October 9, 2024 • 22 mins
Todd Dodge knows a thing or two about playing in the Cotton Bowl. The former Texas quarterback and current head coach of Lovejoy High School joins the show to talk about the Red River Rivalry, playing against Barry Switzer and Brian Bosworth, and the current season for Lovejoy.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Craig Way with they alongside the producer Cameron Parker. So
glad to have you with us. There's so much excitement
about this Texas how You Gain And it's kind of
weird too because I've found and i'll talk more about
this later in the program, an almost equal amount a
balance of excitement about the game the following week against
the Georgia Bulldogs. And it's going to be just a
(00:22):
zoo and a circus around here with a Formula one race.
Have one going on down here next week, but that's
next week. This week stands alone, as it always does,
the Red River Rivalry, the one hundred and twentieth playing
of the Red River Rivalry. And it'll be this Saturday afternoon,
two thirty the Cotton Bowl on the fairgrounds of the
(00:44):
State Fair Texas in Dallas, and our coverage will actually
begin from the fairgrounds eleven thirty in the morning and
the kickoff at two thirty. I'll have a lot of fun,
as I always do, calling that football game. But I'll
tell you what I've loved calling the football games for
the University of Tech here, you know, twenty four years
of play by play in thirty four years in the
booth overall and doing that, and I have also his
(01:09):
folks know, have gotten a great deal of pleasure out
of calling Texas high school football games, including the state
championships at all levels from six man all the way
up to six A. And it was a distinct pleasure
to get a chance to call all three of the
three consecutive Westlake State title games just a few years back.
(01:29):
And then, of course, the head coach of that team
was Todd Dodge and stepped away from the game for
retirement and came back this year where he is coaching
the love Joy Leopards up in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.
But we wanted to have Todd Dodge on for another reason.
You see, As I mentioned, this is the one hundred
and twentieth edition of the Red River Rivalry. The eightieth edition,
(01:52):
some forty years ago in nineteen eighty four, was the
last time the Texas log Hoorns entered the Red River
Rivalry as the number one ranked team in the nation
like they are this year. The quarterback of that team
was Todd Dodge, who joins us on the hotline right now.
All right, So I got to ask it first. It
doesn't seem like it's been forty years since you were
taking the snaps at quarterback for Texas.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yes, it does, Craig, it seems ever been. It seems
ever been of forty years.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well, I appreciate you take you the time to join us,
because I know it was a long time ago and
a lot of water's gone under the bridge and a
lot of things have happened since then. But I did
want to have you on for a couple of reasons.
First of all, I wanted to ask you about your
football team. Right now, I want to ask you about
the love Joy Leopards, because I've been asked a lot
(02:42):
by folks saying, hey, coach Dodge retired, he went out
on top. Why did he decide to come back? And
I'm sure you probably got the answer to that, and
I tried to explain it from what I heard from
you in different interviews and soundbites and when we've talked,
But I know you have the best explanation for all
of why you were to learn why you returned where
you returned to the game.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, yeah, and when I retired from west Lake, those
those two years off, there was absolutely no grandiose idea
of just being out two years, but I did go
watch a lot of football with Riley's team playing and
playing gosh, you know, fourteen to fifteen games a season.
(03:28):
I went to watch them play every two weeks. Got
a chance to go see many of my former players
at West Lake play in college. Had had a real
fun two years in that go and play golf and
then watching college football. But about mid about this time.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Last year, you know, I really felt like.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I still had some juice left to think and it's
the right job came open at that that I would
look into it.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
And Elizabeth and I knew.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
That we would be moving back up here to the
Dallas Forth area, so that was a given whether I
coached again or not, to be closer to family, closer
to grandkids. We live in mckennie now, which is only
eight miles from the field house here at Lovejoy. So
everything worked out really well and it was a perfect fit.
(04:17):
And I'm just absolutely loving these kids and loving this.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Job I've got.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I've got a boss, uh named Katie Cordell, our superintendent,
who is as good a leader as I've ever been around.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
So it's everything's.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Going really good, and most importantly it Liz was happy.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, well, yeah, that's important.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
How well, let me ask you this then, Todd. How
was it.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
An absolute must that the job had to be in
the Metroplex because of the proximity to Riley and the grandkids.
