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SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: New football districts revealed

Written by archive on January 8, 2013. Posted in columns, Sports.

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The Florida High School Athletic Association a couple of weeks ago released proposed districts for the 2013 and 2014 football seasons.

If the new districts stand, which they probably will, Crestview will play join Niceville, Navarre and Tate in a new District 1-7A. That’s a far cry from 2002, when the Bulldogs were a Class 3A school — or is it?

In 2002, football had six classes, contrasted to the eight we have today. And that was before the rural Class 1A was introduced prior to the 2011 season.

Crestview has 76 more students today, 1,900, than it did in 2002, 1,824, according to the FHSAA website. That would seem to indicate that the Bulldogs have been caught in the ever-changing numbers game rather than having experienced extreme growth.

Crestview and Baker are the only two schools in Okaloosa County with more students today than in 2002. Baker had 420 students then and 440 now.

Choctawhatchee, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville and Laurel Hill’s student populations have decreased. Laurel Hill has eight fewer students now than 10 years ago. The other schools are down dramatically from 2002.

Choctaw has 298 fewer students, Fort Walton Beach is down 182 students and Niceville has lost 397 students. But with 1,911 students, Niceville still edged Crestview for bragging rights as the county’s largest school.

In reality, Crestview goes from a six-team District 2-6A to a four-team District 1-7A.

Choctaw and Fort Walton Beach will still be in a watered down District 2-6A along with Mosley.

One might say the announcement of the new districts brought good news and bad news for Baker.

The good news is the Gators remain in an unchanged District 1-1A along with Freeport, Jay and Northview. The bad news is Northview won the 2012 Class 1A championship.

There won’t be any changes or scheduling rearranging for Baker coach Matt Brunson. He can line up the same number non-district games, and might possibly play the same non-district teams.

Bulldog coach Kevin Pettis has a bigger challenge. Now, instead of having five district games locked in that took care of half the schedule, he only has three district games. Pettis will now have to find two additional non-district opponents.

I’m hoping he can work something out with Choctaw and Fort Walton Beach. I always like seeing Okaloosa County’s big schools play. Even if the games don’t matter in the district standings, the county rivals are always good to play for the sake of bragging rights.

Some time in the next week or two, the FHSAA will release the tentative districts in other sports. Just because Crestview and Niceville aren’t in the football district with the Vikings and Indians, it doesn’t mean the teams won’t be in the same district in other sports.

It will be another two or three weeks before the football districts are finalized, but in the mean time, it will be interesting to see how the fans like the new districts.

Things should be interesting in the fall.

Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: New football districts revealed

SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Spring sports just around the corner

Written by archive on January 2, 2013. Posted in columns, Sports.

Like the Mayans, I may be unable to predict the end of the world, but I can make a few predictions for local high school sports.

This time of year, hope flows eternally for all teams.

Soccer and basketball district tournaments are a few weeks away and every team, no matter how poorly it has played, thinks it can pull the upset and have a special run through the playoffs.

Softball practice starts Monday and baseball practice can start Jan. 14. Tennis, track and boys weightlifting also are cranking up.

I’m looking forward to this area’s 2013 high school baseball season.

It’ll be interesting to see what new Baker coach Scott Johnson can do with the Gators minus pitcher Bucky Locke, who is now at Northwest Florida State College.

Johnson has a history of winning and was the Big School Coach of the Year last season at Choctawhatchee. If the Baker players buy into Johnson’s system, the Gators could be the 2013 season’s surprise.

This season could be a special one for Crestview. I know it will be somewhat bittersweet for me and I would imagine Bulldog coach Tim Gillis feels the same way.

This year will be the last opportunity fans have to see Dakota Dean and Tyler Henderson in a Bulldog uniform.

Dean, the Bulldog shortstop, will play baseball at Louisiana State next year. And, if all goes as planned, Henderson will play football at Florida Atlantic University in the fall.

Dean and Henderson have been Bulldog lineup fixtures since their freshman year in 2010. Before either played their first varsity game, they were being hailed as two of the best prospects the Bulldogs had seen in years.

They’ve lived up to the hype, having made an effortless transition from Davidson Middle School to Class 6A high school ball.

Henderson is the best high school outfielder I’ve ever seen. He combines outstanding speed with a rare ability to judge a ball as it comes off the bat. He also tracks down balls in the gap that seemed destined to be doubles or triples as they left the bat.

