Week 7 Top Games

District 3-5A

The Abilene High Eagles start a 4 week road odyssey this week against the Weatherford Kangaroos. They will be on the road against Weatherford, Haltom, and Richland with an open date thrown in on October 16th. The Eagles are 2-0 in District 3-5A play with victories over Burleson and Fort Worth Paschal. Weatherford is 1-0 with a 7-point victory over Paschal. The Eagles have to stop the 'Roos running game to win their 18th straight regular season game. They kickoff at 7:30 in Weatherford.

District 4-4A

The Cooper Cougars are back in action this week after last week's open date, and they start District 4-4A play up in Hereford. The Cougars finished their non-district with 3 straight close loses to good Class 5A schools. Head coach Mike Spradlin's team opens up against the undefeated Hereford Whitefaces up in the panhandle. The Whitefaces feature the 2nd best passing offense in the district, and Cooper's offense is the best in the district. Cooper and Hereford open District 4-4A in Hereford at 7:30pm.

District 2-3A

4)Wylie vs. 18)Brownwood

The state-ranked Wylie Bulldogs and Brownwood Lions are set for their District 2-3A opener. Wylie enters the match-up with a 4-0 record and they are the 4th ranked team in the state. Brownwood is 4-1 and ranked 18th in Class 3A. The Bulldogs are trying to open District 2-3A by beating Brownwood for the 2nd year in a row. The 'Dogs and Lions get together at Gordon Wood Stadium tonight.

Snyder vs. 9)Graham

Breckenridge vs. Sweetwater

District 6-2A

Anson vs. 8)Cisco

The Cisco Loboes are ranked 8th in the state and they are the only undefeated team in District 6-2A. They open district play against the Anson Tigers. The Tigers are 1-4 heading into this game. Cisco's offense is rolling over opponents so far this season. They are averaging 38 points a game, and the Loboes defense has allowed just 6 touchdowns in 5 games.

Merkel vs. Clyde

Eastland vs. Hawley

District 7-2A

Colorado City vs. Grape Creek

Colorado City opens District 7-2A against Grape Creek. The Wolves lost their final non-district game to Cisco, but they are ready to put that behind them this week against Grape Creek tonight. Colorado's offense is led by running back Jamarcus Brooks. The Wolves and Eagles kickoff at Grape Creek at 7:30.

Coahoma vs. Jim Ned

Ballinger vs. Wall

District 8-2A

Comanche vs. Bangs

The top matchup in District 8-2A features a team that is trying to keep it's roll going, and a team that is trying to rebound. The Comanche Indians travel to Bangs to take on the Dragons. Comanche is undefeated and averaging 37 points a game, and they just scored 62 points last week. Bangs is coming off their 1st loss in district play to San Saba. The Dragons have lost 2 of their last 3 games.

Coleman vs. Dublin

San Saba vs. Brady

District 9-A

Seymour vs. Munday

A good matchup in District 9-A tonight in Munday. The Moguls have just 1 loss heading into their game with undefeated Seymour. The Panthers are outscoring their opponents by 3 touchdowns in every game.

District 11-A

Miles vs. 1)Albany

Defending District 11-A champ, Albany, opens district play against Miles tonight. Albany is led on the ground by running back Elijah Hudson, who has already passed the 1-thousand yard mark in leading his team to a 5-0 record and a #1 ranking.

Bronte vs. Baird

Cross Plains vs. Winters

District 12-A

Haskell vs. Stamford

Roscoe vs. Roby

Rotan vs. Hamlin

District 15-A

Ranger vs. DeLeon

Perrin-Whitt vs. Gorman

Be sure to watch KTAB Football Extreme tonight at 10:20pm on KTAB.

Something New For David: SURGERY PART 2

I had my surgery on Thursday, and got some good news.

My rotator cuff was not torn. They just had to do a little cleaning up in that area.

I'll be in a sling for 10 days or less, and then, hopefully, I'll be as good as new.

The one thing I did learn is it's a lot harder to wake up than go to sleep. When they gave me the stuff that makes you go to sleep, I was out in five seconds. It took four hours to get me awake enough to go home.

Alot of people wanted video cameras to record the procedure. It's good thing for me that didn't happen because it was not my finest hour.

I do want to say that the nurses and the doctors took good care of me, and they were incredibly patient.

My arm hurts, but that's what happens when you let folks cut on your arm.

Rehab starts on Monday, and unless something weird happens, I will be back on the anchor desk later that night.

I thank you for your prayers, and I ask you to continue praying that my recovery goes smoothly.

I will keep you updated.

Something New For David: SURGERY PART 2

Something New For David: SURGERY

I am about to go under the knife for the 1st time in my life. I report to Hendrick at 12:30 Thursday afternoon to undergo shoulder surgery.

This is going to be a new experience for me, so I am just a little nervous. What I mean by that is, I am REALLY nervous. I am in the capable hands of Dr. Britton, but I am still concerned.

