It's that time of year. Tonight. From now on, it's do or die, win or go home. I want to wish all the Mountain teams luck tonight, make those of waiting proud. As is tradition, here's the speech that makes us all tear up. Swain coach Rod White before the Maroon Devils were to host the 2004 Western Final:
The players sit on the wooden benches in front of their lockers. The assistant coaches line the wall and the staircase in front of the door. Rod White enters the locker room.
"It's Friday," he says, pacing. "It's supposed to rain a little bit. That's the way it is in the mountains. (There are) a lot of things the way they are in the mountains. One of them is, you're mountain, and they're not. That don't mean a hill of beans unless you teach them a little bit about mountain football. It's a little different. A lot of people don't believe that. But I do, and you do. You grow up mountain, you talk mountain, you eat mountain, you fight mountain, and you play mountain. That makes you a different breed of cat."
"The thief is here. He's after your dream. He wants your dream. He's right out there waiting for you. He's going to try to knock you out and take what we think is ours. Will you let him? You going to let him in your house and take what you think is yours? You going to let him try to abuse your family?"
He continues his speech, then concludes it a couple of minutes later.
"You fight them until there ain't nothing left," he says. "Take them out early and often, Dusty, early and often. Do not get frustrated. If something good happens for them, what are we going to do? We're sucking it up, and we're right back down their throats. Is that clear?
"Preacher, do your thing."
The players form a circle around Rev. Earl King Sr., who leads them in the Lord's Prayer. They line up in front of the door when it ends and repeat their ritual as they head toward the field.
"Refuse to lose," Rod White screams. "Get stubborn."
The players sit on the wooden benches in front of their lockers. The assistant coaches line the wall and the staircase in front of the door. Rod White enters the locker room.
"It's Friday," he says, pacing. "It's supposed to rain a little bit. That's the way it is in the mountains. (There are) a lot of things the way they are in the mountains. One of them is, you're mountain, and they're not. That don't mean a hill of beans unless you teach them a little bit about mountain football. It's a little different. A lot of people don't believe that. But I do, and you do. You grow up mountain, you talk mountain, you eat mountain, you fight mountain, and you play mountain. That makes you a different breed of cat."
"The thief is here. He's after your dream. He wants your dream. He's right out there waiting for you. He's going to try to knock you out and take what we think is ours. Will you let him? You going to let him in your house and take what you think is yours? You going to let him try to abuse your family?"
He continues his speech, then concludes it a couple of minutes later.
"You fight them until there ain't nothing left," he says. "Take them out early and often, Dusty, early and often. Do not get frustrated. If something good happens for them, what are we going to do? We're sucking it up, and we're right back down their throats. Is that clear?
"Preacher, do your thing."
The players form a circle around Rev. Earl King Sr., who leads them in the Lord's Prayer. They line up in front of the door when it ends and repeat their ritual as they head toward the field.
"Refuse to lose," Rod White screams. "Get stubborn."