Dean is the best left-handed hitter the Bulldogs have seen since his older brother, Blake. Like Blake, Dakota has power to all the park’s parts and he has more speed than his big brother, which makes him all the more dangerous.

Dean and Henderson will have plenty of help around them.

Seth Thomason will be back for his junior year. Tate Sweatt is set for a big year at the plate. And Dennis Gibbons has been lights out as the Bulldog closer and plays a mean third base.

As Dean and Henderson wrap up their careers, the talk turns to freshman Corey Armstrong as being the next great Bulldog baseball player.

So it goes as the Bulldogs try to keep up in an always tough District 2-6A.

In Laurel Hill, coach Ronnie Smith will worry about basketball a little longer before turning his full attention to baseball. Smith and the Hoboes should be in a bit of a rebuilding year. Last year’s top pitcher and starting shortstop, Kyle Slingerland, graduated, as did power hitting first baseman Tyler Zessin and speedy infielder Travon Calloway.

It might just be Jan. 2, but spring is in the air until a cold front moves through the area tomorrow.

In the meantime, there is still plenty of basketball to be played and winter sports to finish before the softball and baseball seasons open next month.

Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Spring sports just around the corner

SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: 2012's top sports stories

Written by archive on December 31, 2012. Posted in columns, Sports.

As 2012 ends, it’s time to look back at, what I believe, were the year’s top 10 sports stories.

This purely subjective list includes stories that have appeared in the News Bulletin. Some of you may have your own equally impressive list. I’ll be interested to hear what suggestions you might have for other stories on the list.

1. Bulldogs induct inaugural Hall of Fame class

Sept. 14 was a special day for Crestview High School athletics as the Crestview High School Sports Hall of Fame’s first members were recognized at an induction ceremony. Inductees were introduced during halftime festivities of the Crestview-Jacksonville Bolles football game that evening.

2. Baker track and field stars win state championships

The Baker track team continued to flex its muscles as the Gators produced two state champions in 2012. Ivory Smith won his second state title in 400 meters for the Baker boys; Morgan Jones won a state championship in the discus for the Baker girls.

3. Decade of dominance continues for Baker volleyball team

Players and coaches have come and gone, but the Baker volleyball has kept winning.

The 2012 season saw the Gators wrap up a 10th-consecutive district championship. For the second-straight year, the Gators advanced to the state final four.

4. Dakota Dean signs baseball scholarship with Louisiana State

Crestview shortstop Dakota Dean could have chosen to play baseball at just about any school in the nation. But he decided to sign with LSU, where his brother, Blake, was an All-American and played on the 2009 National Championship team.

Dakota is used to comparisons with his big brother, but shrugs them off.

“Blake is Blake and I’m Dakota,” he says.

The good news for Bulldog fans is Dakota still has one more season left on the Crestview baseball team this spring.

5. Six Bulldogs advance their football careers

The Crestview football team celebrated National Signing Day in style Feb. 1, when six Bulldogs signed scholarship papers to continue their football careers in college.

Earl Reed signed with Georgia Military Academy. Geo Hillsman and Matt Hutchison signed with North Carolina school Gardner-Webb, a Big South Conference member. Will Boler and Alex Campagne inked with Cumberland University in Nashville, Tenn., and Javaris Seastrunk signed with Elon University in North Carolina.

6. Liberty University connection

A pair of local athletes signed scholarships with Liberty University in 2012.

Former Baker basketball standout Chad Donley signed with the Flames after spending two seasons at Northwest Florida State University.

Crestview sprinter Asten Lopez also made her way to the Lynchburg, Va., school. She signed to run for the Lady Flames track and field team.

7. Staying local

Three local athletes chose to stay in Okaloosa County as they start their college athletic careers at Northwest Florida State.

Crestview softball standouts Hannah Day and Shelby Gainer signed to play with Northwest Florida State College’s Lady Raiders.

Baker pitcher Bucky Locke will throw strikes for the Raider baseball team when the season opens next month.

8. She’s back

A year after taking the Crestview volleyball team’s reins, longtime Baker volleyball and girls basketball coach Kathy Combest returned to the bench as the Crestview girls basketball coach.

