Inside the Moon
Texas Women Anglers A2, A6 & A9
Black Smoke, Cold Beer A5
Record Hardhead A7
The
Issue 593
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
August 27, 2015
Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com There they were, a work crew getting ready to start putting in a new waterline behind Doc’s and Snoopy’s when Ernie tried to head off trouble.
Live Music A16
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Diving the Nearshore Reef a Cool Experience This Season
When a Few Seconds of Video Means $317,000 Winner of Catch-and-Release tournaments decided by two quiet guys sitting at a table By Dale Rankin
“You can dig over there, but don’t dig right here or you’ll hit my waterline,” Ernie told the crew. “And if you dig right here don’t use the backhoe, do it by hand because if you use the backhoe you might bust my waterline.” A couple of days later Ernie was standing in a watery hole knee deep in wet sand digging while the guy driving the backhoe who had just busted his waterline looked on. Ernie is a patient man but it is rumored that on this occasion he might have used words not found in the Bible. We have found over the years that things go a lot better on our Island if people will just listen to Ernie; especially if they are operating backhoes around waterlines. But all ended well as the work crew got a free lunch at Snoopy’s and the city is about to let a contract to build a new road from Doc’s near the JFK Causeway, behind Snoopy’s to Marker 37. It is scheduled to be finished by next spring; that is unless they hit Ernie’s waterline again, then all bets are off.
The cool water flowing along the Coast from down Mexico way continues to arrive making near-shore water murky along beaches. Divers to the Nearshore Reef, nine miles out of Packery Channel in about 75 feet of water, report that the currents have kept visibility this season down. They say that while visibility close to the surface is only slightly less than normal, as divers approach the Kinta S, a Japanese Coastal freighter sunk
on the reef several months ago for diving, visibility drops to less than three feet due to a sand slurry swept across the area by the current, and a water temperature drop quickly to wetsuit conditions. They do report that the Red Snapper population on the reef is growing. Moon reader Mike Hurst dove on the reef last weekend and sent us these pictures.
Paddle for Parkinson’s Set for Saturday, September 5 at Billish Park
Hot weekend Once again Mother Nature reminded us this week that is it in fact both the heat and the humidity. The lack of afternoon wind most days last week drove home the humidity factor, but the heat is here folks so drink lots of water; and no, beer doesn’t count – wine maybe. This weekend will likely see a let up of OTB Tourist Traffic as the kids are all now back in school and we may have a lull before Labor Day as the week of September 4 brings us the last of the Big Tourist Crowds. But this summer the visitors from Corpus and the Coastal Bend alone have been enough to fill the beaches with door to door traffic.
Cell towers One of the ways we locals have learned to judge how many people there are on our beaches is by how long it takes to get reception on our cell phones. When The Island is awash with visitors sometimes getting even one bar of reception is difficult. Verizon has apparently noticed this and has applied for permits to build two new towers in the area; one in the 15000 block of SPID, and one on Waldron Road in Flour Bluff.
Port A golf carts The number of golf carts on the streets in Port Aransas and how they are sometimes driven by visitors has become a concern for the city. Police Chief Scott Burroughs told the City Council this week that his department received over 2,600 calls in July, and that out of 182 citations issued 51 were golf cart related.
Hurricane Season As of this writing Tropical Storm Erika is churning away way out in the Atlantic and doesn’t look like we will have to play chicken with it. El Nino has kept us relatively hurricane free this season. We are now entering what is historically the busiest time of the hurricane season for our Island. Most of the big storms we have had over the years are late in the season and low in the alphabet; Allen in August, 1980, which brought a 12-foot surge tide; Beulah in late September, 1967 which made 31 cuts through The Island; and the Last Big One, Celia, in August 1970, which brought a surge of 9.2 feet and winds so strong they literally twisted the anemometer at the Weather Service station off its
Around continued on A3
Texas Women Angler’s Tournament participants Ryan Maspero, Merideth Berry, Celeste Edwards, Sarah Davis, Ashleigh Robertson, Shana Gann – Celeste is holding the first fish she ever caught. As $30 million-plus worth of Vikings and Cabos lined up at the Roberts Point Pavilion dock on Saturday the water and wharf were abuzz with activity. The boats backed in, the water balloons flew, the announcer announced and everyone waited in dreaded anticipation for the one captain who always comes in a little too hot and smashes his transom into
the bulkhead with a ground-shaking thud, and the heartbreaking crack of fiberglass. “That won’t be cheap to fix,” someone says, while everyone in the crowd wishes it was a problem they had. The crowd cheered as the ladies in pirate-themed bikinis began to unload
Anglers continued on A6
When is it Legal to Salvage a Boat? Parky the Pelican Nine years ago Islander Mona Singleterry came up with an idea. Why not do an event to raise money to fight Parkinson’s Disease by using the natural environment here on The Island. Paddle for Parkinson’s was born. The first year it was called Catch The Cure and was a fishing tournament. but over the years the event has grown into the Island tradition that will take place at Billish Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 5. While the tourists are starting to pack the beaches, locals will head to the park for a morning including a professionally timed kayak/standup paddle board relay; live music; BBQ;
Paddle continued on A2
'Parky the Pelican' was crafted by gifted local artist Sharon Craig. It was won in an aggressive bidding auction war that was part of the 2006 original Parkinson's fundraiser. Parky is a concrete statue adorned with broken chips of glass. Before attached to the sculpture, each piece of glass represents us as individuals. We all have rough edges caused by life experiences, losses, relationships, and illness. But when these fragments are brought together, they (we) become a beautiful work of art. Each one of you that has come together over the past eight years to support Paddle For Parkinson's have created the beautiful image of HOPE that shines through Parky. Photo by Mona Singleterry
Wednesday, September 9
State Representative Todd Hunter to Speak With Islanders
Part of IUPAC Winter ‘Meet and Greet’ Speaker Program By Brent Rourk In the interest of keeping Islanders informed the Island Unites Political Action Committee (IUPAC) has a series of ‘Meet and Greets’ on the Island in the next few months. Various government officials plan to inform Islanders about the latest developments. The IUPAC invites all Islanders to join our Honored Guest and Speaker State Representative Todd Hunter at Doc’s on Wednesday, September 9th
IUPAC continued on A3
No state rules for boat salvage on public property The issue was complicated by the fact that the registration numbers and other identifying items had been removed, the spot where the numbers had been had been spray painted over to make discerning the numbers even more difficult.
By Dale Rankin When the sun rose on the South Packery Jetty Saturday morning beachgoers noticed this shell of a boat, with the 115 horsepower Evinrude motor still attached, jammed up on the rocks about halfway out the jetty on the Gulf side. Immediately the phones here at the Island Moon started ringing with the question, “Is it legal to salvage the motor?”
We called the Corpus Christi office of Texas Parks and Wildlife and were referred to their Austin headquarters. They told us that when it comes to a watercraft that washes up on private property the property owner has the right to have the craft removed and, if he/she so chooses, to begin the process of getting title. If it is a safety issue, the TPW spokesperson said, then local law enforcement can authorize its removal and sell the vessel at auction
Salvage continued on A15
A little Island history
The Texas Revolution Comes to the Coastal Bend
This is the second story in a series based on the writings of Herman Ehrenberg who in 1836 immigrated to Texas from his native Germany to fight for Texas’ independence from Mexico. He fought at many of the early battles of Texas’ War for Independence and was one of the few to escape the massacre of Texian troops at a Goliad by the Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Fortunately for us Mr. Ehrenberg was a literate man who kept a full diary of his experiences in the struggle. But his journal was lost to history for 100 years until 1936 when “an ancient German manuscript was found by instructors at the University of Texas” but the language was old German that was not understood by any of the professors at the University.
