Friday, September 18, 1998

Not picking the Pipers paid off with poster

By Bill Hart

With friends like coach Brad McCoy, who needs "enemies"?

At last week's pep rally prior to Hamlin's game with Clyde, I understand they had this skit where McCoy and an "imposter" using my name picked the outcome of the game.

Naturally, McCoy predicted his Pied Pipers to win and the "imposter" picked them to lose. I wonder why?

So McCoy had this poster made up: HHS 2-0, Bill Hart 0-2. He told the team that if they won, he would get the starters to sign the poster and send it to me. It arrived Tuesday because the Pipers are 2-0 despite being picked to be 0-2.

I hope this thing of sending posters doesn't become a fad because there are several teams that have been missed the past two weeks, but most of them let me down by losing after they had been favored to lose.

Last year, it was predicted that Goldthwaite would beat Bangs for the district championship, but Bangs won, 34-29. A couple of weeks later, some wise guy from Bangs sent me a T-shirt with the actual score of the game and that Bangs was the district champion. Worst of all, he presented it at church.

If I received a shirt for every prediction I missed, I'd have to open up a clothing store or build extra rooms on the house to store them.

Two Hamlin people have called wanting to get the poster back, but sorry, guys, it is going into the memory bank for possible future use.

McCoy, like most coaches, want see their team picked to lose because they feel their players do better as the underdog. How many "loses" do I have to pick to earn an "H" letter, Brad?

Will it go to 3-0 and 0-3? The rest of the predictions:

-- Abilene High 20, Euless Trinity 13 - The Eagles are still soaring high.

-- North Mesquite 27, Cooper 15 - One thing about the Cougars, they are not playing chopped liver teams.

-- Lubbock Estacado 22, Big Spring 15 - The Matadors seem to have the Steers' number.

-- Wylie 13, Snyder 10 - The Bulldogs seem to have the Tigers' number as well.

-- Sweetwater 27, Borger 13 - The Mustangs corral another victory.

-- Stephenville 33, Weatherford 14 - Rain or shine, the Jackets have too much offense.

-- Stanton 26, Colorado City 21 - The Buffaloes are still roaming and far from extinct.

-- Ballinger 14, Coleman 8 - The Bearcats remember what happened to them at Coleman two years ago.

-- Bangs 21, Clyde 20 - Clyde hasn't done anything to help my percentages climb.

-- Jim Ned 27, Merkel 14 - An Indian knows how to clean a Badger.

-- Breckenridge 29, Graham 14 - The Buckaroos to stay No. 1 for at least another week.

-- Comanche 16, De Leon 13 - The coaches say this is just another game, the fans feel differently.

-- Dublin 26, Hamilton 20 - The Lions have been a surprise thus far.

-- Jacksboro 14, Eastland 8 - The Mavericks' defense has been tough thus far despite the losses.

-- Coahoma 28, Midland Christian 12 - The Bulldogs bounce back with a vengeance.

-- Albany 31, Gorman 20 - The Lions are still trying to find their defense.

-- Cisco 16, Anson 14 - The Loboes finally break into the win column - barely.

-- Hamlin 22, Rotan 13 - I'd pick Hamlin this week even if they were playing the Dallas Cowboys or the University of Texas.

-- Baird 14, Hawley 13 - Have the Bears ever lost to Hawley?

-- Goldthwaite 26, Hico 17 - The Eagles tune up for district with this win.

-- Haskell 21, Stamford 20 - The Indians won't need overtime to win this week.

-- Throckmorton 17, Olney 14 - The Greyhounds barely hold on for this win.

-- Early 27, Water Valley 7 - The Longhorns go a long way for a victory.

-- Winters 36, Ozona 7 - The Blizzards put a chill on the Lions.

-- Aspermont 27, Roscoe 21 - The Hornets buzzing to another victory.

-- Spur 12, Knox City 7 - The Greyhounds get close, but no cigars.

-- Munday 27, Quanah 19 - Moguls will have a harder time than most think.

-- Eden 20, Robert Lee 13 - Eden finds a garden in Robert Lee.

-- Ranger 32, Cross Plains 20 - The Bulldogs liked winning so well last week, they'd like another.

-- May 20, Santa Anna 15 - The Tigers seem to like it in 11-man football.

-- Bryson 28, Rising Star 12 - The Wildcats are having their problems right now.

-- Roby 7, Bronte 6 - There are more millionaires in Roby than in Bronte.

-- Six-Man - Rule 44, Chillicothe 43; Rochester 51, Woodson 44; Benjamin at Trent 32, Benjamin 30; Jayton 36, Westbrook 26; Paint Creek 45, Ira 41; Klondike 27, Hermleigh 26; Borden County 48, Highland 38; Blackwell 33, Lueders-Avoca 29; Loraine 51, Midland Trinity 36; Abilene Christian High 66, Moran 46; Strawn 59, Newcastle 52; Gordon 53, Abbott 29; Richland Springs 24, Sidney 20; Panther Creek 38, Mullin 37; Zephyr 22, Cherokee 21; Blanket 30, Aquilla 39; Jonesboro 35, Gustine 34; Brookesmith 46, Star 20.

--Other winners: Arlington Martin, Odessa, Odessa Permian, Midland Lee (Saturday), Andrews, Pecos, San Angelo Lake View, Burleson, Cleburne, Mesquite Poteet, Azle, Granbury, Northwest, Muleshoe, Denver City, Lamesa, Seminole, Littlefield, Llano, Wall, La Vega, Glen Rose, Plains, Post, Seagraves, Stanton, Tahoka, Archer City, Electra, Holliday, Windthorst, Millsap, Whitney, Godley, Ingram, San Saba, Valley, Paducah, Forsan, Irion County, Evant, Lometa, Santo, Tolar, Guthrie, Dawson, Grady, Sands, Rochelle, Bynum, Walnut Springs, Covington.

-- Last week: 71 right, 35 wrong, 67 percent. Season: 138 right, 66 wrong, 68 percent.

Bill Hart can be reached at 676-6773 or sports@abinews.com