Combest replaced Donald Campbell, who was relieved of his coaching duties at last season’s end.

9. Johnson takes over Baker baseball program

When Gary Taylor stepped down as the Baker baseball coach at the 2012 season’s end, there was plenty of speculation as to who might get the job.

Surprisingly, the Gators landed Scott Johnson, who just a few weeks prior resigned as the Choctawhatchee coach after picking up Coach of the Year honors.

10. Rise and fall of Dillan Lawson

Crestview football player Dillan Lawson was the talk of the town in February when, upon returning from a University of Florida Junior Day, he announced his commitment to sign with the Gators on National Signing Day 2013.

Lawson missed much of spring practice with nagging injuries that carried over into summer workouts, but he was on the roster and ready for preseason drills.

Lawson seemed off to a strong start in the 2012 season, but his history of discipline problems resurfaced before September’s end.

By October, the Gators pulled their scholarship offer to Lawson, whom the Bulldogs dismissed for breaking team rules.

Honorable mention

It is hard, if not impossible, to boil one year down to 10 top stories. Here’s a list of stories that just missed the cut.

•Crestview running back Micah Reed commits to play football at Central Florida.

•Bulldog assistant football coach accused of choking player during summer workouts.

•“Graffiti Gate”: Laurel Hill baseball coach Ronnie Smith paints Hobo dugout the colors of rival Paxton in attempt to fire up his team.

•Ken Meisner replaces Keith White as Crestview boys basketball coach.

•Baker girls basketball team wins district championship.

•Laurel Hill softball team wins district title.

•Dexter Day wins Home Run Derby.

OK, now — let the debate begin.

Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: 2012's top sports stories

FROM THE PULPIT: Watch for signs of the Second Coming, not 2013

Written by archive on December 28, 2012. Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

Frequently, at each Christmas season’s end, I hear people say, “Next year, I’m not going to do all this running around and extra spending. Christmas is getting too exhausting!”

My silent reply is, “Speak into the microphone. I want to record this as a reminder for next year.”

Though some seasonal preparations can be important, I also believe they can be huge distractions. These kinds of preparations — the weeks that go into Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve party planning — can be downright exhausting.

Moreover, they cause us to miss another aspect of preparation that is infinitely more important.

Yes, we are to prepare our minds and hearts. Not for Santa Claus, not for Christmas Day and not for the most fashionable New Year’s Eve party.

Rather, we should prepare our minds and hearts for eternal matters.

The scripture readings for the Sundays in Advent all follow a pattern: preparing for the Son of God’s return, often called the Second Coming.

We don’t talk much about that eventuality, but God has promised it will happen when we least expect it.

Jesus talks about it coming unannounced like a thief in the night. He describes it as a bridegroom arriving unannounced, saying those who are ready will go with him, and those who are not will be left behind.

No one knows the day or the hour. Jesus said that he himself doesn’t know the day or the hour.

I shake my head at the arrogance and pride of men and women who attempt to predict when certain milestones like the end of the world — Dec. 21 passed uneventfully — and the Second Coming will take place.

If Jesus doesn’t know, how do people think they can outsmart God by figuring out His plan?

Jesus says to watch for the signs, not to predict.

As we watch for the signs, we must prepare ourselves to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Prepare your heart and mind as we approach 2013.

Focus on things eternal more than you focus on things temporary.

Make time each day — even if it is a few minutes — to think about your spiritual health, your state of mind and heart. If you find your spirit dragging, it will be time to stop what you are doing and regenerate your soul.

Find a place to worship. Find a place that will help you focus on God. Ask God to give you the kind of insights that will help you properly prepare — not only for 2013, but also for the fulfillment of God’s promises.

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Watch for signs of the Second Coming, not 2013

FROM THE PULPIT: Reflecting on Christmas

Written by archive on December 26, 2012. Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

As we reflect on the Christmas season, consider these awesome truths.

First, God knows us and we are important to him. Remember, God announced His son’s birth to shepherds.

Shepherds were at the social strata’s opposite end from King Herod and influential people. They lived in fields with their animals. Still, God’s angel came to them and said, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior who is Christ, the Lord.”

Throughout scripture, we see God honoring and using people and things that the world often overlooks. You may not be a rich corporation president, a political leader or an accomplished athlete. But God announced the savior’s coming to people like you and me.

Second, our lives matter because God loves us.