San Patricio Graveyard As fate would have it a student from Refugio was working on his Master’s Degree at the time and he recognized the language as the old German dialect that his mother had taught him as a child and he translated the 100 year-old story to English and wrote it down in two versions; one is still on file at the University
of Texas Library, the other was a red-bound folder which was passed down through his family. In June, 1975, as part of the 140 anniversary of the original events the Refugio Timely Remarks newspaper printed
History continued on A15
A2
Texas Women Anglers Tournament
August 27, 2015
Island Moon
Schlitterbahn
More photos on A6 and A9
As we go to press Wednesday evening arson investigators are looking into a fire which broke out on the second floor of the Schlitterbahn building about 7:45 Tuesday evening. The source was “several obvious ignition points,” according to a park spokesperson. Firefighters reacted quickly and damage was confined to insulation in the “locals’ room” on the west end of the building which is still under construction. Work also continues on the tower at the park with the goal of having it complete by no later than the end of September.
PACESETTER STEEL REALTORS
Paddle continued from A1
®
an awards presentation; a proclamation by Mayor Nelda Martinez/ raffle of a kayak, two Guy Harvey framed prints, and door prizes. This will be the 9th year of fundraising for Parkinson's on The Island. God willing and with the continual help from this community, we'll pass the $100,000 mark of net proceeds raised first through Catch The Cure/Paddle For Parkinson's. Please come out to join in this milestone. For more information see www.catchthecure. org or call 361-960-9597.
361-549-9901 Mobile 361-994-2924 Fax frankie.hicks@coldwellbanker.com
Frankie Hicks REALTOR®
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August 27, 2015
Island Moon
Letters to the Editor
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Andy Thank you for carrying the articles by Andy Purvis (as a special to the Island Moon). Andy is a special person and I continue to enjoy reading everything he writes. Thanks again to you and Andy. Keep up the good work. Hank Svoboda
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Padre Island Maintenance
Pete Alsop
Texas A&M
Island Delivery Coldwell Banker
Moon,
Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Production Manager Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Todd Hunter
Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus) Riley P. Dog
Dale Rankin About the Island Moon
The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher. Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
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“Rankings such as this one are important because they put the spotlight on the excellence of faculty and of particular disciplines, and those factors attract top students,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “I offer congratulations from the System to all of the outstanding faculty at Texas A&M University who make results such as this possible.” President Michael K. Young, in expressing pride that Texas A&M is included in the 2015 Academic Ranking of World Universities, said the listings are based on objective metrics, such as number of peer-reviewed publications, number of citations and amount of research funding.
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In addition to listing the top 100 universities around the world, the 2015 Academic Ranking of World Universities provides various rankings at the college/discipline level, with Texas A&M faring well in several categories — headed by engineering, in which it is ranked 10th. Texas A&M’s Dwight Look College of Engineering has risen rapidly in this prestigious survey, being ranked 15th last year and 22nd in 2013. Also, Texas A&M placed 14th in mathematics, 28th in economics/business, 36th in social sciences, 39th in chemistry, 40th in natural sciences and mathematics, 49th in physics, in the 51-75 category for computer science. Within the U. S., the Shanghai survey ranks Texas A&M 51st. The list includes both public and private institutions.
Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour
Port Aransas
Several Texas A&M University academic programs rank among the best in the world out of tens of thousands of universities, according to a widely watched survey compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which focuses on the top 100 universities globally — with Texas A&M one of them.
Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
“We are obviously pleased to be ranked among the best universities in this prestigious survey that is closely watched by our peers throughout higher education — in the U.S. and around the world,” President Young said. “We are confident that as we continue to strengthen our programs throughout the university, we will continue to fare well — and even better — in such assessments. “While noteworthy rankings are gratifying, the most important factor for us is to continue to serve our students in the best possible manner and to carry out our research and outreach initiatives in innovative ways that benefit the state and nation — and, indeed, the world. To accomplish those goals, we have assembled a world-class faculty, and we are continuing to attract even more stellar professors who both teach and conduct research.” The overall list is headed by Harvard, Stanford, MIT, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Cambridge. The annual survey is typically dominated by U.S. universities.
Padre Island Teen By Elizabeth Clark Monday was back to school, and my first year at Flour Bluff. To sum it up in one word: Big! The Freshman class alone is 20 times larger than my middle school class. Many students are intimidated by the size, but it has been the best opportunity to make new friends. Let's be real... I got lost twice and came tardy to several classes, but it was nice that there were so many people willing to help. A tip I give to future Freshman is not to be afraid to ask for help or be friendly with upperclassmen. They were actually kinder than some of the younger kids! All of us were so nervous for the first day, but it wasn't anything like movies make it seem. Hopefully the rest of the year goes just as well. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, email me at PadreIslandTeen@ gmail.com.
Yankee Go Home! The Texas Nationalist Movement will conduct a statewide petition signing day across 31 cities this Saturday, August 29. This will be the organization's first major field operation of the petition drive to place a vote for Texas independence on the ballot in March of 2016. Starting at 10am on Saturday, teams comprised of hundreds of TNM volunteers will gather at petition signing stations in cities throughout Texas to begin collecting signatures from supporters who want to see Texas independence on the ballot. TNM President Daniel Miller commented on the scope of the event. “Our team has been working overtime to build these volunteer teams, identify locations and organize these events. It is the largest field operation that has ever been conducted in support of Texas independence. It is the first of many to come on our way to 75,000 signatures and a vote on Texas independence.” Nathan Smith, the TNM Chief-of-Staff, expressed his pleasure at the response from volunteers. “We have had volunteers step up all over Texas to build teams, join teams and organize these locations. And that is what I hope everyone understands. These are not paid professionals. These are volunteers from all walks of life that have one goal - Texas independence.” A full list of the petition signing events can be found at http://thetnm.org/petitionevents or by calling the TNM HQ at (800) 662-1836. Smith encourages those who cannot make it to one of the events on the 29th to pledge their signature online. “We created a page on the TNM website where Texans can pledge to sign the petition. This pledge ensures that we can dispatch teams to locations where they are most needed.” Signature pledges can be made at http:// thetnm.org/petition. A petition signing location is scheduled for Corpus Christi.
About the A&M System The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.2 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state agencies, two service units and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System educates more than 135,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. Externally funded research expenditures exceed $820 million and help drive the state’s economy.
Island in the Son United Methodist Church Seeking Vendors for “Fabulous Fall” Arts and Crafts Sale September 26 Island in the Son United Methodist Church will have a “FABULOUS FALL” Arts and Crafts Sale on Saturday, September 26, 2015 from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to “shop ‘til you drop” among the great selection of unique items for sale, including food, jewelry, candles, home décor, specialty bags, crafts of all kinds, and more! A Vendor information packet with registration form is available by emailing or calling the church at islandintheson@yahoo. com or 361-749-0884, or you can visit our website, www.islandintheson.org, and click on the “Vendor Info” link on the top of the home page. Vendor spaces will be reserved on a first come, first served basis, and only after payment is received. Deadline for registration is September 14. Island in the Son UMC is located at 10650 Highway 361 on Mustang Island, 2 miles north of Packery Channel between Newport Pass Road and Beach Access Road #3. “Come as you are!”
IUPAC continued from A1
Did Ya Hear?
A3
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
New Advertisers The Gulf Coast Gun Show will be held at the Aransas Pass Civic Center on Saturday, September 12th 9 am – 5 pm and Sunday 9 am – 4 pm. There will be guns, knives, jewelry, coins and ammo for sale. The Corpus Christi Association of Realtors is pleased to thank those who helped make the Walk with Pride possible on August 19th. Coldwell Banker Pacesetter Steel, First Title Company, Moby Dick’s Restaurant, Red Dragon Pirate Cruises and others. Check out their ad for the full list.
