Victory Christian Coach Earns Crying Towel at Lions Club Football Kick-Off Dinner

Wed. August 15, 2012 at 12:22 a.m. | By Polk Preps Staff

VICTORY CHRISTIAN COACH ANDRE DOBSON whined just enough to win this year's Crying Towel. (Photo by JUSTIN KLINE | SPECIAL TO THE LEDGER )

BY JUSTIN KLINE

LEDGER CORRESPONDENT

Kathleen coach Irving Strickland didn't win a second consecutive Crying Towel, but this year's winner, Victory Christian coach Andre Dobson, had plenty to whine about.

"The first thing I want to do is introduce our athletic director. That's myself, Andre Dobson," he said. "I'd like to introduce to you our offensive coordinator, Andre Dobson. I'd like to introduce you to our defensive coordinator. ... that's Andre Dobson. And our special teams coordinator, Andre Dobson."

It's a rough life, and those in attendance on Tuesday night at the 42nd annual Lakeland Lions Club Football Kick-Off Dinner got to hear all about it. The dinner gives coaches from all over Lakeland an opportunity to poke fun at their teams. The Lions Club donates the proceeds to help families that can't afford eye and hearing care.

Former NFL player Hurley Tarver served as the keynote speaker, giving the coaches an inspirational speech about the benefits of truly connecting with the players.

Every coach drew at least a couple of laughs from the audience, including the reliably funny Billy Dickerson of Santa Fe, but Dobson stole the show.

"We did the best we could this spring with the seven players we had," Dobson said. "Out of the seven players, we had a quarterback who stuttered, and a center who was ticklish. It kind of makes running the hurry-up offense a little hard to do."

Eric Gallon, who is entering his first year at George Jenkins, gave the longest, most serious speech of any coach. But he wasn't above making a few quips about his team.

"We do wish everybody luck when we play against them," he said. "But at the same time, we've got to try to beat them like they've got to try to beat us, just like last year. Everybody did beat us."

If coaching doesn't work out for Dobson, he certainly has a shot in comedy. The same can be said of Dickerson, who certainly could have won if Dobson wasn't at his best.

"I've got 81 guys, and my quarterback is 6-5," he said. "Wait, sorry... I have 18 guys, and my quarterback is 5-6. I'm sorry, guys, I read that backward."

He even took a playful dig at the Lions Club organizers in attendance.

"How did Tenoroc end up at the table right next to the beer," he said, "and still get to go first at the food? I mean, Kathleen's a little late, they weaseled right behind behind Lakeland, and they get called almost last! I saw tears when they started calling every table but Kathleen."

Coaches refrained from talking too much about the players, all for the same reason.

"If I just stood up here and told the truth," Tenoroc's Dave Robson said. "you'd all be throwing towels at me all the way."