By Cody Pastorella
Football and Friday nights is just a way of life in Texas. It’s a life that has been depicted on the big screen and in a television series. It is a culture that Port Neches-Groves first-year head football coach Brandon Faircloth has seen first hand from Dallas to Austin to Odessa.
Let there be no doubt the Indian chief has seen his share of big games and rivalry matchups. And, hours before he experiences the football version of Mid County Madness, he is convinced that the rivalry between Nederland and PN-G is one of the best in the state.
The latest meeting, pitting the struggling, wounded 1-3 and 0-1 in District 20-4A Bulldogs against the turnover thriving, unbeaten Indians will kick off at 7:30 p.m. for the 86th time.
Dating back to 1925, Mid-County Madness is the longest-running football matchup in Southeast Texas. PN-G holds the series edge with a 47-31 record against the Bulldogs, who have won four of the last five.
“Madness, there is no doubt about that,” Faircloth explained. “Seeing all the people lined up to buy tickets for the game when I drove up to the school early Monday morning — it doesn’t take a genius to see what this game means to the communities and the schools. It’s exciting just to be apart of it and to experience it.”
On Sept. 15, while taking in the PN-G—Nederland volleyball matchup, the Indian boss got his first taste of what to expect this week.
“That was exciting. The gym was packed. People yelling. Students going crazy. The energy of the players and the fans, it’s obvious this rivalry is not just about football,” Faircloth stated. “It doesn’t matter what sport, when it’s PN-G and Nederland, it’s obvious that it’s not just another game.”
But for the coaches it has to be just another game.
Larry Neumann has been apart of Mid-County Madness for 17 years as Nederland’s head coach. He said the games come and go so fast it’s impossible to dwell on them, whether win or lose, because there is always the next opponent.
“But it’s easy to get caught up in it,” explained Neumann, who is 11-5 all-time against the Tribe since taking over as the Bulldogs’ leader in 1993.
“The passion and the fervor, this game has a heart beat of its own. The smallest things like a first down or a five-yard penalty can create all kinds of momentum. You know, things that usually don’t mean very much. And that just magnifies the big plays to a higher level. The key is to stay emotionally balanced in preparation and during the game. You have to let the swings in the game take care of themselves.”
Faircloth agreed, saying it was important to keep the contest in perspective.
“This is exciting. I’m thankful to be apart of it but we have to remember we still have another half-a-season to play. This is the most important game this week but next week’s game will be the most important game too. Win or lose, we cannot let this game decide the rest of our season. We plan to win district and to go deep into the playoffs.”
But Faircloth admitted that while that is the approach, he realizes Mid-County Madness cannot be passed over as a cliche.
He said rivalries do mean more to everyone involved and it’s great for the communities.
“It’s exciting because it doesn’t matter what the circumstances are for either team. Records, which team has the momentum going into the game — none of that matters,” said Faircloth, who added that the rivalry between Odessa Permian, where he served as offensive coordinator, and Odessa High has the closest feel to what he is experiencing this week.
He said attendance for those games usually run close to 28,000.
“But this has the same feel to it,” he said. “There may be less people at this game but the passion and intensity and all the build up — that’s all equal. The Odessa teams are from the same city, which is a lot like it is here. You know, neighborhoods run into one another here so the guy down the street may go to Nederland while you go to Port Neches. The cities are so close, it makes it more emotional. The most important thing, though, is just to have fun with it.”
Faircloth also mentioned his playing days at Brownwood High School whose closest rival is Stephenville, which PN-G fans will always remember for beating their Indians in the 1999 state championship game.
“That is a good rivalry (Brownwood and Stephenville). It was voted in the top-100 things to do in the Texas Monthly magazine a while back and I’d say this game is bigger,” Faircloth explained.
In his cases with Highland Park in Dallas and Austin Westlake, he said those teams did not have any real rivalry games. He said none of the competing towns had good enough teams to match the programs that HP and Westlake have.
As far as the outcome against Nederland, Faircloth admitted beating the Dogs on his first try would feel pretty good; but mostly because it would make his Indians 2-0 in league play and that much closer to the playoffs.
Faircloth understands that nature of this contest, but it may take 17 years before he can reflect what meant most to him in his first Mid-County Madness experience, just as Neumann did on Wednesday afternoon.
Like a scrapbook of photographs, Neumann said his memories of this great rivalry are scattered into an assortment of images.
“I have a horrible memory,” he said. “When someone brings up a particular year and game, I can sometimes recall it, but I can’t really recollect each game (with PN-G) from 17 years,” said Neumann, who enjoyed a 28-14 victory over the Tribe in 1993, his first matchup against PN-G as the Bulldogs coach.
Trying to recall some of his more fonder memories of that game, Neumann failed to remember that his Dogs scored 20 points against the Indians in the second half of that first meeting, thanks to 172 passing yards and two touchdowns from his current receiver’s coach Bryan Spell. Spell connected with former Major League Baseball pitcher Eric Cammack for the clinching and final score of the game.
Neumann started 3-0 against the Indians before losing a 17-14 decision to Matt Burnett in 1996.
“I remember winning that first game,” he said. “I don’t remember the score. I don’t remember the big plays but I remember being elated that we won, and I remember looking over at the track and seeing my family. They were crying tears of joy. I remember that vividly.”
