good version of
this model. It is a 3-window coupe and I have
always like the 5-window model best,...but
that does not take away anything about this
car.
It is powered by a Chevrolet engine and
features electric windows and air conditioning. This beautiful coupe also has automatic transmission. Check the wood-panel dash. That definitely was not an option in 1932.
Black is a great color for these old cars because
it was an original color. Henry Ford used to
have a saying, "It comes in any color, as long
as you want black."

Messerschmidt ME-262

This is the Messerschmidt ME-262, the world's
first operational jet fighter/bomber. Designed by
Willie Messerschmidt in the late 1930's, the plane
was plagued by design, engine, and internal problems until
early 1944. The swept wing design was also a first
in aviation. Early models were fitted with a BMW 003
engine and these never proved successful. After
changing to the Jumo engines, the plane really took
off (no pun intended). It was the first to attain speeds
over 500 mph, but could only stay aloft 45 to 60 minutes.
Hitler was against the development of jet planes at
first, but aviation experts such at Hermann Goering and
Adolf Gallant convinced him it was the wave of the future.
Hitler wanted to make the ME-262 into a bomber to strike
France and Great Britain. Engineers and senior pilots both
agreed it was more in line to be a fighter plane. It was not
until the Allies began bombing Germany on a daily basis
that Hitler finally relented and agreed to make the plane
into a fighter. Five years had been wasted, and now the
plane could not be produced in enough numbers to turn
back the Allies. World experts agree the plane was years
ahead of anything that any nation had at the time. Over
500 were built, but only around 25 are known to still
exist.
The first photo is a real ME-262...the rest are of my
latest model.

Harley Davidson Sportster

This post is to show off my Harley Davidson
Sportster. Some riders look down on Sportsters
as the 'Little Brother' of the Harley-Davidson
family. I would not advise any bad attitudes toward
this particular Sportster. It came from the factory
with the 1200 engine, but has since been updated
to a 1340 Evolution engine. It features a Dakota Kid
carburetor feeding fuel through a polished manifold and
exiting through Vance & Hines exhaust.
Everything else is just cosmetic... Chrome on the
axle covers...regulator cover...cam cover...primary
cover...tail light cover...and handlebar controls. It
runs as good as it looks. I took the factory HD badges
off the gas tank and had a friend make the new ones
featuring the Skull series. I have the Skull on the axle
covers..the primary cover..the cam cover.. and the gas
cap.
While not in the same league as my Road Glide or the
Nightrain (featured in earlier posts), this bike is great
in its own regard. For just around town fun,..it can't
be beat !!!

Football Team in Pink Jerseys

Article from Arizona Republic Newspaper....

As she watched the Arizona State women's basketball team play in pink uniforms during a breast cancer awareness event, Lindsay Griffith turned away from the TV and toward her father, the athletic director at the local high school.

"Dad, have you ever thought about doing a pink football game?" she said.

The Power of Pink

Marcos de Niza (AZ) football team and community came together to support breast cancer awareness. Check out the photo gallery of the game and the incredible support.

Mike Griffith, the AD at Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Ariz., did not hesitate.

"Absolutely not," he told his daughter. "No way am I putting 50 kids in pink uniforms."

Lindsay, however, wouldn't let go of the idea. She urged her father to talk to the school's principal. Nine months later, here's what everybody learned:

A bunch of high school football players will suit up in pink jerseys for the right cause. And between the time the idea popped into Lindsay Graham's head and the time the Marcos de Niza football team completed a 42-0 victory Friday night, everybody learned more about the team, the town and the cause.

"It gave me goose bumps to see all those people come together like that," Mike Griffith said.

And to think the night almost failed to materialize.

"No way," declared the principal, Frank Mirizio, when Mike Griffith first inquired about the possibility. Mirizo didn't oppose the idea, he just knew the school couldn't justify the $3,000 cost of buying pink jerseys.

Mike Griffith, however, wasn't deterred. He explained his daughter's vision and how they thought it could work, and soon the principal was on board. So was the football coach. It was all up to the players.

They brought in all 26 seniors.

"Immediately, without hesitation, they were all, 'Absolutely, we'll do this. This is a way to give back to the community,'" Mike Griffith said.

Order the jerseys, Mirizio said, betting he could find someone to support the cause.

In the meantime, they all found out that cancer hit closer to home than anybody first realized.

Zach Schira, the senior quarterback, was mentoring a sixth-grade girl who has a brain tumor. Ramon Abreu, the star senior running back, was comforting a friend on the baseball team whose mother has cancer. Lopez had lost his grandmother to cancer only three years ago.

But in August, with 55 pink jerseys and the $3,000 bill on the way, the school still was looking for someone to cover the cost.

They called the Arizona Cardinals, often derided as one of the NFL's most frugal teams.

"As soon as we heard about it, it was a yes," said Sheldon Meeks, community relations director for Cardinals. "We loved the idea and wanted to get on board and help any way that we could."

Pink gloves, someone thought. Why not order pink gloves to match the pink jerseys? Because it's too expensive, Mike Griffith said after calling a glove manufacturer.

Turned out Abreu, the senior running back, had made contact online with a salesman from the same manufacturer. It was no longer too expensive.