And was it an absolute must that it needed to
be a one high school town or a one high
school situation?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Pretty much? Yep. You know. I had some you know,
get friends at here.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
And I'm just, you know, don't know how you know,
if you.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Hear something, if you hear something that's that's coming open,
you know, give me, give me a holler.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
I wanted it to.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Be within a fifty mile radius of the Dallas Fort
Worth area. I wanted it to be a four A
or five A job, and I would like for it
to be a one high school town. And so about
mid January, when I was traveling down to South Texas
to go deer hunting for the first time in my life,
(05:30):
the job at Lovejoy came open in that kind of
in about mid January, And next thing, you know, myself
and and Miss Cordell are talking, and next thing you know,
I'm in love Joy interviewing for the job.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
And it went pretty quickly. After that.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
There was a famous story Todd about John Wooden, the
legendary basketball coach at UCLA, that when he was at
Indiana State, he was about to take the job Minnesota,
and the Minnesota, the athletic greator, said let me get
mo with my president. I'll call you back, but it's
(06:07):
almost certain that it's going to happen. He said, okay,
And he didn't get a call back that night because
there was a blizzard up there and the phone lines
were down, and UCLA had called and offered, and he
took the job, and the Minnesota called back and he said,
I'm sorry, I've already taken it. The reason why I
bring this up is I heard a tale that there
(06:28):
was someone who was interested in you for another position
and it kind of matched some of the things. And
I don't know how much of this is apocryphal and
how much of it is reel, but that there were
certain elements of that job that would kind of fit
what you were looking for, but they either didn't get
back to you in time or whatever, and then the
(06:50):
lovejoy thing came up and boomed.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It just fight. Is there any true to any of that?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah? There is, there is, and really it it the
the timing of everything with all of that came about that,
you know, to be very simple, is that the love
Joy situation just really fit what Elizabeth and I were
(07:16):
looking for.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
With family and getting back closer family.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And it's it's it's interesting the this time last year,
you know, we were in retirement. We were come to see
Riley's team play. We were traveling out to Clemson, we
were going out to we went to Notre Dame. Last year.
We went to Pullman, Washington to watch Nikkia Watson play
at watch Stage. Just going everywhere and having a great time.
(07:42):
The head coach at Melissa Matt Aally. What a wonderful
guy is and great coach. But I get a call
from Mattnally about late July of summer twenty twenty three
and he invites me to come visit with his team.
You're in their training camp in early August, and so
(08:03):
I said, you know I can do that. I'm going
to be up in the Dallas area. You know, I'm
up there quite.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Often to see grand kids and everything. So it Liz
and I went up and the team that I played
last last.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Friday night, we we we played a forty one to
thirty eight game. That we kicked a thirty three yards
field go with three secondslipt that it was an amazing game.
But I talked to that team literally a year ago
in their field health.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That's that.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
I think the grand irony that you talked to that
team and then at their state rank top ten and
you beat them on a walk off field goal last week,
and now it's now it's three in a row for
you after the two game obviously, I got a chance
to see and call the first game against a really
good Love at Cooper team and that went down to
the wire as well. How about what it's taken for
(08:49):
your team through those first couple of weeks, the adjustment
to everything, all of a sudden, the switch didn't start
to really come on for them to turn it now
into the stree game winning streak.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Well, it's starting to be.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
That.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Our defense against Town Park played well enough to win,
no doubt. Our offense against Love at Cooper the first
game played well enough to win. Neither one of the
other side of the ball played very well in those games.
So after two weeks, the biggest thing we had to
do was put it together and then improved big time
(09:30):
in the kicking game. So we are starting to get there.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Now.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
We're playing really good, complimentary football. Last Friday night, a
really good Melissa team. Well they get they are beautiful
getting off the bus. I mean, they're just a really
good looking football team. Our defense caused.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Four fumbles, I mean four takeaways, got three interceptions in
a fumble. The defense presented the football to us three
other times inside the fifty yard line. Our kicking game
was nearly flawless. Is one of those those.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Saturday mornings Craig in the in the barbershops across the
state of Texas that the Lovejoy Special.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Teams was not talked about, and that was that was good.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
That means that means, that.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Means that they executed and.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
They did well.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
There was nothing really to remember except for the walk.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Off the walk off field go. And so that's that's good.
That's goods things.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, we put it all together.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, we put it all together. And uh so we
are in a league that's got five teams. Not throwing
shade at anybody else, but we've got five teams in
our league which is Walnut, Grove, Emerson, Melissa, Anna and
Us that all five are pretty stinking good teams and
(10:50):
getting better every week, and whoever wins this league is
going to be really battle tested.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Uh So, we've.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Had four games between those five teams so far, and
all four of them have been decided by four points
or less.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
And wasn't the you know, if you're wasn't the Anna
game like sixty six to sixty two or something like that.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah, our game against Anna was sixty six sixty two.