Imagine those shepherds sitting around the campfire after God’s announcement. Perhaps they were thinking, “What difference does it make if we watch the sheep or not?”

Sometimes, you may think, “What difference does it make if I get up every morning or not? My life is like an endless cycle of things that don’t mean anything.”

But God made His announcement to the shepherds. He was saying to them and to us, “Your life is worthwhile. It is my gift to you. Therefore, live every golden moment of it because your life does matter to me.”

It is impossible to live, even for a few days, and not influence someone. Therefore, we are important to God. And He loves us.

Third, our faith matters too.

Shepherds were men of faith. They looked for a messiah who would deliver them from poverty, enslavement and exile. When things got tough, they would think about God’s promise that one day a savior would come.

But on that very special day, while they were tending to their daily chores, God came because He loved them so much that He fulfilled His promise.

As we get involved so deeply in life that we wonder if there is a point, God says, “I know you and I love you; your life matters to me, and I want you to trust me. I will be your friend and your Savior.”

And, if we will, he will.

Eugene Strickland is the Okaloosa Baptist Association’s missions director.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Reflecting on Christmas

SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Wishing all a wonderful Christmas

Written by archive on December 18, 2012. Posted in columns, Sports.

It’s early for a Christmas column, but with the holiday less than a week away and Wednesday being my usual column day, today seems the best time to spread Christmas tidings.

I love Christmas and all the day stands for on the holiday’s faith and secular sides.

My family has always treated Christmas as a celebration of the Christ child’s birth. ‘The Night Before Christmas’ was never read at our Christmas Eve gathering, but we do read the Gospel of Luke’s account of Christ’s birth before opening family members’ gifts.

Even now, at age 54, the little boy in me sometimes wants to rush through the sacred story and get to the gifts. But it’s always special to slow down and remember the night on which Christ was born that changed history.

In sports, coaches are always looking for the so-called impact player, and in my humble opinion, Jesus Christ remains history’s greatest impact player of all time.

The Christmas season is about hope and giving, so with that in mind, I’d like to offer some gifts for area teams and coaches.

I’ll start with the gifts I’d give Baker football coach Matt Brunson and Crestview boss Kevin Pettis.

I don’t have to look deep into my bag to know that every football coach can never have too many big nasty linemen, hard-charging running backs and quarterbacks with a rifle for an arm and the ability to run that will get them out of any tight spot. I’d throw in a couple of nasty linebackers with fire in their eyes for good measure.

Finally, I’d give both coaches a chance to hoist a district championship trophy above their head before I write my 2013 Christmas column. If they can win in their tough districts, the playoffs will take care of themselves.

To Baker girls basketball coach Brian Wagner and his daughter, Haley, I would give a special run through the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs that will strengthen an already strong bond and give them more memories than can count in the coming years.

My gift to Crestview volleyball and girls basketball coach Kathy Combest would be continued good health and the success in both sports she enjoyed while coaching at Baker.

My gifts to the Laurel Hill boys and girls basketball teams as well as the Hobo baseball and softball teams would be plenty of wins over rival Paxton and district championships as well.

I would give Dakota Dean, Tyler Henderson and the other Crestview baseball seniors a magical 2013 season equal to the magical moments they have given me since their freshman season.

I would give all of our local athletes good teammates that become even better friends for life.

Finally, I wish all the love and joy of the season.

Merry Christmas.

Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Wishing all a wonderful Christmas

FROM THE PULPIT: Preparing for Christmas

Written by archive on December 14, 2012. Posted in columns, Opinion, your-voice.

When I was growing up in Crestview, we decorated the house inside and out.

It was not quite like the display in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation," but lights went up outside the house and we got a real tree and decorated it. Mom painted a picture in the living room’s big picture window. We were preparing for the celebrating of the birth of Christ.

Not unlike the Magi.

Present-day astronomers, in Christ’s time, were priestly men called stargazers. The term "Magi" possibly referred to a certain Persian priestly order.

Let me paint you a picture of Matthew 2: 1-12: Several men gaze into the heavens, day in and day out, for particular signs.

Then, it happened.

A very unusual star appeared from nowhere. To these men, it was a sign that someone very special would be born or had been born. They excitedly checked the star's origin, its continuing appearance, and its unusual brilliance. They tracked the star to Christ in the manger and paid tribute.

