Cujo
10-29-2005, 09:08 AM
......at least for this year anyway.
I just sat here and wrote out this long explanation of why John Tyler is back to their old selves; but then I realized, it really doesn't matter. Just take my word for it...... after seeing JT "will" themselves a win after giving up in the first half the most yards - 131 rushing (70 on one play) & 148 passing - that they had allowed to any previous opponent for an entire game, and having the largest halftime deficit all year, JT pulled themselves together, held Rockwall to only 3 pts after they had the ball 1st and Goal from the 2 yard line on two different occasions, and held them to -16 rushing yards in the 2nd half. No, JT is not an elite team that will dominate you in every aspect of the game (unless you're Mesquite....ha), but JT has what most elite teams never do...... heart and soul and the belief that they can overcome anything.
It all started the week after an overtime loss to Kilgore, when JT was tied with North Mesquite, had the ball on NM's 2 yd line, and the star and workhorse of the offense went out with a season ending injury. Five plays after that injury, JT's defense forced a safety, and from that point on, the defense has found a way to win every game.
The seniors on this team experienced only 6 varsity wins their entire time at John Tyler before this season. Now, JT's starters include 19 of those seniors, and I believe they have a will to win in them that is rarely seen in a team.
I'm not gonna be dumb enough to attempt to make predictions on next week's game vs Longview, but I will say that there's no way this isn't the Game of the Week. JT and Longview haven't battled it out for the Gold Ball since 1997, and this is long overdue. For at least 3 hours next Friday, everyone at Lobo Stadium will step back in time to a time when two powerhouse teams laid everything on the line. I honestly don't think neither team will be looking to the week ahead or the rest of the playoffs - each will be totally focused on either perserving their perfect record and #3 ranking, or bringing back a championship that JT hasn't experienced for 7 years. I sure hope this game lives up to what I'm envisioning and that each team comes to play to win, but I at least know for a fact that I'll experience an electric atmosphere of a packed house that I haven't personally seen since the "Round 3" LV/Lufkin game in the 2002 Quarterfinals.
Anyway, regardless of what happens in that game, JT knows for a fact that they'll be playing one of 3 teams in two weeks.
If Horn wins next week, Longview would go Division 1 and JT would play the South Garland/Sachse winner in the first round. Then in the 2nd week, JT would face either Lake Highlands or a subpar Dallas school. So no matter who JT plays in the first two weeks, they will be highly favored and expected to win with realitve ease. Then JT would renew their rivalry with Lufkin in the 3rd week; and that, needless to say, would be a matchup all football fans would love to see.
If Horn losses, Longview would go Division 2 and play the games that I just listed above. JT however would face Garland, and if they win, they'd have a reunion with good ole' Wilson. From what I know, I believe at this point that JT is no better or worse then both Garland and Carter, and I think both those games could easily go either way.
With either scenerio however, JT will clearly be the underdog after the 2nd week of the playoffs, if they happen to make it that far.
However, just as a warning to all future opponents, do yourselves a favor and don't overlook JT, because Cujo is definitely back and we want more then just a Gold Ball. ;)
I just sat here and wrote out this long explanation of why John Tyler is back to their old selves; but then I realized, it really doesn't matter. Just take my word for it...... after seeing JT "will" themselves a win after giving up in the first half the most yards - 131 rushing (70 on one play) & 148 passing - that they had allowed to any previous opponent for an entire game, and having the largest halftime deficit all year, JT pulled themselves together, held Rockwall to only 3 pts after they had the ball 1st and Goal from the 2 yard line on two different occasions, and held them to -16 rushing yards in the 2nd half. No, JT is not an elite team that will dominate you in every aspect of the game (unless you're Mesquite....ha), but JT has what most elite teams never do...... heart and soul and the belief that they can overcome anything.
It all started the week after an overtime loss to Kilgore, when JT was tied with North Mesquite, had the ball on NM's 2 yd line, and the star and workhorse of the offense went out with a season ending injury. Five plays after that injury, JT's defense forced a safety, and from that point on, the defense has found a way to win every game.
The seniors on this team experienced only 6 varsity wins their entire time at John Tyler before this season. Now, JT's starters include 19 of those seniors, and I believe they have a will to win in them that is rarely seen in a team.
I'm not gonna be dumb enough to attempt to make predictions on next week's game vs Longview, but I will say that there's no way this isn't the Game of the Week. JT and Longview haven't battled it out for the Gold Ball since 1997, and this is long overdue. For at least 3 hours next Friday, everyone at Lobo Stadium will step back in time to a time when two powerhouse teams laid everything on the line. I honestly don't think neither team will be looking to the week ahead or the rest of the playoffs - each will be totally focused on either perserving their perfect record and #3 ranking, or bringing back a championship that JT hasn't experienced for 7 years. I sure hope this game lives up to what I'm envisioning and that each team comes to play to win, but I at least know for a fact that I'll experience an electric atmosphere of a packed house that I haven't personally seen since the "Round 3" LV/Lufkin game in the 2002 Quarterfinals.
Anyway, regardless of what happens in that game, JT knows for a fact that they'll be playing one of 3 teams in two weeks.
If Horn wins next week, Longview would go Division 1 and JT would play the South Garland/Sachse winner in the first round. Then in the 2nd week, JT would face either Lake Highlands or a subpar Dallas school. So no matter who JT plays in the first two weeks, they will be highly favored and expected to win with realitve ease. Then JT would renew their rivalry with Lufkin in the 3rd week; and that, needless to say, would be a matchup all football fans would love to see.
If Horn losses, Longview would go Division 2 and play the games that I just listed above. JT however would face Garland, and if they win, they'd have a reunion with good ole' Wilson. From what I know, I believe at this point that JT is no better or worse then both Garland and Carter, and I think both those games could easily go either way.
With either scenerio however, JT will clearly be the underdog after the 2nd week of the playoffs, if they happen to make it that far.
However, just as a warning to all future opponents, do yourselves a favor and don't overlook JT, because Cujo is definitely back and we want more then just a Gold Ball. ;)