|
|
|
Though it's not as surprising as his license to fly helicopters, thanks to the Daily News' Dana Bartholomew we know something else about the personal side of Cardinal Roger Mahony -- he's a high school football junkie.
"Yes, yess, yesss; Whoa! Goooo, Cubs!" Mahony yelled, shaking his fist as a quarterback leapt over a defensive line to score during a recent Friday night game between two Catholic school rivals. "That's great!"Not content with the bleachers, the black-robed cardinal has for 20 years been a towering figure on high school home and visitors sidelines -- pacing plays, blessing players, encouraging coaches and losing himself to the clash of the gridiron...
Mahony says he prefers high school football. "(It's) the absolute best, because it's real spirited team football," he says. "The kids have no managers; they don't have any scouts. They're playing their hearts out." ...
Before a recent match between the Crespi High School of Encino and Serra High School of Gardena, Mahony prayed, "And let this be a good game with no injuries -- and if a Catholic team wins, that's good."
The spiritual leader of Los Angeles Roman Catholics, who grew up in North Hollywood, never played ball himself, the story says -- his seminary lacked grass.
Viva Dana! -- Another good story from one of the best writers on any of the city's rags.
Posted by: The Raven at November 20, 2003 11:21 AM
of LA Observed
I've been a stringer at two games where Cardinal Mahony visited. One was a St. Francis-Loyola game and another a game between Cantwell Sacred Heart and St. Genevieve.
Mahony splits his time on each sideline and usually wears a scarf or jacket from that time.
When he was at Cantwell (in Montebello for those unfamiliar with the school), he started off on the St. Genevieve sideline. The game was a total mismatch and St. Genevieve trailed by over 40 at halftime.
He dutifully moved over to the Cantwell sideline at halftime. But since the game was such a rout, they played with a running clock, so the second half was over in about 25-26 minutes.
I think he stuck around for the Homecoming Dance however.
Posted by: Bob Timmermann at November 20, 2003 08:49 AM