Today, we prepare for vacations in a similar way.

These men needed to plan a trip. They decided how many would go, provisions needed, gifts to take as tribute, best routes, and their destination.

Preparation sometimes took two years. AAA couldn’t tell them what interstates and highways to take. They received no recommendations for restaurants or hotels. Servants may have handled these duties.

Today, we get in the car and go. We stop at a motel, spend the night and continue the journey the next day.

However, ancient people planned for hardships, rested several days before continuing onward, and sometimes bought more animals during the journey because of sickness or injury.

Then the big day came when they started the journey.

There is no known diary for the Magi, but I imagine they experienced sandstorms, desert heat, robbers and thieves. They probably couldn’t find water, encountered path hazards and lost servants.

At some point, the star disappeared, but they continued their journey. Then they entered Israel’s borders and continued on to Jerusalem to see the king.

Herod the Great was ruler during Jesus' birth. The Magi expected to find the new "King of the Jews" in the palace’s fine splendor, but he was not there. Herod, half-Jewish and half-Edomite, asked the priests and scribes about the Messiah’s birth. Armed with new information about Jesus' birth, the Magi continued on to Bethlehem.

Here, they found the Christ child — who was no longer an infant — and they worshipped him.

The men bowed, acknowledged Christ as King, and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Gold — the finest of all medals; the only metal fit for a king — indicated the child’s divinity.

Frankincense is the gift for a priest. People used this sweet perfume when they made sacrifices during temple worship. Priests open the way for people to find God. Jesus made it possible for us to enter the very presence of God.

Myrrh — a gift for the dying — was used in spices in the burial cloth that Jesus was wrapped in. Jesus came into this world to die for our sins.

This year, as you prepare for Christmas Day, seek the King of Kings who has opened the way for us to enter God’s presence. He died on the cross at Calvary for our sins.

Merry Christmas to you. May God bless you richly.

The Rev. Albert Corey is pastor at Oak Ridge Assembly of God in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Preparing for Christmas

Christmas carols bring different tidings to different listeners

Written by archive on December 13, 2012. Posted in columns, lifestyle.

CRESTVIEW — Whether it’s “Joy to the World” or “Deck the Halls,” secular or spiritual, Bing Crosby or the Trans-Siberia Orchestra, ’tis the season for Christmas music — and everybody has a favorite.

A diverse group of north county residents shared their favorites. Most burst into song as he or she reminisced about what made the piece special.

Mack Brooks

The proprietor of Mack Brooks’ Barbershop — the longest continuously operating business on Main Street —said his favorite Christmas song is “Blue Christmas.”

“Back when I was a little boy, ‘Santy Claus is Coming to Town’ was good, too,” Brooks, also an artist and bluegrass fiddler, said.

However, “Blue Christmas,” which Elvis Presley made popular, has a deeper, more special meaning for the octogenarian.

“That ‘Blue Christmas,’ it was back during the war when that song was written and a lot of the boys had left home. A lot of us boys in Baker were pretty close. The first boy from Florida who was killed in the war was a Baker boy. He went down on the ‘Reuben James.’”

A German U-boat sank the destroyer Oct. 31, 1941 while on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic Ocean. This was shortly before the U.S. entry into World War II.

“When I hear that song, I think of them. They’re away from home. They were having a Christmas, but not like they had at home. It was a blue Christmas for those boys.”

Janice Crose

Crose and her husband Jim have sung professionally, as well as in church and community choirs, so she can’t decide on a standout tune.

“I love Christmas songs and I have lots of favorites,” Crose said. “There is a contemporary song called ‘Bethlehem Morning,’ which is beautiful, but if you want a traditional song, ‘O Holy Night’ is another favorite. I’ve sung them both lots of times.

“‘Bethlehem Morning’ is a very different song. It’s contemporary. It’s a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful song. It’s got five key changes. My accompanists don’t like it.”

However, the song’s lyrics particularly speak to her.

“The message in a song is what matters to me, not as much the music. It’s got a beautiful message. It talks about why Jesus came. It talks about our redemption, that he came to redeem us from our sins. That’s really what Christmas is all about.

“‘For the child that was born there has come to set us free,’” Crose sang. “That line is so meaningful to me.”

