Staff Writer

This past weekend, the Coppell High School Madrigal singers traveled to San Antonio to compete in the Texas Madrigal Festival. 32 choirs from across Texas competed for the distinction of 2012 honor choir. The Coppell Madrigals were named third runner up.

In the competition, each choir performs three songs of various languages and styles and is given a score by the judges. Immediately after, they attend a short clinic to receive advice to improve their performance. After all of the choirs have performed, the judges rank the choirs to determine the winner. Nine choirs were awarded performance of distinction awards and then the top four choirs were announced. The CHS madrigals singers placed in the top four for the third straight year. They also received a division I superior rating.

For more information on the CHS Madrigals, or the choir department in general, visit http://www.chschoirboosters.org.

Every other year since 1990 a competition has been held throughout the state of Texas, where the best bands from each division compete to become State champions. On Nov. 2 the honored Coppell High School Marching Band is to compete in San Antonio’s Alamodome, in hopes of placing first amongst the best of the best.  After a shaky performance on Saturday night, the band hopes shine brighter than they ever have on Tuesday. Director Scott Mason is polishing the coat on his gorgeous stallion and is readying him for show as they take off bright and early Monday morning to greet the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas. Good luck band, we know you’ll do great!

The Dallas Mavericks are on the brink of being eliminated from the NBA playoffs short of their ultimate goal yet again tonight at the hands of their arch rival San Antonio Spurs.

Down 3-1 in the series, odds are not in Dallas’ favor to come back and win – only eight out of 189 have every won a series when trailing 3-1.
For this to have a chance, several things have to happen.

1. Drive the ball. The Mavericks are a jump shooting team, we all know this, but taking the basketball to the rim has to be the number one goal for this offensively. In games three and four all you saw was jump shot after jump shot, after jump shot, most of them misses. On the other end you see the Spurs getting lay-ups and buckets.

2. Don’t bench your stars. Rick Carlisle is a good coach, but he’s made some ridiculous decisions in this series that have put his team in a difficult position. First sitting Caron Butler for the entire second half in game three, then putting Shawn Marion on the bench in the fourth quarter of game four. Those are the players you traded for, to play in games likes these, and you bench them? Makes no sense.

3. Less JJ Barea. He’s a good player, he has his role on the Mavericks – about 10 minutes a game, come in and give a spark. But nothing more, and especially not 32 straight minutes which he did in game three. It was pretty evident in that game three when Tony Parker was making shot after shot over him.

4. More Brendan Haywood. When he watches Erick(a) Dampier on the court, he has been thinking, ‘why am I not in the game?’ Since he came to Dallas, Haywood has outperformed Dampier, I’m dumbfounded as to Carlisle continues to give Dampier more minutes.

5. Hustle. Sounds simple enough, it’s what every kid is taught at basketball camp but every time there is a loose ball, San Antonio comes up with it. Every time. That’s not a coincidence, the Spurs want it more and they’re going after it. And would somebody box out DeJuan Blair.

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and we are proud of it. Not only do we sport the world’s largest cowboy boots (found in San Antonio), but we also have the most pride and the biggest hearts… to name just a few of the reasons the state holds a special place in my heart.

I love Texas. Everything from the flat land revealing the sky from horizon to horizon to our Southern slang. I love the stereotypes which come along with living here, as comical as they may be. Instead of offending me, it makes me proud to be a Texan when someone comments on my accent or asks if I own a horse.

Aside from culture, the “Lone Star State” is also special because of its traditions and unique associations. For example, where else can you go to a state fair serving everything—and I mean everything—fried?

We also are known for our crazy traditions such as high school homecoming mums and garters, seen on a grand scale at CHS, and the way we flock to the TV and stadiums for football games. You are simply not Texan if you don’t scream when your team makes a great touchdown or deck out in college sportswear when the “big game” is on. As fanatical as it is, the customary football season enthusiasm is as much a part of the state as Dairy Queen and unpredictable weather.

But more than the extravagant things we do, Texans are special because of the way we are.

We almost have our own language, knowing that a “coke” is not necessarily a Coca-Cola but any form of soft drink, and “y’all” is perfectly fitting and more specific than “you.” We measure distance in minutes without realizing it (How far is Wal-Mart from my house? About 10 minutes) and know that anything lower than SPF 30 is a joke in the summer.

I, along with all other Texans, have the weather down perfectly, making sure my car has both A/C and heating, because I will most likely be using them both in one day. I know the best parking spot is determined by shade rather than proximity and am accustomed to listening to the weather report before choosing what to wear.

Though these aspects of Texas life are some of the reasons I love the state, they also drive me crazy at times, making me want to move far away.

For example, when the pavement burns my feet, I still get sunburned in October and the hot air in my parked car suffocates me, it can get a little tiring. Sometimes I wish our weather would just be balanced, that we would have warm summers and cold winters. And maybe over three inches of ice…I mean snow.

Also, there just is not that much to do in Texas. Yes, there is Six Flags, the Alamo, a few big cities and the beach, but we certainly do not have a Disney World, Broadway or Grand Canyon. It would be nice to have a few outstanding landmarks to define our state and give us a way to pass the time and attract tourists.

However, I can admit our state is striking for just being what it is, and that is why I am able to forgive Texas for the characteristics that I do not always enjoy.

Even when I am not perfectly content with my state, I am proud of the passionate features which are specially our own. But it’s not just the crazy things about Texas that make me love it, it is also the sentimental aspects of the state.

For example, Texans value our state and recognize its beauty and matchlessness when we say the pledge to the Texas flag every day in school. Though some people view this as a prideful and unnecessary tradition, I think it is wonderful. I believe it is important for children to grow up with an appreciation for not only their country but also their state, as that is where loyalty begins.

One of my other favorite Texas traditions is taking bluebonnet pictures. My sister and I have countless photos of us as little girls, sitting and playing in patches of the striking flowers, and I know it is a tradition in many other families as well. I think it is a beautiful custom, combining family love and Texas pride.

All in all, Texas is beautiful to me, both in land and character. While I love the outrageous things we do and are known for, I also appreciate the respect and pride we have for our state. Like they say, “Texas, it’s like a whole other country.”