- Oxford Girls Soccer is looking for their 2nd ever time to host North Half in Girls Soccer. Oxford can do that with a win over New Hope Saturday.
- Oxford Girls Basketball played in their 8th game this season where the game was decided within 4 points, losing to Calhoun City 54-52. Calhoun City also owns another close game with Oxford but ended in an Oxford 72-69 win.
- On this date in 1865, the United States Congress passed the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. The states later had to ratify it. Mississippi ratified it in 1995 - the last state to do so - but did not notify the Office of the Federal Register of the action until February 2013 (less than a year ago), finally completing the ratification. Mississippi along with 3 other states initially rejected the amendment in 1865.
- On this date in 1915 during World War I, Germany becomes the first to make large-scale use of poison gas in warfare in the Battle of Bolimow against Russia.
- On this date in 1930, 3M begins to market Scotch Tape.
- On this date in 1949, the first soap opera to be broadcast in the daytime on TV These Are My Children is broadcasted on the local NBC station in Chicago.
- On this date in 1950, President Harry S. Truman announces a program to develop the Hydrogen Bomb.
- On this date in 1958, the Explorer 1 launches into space - the first successful launch of an American satellite into orbit.
- On this date in 1961, Ham the Chimp travels into outer space - the first Chimp to ever be put into outer space. Ham successfully returned to Earth alive suffering only a bruised nose after performing a task in Project Mercury. His flight lasted roughly 17 minutes.
- On this date in 1990, the first McDonald's opens in the Soviet Union in Moscow.
- On this date in 1995, President Bill Clinton authorizes a $20 Billion loan to Mexico to help stabilize the economy.
- On this date in 2010, the movie Avatar grosses past $2 Billion worldwide, the first movie to ever do so.
- Today is Backward Day
- Today is Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day
- Today is Fun at Work Day
- Today is the Birthdays of former MLB pitcher and current CEO of the Texas Rangers Nolan Ryan (67), actor, singer-songwriter, and former N*SYNC member Justin Timberlake (33), San Francisco 49ers' Tight End Vernon Davis (30), San Diego Padres pitcher Josh Johnson (30), and former number 1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft and current Defensive End for the Buffalo Bills Mario Williams (29).
Here are some facts for you to keep up with this Friday. They can range from sports to things you could care less about. Here we go:
Who's Playing?: Oxford (10-5-1) [1-seed from 2-5A] @ New Hope (9-2-1 according to Maxpreps) [2-seed from 3-5A] Note: Team Record: W-L-T What?: 2nd Round of the MHSAA 5A Girls Soccer Playoffs Where?: New Hope High School Soccer Field (Directions? Go to the bottom of this article for directions to the Field) When?: Saturday, February 1st, 2013 @ 1:00 PM How can you keep up?: OxChargerSports Twitter Account, Play-by-Play via the iScore Soccer app website @ soccer.iscorecast.com and enter the ID# 7DF28156B0 and then find "New Hope / (Girls) Oxford" game. (A link will be tweeted at the start of the game). The Lowdown: The Oxford Lady Chargers have been playing very well lately dominating possession in each of their last 4 games, going all the way back to the Saltillo game. They have outshot their opponents by a combined 109-15 over the last four games. Oxford defeated Center Hill 3-1 in its first round matchup and outshot the Mustangs 24-5. The New Hope Lady Trojans are coming off a big come-from-behind win just to reach this game. They trailed host Vicksburg 4-1 at one point in the 2nd Half and rallied for 4 unanswered goals to win 5-4. They are hosting despite being the lower seed due to not having hosted the last game and Oxford did host its first round game. Oxford played New Hope last year and were originally on the regular season schedule at New Hope but was cancelled due to an unknown reason. Oxford lost 2-0 at home last year but was part of the 2nd game of a Double-Header after Oxford had played crosstown rival Lafayette a couple hours previous. Fatigue may have played a factor in the loss as New Hope came in playing fresh. New Hope plays a lot of good defense. Entering the playoffs, they had averaged giving up just a little more than 1 goal a game (of their 14 goals they gave up, 9 was to Germantown over two games - who sits on the other side of the bracket with Lewisburg). They have posted 5 shutouts on the year. They did give up 4 goals last game, but stiffened up to post the rally that they did and get to this game. The Lady Trojans aren't just known for their defense, they have a solid offense as well averaging 5 goals a game - granted they played bad teams like West Point and Columbus to help boost that stat but it does show that they can score - or otherwise they would not have came back on Vicksburg. This should stand to be a very good soccer game on hand. I just sure hope the typical biasness from New Hope area referees do not get in the way. Although from being a soccer referee and known referees in that area, I really don't think that should be a problem (and it never should be).
