35 and counting: Jack Stallard welcomes his 35th preseason section

SPORTS EDITOR JACK STALLARD Igot married in February of 1998, and six months later it was football season. When I was handed a copy of the Longview News-Journal's preseason football section a week before the season started in 1998, I jokingly told my lovely wife it felt like I had given birth to my 12th Welcomes his 35th child (my first came as sports editor at the Kilgore preseason football News Herald back in 1987). I was at the same time nervous, tired and proud preview as the 2021 and anxious to see what the coming weeks held. season approaches Rachel let me continue to make that little joke until our son, Kyle, was born the week the 2001 football season opened. I won't tell you the actual threat, but I was smart enough to listen when she lovingly told me I should never again compare producing a football magazine to bringing a child into the world. You are holding in your hands the 35th preseason magazine or section I've helped produce. It's not a living, breathing thing, but after more than three decades in this business I'm still nervous, tired, proud and anxious. And, I bet I'm not the only one. The 2021 season arrives this week, and in the following pages you'll find everything you need to know to get you ready for that season. It's not a child, but I promise it is a labor of love for those who worked on this magazine. The folks who sold advertising, the writers, the photographers and the designers are truly the best of the best, and I hope you enjoy it and use it throughout the season to keep up with your favorite team. When the season begins, look for weekly issues of The Zone to preview upcoming games, great game coverage through words, photos and videos both in print and online, Player of the Week selections, the weekly #bEASTTexas Fabulous 15 Poll and much more. I welcome your comments and questions now and throughout the season, but for now, good luck to Brandon Tennison of Gilmer your team from our team.

2021 FOOTBALL IS HERE

ALL-NAME TEAM

As mentioned before, your trusty scribbler got his start as a newspaper man back in 1987. Needing a column one week, I scanned the rosters of local high school and college football teams and created the first All-Name Team.

The list celebrates the most colorful and unusual names from our coverage area, and over the years has given us classics such as Kokain Mothershead, Hickory Van Winkle, Hunter Hunter, Dakota Sandman, Money Peterson and brothers Hunter and Trapper Kessinger.

Last season's "MVP" was Goodnews Iwuamadi of Rockwall, but topping the charts this time around is Longview's Willie Nelson - a 5-10, 155-pound sophomore who could play in the secondary on defense or at running back on offense.

Joining Nelson on this year's All-Name Team are Pooh Moore of Tenaha, Phoenix Bowman of Groveton and Phoenix Grant of Sherman, Tuff Reynolds of Groveton, Dude West of Centerville, Remington Reglan of Axtell, Stone Sampson and Texan Lancaster of Hughes Springs, Tookie Kelly of Daingerfield, Jett Petkus of Chisum, Jett Maxwell of Palmer, Jett Saldivar of Caddo Mills, Jett Stagner of Tyler Legacy, Jett Carroll of Pottsboro, Major McBride of Pottsboro, Cross Dimaggio and Boone Morris of Mount Vernon, Lake Bennett and Noble Johnson of Rockwall, Justice Rider of Rockwall-Heath, Espn Blyton of Chisum, Boston Seahorn of Harmony, Ford Tannebaum of Quitman, Maverick Segovia of Edgewood, Memphis Waddle of Groesbeck, Samson Oparinde of Palestine Westwood, Hurcules Tarver of Pine Tree, Trust Carston of Henderson, Romeo Walker of Waller, Titus Lyons of Cisco and General Booty and Jordan Battles of Tyler Junior College. Carthage linebacker Kip Lewis

NOTE: Jack Stallard began covering sports in East Texas as a student at Kilgore College in 1986.

He became sports editor at the Kilgore News Herald in 1987 at the age of 21, and spent three years there before becoming sports editor of the Lufkin Daily News in 1990.

Stallard joined the sports department at the Longview News-Journal in October of 1997, and has been sports editor there since 2006.

He was inducted into the East Texas Coaches Association Association Hall of Fame as the 2020 Distinguished Service Award winner.

Stallard and his wife, Rachel, a longtime East Texas teacher, have one son, Kyle. He is a sophomore at Kilgore College

Email: jstallard@news-journal.com; Twitter: @lnjsports