Bridge City/Newton-two cultures clash Friday

[Old Cardinal]

Two towns could not be any different than BC and Newton. Newton has a low income per capital income: characterized by hard working folks in the pulpwood and lumber industry. The biggest thing going on at school is FOOTBALL and BASKETBALL. They have maybe the poorest baseball programs in 3A. Other sports, like tennis, softball, cross-country, golf, barely exist. Football reigns supreme!.......Bridge City, on the other hand, is a upward-mobility culture. New giant homes are going up everywhere, It's hard to believe, but the bulk of these new homes are "the dream homes" of technically trained College grads, who have finished raising their families. Thus, the school enrollment drops, while the town is growing! Professional people, in the area choose this town because of low crime. The array of sports available span the whole spectrum. Golf, tennis, softball, basketball, baseball, cross-country, weight lifting, track-all have a high number of followers. Football is very important, but not the only sport drawing athletically inclined youth. I think it is quite interesting, to see the apparent good attitude toward their competitive nature, exibited by Newton and Bridge City. Both of the teams are good, and both of them will give their all Friday night. I salute both towns for fielding some of the better teams on the gridiron. What a contrast between a high-tech town and a hard working blue collar town. I wish them both the best in Div I and Div.II.

[J-boy]

And my question would be.....W-H-O C-A-R-E-S?How are you gonna diss somebody like that? But that's O.K. the biggest diss is that BC couldn't beat Newton in their dreams.Cut the talk, take it to the field.

[98Eagle]

Old Card, Why do you constantly down Newton? Do you really think that its just a bunch of poor folks with no education that haul pulp wood and play football? I have saw several posts you have made similiar to this one about Newton and they are very distasteful. Newton will win BIG friday.

[98Eagle]

Old Card, Why do you constantly down Newton? Do you really think that its just a bunch of poor folks with no education that haul pulp wood and play football? I have saw several posts you have made similiar to this one about Newton and they are very distasteful. Newton will win BIG friday.

[Newton Fan]

I didn't take Old Card as putting down Newton in this post. What he says is true.

Some of the reasons people live here are the slower pace, naturel beauty in our forests, lakes are a short drive and fishing is abundunt.

I read recently that Newton county has the lowest percentage of any county in Texas of adults with a 4 yr college degree. We aren't bad because of that. What we need is some more industry that equals jobs in Newton county.

Timber is the dominant industry in Newton county. Just think, all those techies (sp)in BC and other areas would still be using a corn cob next to the ceramic throne in the bathroom if we didn't supply the pulpwood to make paper :-)

[twinkle]

Old Card is not dissing (did I really say dissing?) Newton. I am reading respect and understanding in his post. It is hard to explain, but there is so many factors stacked against the kids who go to school and live in Newton (poverty level, high teen preganancy rate, lack of jobs, etc.)it is almost as if the only way that you can BE someone in Newton is if you play football. I have lots of friends who graduated from high school who were great football players and should have gone on to college, but went on to follow in their father's footsteps to work in the woods, and every Friday night you will see them at that stadium, watching the games and remembering when they stood on that field and was everybody's hero. It was probably the best time of their lives.

[BIG_UNIT]

I THINK OLD CARDINAL IS JUST LAYING THE GROUND WORK, FOR AN EXCUSE, WHEN NEWTON WHIPS BC. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BC'S BASEBALL, TENNIS, AND GOLF PROGRAMS, IF THEY HAD 350 STUDENTS. IT MUST BE NICE TO LOOK DOWN YOUR NOSE WHILE YOU COMPETE WITH SCHOOLS 1/3 YOU SIZE. I THINK OLD CARDINAL IS REALLY A RACIST, AND I WISH HE WOULD DIRECT HIS COMMENTS TOWARD FOOTBALL, AND LEAVE ALL THE SOCIAL COMMENTARY TO SOMEONE ELSE.

