Reprint from the Vidor Shopper 2/10/2010
David Ball
Since the Crosby Cougars canceled an upcoming football game this fall with the Vidor Pirates, an Internet forum with a cross section of Southeast sports – www.setxsports.com – has been buzzing with rumors.
One of those rumors – The elephant in the room – is some on the Crosby ISD school board didn’t want to travel to Vidor because of SAFETY concerns for their players and perceived racism in Vidor.
Michael Joseph, superintendent of schools for Crosby ISD wrote via e-mail the decision to cancel the game was made solely by the superintendent of schools. Crosby board member, administrators and community members did not know Crosby was considering playing Vidor.
“I canceled the game because of the distance and cost involved in the teams playing each other. On December 12, 2009, our community passed a Tax Ratification Election. In the weeks leading up to it at several community meetings, I promised to make the best use of taxpayer money”.
“While we have traveled to Waco the last two years, we will not be going there next year. We do go to PN-G once every two years. Everyone in Texas knows of the great tradition there and it is good for our fans to see the great support and atmosphere that is at PN-G. We want to be like them." Joseph wrote. Joseph added their district is looking at saving money and using tax payer money efficiently in everything they do. “That is the reality of property-poor public school districts in Texas today,” he wrote.
Dr. Joe Burns, superintendent of Vidor ISD, said the decision to cancel the game was Crosby’s to make, not Vidor. “They just won’t get a chance to find out there’s a lot of good people in Vidor and a chance to see our rich tradition and heritage,” he said. “We’re going to move on, our kids are the best. The very best.” Burns said he hasn’t heard from Joseph before or after the cancellation. He added he has to take Joseph’s word the reasons were financial.
Vidor ISD is currently working on replacing Crosby with Texas High of Texarkana and Kirbyville on the schedule. “This will be a better situation. The (Vidor) kids will be tested early. If there’s an issue with Vidor, I would ask for them to call and say so with their concerns,” Burns said. “I wish Crosby the best in their endeavors and I’m sorry about this.”
Vidor head coach and athletic director Jeff Mathews said he could not comment on the game cancellation but he did say he set out to do two things when he was hired as head coach: no one would love the kids more than he and to do everything in his power to change the way people who live outside of Vidor looks at Vidor. “People won’t let Vidor out of this stigma,” Mathews said. “I don’t have a racist kid on my team. I’ll put our kids against any in the area and I promise you none of them are less racist than ours. I really believe that. It’s time people outside of Vidor start letting that go.”
