rockdale80
10-27-2005, 04:44 PM
Rockdale Reporter Online
A truly great but one-sided grid rivalry
Bill Martin's Sports Column
Thirty-five to fifteen. 35-15!
In the past 50 years of the Rockdale-Cameron rivalry, that’s where the ledger stands. Cameron has won 35 times, Rockdale 15.
On the eve of the big game, it begs the question: Can a series so lopsided really be considered a true rivalry?
One thing is for sure. As far as the two communities are concerned, the “Battle of the Bell” is, without a doubt, a line-crossing, trash-talking, blood-boiling street fight. Never any doubt about that.
However, on paper, the numbers just don’t add up.
The Rock has never had a winning streak of more than three games since the two teams began playing for the bell in 1954. Meanwhile, the Yoemen have streaks of five, seven and seven. The last seven-game stretch is fresh in everybody’s mind. It happened from 1996 thru 2002.
Rockdale’s last streak in the series of any significance came from 1966 to 1968 when the Tigers won three straight. And then there were those great Rockdale teams from 1961 through 1963 which also won three in a row.
Rockdale has not won consecutive games in the series since 1977.
In the golden era of the Rockdale athletics, from 1972 to 1977, the Tigers had possesion of the bell a total of two times. Twice!
From 1938 through 1959, Big Blue went 21 years without a victory over the Yoemen. Of course, they did not play every year either.
What creates a true rivalry ? Is it perception, or reality ?
The annual Odessa-Odessa Permian tilt is certainly a heated rivalry. However, Permian whipped Odessa 32 straight times from 1965 to 1996. Of course Permian is not the Goliath program it used to be and Midland Lee has wrestled away control of that region in the past decade.
The same can be said for the LBJ-Reagan matchup in the Austin district. Reagan leads the marquee series, but those two teams are the laughing stock of the district now days and the game doesn’t hold much stock. They don’t even play it during the last week of the season anymore.
The Texas-Texas A&M battle, which has admittedly cooled in the past decade, was voted the top rivalry in college football by USA Today voters. However, not unlike Cameron versus Rockdale, the Longhorns have dominated the series, winning 72 times in 111 meetings. Texas also has a considerable lead in the Red River Shootout against Oklahoma, winning 57 times in 100 games.
By the numbers, the greatest rivalry game in college football is the Army-Navy game which Army leads 49-47-7. A true rivalry should be close to even.
Whatever the numbers say, the Rockdale-Cameron game is what high school football is all about and it should be savored by players and fans alike.
Best of the best
This year’s game marks the 30th anniversary of what most longtime Rockdale-Cameron observers call the greatest game in the series.
Chronicled in depth by Mike Brown last year in the Reporter’s 50th anniversary “Battle of the Bell” special section, Cameron, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, prevailed 22-19 in front of an overflow crowd of 6,000 fans that were standing three-deep around the fence and a dozen deep in the end zone at Yoe Field.
While the game is considered the greatest ever, it also includes one of the greatest blown calls ever.
Trailing 14-13 in the second quarter, Rockdale faced fourth-and-10 from the Cameron 11-yard line. Quarterback Martin Stroman ran the option and skirted around the right end and tightroped down the sideline. He dove for the end zone marker along with a couple of Yoe defenders and also one of the officials and they all came down in a heap.
While Rockdale fans wildly celebrated, the official jumped up and threw his hat down to mark the play, which was considerably further to the left than where Stroman, ball cradled in his right hand, had landed. The measurement was short. Yoemen ball.
As great a game as it was, whenever I hear anyone talking about it, inevitably, that call enters the conversation.
The game was saturated with standouts on both sides of the field. Stroman, Morgan, Mack, Locklin, Wesley, Luetge, Garza, Richards, Russell, Juarez, White and Thompson for the Tigers. Joe Smitherman, Jafus White, Michael White and Ronnie Bennett for the Yoemen. Bennett and Jafus White would join Stroman at Texas A&I where they would win a national championship together.
As history would view it, that game was a springboard for the 1976 state champions and beyond. After that loss to Cameron, Big Blue won 35 of its next 39 games.