McDonald Campbell

At 97 years of age, Campbell remains active at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, which she has attended since childhood.

She thought a moment before sharing her favorite carol.

“I believe that my favorite is ‘O Holy Night.’ I like it very much,” Campbell said. “‘Away in the Manger’ was the song I sang as a little girl.”

“‘O Holy Night,’ though, is a beautiful one. If it is well rendered — I’ve heard some people try to sing it and it didn’t turn out too well — it is pretty.”

Her thoughts led to a flood of other favorites from her hymnal.

“And I like ‘Angels from the Realms of Glory.’ I like all the Christmas songs. ‘It came Upon a Midnight Clear’ is a pretty song to me. And ‘Silent Night,’ too.

“One we sang in school when I was a little girl was, ‘Up on the housetop reindeer pause/Out jumped good old Santa Claus…’ I’m amazed I can remember that.”

Victor Everett

Everett, an Iraq War veteran, remembers a wartime Christmas that included a song special to his family back in Crestview.

“Oh man, I remember there’s a Christmas song someone sent me in Iraq that was so great: ‘The Chipmunk Song.’

“‘Christmas, don’t be late,’” Everett started singing. “The girls and I would sing it to annoy their mother so it became one of our family favorites.

“When I was deployed to Iraq, the girls and their mother sent me a small Christmas tree at our forward post. We put it together in this little house in the middle of Iraq. All the guys used it to remember home. The girls sent me this ornament that talked and they recorded messages on it like, ‘Merry Christmas, Daddy.’

“Those small things meant a lot. All the guys there wanted to just tell my wife ‘thank you’ because it helped them a lot. Even though I was gone, we had a really good Christmas that year.

“But one of our presents was we got ambushed from all sides by al-Qaida on Christmas Day. That wasn’t so good.”

Celia Broadhead

As a little girl growing up in Winter Park, a special hymn always stood out for Broadhead, who today is a Crestview resident active in the local garden club.

“The carol that has the most memories for me is, ‘On This Day Earth Shall Ring,’” said Broadhead, who has sung with the Northwest Florida Symphony Chorus. “When I was growing up, at our candlelight service every Christmas, that was the song we would end with.

“We would circle the church, and there was a big pipe organ playing big chord progressions before each verse. The church was always packed and it was a very special service. There were different instruments playing, and we had the wonderful candlelight.

“It was always a special time for me.”

Ryan Vance

Ryan, a Crestview High School senior, has appeared in many of the school drama program’s productions and plans to major in theatre in college.

“‘Auld Lang Syne’ has special meaning for me,” he said. “I guess it’s not really a Christmas song, but to me it goes with the holiday season.

“Recently, I did ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I did it before at the Pensacola Little Theatre when I was little. It was really cold that year. That song really stuck in my mind as part of a holiday tradition.

“I think it really signifies turning a new leaf, setting new resolutions, starting a new year off. It’s like a fresh start on life.”

Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Christmas carols bring different tidings to different listeners

SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Changing faces in the Southeastern Conference

Written by archive on December 11, 2012. Posted in columns, Sports.

I’m starting to sleep better — partially because I’m feeling better physically.

Yes, the small steps I’ve already taken to get healthier are starting to pay off. But my ability to sleep again has more to do with my alma mater, the University of Tennessee, hiring a football coach Friday.

Time will tell whether Butch Jones will return the Vols to their past glory, but for now he has a clean slate.

Tennessee wasn’t the only Southeastern Conference team seeking a new coach these last few weeks. Arkansas, Auburn and Kentucky also had fired their coaches and sought the right fit for their school.

Football fans have watched things unfold as Arkansas got former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, Auburn named Gus Malzahn the new coach, Kentucky, Mark Stoops and Tennessee finished off a frantic few weeks with Jones.

We might be in Okaloosa County, Florida, but the Southeastern Conference’s reach and appeal stretches far beyond our county’s borders.

If you drive through a parking lot at any large retailer, you will probably see cars with bumper stickers, decals or license plates that proclaim an association with any or all of the four schools listed above.

And don’t think fans of the four schools were the only ones watching the searches unfold.

Alabama fans wanted to see who would fill vacancies at Auburn and Tennessee, the Crimson Tide’s two biggest rivals.

Early last week, I received an email from Crestview principal Bob Jones, a former Kentucky football player. While the email focused on another issue, he also asked how the coaching search at Tennessee was going.

