Friday Night Fanstand!!!

First off, I am SOOOO stinking happy to report that our Booster Club voted to switch our broadcast network from Hutto FM to K-MAC this year!! I had kinda wanted to do this last year, but I think we were in contract with Hutto, so I didn't suggest it. This year, it happened before I even had a chance to voice my opinion! ha

So, I am happy to say, that the switch has been made and we are going to get a WHOLE lotta bang for our buck by using these guys!! whoohoo!!


If you are on facebook or twitter, look up Friday Night Fanstand and become friends with them. Whether you are a Raider fan or not, these guys try their best to cover everyone. I LOVE them. Derek Long used to be a coach for Westlake and Chuck Licata has been co-ower of KMAC for quite awhile I believe. Jonathan Daniels has made MANY efforts to work with Rouse and I am just SO thrilled we are!!

Anyhow, so tonight they are hosting a HUGE high school football event tonight at Third Base Sports Restaurant (6th and Mopac). Coach Mann, Brady Spencer and Will Zarsky will be doing a broadcast as well as a ton of other teams across the Austin Area, so this will definitely be a FUN event.!!

Third Base has a special for $5- you will get 2 sliders and a basket of fries. So come on out and have a ball with us!! We can at least size up the competition. (as if we don't already know how big Lake Travis is!!)

See you there!!!

Oh, and by the way:

there are 

63

Days until the start of Texas High School Football Season!!!

All Gave Some, Some Gave ALL

2011 Raider Spring Ball Game!!

Typically if its not a real football game, I am bored out of my mind, but not this year! I had a ton of fun watching the Black and Maroon teams play against each other. We looked pretty good out there, so hopefully we will look as good in the fall! I think with a little bit if commitment from the football team over the summer, we will be fine in the fall.

What do you think about those cheerleaders? My boys were digging them!

Right before this, Jace asked me if he smelled like a football player.

Yes and embarrassingly enough, that was my child who told his friend to go away, because we don't want you to hear our plays. Really? I mean, how could I get onto him for that?? Its the biggest rule in football to not let the opponent hear the other plays, so I am going to let that slide- however, I did talk to him about being a bit more polite when he asks.

    

I am working on a slideshow of pictures. I have about 70 and I thought it was too many to post! 

My summer posts will be pretty sporatic. When I am not working on Lady Raider Football Camp, I will be spending time with my boys and Josh. I will be putting up video  and pictures of Strength Camp, but I am not going to be very consistent!! Thank you!!

May 25, 2011 Spaghetti Dinner!

I was not able to make it to the entire Spaghetti Dinner, so most of these pictures are all from Chad Taylor with Team Taylor Photography. Please take time to go look at his website because the pictures are amazing!

And here are some video's! (those are mine:)




LOVED what Taylor had to say. I think it is SO important to hear it from someone that has been though something similar to what you are facing and going through now. 

I also think its pretty cool that both Coach Bresnehen and Coach Cochran could both attest to each of the things that both Taylor and Blake spoke of because they coached them.

I love what Blake was talking about as far as sacrificing for your team.

Both were amazing speakers.


We did not get the opportunity to play against Taylor's team while we were at Cedar Park because they were not in our district. (and I may be wrong, but I do not recall playing them in non district either), but I do remember playing against Leander HS and Blake was a pain in our side. He's a tremendous athlete. One of the most awesome things that I think is so great about being a coach (or a coaches wife:) is to be able to watch your ex-athlete's play on Saturday's once they have graduated HS and moved onto college. This is an opportunity that is rare. It is SO rare to play past HS, so when we get to watch our ex-athletes, its memorable, not matter how well they play! It is also neat to watch players that you have coached against. Blake was Leander's QB, and Josh was Cedar Park's defensive Coordinator, so I heard Blake's name often!! ha.... I kind of would like to think Blake was cussing our defense too:) lol

Josh coached Linebacker's at CP, and for 2 years in a row, Josh had the All State Defensive MVP- Brandon Hawg in 2005 and Justin Allen in 2006 and Austin Minor was recognized in 2007 as a Sophomore.

Justin Allen was one of the best players that Josh has ever coached. I wouldn't say he was the best KID, but he was one of the best athletes. raw talent and he was a fighter that had a lot in him and he was ready to play given any chance. One game he played in, he got hurt, but never told anyone, and played the ENTIRE game- he got a fumble recovery  and I believe he tipped a ball too-. After the game, he went to our trainer- turns out he had a terrible sprain and his hand had to be wrapped. Not even a wrapped arm could stop him, he had his personal best game the very next week- where he played both ways and he scored 2 touchdowns- all with a wrapped arm. If that doesn't spell determination, I don't know what does. 

