New HS Football Book: "One Great Game"

[BlueMeanie]

Any of you who either played HS football or are interested in it (or if you're curious at all about current national football powerhouse De La Salle of Concord, CA) might enjoy the book "One Great Game" by Don Wallace (Atria Books, 2003). I heard about it on a local sports talk show, picked it up at Tower last week, and read through it in about two days.

The book focuses on the first De La Salle v. Long Beach Poly game, from 2001, which was allegedly the first time ever that the "nationally ranked" #1 and #2 teams played each other. (De La Salle was already well into their record winning streak (http://www.delasallesports.com/THE_Streak/the_streak.html), which now stands at 151, yet Poly was actually ranked #1 because of the hype that they had nine potential D-1 recruits.)

Lots of background info about both schools, and not just the football programs. I remember when I watched this game, I figured Poly was just some urban thug school. From this book, I found out it's a wonderfully diverse school with an incredible focus on academics, leadership and extracurriculars.

The author, Wallace, played at Long Beach Poly in the 70s, but does a very credible, neutral job describing the events leading up to the game (as well as the game itself). Both teams gave him access to practices, bus rides, locker rooms, strategy sessions, and homes.

My only complaint is a nit. The last few chapters revolve solely around "the game", and Wallace basically gives meticulous play-by-play of the whole thing. (If any of you used to read Matt Christopher sports novels when you were kids, it was this kind of detailed description of the game.) Could have been summarized a little better, but then again I saw the game live on TV.

I would rate this favorably against the classic "Friday Night Lights" (about Odessa, TX Permian HS), but "One Great Game" isn't quite as emotional.

[Auriaprottu]

Originally posted by BlueMeanie
I remember when I watched this game, I figured Poly was just some urban thug school.

Thugs... gee, wonder what you saw that gave you that impression... my dad saw a lot of that at Alabama-USC 1970 in Birmingham. And it wasn't coming from the Trojan fans.

I would rate this favorably against the classic "Friday Night Lights" (about Odessa, TX Permian HS), but "One Great Game" isn't quite as emotional.

FNL was a great read. I just may pick up OGG for a break from soccer.

[soccernutter]

Originally posted by BlueMeanie

Lots of background info about both schools, and not just the football programs. I remember when I watched this game, I figured Poly was just some urban thug school. From this book, I found out it's a wonderfully diverse school with an incredible focus on academics, leadership and extracurriculars.


Long Beach Polytechnic is the actual name. The thug school is Long Beach Wilson

Poly is very good in alot of sports. Traditionally they have a fantastic women's track team.

[BlueMeanie]

Originally posted by soccernutter
Long Beach Polytechnic is the actual name. The thug school is Long Beach Wilson
I assume Poly is short for Polytechnic. I watched DLS play them twice on TV, read the book, and the word "Polytechnic" is never used.

I also assumed they were a thug school out of ignorance, that's all. Poly had a really cocky swagger, and got taunting penalties early in the game. Didn't show a lot of discipline, at least not as much as DLS. But Poly settled down as they started getting punked.

You'd think any school with 4,600 kids 9-12 should be good at sports, given the choice of athletes (add the fact that even though it's public, people apply to go to Poly). I'm always amazed that the biggest HS around here, SJ Independence (about 5K), traditionally sucks at most sports.

[Stilger]

Funny, I went to that game. I remember them talking about there being a guy there who was going to write a book about it, but after watching Poly get pounded I wasn't sure he would bother.

Several of the Poly kids from that game just won a national championship with USC by the way. That was also the year they played Edison, my school, in the division finals.

[BlueMeanie]

Originally posted by Stilger
Funny, I went to that game. I remember them talking about there being a guy there who was going to write a book about it, but after watching Poly get pounded I wasn't sure he would bother.
Especially since he's a Poly grad...but, yeah, in the book he mentions being on the sideline standing near Mark Carrier, who was there to see his alma mater play.
Several of the Poly kids from that game just won a national championship with USC by the way.
Here's what the book has in the epilogue:

From Poly: OL Winston Justice, DB Darnell Bing, RB Hershel Dennis and DL Manuel Wright signed with USC (Bing didn't make the SAT cutoff, though, and had to wait a year; he's at USC now). TE Marcedes Lewis chose UCLA. They also sent scholarship players to Idaho State (two), Adams State (two) and New Mexico State, for a total of ten who received D-1 scholarships. In addition to the four guys who wound up at USC, a few other Poly alumni were already playing there.

From DLS: DL/OL Derek Landri went to Notre Dame, QB Matt Guiterrez went to Michigan (and could be the starter next year as a junior), and they also sent scholarhip athletes to Montana State, St. Mary's (in Northern California), and Cal-Berkeley.

Has nothing to do with the book, because he graduated a year before the first DLS-Poly game, but Miami OLB DJ Williams, who was a star FB at DLS, should be a high first-round pick in the upcoming draft. I hope the Niners take a look at him if he's available, because they need more/better depth at weakside linebacker.
That was also the year they played Edison, my school, in the division finals.
Cool, did you play? FWiW, there are no pictures in the book, but one of the pictures on the back is of the Poly team celebrating after that game, and you can see the scoreboard in the background (42-28, right?).

[Stilger]

Originally posted by BlueMeanie

Cool, did you play? FWiW, there are no pictures in the book, but one of the pictures on the back is of the Poly team celebrating after that game, and you can see the scoreboard in the background (42-28, right?).

No, I didn't play in that game. I went to Edison from 91 to 95 and we had a combined record of 29-16 my four miserable years there. It seems we had good teams before I got there, and after.

Originally posted by BlueMeanie

FWiW, there are no pictures in the book, but one of the pictures on the back is of the Poly team celebrating after that game, and you can see the scoreboard in the background (42-28, right?).

Yeah that was the score. We were ahead until late in the fourth quarter but they had been winning handedly in the trenches all night, by the fourth quarter we were just worn down and that's when the flood gates opened. FYI, 6 Edison players on that team went on and got Div 1 scholarships.