Deez Nuts

Why doesn't Left Nut Sports cover college basketball and high school football?  1.) College hoops is boring and they play too many damn games.  2.) All college basketball coaches are unbearable pricks that fancy themselves as chess grand masters, as a result every single game turns into a free throw contest for the final minute 3.) any sport that discourages physical contact is bullshit. 

High School Football, like Pee Wee football or Little League Baseball is meaningless, unless you have a kid playing.  You have to be a masochist or a parent to sit through an entire contest, much less give a damn who wins or loses. At every level of football, the refs act like they're the center of attention. This is more apparent in the high school version, and it just kills the ebb and flow of the game.

The last high school football game I attended (at least ten years ago) is still etched upon my mind. (I'm working from memory, some of the details are sketchy) Hapless Deming Hs. is playing the equally inept Cobre Indians at home, the Wildcats had just ended a 26 game losing streak the year before with a narrow road win over the Bayard Tribe. Cobre was out for revenge... tension and the smell of Old Spice were in the air. 

Cobre was led by Stan Montoya, a 5'7" Qb. with mad skills and blazing speed. The Indians got the ball first and Montoya promptly tore through Deming's defense for a 70+ yard touchdown run. It was called back on a holding penalty. Montoya trotted back to the line of scrimmage as the catcalls from the Deming faithful rained down on him. "Hey Stan!, nice run" the Deming crowd yelled out in unison. 

On the next play, Montoya on a Qb. keeper broke free and sailed untouched 80 yards into the endzone.  That play was called back for encroachment on Cobre. The Deming fans were besides themselves with glee, one drunk loudmouth yelled at Montoya "Are you tired yet, Stan?" Cobre punted for a net of gain of twenty yards, cries of "That's my Dawg" came from the Deming side, directed at the Cobre punter, who scurried off the field.

Deming's  first possession ended when the Wildcat Qb. threw an interception. On first down,  Montoya rambled for 50+ yards,  he's finally brought down at the Deming 18 yard line.  Then Montoya did something strange, though able to run at will, he attempts a pass, the Wildcats intercept and take over in front of their own goal line. The Wildcat offense then proceeds to  fumble and recover the ball on first and second down.

On third down, Stan Montoya, now playing safety intercepts a Deming pass and trots into the end zone, Cobre 6-0 (the kicker missed the PAT) The mood turns sour on the Deming side. The thing about high school football (or any high school sport really) is that any criticism is taken personally, if you yell "Catch the damn ball" at a receiver, someone (usually a relative) will respond "I'd like to see you do better" This back and forth goes on throughout the game.  

Deming tied the game on a nice pass play for a touchdown, 6-6 (the kicker missed the PAT)  Deming kicked off to Cobre, the kick returner muffed the catch, Deming recovered and on the ensuing play fumbled the ball back to Cobre.  I'd had enough!, that was two hours of my life I would never get back.  After stopping for a hot dog and soft drink at the snack bar, I went home to watch a Raiders preseason game on UPN.