Posted on 11/13/2005 9:08:49 AM PST by DollyCali
Went to high school playoff games at Brown's stadium yesterday - Saturday November 12, 2005. Can this be fall in Ohio.. November 11th & the temps over 60 ! Wow. Had it been 30, I would not have been there & this story not written. Yup, fair weather fan!
There were about 25K folks there. Many of them first time EVER in brown's wonderful facility on the shores of Lake Erie. And for four teams of athletes the JOY to play there most it will be the only time to play there.
First game was St Ed's of Lakewood.. always a contender against Brush (Euclid,Lyndhurst) ..a team that some really felt should have been there. But they were & they played their hearts out for the thousands of supporters present. Score 49/0.. St. Eds on top.. Predictable & sad that is was so unbalanced. Well, NOT sad to the St. Ed's fans who were crazy, wild happy the whole game.
A game of the economically Privileged Players vs Poor Players
Solon is a wealthy community that had a wonderful swing band (one of the Hudson copy- cat bands) and a superb team that handily whooped my team Hudson this year. I am basically a band groupie, but love the drive of the young athletes & so the game is a great addition to the band. I have followed Hudson HS marching band (300+ strong) for 14 years.. Rarely missing a game/performance/band show etc.
The band of Solon of over 150had classy uniforms.. the cheerleaders were polished & beautiful and all looked like they had just stepped out of a spa. Glenville does not have a strong music program to bring up players/bands. Most of the folks in school could not afford instruments or lessons.
On the Solon there were professional signs all over. Balloons were released when they scored. The halftime show (just Solon went out) would challenge any college show. The school is probably 25 %minority & that will be a combo of black, Hispanic, mid east & Asian backgrounds. The spirit of the athletes, parents, fans etc. was wonderful & upbeat. We sat on this side only because the sun was here when we arrived at the Brown’s stadium .. when we went over we had no idea which side was which.
The second team Glenville was from the poorest of poor areas (economically) in East Cleveland. the school is about 95 black & these people by and large are very poor. This team is regularly a state contender & often a winner. They were polled 9th in nation when the playoffs began.
Expected it to be another 49/0 game. These kids are hot, confident & for most, the athletic achievements they attain are the highlight /center of their lives. When they came out to practice I was in awe of what I saw. The quarterback looked like he was 7 foot tall(was only 6'4" but because of the shorter coaches seemed a towering giant).. but there were bigger players.. and they too came out confident, bouncy & smiling.
Interestingly the head coach looked like a fine preacher.. dark suit, had, colorful shirt tie... while the team worked out he walked among them, spoke to & addressed each player & shook their hand. At this time I had no clue who the dressed up dude was.. but you could tell the kids liked him! I only realized he was the head coach when I saw his pix w/team on front page of paper.
The game was fairly balanced with both teams being sloppy first half & often the other team could capitalize in a minor/major way. I had pretty much expected a blowout score wise.. but the end score was 34/14 Glenville...
The poor outscored the privileged.
But the main reason for starting this little dialog was to tell you about a FRONT page article in Cleveland's paper this week.. with LARGE pictures. It was of the strong spiritual/Christian bond of the Glenville team. It was showing 9 of the players who this week became Christians & all decided to become baptized together.
This is a team of faith that prays often together, has bible study together & are good kids. REALLY good kids. Most live in areas that most here wouldn't even feel safe driving in.. they do NOT have much of what is normal for teens but they have the inner stuff of excellence & centering.
So at the game their supporters had crude handmade signs(like I would have BTW), a small marching band with spirit & excitement (but I guess didn't perform on the field much)but the team has the Lord.
.Commentary on Glennville’s future
Well those are my comments.. No, not from a football expert.. But a marching band enthusiast who was a PE teacher way back when & loves to see the development of young athletes & loves to follow the human interest stories around them..along the way. The following article is about the baptism of the Glenville athletes.. Thanks for stopping in.. your comments of course are welcome (and even if they weren’t, if you post an article here.. They will arrive!!!)
Dolly Howard…. AKA DollyCali
here are some snippets from the article on the baptism
The linebackers and run ning backs came two by two. Then came a hard- hitting safety and a cornerback. The baptismal pool at Calvary Hill Baptist Church was servicing the Glenville High School Tarblooders on Sunday morning.
