The Bulletin

Fultondale Wildcats Metro Football Team from the 1970s featuring BDFL's own David Belrose #44

Metro Football - Having a ball:

In Week 12, The Bulletin pays tribute to little league football from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, (and beyond) where most of the members of the BDFL cut their teeth in “live” Saturday morning football, complete with fans, refs, and cheerleaders. The “age” groups were divided by weight classes, with 70-pounders being the smallest and eventually a 125-pound class. However, there were so many young, small players, Metro quickly went to a Junior 70’s weight/age group. In fact, Bullet played on the 70-pounders, Junior 70’s, Junior 70’s, and Senior 70’s in his first four years of Metro action. So, here’s a salute to Metro football.

I remember…Playing as a 12-year-old (110-pounders) as a back-up quarterback against Fultondale in the opener at Fultondale, who played across the outfield at a baseball park. We never, hardly ever passed. But, up 35-0 or so, Coach Bill Whitlock (who looked like legendary UGa defensive coordinator Erk Russell) called for a flat pass. It was picked off by Mike Elsberry (see #75 in Fultondale Photo) for a Pick Six. I quit chasing him when he was about at the 5-yard line and I was at the 30. Coach Whitlock chewed my @$$ for not chasing him farther.

I remember… the Hand Boys quarterbacking three of the Gardendale teams. Jaimie would be the QB of the 70-pounders, after that game Jerome called the signals for the 80-pounders, and Chris was behind center for the 90-pounders. For years we all ran the triple option.  

Wildcats Whip Former Wooden Warriors – A.W. Style:

Meanwhile in the BDFL, Jaimie’s Freebirds were hog-slaughtered by the Western Hills Wildcats in the long Thanksgiving weekend in the NFL. The “James Gang” hammered Hime by 30. This one got out of hand early, and the BioCats just kept pouring it on until it got up to an A.W. “You bunch of mullets,” Jaimie was heard calling out to his team after the game. The Wildcats got “set-ups” after the game – 25-cent Cokes in paper cups – the losers, the F’birds got to drink from the hose. (That’s more of a Dixie Youth little league baseball story. But, it’s true. Winners got “set-ups,” and losers got nothing – and liked it.)   I remember… watching the older age groups play after our games. Number 22 for Gardendale always seemed to score on long runs every time he touched the football. That player was Butch Neal.  

Sin Wagon Slips Past Blue Deacons:

The Southside Cheetahs ran away from the Mt. High Blue Deacons in Week 12. The final score from the Hayden Hayfields* was Cheetahs 25, Bishops 18. Anthony Bishop was actually glad to keep it that close against the Sin Wagon. So, the losing streak for the Cheetahs is stopped at one. As for the Hayden District Bishop Squad (HDBS) they continue to experience an up-and-down season in 2021, with the “downs” outweighing the “ups.” *NOTE: “It rained so hard in a Metro game at Hayden,” said Bullet, “I almost drowned. It was a cow pasture with chalk lines. I ran a QB sneak and got trapped with my head down under the pile in a big mud puddle. It was scary, when folks wouldn’t get off the pile.”  

Sleds Open Up A Can vs. Bandits Who Earn Toilet Seat Award:

Old Barry played up an age group in Metro, and was part of an offensive line that will go down in hist’ry, just like QB Jerome “Chalk Dust” Hand used to do. Bruce Graham was the center on this particular age group, and he was joined up front by Greg Price, Gary Culp, Stephenson, and sometimes Curt Jarvis (playing up two age levels). Chuck Tumlin was a TE, and in the lean times even Mike Marshall and Bill Leopard saw action on the OL. In the BDFL, the Bandits got taken to the old, proverbial woodshed by the Fairfield PowerSleds over the Thanksgiving Weekend. When the smoke cleared from this one… the “Mean Machine” had run the “guards” off the field and notched an A.W. against the Altadena Bandits. New Barry walked away from the gridiron with the “Toilet Seat Team of the Weak” award.  

Sloth Monsters Slow Grenadiers:

The Sloth Monsters seem to be hitting their slow, but steady, stride in the late-going of the 2021 BDFL season. The Three Toed Tree Dwellers knocked off the Armadillos last week in a match-up across from Harry’s Bar in Tuscaloosa. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Sloths and the Mineral Springs Grenadiers faced off in Wahomma.* It was a Metro destination and then it wasn’t. The Bulletin staff still doesn’t know where it is or was. We think we know where Powderly is and Central Park (Mukes may have played there before moving to Gardendale via the transfer portal). Hillview had a team that apparently was swallowed up later by Park West and Graysville, who played unheard of “night games,” and had an atmosphere like Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. *Long story short, Mukes defeated The Commissioner in Week 12 by a final score of 32-21.   I remember… my first TD was a Pick Six vs. Wahomma at Rocket Stadium for the Junior 70s. I couldn’t celebrate. When I got halfway into the end zone, I stopped and 4 or 5 Wahomma players just plastered me. Wahomma had cool uniforms… back and gold to the best of my memory. Central Park had nice LA Rams type suits of blue and yellow, and the Ensley teams played in duplicates of the Green Bay Packers (they were awful though, and played in street shoes). Most of the teams played in white helmets, white pants, and just a regular colored jersey: Gardendale was maroon, Fultondale was blue, Hoover was orange, and Graysville was red.  

