Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Memphis and Back
Saturday
November 5, 2011
"Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong"
-Trapt "Headstrong"
"I've seen a million numbered doors on the horizon
Now which is the future you choosen before you gone dying"
-Alexander "Truth"
Fans of the outstanding AMC show Breaking Bad will recognize the song "Truth" by Alexander from the end of the first episode of Season 4. It's a great track and has one of the best use of whistling in a song in a very long time, which is notable since so many current CHR songs use a whistle in one form or another. From "Good Life" by OneRepublic to "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5/Christina Aguilera to the super-autotuned "I Wanna Go" by Britney Spears, 2011 has been the year of the whistle in pop music.
Last night the Father Ryan Irish high school football team won in the first round of the TSSAA Division II-AA football playoffs, shutting out St. Benedict at Auburndale in Cordova, TN with a 17-0 performance. Less than 20 years ago, and as recently as my sophomore year of high school (the 1992-93 season), Tennessee had three classifications: A, AA, and AAA. But with a public/private split mandated after the 1996-97 season, there are now a whopping eight classifications in the state: 1A-6A on the public school side (Division I) to go with Class A and AA on the private school side (Division II). It's not the way I would have done things, but the TSSAA didn't consult with me on the issue.
One upside: the alliterative sound of "T-double-S-double-A division-two double-A" is actually fun to say in a broadcast.
I joined the Father Ryan broadcast team last year in a fill-in capacity, but this fall I've been a regular part of the action with Rhett Douglas, who has handled the play-by-play duties while I've provided color commentary. It's fun for me in several ways, from keeping my broadcasting chops sharp to being able to be involved in sports broadcasting for my high school alma mater.
The game last night was fun to broadcast, though the trip to Cordova (a suburb of Memphis) and back was a long one. It ate up most of my day and night, but it was worth it, though we were relegated to audio only for last night's game since the TSSAA doesn't allow video streaming of playoff games.
This Friday the quarterfinal round of the TSSAA II-AA playoffs takes place. One of the four matchups will be Father Ryan at Ensworth, which will be a much more palatable drive to the west side of Nashville compared with the long haul to Shelby County. It won't be easy for the Irish, as Ensworth is 9-1 and beat Father Ryan 29-7 in the last game of the regular season in a game played at FRHS. For the playoff rematch, Ensworth will have home field advantage.
So, barring something unforeseen, on 11/11/11 I'll be on top of the press box at Ensworth with the call of the game. Go Irish!
One issue that I've meant to address for some time is that Father Ryan used to be known as the Fighting Irish. But six or seven or so years ago, Notre Dame sent Father Ryan a me-style strongly-worded letter ordering FRHS to cease and desist usage of the term "Fighting Irish" and use of the leprechaun secondary logo. So no more Fighting in the name and no more Irish-looking guy in a pugilent fighting stance. In a related note, I went from pulling for Notre Dame to holding them in contempt when I heard about what happened. It's refreshing in a way since now I can enjoy their continuing slide into mediocrity with impunity.
The really funny thing to me is that Father Ryan's primary color is purple, which dates back to when the school's nickname was the Panthers. Purple has zero relevance to Ireland or the concept of being Irish in any traditional way, and in some ways I wish FRHS would have reverted back to the Panthers name after the Notre Dame C&D hit. Unfortunately, much like the TSSAA creating eight divisions in Tennessee high school athletics, I wasn't consulted on the matter. So it goes.
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