And, ughh.....well DARN IT- You KNOW from my previous posts that once I start mentioning the 2006 Cedar Park team, I ALWAYS have to mention the 2006 CP vs. Pflugerville game... so JUST to prove to you that Justin played with a sprained wrist- here is the link to highlight video from that game- he is #31 and I swear to the Almighty Above that i have yet to watch another football player that is as much fun as him. I am hoping that one of the Raiders takes his place this year:)
2006 Cedar Park vs. Pflugerville Game- look for #31

 He went on to play  at University of Idaho for 2 years, then transferred to Rice, where he is currently playing alongside Taylor! (some of you may remember Tyler Smith- the amazing running back at Cedar Park- he also plays for Rice:)




Michael did an exceptional job and personally, I think WIN games should be in the middle and #1 on that list, so we were totally cool with you getting it out of order- doing it that way will totally make everyone remember:)

AND, as a special for all of you that were too young to know our Special Guest Speakers- here is a tribute to them.

We are going to start with #1 Blake Gideon (I wasn't kidding- he really was #1 in High School:)

 Here is his Highlight video from Leander High School! He played numerous positions.
(I didn't do any research, so I am going off memory- so if I am wrong-sorry:) I believe he predominately was Leander's Quarteback, but played some at Running Back and I think he also was a kicker. I am sure he probably played a defensive positon as well.



Blake is now the Safety at the University of Texas (Hook 'em Horns baby!)  He graduated in December of 2008 and started workouts with them as soon as he could. (kind of like what Chet Moss did). He is amazing to watch and FUN! I love the fact that we can say he was a pain in the butt to try to stop while he was at Leander. So fun! Blake is now #21:)We wish him all the luck this year and hope to watch him play
in the NFL next year!

Taylor McHargue played #10 Quarterback at Vista Ridge High School. I did not get the pleasure of watching him play, but he was obviously a tremendous athlete as well for him to be THE QB for the Rice Owls. I am sure that Charlie Rouse was pumped to hear him speak seeing that he is a Rice Owl Alumni!

As a Rice Owl, he is #16 and will be the Owl's starting  Quarterback in 2011! and  we have promised Justin Allen that we will come see a Rice game, so in that case, we will get to see Taylor play as well!!

Good Luck this season to both Blake and Taylor and thank you both very much for being our speakers at the 2011 Spaghetti Dinner!

I started this post at 9am and it is now 1:42pm. Its impossible for me to search for football stuff on youtube and NOT look at like a million other football highlight video's. So now that I am jacked up and ready to watch some football, I guess I will have to settle for 7 on 7:)

I hope the next 

81 days and 5 hours and 40 minutes 

go by QUICK!! I can't wait much longer!!!

"Dad, I created some Football Plays for you"

Normally I try to keep this blog strictly about Raider Football and not about my boys, but I decided that we are Raiders and all of it pertains to football in some form or fashion, so I went with it. Plus I am in desperate need of a blog update for my family too- so this makes it work:)

Its no secret that football is a 365, 24/7 topic in the Mann household- its inevitable that our kids would not like football.
So, these are video's taken on 2 separate occasions of the boys showing Dad some new plays that Rouse needs to run.

Jace's Play is at the top Right hand corner

Judson's play is the botton left corner

Jace's 2nd play is at the top left corner

Not too bad for the little Coaches In Training!!

I LOVE how Jace is looking at Judson in this picture. It cracks me up that he is making sure it fits him the proper way. Just like a little Josh, whereas Judson is like me and not at all patient. We could care less about the fit as long as we can get it! ha

 And both boys are signed up and READY for some Pop Warner Football next fall. Its been kind of hard to actually get them to realize that they have to wait until August to start practicing, but it will be good for them. We are going to let them participate in some of the middle school strength and conditioning camp (the cardio parts and "pretend to lift weights". 
I am SOOO ready to watch the boys play. This year they are playing on the same team, so that will be NICE!!

I know that I must seem like the biggest slacker, but I promise that Brandi has just been super ridiculous busy!!
But I am catching up and I am making it my sole mission to catch up on ALL of my blogs by June 10. Don't ask me why, June 10 just seems like a good date and because today is June 1- I will have 10 days. I should be able to make a 10 day  deadline, right?.... right.

These are video's taken back during the 2nd week of Spring Ball:)