Leave it the Louisville Courier-Journal to leave me with a silent scream on my face.
I have a newspaper archive account. I used it tonight to look up a line score from a high school football game played 30 years ago come this October 2nd in the October 3rd edition of The Courier-Journal.
There was a time (a long time ago) when I was in exile from North Harrison. 1993 was one of those years. Fortunately, I did find a football team that wanted my coaching assistance. Unfortunately, it was the Corydon Central Panthers. I didn’t care then. I just knew I needed to be helping out punters and kickers, not to mention I was the sole JV coach for two years and we had a blast.
The 1992 game Corydon Central played against North Harrison was a classic memory for me. The score was tied 0-0 at the half. North had the ball early in the third quarter. Billy Powell intercepted a pass for the Panthers and took it to the house. 6-0 Corydon Central. Our sideline erupted like no other high school sideline ever did. I was on the ground turning circles like Curly of The Three Stooges. Players were rolling around on the field. It was mayhem! Not that goofy guy on those stupid insurance commercials. This was real.
The ref saw enough. He threw a flag on the bench for holding up the game under the aegis of “unsportsmanlike conduct” and there was no way I could be happier! That meant our kicker was going to put up an extra-point from 35 yards away and not 20 as is the custom. My kicker nailed it with PLENTY of room to spare. I think I was on the ground again. Corydon Central won 21-0 and that was the first shutout in The Big Cat Classic since the 1985 North Harrison team won 23-0. I kicked a field goal in that game for North Harrison.
Jason Becker was the kicker for Corydon Central that night. The next season in a game at West Washington, Jason kicked a 47 yard field goal that was clearing the uprights when it went through. It was amazing. I can still see that kick more clearly in my mind than any ball I ever put through under the Friday Night Lights. I only wish he had the chance to connect on more.
The Courier-Journal had the kick 34 yards in its box score. I went to the Bedford Times-Mail and found the correct distance. It was as I remembered it. I saw it happen. I still see it today.
When you coach, players come in and out of your life. Some years ago I ran into Jason Becker. We laughed and relived some of the old stories. Vowed we would get together. You know how that goes.
I was taken aback a couple weeks ago when I was running down the obituary column of The Courier-Journal. Jason Becker passed away suddenly on January 16, 2023. He was 46.
On Saturday, January 21, Carrie and I went to the funeral home in Corydon to pay our respects. On the way to the funeral home I was talking to Carrie about how Jason and I practiced. I was still a young man and I led by example. “Match that!” That is what I would exclaim when we were swinging our legs together. I told Carrie about the long snapper, Virgil Smith. He was harder on himself than I ever was. Couldn’t tell you the last time I saw Virgil.
Back then those guys called me Coach Moody. My affinity for The Moody Blues was not lost on them. I didn’t ask for it. But Buck Hauswald, during warm-ups, often yelled out “Moody Bluedy!” Buck is gone too. Lord he was a great guy.
When I signed the guest book at the funeral home, I saw the signature of Virgil Smith. I couldn’t help but smile.
It wasn’t always easy, but we sure had fun. I have memories with these boys I would never trade for anything if we could go back.
Have I told you I am a blessed guy? I am.
Speaking the rights.
Danny Johnson