Business Briefs The Annual Padre Island Art Walk will be held at Billish Park on Sunday, November 1st noon – 4 pm. Any artist or craftsman can participate for free. Call JoAnn Smith at 949-7114 or 815-7431 for more info. A Q & A with Congressman Blake Farenthold will be held at Mikel Mays Beachside Bar & Grill at Bob Hall Pier on Thursday, August 27th at 5:30 pm. This is an opportunity to learn directly from the congressman what has been happening in DC and what we can expect in the coming weeks. Dragonfly Restaurant/Curacao Blues has a new happy hour Tuesday – Friday 4 – 6pm with $5 select appetizers, $3 drafts and house drinks, $4 mojitos and margaritas, $5 Long Islands and infusions and $2/$3 longnecks. The Black Marlin in Port A will host singer/songwriter Mark McKinney on Saturday, September 5th Labor Day weekend 9:45 – 11 pm. Tickets are $15 $20. The Plans for the Flour Bluff Collection Center for Solid Waste have been halted. Instead of building the $4.5 million project the City Council is exploring the possibility of deploying the portable collector Litter Critter. Diana Homes, Inc. presents a newly constructed two unit townhome at 15449 Palmira Avenue. Each 1614 sqft unit has 3 bedrooms/2.5 bath and a two car garage with master suite on lower floor. It is located close to the beach. Call Diane at 949-2092 or 442-3516 for more info. Green Volt has coupons in their ad this issue for $10 off half day electric bike rentals and $20 off full day. They sell electric bikes, ebike kits and ebike conversions. Visit them at 5902 Kostoryz or call 903-8825. Lost male orange tabby cat with broken rear leg named “Baby Boy” was lost near Bounty Avenue on North Padre. A reward is being offered. Call 558-6148. Timon’s Ministries in Flour Bluff gave out over 100 backpacks filled to the brim to families that have limited incomes. Donations for the school supplies were given by the Padre Island Rotary ($2500), St. Paul’s Guild (50 filled backpacks) and caring individuals. OPERATION: Lights On is the brainchild of "Island Tom" Hartford in his effort to make Highway 361 safer. His plan is to use low beam headlights during the day between PI Burger Company and Mustang Beach Airport. He would like to coordinate with TxDot to install day-glow colored signage to remind drivers they can help save lives with their voluntary use of headlights.
Around continued from A1
from 6:30 to 8:00 PM when he will discuss Texas Legislative Update – windstorm, water, and workforce. Enjoy delicious complementary appetizers. Beverages will be available for purchase.
pedestal at 175 mph and taught us that it is not a good idea to stick around when a hurricane is heading our way.
After his presentation ask questions, enjoy appetizers and the view at Doc’s, and also bid on fabulous silent auction items (Sunset Cruise, Art, Photo Session, and Schlitterbahn Tickets.)
So we’re not out of the woods yet because as the old fisherman says, “It’s not a slow hurricane season if the only storm of the year is the one that hits your house.”
As our Island State Representative, Todd Hunter has been involved in key issues that impact our Coastal Bend, Corpus Christi, and our Island and will address what future issues will impact Island life.
Stay alert everybody, and say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Council members in November Future IUPAC Meet and Greets on the Island will include City Council members (November 4th) and Representatives from Del Mar and officials from Flour Bluff Independent School District (January 13th) at locations to be determined. Those Island Meet and Greets will be held from 6:30 until 8:00 PM. As always, speakers will be available after their presentations to chat with the public. IUPAC encourages all Islanders to attend these informational presentations to meet our officials and to learn about current events that might impact Islanders. Regular IUPAC meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at Island Times Sushi Bar and Seafood Grill from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. All Islanders are invited to attend the meetings. IUPAC is a non-partisan organization that provides information evenings for Islanders and provides the Island Candidate Endorsement Forums during election years. Any registered Island voter is automatically eligible to be an IUPAC member and candidates endorsed by the IUPAC are chosen by a vote of the membership. There are currently more than 6300 registered votes on The Island and Island precincts vote in the highest percentages of any in Nueces County. The IUPAC is currently seeking one additional Board Member. For additional information and questions, please contact Brent Rourk at 361-244-7603 or at brentrourk@yahoo. com. Also go to our Facebook page for current updates - https://www.facebook.com/ islandunitedpac?fref=ts .
RFP - Real Estate Brokerage Service in the Sale of 14 City Parks Deadline is Friday, September 4 The City of Corpus Christi invites local real estate brokers to submit responses to provide real estate brokerage services and represent the City in the sale of 14 parks. The Request for Proposal - Event 64 Real Estate Brokerage Services can be accessed at http://www.cctexas. com/business/supplierportal. Deadline to submit questions is August 28, and to submit responses is September 4, 2015. Roberta Ortiz, Buyer in the Purchasing Office, is available to assist potential bidders with gaining access to documents and how to submit responses through the City’s Supplier Portal. The 14 parks to be listed for sale were identified as repurpose parks in the 2012 Corpus Christi Strategic Parks and Recreation Master Plan. In November 2014, voters approved Proposition Three which gave the City authority to decommission the parks and list them for sale. All proceeds from the sale of each park will be earmarked for improvements at remaining parks and in accordance with development standards established in the park system master plan.
A4
August 27, 2015
Island Moon
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
Doctor Dave Palmer and Rhoda took the Island Moon along on their trip to Oregon.
Port A Dollars! We brought The Moon with us on our recent trip to South Dakota. We forgot to pull it out when we got to Mt. Rushmore...but remembered it when we hit The Badlands!! Go Moon! India Lowres and Nacho de Landa
Nueces County Commissioner Brent Chesney and Mike Pusley are presenting money on behalf of Nueces County to the Port A Chamber for economic development. L– R: Kevin Hall, Deven Bhakta, Tara Grumbles, Linda Halioua, Commissioner Pusley, Tanya Chambers, Kim Winton, Debbie Dean, Suzette Freeman, Ann Vaughan, Commissioner Chesney.
Jeff, shortbus & Jessica took the Island Moon to South Padre Island.
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August 27, 2015
Stuff I Heard on the Island
by Dale Rankin The images still flicker from time to time. Standing in the pitch darkness with no light, sound, or people in sight but knowing there is the remnant of what was once a great American city all around me. Being thrown to the ground by the Blackwater security squads which had been called in to put down looting. Entering a looted shoe store with the walls filled with shoe boxes containing only the right shoe after the lefts, which had been on display, were stolen by looters; look for the suspects wearing new left shoes.
This week marks the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s arrival on the Gulf Coast. The usual following line to that is, “It seems like it was only yesterday.” Not to me. It feels like the three months I spent in New Orleans after that storm was a lifetime ago; something from another epoch. Something otherworldly from a place that existed for only a short time and was gone. I thought my time in television news was over when late one Sunday evening I was sitting at the Island House and my cell phone rang; the Japanese were looking for me and wanted me to go to New Orleans. ‘You are going to need an RV,” I told them. “And cash, and water, and food, and gasoline, and flashlights, and a gun.” The Japanese don’t like guns. “If you think I’m driving an RV full of water, gasoline, food, and cash into New Orleans after a storm without a gun you’re crazy,” I told them; a week later they understood. I knew the town. It was and is called the Big Easy by visitors, but to those who lived there before the storm it was The City That Care Forgot. It could be a hard town and without power and police presence it figured it would be and I was right.
