bccards
10-05-2008, 10:13 PM
Bridge City is still in recovery mode. We used to play these teams when we were 4A in our district.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/kindness_trumps_madness_for_mid-county_football_fans_10-04-2008.html
Kindness trumps madness for Mid-County football fans
By SARAH MOORE
October, 4, 2008
NEDERLAND - It was one for the history books.
In the long tradition of fierce rivalry between high school football foes Nederland and Port Neches-Groves, no one could remember another time when fans on both sides came out wearing another team's colors.
But that's what happened Saturday night when Mid-County Madness became Mid-County Kindness.
Almost half the spectators on each side were decked out in Cardinal red, in support of Bridge City High.
It was a gesture of support for the city and school district that was so hard hit by Hurricane Ike.
The gesture will be backed by hard labor today as Mid-County residents and others gather for a clean-up day in Bridge City.
The effort was the brainchild of the First Baptist Church of Groves, said Jean Brown, who was handing out red T-shirts at the gate.
Sponsors had donated 10,000 T-shirts to be given away, the 46-year-old Groves resident said.
Wearing another team's colors to a high school football game might not seem like that big of a deal to some, but in a region where fans are said to bleed their team's colors, it's huge.
"That runs pretty deep," Brown said, adding that her parents had brought her to the games since early childhood.
As if to illustrate her point, a couple passed toting a baby all decked out in a big purple hair ribbon.
Brown laughed.
"See, I told you they brainwashed us early!"
Another purple-clad PN-G fan accepted a red shirt from her, saying, "I'll take one, but I can't wear it tonight."
As the pregame festivities commenced, the lighted board flashed the words, "You may have brought out the kindness, but you can't stop the madness" as the Scorpions' song "Rock You Like a Hurricane" blared over the PA.
Fans waved their red shirts to welcome Bridge City residents in attendance.
Longtime Nederland resident Ronnie Minaldi said he'd never seen anything like it in more than half a century of Mid-County Madness games.
The 70-year-old retired teacher said it showed the real regional unity that underlies the intense rivalry.
Minaldi, who wore a button-down shirt printed with a vintage car motif, said he didn't own a red shirt, but he planned to attend the cleanup day today.
He said he felt for the Bridge City residents.
"It's so sad to go down the road and see everything they own out on the curb," Minaldi added.
Many felt very strongly about the effort to help their neighbors.
Darlene Riley said it showed what big hearts Mid-County has.
"Southeast Texas has always taken care of their neighbors," the 37-year-old PN-G fan said.
Riley was one of those wearing red Saturday.
"It almost makes you want to cry," she said. "Seeing another city suffering like that tears out your heart."
Albert Schwarz, 73, has lived in Port Neches for only four years, but he has embraced his new community.
A bit of purple peeping out from under his red shirt, Schwarz explained that he used to be a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
"I can't do that anymore, but I want to do my part," he said. "I've always been a community helping person."
Some of those wearing their usual team's colors said it was because they just didn't have a red shirt.
Black-and-gold-clad Anita Smith of Nederland was one of these.
The 47-year-old accounting clerk said she'd been attending the game "forever."
She was proud to see the support for Bridge City.
"I think it's wonderful," she said. "We usually pull together in a crisis."
Port Neches resident Mary Wright, 76, wore the traditional purple.
Her grandson was playing Saturday night.
She was not a PN-G grad, but her husband and four children are and she knows how important the game is.
"This is the one to win," she said.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/kindness_trumps_madness_for_mid-county_football_fans_10-04-2008.html
Kindness trumps madness for Mid-County football fans
By SARAH MOORE
October, 4, 2008
NEDERLAND - It was one for the history books.
In the long tradition of fierce rivalry between high school football foes Nederland and Port Neches-Groves, no one could remember another time when fans on both sides came out wearing another team's colors.
But that's what happened Saturday night when Mid-County Madness became Mid-County Kindness.
Almost half the spectators on each side were decked out in Cardinal red, in support of Bridge City High.
It was a gesture of support for the city and school district that was so hard hit by Hurricane Ike.
The gesture will be backed by hard labor today as Mid-County residents and others gather for a clean-up day in Bridge City.
The effort was the brainchild of the First Baptist Church of Groves, said Jean Brown, who was handing out red T-shirts at the gate.
Sponsors had donated 10,000 T-shirts to be given away, the 46-year-old Groves resident said.
Wearing another team's colors to a high school football game might not seem like that big of a deal to some, but in a region where fans are said to bleed their team's colors, it's huge.
"That runs pretty deep," Brown said, adding that her parents had brought her to the games since early childhood.
As if to illustrate her point, a couple passed toting a baby all decked out in a big purple hair ribbon.
Brown laughed.
"See, I told you they brainwashed us early!"
Another purple-clad PN-G fan accepted a red shirt from her, saying, "I'll take one, but I can't wear it tonight."
As the pregame festivities commenced, the lighted board flashed the words, "You may have brought out the kindness, but you can't stop the madness" as the Scorpions' song "Rock You Like a Hurricane" blared over the PA.
Fans waved their red shirts to welcome Bridge City residents in attendance.
Longtime Nederland resident Ronnie Minaldi said he'd never seen anything like it in more than half a century of Mid-County Madness games.
The 70-year-old retired teacher said it showed the real regional unity that underlies the intense rivalry.
Minaldi, who wore a button-down shirt printed with a vintage car motif, said he didn't own a red shirt, but he planned to attend the cleanup day today.
He said he felt for the Bridge City residents.
"It's so sad to go down the road and see everything they own out on the curb," Minaldi added.
Many felt very strongly about the effort to help their neighbors.
Darlene Riley said it showed what big hearts Mid-County has.
"Southeast Texas has always taken care of their neighbors," the 37-year-old PN-G fan said.
Riley was one of those wearing red Saturday.
"It almost makes you want to cry," she said. "Seeing another city suffering like that tears out your heart."
Albert Schwarz, 73, has lived in Port Neches for only four years, but he has embraced his new community.
A bit of purple peeping out from under his red shirt, Schwarz explained that he used to be a volunteer firefighter and EMT.
"I can't do that anymore, but I want to do my part," he said. "I've always been a community helping person."
Some of those wearing their usual team's colors said it was because they just didn't have a red shirt.
Black-and-gold-clad Anita Smith of Nederland was one of these.
The 47-year-old accounting clerk said she'd been attending the game "forever."
She was proud to see the support for Bridge City.
"I think it's wonderful," she said. "We usually pull together in a crisis."
Port Neches resident Mary Wright, 76, wore the traditional purple.
Her grandson was playing Saturday night.
She was not a PN-G grad, but her husband and four children are and she knows how important the game is.
"This is the one to win," she said.