Visiting with an Old Friend and a Freshman Football Game

Thursday, August 24, 2017:

Sometimes I get so absorbed in a conversation with a good friend that I have not seen in some time that I forget to have someone take our photo.

Today was on of those days as I met fellow teacher and coach from our days together at Thousand Oaks H.S. starting in 1970.

Jim O'Brien is that man. We met for lunch at the Cronies Sports Grill location in Newbury Park and proceeded to solve most of America's political and high school sports issues in just under two hours.

It was impressive!

It was really good to touch base with Jim, always a voice of reason in a chaotic world.

In the afternoon, it was time to officially start the Ventura County high school football season with a traditional Thursday afternoon Freshman game.

The Pacific View League's

Pacifica Tritons

at

The Camino League's

Newbury Park Panthers

Yes, it was indeed another BEAUTIFUL

day for American football!

I left at halftime with the Panthers leading 21-7.

Two of my favorite Ventura County

Head Varsity Football Coaches

Newbury Park's Jason Klein on the left and Pacifica's Mike Moon on the right.

I was fortunate enough to be a member of the coaching staff at Newbury Park for three years and gained a lot of respect for Jason.

Mike and I coached together at Rio Mesa H.S. for eight seasons and, again, he is someone whose hard work and dedication make me proud to call him a friend.

As I walked through Newbury Park's locker room I could not help but notice that each Varsity Panther has . . .

. . . TWO helmets

Two GOOD looking helmets

The University of Oregon would be jealous.

One more day until the start of the Varsity football season, YAHOO!