October is one of my favorite months. High school football is in full gear and each game matters. The World Series is here and for the last two years for Kansans that means Royal Fever is in high gear. As a KU fan, basketball practice is underway with Late Night in the Phog so I can forget about the Jayhawks football season.

But I am wearing out on everything being something-tober. It started with radio stations having Rocktober. Television stations play scary movies and call it Spooktober. There is Archtober (the St. Louis Arch was finished in October). Throw in Oddtober, Techtober, Bricktober, Pinktober, Biketober, Walktober, Crocktober. The list goes on.

But since October is Positive Awareness Month I will try to stay positive. But, then again, it is also National Month of Sarcasm. 

So as we say goodbye to October let’s just remember the good things about the month like the fact The Honeymooners premiered during October, Droopy Dog introduced us to the initial airing of the Cartoon Network in this month and the first Peanuts cartoon was published in October. 

Oh, and my wife was born in October. I better not forget that.

Prep thoughts

Wow. What a week of football. Great Bend clinches a playoff spot. Central Plains shows it’s pretty darn good. Hoisington continues to roll. All three are playoff bound. All three are or could be district champs.

Great Bend is in the playoffs for the first time in five years and one win away from the District 6 title in 5A. I think there is a pretty good chance the Panthers get it done. Like Tony Crough said, this is not just good for him, the team and the school but the entire community as well.

Hoisington should take care of Lyons in District 15 of 3A to win that district. The Cardinals have hardly been challenged this year and could be, I say could be, heading to a quarterfinal showdown with Halstead and perhaps a semifinal showdown with Scott City. There is still a lot of football left but those would be fun games.

Then there is Central Plains. Given very little respect last year all the Oilers did was win the state title. After losing to Victoria to start the season, question arose. No longer. The Oilers are legit once again and a quarterfinal game with Spearville could be a classic.

Former athlete/coach update

Jack Owens is making a name for himself on the collegiate coaching ranks. The former Barton assistant men’s coach from 2002 is currently the associate head coach for the Purdue Boilermakers. 

Owens had been at Purdue since 2009 and had been the associate head coach since 2012. After leaving Barton he was an assistant at Eastern Illinois for one season then on to Southern Illinois for four seasons as an assistant – initially hired current Purdue coach Matt Painter. Painter then brought him to Purdue four years later.

Owens is a native of Indianapolis and was an All-Conference guard for Eastern Illinois during his playing days. 

His focus in coaching is on the guards and Purdue has had several good ones – including E’Twaun Moore, who finished his career as the No. 3 scorer in Purdue history and ninth in assists. He became just the third player in Big Ten history with 2000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists.

Keep an eyes on Coach Owens – still in his 30’s, there could be a big future in front of him. And, as the saying goes, he and his wife Kamilah are ‘one of the good ones’.

Around campus

If you have never been to a Kansas History Snapshot at the Barton Library, you are missing out. The snapshot series is sponsored by the Cohen Center for Kansas History, which is dedicated to preserving resources in Kansas and inspiring research in Kansas history.

The latest in these series will take place Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. and is entitled “Buffalo Soldiers: An American Legend on the Western Frontier.” Fort Larned National Historical Site Park Ranger Celeste Dixon will give the presentation.

The Snapshot Series is just part of the Cohen Center at the Library which has tremendous resources for the history of Kansas.

And finally

I’m watching the Royals play the opening game of the World Series – and actually enjoying the international broadcast during the time Joe Buck wasn’t on the air. His father, Jack, he isn’t.

While I’m doing this my wife Crystal is in the kitchen baking a cake. Donovan and Katelyn were at the high school fall musical and when they returned we were going to have cake and ice cream.

She hollers from the kitchen that her cake mix is like cookie dough. Then realized she forgot to add the water. That made me think back to when I was young and mother’s cooking blunder.

Now, my mother is great cook. There is nothing better than going back home even today and having some fried chicken or chicken fried steak. Guess I like fried food.

But there was one Thanksgiving when I was a child things didn’t so go well for her, bless her heart. We had finished our turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, et al. Great meal. Time for dessert. The pumpkin pie was brought the table, cool whip was added and everyone began to eat. 

Umm, not so good. Very bad actually. Even our dog wouldn’t eat it. Turns out she forgot to add the sugar. Not sure if you ever had pumpkin pie with no sugar but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Goes to show you even the best can have their moments.

As far as the cake and ice cream after music concert Tuesday. The water was added in time and the cake turned out delicious.