Coach Ted Ginn Sr. perched himself on the side of the pool and watched intently. Rather than breaking down game tape of the Solon Comets, his powerful opponent in next Saturday's Region 1 semifinal game, he watched as nine of his warriors lined up single file to be submerged into water at the front of the church.
"What sense does it make to win a game and lose your soul?" Ginn said softly as enormous offensive tackle Eric Simmons prepared to take his dip.
The Rev. John W. Ribbins III, a hulk of a man himself, understood well that something special was happening on his watch and in his pulpit. Saturday night he watched the Glenville Tarblooders destroy the Euclid Panthers, 46-0, in a quarterfinal playoff game. Sunday morning he watched some of these same players submit themselves to his hands as he placed towels over their faces and dunked them into the pool.
Boys in long white T-shirts have never looked better.
Ginn wasn't the only one who skipped a Sunday morning film session. His entire coaching staff put football on the back burner and made the trek to East 103rd Street and Cedar Avenue. They deemed the water more important than the gridiron. So did more than 50 teammates, young men who chose to forfeit a deserved long night's rest to witness the baptisms. Unity appears to be the Glenville way.
Players shook off whatever aches and bruises they picked up in the previous night's victory and put on suits and ties and bore witness to teammates surrendering to God. This wasn't about football. This was about life. This wasn't compulsory. They wanted to be there.
So why is this important? Nine black boys got baptized in the 'hood yesterday morning at a church that shares a block with the sprawl known as the Cleveland Clinic. So what?
Pastor Ribbins perhaps summed it best before lowering sophomore linebacker Jamel "FuFu" Johnson into the water: "It's been said that Cleveland public schools aren't producing anything other than gangbangers and undereducated students. But Coach Ginn, you're producing young men of character. You're producing leaders." That appears to be his aim. Ginn, who is familiar with haute couture, doesn't wear religion on his sleeve.
But there is no doubt where he stands. He builds the man first. The football player follows. "Our program is not about Xs and Os," Ginn said. "This is about saving lives. We operate out of a different kind of playbook."."At Glenville, we might not have a lot of the material stuff that other schools have, but we have a system that we believe in. And we have our faith," said Ginn.
But simple faith did not get Glenville to 11-0 or earn it a trip to Cleveland Browns Stadium for this Saturday's regional semifinal showdown. There's something very special going on within Ted Ginn's program. And his work is bearing fruit both on and off the field.
Young black men figure prominently in the tales of crime, violence and despair that daily wrack this city. Far less often told are the inspirational stories of young men who take control of their lives, accept responsibility, succeed and work to build their character. But because the stories aren't told doesn't mean they don't exist. They do.
Senior safety Larry Whitner, brother of Ohio State University safety Donte Whitner, is a beautiful young man with Allan Iversonesque braids and intense eyes. Before Ribbins submerged him, he spoke of Larry's "caring heart."
Larry took it upon himself to drop off homework and to constantly check the well-being of Eric Haislah, a classmate and fellow player who was injured earlier in the season and missed a week of school. Larry was his brother's keeper. That's not only fellowship, it's leadership.After his baptism, he spoke of his motivation for being baptized.
"I felt like I needed God in my life. I feel like I can go further in my life and succeed with the help of God."
And his advice to other young men:
"Don't be afraid to let people know that you need help. We all do. Don't be afraid to let God be a part of your life," said the senior A-student. The people of this city need a revival: A revival of life, a revival of souls and a revival of purpose. Such a revival is occurring in Ted Ginn's swatch of Glenville. The swirling water at Calvary gave powerful testimony Sunday.
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Career Notes:
One of three candidates for the starting quarterback spot ... started the final five games of the 2004 regular season and led the Buckeyes to a 4-1 record down the stretch, including a dominating 37-21 victory over Michigan in the regular-season finale ... turned in an unforgettable performance against the Wolverines with 386 yards in total offense, the third highest figure in school history and the most yards ever by an Ohio State player in the Michigan game ... 145 of those yards came on the ground, leaving him one-yard shy of the school rushing record by a quarterback (the latter mark of 146 belongs to Cornelius Greene and was set against Wisconsin in 1974) ... is the first Ohio State quarterback since Rod Gerald in 1977 to rush for 100 or more yards (Gerald had an even 100 against Iowa that year) ... is the most versatile of the OSU signal callers and his ability to scramble out of danger and turn a potential lost-yardage play into a positive play makes him doubly dangerous ... made his first start against Indiana last year and grew more confident with each succeeding start, turning in impressive performances in a come-from-behind win over Michigan State as well as a seven-point loss at Purdue ... is an outstanding athlete and competitor.
