Sports Writer- Nacogdoches, TX

Lufkin is also nearby. Day trips to Houston aren't that far -- a couple of hours to the northern suburbs like the Woodlands and there's plenty to do there. About three hours from Dallas.

SFA is a decent FCS football program. Basketball is going to contend to be an NCAA team in a one-bid league in both men's and women's in most years.

To give you an idea of the size of the town, it's a one high school town and I think the high school plays in Class 4A, so it's not even in the highest enrollment class. Of course, there are a bunch of rural schools surrounding it. Lufkin's a bit bigger about 15-20 minutes up the road. Between the two towns, there are about 70k people. From a coverage standpoint, I don't think you worry about Lufkin working for the Nacogdoches paper. But Lufkin usually does have very good football and a lot of prospects.

 

Kevin Gore is great people. Long time friend of mine from high school and college. Nac is a great starting place for a young journo.

 

The reporter headed to Longview is replacing Jimmy Carter, who is headed to my staff in NW Arkansas. Carter is replacing Alex Abrams from my staff. Alex was here 7 years and took a job at Oklahoma State.

 

It's not every day you can add a Nobel Prize winner to your staff.

 

The adultery in his heart will be even greater in NW Arkansas.

 

One would think that Nacogdoches and Natchitoches would be pronounced similarly, but they're not. The one in Texas is nak-a-DOCH-ez, the one in Louisiana is NAK-a-dish. That's all I've got.

 

Every year when the two local colleges -- Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State -- play football, they play for the giant Indian trophy, Chief Caddo. That means every year, either Natchitoches or Nacogdoches will have a cigar shop sans Indian statue.

 

And does anyone pitch a PC fit over it?

 

Not that I'm aware of. Matter of time, I suppose.

 

Elaine's friend certainly didn't appreciate the Indian.