Time: Seven-ish
Place: Dodie's - as close as we could get to our Boyz. Our collective karma is being sent through the airwaves.
Earlier in the month, another fan Regina Campbell was trying to hook us up with a party bus to Odessa. Regina found a company that would take fifty screaming fans to Odessa for around $40 per person. Ride all day - get dropped off at the game, ride back all night delighted or depressed. For this true fan and cohorts - a perfect Saturday. But too good to be true. The guy at the company apparently didn't clear it with his boss...I hope he kept his job. With a few days left, we opted to go to Dodie's where the game was rumored to be aired.
Nady Bonilla, Venecia Napier and Yours Truly(Catz McHam) have been revved up for days about the "West Texas" game. Kristy Aldrich and her daughter Erika will be joining us in the throng. I have no clue as to how many fans will be at Dodie's or elsewhere to watch the game, but we're ready!
Nothing personal against Odessa, but did they have something against us? We'll see in a minute...
As we all gather at the two FRONT DOORS of Dodie's the question we all ask - "Which screen will it be on?" None of the waitstaff knew - Bold as Kristy is she went to one of the bartenders (a friend apparently) and asked. before he could answer, a lovely angel with blonde hair and a shining smile came to our rescue. The lovely DeAnn Abbott(applause, applause). With her trusty pink cell phone, DeAnn was calling the West Texas Office to see which channel and time the game was to be broadcast. Sitting with her were family, friends and new fans which are:
- -"I am now addicted" Susan Farrar - -
- -From Atlanta, Margie Snyder and I believe best buds with DeAnn- -
- -Lisa Harlin, DeAnn's niece - -
- - Camie Mosley, a friend of DeAnn - -
- -Melissa from McKinney, a new fan - -
and sneaking in from one of the two front doors,Wrangler Ty Manning#18. What a pleasant surprise!
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| How cool is this to have a Wrangler in our midst? |
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| Ty Manning - Jersey#18 (6'3", 215 lbs, WR - Come to watch the game with us |
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| Erika getting ready for some footbaaaaaaaaaaaaaalll |
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| Just found out as you can see, Kristy is NOT happy that the game will not be televised! |
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| Ty pointing to one of two screens that were SUPPOSED to be showing the game |
Deann is working her magic on her cell phone, her eyebrows turning inward with each punch of the keypad. Calm, cool and collected, DeAnn calls this person and that person, finally a IFL Board Member!!
Nothing we can do but wait for the outcome of her last conversation....tick...tock...seems West Texas DOESN'T want to show the game. BOOOO -BOILING OIL - BOOOOO - oh, here comes our appetizers! Regina and her husband "Hunny"Mike Campbell arrive, get the update and smolder a few seconds.
We're not that mean to want to toss boiling oil on Dodie's or The West Texas Managers, we are a bit miffed that we can't watch the game here. Pondering whether to go home to await the outcome or leave after our appetizers....what is that DeAnn? You've got Wrangler Joey Longoria on the line? Joey wears jersey #3 - (6'1",195lbs, DB). We grew fond of him during the April 8th game against, who else, West Texas! Smilin' Slim Jim...our nickname for Joey.
Out this game that I know of:
TyJuan Manning #18 - no room on the bus I guess (kidding)
Jason Jones #24 has a busted pinky.
Joey Longoria #3 knocked his shoulder out at the last game against Nebraska, 49-23 our favor.
The game has started. We are whooping it up like we were there for the first kick of the game.
One of the reasons we wanted to see this game: Jersey #6 Kicker Garrett Courtney is going to do a "move"of some sort (touchdowns, extra points, just because) that's for the Wrangler Fans watching at home. I haven't seen Courtney dance, so doing an end zone boogie may be asking a bit much. Maybe he'll do a fancy handshake or a double chest bump with a team mate. Whatever he does, we're gonna have to use our imaginations.
And here are the scores as they are watched by our Relay Broadcaster Longoria and Cell Phone Correspondent DeAnn
Somewhere in these scores, #15 Frankie Solomon ran back for a touchdown and #80 Bobby Chase is giving them what for with three touchdowns, Poole and Did my ears hear this right? #4 James Lancaster isn't playing?
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
| Allen Wranglers | 20 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 54 |
| WTex Roughnecks | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 20 |
What we heard down here:
No fumbles by either side
We had 10 first downs - kick that ball Courtney!!! Do that dance!!! Can you hear us hollerin'?
US Them
1st Quarter 20 - zip
2nd Quarter 41 - zip or was that 47? Hard to tell with us showing our team spirit!
HALFTIME 41 zip
Right before DeAnn went to charge her phone at half time - she relayed this message from Joey.
And I quote "THESE ARE THE LOUDEST TEXT MESSAGES EVER!!!!!
3rd Quarter 44 7 who let that one sneak by with three minutes before the end of the quarter?
Longoria said he wasn't happy about that play!
4th Quarter 54 13
FINAL 54 20
And there goes Dave Aldrich (in the lime green jacket) - the proud owner of Garrett Courtney's Pink Jersey!! Seems Dave has opted to ride his motorcycle on this fine night.His wife and daughters will keep him posted of the scores.
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| For the next few hours and recharged battery at half-time, DeAnn kept us up to speed through Longoria. Technology. Wonderful. |
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| Middle TV was to show the game |
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| Our Half Time Entertainment: The guys are watching Babes, Basketball and/or Baseball. The women are watching two girls in Barely There Prom Dresses. Why are you stopping by here? Cheap dates? Just sayin' and oh my word... a real, walkin', talkin', think she's all that Barbie Doll ...yes, Barbie is real and in need of a makeover. Again, just sayin'. |
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| Where the Wranglers should be... |
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| It's all good - halftime score Wranglers 41- West Texas 6 or something like that .Enjoying my appetizers and libations at halftime. |
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| I'm always keeping notes and folks leave me notes back! |
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| This is Nady. |
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| Ty has a crush on her! |
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| Yes, crush! |
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| Nady and Kristy's eldest daughter Andrea, who just got off work to come "watch" the game with us |
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| Here I am, finally. Ty calls me Momma C. Ain't that sweet? |
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| More notes and a hidden address!!! |
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| Texting scores to friends and sending a GIANT THANK YOU to Joey for keeping us posted on this most exciting INVISIBLE GAME!! |
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| Ty and Kristy seeing who can download scores the fastest! |
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| BUSTED!! Andrea should know by now that I take photos of everything! |
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| Doing the happy dance to music that Andrea is listening to |
Found out on Monday that Courtney thought about doing some fancy-smancy move for us. Joey told him the game wasn't being aired in Allen. "Whew," says Courtney, "I had nothing but The Funky Chicken!"
Post Script.
Remember my asking: Nothing personal against Odessa, but did they have something against us? We'll see in a minute...
Minutes and months have passed. Odessa just didn't figure how tough the Allen Wranglers would be. How serious WE are about the game. It's our Inaugural Year. If we don't step up to the plate now, when?