The images flicker Less than twenty-four hours after the phone call I found myself leading the caravan of Japanese crews I was working for into the city. We heard, erroneously as it turned out, that President Bush was headed for New Orleans in Air Force One so we headed to the airport where someone, we never found out who they were, had put up a blockade. We got in but couldn’t get out for almost eight hours.
I knew we had to get downtown but the route was blocked by a collapsed bridge. By pure luck I encountered a caravan of National Guardsmen from Texas who looked like they knew where they were going and I fell in with my Japanese crews behind an NBC crew as we headed up over the Huey P. Long Bridge, around the New Orleans West Bank, past the machine gun emplacements and Armored Personnel Carriers, and through checkpoints where crews of heavily armed men smoked and eyed the news crews as we passed. I paid $130 for an ice chest full of ice. I had to keep reminding myself this was America.
Looting water We went over the toll road and along IH 10 into downtown where as we approached the Superdome we were enveloped by thousands of hungry and homeless people who had no way to get out before the storm and had fled to the safety of the Superdome where they were
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A5
Island Moon
A day on the water
Black Smoke, Cold Beer, and a Jackass from North of Dallas
By Joe Calvey
trapped for days after rising water flooded the exits. I soon found out they, like us, had no water so myself and a group of about two dozen of them broke into (yes, looted) a warehouse full of bottled water. I stacked the bottles so high in the RV that when I hit a bump in the road it smoked the tires. But the supply got me and the Japanese through the four weeks of sweltering heat until regular supplies of fresh water began reaching the city.
Establishing the rule of law The corner of Basin and Canal streets just before sunup. The black Cadillac Escalades line up. The Blackwater teams in their black riot gear pile out with their weapons. By late afternoon an eight-foot fence ringed on top by prickly concertina wire is in place around a multi-story building that was public housing; the place where most of the trouble in The Quarter originated. There had been no power in the building in the weeks since the storm but at night from our camp on the dry strip of concrete in the median of Canal Street we could see the fires through the windows. The gangs had never left. While law enforcement was still trying to recover from the shock the gangs had walked the streets firing into buildings to let anyone there know this was still their turf. Now they were up there in this building and the teams went in. The thudding of the battering rams on doors followed by shouts and the flash of the Flash Bang Grenades, more shouting, some gunfire. Then dirty, angry, sullen men led from the building in flex cuffs and loaded into buses with wire mesh over the windows, driven off into the night to who knows where. I went back years later and the entire building is gone. Like Storyville, Treme, the Slave Market, and Marie Laveau they are the voodoo of the city’s cloudy past. There and not there in the City That Care Forgot.
Apprehension over the crash of Deep Sea Headquarters’ fishing boat, the Pelican, a week earlier faded as I boarded their other boat the Gulf Eagle. My grandson, Sebastian Avila, had never done any deep sea fishing and I wanted to show him a great time off the Texas Coast. My granddaughter and I had been aboard the Pelican a couple days before it crashed. Yes, there was some nervousness. Our morning began at 7:40 a.m. as the Gulf Eagle backed out of its slip near the boat ramp at Dennis Dryer Municipal Harbor in Port Aransas. We sat with our backs against the fishbox in the stern of the boat for good luck. The trip was scheduled for eight hours.
5 o’clock somewhere fashion.
Where’s my husband? We passed freighters hundreds of feet long. And we passed miles of shrimp boats at anchor. Finally the deck hands began baiting hooks with large chunks of tuna. We were going after the super tasty bottle nose shark. As the Captain pulled up to the back of the shrimp boat Vera Cruz the customers took up spots along the rail on the starboard side. My grandson had never used an open conventional reel, nor had the welder’s young teen daughter, or Rex the mechanic or some gal who kept asking “Where’s my husband?” After showing each of these rookies how to
As we left the harbor and glided past the Roberts Point Park the breeze was cool and the water calm. You are allowed to bring food on board but no coolers or liquids. The deck hands sold the beer, soda, water and snacks in between prepping the fishing poles for the day. The deck hands were Tyler, a millennial from Austin, Jeff a grizzled sea hand and his 14 year -old son, Marcus. These guys worked hard before the boat was boarded until long after the customers went home. The day would bring them duties they didn’t expect when the boat opened its tow engines and raced past the jetty into the Gulf of Mexico.
Headed out the jetties The crash into the anchored freighter out in the Gulf by the Pelican was still a topic in the gift shop that morning. One customer inquired about the captain’s condition and was told “He is getting out of the hospital, punctured a lung. Might be back at work in a month.” I asked the same question on board and got the same answer.
operate their reels they each caught an Atlantic Sharpnose shark before I did. With the limit of one per person reached the rigs were changed for drift fishing and the boat moved on. Sadly there would hardly be any more action and the large majority of the fish that would end up in the fish box were already in it. Oh, well, that’s fishing.
Beer cold, day beautiful The customers remarked the beer was cold and the day was beautiful. One 40 year old man from Austin, a landscaper, remarked we should all get refunds because the owners of this boat needed to upgrade the barely working marine toilets and scrub them daily. I hoped I didn’t have to see for myself but I have to admit, he was right.
Hot beer and tear gas Johnny White’s Sport Bar on Bourbon Street stayed open through the storm serving hot beer and conversation and became the gathering place for locals and reporters. We dined on Meals Ready to Eat as the 82nd Airborne drove past wearing their maroon berets. Eventually Homeland Security tried to clear The Quarter by cutting off the gas which the locals had been using to fuel boiling pots filled with thawing frozen food; it didn’t work, the people always find a way. So one morning just before sun-up as I was riding my makeshift bicycle down Bourbon Street car loads of Louisiana State Police cruised past, rolled down their windows and tossed tear gas canisters into the bar to clear it; that didn’t work either. If the police wanted us out that badly then that alone was reason enough to stay. My appearance grew so haggard the Red Cross kept stopping me to give me food, not knowing we had steaks on the grill. I rode my bicycle into the lobby of the Monteleone Hotel and all the Louis XIV furniture was gone. The locals said they watched the police back up trucks and load it out. Now it was in the police station called Fort Apache where the cops were keeping their loot. Remember this is America. The first tee-shirt shop re-opens selling nothing but blue shirts with FEMA across the front which we soon enough learned would get us past security into the Marriott where they had hot food and showers. The bodies floating downtown, families plucked by helicopters from rooftops, yet another takedown by Blackwater and me shouting as they turn my pockets, the smell of stagnant water, diesel, and death never left. Storm survivors scrambling for survival even as journalists made obscene sums doing live shots around the clock. The images are still there and so is New Orleans. It’s a different city now, and I would say a better one. No longer the City That Care Forgot but a city that took Mother Nature’s best shot and came back. Knowing that makes me feel better because sooner or later my fellow Islanders, it will be our turn. If New Orleans can do it, so can we.
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C. “F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
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As we pulled up to one shrimp boat after another to drop our lines, now baited with Spanish sardines each person peeled line off their reels as the un-weighted bait slowly sank into the water as the tide pulled the lines taunt. There were some successful drifts that pulled in a fish here or there. We never heard the safety instructions from Kevin the Captain because the sound system aboard was impossible to hear clearly. My grandson asked about having to wear lifejackets. I told him they were only required if we sank. Then he was told where he could find them. As with all fishing boats that carry larger groups the customers were a diverse group. There was the welder from Jourdanton who dressed the way George Strait does when he competes in team roping despite the 96 degree weather. There was Rex who lost his diesel mechanic job after 14 years when the shop in San Marcos closed. Four young college students from Texas Tech ribbing each other and eyeing the beers handed out to two middle aged brothers from Corpus Christi in classic it’s
Only the seasick patrons gave up. When the captain would call out “Ok, pull them up” empty lines would be reeled in. After one unsuccessful drift after another the Captain lost his cool a little when he admonished the customers to reel in faster if they wanted to catch fish. Needless to say a few comments in reply were along the lines of “Hey, put us on the fish.’ and “Were doing our job, you do yours.” The boat was due back at the dock at 3:30 p.m. Just past 1:30 the deck hands stripped the bait from the hooks and the word was passed we were headed back. At least that was the plan.
