Lone Star Gridiron

Stephanie Nalls and Chris Doelle give you the rundown of all the events happening in the Crossroads this week.

Chris and Stephanie encourage everyone to go out and support the sponsors and local events mentioned.

Theme music is Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com

Coaches, Booster Clubs - want your own coaches show that works as a fundraiser for your program? CLICK HERE

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Show Notes:

Manuel Flores and Randy Lynch look back at some of the memorable teams, athletes, and coaches who helped shape South Texas sports history. The conversation revisits Kingsville's 1958 football team, Texas A&I's 1959 national championship season, Ingleside's standout football players, and the careers of James Isaac and Doug Harvey. They also honor Premont's Daniel Guerra and his remarkable five consecutive Class 2A state cross-country championships. Throughout the episode, the importance of preserving these stories and the legacy of the people who made South Texas sports history is emphasized.

Key topics include:

• Kingsville's 1958 football team and its run to the state finals

• San Antonio Breckenridge and standout Linus Bear

• Texas A&I's 1959 national championship and the 1960 season

• Butch Presley's career from Texas A&I to professional football in Canada

• Ingleside football and players who helped build its tradition

• Manuel Flores recalls competing against Butch Riley

• James Isaac's football and basketball career at Kingsville and New Mexico State

• Doug Harvey's career as an athlete, coach, principal, and official

• Daniel Guerra's five consecutive Class 2A state cross-country titles

• The importance of preserving South Texas sports memories and local legends

Host Biographies

• Manuel Flores: A South Texas native born and raised in Hebbronville. He is a former sports writer for the San Antonio Express, Dallas Morning News, and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. He has also hosted sports radio shows and provided play-by-play for high school games.

• Randy Lynch: Former alumni director at Texas A&I in the 1970s and a former color commentator for the "Andy and Randy show" alongside Andy Cook.

The hosts are eager to hear your stories! If you have a memory of a specific player or team you'd like them to cover, email Manuel Flores at [email protected].

Producer: Chris Doelle, Lone Star Podcast Network.

SHOW NOTES: Longview High School head coach John King and 47-year assistant Oscar Wilson sit down to talk about the culture behind the Longview Lobos, the Hall of Honor and Tom Landry Award, and how the program never missed a step while King fought tongue cancer. A conversation about faith, family, accountability, and why the team always outranks any individual.

TOPICS COVERED

Awards and honors • King was inducted into the Hall of Honor; Wilson received the Tom Landry Award. • Wilson grew up a Cowboys fan and says what he remembers most about Landry is that he loved all people and made a difference. • King sees the award as a reflection of Lobo football and the people around him, players like Trent Wilson... like Trent Williams included. He frames his career as carrying the torch and leaving the program better than he found it.

The cancer fight and the handoff • King told Wilson his plan in plain terms: "I'm gonna take care of me. And it's not about me, it's about the team. The team is first." • Wilson ran the football side while coordinators Tim Sanders and John Berry handled offense and defense; the transition was smooth, and the program kept rolling. • King never truly left, watching from the press box and staying in contact with the program throughout treatment.

Culture and accountability • The staff creed is "know your job, do your job," with 7:30 a.m. meetings and daily roll check at the Lobo Den. • "There's no big Is, no little Us." Every kid matters, starter or backup, because the next man up must be ready. • "We don't live on luck. We live on accountability, responsibility." • Culture is built by rolling up sleeves and backing talk with action, not by slogans on the walls; winning is the last part of the process.

Building belief • King arrived in 2000 after three straight missed playoff years (3-7); the 2001 team flipped the culture, went 7-5, and Longview has not missed the playoffs since. • Keeping culture is harder than building it; complacency is the enemy, and King says his standards on accountability never changed. • Faith anchors the program: Wilson lives by Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Leadership and trust • King deliberately delegates bus and travel requests, equipment ordering, and player data so coaches learn the job; 25-30 former players have come back to join the staff. • Trust comes from hiring well and putting people in the right spots; no "cancers" in the program, and disagreements stay in the meeting room.

Lessons and legacy • "You never know how important something is till you ain't got it no more." Getting out of bed each day was about being around the kids; his motivations were watching his son play at Georgia Tech and walking his daughter down the aisle. • Wilson wants Longview remembered as a place that put people first: "You make good people, you have a good football team." • King hopes Lobo Nation still packs the stands 40 years from now.

Host: Chris Doelle

Links & Resources • THSCA Heat Toolkit/Playbook: Available on the THSCA website under the Health and Safety tab (developed in partnership with Dell Children's and UIL)

Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA): www.thsca.com

Texas High School Coaches Association

Twitter:

• @THSCAcoaches
• @ChrisDoelle

Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on the show. Contact Chris Doelle at (713) 269-4620 or email at [email protected].

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AI Assembled is a cutting-edge podcast where AI takes center stage. Hosted by Chris Doelle, the show features content sourced by ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Deep Seek, Manus, and others and expertly crafted into engaging discussions through Genspark. Each episode dives into the latest developments in artificial intelligence, blending human insight with the power of machine-generated storytelling. Tune in to explore how AI is reshaping industries, all with the help of innovative AI tools working behind the scenes.

