By JOE BOCANEGRA
Resaca City Streets
Joe Bocanegra
The chance to see school colors obviously heightens once football season is here. When one walks Resaca City Streets (name of the column!), one sees the occasional outburst of team spirit up close and personal.
During the early 00s, I regularly walked past a house that showed its spirit every football match. The house was liberally decorated with purple and gold streamers across the fence while a wooden San Benito Greyhound mascot, holding up the current opponent’s helmet, was propped up in the front yard. I had no idea where they got the helmets, and I was too amazed at the show of spirit to ask.
Another fantastic display was at another home a few years ago, during the week of the annual Battle of the Arroyo. Curiously, the house was decorated with Harlingen Cardinal colors. The porch and a huge tree were festooned in red and white streamers. I was astounded at the audacity of the owners, whom I was sure were not Greyhound fans. And if they were, shame on them!
Of course, team spirit is not in short supply at the middle schools. I have walked past gaggles of students wearing Berta Cabaza’s silver and purple as well as Miller Jordan’s yellow and black; although, such a thing could be frowned upon by said students when the colors are worn by the opposing schools. For example, I was once considered a ‘traitor’ for wearing MJ colors during my stay at BC, to which my defense was, “Just be happy I am not wearing Cardinal colors.”
Nowadays, we don’t have as many local homes, or businesses for that matter, decorated in school colors – either that or I am missing them by a block or two off the beaten path. Still, I would not mind seeing Greyhound spirit in all its glory – like the way it used to be “back in the day.” The amazing demonstration of spirit exhibited by fans, which will certainly return in the coming weeks as Homecoming inches closer, should not be reserved for a few games out of the year.
Hear me out for a minute. There’s little that can challenge the festivities that surround Halloween, Thanksgiving and especially Christmas. Those holidays represent times of the year in which people appear more spirited – lively, if you will. But I reckon Greyhound football also qualifies as a holiday season. After all, it’s one of the few times of the year that San Benitians aren’t always at each other’s throats. The smell of Frito pie, nachos and the cold burn of drinking cola while rooting for the ’Hounds at Bobby Morrow Stadium goes hand in hand with the feeling one gets when staring googly-eyed at a Christmas tree, when watching your favorite scary movies on Halloween night, or when the heavenly aroma of turkey, pumpkin pie and stuffing fills the house.
So come on, people. Make my Greyhound holidays special this year and every year thereafter. I want to see your true colors shining through!
Read this story in the September 26 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comment
Maybe if the Greyhounds would start A wining TRADITION like the Cardinals surely we’d see more team sprit around homes and businesses. For that to happen the Greyhounds have to become a football POWER HOUSE around the RGV. Imagine if the Greyhounds could have continued haveing UNDEATED seasons after thier 2004 10-1 season. That would have been 7 stright years of undeated seasons. Lead us on Greyhounds! This reminds me of a football game I atteneded back in the days. I will not mention who the team were as not to make it a long story. Will as the game was to start teh team hit th e filed and upfront ran a plyer holding a large flag with the number #5 on it he stood at the center of the filEd waveing it and their fans cheered so load I could hardley here myself speak. I trun to my brother and ask him HEY! Who is #5? is he their QB? or an outstanding player on thier team? He turns to me and says “NO DUDE THATS WHAT THE TEAM IS RANKED IN THE STATE!