30th Anniversary – BDFL Facts:

The 30th Anniversary of the Big Daddy Football League (BDFL) has led to some reflections in The Bulletin. Did you know: that 10 of the 16 BDFL teams have owners/general managers that graduated from Gardendale High School. In Week Three of the BDFL season, all eight games in the league featured a graduate from GHS. So, in the game recaps, The Bulletin has included the year in which they graduated as a Rocket, and at the bottom in the – tale of the tape – the stats are listed for those GHS graduating class numbers. Now, onto the succinct, efficient, and comprehensive game summaries in the award-winning (The) Bulletin utilizing an “economy of words.”  

Freebirds Fly – Bellcows Bounce:

The 30th Anniversary of the Big Daddy Football League is off to a great start in 2024. To commemorate the occasion, the Fultondale Freebirds and the Fieldstown Bellcows ventured together through Fieldstown, Coalburg, Fultondale, and Hooper City on their way to All Red’s and the Tide and Tiger for pre-game activities prior to their match-up in Week Three in the BDFL. “Tell me,” said Hime Hand, when they cut through a crowed parking lot and came out clean on the other side. Belrose countered with the comment, “They better show me something.” Well, their actual game in fantasy football kind of “under whelmed,” but then how could it hold up to all the hype? The final score on the Birmingham News / Birmingham Post-Herald scoreboard showed that the Freebirds got the better of the Bell Heads (22-13) on the cyber gridiron. But, the teams continued their “30th” celebration with a post-game visit to Pasquale’s in Gardendale. [Belrose: GHS Class of 1981 – “The Misfits of ’81” – Jaimie: GHS Class of 1982.]  

Blitz and ‘Nauts Fight to the Finish:

The Jugtown Juggernauts left Gardendale this weekend and traveled west to Tuscaloosa to take on the Defending Champion Druid City Blitz. Things have not been the same in T-Town since daBlitz brought home the Grand Daddy Trophy last season (from a pre-Super Bowl Gala at Pasquale’s in Gardendale). The target is now on the backs of the Blitz and even as the Red Baron, they will not be able to fly under the radar in 2024. In the BDFL, you simply can’t rest on your laurels. You have to stare down the barrel, face the music, and remove the detractions from the carnival atmosphere. In Week Three, daBlitz was not able to accomplish this and they were embarrassed on their home field on the banks of the Black Warrior River by the ‘Nauts. A.E.’s team came in fired up and ready and they summoned the echos from the old, hidden girls gym at GHS (where they were unheralded stars), and pulled out a big upset vict’ry, in overtime. The loss sends daBlitz to 0-3 on the young season. [Allyson: GHS Class of 1982]  

Gamblers Go Green Bay in Music City – But, Overlook Bullets:

The photos were all over social media, Facebook, insta-gram, flip-flop, and the spider web. The Gulf Coast Gamblers showing up and showing out in Music City to support their adopted, beloved, Green Bay Packers. In the NFL, the Pack was back in the South, playing the Tennessee Titans on the banks of the Cumberland River. Green Bay romped to a big vict’ry with the old, Titans back-up quarterback. The Dixie Mafia reveled with the cheese-heads coming across the Mason-Dixon Line. What the “Real Deal” Kenny Breal didn’t anticipate in the BDFL were the Benton Bullets playing with a chip on their shoulder. The Bullerino’s team came out strong in Week Three and came away with a humongous win over the Gamblers, 45-30. “I can’t take all the credit,” said Bullet. “My guys just kept scoring and before I could call ’em off, it was already out-of-hand… pun intended.” [Bullet: GHS Class of 1981 – “The Misfits of ’81”]  

Old vs. Young as Sin Wagon Rolls into Nawf Birmingham:

“Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels. Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields.” It just felt like we needed to throw in some vintage Jackson Browne at this point and time in the Bulletin, and change the next line or two for the BDFL’s elder statesman – Butch Neal. “In ’75, I was 17 and running up 31. I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on. Running on, running on empty… running on, running blind… running into the sun, but I’m running behind.” Well, the Cheetah-Man may be the oldest dude in the league, but he also has the most Grand Daddy Trophies on his mantle. All of those accolades didn’t seem to help the Southside Cheetahs this past week as the Sin Wagon was derailed in Nawf Birmingham. It was accomplished by the BDFL’s youngest team of Nic Hand and his Birmingham Vulcans, fresh back from a trip to see the Tide roll in Wisconsin. Upon further review (of social media, etc.), that may have not been the reason, because it looks as if Butch went to Madison too, to watch Bama beat the Badgers, 42-10. Therefore, the Bulletin isn’t quite sure what the key to vict’ry was for the Vulcans, only that they scored more points (19 to 18) than the Cheetahs, and that adds up to a win every single time. [Butch: GHS Class of 1978]  

