Hey, remember the 80s?

Gaines returns to Mojo land
By Jeff Miller/Special to ESPNRISE.com

ODESSA, Texas -- There are few high school football programs whose names are recognized across the country. The Massillon (Ohio) Tigers and Valdosta (Ga.) Wildcats might be near the top of any such list. But only one has made it to another level.

Only one is part of the national sports culture and has been the subject of a book and a movie and the inspiration for a TV series.

The Permian (Odessa, Texas) Panthers. "Friday Night Lights." Mojo.

"I have family that's all across the country. We get Permian shirts sent out to them," said Steven Pipes, who will start fall drills as the Panthers' senior starting quarterback. "It seems like every camp that I go to in the summer, I show up with a Permian shirt on, people ask about the tradition. They want to know about Mojo."

At the visitors' bureau in Odessa, assistant Elizabeth Rowland recently fielded a call from Canada. A man plans to bring his fiancée down next football season because her dream is to attend a Permian game.

The man who coached the Panthers in 1988 -- the season chronicled from the inside by author H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger -- is back in town and wearing a whistle around his neck again.

Gary Gaines is 20 years removed from guiding Permian to an undefeated season and the 1989 Class 5A state championship. After 11 years away from high school coaching, Gaines is now coaching the sons of players he coached as a Panthers assistant.

"This is not about me," Gaines said on the eve of this past Friday's spring practice finale, the Black and White Game. "I've downplayed that as much as I possibly can. It's still about this school, the kids at this school. I want that to always be the emphasis.

Rest of story here.

I could have guessed one of these stories was going to be written pretty soon. We all know ESPN loves to beat a dead horse and MOJO has one foot in the glue factory and the other on a Slip N' Slide. I think that's why I can understand why they went with Gaines. If you're going down you might as well do it your way.

I feel the same way about Nebraska now. I want them to win national championships again but if that doesn't happen at least I'm happy to know that the program is being run true to its history and legacy. Sadly, I doubt Permian fans have quite as good a grasp on the reality of their team as I do about the Huskers.

P.S. - Apparently the kid in the photo is PHS' new QB. Yeesh, looks a little short to me.