Because the kids are homegrown, drive trucks and are a little more country than yours. And they prove it every day.
By Robert Morgan | Published Sunday, September 16, 2007
D Magazine's recent cover story on Southlake and the high school's athletic success created quite a stir throughout the Metroplex. Opening the magazine was hardly necessary since the cover was plastered with the headline, "Why You Should Hate Southlake."
D Magazine's recent cover story on Southlake and the high school's athletic success created quite a stir throughout the Metroplex. Opening the magazine was hardly necessary since the cover was plastered with the headline, "Why You Should Hate Southlake."
Below the large headline was the rest of the explanation, "Because the kids are smarter, stronger and better looking than yours. And they prove it every Friday night." The magazine didn't prove it with its cover photo of three average-looking senior athletes - a student body president, a straight-A football player and a cheerleader in the choir.
What kind of person feels compelled to describe themselves as a "winner," anyway? If living in a mansion with fancy cars and parents who have had more plastic surgery than Jerry Jones to try and feel younger is considered a winner, I'd rather lose.
There were some Southlake residents who claimed to have been offended by the cover story but they were a minority. Some adults interviewed in the story were loud and proud, and students and various blogs were not quiet about hiding their pride in the story.
My family and I have only lived in Wise County for five years, but we have a little hometown pride, too. So, in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way, let's look at why Decatur is better than Southlake.
We have a Story better than yours
Southlake wins a lot of football games, is no stranger to district championships and is the best in its district. Well, the Decatur Eagles have all of the above as they have won five straight district titles, had three 10-0 seasons in the last five years and are always the preseason favorite to finish first.
The difference here is coaching. Decatur knows how to keep a good coach, as Kyle Story and his staff have been running the show for nine years. The Dragons are currently breaking in their third head coach in a span of eight years and nearly the entire staff is gone.
Just goes to show that anyone can coach a group of move-ins.
We got spirit, yes we do
The Decatur varsity cheerleaders have been the county's top-performing squad since Jason Williams took over three years ago. The group has clear-cut tryouts, is active in all the sports and even won a national championship a year ago.
Southlake spent all spring and summer trying to fill a team because the parents and girls did not get their way. Attorneys were hired, names were called and the district looked silly in its handling of the situation.
In summary, the school had tryouts last spring that resulted in the selection of a 14-member squad. An administrator later allowed four senior girls to join the squad. Outrage quickly followed and a battle between the rich and the famous broke out. Parents of 15 other girls who were not chosen protested that their daughters, too, should be added.
The administrators gave the green light to all 33 girls that tried out. Parents of the original 14 furiously countered that their daughters were ill-served if anybody at all could join just for the asking. They filed a formal grievance, resulting in a school board reversal of the decision.
Trustees cut the squad back to the original 14 and mandated a fresh round of tryouts for everybody else. Parents of the other 19 then countered the grievance with a counter-grievance, complaining that the original tryout process was vague, flawed and unfair, whereupon the school board reversed its own reversal and reinstated all 19 girls to the cheerleading squad.
Just goes to show that money can't buy happiness.
Decatur girls are winning, while yours are primping
While Southlake waits for beauty pageants to become a UIL-sanctioned sport, the girls of DHS are busy winning. The success across the board is one-sided and money and good looks have nothing to do with it.
Both programs are equal in cross country and volleyball where both are regular state participants and both have won state titles and qualify for the playoffs on a yearly basis. That is as far as it goes, however.
In softball, Decatur has won six district titles in seven years and advanced to the regional quarterfinals last season. Southlake just finished a 4-21 season and hasn't won a league title this decade.
In powerlifting, Decatur is a regular participant in the regional and state meets and has had two state titles in the last three years. Does Southlake have a team?
Oh, I won't get into tractor restoration because then the rich folks will feel bad because that is one item none of those pretties own. I could write a novel on the differences. So, to spare the time and space, I will list just a few differences why anyone would want to live in Southlake when there is Decatur.
Trusting our leaders - Three years ago DHS principal Melinda Reeves was named "Principal of the Year" by the Texas Education Agency. Last year, a Southlake teacher was fired and arrested after she was accused of having a sexual relationship with a student that she said she only "kissed".
Mo' Money, Mo' Money, Mo' Money - According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the average home in Southlake is valued at $458,000 while Decatur's average home value is estimated at $99,800. While Southlake residents are living paycheck to paycheck after paying taxes and high mortgages, Decatur-ites have more cash to splurge on windshields, commissioners and resale shops.
Our football players know more than a playbook - The cover story mentioned that the quarterback is a straight-A student and that the head cheerleader is in choir. The Eagles not only have more than 12 varsity players that maintain straight As, but they also have three other participants who are great musicians and help make the band what it is. One member that comes to mind is Nick Martinez, a sophomore defensive end that plays a full set of drums during the halftime show on his make-shift trailer stage. Beat that, my little Dragon friends.
We've got falling prices - Wal-Mart left Southlake for Grapevine after just four years. Decatur, however, knows how to keep a good thing that caters to all types of people. Just think, by this time next year the retail giant might run a few more mom and pop shops out of business so that we can add a few more resale clothing stores. Eat your heart out, Southlake.