Bullets Remain Alive – Defeat the Dogs in Brookside:

The Benton Bullets with their backs to the wall, rallied over the holiday weekend to up-end the Brookside Dogs, 39-16, at Brookside Ball Park on the banks of the Five Mile Creek. The Bulletin doesn’t believe that Brookside ever had a Metro team based of photos of Don Slovensky in a red-and-white Graysville uniform. The Brookside Bulldogs may have had a school team that was red and white.  

Bellcows Edge Mayors by Narrowest of Margins:

It was a narrow, narrow, one-point win for the Fieldstown Bellcows over the Magic City Mayors 15-14, at Legion Field in Birmingham. That was the venue for the Metro Championship Game every year. And, every year… Chris Hand’s age group would qualify for the game. In fact, one year they outscored opponents 283-0. That’s right… a lot to NOTHING. Most year’s, Jaimie’s age group would go to the Championship Game, called the “Shug-Bear” Bowl. Bullet’s age group went twice (one when he was grouped in with Chris’ older group), and were shellacked both times, but he got to play on Legion Field grass in the late 60s, and on artificial turf in the early 70s. From Belrose: Fultondale didn’t have much success in Metro football, but in the 1975 Fultondale vs. Gardendale 110-pound game, #75 had a Pick Six that was a highlight for that season. (See above)  

Gamblers Deal Defeat to ‘Nauts:

Meanwhile, in Rocket Stadium, which hosted Metro games before a new field was built at the baseball facility at Moncrief Ball Park, the Jugtown Juggernauts were man-handled by the Gulf Coast Gamblers. It looked and smelled and tasted like an A.W. It’s a good thing nobody stepped in it. It was not an A.W., upon further review. The final score was 28-10, which falls three points short of the mark.    

Blitz Batters ‘Dillos:

The Druid City Blitz defeated the Duncanville Armadillos 19-11 in Week 12, but it wasn’t near as exciting as a little league game involving Jerry Fritz some 15-years ago. (From Fritz) Circa 2005 - Mtn. Brook 4th Grade Super Bowl Championship Game: We’re the Redskins and had beaten the 3rd seeded and 2nd seeded teams to make the finals against the top team. We methodically drive the ball down the field in the 4th quarter and take the lead with under a minute to go. Our kids and fans are going crazy only to have the Cowboys run the ensuing kickoff back for a TD! Knowing that they wouldn’t kick to our best player, I had them line up and as the ref blew the whistle to kick off my two returners changed places and our stud running back caught it in stride and what appeared to be the opening of Red Sea happened and he started high stepping at about the 20 all the into the end zone! The next kickoff was placed in between the #6&8 of a lineman that fell on the ball. After two more desperation pass attempts we had completed the most improbable Championship seasons. Three touchdowns in under a minute of the championship final.  

Week 12 the Jr BDFL - “It’s all about the kids.”

Meanwhile in the Junior League, the long Thanksgiving, Week 12 was a little too long for the teenagers and those in their young 20’s. By the time Monday Night Football rolled around, they just wanted it to be over. The Bulletin has learned that Milton Hand’s Lowndes County Labs have been eliminated from championship contention. Any other news escaped the eyes and ears of The Bulletin staff over the long football weekend. Most JrBDFLers were happy with the outcome of the Iron Bowl, except for maybe the two or three that were actually at the game (Meredith, Samuel, and one of the Arrington’s).  

PHOTO ABOVE: Circa 1975 - The Fultondale Wildcats’ 110-pound team (12-year-olds) – prior to hitting the transfer portal – are 44-David Belrose, 25-Jimmy Cain, and 75-Mike Elsberry.  

More Metro: At least in Gardendale, there were legendary Metro head football coaches, and most of the time did not “move up” with their sons, or even have sons. No Daddy Ball. They coached a certain age group and they stayed there to coach the next group of kids, who moved up. Below are the takes of Chris, Jerome, and Jaimie who remember – FROM 50 YEARS AGO – what these head coaches reminded them of on the sidelines (some high school and junior high coaches have been added for effect.  

Art McCartney – Chan Gailey / Danny Ford… Vince Lombardi

Mr. Reed – Bill Battle / Curly Hallman

Mac Sanderson – Buddy Ryan / Bum Phillips / Ed Bruce Bill Fortner – Tom Landry / Joe Gibbs

Bill Whitlock – Erk Russell… good one

Mr. McAnnally – Mike Leach / The assistant coach in Hoosiers.

Alan Pridmore – Jim Mora Jr. / Dan Mullen… Dan Reeves

Ed Bruce – Don Coryell / Lou Holtz… Lou Saban, Nick Saban, Hitler

Dale Cook – Bum Phillips, John Madden Charlie Bradshaw – Bear

Mouse Burkett – Danny Ford  

From Chris: Art McCarty was always Vince Lombardi to me because we ran Green Bay Sweep Left and Green Bay Sweep Right every other play. Mac Sanderson was Bum Phillips to me because of the cowboy hat. Whitlock = Russell  

The Commissioner remembers...A football game every day…Welcome to the Panama City Bowl and the Snapper Bowl.  

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