re: Slade Bolden article...

I saw Arnaz play and saw that game myself. I was there ..

Wasn't that 1997? I was at a basketball game in 1996 when Minor and Applewhite came up here and Banks went apeshite on BR.

Believe it or not, back then West Monroe had a lot of love from the East side. We were all at Carroll High School watching a round-robin that night all with their walkmen and headphones listening to the game. The announcer kept announcing the score and people were jumping up and down (mostly black folk) when they announced the final. Great night. Wishing I was there to see it.

I saw both Spencer and Banks play. Spencer never learned to play with his pad level low enough to protect his knees, but his acceleration and speed for his size was something to behold for anyone. People think of Fournette, but he was Fournette before Fournette and bigger. He was huge, about 250 I believe at one point, or around there.

Banks was the best brute force I have ever seen in high school along with Anthony A-train Thomas. I only saw A-train once again West Ouachita.

He (Banks) ran with great leverage and protected his knees so well against tacklers going for his legs. He ran with his knees as if he were doing high-knee's in a drill when they came for his knees. Seen literally 5 guys hanging on he and Spencer both multiple times attempting to tackle him.

Best quarterback prospect was Robert Lane when he was at neville. It is absolutely shocking he didn't go to the league. He had everything you wanted in a quarterback: great arm, could throw every pass; quick release; extremely athletic; very powerful runner; quick as a whistle; etc. etc...

He is the biggest disappointment I have seen out of this area, ever.

I little story for you recruitniks out there:

The day before signing day when Lane pulled his little stunner by choosing Ole Piss he was visited by Eli Manning. I had 2 friends who worked the Monroe Private Air up here who called and told me that they had a visitor that night who stepped down to meet with Robert Lane. It was Eli Manning. He said he was there to talk with Robert.

The rest is history as they say. I don't know if that was legal or what back then, but they showed me the logs on their books.

Recruiting is a crazy business.