There was about thirteen hundred yards of total offense innet game.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Wow, it's amazing Todd Dodge pinning us here on the program.
I know obviously you're keeping close tabs on Riley and
what things are going on at Carol. Do you get
a chance to visit with Tony Salazar and get his
thoughts on how things are going for him at Westlake?
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Talk with Tony, you know, probably every couple of weeks,
sometimes every week, you know, they you know, I mean,
Westlake plays tough people in the non district, always has,
always will, whether you want to or not. Just kind
of like here at Lovejoy. You're not going to get
a play people who were five and five a year before.
(12:00):
You're gonna play tough people, you know. I talked to
Tony after the attack to see the loss, and I
told him the sun did come up this morning, I think,
I know he thought maybe it wasn't, but it did.
And you're probably going to be better off. You don't
realize it or no, this loss will make you better
in the long run. But they are playing at a
(12:20):
very high level. They got their quarterback back healthy again.
And of course defense with that defensive line is tell
on wheels.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah, no doubt about all right, So Todd dodgers with us.
The other reason I wanted to have you on was
to get your memories of this game that was played
forty years ago and my recollection. And I was a
student in North Texas at the time, in young broadcaster
and working with Bill Mercer in the North Texas games,
and we had a game that night against McNeese. But
I was in my apartment watching that fifteen to fifteen
(12:54):
rain soaked tie between the top two teams in the country,
and I know it had to be miserable for everybody,
and uh, you know, for for coach Acres and the
coaching staff as well. But let me get your thoughts
on if you can take me back through that, what.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
What was all going on that day?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
And what you went through and what the team went
through and what was an epic football game with Oklahoma.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Yeah, well, always an early wake up. My memory is
the Texas so you gave even back in my day
forty years ago, was always played right around in Doon
and kickoff, so we got up early. It was raining
straight down in Dallas, got to got to the game,
kind of let up. Had you know the the pregame
(13:37):
warm up was it was I always couldn't remember back
It's just when I can't believe how many people are
already here and it's reigning, uh in pregame warm up,
it was like it just boggled me. Of course, I
you know, I had only been in college for three
years and came from sheltered port arch of Texas, so
that that was something I always remember. How many people
(13:58):
were there. But the game, the turf that at the
Cotton Bow back in the day, everything was astra turf.
But the turf was always really good to play on
when it was dry because it was really soft, uh
and and not brittle. And so we all anybody who
played the Coton Bowl in Texas and Oklahoma places, players
(14:20):
would would share that information with each other that they
really liked playing it because of the turf. Well, well,
it was wet that day. That labeled there, it's the
sliickest thing you've ever played on when it's wet. And
uh so, I know we got off to a good start.
I think I threw a wheel route to to billboard
Brian for a touchdown and then yeah, just back and forth.
You know usually you know we were number one, uh
(14:44):
they were number two. You know when we all kid
each other today, you know, they talked about nil and
you look, you look, and some kid is making them
two point five million dollars in nil and everything. Tell
the only the only.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Nil we ever had was our tickets, you know, back
of the day.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Limitations up, but they were they people were people were
pretty pretty interested in being at that game against the
number one and the number two teams.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Yeah, you know you and I talked before.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I'll share it with the listeners.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
You know, there was a you know with uh I
got I got hit by bosworth sprint out past and
I hit about the about the numbers, and I started sliding.
I'm literally sliding on my belly like I was sliding
in the third base or on the slippy slide and
I am hauling tail into their bench and I get
and I clip a bunch of people falling on top
(15:41):
of me, and you know, I'm getting kicked and I'm
getting need and you know, just the typical stuff in
that game.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
If if you get on the other team's sidelline and.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
There's a there's a hand that reaches out from.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
All of this, and I look up.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
And it's coach Switzer and he said, t D He said,
you ain't looking too good. And that's the coach. I've
been better. I've been better. And so he helps me up,
kind of pass me on the butt and sends me
back to well. In one one.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Hand he was helping me up, but on the other hand, he.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Was cutting a cigarette, you know. And I was always, uh,
you know, I always thought that was that was interesting
that Coach Switzer was was smoking a cigarette on the sideline,
and uh so I always tell that, I tell that
story that I and I told my team that in
the huddle is like a time out.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Not too long after that, I go caych.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Help never believe and I got when I got the
hell knocked out of me on their sideline, I want
to go, coach switcher is smoking cigarette.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
They go, you're full of crap.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
That's time, you know, and all that, and I go, no,
I'm serious, I'm serious. And so the game's over with
and it's a fifteen fifteen.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Time and it's just I mean, it was you know, I'll.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Never forget this. Keith Stanbury and I we went on
recruiting business together. I knew Keith in Mount Pleasant, Texas,
and so he you know, he's the one who who
intercepted part the oukle will say it was a yeah,
we will say we will say he landed out of bounds.
