I couldn’t make this up...

There is a country song that has a line that goes something like “God is great, beer is good and people are crazy”. Right now, I couldn’t agree more. I am one of the few people who still gets the local paper. I usually scan the front section, read the editorials/letters to the editor, scan the local section (read the obits), and then read the sports section (usually all of it). It took me a long time to get past the front page one day last week. Let us start with the first article on the front page. It deals with my dear James Island. For any who don’t know, James Island has been fighting to either become or stay a town for many years now. The leader of this fight (up until this past election) was Mary Clark. She did a lot for the town which is something that should not be overlooked. What also shouldn’t be overlooked is that somewhere along the way, she started to think that James Island was her town and that everyone should just do what she said. Her son was awarded two contracts (one a nice size, one rather big) and that, probably more than anything, helped lead to her downfall. Recently it has come out that she wrote 5 $1,000 checks for JI to join a still-being-formed Sea Island Chamber of Commerce. The reason she paid with 5 $1,000 checks instead of 1 $5,000 check is that if she goes over $1,000 then she has to get approval from the Town Council. Oh, did I mention her daughter is the co-executive director of this new Chamber of Commerce? Listen, I’m not against using power to help friends and family. In fact, I think that’s the best perk of having power. Should I ever get it, that’s what I plan to do. Still, you have to be smart about it. And you have to realize others might not agree with you. Anyway, people have said that the chamber should give the money back to the town (for one thing, I’m not 100% convinced it’s a real organization... for another, the money seems to have been given in a legally illegal way if you know what I mean). So the title on the top of the front page of the paper reads, “A blunt rebuff to the backside”. That did it’s job of catching my attention. You don’t have to read far to get to the good stuff: “ ‘You can kiss my a--!’ Sherry Hering (the other co-executive director) said when asked by The Post and Courier for a response to calls by some town residents for the money to be refunded voluntarily.” I’ve done enough fundraising in my life to know that’s not the best way to answer a question... especially if the person you are saying it to can quote you on the front page of the local paper.


Another article dealt with a young man who wants to play football at James Island High School. Judging from this article, it seems the South Carolina High School League said he must sit out one year because he transferred to the school. There is a rule that states if you transfer from one school to another you have to sit out a year (or something like that... I don’t have the exact rule in front of me right now). Now, I don’t know when this rule came into existence, but it seems (to me) to have been needed because a certain school (which I won’t name on here... but it starts with a “Summer” and ends with a “ville”) had a knack of finding talent outside of it’s area and bringing it in. I don’t know if any of this is or isn’t true, of course, but I think their coach has won many “Recruiter of the Year” awards in his 150 years of coaching. The funny thing here, is that a school that is known for (allegedly) red-shirting players is able to (allegedly) get around this rule and have players (allegedly) transfer in and play right away. Of course, we at I’m just sayin... would never speak ill of any local school or their 200 year old coach, but if we took a vote, we would probably take out the “allegedly” in a lot of what has been said here. But I digress...
The bottom line in this case is: A) this might be the first kid ever to transfer to James Island because he wanted to play football; B) he wants to play JV; C) that’s right, junior varsity; 4) the school he transferred from didn’t (and still doesn’t) have a football team. So he’s not leaving one team to play for another. He is leaving nothing, to play for a team (which, now that I think about it, explains “A”). I must be honest (because I try to be honest at least once a post and I’m running out of time here) I don’t always agree with the SCHSL. As someone who typically finds myself siding with management... I find it surprising that I usually find myself siding against the SCHSL (and the NCAA, but that’s another story). Anyway, I see no reason why this young man shouldn’t be allowed to play JV football this year for James Island.


Results from our predictions...


Friday Games
James Island vs. Wando – JI Won... I was right!


Ashley Ridge vs. West Ashley – Ashley Ridge Won... I was right again!


Summerville vs. Fort Dorchester – Summerville Won... I am a high school football predicting machine!


Saturday Games
Clemson at #16 Auburn – Auburn won. If you look back, I said they should win. I also picked Clemson to win by 3. So I was wrong, but I was a lot closer to being right than a lot of people who put money on these games.


Note: I don't want to point fingers here, but I was watching this game in my bedroom and the score was 17-0, Clemson. Then The Wife comes back and I politely tell her to get out. She doesn't leave. The rest, as they say, is history.


#13 USC vs Furman – Tony Elliott as a WR coach wasn’t enough to help Furman top The Revolutionary War Heroes. Again, I said USC should win and they did... so I was right about that. But I picked Furman to pull out the upset and they lost, so I was really wrong. If you look at it that way.


Charleston Southern vs. Mars Hill – CSU won... I was right!


Not sure why I forgot to pick the Navy game... I’ll remember to add them to my list.


Sunday Games
Pittsburgh at Tennessee - The Steelers won... I was right!!!!


Hey! Don’t forget tonight starts Season 8 of NCIS!!!!! 8:00pm on CBS (followed by NCIS LA... so stick around and watch it, too).


Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:


Corporal Edwin Nelson Appleton (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 20, 1900 at Tientsin, China. His citation reads:


In action against the enemy at Tientsin, China, 20 June 1900. Crossing the river in a small boat while under heavy enemy fire, Appleton assisted in destroying buildings occupied by the enemy.


First Lieutenant William H. Appleton (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 15, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia and on September 29, 1864 at New Market Heights, Virginia. His citation reads:


The first man of the Eighteenth Corps to enter the enemy's works at Petersburg, Va., 15 June 1864. Valiant service in a desperate assault at New Market Heights, Va., inspiring the Union troops by his example of steady courage.




First Lieutenant/Adjutant James W. Archer (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 4, 1862 at Corinth, Mississippi. His citation reads:


Voluntarily took command of another regiment, with the consent of one or more of his seniors, who were present, rallied the command and led it in the assault.