Butch Jones reportedly declined offers from Kentucky, Purdue and Colorado, hoping Tennessee would fall into his lap. His patience paid off when the Volunteers came calling following two or three other coaches’ rejections.

I didn’t watch the press conferences introducing Bielema, Malzahn or Stoops, but I watched the Tennessee press conference introducing Butch Jones as the new man dedicated to lead the Vols. Jones said all the right things about winning in the classroom and on the field. He spoke of winning both conference and national championships.

I’m sure the other coaches said similar things as they embraced the challenge of SEC coaching and the big checks that go with it.

While Alabama fans count down the days until the Tide plays Notre Dame for the National Championship early next month, and other fans from across the SEC look forward to a bowl game, Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee fans await the spring for more football.

We will follow the hiring of assistant coaches and the recruiting of new and better players. Our hope is for better days ahead as we wait for next year.

Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Changing faces in the Southeastern Conference

SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Raiders surprise, Bulldogs disappoint

Written by archive on December 4, 2012. Posted in columns, Sports.

The Navarre football team will host Gainesville on Friday in the Class 6A semifinals.

To say what the Raiders have accomplished under first-year coach Jay Walls is impressive is an understatement. Navarre was expected to have a solid team coming into the season, but I doubt if even the most optimistic Raider fans saw them still playing the first Friday in December.

Maybe Navarre didn’t come out of nowhere to win the District 2-6A title, but most people thought the Raiders were, at best, the third best team in the district behind Crestview and Niceville. Some people might have even had the Raiders as the third best team in Santa Rosa County behind Milton and Pace.

Yes, Navarre made it to the Class 4A region finals in 2010, and the Raiders had some good football players including tight end Jordan Leggett, a Clemson commit, but no other Raiders are listed on any recruiting site as having college offers right now.

If someone had told me before the season started that a team from District 2-6A would be in the state semifinals, my money would have been on Crestview.

Crestview coach Kevin Pettis had never gone back-to-back years without taking a team the playoffs in his career, and it seemed making the playoffs was almost a foregone conclusion with a roster full of Division I athletes.

Maybe the Bulldogs weren’t as big up front on the offensive line as they were in 2011, but the line was more athletic. And, led by senior tailback Micah Reed, they seemed to have more skill players than they did last year.

Reed gained more than 1,000 yards in rushing and solidified his reputation as one of the top running backs in the area.

Transfer student Dakota Davis was a natural to replace fellow senior Dakota Dean at quarterback, which allowed Dean to concentrate on his preferred defensive positions of linebacker and defensive back. Davis playing quarterback also allowed the athletic Dean to move around to other spots on offense such as tight end and fullback.

In theory, the move seemed wise, but I never got the impression that Davis had the same control of the Bulldog offense that Dean did.

Heading into the season, Crestview’s defense should have been the team’s strength, with then Florida commit Dillan Lawson leading a talented Bulldog defense that also included Tyler Henderson, Denzel Ware and Jalynne Robinson.

The often-troubled Lawson was kicked off the team in the middle of the season, but even without him, the Bulldog defense showed signs of brilliance. However, they committed too many costly penalties and gave up too many big plays in clutch situations.

The last two Crestview football seasons have been an enigma to me. I’ve covered high school sports in the area since 2001 and the 2011 and 2012 Bulldog football teams have had more talent than any of the Crestview squads I’ve seen, and that includes the 2002 team that was the Class 3A state runner-up.

I really thought that both the 2011 and 2012 teams would make runs deep into the playoffs, but both teams fell short of making it out of the district.

Every two years, the Florida High School Athletic Association goes through the process of district realignment and the new districts will take effect in the fall. It will be interesting to see which district Crestview is in and whom the Bulldogs will play with.

The 2013 football season’s start is still nine months away, but it’s shaping up to be a crucial one for the Bulldogs. Crestview isn’t expected to compete for state championships every year, but the Bulldogs are expected to be in the hunt for a playoff spot an annual basis.

It will be interesting to see what tricks Kevin Pettis has up his sleeve to turn the program back around.

Randy Dickson is the Crestview News Bulletin’s sports editor. Email him at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet him @BigRandle, or call 682-6524

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Raiders surprise, Bulldogs disappoint

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