Obviously it was ruled that way. I'm glad that there.
(17:08):
I'm glad that there wasn't any uh replay looking at
looking at looking at replay that we may not get
the best end of that one. But anyway, so I'm
talking to uh, I'm talking to Keith, and I said, hey,
you got to tell me. I said, he smoke a cigarette.
See he goes, yeah, he goes, man, when the game
(17:28):
gets tight, you'll alway see him will get down and
come by himself. He thinks, he thinks nobody knows what
he's doing. Yeah, just a far up a heater down there.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I was going to ask you if you'd ever gotten
any grief from anybody other than Oklahoma fans about that
Stansbury play in the back of the end zone there
that it was and it's been pointed out to me
that the back judge who was right there on it,
will say Southwest Conference official in a split crew and
ruled it didn't complete and all that other stuff.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
And I'm meant to ask you if there if you'd
ever gotten any grief from in anybody who wasn't Crimson
and Cream about this.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
No, no, no, all all the.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
All the horns, all the horns people are still to
this day.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
It was he was out of bounce and me included.
But and if he.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Wasn't out of bounds, he was passing interference on him
before the ever cup the ball. So that that's my
other deal.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
There you go, there you go. That's a good story
to stick to. Absolutely. Uh. You still sake to say.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
I think I remember from our visits when I was
over at the across town, when you would come over
and visit, that that you still had a real abiding,
rooting interest in the in the the welfare and the
benefit of the Loghorns.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
And you've got to know Sark really well.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Is that is that still hold for you, that you
you still have that abiding, rooting interest in your alma mater.
Is getting ready to take the field for a game
like this.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I've got five former players at Westlake that are playing
for the Orange now, you know, with Connor Vassik and
Ethan Burke and Connor Robertson and Mookie Taff and Bryce Chambers.
All those guys just love him. I'm so proud of him.
Did get to know coach start his first year year
and a half. I was really a fan of his
(19:18):
before he ever got the job, and I was thrilled
when he got the job to.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Be our coach at University of Texas.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And he's such a savant as a play caller does does,
in my opinion, the best job of being head coach
and play caller of anybody else in the country. And
that's tough to do.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
But he manages it wonderfully.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And but no, I'm not going to the.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Game we play at the Star in Frisco on Friday night,
and even though it's gonna be a two thirty o Connor.
Connor Robertson offered his old coach a ticket, but I
told him to go ahead and give it somebody else.
I'm gonna I'm just gonna watch it at home. Done that,
done that whole deal enough, and I'll enjoy I'll enjoy
(20:03):
it more watching it from home.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I got to ask you one more thing, and this
is something you brought up Michael Taff and Mooki the
other day at the media availability, and he tells this
story of when he was just going to the game.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I think he said his junior year, and his.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Family knew Sam Ellinger's family really well, and he said,
a couple of us actually sneaked down onto the field
because we wanted to see Sam, and I wanted to
say hi to Sam because.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
We knew each other.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
And we're right there and then there's this tap on
my shoulder and it's a security guy and he actually
threw us out of the stadium.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Did he ever tell you that story?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
No, he didn't.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
We all got a good laugh out of that.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
He said, you know, the whole point, we had this
great design and we got down on the field and
the team's starting to come out. We're gonna and I'm
going to talk to Sam, and then all of a sudden,
this guy goes, hey, you can't be here, And not
only did he not let me go back to the seat,
he said he threw him out of the stadium.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
So he couldn't even do that. So well, it does.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
It does not surprise me that that mookie got himself
down on the field. He has always been.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
He's always been very resilient.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Quite resourceful as well, no doubt. Hey, it's always great
to visit with you. I appreciate you taking the time.
It's great to see your team doing well. And obviously
with with what I do on Friday nights, we'll be
keeping up with you as well.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
So I appreciate the time.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
And tell Elizabeth and Riley and the grandkids high and
I'll look forward to seeing you around the corner.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
No, well, thanks, Craig Hooking, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
That's Todd Dodge, the asqua mentioned Hall of fame, iconic
high school football coach, seven times state championship winner four
times at South Lake Carol, three in a row at
Westlake and and just and has done a great job
everywhere he's gone. But it was the quarterback that day
(21:57):
forty years ago in the pouring rain, Texas and O
you fought to that fifteen fifteen time we're gonna hear
from the current head coach, Steve Sarkishan coming up when
we continue on Sports Radio AM thirteen under the Zone.