Black smoke is never a good sign Just a few minutes into the trip back the engines belched smoke, the captain dropped the RPM’s. Jeff and Tyler raced forward. We had lost an engine to severe overheating. The hatch was opened and down into the engine compartment went Jeff, Tyler and eventually the captain. With one $30,000 six year-old engine belly up we cruised at a conservatively low speed back to the harbor on the other. It only took an extra hour. Not a big deal when it comes to getting back safely. As we approached the harbor all customers were instructed to remain in the hot stuffy cabin. Earlier the air conditioning in there was virtually nonexistent and now it wasn’t doing anything for the folks gathered inside. When you are used to using two engines to snake through the opening of the harbor and are forced to use one it raises the blood pressure. Give the captain his due. He did a great job of safely first turning to port and then back to starboard. Ahead was the next challenge; putting the boat into its slip. Again the captain did a great job. Slow, sure and without incident he brought a disabled boat in safely and professionally. The customers reacted as they should have. They tipped; except that one jackass from north of Dallas who dipped tobacco and spit on the deck all day.
The BACK PORCH Open at 2 pm Mon - thurs Fri-Sun + nOON-2AM Live Music
Aug. 27 The Scarecrow People Aug. 28 BACK PORCH W.C. Clark Aug. 29 Jerry Diaz Sept. 3 Bar The Georges Sept. 4 Mark Monaco
Larry Joe Taylor
The
Sept. 5
$2.25 WackyPORCH Wednesdays! BACK ON THE WATERFRONT
132 W. Cotter St. Bar
PortA
A6
August 27, 2015
Island Moon
Anglers continued from A1
2015 Results for Texas Women’s Angler Tournament
their day’s catch for the weigh in at the Texas Women Angler’s Tournament and most of the attention was on the water side – and for good reason as you can see in these pictures. But as the sleek-sided Wahoo and Tuna and beautifully colored Dorado were weighed and photographed, over on the stage in the pavilion, in the shade, out of the way of scurrying photographers and cheering spectators, two gentlemen sat quietly behind a table and a large television screen. That’s where the real action was happening.
37 boats • 26 Sailfish • 7 White Marlins • 9 Blue Marlins • $317,050 in Cash Pot Awards
Women working for women The Texas Women Angler’s Tournament (the acronym should tell you they sell a lot of merchandise) began in 1978 to raise money for the Women’s Shelter of South Texas and expanded in 1994 to include helping the victims of sexual assault across South Texas, from Alice to Beeville and rural communities in between. It’s women working and playing to help women with the men trying to help as much as they can but mostly just staying out of the way. Each boat pays an entry fee and can also invest in shares of various pots paid out by species and other criteria. If the entrants on a particular boat don’t buy the shares that are available outsiders can buy them and have a stake in the tournament’s outcome without even fishing. The idea is to raise as much money as possible for the charity. The boats leave the dock at midnight on Friday but are not able to fish until 6:30 a.m. and must have lines up 4:30 p.m. leaving only a ten-hour window to fish. Official winners are determined by a point system which awards 305 points for a Blue Marlin, 110 points for a White Marlin, 100 points for any Sailfish, and 1 point per pound for Dolphin (Dorado), Tuna, and Wahoo. But make no mistake, the bragging rights belong to those who win the Marlin and Sailfish categories.
Here they come As the boats round the jetties and head for the docks the 100-plus spectators crane their necks for a clear view of the boatlines, looking for the telltale flags of Blue and White Marlin standing out in the growing afternoon breeze; the harbingers of the billfish caught that rack up the big points it will take to win. The winner of the overall trophy will be the boat with the most points in the billfish category plus 1 point per pound in the dolphin, tuna, and wahoo divisions. As the boats hove into view invariably a landlubber asks out loud, “Why are some of the fish flags upside down.” “That means those got away,” another landlubber volunteers. “No,” says the guy with the cigarette and the leathery face. “That means they caught them but they released them.” “So how can they judge who caught the most if they released them?” That’s where the two quiet guys sitting at a table come in.
The Two Quiet Guys The two quiet guys are Duane Engels and Captain Dee Wallace, the distinguished guy with the silvery hair; the guy who looks like a boat captain from Central Casting. We wrote about Captain Dee a few weeks ago when in his captain’s role he won the granddaddy of Texas fishing tournaments, the Poco Bueno invitation only out of Port O’Connor on Eddie Aguilar’s boat the Huasta Luego with a 575-pound Blue Marlin. His skills as a boat captain entered the stuff of lore a few months ago when he successfully piloted a 100-foot motor yacht from Port Aransas to Key West using only the
More photos on A9
Fin Stalker Best Decorated
Overall Winner: Portafino with 837.05 points Second Place Overall Winner: Dos Hijos with 615 points
White Marlin are known for throwing hooks when there is slack in the line. This one was eventually caught aboard The Legacy during last weekend’s Texas Women Angler’s Tournament. Photo by Jerry Watkins. caught what during a fishing tournament Dee’s experience and veracity go unchallenged; and when it comes to judging offshore fishing tournaments that knowledge of fish, the rules, and veracity are crucial to the reputation, and ultimately the survival, of a fishing tournament. Let one captain get away with a fish tale and in the time it takes to bait a hook every captain in the harbor will know.
What you need is a guy who can’t be fooled and can’t be bought and Dee fits the bill. “It’s not that kind of tournament” With the Texas Women Angler’s Tournament the tricky part is found in a paragraph buried down toward the bottom of the rules: “All boats must be able to connect their camera to a TV monitor or a laptop using standard RCA video jack or USB port when presenting their video for verification. Participants MUST furnish everything needed to view the video! Please keep in mind that all videos must be viewed on either the official tournament laptop or official tournament TV monitor. No personal laptops are allowed for viewing.”
Dorado: First Place – Sarah Adami on the Island Time – 28.55 pounds • Second Place – Sherry Ramming on the Rebecca – 28.3 pounds Tuna: First Place – Lindsey Faidley on the Maverick – 14.6 pounds • Second Place – Rose on the Boomin’ It Up – 14.4Down Time -1st place 250 tuna pot Wahoo: First Place – Emily Scott on the Got’M On – 12.85 pounds Sailfish: First Place – Whitney Williams, Katherine Bucbley, and Heather Brausen on the Mojo – 4 releases • Second Place – Jessica Weller and Cindy Grant on the Maverick – 3 releases 3:54 White Marlin: First Place – Colbi Vanham on the Dos Hijos – 1 release 8:43 • Second Place – Jessica Weller on the Maverick – 1 release 10:18 Blue Marlin: First Place – Amy Rodriguez and Veronica Berger on the Portafino – 2 releases • Second Place – Rachel Horn on the Let It Ride – 1 release 7:22 Best Dressed Captain: Glenn Martin on the Riptide – donated by River City Roofing Best Decorated Boat: First Place – Fin Stalker (Port Aransas, TX) • Second Place – Coyote (Port Aransas, TX) • Third Place – Cajun Queen (Port O’Connor, TX)
The tournament, like most these days, is a catch-and-release for the Marlin and Billfish; the biggest and most point-rich of the day. When one of them is on the line only one female angler is allowed to touch the rod or reel. Then a camera must roll and catch the fight, when a crewmember grabs the leader the fish is caught. But to get credit for the catch the video must show identifying characteristics of each species of fish on the video to be brought back to the weigh in or the catch doesn’t count. In the case of the Marlin the difference between the Blue and the White, and 195 points, is the location and shape of the Pectoral and Dorsal fins, along with the shape of the head. It is the job of Duane and Dee to look at the video and determine that the fish in the video was caught that day, by one female anger, between the times allowed to fish, and identify kind of fish it is. In the Marlin category size doesn’t count; only the species and the only way to determine species is by the video. “Take my word for it,” is a common plea. “It’s not that kind of tournament,” Dee says. A few frames of video in stop-action on the video screen can be the difference between mighty winners and some mighty angry boat captains.
