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rocketnation

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Gold Member
Aug 12, 2017
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Still over 4 months until the Week 1, so let's try and learn some more about our posters. Here are some questions about our backgrounds and football experience.

1) Did you ever play football. If so, at what level?
2) Do you have children or relatives that played? If so, at what level?
3) When do you remember attending your first high school game?
4) Was your 1st game you went to with your current favorite team?
5) How long have you been a fan of your current team?
6) What has been your team's greatest victory?
7) What has been your team's worst defeat?
8) Who was an opposing player you dreaded your team playing against?
9) Who is your favorite all time player from the team you follow?
10) Have you ever been in a confrontation with a rival fan?
11) What was your favorite road trip you went on for an away game?
12) Have you ever won a raffle or 50-50 drawing at a game?
13) Have you ever coached at any level?

Here are my answers:
1) I played one year in high school, managing to be both small and slow. The one thing I could do was catch the ball, but we ran 90% of the time. I got tired of being flattened by LB's while trying to crackback block them and "retired" at the end of the season.

2) My son played 4 years of JFL and 1 year at Rochester. He got to dress for the 2017 championship game against Morris and has a ring. My nephew played at Lanphier for 4 years. He started at OL as a Junior and OL-LB as a Senior. My grandfather played OL at Indiana University during the Depression until a knee injury ended his career.

3) I think it was about the 4th grade that I went with a friend to an away Chatham game against Mount Zion. I watched about half of the game and fooled around the rest of the time.

4) No. Rochester did not even have a team when I was a kid.

5) We moved into the Rochester district in 2003. I started following the team in 2009, when my wife was working with a mom of one of the star players. Went to my first game in 2010. Have only missed a handful of games since 2012.

6) 2014 4a championship game against Chicago Phillips. Rochester had 2 losses that season, including being running clocked by SHG in Week 9 and was dealing with multiple injuries. Phillips had given up only 50 some points all season but surrendered 49 in the championship.

7) 2022 4a semi-final loss to SHG. A 28-0 dream start followed by SHG outscoring the Rockets 56-14 the rest of the game.

8) Tremayne Lee, SHG. He was a threat to score any time he had the ball, regardless of field position.

9) Jacob Gunter, LB-FB Rochester. The last of the three Gunter brothers, who won a total of 7 rings between them. No one ever got more out of their size and talent then Jacob who was maybe 5'7" and 160 pounds.

10) Not really, although I was told once "F Rochester" by a disgruntled Chatham fan leaving the stadium after a touted Titans team lost at home 28-7 to the Rockets. I was actually treated really well by several Althoff fans during the back-and-forth 2015 Quarterfinal game. Because of the layout, Rocket and Althoff fans were mixed in throughout the stadium.

11) 2014 semi-final at Herrin. A 3 hour ride where the hometown fans were all seated an hour before kickoff. We had to park at a church about 1/2 mile away from the stadium before walking in.

12) I have won 2 50-50's, both at home games against Springfield. 1 was worth about $350, the other a little more than $500.

13) I helped a bit when my son was in JFL during practices and keeping track of substitutions during games but that was the extent of it.
 
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1) Did you ever play football. If so, at what level?

Played soph through senior year of HS. Two years at Holy Cross, final year at Guerin.

2) Do you have children or relatives that played? If so, at what level?

I have a cousin that played at Carmel Catholic about 6 years after I played. Another cousin played as a freshmen at Plainfield South, but quit after that.

3) When do you remember attending your first high school game?

2000 - HC @ St. Viator - the game, the kick, the win for the Crusaders

4) Was your 1st game you went to with your current favorite team?

I don't have a current favorite team. I love the small schools, but have fallen off, but I root for MC, JCA, PC, LA, etc...i like most private schools but some I still dislike or will root against

5) How long have you been a fan of your current team?

Been wandering since Guerin closed as a free agent

6) What has been your team's greatest victory?

I think it would have to have been Holy Cross' win at Jerseyville in the 2000 playoffs. Long, long trip and I don't think they were expected to win, but came home with the W!

7) What has been your team's worst defeat?

I was on staff for Guerin's 81-7 loss to Marian Central Catholic 🤬

8) Who was an opposing player you dreaded your team playing against?

I didn't play much so I can't say, whomever was the JCA Soph FB in 2002 kicked the crap out of me the entire game so I'd say that guy

9) Who is your favorite all time player from the team you follow?

