IS THAT COACH JOE STALKING THE ST. JOE SIDELINES?

By Juan Montoya
St. Joseph Academy footfall fans had to blink twice when they went to see their Bloodhounds maul the Hidalgo Pirates at Canales Field.
There, on their team sidelines, was none otheh Brownsville Independent School District trustee (and former AD) Joe Rodriguez pacing the sidelines as in his Glory Days with coach Tino Villarreal as the Hounds beat the Pirates by a lopsided 68-6 score.

Now, Villarreal probably allowed "Coach" Joe and his two burly pals to be on the sidelines as a  show of courtesy. Coming off a 33-27 disappointing game against the Port Isabel Tarpons last week, the Hounds probably wanted any bit of luck they could get to avenge that loss to the Port Isabel powerhouse.

Rodriguez, who was the coach on the sidelines of the Brownsville High School Golden Eagles in 1969, was able to turn a 47-14 thrashing at the hands of the Seguin Matadors into a cottage industry. Over time, that defeat propelled Rodriguez to the AD position and a position on the board of trustees.
Numerous coaches and coaching assistant  see him as a power figure who gave them their first shot at a coaching position with the BISD and pay him appropriate homage.


On the other hand, perhaps Coach Joe was trying to get the St. Joe administration to belly up a few $100,000 to the Paragon artificial turf wagon for Canales Field as he has for high schools and even some middle schools in the BISD.

If not that, then it could be that he is busy seeking yet more St. Joe recipients for Superintendent Esperanza Zendeja's plaques of appreciation, even though she runs the public schools and St. Joe is a private Catholic school.

"Coach Joe is probably like the old milk wagon horse who perks up and want to get going when they hear the bell teling them it's time to deliver the milk," said a St. Joe alumnus. "Either that or he want to be on the side of a winning team for once."
Whatever the reason for Rodriguez's cameo on the St. Joe sidelines, people who saw him say he still hasn't lost his fervor for the game, although his steps are now somewhat halting and the old body shows some degree of infirmity in the old sinews.