What's inside: • Anthropic's CEO says the industry must slow the pace of frontier AI — and OpenAI's chief agrees to open its doors to outside evaluators • The sharpest new models now check IDs before they check budgets: how Mythos, Flash Cyber, and Astra's advanced tier are gated • Independent rankings put Astra at the top of the raw-intelligence table as the labs trade "world's smartest" claims • Anthropic's threat report shows AI erasing the skill gap between elite hacking crews and opportunists — with your API keys in the crosshairs • What this week's pacing-and-gating shift means for your fall AI budget

Key source links:

• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/12/we-must-slow-the-pace-ceo-of-anthropic-calls-for-an-ai-slowdown
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/technology/anthropic-dario-amodei-ai-slowdown.html
• https://tech-insider.org/openai-astra-anthropic-mythos-access-restrictions-2026/
• https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/3-8-flash-and-3-8-flash-cyber/
• https://artificialanalysis.ai/models/releases/gpt-6-astra
• https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/openai-debuts-gpt-6-astra-security-measures-rcna595940
• https://www.anthropic.com/threat-intelligence-report-september-2026

Contact & Subscribe Spotify, iTunes Chris Doelle - X:@chrisdoelle, Facebook (Chris Doelle), LinkedIn (Chris Doelle) AI Consultant • Podcaster • Author • Speaker

SHOW NOTES: Ty sits down with Coach Ed Trochim, longtime baseball and softball coach and current director of facilities at Waco ISD, for a wide ranging conversation about baseball, coaching, and the life lessons that come with both. They cover Trochim's career path from Washington to Texas, the changes he's seen in the game, and why patience, listening, and passion still matter most.

In this episode:

• Coach Ed Trochim's 37-year coaching journey • The athletes and family who shaped his life • His path from Washington to Texas and college baseball • Memorable players and the lasting impact of coaching • Why heart, toughness, and adversity matter more than numbers • The incredible 24-inning softball battle with Jasmine Gindorf • Old-school baseball knowledge vs. today's technology • The Oklahoma ejection and standing up for his team • How baseball lessons translate into life • Trochim's advice for young coaches: be patient, listen, and love the game

Connect with Ty Gipson:

• Find more stories, resources, and ways to connect at tygipson.com (Gipson with a "p").
• Ty Gipson is an entrepreneur, relentless survivor, and powerhouse speaker.
• He transforms adversity into action and ignites audiences with real-world resilience and over 30 years of sales mastery.
• To book Ty Gipson as a speaker, call 512-944-4780 or visit tygipson.com.
• Remember, "your story isn't over yet. If you live like you have no options, I'll see you next time".

To book Ty Gipson as your next inspiring keynote speaker, click here!

Coaches, Booster Clubs - want your own coaches show that works as a fundraiser for your program? CLICK HERE

In this episode of The MISD Athletics Show, host Chris Doelle interviews Tiffany Ortiz, Executive Director of the Montgomery ISD Education Foundation. Tiffany discusses the history, mission, and growth of the Foundation, which was created in 2014 to bridge funding gaps and enrich educational opportunities across Montgomery ISD. She shares details on the Foundation's $145,000 grant cycle, its three signature annual fundraising events, and the community traditions surrounding the MoTown Showdown rivalry week.

Key Topics & Timestamps

[00:00] – Mission & History of the Foundation • Executive Director Tiffany Ortiz has served in her role since 2021, building on the non-profit's inception in 2014 by community servant leaders. • The Foundation was established following state legislation to fill funding gaps and provide innovative classroom resources that state funding does not cover. • While traditional booster clubs focus on specific athletic programs, the Education Foundation supports the entire student body across all campuses and disciplines.

[02:15] – Classroom Grants & The "Grant Express" • The Foundation is awarding $145,000 to Montgomery ISD educators this school year, continuing a steady trajectory from $100,000 two years ago and $125,000 last year. • Grant applications are currently open for all Montgomery ISD teachers through early December at https://montgomeryisdef.org/. • In January 2027, board members will ride a school bus for the Grant Express, visiting every campus in the district to surprise teachers with oversized grant checks.

[04:30] – Three Signature Annual Fundraisers • Victory Breakfast: Takes place Monday, September 14th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, featuring a "State of the District" address by Superintendent Dr. Ruffin and catering from Barbecue. Co-chaired by Angela Storseth-Cooper, and Sarah Ray, the event debuts a new MISD Coaches Panel moderated by Athletic Director Brad LaPlante. • Annual Golf Tournament: Hosted each October at April Sound Country Club, bringing together 40 community teams. • Annual Soirée: The Foundation's largest event, set for Saturday, February 20, 2027, at the Margaritaville Conference Center for 600 attendees. Features live and silent auctions, including last year's MoTown Showdown coin toss auction that raised $17,000.

