# 10,621 in National Rankings. "It was a talented team with very talented individuals, many of which went on without blemishes on their records and are productive citizens in our community," says Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, the attorney who represented Edwards during the grade controversy and criminal trial. We're not thugs.' Pat Culpepper, an all-Southwest Conference defender for Darrell Royal at Texas and coach of the Lufkin team that lost to Carter in 1988, gives the edge to Carter on defense. Carter won the state title but the story doesn't end there. Executives. He was in prison when two years of legal wrangling over his algebra grade ended with the University Interscholastic League stripping Carter of the state title. We try to tell our young kids now, the decisions you make are going to affect you a long time.. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, Grand Jury on Sandra Bland Case: No Indictments, But Case Not Over Yet, The Moyers on Addiction & Sobriety: A Public Family Talks About A Private Problem, This Years Top News Along the Texas Valley Border, Austin Will Require Fingerprint Checks For Uber & Lyft Drivers, Whats Okay, And Not Okay, When God Shows Up On License Plates, The Moyers on Addiction: A Public Family Talks About A Private Problem, In a Central Texas county, high schoolers are jailed on felony charges for vaping what could be legal hemp, As Texas STAAR test goes fully online, teachers feel defeated, Texas Education Agency projects confidence. / CBS Texas. In the film, Thornton tells his team that to win state, they'll have to beat "a team of monsters" from Carter High School in Dallas (which they fail to do). I've always thought that the presence of the late, great Johnny Bailey would have turned the tide in Yates' favor. As the legal wrangling continued through the playoffs, the Carter Cowboys stayed focused and pushed forward to win the state championship. High school football, also referred to as prep football or preps football, dates back to the late 19th century, concurrent with the start of many college football programs. "That means a lot to me. Williams served three years in prison. "We were young. If you want to see Carter High you may have to search it out its been in limited releaseandproducers are still working on a broader distribution deal. 1985 Yates vs. 1988 Carter would have been a fitting showcase for two of the greatest teams in what was, for my money, the best era of the modern high school game, the years from 1982 through 1989 . "Yeah. 2021 Texas Standard. DWC Football Coaching Staff. "My two main regrets, first is the people I let down," he says. He went to the state semifinals in 1982 and 1990 and won the state title in 1988. Not just the best in Dallas or Texas, I would like to say we're the best team ever assembled.. The 1988 Carter High School Football Team were first featured in a 2004 film called "Friday Night Lights" in which they were not portrayed very well in the film because they were portrayed . The following appeared as Part III in a three-part series on the Dallas Carter High School 1988 football team in the Nov. 11, 2008 editions of The Dallas Morning News. March 4 (UPI) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare visit to frontline troops in Ukraine on Saturday as Kyiv's grip on the embattled city of Bakhmut appeared to be slipping. Evans, who was paroled Aug. 22, 1996, says his co-workers don't know about his football or prison past. LEADER OF THE LIONS: Yates' coach Luther Booker was a molder of men. David W. Carter High School; Downtown Montessori at Ida B. The 1988 Cowboys playoff season was highlighted by accusations of grade manipulation of a player, the team being declared ineligible several times during the . At the courthouse, it simply doesnt matter that you can run the football. Carter was named PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Week three times in 2022-23. A few months ago, former Carter coach Freddie James came in to car shop, not realizing Williams worked there. Study suggests bempedoic acid reduces cholesterol, risk of heart attack. He has five children, the second-oldest having been born while he was incarcerated. In 18 years as the head coach at Yates, Booker compiled a 168-37-6 record and guided the Lions to 13 district titles, three state semifinal appearances and one memorable state championship in 1985. But I think they weren't ready for the adventure to be done. He says, "These guys talk about the fact that no matter how far they went after playing big time Texas high school football, there was no crowd that felt more intense, there was no game that felt bigger than their biggest games in their Texas high school careers. He was a tough disciplinarian who once