Season’s Greetings! Remembering Those in the Armed Services
By HENRY PRIMEAUX III
Crown Bristow and Primeaux Kia
TOP TALONS : Looking forward to this year’s Tulsa Talons indoor arena football season are Head Coach Mitch Allner, yours truly, Paul Ross, Offensive Coordinator Craig Strickland and Line Coach Marty Robinson.
GTR Newspapers photo
Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year to everybody! My wife Jane and I and all of our family hope 2007 will be the greatest year ever for you and yours!
We have so much to be thankful for, and so much of our thanks is for our great country and the freedom we enjoy. My thoughts go to our people in the armed services, especially those who will be spending their holiday season this year in Iraq in harm’s way and for their families.
Recently I was on my way to Memphis by airplane when I met a gentleman who had been a Pearl Harbor survivor from 1941. While I was traveling, it hit me how much our country is divided today, and how hard this gentleman’s generation fought for us in World War II. He must have been at least 85 years old and in a wheel chair. I thought how lucky we are to have people like this gentleman who have fought for us to defend our precious freedom. He reminded me of my Uncle Buddy who also had been at Pearl Harbor on the U.S.S. Detroit and who I wrote about in this column in September. Thank you veterans and service people today for defending our freedom! Please know how much we appreciate your sacrifices!
Bowling Season
Congratulations to our three state Division One football teams for going to bowl games. The first game of the three will be TU playing Utah in the Armed Services Bowl in Ft. Worth Saturday, Dec. 23. Ft. Worth is only about four hours away by car, so it should be a great trip as was Memphis last year. If possible, support your hometown team and attend the game! It’ll be a fun time and the coaches and players will appreciate your support!
The and Alabama game should be exciting, as the Cowboys keep improving under Coach Gundy. New Year’s Day will be interesting watching the Sooners and possibly Adrian Peterson in the game with Boise State, the team that plays at home on a blue turf.
Talons Changes
Speaking of football, most of you know that the Tulsa Talons announced changes at a press conference at Flavors Restaurant recently. I will be more involved in the operation of the team, as my co-owner, Paul Ross, will be spending more time with league administrative matters. We have a dynamic new coaching staff and we are already signing some really good players.
Our new coaches are familiar names to our fans. The new head coach is Mitch Allner, and his assistant and offensive coordinator is the popular former Talons quarterback, Craig Strickland. Marty Robinson will remain as the line coach.
Mitch, a 28 year-old from Sioux City, Iowa, was the Talons’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. Prior to coaching in the af2, he served five years in the league as a top-ranked player, three with the Talons. He holds many league records.
As a coach, Mitch was the varsity assistant and sophomore head coach for two years at Sioux City North High School. Once in Tulsa, he was the varsity receivers coach at Catoosa High School for one year and the varsity receivers coach for two years at Jenks High School. He now resides in Tulsa with his new bride, Brandi.
Craig brings years of knowledge and new ideas to the Talons offensive side of the game. As a player, he holds many records and led the Talons to a championship. Strickland holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Texas-El Paso.
Craig is a high school graduate from Carl Albert in Midwest City, where he led the Titans to the 1994 class 5-A State Championship title. His performance earned him 5-A State Championship Most Valuable Player honors. Craig now resides in Tulsa with wife Jae and daughter Kate.
Marty is in his second season as assistant coach with the Talons. He has coached football and baseball locally in Tulsa for the last 15 years and is currently the offensive line coach for the state runners-up for the Class 5A East Central High School football team and is a board member of the Indian Nations Football Conference.
As a 1978 alumni of Tulsa Nathan Hale High School, Marty completed a degree in business at Mesabi College in Virginia, Minnesota on an ice hockey scholarship. He now resides in Broken Arrow with his wife, Kay, and three children, Matt, Lauren and Brady.
The indoor arena football season is around the corner with the opening game March 31 at home against the Everett Hawks. Call 294-1000 to order your tickets! We appreciate your support and are working hard to bring home a championship!
By the way, Paul and I can still be seen on our “Off the Wall??? show on ESPN2 Saturday mornings.
Come and Visit!
Our Primeaux dealership continues to be number one in the region and Crown Bristow remains a five-star dealership. Come on down to 4747 S. Yale, or drive over to Crown Bristow and give us a visit. We’ll beat any deal!
Updated 12-18-2006
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