Small town football

[Hwy17]

3 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

About 15 years ago I went to a playoff game at Immokalee.  Edgerrin James had a younger cousin named Javarris who was the running back on that team.  Edgerrin showed up at that game in a limo and I believe he had Puff Daddy with him.  Must have been one of the most exciting things to happen in that little town in a long time...absolute bedlam.  Heard he gave them a pre-game talk and talk about some inspired play!  

Is it still as isolated as it was?  I haven't been down there since I was a kid. I have been told that there is new development from Naples out that way?  Back in the old days Immokalee was know for high crime, like an old west town.  

Hardee and Immokalee was in the same district 2009-2010; the 2010 game was there and I didn't go.  In 1995 Hardee played Immokalee in the playoffs.  Edgerrin James was a senior for Immokalee. 

[OldSchoolLion]

Massillon Ohio is not a "small town" but is has kinduva small town feel about it.  Their rivalry game with McKinley is incredible. 

 http://www.maxpreps.com/news/2VOhfAU8MkqSpYNsktU7YA/5d2f--ohio-rivalry-on-another-level.htm

I thought it was just hype until I had a chance to visit about 5 years ago and was blown away.  The video below will give you a feel for the atmosphere.  I think they had 19000 fans in attendance. 

That huge building in the background is their indoor practice field.  Texas is not the only state doing it big.     

https://massillontigers.com/facilities_david_training_center.html

 

 

[DisabledAccount]

14 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Massillon Ohio is not a "small town" but is has kinduva small town feel about it.  Their rivalry game with McKinley is incredible. 

 http://www.maxpreps.com/news/2VOhfAU8MkqSpYNsktU7YA/5d2f--ohio-rivalry-on-another-level.htm

I thought it was just hype until I had a chance to visit about 5 years ago and was blown away.  The video below will give you a feel for the atmosphere.  I think they had 19000 fans in attendance. 

That huge building in the background is their indoor practice field.  Texas is not the only state doing it big.     

https://massillontigers.com/facilities_david_training_center.html

 

 

Apopka is one in FL that despite being large is a very small town atmosphere 

[Trelle]

Did some work out of Strasburg OH (That’s a small town) a guy I worked with his nephew was the QB there (Massillon) last year forget his name but I know he said football was second to religion there even the small town of strasburg (think it only had 2 stop lights) was all about football, I live in CO which sucks for local support now so it was nice seeing that small local atmosphere supporting not just football but all the high school sports, murals in buildings, painted store fronts, and yard signs cheering in the high school.

[Ric Flair]

Lake City Columbia was/is a very cool place to watch a game.  

[OldSchoolLion]

Polk County football had a great small-town feel to it in the past.  

Lakeland was undefeated state champs in 2004 and 2006 and played at Kathleen those years.  Kathleen had some good teams back then with small but very fast, stout defenses.  Lakeland won both of those games by 3 points or less.  The crowds were so big people were lined up outside the fences basically just listening to the game.  I think all of Polk County was there     

[DisabledAccount]

12 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Lake City Columbia was/is a very cool place to watch a game.  

We can still get decent numbers but the energy isn't like it was when we played at memorial 

 

We used to have standing room only with a couple hundred lining the track during the game