2004 (Sophomore):
Began the season as the backup to Justin Zwick, but took over as the starter in week seven after Zwick injured a shoulder the previous week at Iowa ... completed 58 of 107 passes for 791 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 325 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his five starts ... finished the season with 896 yards passing and 339 yards rushing ... was the Buckeyes' third leading rusher and averaged 4.1 yards per carry ... hooked up with Anthony Gonzalez on a 68-yard scoring pass on the Buckeyes' fifth play from scrimmage in the Michigan game to give OSU an early 7-0 lead ... accounted for three touchdowns against Michigan - two passing and one rushing ... completed his first college pass against Cincinnati, hooking up with Santonio Holmes on a 23-yard fourth-quarter touchdown strike ... made a brief appearance the following week against Marshall, but did not see any extended action again until replacing Zwick at Iowa ... connected with Ted Ginn on a 58-yard scoring pass at Michigan State to give OSU a 23-19 lead with 1:37 to play, then made it a six-point lead by scoring on a two-point conversion ... almost pulled out a win at Purdue, rallying OSU form a 17-3 deficit to a 17-17 tie by throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another in what turned out to be a 24-17 loss ... eight touchdown passes and three interceptions on the year with all three of the latter coming at Purdue in his lone loss as a starter.
2003 (Freshman):
Played in 10 games, but was used primarily as a slash back and on kick returns ... made his debut in the season opener against Washington and had a 2-yard run ... also had two carries against Northwestern, including an 8-yard run ... longest runback was 18 yards at Indiana .. did earn his first letter.
2002 (Redshirt):
Was the last player to sign with the Buckeyes in the winter of 2002 and was signed because of his overall athletic ability.
High School:
Played his first two years at Lakewood St. Edward, but transferred to Glenville as a senior ... threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior, leading Glenville to the state playoffs ... played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay).
Personal:
Is the son of Tracy Smith and Kenneth Delaney ... has a sister, Brittany, who attends Cleveland State and is a registered nurse ... an older brother, Rod, played guard at Ohio State in the early 1990s, and another brother, Andre, played at Bowling Green ... a third sibling, Irvin White, played at Walsh College ... lists Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb as two of his favorite football players ... enjoys video games and shopping.
Pinging a few of my buddies here at FR
(and a few I don’t know, just to annoy you)
What did you do yesterday afternoon? Here is a little of what I did, with the commentary on it. High School athletes baptized week prior - article snippets.
Same High School State football players contend at playoffs at Brown’s stadium
marching bands & classy coaches & tournaments
Wow! Excellent post, Dolly. Thank you.
Thanks for the ping!
Great post DC - Thank you.
Reading your post was more inspirational than sitting in church. Thanks. Brought back some good memories of my Sunday Granny (cleveland resident)visits...she lived near this very neighborhood!
Check out this website and look at the whole thing, especially the history. Lincoln County Red Devils is the way football is spelled. I was fortunate to be able to play on the first state championship team of many, my son followed me years later on another one. For a small town in Georgia, having your coach ranked as 7th in the nation is not bad. Hope this works.
http://www.lincolncountyreddevils.com/
What an inspiring article. Thanks Dolly!
Rich or poor I'll bet on victory for the "Baptized" team any day of the week.
The turnaround at Maple is as dramatic as Glenville's, albeit on a smaller scale. Both came about due to bringing in a coach that can really inspire their players.
-Eric
Dolly,
I saw the article in the PD this week as well...very inspiring story. Thanks for sharing your experience. This Saturday will have more great games with St. Eds going against Glenville, and also a rematch of McKinley and my alma mater, Massillon.
Let's not forget the coach's son, Ted Ginn, Jr., Ohio State Wide Reciever, who may win a Heisman before he is done.