Wildcats Catch Sloths Sleeping:

One of the finest deep snappers to ever wear the maroon and gray was Michael Hewlitt Dismukes. He was the victim of a cheap shot and missed significant time with an injury, but did manage to return to action for his senior season at GHS. His deep snapping experience came in handy in Week Three because his Sloth Monsters punted the ball a lot. Punting is not a recipe for success in the BDFL, and the Western Hills Wildcats took advantage of some extra possessions and defeated the Sloths 13-11 in a low-scoring affair, in a game that was exactly as close at the final score indicated. The “James Gang” was more than happy to swoop into Five Points West and get the vict’ry over the Three Toed Tree Dwellers, and even more pleased that the Wildcats are off to an impressive start to the 2024 season. The Sloths are winless on the year, and planning to go to Big Al’s this week to soak up some old-time karma to see if they can regroup, and turn their season around. [Mukes: GHS Class of 1982]  

Armadillos and Grenadiers Tussle in Texas:

The Mineral Springs Grenadiers mixed a little business with pleasure this week along the Gulf Coast before traveling to Texas to take on the Armadillos in a little town about 20-miles south of Dallas. In Duncanville, Texas the Armadillos are the favorite sons, the shining examples, and the prodigal performers. K.P. & Company have made the home folks proud with JUCO National Championships in baseball, and lettermen play at the University of Alabama, followed by a successful career in cyber, secure, medical sales and service. But, his selection into the BDFL has been icing on the old, proverbial cake. The Armadillos draw big crowds and come outta their shells in home games. The Grenadiers found that out the hard way in Week Three as they fell to 0-3, with a loss to the ‘Dillos in a relatively close game. [Chris: GHS Class of 1980]  

Cronies Cool in Clash with Bandits:

“Cool, calm, and collected,” that was a description from an eyewitness to the Magic City Mayors demeanor as they took the field against the Altadena Bandits on Sunday in a sunny, star-spangled afternoon in Alabama. The Cronies started out fast and finished strong earning a hard-fought vict’ry over the Bandits by the final score of 40-26. The win boosted the Mayors record to 2-1 on the young season, while Barry’s Black Trans Am’s fell to 1-2 with the agonizing defeat. Both Alan and Barry are proud graduates of Gardendale High School and closet ‘teacher’s pets’ (coaches favorites) of legendary sideline walkers for the Rockets in Captain Jack Standridge and “TK” Tommy Morton, respectfully. Each initially wanted to follow in the footsteps of these mentors, but decided instead to “follow the money,” of careers as CPA’s and Juris Doctors (attorneys/lawyers/counselors). Go Rockets! [Alan: GHS Class of 1979 – Barry: GHS Class of 1982]  

Brookside Dogs and PowerSleds Battle in Fairfield:

The Bulletin buried the lead. This game between the Brookside Dogs and the Fairfield Powersleds was worthy of “front page news,” and up to a potential top of the ledger report. In the shadows of U.S. Steel in the bowels of the forgotten fields of Fairfield, “Mark’s Mutts” and the “Mean Machine” went at it for a full 60-minutes (and we’re not talking about the Sunday evening show on CBS). Mr. Mark Burr (who’s been compared to Milburn Drysdale – from the Beverly Hillbillies – aka – Super Banker) squared-off against the Sled Heads, who are hard to beat when they are blasting out the Heavy Metal from the “hair bands” of the 80’s. This one was contested from the opening kickoff until the final gun. The Super Banker (the Drysdale reference) was looking to take Mad Jack for all that he was worth. The Sleds knew Dog’s game plan, so they did a good job of blocking and tackling while keeping one hand on their wallet. In the end, something had to give and it was the homestanding Sleds that escaped with the vict’ry, and the Dogs who limbed away with their tails tucked between their legs, and their “ears bleeding.” [Dog: GHS Class of 1982]  

Week Three in the JrBDFL – “It’s all about the kids.”

It was hard to say who was flying higher in Week Three in the Junior League. Milton Hand – a true freshman at Alabama – has been making his mark at the Capstone. He’s already practically a legend at the dining halls and the auxiliary rec center (Robert E. Witt Student Activity Center). His Lowndes County Labs locked up a huge, blowout vic’ry this past weekend. Meanwhile, back in the Black Belt, the Benton Butterflies advanced to 3-0 on the season with a satisfying win over the JrBDFL Commissioner, and now they are setting their sites on the Big City... as Meredith Hand makes final plans to move to Atlanta, to her new job, in the Battery at Truist Park. “Go Braves, and take the Falcons with you.”  

GHS Grad Stats:

Class of 1982: 5

Class of 1981: 2

Class of 1980: 1

Class of 1979: 1

Class of 1978: 1