Weather (for New Hope, MS location): At Kickoff - 1:00 PM - Cloudy, 58*F (20% chance of Rain), Skies to start clearing as the game goes on and temps to reach the lower 60s. Winds from the South at 10-15 MPH. (The field runs E-W, it will be a crosswind)
Other Notes: If Oxford wins, they will host North Half regardless of the Germantown/Lewisburg outcome. The Lady Chargers are looking to host North Half for just the second time in school history. Directions: From Oxford, take Miss-6/US-278 for 23 Miles. Turn Right onto old-Hwy-6 (Miss-338) towards West Pontotoc for 6 1/2 Miles. Stay Straight at the 4-Way Stop to Spur St for 1/4 Mile. Turn Right to Miss-15 South for 2 Miles. Stay Straight at the 4-Way Stop to Miss-41 South towards Okolona for 22 Miles. Turn Left at the Stop Sign to W. Monroe Ave. (MS-41 South) for 1/4 Mile. Turn Right at the 4-Way to Miss-245 South for 5 Miles. Turn Right at the end of the road to US-45 ALT South towards West Point for 31 Miles. Turn Left to US-82 East towards Columbus for 23 Miles. Take Exit for New Hope (If you go into Alabama, you've gone too far), and then turn right to Stokes Rd for 1/4 Mile. Turn Right at the Stop Sign onto Miss-182 West for 2 Miles. At the 4-Way Stop, turn left to New Hope Rd. for 3 1/2 Miles. Arrive at New Hope High School (Turn Left and go to the back of the school to find the soccer field). (119 Total Miles) There are plenty of things that goes on when a person takes on the responsibility of being a coach. A coach is responsible for a lot of things, the most glaring one is being able to win. College coaches and higher levels of competition on up are under the most pressure to do so. The coach is also responsible for taking care of the players they coach, training them in practice to improve their skills, and making sure they are equipped with the proper equipment among other things for each sport involved.
Another thing that has become increasingly troublesome is the politics behind sports. Sports (especially football) is a great way to generate revenue. Revenue is almost directly related to how well the team performs which falls back on the coach of that team. Football in High School is just about the only way schools receive revenue for their sports. While Oxford really doesn't do it that way - their way is by way of the Booster Club where people pay for membership passes to enter Oxford sporting events - most other schools do it that way especially the smaller schools. The admission money Oxford receives not from the Booster Passes goes to the School District - the Athletic Department or the Booster Club does not see one penny of it - and usually it is to pay for the utility costs (i.e. Electricity used for the Stadium Lights, the Scoreboard and what not). However, that is what I am getting too. Money is not the main issue here. The issue I'm referring to is the politics there is in sports. Money is involved, but it is not with the Oxford School District as a whole. As I have well documented back in the summer and in the fall, former Oxford Boys Soccer Coach Jamie Perkins resigned - believed to be forcibly done so - due to "personal reasons." Perkins is currently involved with the Mississippi Flood Soccer Program, a D1 (highest-tier, lowest being D3) Club designed to improve the skills of the highly skilled soccer players in the Oxford-Lafayette area. The closest D1 club to Oxford beyond the Flood program resides in Tupelo. The next nearest is 70 miles out in the Memphis area. The Oxford-Lafayette Complex opened last Fall out on Highway 7 southwest of Oxford about 7 miles from the City Limits and they are about to host a 3v3 Soccer Tournament in less than 2 weeks. I have been on record saying Perkins likelihood of his forced resign decision was because of his involvement with the Flood and not with the Oxford Park Commission who also runs a Soccer program. OPC runs a lot of programs but the Soccer program is the biggest one they run. When they learned that Perkins refers to the Flood's Program and not theirs, that is where a rift occurred. OPC has D2 and D3 programs (the two bottom-tiered programs of the 3), and Perkins rather have them go and hone their skills with the best possible competition instead of going to what he believes was "lower" competition. Because of this, OPC was fearful of losing money in their most popular sport and many are under the impression that OPC pressured the Oxford School District under what they claim was a tainted tryout back in May. Parents were likely involved because several parents of the players on the team are or were on the OPC staff at different positions, and appeared to have gotten their way. Since the coaching change, it is worth noting that Oxford has played FOUR High School games at FNC Park instead of being at OHS where their home field is supposed to be. By the way, Oxford has only played THREE Varsity matches at home this season - Corinth, New Albany, and West Point (the Girls have played four having played Lafayette at home and will be five this Tuesday when they host their playoff game). Both Oxford teams played three matches early in January at FNC Park and a 4th against region foe Saltillo. Oxford was slated to have to have 7 Varsity Matches at home - only 3 were played at Bobby Holcomb Field and 1 was moved to FNC Park as was another Girls game (Pontotoc). The other 2+ were cancelled