Craig Way with they alongside the producer Cameron Parker. So
glad to have you with us. There's so much excitement
about this Texas how You Gain And it's kind of
weird too because I've found and i'll talk more about
this later in the program, an almost equal amount a
balance of excitement about the game the following week against
the Georgia Bulldogs. And it's going to be just a
(00:22):
zoo and a circus around here with a Formula one race.
Have one going on down here next week, but that's
next week. This week stands alone, as it always does,
the Red River Rivalry, the one hundred and twentieth playing
of the Red River Rivalry. And it'll be this Saturday afternoon,
two thirty the Cotton Bowl on the fairgrounds of the
(00:44):
State Fair Texas in Dallas, and our coverage will actually
begin from the fairgrounds eleven thirty in the morning and
the kickoff at two thirty. I'll have a lot of fun,
as I always do, calling that football game. But I'll
tell you what I've loved calling the football games for
the University of Tech here, you know, twenty four years
of play by play in thirty four years in the
booth overall and doing that, and I have also his
(01:09):
folks know, have gotten a great deal of pleasure out
of calling Texas high school football games, including the state
championships at all levels from six man all the way
up to six A. And it was a distinct pleasure
to get a chance to call all three of the
three consecutive Westlake State title games just a few years back.
(01:29):
And then, of course, the head coach of that team
was Todd Dodge and stepped away from the game for
retirement and came back this year where he is coaching
the love Joy Leopards up in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.
But we wanted to have Todd Dodge on for another reason.
You see, As I mentioned, this is the one hundred
and twentieth edition of the Red River Rivalry. The eightieth edition,
(01:52):
some forty years ago in nineteen eighty four, was the
last time the Texas log Hoorns entered the Red River
Rivalry as the number one ranked team in the nation
like they are this year. The quarterback of that team
was Todd Dodge, who joins us on the hotline right now.
All right, So I got to ask it first. It
doesn't seem like it's been forty years since you were
taking the snaps at quarterback for Texas.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yes, it does, Craig, it seems ever been. It seems
ever been of forty years.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well, I appreciate you take you the time to join us,
because I know it was a long time ago and
a lot of water's gone under the bridge and a
lot of things have happened since then. But I did
want to have you on for a couple of reasons.
First of all, I wanted to ask you about your
football team. Right now, I want to ask you about
the love Joy Leopards, because I've been asked a lot
(02:42):
by folks saying, hey, coach Dodge retired, he went out
on top. Why did he decide to come back? And
I'm sure you probably got the answer to that, and
I tried to explain it from what I heard from
you in different interviews and soundbites and when we've talked,
But I know you have the best explanation for all
of why you were to learn why you returned where
you returned to the game.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, yeah, and when I retired from west Lake, those
those two years off, there was absolutely no grandiose idea
of just being out two years, but I did go
watch a lot of football with Riley's team playing and
playing gosh, you know, fourteen to fifteen games a season.
(03:28):
I went to watch them play every two weeks. Got
a chance to go see many of my former players
at West Lake play in college. Had had a real
fun two years in that go and play golf and
then watching college football. But about mid about this time.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Last year, you know, I really felt like.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I still had some juice left to think and it's
the right job came open at that that I would
look into it.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
And Elizabeth and I knew.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
That we would be moving back up here to the
Dallas Forth area, so that was a given whether I
coached again or not, to be closer to family, closer
to grandkids. We live in mckennie now, which is only
eight miles from the field house here at Lovejoy. So
everything worked out really well and it was a perfect fit.
(04:17):
And I'm just absolutely loving these kids and loving this.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Job I've got.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I've got a boss, uh named Katie Cordell, our superintendent,
who is as good a leader as I've ever been around.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
So it's everything's.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Going really good, and most importantly it Liz was happy.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah, well, yeah, that's important.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
How well, let me ask you this then, Todd. How
was it.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
An absolute must that the job had to be in
the Metroplex because of the proximity to Riley and the grandkids.
