WHAT'S CAUSING ALL THIS?

LUCAS As you know if you're a regular reader, we - that is, myself, photographer Lester Murray and three others - attempt each week to pick the winners of several local, college and pro football games.

From time to time, I like to shake things up and have someone pick with a bit of notoriety, or some sort of football fame.

This morning, I was able to talk to a man that is, in (and probably in the opinions of most football fans) a true football icon, at just about every level: former Texas A&M University and University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings, a man who has probably seen 10 times as much football in his life than I will ever see.

Due to that, we will skip the long version of previewing our games and go with the short version, later down in the column.

I was fortunate enough to be a student at the University of Alabama, a junior there, in 1992 when Stallings guided the Crimson Tide to a national championship. I grew to know his son, John Mark, who was often in the Paul "Bear" Bryant Museum, and it struck me just how much a man can love his children when Stallings retired from coaching in the mid 1990's to spend more time with John Mark, who has Down Syndrome. He chronicled his and his wife's life with John Mark in a book called "Another Season." John Mark, now 44, has outlived many of the projections for his life by doctors, his father said, and is happy.

X's AND O's WITH A LEGEND - Former Texas A&M University, University of Alabama and NFLhead coach Gene Stallings (above) is one of Game Time Weekly's guest prognosticators this week. "He likes riding around, looking

in addition to operating the

at the horses, looking at cattle,"

ranch.

the coach said.

Stallings described his schedule

When I spoke with coach

for me, just over the last week.

Stallings this morning over the

"On Friday," he said, in that

phone, I apologized for calling so

gravely voice, "I was in College

early and he laughed, reminded

Station. On Saturday, I was in

me he lives on a ranch and he was

Abilene. On Monday, I made a

up, on the porch, enjoying a cup

trip to Alabama to help some

of coffee with wife Ruth Ann.

folks raise money for a retired

Stallings is quite busy these

adults center. Tuesday, I was back

days. In addition to being a motivational

home - we had company. And

and keynote speaker who

on Wednesday, I was in Alabama

literally travels the country, he is

again for a speaking engagement.

also one of several hall of fame

...I stay pretty busy."

coaches that is a part of the Master

That being said, he probably

Coaches Survey - a respected

has forgotten more about football

college football poll. The coaches

than most will ever learn. Stallings

speak in a conference call each

played at A&M (see "The Junction

week this time of year, and you

Boys"), coached at Alabama

can read more about the MCS on

under Bryant, became the head

the web site, mcspoll.com. Other

coach at A&M, where he led the

coaches that are part of the MCS

aggies to the Southwest Conference

include former Ohio State coach

title in 1967 (and beat

John Cooper, former Auburn

Bryant's Tide in the Cotton Bowl.

coach Pat Dye, former Georgia

That was the famous photo of

coach Vince Dooley, former

Bryant lifting Stallings into the

Michigan coach Bo Schembechler,

air).

and former A&M coach R.C.

He became head coach of the

Slocum.

NFL's then-St. Louis and Arizona

He is also a trustee at A&M and

Cardinals, and returned to

on the board at Abilene Christian,

Tuscaloosa to coach the Crimson Tide, leading them to the 1992 national championship and much success in the early-mid '90s.

You'll see coach Stallings' picks on page 7. And here's my humble opinion on a few of those games. Five asterisks denotes games I believe to be great, memorable contests; four, great games; three, good competitive games; two, one and zero being on the low end the spectrum.

High school games

 Kilgore at Pine Tree (***): Every game is important to the Kilgore Bulldogs at this point, and the Pirates, who haven't put up much of a fight to KHS in the years that I've been here, are bigger and have a more competitive offense this year, coach Val said. If the Bulldogs play the way they've played the last two weeks, they should come home with a win and be able to get ready for Hallsville.

 Mineola at Sabine (***): A one-win team (Mineola) at a winless team (Sabine), playing for that first District 15-3A win. And yes, as you'll see on page 7, I have picked Sabine to get its first win of the season.

 Carlisle at Overton (****): Carlisle looks awfully powerful, a handful, in fact, on paper, but they don't play games on paper. This one should be close.

 Garrison at West Rusk (**): I don't know how close it'll be, but I do know the Raiders have Tatum at Tatum next week, and need some confidence going in.

 Whitehouse at Hallsville (****): Seriously, who other than a member of the Whitehouse football team would have ever believed that the Whitehouse Wildcats would be the District 12-4A leader at this point of the schedule? Whitehouse better be careful this week. Hallsville was humbled at Marshall last week and is looking to knock off someone.

 Jacksonville at Nacogdoches

Rangers should have enough offense

(***): I think the Dragons may

to beat NEO, but it's certainly

surprise a few people this Friday

not a foregone conclusion.

night.

If they do, though, they are sitting

College games pretty in the conference standings,

with an outside shot at finishing

 Kilgore College at Northeastern

second. Oklahoma A&M (****): The

 Texas at Nebraska (****): The Cornhuskers should give the Longhorns a good game. If it's close in the fourth quarter, look out.

 Texas A&M at Oklahoma State (***): The Aggies have a good record, but have been up and down, then up this season. I think this one will be pretty close.

 Texas Tech at Iowa State (***): What the heck has happened to Tech this year? Before the season started, I figured them to finish 9- 2, maybe, maybe 8-3 at worst.

 TCU at Army (****): Former Kilgore standouts Nick Sanders and Wayne Daniels and former KC standout Marvin White take their show on the road, and they'll find a competitive Army team awaiting them.

 Alabama at Tennessee (****): Coach Stallings laughed when I asked him to pick this game. "Much as I hate to say it, and as much as I'd like to pick Alabama," he said, "Tennessee has the better football team this year."

I agree, but I just can't seem to make that pick. It hurts too badly, coach.

NFLgames  New York Giants at Dallas

(Monday night, ****): Eli Manning and that Giants passing game can be a handful, and Tiki Barber balances things out well with a good rushing game. The key may be how well the Dallas offensive line protects quarterback Drew Bledsoe, and how well the Cowboys can run the ball. I look for a Dallas win.

 Jacksonville at Houston (***): The Jaguars should win, but who knows - the Texans might rise up at some point and play better defensively.

 Minnesota at Seattle (****): The Seahawks may get a much better contest from the Vikings than they'd like.

 Pittsburgh at Atlanta (****): "I know they're having a tough year so far," Stallings said about this game, "but I still think the Steelers are better than Atlanta." Man - who am I to question that?

 New England at Buffalo (****): In the last three to four years, this was a walk for the Pats. This year, I'm not so sure.

I think Tom Brady and the Patriots win, but I think they're brushing the upset fire off their coattails when they get back to Foxboro.