I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret. Over on that other board, they offer "pick 'em" threads, where every game in which every Southeast Texas team plays is listed and each poster can go down the list and predict the winner. After the game's are over, the votes are tallied and each poster is given an updated average so that a winner can be announced at the end of the season. For the first five weeks of this season, I participated in this process, but stopped after our loss to Nederland because I refused to predict against the Indians but wasn't sure if we would start winning. After our next three wins, I revisited the issue, but decided not to start predicting again because of superstition.
Since I stopped predicting, the Indians have established a seven game win streak and have advanced to the regional semifinal. Who would've thought that a team that lost four of its first five games would have come this far and beaten some of the teams it has? Maybe there's a reason that Cherokee begins with the words "always be faithful."
I've known a lot of the guys on this team for a while now - some as long as I can remember. I think that most, if not all, of us have vague memories of PN-G's last state championship appearance - I know I have some and deeply cherish them.
Like any other dedicated fan and soon-to-be alumnus, I will always be proud of my home community, school, and team, regardless of what happens. Whether we make it to state or don't even make the playoffs, I will root for and believe in the Indians year in and year out regardless of whether I'm still in Southeast Texas. But with that said, I have a strong gut feeling that there's something special about this team. Maybe it's because I've grown up with some of the players, maybe it's because it's my senior year and I'm a little hopeful, maybe it's because I've watched this school do some pretty amazing things over the last three and a half years, but I can't help but believe that if there was ever a team out there that, with a little luck and divine assistance, could do the unexpected, the unbelievable, or the downright impossible, it's the 2010 Port Neches-Groves Indians. So in other words...
I believe.
Scalp 'em, Indians. I look forward to playing Cherokee in Arlington this December.