And was it an absolute must that it needed to
be a one high school town or a one high
school situation?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Pretty much? Yep. You know. I had some you know,
get friends at here.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
And I'm just, you know, don't know how you know,
if you.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Hear something, if you hear something that's that's coming open,
you know, give me, give me a holler.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
I wanted it to.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Be within a fifty mile radius of the Dallas Fort
Worth area. I wanted it to be a four A
or five A job, and I would like for it
to be a one high school town. And so about
mid January, when I was traveling down to South Texas
to go deer hunting for the first time in my life,
(05:30):
the job at Lovejoy came open in that kind of
in about mid January, And next thing, you know, myself
and and Miss Cordell are talking, and next thing you know,
I'm in love Joy interviewing for the job.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
And it went pretty quickly. After that.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
There was a famous story Todd about John Wooden, the
legendary basketball coach at UCLA, that when he was at
Indiana State, he was about to take the job Minnesota,
and the Minnesota, the athletic greator, said let me get
mo with my president. I'll call you back, but it's
(06:07):
almost certain that it's going to happen. He said, okay,
And he didn't get a call back that night because
there was a blizzard up there and the phone lines
were down, and UCLA had called and offered, and he
took the job, and the Minnesota called back and he said,
I'm sorry, I've already taken it. The reason why I
bring this up is I heard a tale that there
(06:28):
was someone who was interested in you for another position
and it kind of matched some of the things. And
I don't know how much of this is apocryphal and
how much of it is reel, but that there were
certain elements of that job that would kind of fit
what you were looking for, but they either didn't get
back to you in time or whatever, and then the
(06:50):
lovejoy thing came up and boomed.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It just fight. Is there any true to any of that?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah? There is, there is, and really it it the
the timing of everything with all of that came about that,
you know, to be very simple, is that the love
Joy situation just really fit what Elizabeth and I were
(07:16):
looking for.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
With family and getting back closer family.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
And it's it's it's interesting the this time last year,
you know, we were in retirement. We were come to see
Riley's team play. We were traveling out to Clemson, we
were going out to we went to Notre Dame. Last year.
We went to Pullman, Washington to watch Nikkia Watson play
at watch Stage. Just going everywhere and having a great time.
(07:42):
The head coach at Melissa Matt Aally. What a wonderful
guy is and great coach. But I get a call
from Mattnally about late July of summer twenty twenty three
and he invites me to come visit with his team.
You're in their training camp in early August, and so
(08:03):
I said, you know I can do that. I'm going
to be up in the Dallas area. You know, I'm
up there quite.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Often to see grand kids and everything. So it Liz
and I went up and the team that I played
last last.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Friday night, we we we played a forty one to
thirty eight game. That we kicked a thirty three yards
field go with three secondslipt that it was an amazing game.
But I talked to that team literally a year ago
in their field health.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That's that.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
I think the grand irony that you talked to that
team and then at their state rank top ten and
you beat them on a walk off field goal last week,
and now it's now it's three in a row for
you after the two game obviously, I got a chance
to see and call the first game against a really
good Love at Cooper team and that went down to
the wire as well. How about what it's taken for
(08:49):
your team through those first couple of weeks, the adjustment
to everything, all of a sudden, the switch didn't start
to really come on for them to turn it now
into the stree game winning streak.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Well, it's starting to be.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
That.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Our defense against Town Park played well enough to win,
no doubt. Our offense against Love at Cooper the first
game played well enough to win. Neither one of the
other side of the ball played very well in those games.
So after two weeks, the biggest thing we had to
do was put it together and then improved big time
(09:30):
in the kicking game. So we are starting to get there.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Now.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
We're playing really good, complimentary football. Last Friday night, a
really good Melissa team. Well they get they are beautiful
getting off the bus. I mean, they're just a really
good looking football team. Our defense caused.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Four fumbles, I mean four takeaways, got three interceptions in
a fumble. The defense presented the football to us three
other times inside the fifty yard line. Our kicking game
was nearly flawless. Is one of those those.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Saturday mornings Craig in the in the barbershops across the
state of Texas that the Lovejoy Special.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Teams was not talked about, and that was that was good.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
That means that means, that.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Means that they executed and.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
They did well.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
There was nothing really to remember except for the walk.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Off the walk off field go. And so that's that's good.
That's goods things.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, we put it all together.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Yeah, we put it all together. And uh so we
are in a league that's got five teams. Not throwing
shade at anybody else, but we've got five teams in
our league which is Walnut, Grove, Emerson, Melissa, Anna and
Us that all five are pretty stinking good teams and
(10:50):
getting better every week, and whoever wins this league is
going to be really battle tested.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Uh So, we've.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Had four games between those five teams so far, and
all four of them have been decided by four points
or less.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
And wasn't the you know, if you're wasn't the Anna
game like sixty six to sixty two or something like that.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah, our game against Anna was sixty six sixty two.
There was about thirteen hundred yards of total offense innet game.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Wow, it's amazing Todd Dodge pinning us here on the program.