[Old Cardinal]

I am not a racist, nor was I downing Newton. Several of you from Newton got the correct idea- of a simple comparison of different life-styles, meeting on the gridiron. Look back through the years at my post, and you will find that I pull for Newton hard when they hit the playoffs. I respect Coach Barbay, and his teams, and sometime marvel when they hold their own against Ozen, WO-S, Jasper and the like.... Newton, needs "finished product industry", such as Cabinetry Manufacturing etc: There are no viable higher paying, jobs for young folks in Newton. When I see the Gulley's, Anthony Byerly's, get out of town via football scholarships, I applaude them....This post was intended to inform many folks across Texas of the uniqueness of the "College Scout's Bowl's" and bring in other information to the Message Board than the "We gunna kick ya'lls butt", that we all read, all to often, on this board.

[notwen]

oldcardinal you are so very right newton's industry is dead. all of the younger kids are not wanting to go and work in the woods as their parents did and this is causing our school numbers to drop. i applaude youngster who tries to leave newton and do better for him or herself.

[whatusay2]

I really hate to pour gasoline on this flame, but...I honestly don't think that "Old Cardinal" was intentionally trying to mock or make racial slurs about Newton. HOWEVER, I do believe that those from the southern part of Southeast Texas have always felt like they were a notch above the those from the northern part of Southeast Texas. Growing up, so many of my friends from that part of Southeast Texas ALWAYS made(and still make) insulting remarks about our part of Southeast Texas. Maybe I'm still a little sensitive, but it's not like Bridge City is even close to being another Silicon Valley or even a Telecom Corridor (Dallas) with its "Techies". Just be more sensitive when making such comments in the future. And to the Newton Eagles, please win this one not just for your town, but all the little sawmill towns in our part of Southeast Texas!

[FBmania]

I agree with the few in here that old card was not talking down about NEWTON. He seems to respect everyones FB team but, he is just extremely passionate about his BC cardinals. :-)
Pulpwood haulers or not N Eagles play some pretty bad to the bone football! I might go see this game. Goodluck to both teams!

[Newton Fan]

Here's one for all the "Big" schools to match. In our graduating class of 2001 we had around 90 graduating seniors. Of those I think it was 10 total athletes we put into college. That's over 10% of our total graduating class!

6 Football
2 Basketball
1 Baseball
1 Softball

[Old Cardinal]

To Whatusay2 I never thought of the "South" SE Texas and "North" SE Texas situation; and if that appeared to be an "sensitive" issue, I apologize......To Newton Fan, 10% getting scholarships sounds just great! I had no idea that your HS was placing that many into Colleges, on scholarships. I don't know what will happen to the sawmill towns of SE Texas, but we can only hope that Economic Development Committees, can access the raw material potentials, and bring in or creat new profitable industries......Newton Fan, "South" SE Texas has their economic problems too. Big layoffs, cutbacks on job hiring plagues this area too. When our folks retire are or forced to retire, they don't stay in the mosquitoes. They move up to the Lakes and contribute their money to your "Northern" SE Texas economy. In a way, both these towns, playing Friday, are in transition. Both have a desire for the best for their children-be it sports or better jobs in the future.

[This message has been edited by Old Cardinal (edited September 19, 2002).]

[BigRed01]

Whatsusay2 and Big_Unit.....are you honestly trying to make this into a racial statement? I read the post and the post has no overtones of racism or says that anyone is stupid. It makes a comparison of what is true. When I went to Bridge City it was no where at like it is now. Go to the parking lot on a Monday morning at that school, you will see "kids" driving cars that are probably better than the ones you and I drive. The whole town has become a magnet for people that used to live in Port Arthur. Newton has some great people in it, just because someone says that the town is made up of blue collar hardworking folks, doesn't make it a racist statement or derogatory in nature....so lighten up, and quit being so sensitive.

[VWG]

This isn't any different than in any other part of Texas. Take parts west of Dallas/Ft. Worth, most jobs are in the Oil & Gas industry or farming/ranching.
Some towns have more money and income per family than others, it's that simple. I didn't see any bad remarks in Old Cardinal's statements. Being racist? Gimme' a break.
Don't sit here and whine about decling enrollment.. look at the numbers in Region 1. Region 1 leads the state in enrollment drop. Borger, Snyder, Sweetwater, Canyon, Monahans, all have dropped from 4A to 3A. Heck, even the schools in Wichita Falls that used to be 5A (W.F. High and W.F. Rider) are now 4A.