I'd probably say Garrett Wolfe since he made it to the NFL. He really helped put HC on the map.

10) Have you ever been in a confrontation with a rival fan?

Nah

11) What was your favorite road trip you went on for an away game?

I went to Gately with some very nice gentleman from Edgys forever ago at this point. Best guys on this site

12) Have you ever won a raffle or 50-50 drawing at a game?

Nope


13) Have you ever coached at any level?

I coached two seasons of football. Spent on season as a JV Elementary School HC for St. Francis Borgia. The year after that I got a job as the HC/OC at Guerin for their JV team. I resigned after Glen Kozlowski was brought on. Didn't need that headache.
 
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1) Did you ever play football. If so, at what level?
from pee wee to Sophomore before I realized I was short and white and wasn't going anywhere.

2) Do you have children or relatives that played? If so, at what level?
no kids

3) When do you remember attending your first high school game?
1989

4) Was your 1st game you went to with your current favorite team?
yes

5) How long have you been a fan of your current team?
I'm from Morris, so I was born into it, so 41 years.

6) What has been your team's greatest victory?
I would say 1979 semifinals at Geneseo. At the time Morris was fairly unknown and Geneseo was the 3 time defending state champions.

7) What has been your team's worst defeat?
In my eyes, 1989 state title game against Oak Lawn Richards. A win would have been 3 titles in 10 years and a win over a nationally ranked team. The OT loss was heart breaking.

8) Who was an opposing player you dreaded your team playing against?
Terrance Marable. 1992 Morris still has a top 10 points per game average but he ran over them and eliminated what I think was the best team Morris had.

9) Who is your favorite all time player from the team you follow?
Dergo

10) Have you ever been in a confrontation with a rival fan?
Nah. I'm passionate, but at the end of the day it's HS football and I love talking to opposing fans.

11) What was your favorite road trip you went on for an away game?
Any trip to state, but other than that it was always a great trip to Minooka or Oswego back in the Little 7 days.

12) Have you ever won a raffle or 50-50 drawing at a game?
Hit for over $1,000 at the Morris/JCA game in either 2006 or 2007.

13) Have you ever coached at any level?
Nope. Open to it, but I have all the respect in the world for those volunteer coaches who give their time to help todays kids grow.
 
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1) Did you ever play football. If so, at what level?
High school and then played college ball at Univ of San Diego.

2) Do you have children or relatives that played? If so, at what level?
One of my sons played at JCA. Had cousins play at Montini in the mid 80's. Some great teams to watch.

3) When do you remember attending your first high school game?
1979

4) Was your 1st game you went to with your current favorite team?
No, Lemont high school games were my first games. I grew up in Lemont, so we would go to their games on Sat afternoons as kids.

5) How long have you been a fan of your current team?
My first JCHS game was in 1981, so 45 years or so.

6) What has been your team's greatest victory?
There have been so many, really hard to choose.

7) What has been your team's worst defeat?
In my eyes, either 1985 vs Rich East in the quarterfinals or 2010 vs Richwoods. The Rich East game was played in a monsoon. Gordie's last high school game and a game, JCHS should never have lost. The 2010 game was also a killer. Probably JCA's best team to never win a title.

8) Who was an opposing player you dreaded your team playing against?
Have seen so many great players as a fan, really hard to pick one. Brasic with RB stands out. Another that comes to mind is Phil Adler from WWS. Was an absolute stud of a running back in the early 90's.

9) Who is your favorite all time player from the team you follow?
Don't really have one. JR may have been my favorite to watch

10) Have you ever been in a confrontation with a rival fan?
Nope. The overwhelming majority of opposing fans I have come into contact with over the years have been good people.

11) What was your favorite road trip you went on for an away game?
As a player, semi-finals at Belvidere. As a fan, either LaSalle-Peru or Richmond Burton

12) Have you ever won a raffle or 50-50 drawing at a game?
Nope

13) Have you ever coached at any level?
Coached at JC for a few years right when I got out of college.
 
  • Did you ever play football. If so, at what level?
    3-6 grade flag, 7-12 Middle and High school ball, College ball at Luther College.

    2) Do you have children or relatives that played? If so, at what level?
    No kids and only have sisters and girl cousins. Hoping my little nephew will play when he is older.