completely. The players were quite upset at the change. In response, several players were out infront of the old high school (which of course then the current high school) in protest for a few hours of the day. Nothing came out of it in the end. A Facebook page was made up in protest as well that got near 800 likes. Now, about two weeks ago, New Hope fired their Football coach after just one year. Their reasoning for their firing is that the administration did not like several of the tactics the coach used during the season - some of which was used against Oxford. (and NOT for the fact they went 4-7 this year) The tactics being the coach would use his timeouts to run more plays despite the game being completely out of reach when the other team was clearly trying to run the clock out. He also did the same thing against West Point. It is worth noting the coach is not officially off the job yet. The administration has decided to just let his contract run out instead of terminating his job right there - which will be June 30th of this year. In retaliation, 35 of the 60 New Hope Football players skipped a mandatory workout during one of their 7th period classes. Most of those football players will be experiencing their third coach in three years after this change. Their football players planned this skipping. The administration responded by giving every single one of those players one day of ISD (In-School Detention - like "In-School Suspension") for skipping a school class. The players felt helpless and skipping this class was the only way to get their attention. The players responded with this being unfair punishment seeing that they see students skip classes all the time but never see any punishment come out of it. They did it as a "Monkey see-Monkey do" type of deal. They had hoped that this got to the attention of the administration over at New Hope. We will see if anything comes out of it. When a coach has to leave because of forces beyond their control, this hurts the players involved. At the High School level it is especially important. When Perkins got "fired", he had just won a Championship for Oxford and most of the players did not EVER receive an explanation explaining why by either Perkins or the administration. They got the vague reason of "personal issues", none of which were ever explained. New Hope's coach was fired for using what their administration called "dirty tactics". While I have personally seen those tactics this year, who is to say something else is not behind the firing and that is just an excuse. The tactics where just running more plays then they should have and not actually the players targeting injury to the opponent. It appears that parents are increasingly butting their noses in where they shouldn't belong and they are attempting to be coaches themselves. While Oxford Boys Soccer's situation is a lot different than New Hope Football's is, they both are going in the same direction. It wouldn't shock me with anything at New Hope given for what they are known for. Boys Soccer had the situation of coming off a State Championship needing to replace 8 starters (really 9 as Ty Barber has been repeatedly injured all year - and he is a Senior this year) from last year's team and went into the season without much of a summer workout or playing in any summer games unlike the rest of the state - because it appeared certain people whatever it'd be anybody at OPC or certain parents, it proved itself very costly this season so far as Oxford could not defend its own Division Title is has owned for a few years. New Hope is far different, coming off a 4-7 year and not making the playoffs - so they have a much better chance of covering up whatever happened down there being that they did not win much, but the coach that was fired was only one year into his job. Coaches are under more pressure now than ever before with social media (like Twitter - and a few OHS coaches want to handcuff me every now and then), and parents seemingly being able to get their say so in - likely because of how they were able to at OPC since they consider their parents customers and they have to keep the customer happy for them to keep coming back. They believe that the same result will happen at the high school level. More often than not, coaches and the higher levels up get their way, but they will look for anything to make sure their kid is able to play for the team. Coaches usually get their way because their kid did not perform like he needed to make the team or to start on the team. That seemed to be the case with Boys Soccer by way of having to do a second tryout earlier this year but other people think otherwise. New Hope's case was for what the coach did on the field during game days. While the whole story is not known, there is just a hunch something else happened that gave reason for the coach to be fired. The trend of going behind the backs of the public eye is disturbing. There are things I have been told that I really can't reveal publicly to who I got it from. I hate to see this trend happening. When is the "right way" of doing things going to overtake "power" and "greed"? That would be a perfect world, but we don't live in such a world now do we? Yes, yes, once upon a time, the OHS students called the old OHS Gym the Thunderdome. You may have seen me reference it every now and then on Twitter.
Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, that was what it was called - there was a painted wall sign (like the "OHS" along the "Home" side of the stands) that said "Thunderdome". Oxford has always had a habit of having powerhouse teams in the OHS Gym, and wins were always hard to come by for the opposing team (just ask the 18-3 West Point team that came there Tuesday). Don Whitten of the Oxford Eagle - who was the Sports Editor prior to taking the Head Editor position - wrote about his memories of the OHS Gym yesterday in the Eagle which will far exceed any of my memories. There are actually several people that have a lot longer memories than anything I could produce of the OHS Gym. I've only been consistently been going to games since 2002 - which is now going on a dozen years - although I have known OHS Basketball a lot longer than that having gone to the Charger Basketball Camp every single year (until this past year) since the end of my 2nd Grade year at the age of 7. Dr. Sarah Lacy, Coach Drew Tyler - who played at OHS as a player before becoming the Head Coach - and the rest of his family old and young, Eddie Earl Christian, but just to show my memories that is all I have been able to produce that has been coming to OHS Basketball games longer than I have - not just at home, but on the road. My Senior Year (2006-07 season), I jump-started having a PA Announcer at Basketball games. I did what was then called a "Capstone" Project that back then every OHS Senior had to do in order to graduate (I believe that is no longer a requirement or that the project exists anymore). Before then, there usually wasn't a PA Announcer doing Basketball games except for the big games (i.e. Oxford/Lafayette or a big game in the playoffs). The project was to pick a hobby or a job that you are not used to doing that takes an extended amount of time and then create a presentation on that hobby or job. Of course that was PA Announcing for me - and for that year did not get paid to do it as it was a school project. Announcing in-front of crowds has helped me get to where I am today on Twitter - or I may not have gotten the nerve or the idea to make up the Twitter account a few years ago. I continued to do it until I gradually gave the mic to Jack Schultz midway into my 4th year doing it. Schultz continued to do so until a year after he graduated and now Middle School Teacher and Assistant OHS Baseball Coach Daniel Parrish now currently does the announcing for Basketball. Schultz still comes to the games mainly because his younger sister Sophomore PG Emma Schultz plays for the OHS Lady Charger Basketball team. My memories are few and far in-between, but I have fond memories of the OHS Gym. John Gunn who went on to play for Ole Miss went to Oxford and played his games in that gym. Current Ole Miss HC Andy Kennedy also played a game for the Louisville Wildcats back in the day in the OHS Gym. Among my favorite games are two Girls Oxford & Lafayette games in back-to-back years in 2006-07 and the 2007-08 years - ironically Center Hill and Lanier Girls Basketball two years ago when Lanier's long win-streak and back-to-back State Title Chase came to a screeching halt was another good game that I got to witness in the OHS Gym. The same year Oxford Girls Basketball became the only Oxford Basketball team in either gender to ever finish an entire season undefeated. The Boys game that sticks out is what I like to call the "sick" game where we had four starters out because they were sick - to which I don't believe they were - and forced OT on three made free throws with the clock at all zeroes and then hitting a Game-Winning Buzzer-Beating layup over three defenders to beat Grenada that year. But my memories don't just include Basketball games I've watched - during Gym class my Junior year, I hit a wiffle ball that made it to the smaller scoreboard for a home run during a game of wiffleball that went through the holes in the ceiling without touching