Coyote 2nd best decorated
Cajun Queen 3rd best decorated
Mojo 1st place Sailfish
2nd place Tuna caught by Rose on Boomin It Up
Glenn Martin Best Dressed Captain
“If we don’t get death threats or have someone threaten to kick our a--, we probably haven’t done our job,” Dee says. Last year in another tournament the failure to get the right shot on camera cost a boat captain $225,000 because he failed to get a dorsal fin on his video. “He wasn’t all that happy with us,” Dee said, “But I tell the crews, the guy with the camera is the cash register. If it isn’t on tape you didn’t catch it.”
twin screws for steering and docking after the boat’s steering system broke down 100-miles out. It was well known around Port Aransas the same boat had previously returned to port twice on the same route due to the same problem but under a different captain. “Why didn’t you turn around,” someone asked. “I’d never hear the end of it,” Dee said. The motor yacht was towing a 44-foot fishing boat which could have been used to tow the larger boat into the dock, or of course the Coast Guard could have been called to tow them into Key West. Instead they docked using only the engines and word quickly came back to Port A. Dee is a lifelong Port Aransas resident and experienced captain and when it comes to dealing with headstrong captains competing for $300 grand and being able to tell who
This year a potential Second Place finisher missed out on a $10,000 prize because a crew member with a cell phone was trying to take video but in the pitching seas his hand-held phone never focused on the right part of the fish and while he was trying to get the shot his body blocked the shot of the boat’s video camera and as a result neither got the money shot. Landing the fish is the first part of the process but it only counts if you can prove it and the video is the only proof that counts. Wallace has been judging video tournaments in Port Aransas for the past decade and first began the practice with the Bahamas Billfish Championship prior to that. Now he either judges or fishes most of the Port Aransas tournaments. Just one of the two quiet guys sitting behind a table of video monitors deciding who goes home the Mighty Winner or Mighty Angry with a few frames of video being the only difference.
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August 27, 2015
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures Laguna School
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner
By Joey Hemmingway Farah’s Fishing Adventures When the school bells rang out Mother Lagoon's clock turned as well. As of late, the water temperature in the surf finally climbed above the cold water up currents cool spot and opened the flood gates for bait and mature game fish to slip out of free local passes and flood the beachfront. Of course not all the fish ran out but the large overstock of life that had been pulled up in the Upper Lagoon thinned out. The next wave of life will sneak up from the south as winds and tides start moving in these dog days of summer. This is the time of struggle between air and land temperatures. Thunder showers spark up, winds glass off, and big herds of redfish start gathering behind the schools of shad and mullet marching out to sea. With the herds of big reds come the problems of grass floating in the open flats. This week I started throwing live perch under popping corks and began stinging the reds from middepth water. Live baitfish of any type work well and a variation will show a preference most of the time. A cast net along any dock or shoreline will bring mud minnows, Killy fish, finger mullet, chubbs, and perch. Hooking these baits under popping corks and fluttering them across the sand and grass broken bottoms is a great way to hook a red rocket. Most of the sea grass is at it's thickest Labor Day is the flag of surrender on summer, off the year at this time and most of the open Capt Mike Deisch with one of the early sand spots are covered up. The amount of flounder runners. Live piggy perch tiny baitfish and cry stations hiding in this grass is amazing. Some extra noise and the and we are all struggling to FALL back into the vibration of a baitfish fighting the cork to get regality of back to school. This big weekend back down to the salty of the vegetation is hard will send many out to the mall for sales, let it to resist. This is when a long spinning reel with turn the sportsman out towards the ocean for braided line comes into hand. King precise some great fishing. Stop by DOCKSIDE SURF casts to sand pockets will allow the bait to make SHOP IN THE BLUFF FOR THE DRAGON SUNGLASSES SALE THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND. I can't tell you how light and comfortable they are. Enjoy 25% off and take a look through the catalog and custom order your perfect combination of lenses and frames.
I had been hearing the juvenile cardinals for several days following around momma crying for food before I saw them. The cardinals had nested in my back 40 again this year, and I was anxious to see how many were in the brood this year. First one was a little male, and he’s a scraggly little guy, and I’m amazed that he even made it at all. I had heard something different moving around the family however. My fears came true when I saw the whole family come into my feeder the other day, the bright red male cardinal, the drab female, and the scraggly little guy followed by, what the heck?! A bronzed cowbird…. Cowbirds are brood parasites, which means that the female cowbird will find a nest of a different species of bird and lay an egg or two in it. This leaves the unsuspecting parents to raise someone else’s kids. To be sure, some birds figure it out fairly quickly and either get rid of the foreign egg, or go somewhere else and try nesting again. Cowbirds have a long reproductive period with a very short interval between clutches, so they can parasitize many nests in a season. So the cowbird was following my new buddy around, and both parents were feeding it my sunflower seeds, although you could tell they were favoring the young cardinal. One of the other adaptations that young cowbirds have is that they grow up a little quicker, and are much louder and aggressive than typical birds, which allows them to get more food. I was disappointed to see this occurring; however the cowbird will eventually migrate whereas the cardinals will mostly stick around.
The surf is rocking with trout, Spanish Mack's , and tarpon. Walking the first and second gut at sunset with a too water or silver spoon may send you home with NEW HARDHEAD RECORD !! supper or even a reel emptied by a 100 it's presence known and bring gamefish out lb tarpon or giant jack fish. Either way it can from the surrounding grass. The 7'6" Waterloo prove to be an exciting walk. I suggest a heavy BAITBUSTER rods fling your bait out far mono leader for the surf. Metal leaders spook beyond the noise and profile of the boat. Hit up fish easily, try a 49-50 lb leader above your lure Marker 37 for their sale on those rods right now. to use against the teeth and for a shock leader. Live shrimp is around but unless you are We wait now for the tropical storms and the headed to the rocks of Baffin Bay pin fish will first hints of fall and those first north winds. keep your hooks clean of bait. We watched some early birds today, the first flock of ducks down for the season. Likely an overworked group that decided to take Labor Day off down here on the coast. Have a safe weekend and GO GET WET!
One thing I was not disappointed in the other day, however, was the mobilization of the contractor to get materials out to Lapp Reef (just off the shoreline of Goose Island State Park) and begin placing them. We got out on the Skimmer (a tour boat out of Rockport) and Capt Tommy and my good buddy Jay Tarkington took us out to see how the work was doing. The barge was headed out and finally began placing the materials. Dr. Jennifer Beseres Pollack was also along, and explained why they had a variety of materials to be placed. They had some smaller boulders of crushed concrete to form the base so that the other materials wouldn’t sink into the mud and be covered. Then she had some river rock to spread over that to provide a cultch base. Some of the other reefs are also to receive a covering of recycled oyster shell on top of the crushed concrete. This will be an experimental reef with varying components that will be measured as time goes on to determine the best material to reconstruct oyster reefs with. Kudos to you Jenni for getting this project going in the beginning, and I’m glad my CCA Committee could help out with some funding to make it a reality. Well, it looks like it’s going to be a pretty busy fall here folks, with a lot of great things going on, including Babes on Baffin and Blue Womens fishing tournament, the Poco Rojo Kidfish out at the hatchery in the Bluff, the Sharkathon fishing tournament, and a couple of other things that are currently slipping my mind. If you try to wedge in a few hunts for dove season, and maybe a couple trips down the Seashore, you’ll realize that your dance card is full, which doesn’t leave me much time On the Rocks. Say hi if you catch me out there.