I know obviously you're keeping close tabs on Riley and
what things are going on at Carol. Do you get
a chance to visit with Tony Salazar and get his
thoughts on how things are going for him at Westlake?
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Talk with Tony, you know, probably every couple of weeks,
sometimes every week, you know, they you know, I mean,
Westlake plays tough people in the non district, always has,
always will, whether you want to or not. Just kind
of like here at Lovejoy. You're not going to get
a play people who were five and five a year before.
(12:00):
You're gonna play tough people, you know. I talked to
Tony after the attack to see the loss, and I
told him the sun did come up this morning, I think,
I know he thought maybe it wasn't, but it did.
And you're probably going to be better off. You don't
realize it or no, this loss will make you better
in the long run. But they are playing at a
(12:20):
very high level. They got their quarterback back healthy again.
And of course defense with that defensive line is tell
on wheels.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Yeah, no doubt about all right, So Todd dodgers with us.
The other reason I wanted to have you on was
to get your memories of this game that was played
forty years ago and my recollection. And I was a
student in North Texas at the time, in young broadcaster
and working with Bill Mercer in the North Texas games,
and we had a game that night against McNeese. But
I was in my apartment watching that fifteen to fifteen
(12:54):
rain soaked tie between the top two teams in the country,
and I know it had to be miserable for everybody,
and uh, you know, for for coach Acres and the
coaching staff as well. But let me get your thoughts
on if you can take me back through that, what.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
What was all going on that day?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
And what you went through and what the team went
through and what was an epic football game with Oklahoma.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Yeah, well, always an early wake up. My memory is
the Texas so you gave even back in my day
forty years ago, was always played right around in Doon
and kickoff, so we got up early. It was raining
straight down in Dallas, got to got to the game,
kind of let up. Had you know the the pregame
(13:37):
warm up was it was I always couldn't remember back
It's just when I can't believe how many people are
already here and it's reigning, uh in pregame warm up,
it was like it just boggled me. Of course, I
you know, I had only been in college for three
years and came from sheltered port arch of Texas, so
that that was something I always remember. How many people
(13:58):
were there. But the game, the turf that at the
Cotton Bow back in the day, everything was astra turf.
But the turf was always really good to play on
when it was dry because it was really soft, uh
and and not brittle. And so we all anybody who
played the Coton Bowl in Texas and Oklahoma places, players
(14:20):
would would share that information with each other that they
really liked playing it because of the turf. Well, well,
it was wet that day. That labeled there, it's the
sliickest thing you've ever played on when it's wet. And
uh so, I know we got off to a good start.
I think I threw a wheel route to to billboard
Brian for a touchdown and then yeah, just back and forth.
You know usually you know we were number one, uh
(14:44):
they were number two. You know when we all kid
each other today, you know, they talked about nil and
you look, you look, and some kid is making them
two point five million dollars in nil and everything. Tell
the only the only.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Nil we ever had was our tickets, you know, back
of the day.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Limitations up, but they were they people were people were
pretty pretty interested in being at that game against the
number one and the number two teams.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Yeah, you know you and I talked before.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I'll share it with the listeners.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
You know, there was a you know with uh I
got I got hit by bosworth sprint out past and
I hit about the about the numbers, and I started sliding.
I'm literally sliding on my belly like I was sliding
in the third base or on the slippy slide and
I am hauling tail into their bench and I get
and I clip a bunch of people falling on top
(15:41):
of me, and you know, I'm getting kicked and I'm
getting need and you know, just the typical stuff in
that game.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
If if you get on the other team's sidelline and.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
There's a there's a hand that reaches out from.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
All of this, and I look up.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
And it's coach Switzer and he said, t D He said,
you ain't looking too good. And that's the coach. I've
been better. I've been better. And so he helps me up,
kind of pass me on the butt and sends me
back to well. In one one.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Hand he was helping me up, but on the other hand, he.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Was cutting a cigarette, you know. And I was always, uh,
you know, I always thought that was that was interesting
that Coach Switzer was was smoking a cigarette on the sideline,
and uh so I always tell that, I tell that
story that I and I told my team that in
the huddle is like a time out.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Not too long after that, I go caych.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Help never believe and I got when I got the
hell knocked out of me on their sideline, I want
to go, coach switcher is smoking cigarette.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
They go, you're full of crap.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
That's time, you know, and all that, and I go, no,
I'm serious, I'm serious. And so the game's over with
and it's a fifteen fifteen.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Time and it's just I mean, it was you know, I'll.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Never forget this. Keith Stanbury and I we went on
recruiting business together. I knew Keith in Mount Pleasant, Texas,
and so he you know, he's the one who who
intercepted part the oukle will say it was a yeah,
we will say we will say he landed out of bounds.