the support beams. All the pep-rallies and such while I was at OHS still stick in my mind - no matter how dull or exciting it was. While memories have been made in that gym, a new gym has been long overdue. A lot of things are outdated (like the stands being wooden or the sound-system sounding pretty crappy all the time). You can only fit 800 people in that gym comfortably. The new gym will have seating close to 1500 people at least, a new sound-system (that will probably break two games into the Volleyball season), and better stands. I ask to all reading this to come on out one last time a pack the Gym for Oxford's last Varsity Basketball contest (barring something happening that would make Oxford play in that Gym again) before they move to the new Gym in November. It will be Senior Night, but these last two games will mean a lot more than the Senior's last time they will play at home - it will be the last time anyone will watch, coach, scorekeep, or play a high school basketball game inside that gym. While the Gym won't be torn down, the high school team won't come back to it ever again. One last game in the old Gym, the Thunderdome, or whatever you want to call it. I just have a hunch two Oxford wins will happen tonight inside the Thunderdome. Here are some facts for you to keep up with this Friday. They can range from sports to things you could care less about. Here we go:
Here is the schedule for the upcoming 2014 Baseball Season.
Key: Date - Opponent - Place - Time Varsity Schedule: February 22 - Amory% - Home - 11:00 AM / 12:30 PM (2 4-inning Classic Games) March 1 - Tishomingo County^ - Neutral - 3:00 PM March 1 - New Albany^ - Away - 6:00 PM March 4 - North Pontotoc& - Neutral - 4:30 PM March 7 - Mooreville# - Neutral - 5:30 PM March 8 - Amory# - Away - 1:00 PM March 8 - Fulton# - Neutral - 3:00 PM March 10 - South Panola$ - Home - 1:30 PM March 10 - Lake Cormorant$ - Home - 8:15 PM March 12 - Louisville$ - Home - 3:45 PM March 12 - Center Hill$ - Home - 8:15 PM March 15 - Tupelo - Away - 1:00 PM March 18 - Lafayette - Away - 7:00 PM March 21 - Lafayette - Home - 7:00 PM March 22 - Olive Branch - Home - 2:00 PM March 25 - New Hope* - Home - 6:00 PM March 28 - New Hope* - Away - 6:00 PM March 29 - Houston - Home - 4:00 PM April 1 - Saltillo* - Away - 7:00 PM April 4 - Saltillo* - Home - 7:00 PM April 5 - Houston - Away - 2:00 PM April 8 - West Point* - Away - 6:00 PM April 11 - West Point* - Home - 6:00 PM April 15 - New Hope* - Home - 6:00 PM April 18 - Saltillo* - Away - 7:00 PM April 19 - Water Valley - Away - 11:00 AM April 19 - Tishomingo County - Home - 6:00 PM (Senior Night) April 22 - West Point* - Away - 6:00 PM Key: * - Region 2-5A Game / % - 2 4-inning Classic Games (does not count against overall record) / ^ - New Albany Classic / & - Pontotoc Tournament / # - Amory Tournament / $ - Oxford Spring Break Tournament JV Schedule: March 15 - Tupelo - Away - 11:00 AM March 18 - Lafayette - Away - 5:00 PM March 21 - Lafayette - Home - 5:00 PM March 22 - Olive Branch - Home - 12:00 PM March 25 - New Hope - Home - 4:00 PM March 28 - New Hope - Away - 4:00 PM March 29 - Houston - Home - 4:00 PM April 1 - Saltillo - Away - 5:00 PM April 4 - Saltillo - Home - 5:00 PM April 5 - Houston - Away - 12:00 PM April 8 - West Point - Away - 4:00 PM April 11 - West Point - Home - 4:00 PM April 15 - New Hope - Home - 4:00 PM April 18 - Saltillo - Away - 5:00 PM April 19 - Tishomingo County - Home - 4:00 PM April 22 - West Point - HJome - 4:00 PM Here is the schedule for the upcoming 2014 Fast-Pitch Softball season. Next to the first pitch time will be who will be playing first. If JV plays first, Varsity (V) will start 1 hour after JV. If Varsity plays first, JV will start 2 hours after Varsity. If it doesn't list who plays first, then only Varsity will play. All times unless noted are PM. DH = Doubleheader