Moon Phases August 2015
September 2015
Great double tango by these two young anglers on the last day of amber. Live perch along the King Ranch Shoreline. Live piggy perch under a popping cork has been bringing the reds out of the grass.
Tides of the Week Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) August 27 - September 2, 2015
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Th
27
High
3:40 AM
1.8
7:05 AM Set 4:42 AM
27
Low
7:55 PM
-0.1
7:55 PM Rise 6:18 PM
F
28
High
4:04 AM
1.7
7:06 AM Set 5:46 AM
28
Low
9:46 AM
1.4
7:54 PM Rise 7:07 PM
28
High
12:57 PM
1.5
28
Low
8:49 PM
0.0
Sa
29
High
4:26 AM
1.6
7:06 AM Set 6:52 AM
29
Low
9:54 AM
1.2
7:53 PM Rise 7:54 PM
29
High
2:19 PM
1.5
29
Low
9:44 PM
0.1
Su
30
High
4:46 AM
1.5
7:07 AM Set 7:59 AM
30
Low
10:15 AM
1.0
7:52 PM Rise 8:40 PM
30
High
3:36 PM
1.6
30
Low
10:40 PM
0.4
M
31
High
5:04 AM
1.4
7:07 AM Set 9:05 AM
31
Low
10:48 AM
0.8
7:51 PM Rise 9:24 PM
31
High
4:53 PM
1.6
31
Low
11:39 PM
0.6
ON‐SITE MARINE Maintenance Repair Restoration
Tu
1
High
5:21 AM
1.4
7:08 AM Set 10:11 AM
1
Low
11:29 AM
0.6
7:50 PM Rise 10:09 PM
1
High
6:14 PM
1.7
361.944.5225
W
2
Low
12:44 AM
0.9
7:08 AM Set 11:15 AM
2
High
5:37 AM
1.3
7:49 PM Rise 10:55 PM
2
Low
12:19 PM
0.4
2
High
7:42 PM
1.7
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A8
August 27, 2015
Island Moon
SPORTS Sports Talk
50 Years Ago Juan Marichal vs. John Roseboro-One of the Most Shocking Brawls in Major League Baseball By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s note: Again, here are two for the price of one. Do you remember only 50 years ago the big brawl in Candlestick Park? In the event you are having a senior moment and don’t remember, or if perhaps you are too young and need an education in baseball lore, I have provided you with a brief history
expected to appeal the ruling and there’s a chance he may not miss any game action at all. Regardless of the result of the appeal, Donald Trump thinks Brady should turn the tables on the NFL. Trump said if he were Brady, he would “sue the hell out of the NFL for defamation.” Brady reportedly assured Bill Belichick that he did nothing wrong and did not order anyone
Talk’s Cheap—Let’s Go Play! By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon It was said by his receivers that he was so accurate that if he threw you a pass in your gut, it meant catch the football and go down, because you were about to get hit. If he threw it up and out over your head, it meant you were wide open and you needed to run under it and score. If he threw it wide of you, it meant you needed to lay out for the catch or knock it down so it would not be intercepted. Therefore, my favorite football player is, was, and will always be: Johnny Unitas. He played during a time when a different set of rules existed. His trademark crew-cut and golden arm set him apart, along with those black high-top cleats and bowlegs. Quiet confidence oozed from this quarterback, and his teammates swore they were in the huddle with God. So when Earl Morrall took over in a game for an injured Unitas and threw one up and out to Hall of Fame tight-end John Mackey, “I got hit so hard my teeth hurt,” said Mackey. Someone once said that the purest definition of leadership was watching John Unitas get off the team bus. Everyone looks for leadership, regardless of what we are doing in life. His ability to perform under pressure was uncontested. No high fives, no dancing or celebrating, and no finger pointing upward; that is not needed when you know you are No. 1. “You should only get emotional at weddings and funerals,” said Unitas. “Football is a game.”
lesson. Also just one more time, maybe, more on DeflateGate. Now it is being tied to national politics. Where do you think it is going to end? On August 22, 1965 in San Francisco's Candlestick Park, the Giants were hosting their hated rivals, the Dodgers; and the game, which occasioned a Sandy Koufax-Juan Marichal pitcher match-up, was fraught with tensions between the two contenders (the Giants would finish two games behind the World Serieswinning Dodgers that season). In the third inning, Marichal “brushed back” Maury Wills and Ron Fairly, and then when Marichal came to the plate in the home half, Dodger catcher John Roseboro called on Koufax to come in high and tight on his opposite number. As Koufax was prone to do, he made a half-effort at plunking Marichal (to the lefty's enduring credit, he had strong misgivings about hitting batters intentionally), so Roseboro decided to address matters himself. After one of Koufax's pitches settled into his mitt, Roseboro rifled it back to his pitcher and in doing so came perilously, and intentionally, close to striking Marichal in the head. By some accounts, the throw even nicked Marichal's ear. Marichal and Tito Fuentes both entered the fray wielding bats, but Fuentes, unlike Marichal, didn't use his. Marichal, infamously struck Roseboro over the head with his own bat.
That's Marichal, of course, brandishing the bat, like a headsman's axe, over the fallen Roseboro. The look on Koufax's face suggests he can't believe what he's seeing, which is a thoroughly understandable reaction. It goes without saying that Roseboro, who was fortunately not seriously injured, was left smoldering afterward. Here, courtesy of a UPI dispatch from the following day, is what he had to say on subject of Marichal's forthcoming discipline: I don’t care what they do to him.” Someone pressed Roseboro and asked what degree of punishment he personally would like to see metered out to Marichal. “Just him and me in a room for 10 minutes,” he answered softly. Fortunately for Marichal, such an arrangement was not decreed. In the photo above, that's Willie Mays who had enough of a presence to be granted the baseballbrawl equivalent of "diplomatic immunity," leading a bloodied Roseboro back to the Dodger dugout. Fortunately for all involved, the long-term outcome is a happy one. Marichal, who was suspended nine days and fined $1,750 for his attack, was contrite, and he and Roseboro later became friends. Years later, Marichal, who actually ended his career with the Dodgers, was denied admission to the Hall of Fame on the first two ballots. However, in part because Roseboro publicly stumped for him, he was voted in on the third try. More poignantly, Marichal was also an honorary pallbearer and speaker at Roseboro's funeral in 2002. Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle shared this exchange, which surely snuffed out any lingering ugliness: According to many, the emotional high point came when Marichal told the congregation: "I wish I could have had John Roseboro as my catcher." Koufax spoke later and turned to Marichal to say, "You would have loved pitching to John Roseboro."
