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A Question From the Jamboree
Mike Fowler
Daily Commercial Sports Editor
Tuesday September 9, 1969
Mike Fowler
Daily Commercial Sports Editor
Tuesday September 9, 1969
A jamboree is a county fair of football games. It's fun, it's big, it's a holiday. Since nothing is at stake but pride, it's relaxed. Spectators can enjoy the action without becoming emotionally involved and because nothing really serious is happening, they can watch without forgetting about their cokes. That's good because the ice doesn't melt before they remember to drink.
Coaches can shrug amiably and talk about their optimism no matter what the score is, cheerleaders can work on their girl-man voices, those squeaky baritones you hear nowhere else, with no danger of tears. Everybody can predict great things to come out of a good performance, or dismiss bad ones as needed experience. Just like a county fair, everybody can enjoy himself and not worry about tomorrow.
But can you see anything at a Jamboree which might give you a definite idea what's to come? Well, maybe. But only, maybe.
Leesburg High's Yellow jackets enjoyed as good a Jamboree performance as any team could hope at Eustis Friday night scoring 18 points against Groveland, winning a tight battle with Eustis. Both quarterbacks, Mike Napier and Andy Carlton, performed well, so well in fact that you got to the idea a pro team would need Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath to be relatively as well off.
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Greg Williams lived up to his legend, making a fine catch off the first pass Napier threw and carrying it for a touchdown, then, later, catching the key passes in the drive that took him across the goal line with the touchdown that beat Eustis.
The Jacket defense looked sharp against both running and passing, and the Jacket running game was effective, surprisingly so - Coach Wilbur Lofton was pleased most with this, an area he'd had most doubts about.
All in all, a most pleasant evening for the Yellow Jackets - if there was one sore point, one worry, it was the after-point kicking of Gene Elton, who missed three attempts and had one blocked, zero-for four-attemps.
But such is the nature of jamborees that this could be written off to inexperience, a bad night - under the pressure of a first performance Elton would be nervous, and the boy handling his teeing rushed the job every time. Something, then, not to worry about until later, if it keeps showing up.
What didn't show up at all in the jamboree is the Jacket's biggest potential weakness, the one that could stand all the pre-season predictors on their heads, blood rushing down to a scarlet, scarlet blush. And it won't show up at all until the Jackets play four full quarters.
Leesburg this year is a small team, a tiny team - not in heft but number. Only 28 boys suit up for each game and two of those, Elton and Larry Humes, do nothing but kick.
Most everybody, from Napier to tailback-linebacker Sam Rixie, does double duty on offense and defense.
And if that's not tiring enough, most of the teams the Jackets will meet will be platooning - a team for offense, a well- rested team for defense.
Will it have any effect? "sure," says Lofton. "It has to."
Anyway, after you've added up the credits and debits of the 1969 Yellow Jackets - passing, running and defense on the credit side - write down "fourth quarter fatigue" under debits. You can put a question mark their if you want - how tough are Leesburg boys? Well, sir, wait and see - but make it a big question mark.
Nobody will know how tough the 1969 Jackets will be until the first fourth quarter they play.
The Jacket defense looked sharp against both running and passing, and the Jacket running game was effective, surprisingly so - Coach Wilbur Lofton was pleased most with this, an area he'd had most doubts about.
All in all, a most pleasant evening for the Yellow Jackets - if there was one sore point, one worry, it was the after-point kicking of Gene Elton, who missed three attempts and had one blocked, zero-for four-attemps.
But such is the nature of jamborees that this could be written off to inexperience, a bad night - under the pressure of a first performance Elton would be nervous, and the boy handling his teeing rushed the job every time. Something, then, not to worry about until later, if it keeps showing up.
What didn't show up at all in the jamboree is the Jacket's biggest potential weakness, the one that could stand all the pre-season predictors on their heads, blood rushing down to a scarlet, scarlet blush. And it won't show up at all until the Jackets play four full quarters.
Leesburg this year is a small team, a tiny team - not in heft but number. Only 28 boys suit up for each game and two of those, Elton and Larry Humes, do nothing but kick.
Most everybody, from Napier to tailback-linebacker Sam Rixie, does double duty on offense and defense.
And if that's not tiring enough, most of the teams the Jackets will meet will be platooning - a team for offense, a well- rested team for defense.
Will it have any effect? "sure," says Lofton. "It has to."
Anyway, after you've added up the credits and debits of the 1969 Yellow Jackets - passing, running and defense on the credit side - write down "fourth quarter fatigue" under debits. You can put a question mark their if you want - how tough are Leesburg boys? Well, sir, wait and see - but make it a big question mark.
Nobody will know how tough the 1969 Jackets will be until the first fourth quarter they play.
Resources
Excerpt from
A Question From the Jamboree
Mike Fowler
Daily Commercial Sports EditorDaily CommercialTuesday September 9, 1969
Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com
Gerald is a professional Internet marketer and social media marketing expert. His online business ventures and websites generate multiple streams of income annually. His consulting clients include best selling authors and international speakers.
Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand
Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand
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