Things looking up for the 2010 Laurens Raiders

People can be very loyal, but they can also be very finicky. I have always said that if you can get someone to change churches or funeral homes, you have really accomplished something. Sports, however, are a different story.

When our team is winning, we show up painted in our school’s color with clappers, foam fingers and those awful cow bells. But, when they lose, we don’t show up for games, talk of firing coaches and badmouth everyone from the quarterback to the ball boys.

Our Laurens High School Raider football team had a terrible season this year. There is no denying the fact that they finished 1-10 with only one conference win coming against Easley. There is also no denying that the Raiders only scored 197 points all season while giving up 321 and finished the season ranked 108 in the state.

However, where some see loss and are quick to give up on our Raiders, I see a great future. With a roster of 73 players, Laurens is returning 57 of those players. The break down of players by classes for this season was 16 Seniors, 35 Juniors, 14 Sophomores and eight freshman. And, many of those underclassmen got some pretty valuable playing time this year.

The Raiders will be returning running backs Jimmy Harris, Michael Morton, Latarus Guest, Tez Harris, Lamarcus Anderson, Michael Barnes and Chance Bryson and receivers Darius Gibson, Kevin Johnson, Nick Coleman, Chance Wzorek, Chris Booker, Alex Mills, Chase Pressley, Jeff Ruess, Bryson Faulkner and Trey Kolak. Nine offensive lineman will also return for the 2010 season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Hunter Fernandez, Michael Mack, Darius Anderson, BJ Moses, Denzel Sullivan, Tyler Davis, Quindarius Young, Jamie Briggs, Isaac Cooper, Terrell Rogers, Desmond Beasley-Jones, Jake Jenkins, and the list could go on of who will be wearing a Raider uniform next year.

Also, let’s not forget about the Raider JV team who finished the season with a 5-5 overall record with two region wins that Coach Jawon Stephens is going to have to give up to the Varsity ranks next year.

While we as fans are quick to start playing the blame-game, let’s remember that the Raiders were a very young team this year playing against some very experienced teams. Let’s also remember that Head Coach Greg Lawson led the 2008 Raiders to an 11-3 season in which they played for the Division II-AAAA Upper State Championship.

I am convinced that Laurens is going to have one heck of a football team next year. I just hope the Raider fans can forget about this season and give our team a chance from game one and not until after they’ve won a few.

Is Sanford grandstanding for 2012?

Our first President, George Washington, once wrote that we should “guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.” Those words should be in the minds of all South Carolinians right now as we continue to be saddled up to a Governor who would rather appear “patriotic” to the people of the 49 states he does not govern than to provide leadership to the one he does.

Governor Mark Sanford, who wants to be President more than Governor, continues to be defiant to the prospect of millions of dollars from the federal government that is so badly needed, not just to balance a budget, but to make sure our cities have police officers, our schools have teachers and our local governments can function. In the face of leaders on all sides of political thought across the state, our wealthy state leader suggested to the General Assembly that in order to balance the state’s budget this year, they should cut programs and services and not count on the federal stimulus money, which he wants to use to pay down the state’s debt. The White House has already twice denied his request to use the funds for that purpose.

While I am all in favor of having as little debt as possible, now is not the time to be taking political stances that you think might help you in the future. We are not only in debt, but don’t have the money to function day to day. We need to stop the bleeding in the short term or there will not be a way to salvage any semblance of effective government in the long run.

As a comparison, if you were in a car accident and were taken to the hospital with a broken arm and broken neck, the doctors would work on your neck before your arm because that is what is most life threatening at the moment. Thankfully, the Governor is not a doctor or you would be dead while he was putting a cast on your arm.

As we as a city, state and nation are plodding away through these unpleasant economic times and the stance of Sanford, I can’t help but think of a former resident of Laurens named Andrew Johnson. President Johnson too served during tumultuous times. He became President because Lincoln had been assassinated, the Civil War was winding down and Reconstruction was beginning. He had a chance to be great.

But, in a parallel to the thinking of Governor Sanford, Johnson refused to work with those he led. When asked about this, Johnson replied, “Why don't they join me...as I have administered the office of President so well?”

Sound familiar? Well, guess what. Johnson was impeached.

I encourage each of you to call the Governor’s mansion and tell him that while he is planning his run for President in 2012, South Carolinians are hurting. We don’t want a handout from the federal government, but we need one. If we are left without, while Sanford believes he has everything to gain with this stance, South Carolina has everything to lose.

My call to the White House

As I was preparing my recent article on the impact of the President’s stimulus package on Laurens County, I decided to shoot for the stars, so I called the White House for their comments on how the funds could be distributed. Now, I know I’m kind of new to the journalism thing and I tend to get a little overzealous in my writing, but I reasoned that nothing could be gained from not trying.

I will admit up front, in full disclosure, that I was nervous. I pictured in my mind dark colored SUVs pulling into my driveway at any moment and me being whisked away by the Secret Service to some undisclosed location. I decided I better get permission from my boss first and call my wife to tell her there was a possibility I might not be home tonight.

After I said my goodbyes, I picked up the phone and dialed the number. After going through several automated messages, a stern woman answered and asked what I wanted. At this point in the story, I must say that she did not ask my name, but I was prepared to say, “Billy Dunlap.”

Back to the story. When she asked what I wanted, I stammered and asked, “Um, I’m not really sure if I can do this, but I am a reporter for GoLaurens.com in SC, and I would like to speak with someone about how the recovery economic, I mean economic recovery package could impact our state.” To my surprise, she transferred me to someone in media relations. No prison time yet.

The poor guy that I next spoke with was evidently some junior staffer who listened to my question and then transferred me to “someone who could better answer my question.” In hindsight, what happened next is what I believe to be an honest mistake on the staffer’s part, but it completely freaked me out. I have reasoned that he either transferred me to the wrong extension, or someone answered a line they were not supposed to.

Anyway, what went from being “someone who could better answer my question,” turned into me being on the phone with a senior staff member…the White House Press Secretary. At this point, in my mind I went from an undisclosed location to Gitmo. I was waiting for my door to be kicked in and me being front-page news in every major publication in the world in an orange jumpsuit with a black bag over my head. However, it did cross my mind that I could be on Larry King Live.

After the initial shock wore off of both of us, I proceeded to ask my question, and very generously he replied, “I don’t really have time to go into details, but if you will send me an email, I will respond.” I’m still waiting for that email.

So, I guess the moral of the story is: when Barack Obama says he is going to have a more open and transparent government, in the future, I will take him more seriously.