Donald Trump rips Roger Goodell over Brady, Deflategate Earlier this week, the NFL announced Tom Brady would be suspended for the first four games of the upcoming season for his role in “DeflateGate.” Not surprisingly, Brady is
to deflate footballs to be used during the AFC Championship Game. Although Ted Wells’ report did not say definitively Brady was involved, the phrase “more probable than not” was used to implicate the future Hall of Fame quarterback. The chances of Tom Brady suing the NFL are probably slim-to-none, which is obviously not the route Donald Trump would take. Donald Trump was one of the first people to defend Tom Brady after the Ted Wells report was released, and the Republican presidential candidate has not backed down from his stance. In an interview with FOX Business earlier this week, Trump ripped Roger Goodell and the NFL for the way they have dragged Brady through the mud. “I think it’s ridiculous the way they’ve treated him,” Trump said. “He’s a friend of mine, a great friend of mine. He’s a great guy and I think it’s terrible the way they’ve treated him. To spend $10 million in legal fees, and now it’s probably much higher than that. It’s crazy what they’re doing. He’s a great star. They ought to go back to playing football. This country has bigger problems.”
Unitas was born in Pittsburgh on May 7, 1933, and was only five when his father died. His mother, Helen, worked two jobs to support four kids. He started playing football at age twelve and practiced throwing a perfect spiral through a swinging tire. After graduating from high school, where he played against future Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, although he wanted to attend either Notre Dame or Indiana, he enrolled at the University of Louisville. The great Frank Leahy said Unitas was too small. John started as a freshman. Drafted out of college in the ninth round of the 1954 NFL draft by the Steelers, he was cut on September 6, 1955, before the season started. Jim Finks and Ted Marchibroda would be the Pittsburgh quarterbacks. John would spend the 1955 season playing semi-pro football with the Bloomfield Rams for six dollars a game and trolley fare. After receiving a letter from a fan raving about the play of Unitas, the Baltimore Colts offered him $7,000 a year to play, in 1956. Coach Weeb Ewbank liked this skinny, stoopshouldered kid with piercing eyes and the grit to back it up. Although he didn’t look like an athlete, he was smart, clever and hungry. All Unitas ever wanted was a chance, and this time the Baltimore Colts got it right.
seven straight games. He was the MVP in 1964 and 1967. He played in ten Pro Bowls and led the Baltimore Colts to the NFL Championship in 1958 and 1959, and to the Super Bowl in 1970. He was chosen Player of the Year three times. For eighteen seasons he wore the #19, a horseshoe on his white helmet, and the look of an assassin on his face. Hell, even Joe Namath wore #19 in high school. Everybody wanted to be “Johnny U.” He was “the” Baltimore Colt. Johnny would retire in 1973 with twentytwo NFL records and a broken and bruised body. His curved right arm was evidence of the thousands of passes, perfect passes, he threw. He limped from a torn Achilles tendon and many knee injuries. Everything about him was broken but his spirit. A torn muscle in his right arm rendered his hand almost useless in later years. He eventually learned to sign his name with his left hand. Of course, everybody knows about the 1958 NFL Championship game: The come-frombehind 23 to 17, overtime victory, over the New York (Football) Giants, and how Unitas threw time after time to Raymond Berry, to tie the game in regulation with a field goal and then orchestrate an eight-yard drive for the winning score. Not only was it the first championship game nationally televised, but also the first to go into “sudden death.” It was simply the greatest game ever played by the greatest quarterback. Unitas hated that the Colts left for Indy and even asked that his records be removed from the Indianapolis Colts Media Guide. His reason was simple: He never played in Indy…he played in Baltimore. There is even a statue of Unitas outside of the Baltimore Ravens stadium although he never played in that building either. I met my hero in the summer of 1968. Unitas and fellow teammates held the annual Johnny Unitas All-American Sports Camp from June 23 through June 28 at Wingate College in Wingate, North Carolina. I was junior in high school and was hoping to attract some attention from the college ranks. Many college coaches would be in attendance and what could be better than learning the finer points of playing football from the pros. There was a pro player from every facet of the game. Lou Michaels coached the offensive line and place kickers, Jimmy Orr worked with the receivers; Chris hamburger worked with the linebackers; and Lenny Moore worked with the running backs. We worked out three times a day, rested, talked football in between and watched game film at night. I still treasure the memories and all the guys’ autographs, especially Johnny U.
Trump also said he would take Brady first overall in his fantasy football draft, which at this time is not a common recommendation. Back in May, Trump encouraged Brady to sue the NFL for a whole bunch of money. That is still an option if Brady loses in federal court, though the judge presiding over the case has given Brady and the NFL Players Association reason to believe they have a good chance of coming out on top. Dotson’s other note: Politics and sports, do they mix? Did you ever wonder why Trump would make public statements regarding “DeflateGate”? There is no question in my mind as to his reasons. He knows that if he gets to his wheeling and dealing, it causes all media types to quote his every word. Being the politician that he thinks he is (is he?), he knows that name recognition is one of the best ways to garner votes. Your comments, suggestions, questions and concerns regarding Sports Talk articles, please call the Benchwarmers at 361560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 3-6 P.M. or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
Monthly Luncheons for Islander Fans The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander Athletics Monthly Luncheon Series is returning for year two, as fans are invited to join us monthly during the 2015-16 sports season. The luncheon series is sponsored by the Port of Corpus Christi. Luncheon guests will once again have the chance to interact with their favorite coaches and student-athletes in a relaxed setting on the first Tuesday of the month. Registration and food lines will start at 11:30 a.m., with the program slated to run from 12-1 p.m. Tickets for each week are priced at $15 and are available for purchase online or by calling 361.825.BALL (2255). The luncheons run from Tuesday, September 1, through Tuesday, May 3 Fans wishing to attend the monthly events can also pay at the door, but are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance due to the limited number of available seats. For more information, contact Associate Athletic Director for Development Jimmy Frush at james.frush@tamucc.edu; or 361.825.3237. • Sept. 1, Water Street Seafood Co. • Oct. 6, Emerald Beach Hotel • Nov. 3, Holiday Inn Downtown Marina • Dec. 1, Emerald Beach Hotel • Jan. 5, Water Street Seafood Co. • Feb. 2, Emerald Beach Hotel • Mar. 1, Holiday Inn Downtown Marina • Apr. 5, Water Street Seafood Co. • May 3, Holiday Inn Downtown Marina
Johnny Unitas Unitas would go on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. “He was better than I was,” said Hall of Famer Sid Luckman of the Chicago Bears. During a time of true field generals, Unitas was a complete quarterback. Tough, smart and totally focused, he simple refused to lose. He was the first to call his own plays in the huddle, the first to audible at the line of scrimmage and the first to perfect the two-minute drill. Unitas said after his playing days, “I could never understand why a team would play you to a standstill for twenty-eight minutes with one defense, then change that defense the last two minutes and give up some things that would allow me to beat them.” Ninety seconds for Unitas could last for days. His ability to read defenses and take command in the huddle was unmatched. He always thought he could score and wanted to go for the touchdown every time. He would even wave off the field-goal team as they trotted onto the field. As for his records, Unitas was the first to throw for 40,000 yards and the only quarterback to complete at least one touchdown pass in forty-
On Wednesday, September 11, 2002, at the age of sixty-nine, Unitas suffered a heart attack while working out in his beloved city of Baltimore. John Unitas, the man, is dead but as long as somewhere a kid puts his hands under the rear end of the center for the snap, his legend will live on. Teammate Bill Curry once said, “Every Sunday when we were ready to take the field, our defensive captain Fred Miller always said a few words, and then turned to John Unitas who was standing by the door. Unitas always said the same thing ‘Talk’s cheap—let’s go play.’” Always! I wonder if they play football in Heaven….? (Always) Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. Please visit www.purvisbooks. com for all the latest info on his books or to listen to the new radio podcast. Andy’s books are available online and can be found in the local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Andy can be contacted at purvis.andy@mygrande.net. Also listen to sports talk radio on Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session from 6-8 PM on Sportsradiocc.com 1230 AM, 96.1 FM and 103.3 FM. The home of the Houston Astros.
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