Ex-pros Give Pep Talks to Tigers

We heard a local radio show host refer to the Dec. 1 state AAAAA high school football championship, during which Bentonville defeated El Dorado 23-16, as the battle of big retail money vs. big oil money.

Although the sound bite was slightly amusing, we thought the players on the field and not Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville and Murphy Oil Co. of El Dorado were the real story. However, we have to admit the eventual state champs were not short on perks.

A Wal-Mart executive phoned BHS just before the Tigers’ bus left Bentonville for Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium and said former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek wanted to come give them a pep talk. Novacek was at Wal-Mart’s corporate headquarters on business.

Novacek, a five-time NFL Pro Bowler and member of three Super Bowl championship teams, praised the Tigers for “coming together” this season and urged them to complete the job. He apparently inspired the team and Coach Gary Wear.

Novacek, now host of “Cabela’s Sportsman’s Quest” on ESPN, wasn’t the only former NFL great to speak to the team the same week, however. Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelley was the keynote speaker Dec. 4 at BHS’ sports banquet.