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Ever wonder what being the best at something
feels and looks like?
Sure you have. Everyone has imagined themselves
being the recognized,
undisputed best, champion or winner of
something. A sporting event,
art contest, writing, singing, dancing, and so
on.
To some, being that "best" does not have to be
on a world or national stage. It can be the best
to your family, your class, your co-workers. It
can be the best in a city, county or state
category. As long as it is something you can
hold close to your heart as a prize well earned
and forever yours.
In the world of sports the NFL Cardinals, a team
that was one of the two worst teams in the NFC
last year, ALMOST won a Super Bowl. While that
propelled them to the holy land of superstardom
and top merchandise sales. It did not make them
the the "best" not even close. They go into this
season needing an extension by the NFL for the
TV Blackout rule to "sell out" the stadium for
their first regular season home game. OMG,
(gosh) say the press and fans. What will it
take?
Seriously? Don't you know? A runner-up in any
contest at any level in the world is still first
place loser...
So where does an Arizona football fan go to find
out what touching true greatness is like, where
do they go? If the AFL was still around I would
say the Arizona Rattlers, they were the best of
the Arena league more than once. Then there is,
well, unless you count high school teams, no one
else. (A few years ago, ASU Football was C0-Pac
10 Champs, needed to be said, especially since
most of the players were from the
Coach Koetter crop)
Uhhh hmmmm...... EXCEPT for JUCO or Junior
College Football? Say what? Yes, in Arizona we
have teams playing and contending on a nearly,
yearly basis for a National
Championship...
These teams are joined in a strange
collaboration of states and teams that is three
in one, the WSFL ACCAC and the Valley of the Sun
Bowl VSB (AZ). Intermixed are the Top of
Mountain Bowl (UT) and sometimes bowl
games as far away as Texas and New York. This is
thanks in part to, well, stupidity, jealousy,
pride, lack of thought and (insert opinion
here). The teams, the bulk of which are in
Arizona and the larger bulk of which are in the
Metro Phoenix area don't want to drive too far
should the wrong Arizona team win the ACCAC
portion of the schedule. Thus, the best of the
rest based in the Metro Phoenix Area are the
only ones to host a VSB game.
This sometimes forces a "second best" Arizona
team from the Metro Phoenix area to host the VSB
based on only the games between their three
valley counterparts. Thus if AWC, Pima or EAC
have a great year, they must travel to go
bowling while the Arizona fans are treated to a
consolation game.
The teams in the WSFL are Snow College Badgers
the other SC in Ephraim UT, NMMI New Mexico
Military Institue Broncos in Roswell, NM, AWC
Arizona Western Matadors in Yuma, PCC Pima
Community College in Tucson, EAC Eastern Arizona
in Thatcher, Glendale Gauchos, Mesa
Thunderbirds, Phoenix Bears and Scottsdale
Artichokes.
The top nationaly ranked teams from Arizona in
the 60 thru 70's were Phoenix, AWC and Mesa. But
since 1988 one team stands out as the leader in
National Championships. The Glendale College
Gauchos were Champions in 1988, 2000 and 2005.
And one constant force in
building all those Championship teams is Joe
Kerstings. He has worn many hats in this series.
Assistant coach, head coach and recruiter.
The reason this matters so much this year is
because for the first time in a long time, if
ever. All the Arizona teams are all capable of
winning the ACCAC the WSFL and a National title.
The usual "almost" teams are now all "can do"
teams with coaching changes shaking up the
state. The most improved team will likely be
Pima in Tucson with Coach Nugent rounding up a
great crop of Tucson area talent. These are
players that used to leave town to play JUCO
football. Expect the Aztecs to "Storm" into
contention.
Next surprise team is in Yuma, the Western
Matadors and second year
transplant Head Coach Tom Minnick. In his first
season he was adjusting to climate,
communication, talent and the realities of the
Southwest and what is and is not available for a
remote school in the form of players. This
season he filled all his game slots with
contenders and and no games
with "sisters of the poor" type teams. I believe
he has the toughest schedule in the WSFL.
Next on the list of challengers are the Monsters
of Eastern in Thatcher. Coach O'Mera and coach
O'Mera are veterans of the WSFL and have a a
deep understanding of what it takes to win. EAC
like AWC, have to recruit players to leave
places most of the local kids from Yuma and
Thatcher are fleeing to as soon as they turn 18.
Neither has the population base that Tucson has.
Both son and father O'Mera have built nationaly
contending teams and will again. The Monsters
will have the toughest time of all three non-VSB
teams in 2009. But don't be surprised if
they are in it to the very end.
VSB teams Scottsdale, Mesa, Phoenix and Glendale
look to be in good positions in large part due
to very good coaching staffs. The biggest
upgrade is the second year staff of Mesa's coach
Hargrave. If they can translate their skill set
to the Thunderbirds, then they may just "Find A
Way".
The team to watch out for, is physical, mean,
angry, talented team with a very calming name.
The Artichokes of SCC suffered some badly timed
injuries in 2008. HC Doug Madoski however plans
to put vegetables back into the diet of the
other VSB JUCO teams even if he has to shove
them
down their throats.
Phoenix College, the Bears. As a core downtown
team should be, and are into recycling. They
have as a second year HC Land Jacobson, last
seen before a trip down the four year school
route in Scottsdale as
HC of the Artichokes. In 2008 he shocked AZ JUCO
football and came within a few plays of being
the 2008 National Champs. After watching how
they finished, if anyone can fight their way
into it again, it is the Bears.
I am finishing where I began. The title of this
piece is "Yeah, It's Like That" For decades the
GCC Gauchos have been the closest thing to a
power house that Arizona Football has ever seen.
The recognized leader of winning tradition or
"authentic confidence" is Joe Kersting, former
HC, retired and now offficialy back on the
sidelines to "help out". All I am going to say
is that after the early non-conference games are
over.
After all the saber rattling is done and as we
near the end of the 2009 season. One program has
the street creds and has repped the block long
enuf to be the example for the title of this
story...(Current HC is Mickey Bell former school
boy star from Cactus HS) Smoke 'em if you got em
JUCO teams because in Gaucho Country: Sometimes
a picture is worth a thousand words, but only
one word matters "CHAMPIONS"
"Yeah, It's Like That"
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