Obviously it was ruled that way. I'm glad that there.
(17:08):
I'm glad that there wasn't any uh replay looking at
looking at looking at replay that we may not get
the best end of that one. But anyway, so I'm
talking to uh, I'm talking to Keith, and I said, hey,
you got to tell me. I said, he smoke a cigarette.
See he goes, yeah, he goes, man, when the game
(17:28):
gets tight, you'll alway see him will get down and
come by himself. He thinks, he thinks nobody knows what
he's doing. Yeah, just a far up a heater down there.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I was going to ask you if you'd ever gotten
any grief from anybody other than Oklahoma fans about that
Stansbury play in the back of the end zone there
that it was and it's been pointed out to me
that the back judge who was right there on it,
will say Southwest Conference official in a split crew and
ruled it didn't complete and all that other stuff.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
And I'm meant to ask you if there if you'd
ever gotten any grief from in anybody who wasn't Crimson
and Cream about this.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
No, no, no, all all the.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
All the horns, all the horns people are still to
this day.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
It was he was out of bounce and me included.
But and if he.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Wasn't out of bounds, he was passing interference on him
before the ever cup the ball. So that that's my
other deal.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
There you go, there you go. That's a good story
to stick to. Absolutely. Uh. You still sake to say.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
I think I remember from our visits when I was
over at the across town, when you would come over
and visit, that that you still had a real abiding,
rooting interest in the in the the welfare and the
benefit of the Loghorns.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
And you've got to know Sark really well.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Is that is that still hold for you, that you
you still have that abiding, rooting interest in your alma mater.
Is getting ready to take the field for a game
like this.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
I've got five former players at Westlake that are playing
for the Orange now, you know, with Connor Vassik and
Ethan Burke and Connor Robertson and Mookie Taff and Bryce Chambers.
All those guys just love him. I'm so proud of him.
Did get to know coach start his first year year
and a half. I was really a fan of his
(19:18):
before he ever got the job, and I was thrilled
when he got the job to.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Be our coach at University of Texas.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And he's such a savant as a play caller does does,
in my opinion, the best job of being head coach
and play caller of anybody else in the country. And
that's tough to do.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
But he manages it wonderfully.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And but no, I'm not going to the.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Game we play at the Star in Frisco on Friday night,
and even though it's gonna be a two thirty o Connor.
Connor Robertson offered his old coach a ticket, but I
told him to go ahead and give it somebody else.
I'm gonna I'm just gonna watch it at home. Done that,
done that whole deal enough, and I'll enjoy I'll enjoy
(20:03):
it more watching it from home.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I got to ask you one more thing, and this
is something you brought up Michael Taff and Mooki the
other day at the media availability, and he tells this
story of when he was just going to the game.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
I think he said his junior year, and his.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Family knew Sam Ellinger's family really well, and he said,
a couple of us actually sneaked down onto the field
because we wanted to see Sam, and I wanted to
say hi to Sam because.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
We knew each other.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
And we're right there and then there's this tap on
my shoulder and it's a security guy and he actually
threw us out of the stadium.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Did he ever tell you that story?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
No, he didn't.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
We all got a good laugh out of that.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
He said, you know, the whole point, we had this
great design and we got down on the field and
the team's starting to come out. We're gonna and I'm
going to talk to Sam, and then all of a sudden,
this guy goes, hey, you can't be here, And not
only did he not let me go back to the seat,
he said he threw him out of the stadium.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
So he couldn't even do that. So well, it does.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
It does not surprise me that that mookie got himself
down on the field. He has always been.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
He's always been very resilient.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Quite resourceful as well, no doubt. Hey, it's always great
to visit with you. I appreciate you taking the time.
It's great to see your team doing well. And obviously
with with what I do on Friday nights, we'll be
keeping up with you as well.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
So I appreciate the time.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
And tell Elizabeth and Riley and the grandkids high and
I'll look forward to seeing you around the corner.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
No, well, thanks, Craig Hooking, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
That's Todd Dodge, the asqua mentioned Hall of fame, iconic
high school football coach, seven times state championship winner four
times at South Lake Carol, three in a row at
Westlake and and just and has done a great job
everywhere he's gone. But it was the quarterback that day
(21:57):
forty years ago in the pouring rain, Texas and O
you fought to that fifteen fifteen time we're gonna hear
from the current head coach, Steve Sarkishan coming up when
we continue on Sports Radio AM thirteen under the Zone.
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