Key: Date - Team - Place - Time (who plays first) February 28-March 1 - TBA$ - Home - TBA March 4 - Myrtle - Away - 5:00 (V) March 7-8 - TBA# - Neutral - TBA (4 games) March 15 - TBA% - Neutral - TBA March 17 - New Albany - Home - 5:30 (V) March 18 - Lafayette - Away - 5:30 (JV) March 21 - New Hope* - Home - 5:00 (V) March 22 - TBA& - Neutral - TBA (at least 2 games) March 25 - West Point* - Away - 5:00 (JV) March 27 - Lafayette - Home - 5:30 (V) March 29 - Myrtle - Home - 11:00 AM (V) April 1 - West Point* - Home - 5:00 (JV) April 3 - Saltillo* - Away - 5:30 (V) April 5 - TBA^ - Neutral - TBA (2 games) April 8 - New Hope* - Away - TBA April 10 - Saltillo* - Home - 5:30 (V) April 14 - Olive Branch - Away - 5:00 (JV) April 17 - Calhoun City - Home - 5:00 (DH) (Senior Night) April 19 - New Albany - Away - 5:30 (V) * - Region 2-5A Game / $ - 4th Annual Charger Classic / # - South Panola Tournament / % - South Pontotoc Tournament / & - Tupelo Jamboree / ^ - Water Valley Tournament Here are some facts for you to keep up with this Friday. They can range from sports to things you could care less about. Here we go:
It just didn't seem fair if I didn't do a Basketball preview for both Boys and Girls after failing to do so for any single game last year. Oxford's Basketball region for both includes West Point, New Hope, and Saltillo. My first take will be with the Girls side of the Region.
New Hope is expected to run the table, with Oxford and Saltillo the only teams threatening them - and being a realist here, I don't expect New Hope to be threatened, but they play the games for a reason. If New Hope does run the table, Oxford and Saltillo will fight for the other playoff spot. West Point is not expected to threaten them - but for whatever reason, West Point has had success against New Hope that has derailed the Trojans' season before. West Point has fallen off a cliff since winning the region 3 years ago. Now for the Boys preview, which I expect to be a complete war to get out of.
If you have noticed, the four teams' current combined record is 46-19. It is a shame that two of these teams won't make the playoffs when it is all said and done. The winner of this region has 5A favorite Callaway on its end of the bracket and would meet in the 2nd round, that is assuming they will run the table in 4-5A like they have the two years previous - so losing the region tournament finals won't be that bad of a thing, as it would avoid having to play Callaway until both has clinched a birth in the State Tournament in Jackson.
I've said this a couple times on Twitter and just now earlier in this piece: Region 2-5A is going to be a WAR to get out of. In all seriousness, any two of these four teams could come out of the region tournament. Saltillo is the dangerous team because while they are seemingly the biggest underdog of the four teams, they do host the 2-5A region tournament in February. There is no dodging any team, every team will be tough to get through come that point. Oxford was the only team in the region to achieve a road win in the region last year - and it was against Saltillo. Home teams including the region tournament went 13-1 last year (and 1-0 this year). Here are some facts for you to keep up with this Friday. They can range from sports to things you could care less about. Here we go:
Here is the schedule for the upcoming 2014 Powerlifting season:
Key: Date - Event - Gender - Location January 25 - Calhoun City Invitational Meet - Boys - Calhoun City Elementary January 27 - Calhoun City Invitational Meet - Girls - Calhoun City Elementary February 21 - Class III Region 1 Meet - Girls - Home February 22 - Region 1-5A Meet - Boys - Home February 24 - Charger Power Night - Boys & Girls - Home March 21 - Class III North Half Meet - Girls - Home March 22 - 5A North Half Meet - Boys - Home April 5 - State Meet - Boys & Girls - Jackson Coliseum Here are some facts for you to keep up with this Friday. They can range from sports to things you could care less about. Here we go:
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October 2016
AuthorBen Mikell |