Career Notes:
Electrifying young player, who is a threat to score each time he touches the football ... coming off a sensational true freshman year in which he began the season as a defensive back, but wound up playing offense and garnering national attention with his explosive scoring ability as both a receiver and a punt-return specialist ... further demonstrated his versatility in the Alamo Bowl by subbing at quarterback when the Buckeyes were down to one experienced signal caller ... heads into his sophomore season regarded as one of the most dangerous weapons in college football ... scored eight touchdowns on 59 touches in 2004 - four via punt returns and two each on runs and pass receptions ... his four punt returns for scores set a school and Big Ten single-season record and tied the NCAA one-season mark (later broken by Hawaii's Chad Owens with 5) ... additionally, he is already the school's career leader in punt returns for touchdowns, breaking the old mark of three that had been shared by Garcia Lane (1981-83) and Jeff Graham (1989-90) ... needs four more touchdowns on punt returns during his career to equal the current NCAA record of eight (Wes Welker of Texas Tech and Antonio Perkins of Oklahoma) ... has incredible speed, is sure-handed and is blessed with great instincts and tremendous vision ... came to Ohio State as a renowned track star with Olympic potential, but is first-and-foremost a sensational football player ... was used sparingly on kickoff returns last year, but could see more action there this year in an attempt to get him more touches ... he would like to also play cornerback, but that is not expected to happen this year unless an emergency arises ... was named to several freshman All-America teams last year and was a third-team pick on the Associated Press All-America squad ... named to several preseason All-America teams and will certainly be a candidate for post-season honors in 2005.
2004 (Freshman):
Averaged 25.6 yards per punt return, leading the nation and setting an Ohio State single-season record in that department ... scored on punt returns of 65 yards (Wisconsin), 67 yards (Penn State), 60 yards (Michigan State) and 82-yard (Michigan) ... the latter broke the game open and was one of the most spectacular runs in Ohio State history ... scored three touchdowns at Michigan State, tallying on a 17-yard reverse and a 58-yard reception in addition to his punt return ... finished second on the team in receiving with 25 receptions for 359 yards ... had a career-best five catches for 87 yards against Michigan and followed that up with six receptions against Oklahoma State in the bowl game... longest reception of the year was a 59-yard TD grab against Indiana ... tied for second on the team in scoring with 48 points ... spent most of the preseason working with the defense, but was moved to offense just before the start of the season ... was used sparingly early in the year as he learned the system, but was a key factor in the Buckeyes' late-season success ... caught passes in the last seven games of the season and had 18 receptions in the last four games ... took seven snaps at quarterback in the bowl game when the Buckeyes were down to one quarterback.
High School:
Played for his father, Ted Ginn Sr., in high school ... was selected as the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year ... also a 2004 Parade All-American ... SuperPrep named him as its 2004 National Defensive Player of the Year ... Most Valuable Player of the U.S. Army All-America game ... also played quarterback, wide receiver and running back for Glenville and returned punts and kickoffs ... intercepted eight passes as a senior, returning five of them for touchdowns ... one of his interception returns went for a state-record 102-yard touchdown, while another went for a 97-yard score ... also passed for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 845 yards and 17 touchdowns ... named one of Ohio's three 2003 Division I Offensive Players of the Year ... returned four punts and one kickoff for touchdowns ... the national champion in the 110 high hurdles as a junior and the best time in the nation as a senior when he won the state title for the second consecutive year ... has been timed at 10.5 seconds in the 100 meter dash.
I'm not very much into football, and especially not high school or college, but I read your comments about the two teams (Solon and Glenville) with interest, Dolly. What an inspiration to read about the Glenville School team, their coach - and their spirituality.
wow, quite impressive. and I like the website.. the marching band music! awesome. good luck to those Red Devils!
Greetings DollyCali:
Thanks for the ping. The weather was beautiful, and the Solon vs Glenville game was great. And regardless of economic backgrounds, both teams and their supporters were a class act.
As far as the earlier Brush vs St. Edward game, IMHO, a terrible mismatch. My recommendation: hold the next St. Edward vs St. Ignatius game at the Browns Stadium.
Cheers,
OLA
I go to church in Walton HIlls. Last Sunday one of the elders was at the table & could barely talk. He apologized & said it wasn't a cold/flu.. it was Mapleitis! screamed his team on to unfortuante loss...
Maple Heights needs to stop following in the awesome footsteps of the Browns it seems.
Thank you, mam :)
as I mentioned earlier, I hope to get involved as an academic helper there if wanted (know it is needed) and will possibly learn more. I am NOT a sports expert by any means. Love football & understand fairly well the mechanics but knowing all the teams & their former & current players & relations to others of past is not where I am at.
Will try to be at the games this weekend if it is not TOO cold. not sure today how I will define "TOO cold", But if you are local, you know what it is like in the stadium with below zero weather & the wind whipping off the lake!
were you there sweetie? where did you sit? was thinking it would have been nice to check w/you regarding parking at your "work place" if possible.
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