[07:15] – MoTown Showdown Rivalry Week Initiatives • Over 10,000 spectators are expected on Friday, September 18th as the 3–0 Montgomery Bears take on the 3–0 Lake Creek Lions. • PB&J Drive: Students from both high schools unite during rivalry week to collect peanut butter and jelly for the Montgomery County Food Bank. • Chick-fil-A Partnership: Local drive-thrus donate a portion of sales during rivalry week when customers mention "Go Bears" or "Go Lions". • Custom Spirit Merchandise: Partnering with local vendor Team Spirit, Inc. to offer customized 3D UV decals, cowbells, clear bags, nail decals, and tumblers on both sides of the stadium.

[10:30] – Community Unity & Getting Involved • Tiffany reflects on being a Montgomery High alumnus whose children will attend Lake Creek, highlighting the district's unified spirit across both feeder patterns. • Community members and local businesses can visit https://montgomeryisdef.org/ to apply for grants, register golf teams, join subcommittees, or make donations.

Notable Quotes "While booster clubs focus on athletics primarily, the Education Foundation as a whole, we focus on the entire student." — Tiffany Ortiz "Our board is extremely motivated and they take our tagline, 'Fueling Extraordinary Education,' extremely serious this year. We're making waves and getting ready to write $145,000 worth of big checks." — Tiffany Ortiz "One thing about Montgomery and Montgomery ISD that's truly special is that it brings everyone together." — Tiffany Ortiz

Resources & Links Mentioned • Official Website: https://montgomeryisdef.org/

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Hosts: Mike Forman and Chris Doelle

CORE PREMISE

Doelle and Forman preview a loaded Week 3 of Texas Gulf Coast high school football, from five Thursday night games to a Friday slate of marquee matchups. With roster numbers down across the region and the heat finally starting to break, they argue this is the week teams stop hiding and show what they really are.

WEEK 2 REVIEW

• Ganado beat Boling and impressed, jumping out 14-0; running back Logan Bures starred on both sides, including a strip-and-recover tackle on a would-be touchdown.

• Yoakum wore down Industrial and pulled away late in a close game.

• Tidehaven dropped to 0-2 in a narrow loss to Goliad but made a late run, a good sign for a young team.

• East Bernard blanked Edna 27-0 and look like the best team in their classification in the region.

• Victoria West pulled away from Victoria East after a closer-than-expected rivalry game.

BIGGER-PICTURE STORYLINES

• Roster numbers are down across the area: Wharton no longer fields a JV team, and Yoakum has one JV team and no freshman team; staying healthy is the key issue for small schools.

• The morning heat is easing, from low 90s to mid 80s as the season settles in.

• Week 3 is "real football": week one and week two scores tell you little, but by week three teams know their personnel and pre-snap mistakes should be cleaned up.

WEEK 3 PREVIEW - THURSDAY

• Five Thursday night games this week, a schedule shift likely driven by an officials shortage.

• Victoria West hosts Flour Bluff; Victoria East is home Thursday and opens district Friday against Friendswood, which has outscored opponents 106-27.

• Bay City travels to Houston; Rice meets Schulenburg; Carroll looks to bounce back from two straight losses; Beeville has an open date.

WEEK 3 PREVIEW - FRIDAY

• Ganado vs East Bernard: a major cross-region test; Ganado's coaching staff calls East Bernard the best team in their region's classification, and Ganado's state-championship year included a loss that may have been to the Brahmas.

• Goliad at Refugio: Goliad's size and depth should be too much, making it "Goliad's game to lose."

• Lavaca River Showdown: Edna vs Industrial, just 12 miles apart; Edna has owned the series of late, including a blowout last year after an overtime game the year before.

• El Campo at Yoakum: El Campo is 2-0 but untested after beating Gonzales, which was missing its quarterback; the staff wants a real test before district.

• Shiner at Poth: Shiner's toughest test before district play, on the road against a larger school.

• Rockport-Fulton at Calhoun: Rockport has one of its best teams in years, while Calhoun bounced back with a blowout after a close loss to Victoria West.

• Bloomington at Yorktown: with Ganado and Shiner solid near the top of a tough district, Bloomington is chasing the fourth playoff spot.

• Hallettsville at Boling: Boling is better than its 1-1 record, with a solid line both ways and good backs.

• Gregory-Portland at Calallen: first responders and military personnel night on the 25th anniversary of 9-11.

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Description: In this episode of Amplify: Conversations that Echo Beyond the Mic, Dominic and Sunshine sit down with a visionary social entrepreneur who's turning purpose into action. From launching mission-driven ventures to addressing real community needs, we explore what it takes to lead with heart and strategy. Listen in as we unpack the highs, the hurdles, and the human side of building something that truly makes a difference. Whether you're dreaming of launching your own initiative or looking to scale your impact, this conversation offers practical insight and deep inspiration. Featured Topics: – What social entrepreneurship really looks like on the ground – Balancing business models with community missions – Overcoming doubt, burnout, and broken systems – Why community feedback is your most powerful tool

Marc Henry gives you all the scoop - everything you need to know about Houston area high school football.

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