    3) When do you remember attending your first high school game?
    1988

    4) Was your 1st game you went to with your current favorite team?
    Nope, it was a team in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska

    5) How long have you been a fan of your current team?
    Since I was 6, so almost 37 years now.

    6) What has been your team's greatest victory?
    2017 win over Marian Central Catholic to send Sterling to the Semi’s for the first time.

    7) What has been your team's worst defeat?
    2005 first round 9-6 loss to Rochelle. Sterling was undefeated, and had not had a close game all season. Entered the playoffs as the 1 seed and lots of hype of a championship game run…and then fell apart.

  • 8) Who was an opposing player you dreaded your team playing against?
    Caleb Brown

    9) Who is your favorite all time player from the team you follow?
    Doug Densmore…probably one of the best running backs and all around athletes to come through Sterling. Two things about him that really stuck out for me was him winning a state title in pole vaulting, and having his own “flu game” against LP where he only touched the ball three times, but took all three 60+ yards for touchdowns.

    10) Have you ever been in a confrontation with a rival fan?
    Nope.

    11) What was your favorite road trip you went on for an away game?
    When I coached in Colorado, we played an away game against a team in the far corner of the state. We stopped at one of the small colleges along the way and used their game field to practice. Kids loved it. Getting the Dub was the cherry on top.

    12) Have you ever won a raffle or 50-50 drawing at a game?
    Nope.

    13) Have you ever coached at any level?
    2 years as a student assistant at Luther, A dozen or so years at a few different high schools in Colorado and Wyoming, and now going into year 6 of running the middle school program in Ronan, MT.
 
1) Did you ever play football. If so, at what level?

No, I had to work after school and weekends ... no dough and no talent.


3 )When do you remember attending your first high school game?

I'm told my dad took me to the 1949 Mt Carmel/ Leo game, but I have no memory. Around 1957, my buddies and would ride our bikes from our 63rd and Ashland neighborhood to Shewbridge Stadium (74th and Racine), St Rita, and anyplace we could find where Mt. Carmel was playing.



5) How long have you been a fan of your current team?

I attended St Cyril grammar school for the first five years. It was less than a half- block from Mt Carmel. As a firs tgrader, I was fascinated by the lunchtime conga-line pep rallies the Mt Carmel boys would hold as they marched through the neighborhood chanting “Go Carmel, beat Leo” or whomever. I became a Carme lGuy at age 7.


6)What has been your team's greatest victory?

Beating Taft 27 – 8 for the 1960 City Championship (Prep Bowl)) in front of 70k fans at Soldier Field. Taft had two future all-pros – Al MacFarlane (Rams) and Jim Grabowski (Packers)


7) What has been your team's worst defeat?

My most painful was a 7 - 0 Catholic League Championship loss to Fenwick in 1959. As the game ended, we were on the one-foot line. Had we scored and made the PAT ,we would have "won on statistics" and played the following week for "City."


8) Who was an opposing player you dreaded your team playing against?

Several. Don Hogan of St Ignatius (1960); Jim DiLullio Fenwick (1962) and Richie Schlikas (sp?) St Rita 1963. Hogan and Dillon both went onto Notre Dame, while Schlikas went to Wyoming. Hogan's had a sensational sophomore season, but was hurt badly in a car accident –never playing again. DiL:ullo suffered some sort of injury that prevented him from any meaningful career at that school. Finally, Jim Burda, a Weber runing back, gave us fits. He wound up getting hurt at Michigan and Bo took his scholarship. He landed in the desk next to me at DePaul -- a great guy.

9 )Who is your favorite all time player from the team you follow?

Darrion Dupree. He's incredible.



10) Have you ever been in a confrontation with a rival fan?

Not really. Although I expressed my disappointment to some Providence fans who were hogging parking spots at a very crowded Gately about ten years back. Normally, however, I get along with just about everybody. (Seriously)

11) What was your favorite road trip you went on for an away game?

Woodstock. Nice people and incredible food. Also, the 1999 game at De La Salle. It was a few days after the death of Walter Payton and they had a beautiful tribute for him. Very classy.



12) Have you ever won a raffle or 50-50 drawing at a game?

Once at a Bear game in the late 70s or so. They had a terrible team, and I'd win $200 if Oakland made an overtime field goal. Bingo!


13) Have you ever coached at any level?

Are you kidding?
 
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