Cutters Gloves in Phoenix sent 22 pair of pink gloves free of charge. It was part of a campaign where the company donated 1,000 pairs of pink gloves to schools, free of charge.

Pros in Pink

Professional athletes, like Phil Mickelson, have had their lifes affected by breast cancer. See the photo gallery of what other athletes are doing to spread awareness.

The week of the big game, the Marcos de Niza High School football team had its pink jerseys, pink gloves and a scouting report on Gilbert Perry High School with a cover page that read: "It's a privilege to play for these young men and women that are fighting this disease."

By then it'd become clear that cancer, in many forms, had impacted members of the team who took the field Friday night holding hands with a cancer survivor.

There was Schira, the senior quarterback, with Julia Hilabrand, the 12-year-old girl with the brain tumor and confined to a wheelchair. She wore Schira's regular home jersey, No. 12.

The Arizona State University cheer line was there. So were two Arizona Cardinals cheerleaders. As was Matt Leinart, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Southern Cal who is the Cardinals' backup quarterback.

But the faces blended into the sea of pink, a standing-room-only crowd of about 5,000 that dressed as if their wardrobes included but one color.

"We might have to play a little harder because we're wearing pink," some of the players joked before the game.

But as they stood next to cancer survivors, some players fought back tears. Hundreds of pink balloons - all with names of cancer patients written on them - were released into the sky at kickoff. The crowd cheered as if Marcos de Niza had won on a last-second touchdown. Of course there was no last-second touchdown.

Rather, there was one touchdown after another after another as the inspired football team in pink dominated on the field while students in the stands sold pink T-shirts and pink bracelets.

Solemnity intervened at halftime when Leinart made a special presentation to Lisa Berkley, a home economics teacher who'd just gone through her first treatment for breast cancer.

After the game, Mike Griffith drove home with his 17-year-old daughter, Lindsay, the one who'd set event in motion when she was looking for a community project for a local service club to which she belongs.

What Mike Griffith feared the players would resist and what might be too expensive to pull off, well, the players had relished it.

And, by the time the gate receipts had been counted, and pink jerseys had been auctioned off for $40 apiece, and the pink T-shirts and pink wristbands had been sold, the school had raised almost $7,000 for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer research foundation.

Buoyed by the event's success, the school has decided the first football game every October will culminate a service-oriented week for the team, staff and students.

"That was awesome, Dad, that was so great," Lindsay Griffith said on the ride home from the game Friday night. "Did you see the people out there? They had tears in their eyes."

Mike Griffith was humbled, by the night and what his daughter had set in motion.

"Lindsay, when you have a good idea and you involve the right people, it just becomes more than you ever dreamed it would,'' he said.

Article from Arizona Republic Newspaper

Complex Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have hit a snag enroute to
the Super Bowl this year and it is called reality.
The off-season trade that sent wide receiver
Terrell Owens to Buffalo was suppose to make
everything rosy in Big D. No more distractions,
no more controversy, and no more locker room
flare-ups. Well,... the addition of T.O. to the Bills
has not shown any improvement in Buffalo, and
his departure has not put the Cowboys on the
highlight reel so far this season.
The quarterback position is a precarious one..
the QB gets all the credit when things go right,
and he gets the blame when things turn south.
Tony Romo is in the 2nd year of that 60+ million
dollar contract and so far he has not been the
savior Cowboy fans have been waiting for. He
probably is a great athlete physically,..but his
decisions are costing the Cowboys too many
games in the 'lost' column. So far this season
Romo has thrown 4 touchdown passes, but he
has also thrown 4 interceptions. He has also
fumbled twice, but who is keeping score, right?
At the beginning of the season I predicted an
8-8 year for Dallas. Others looked at me like I
was crazy for such a lowly prediction. Well, the
Cowboys are 2-2 after four games and so far
making ol' Underdog look like Socrates.
Romo will never be another Troy Aikman,..or
Roger Staubach,...but maybe he will be like
Danny White. Just good enough to win a few
games here and there, but not good enough to
be playing football in January. Cowboy fans
deserve better!!

Denison Car Show

Today was the beginning of the
Fall Festival in downtown Denison and it
was a good weatherwise day for the activities.. Booths and shops turn out in their best to attract the crowd..
My favorite part of the show is the annual car competition, and this years competitors showed off some great looking autos..
The bronze 1940 Chevy Coupe is a local car and has been in the last two yearly shows.. It is a great car... Air conditioning, power-steering, power brakes, and Corvette power.. It got my vote for second place in the show...
My first place vote went to this 1934 Ford 3-window coupe. It was spectacular!!
It came from Plano and the driver told me he drove it up.. Last month he drove it to
Vermont and back without any trouble..It is hard to see in the solid color, but there are flames embossed in the metal on each side of the car.. It took him 6-7 weeks work just for that embossed look. The headers are hand-made to clear the frame and the steering column.
Another standout was a silver 1946 Chevy Coupe.. It also featured a 350 Chevy engine and a digital dash, plus air conditioning.
There was a couple of late 1940's Chevy trucks in the show, but a real head-turner was a cinnamon red 1948 Cadillac...
All in all, another great show put on for the local fans.. Momma and the grandkids
enjoyed the exhibits and arts & crafts..and I got to see some vintage iron that makes today's cars really look cheap!!