The worry stems from the unknown more than anything else.

1)How much is it going to hurt?

2)How long is it going to hurt?

3)How long will I be one-armed?

4)How in the world am I going to do my job?

Here are the answers:

1)A lot

2)for a long time

3)4 weeks or so

4)I have no idea

I am sure everything is going to be okay. I know I have the prayers of many people. You should really be praying for my wife. For 1, I am not the best patient in the world, additionally, Conni is about add being my nurse to being a mom for our daughter and a teacher for your kids.

I will keep you updated.

Dallas Cowboys: Not Quite Good Enough

The Dallas Cowboys are officially getting ready for the 2009 season down in San Antonio, and for people like me, that means the football season has started.

Most everyone is wondering how the Cowboys are going to do this season, and I tell them, they have the personnel to go to the playoffs and maybe even make some noise. There is a problem, and he's pretty far up the food chain.

1st the personnel. Tony Romo is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and now that he doesn't have to worry about T.O. and Jess, his mind is free to think on football matters and football matters alone.

3 running backs. I think that says it all. Most teams would kill to have 2, 2008 showed us that the Cowboys have 3. Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice are back to take the pressure off Romo and the receiving corps. If you take a look at last season, the offense started to sputter once Jones was injured. Keep that guy healthy, and the Cowboys will score points by the bucket load.

Defensively, the Cowboys are led by Demarcus Ware at outside linebacker. He's good, and Bradie James is a play maker. However, the rest is a bit of an unknown. That said, head coach Wade Phillips is a good defensive coach, so I am pretty sure the Cowboys "D" will be a force to be dealt with for other teams.

Now we come to the problem. While Phillips is a good answer for the defense, his style as a head coach may be the thing that keeps this team out of the playoffs.

Phillips has a history. Because he's a "players coach", the team he takes over does better his 1st year as the head coach, but "players coaches" do not demand discipline, and that means they fall off in his 2nd year. That happened last year in Dallas. This season is a little different because this is the 1st time an owner has given him a 3rd year.

I hope Phillips will lead the Cowboys to a deep run in the playoffs, but I am a skeptic. I don't trust that Phillips can get the job done. Games usually come down to the little things. Phillips style doesn't encourage a team to worry about the little things.

Here's the pick, I think the Dallas Cowboys will go to the playoffs this season, but I don't think they will win a playoff game for the 13th season in a row.

Sports Thoughts: Quincy, Taylor Co. QB's, and Wimbledon

1)Shocking development. Quincy Carter let his team and himself down, again.

Everyone that is surprised that Carter was no show for the Abilene Ruff Riders next to last game of the regular season stand on their head. I expected this kind of thing all season, and here it is. Carter was in and out of jail this season, and he showed up for practice and other team activities when he decided to show up. I am glad the team finally showed some backbone and sent this fella packing. See ya', Quincy. I wouldn't want to be ya'.

2)I am really excited to watch 3 quarterbacks that grew up in Taylor County play major college

football.

Colt McCoy(Jim Ned) is back for his 4th year as the Longhorns starting quarterback. Taylor Potts is the leading candidate to take over record-setting Graham Harrell at Texas Tech, and Case Keenum begins his 2nd season as the Houston Cougars full-time starter.

3)I just finished previewing all of the Texas teams in the Big XII and other conferences.

Did anyone else notice, the teams from the Lone Star State are picked to win all 3 conference titles. Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine says The University of Texas will win the Big XII, Houston is picked to win the Conference USA title, and Texas Christian University is expected to win the Mountain West Conference.

4)Saturday was the 30th anniversary of Breakfast at Wimbledon on NBC.

I remember the 1st one like it was yesterday. I was 11 years old, and I watched Bjorn Borg beat Roscoe Tanner for his 4th straight Wimbledon title. I became a Bjorn Borg fan. As a matter of fact, I am still a Bjorn Borg fan, and the Men's Wimbledon final has been a very important part of my life since that day.

A Changed Life

It's amazing how fast your life can be changed.

1 example is when you become a parent. Without kids, you worry about yourself. With kids, you worry about them, and you are willing to give your life for their's.

Shelby Miller is finding out how fast your life can change right now.

The former Brownwood High School pitcher was drafted in the 1st round of the Major League Baseball draft, and he is facing some life changing decisions.

Last week, Miller's biggest concern was getting his team through the Class 3A Quarterfinals.

Now, he's has to decide if he is going to go pro after being the 19th player selected in the draft, or if he is going to take his 97 mph fastball to Texas A&M in College Station.

Odds are, Miller will become a member of the Cardinals organization this summer, and he will start playing baseball for money. That's when the changes really start.

Miller is a teenager who is about to have alot of responsibilities.

He will have more money than he knows what to do with. He will have people hanging around for his money, and he will have to decide who his real friends are.

I am excited for Miller and his family, but I am also praying that he will make the right decisions along the way.

Shelby Miller's life has changed, and now it's up to him if it changed for the better or worse.