reportedly dragged a student from a billiards hall back to school. Editor's note: This story was published as the movie 'Carter High' was set to hit theaters. The defendants were hustled from the courtroom by sheriff's deputies and did not comment. I guess it was kind of mutual between Derric and I because we were so close. After several phone conversations, Evans agrees to a sit-down interview in Houston, then reschedules twice, then decides not to do it. The Mesquite Horn offensive coach and quarterback who once led Carters team to victory remembers his high school days fondly it was the time, he says, he really felt like he was playing for the community. I think Im losing them. He says the robberies were "a black eye for the community," but adds, "I think those who were around and are still around feel they got a raw deal - that the justice system extracted more than a pound of flesh from them.". March 4 (UPI) -- Roel Degamo, the governor of the Philippines province of Negros Oriental, was assassinated and five others also died Saturday in an attack by gunmen, officials said. Get your Permian football updates by valid e-mail address. He received a 20-year term for his involvement in four robberies. UT And OU Want Out Of The Big 12. DALLAS -- Ten current and former high school students, including five members of Dallas Carter's Class 5A championship football team, were sentenced to prison terms Friday by a . Are insane ticket costs pricing Astros fans out of Opening Day? Sleva authored one of, if not the best, rebounding seasons in Raider history, pulling down a PSAC-leading 12.4 boards per game. A 22-21 district loss to Midland Lee resulted in a coin flip to decide post-season advancement. Yeah, it was difficult. And at a time when it seems the game is always in the cross-hairs, director Arthur Muhammad says Carter High isnt trying to show football in a bad light. The official 2020 Football Roster for the . To know that I broke some hearts really has been a bother over time. Patrick "P.K." Site Map. The film featured Dallas' 1988 Carter High School football season. 2022 Football Roster. All of us can think back to when we were teenagers and the decision processing of teenagers, Ellis says, that part of our brain is not fully developed until youre about the age 25.. Garrick Williams, who attended DeSoto, is a redshirt freshman linebacker at Texas A&M. And whether SOC wins or loses Saturday morning against Liberty Hill, Dallas ISD will always have an unofficial state championship. DALLAS -- Ten current and former high school students, including five members of Dallas Carter's Class 5A championship football team, were sentenced to prison terms Friday by a judge who told them, 'If stupidity were a crime, you would all deserve life without parole.'. In a previous photo caption, filmmaker Adam Hootnick's last name was misspelled as Hootnik. If youd asked him then, heknew the story had potential. 10:00 AM on Aug 24, 2017 CDT Updated at 12:19 PM on Dec 12, 2019 CST. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Though West said he and Kendall are friends today, he said he did not speak to Kendall for two years after that. There's some debate as to whether that team is better . To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident, At least 5 dead following year's first severe spring weather outbreak, 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, Dozens killed, injured as Jakarta fuel depot fire engulfs neighborhood. In 1986-87, 57 percent of Carter students failed at least one course, as compared to 44 percent at Lincoln, an inner-city all-black school. "Am I proud?" March 4 (UPI) -- Texas Republicans on Saturday voted overwhelmingly to censure U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales over votes supporting same-sex marriage and gun control bills that broke party lines. Editor's note: Take a look back into The Dallas Morning News archives.Two months after the big championship win at Texas Stadium, and after overcoming legal challenges . Carter was stripped of its championship after a court found that it had indeed violated the no-pass, no-play law. July 27, 2021. You stay pretty busy. We always thought that, Wow this would be a great movie, somebody needs to make a movie about this,' Muhammad says. Some in the community agreed with West that prison sentences seemed harsh for young men who had made mistakes. This Reporter Wants To Bridge The Gap. It started as a nonfiction book, then it became a movie (with Billy Bob Thornton as the coach) and finally a TV series. ESPN has set a late August premiere date for a documentary about one of the most infamous high school football teams in Texas history. ET on ESPN. for hosting @CarterHSFB Not the ensuing legal battle that nearly kept