And two of those wins—by way of Cameron.
stillbill@rockdalereporter.com
A truly great but one-sided grid rivalry
Bill Martin's Sports Column
Thirty-five to fifteen. 35-15!
In the past 50 years of the Rockdale-Cameron rivalry, that’s where the ledger stands. Cameron has won 35 times, Rockdale 15.
On the eve of the big game, it begs the question: Can a series so lopsided really be considered a true rivalry?
One thing is for sure. As far as the two communities are concerned, the “Battle of the Bell” is, without a doubt, a line-crossing, trash-talking, blood-boiling street fight. Never any doubt about that.
However, on paper, the numbers just don’t add up.
The Rock has never had a winning streak of more than three games since the two teams began playing for the bell in 1954. Meanwhile, the Yoemen have streaks of five, seven and seven. The last seven-game stretch is fresh in everybody’s mind. It happened from 1996 thru 2002.
Rockdale’s last streak in the series of any significance came from 1966 to 1968 when the Tigers won three straight. And then there were those great Rockdale teams from 1961 through 1963 which also won three in a row.
Rockdale has not won consecutive games in the series since 1977.
In the golden era of the Rockdale athletics, from 1972 to 1977, the Tigers had possesion of the bell a total of two times. Twice!
From 1938 through 1959, Big Blue went 21 years without a victory over the Yoemen. Of course, they did not play every year either.
What creates a true rivalry ? Is it perception, or reality ?
The annual Odessa-Odessa Permian tilt is certainly a heated rivalry. However, Permian whipped Odessa 32 straight times from 1965 to 1996. Of course Permian is not the Goliath program it used to be and Midland Lee has wrestled away control of that region in the past decade.
The same can be said for the LBJ-Reagan matchup in the Austin district. Reagan leads the marquee series, but those two teams are the laughing stock of the district now days and the game doesn’t hold much stock. They don’t even play it during the last week of the season anymore.
The Texas-Texas A&M battle, which has admittedly cooled in the past decade, was voted the top rivalry in college football by USA Today voters. However, not unlike Cameron versus Rockdale, the Longhorns have dominated the series, winning 72 times in 111 meetings. Texas also has a considerable lead in the Red River Shootout against Oklahoma, winning 57 times in 100 games.
By the numbers, the greatest rivalry game in college football is the Army-Navy game which Army leads 49-47-7. A true rivalry should be close to even.
Whatever the numbers say, the Rockdale-Cameron game is what high school football is all about and it should be savored by players and fans alike.
Best of the best
This year’s game marks the 30th anniversary of what most longtime Rockdale-Cameron observers call the greatest game in the series.
Chronicled in depth by Mike Brown last year in the Reporter’s 50th anniversary “Battle of the Bell” special section, Cameron, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, prevailed 22-19 in front of an overflow crowd of 6,000 fans that were standing three-deep around the fence and a dozen deep in the end zone at Yoe Field.
While the game is considered the greatest ever, it also includes one of the greatest blown calls ever.
Trailing 14-13 in the second quarter, Rockdale faced fourth-and-10 from the Cameron 11-yard line. Quarterback Martin Stroman ran the option and skirted around the right end and tightroped down the sideline. He dove for the end zone marker along with a couple of Yoe defenders and also one of the officials and they all came down in a heap.
While Rockdale fans wildly celebrated, the official jumped up and threw his hat down to mark the play, which was considerably further to the left than where Stroman, ball cradled in his right hand, had landed. The measurement was short. Yoemen ball.
As great a game as it was, whenever I hear anyone talking about it, inevitably, that call enters the conversation.
The game was saturated with standouts on both sides of the field. Stroman, Morgan, Mack, Locklin, Wesley, Luetge, Garza, Richards, Russell, Juarez, White and Thompson for the Tigers. Joe Smitherman, Jafus White, Michael White and Ronnie Bennett for the Yoemen. Bennett and Jafus White would join Stroman at Texas A&I where they would win a national championship together.
As history would view it, that game was a springboard for the 1976 state champions and beyond. After that loss to Cameron, Big Blue won 35 of its next 39 games.
And two of those wins—by way of Cameron.
stillbill@rockdalereporter.com