them out of the playoffs. Dallas Morning News sports reporter since 1993. "I don't think you can fall much further," Hootnick says, "and I say that in part because of the level of the pedestal that, as a Texas high school football star, that's almost as big as it gets. The REAL 1988 Mojo from Friday Night Lights movie. March 4 (UPI) -- China needs to increase its military budget to "fulfill its responsibility as a major country," a Beijing official said Saturday ahead of the nation's annual National People's Congress. "Everywhere we go, somebody knows me," he says. That firestorm began when Russeau moved player Gary Edwards from one algebra class where the teacher insisted Edwards was failing to another that used a school improvement plan system implemented by the principal. I think it shows football actually as the hedge, Muhammad says. He scored 30 or more points on three occasions, including a career-high 33 points in the Raiders' 75-59 win over Slippery Rock Dec. 3. You've got to sugarcoat it to get it in the paper. We do not share addresses with any third parties. But its really the kind of movie that lets people know that you can make it if you try. Eva-Marie Ayala/Staff Writer, Dallas-set football drama 'Carter High' hits Netflix Novemeber, 2016, Former Carter High star football player Jessie Armstead reflects on the past, Carter High tackles Dallas teams woes head-on, Over two decades later, a chance for public redemption, Scandal taints memories of 'best ever,' the 1988 Carter football team, Robbery spree was 'just for kicks' for 1988 Carter football team, Former players on 1988 Carter football team tried to move on, but shaking past wasn't easy. Longtime Illinois high school sports historian Robert Pruter reminds that many college and NFL Hall of Famers were not high achievers in high school. Thats been so long ago, almost 30 years. A high school state football championship in Texas is arguably about more than just temporary bragging rights. DALLAS As South Oak Cliff heads to the 5A state championships this weekend, many in Dallas are celebrating, but its also reminding a lot of people of David W. Carter High School, commonly referred to as Dallas Carter. Carter High is a football movie. See the article in its original context from. The book "Friday Night Lights" is about a group of high school football players in Odessa, Texas, a town where football is king and Friday evenings are gospel. Two months ago, he joined a mentorship program at Carter started by assistant principal Stonie Arbuckle, a classmate in 1988. We would actually say that back then in high school, never to think that one day I would do it but thats exactly what happened.. Urban and suburban schools had just begun to play each other, he said, which brought out racial tensions. Divorced last year, Campbell brags about 10-year-old daughter Kourtney and 8-year-old Kyle, pulling out a scrapbook to show off Kourtney's academic certificates. Instead of going off to play for college teams,those players went to prison. The Colleyville Heritage Steroid . The team made famous by Buzz Bissinger's book "Friday Night Lights" faced enormous expectations. Campbell served seven years, four days. This is the story of four of the student athletes whose off the field activities cost them their future. Russeau was invited to a Dallas showing of the movie but said he wasnt contacted about the film prior to that. And none of the players convicted in the robberies were ever charged with another crime again. Odessa Permian 1988 Roster. Thats definitely still part of the film, but its not the main focus. Challenges went beyond players gambling. It Was Money for Prom Night, Some of the youths had testified that they had committed at least one robbery each so they could have extra money for prom night. Emily Ochsenschlager and Jessica Smith produced and edited this interview for broadcast, and Nicole Cohen adapted it for the Web. . Staff writer Brad Townsend conrtributed to this report. Dayton High School Broncos. Initially, Evans seemed glad to see him. We do not share addresses with any third parties. That team was, resoundingly, one of the best high school squads ever assembled. But while this is a film about some football players making some bad decisions, its also a film about many other players who didnt go down the wrong path. A lot of people already know the story of Friday Night Lights, in which a West Texas high school fights for the state football title. With ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary What Carter Lost screening Aug. 24, audiences are primed to remember the glory and scandal that surrounded Dallas Carter High School's football team nearly 30 . A 12th still faces sentencing. Football has taken Robert Hall from Texas Tech to Houston, Amsterdam and Canada. Carter later was forced to forfeit the 1988 season, in which it won a state title, for grade tampering. You know, like football as long as they were doing football and in football it kept them away from making such bad decisions and choices. During the 1980s Carter High School in Dallas, Texas was a football powerhouse. The Panthers lost to Marshall 13-12 in a non-district game. In one instance, two star players used a .22 revolver to take $256 and a movie rental that cost $3.24 from a Video Exchange. Sports. "No, no, no, I was never bitter," he says. So I dont feel anything in particular," Russeau said. Of those 28, eight would go on to the NFL, including linebacker Jessie Armstead. Football is about making good decisions and gambling dont build character. DALLAS The drama surrounding the 1988 Carter Cowboys took over 25 years to go from the high school football field to the big screen. A grade-changing scandal and accusations of player ineligibility tainted their championship run that almost didn't happen, because of rulings made by state athletic officials. In another, the boys robbed a Mexican restaurant for $11,000. This is a carousel. Unlike Evans, Edwards did get to play college football. A native of Tyler, he is a graduate of John Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Austin. When the ensuing trial was over, Edwards was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Among those sentenced by state District Judge Joe Kendall were Parade magazine All-American defensive back Derric Evans, who was sentenced to 20 years on each of four armed robbery counts, and running back-defensive back Gary Edwards, who received three 16-year terms. As he issued each sentence, screams rang out from the courtroom. Much of his reluctance has to do with his job, which he will only say involves working in a warehouse, mostly night shifts. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "They remember that team, but they don't even know I was part of it.". According to Hootnick, it was "mostly two-parent families, mostly professionals. To Hootnick, some of the story's unsung heroes are the parents who fought to keep the team in the playoffs. "I said, 'I guess it's time for me to get a job and make my own money.' It set the whole city on fire," said defense attorney John Creuzot, who represented one of the players. Chelsea Watkins. "The real story never comes out. July 21, 2021. Armstead estimates that was four years ago. Carter was ultimately stripped of its 1988 state title, and there's no doubt that the Carter community's fight to defend its reputation got a lot harder because of what those young men did. And so to fall from grace like that, that's a long way down.". Gary Edwards, 17, a football player who played a prominent role in Carter's drive for a state championship, was sentenced to 16 years on three counts. But he was also known for his compassion and dedication to get students on track to college and some even to the NFL. If thats told, hopefully some high school kids that are watching it learn from some of those mistakes and say, thats not a road I want to go down. Kristen Taketa/Staff Writer, Former Carter High School coach Freddie James at the premiere of Carter High at Studio Movie Grill in Dallas. Often described as the high school football game of the century.Although the final score was 24-24, Texas UIL tiebreaker rules determined that Duncanville wa. Others said they had spent the money on trips to an amusement park, food and athletic shoes. Texas GOP censures Rep. Tony Gonzales over votes on guns, marriage equity. The official 1986 Football Roster for the University of North Carolina Heels . The Cowboys have 832 players on their Football all-time roster. That was one of the great teams, former WFAA sports anchor Dale Hansen said in What Carter Lost, a 2017 ESPN documentary about the Cowboys 1988 season. So though hes 78 and often uses a cane to walk, James has spent the last three years working as a school crossing guard in South Dallas, a few miles east of his beloved Carter High. Permian won 12 games, while suffering three losses, in the 1988 season. WHERE ARE THEY NOW - Chronicles life after Permian High School for past players and coaches. The 1988 Carter High School football team won that year's Texas state championship. Dallas, Texas. Dawson High School Bulldogs. But its not the kind of football movie that Dallas-based writer and director Arthur Muhammad ever imagined hed be making. I tell them, 'Nobody knows me for the reasons I would like them to know me. Iranians stage protests as dozens more schoolgirls fall ill in suspected poisonings. Filmmaker Adam Hootnick says, "For a lot of people, that's the top." A lot of people already know the story of .