Devil Town

Austin and Mitch take a field trip to a local high school football game.

When East Dillon opens in season 4, there is a giant funding gap between the new school and Dillon. How realistic is this? We look at how schools are funded in Texas, how football is funded compared to other extracurriculars, and the extravagance of 6A stadiums. Plus, an update on the NFL's race norming situation, and some non-FNL recommendations. Links:National Center for Education Statistics - information on how schools are funded by stateEctor County BudgetHouston Chronicle - Cost of Katy ISD Football StadiumBleacher Report - High School Stadium CostsTexas Monthly - Carthage JumbotronThe Texas Tribune - Athletics: Where Budget Balancers Fear to Tread

Mitch takes Austin on a deep dive into the West Texas Accent. They discuss what makes Texans sound distinct, some idioms and unique phrases, and analyze dialogue from the show. 

Austin and Mitch discuss the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights. They look at differences between the book and movie, and similarities with the show. Austin explains some technical football stuff, Mitch challenges him to identify movie half-time speeches, and explain why this is the best football movie.email us at deviltownpodcast@gmail.comfollow us on Twitter @deviltownpod, @a_greenameyer, and @organzapleats

It's Devil Town's first birthday! Mitch and Austin revisit old topics. There are updates on murderball, UCO Cheer, realignment, and we play a game based on a very dated meme. Links:Football, Etc. Origami AngelKenny HooplaSeñor Bikini & AknesAstrophysics - Never Meant

Austin explains the current college football situation with OU, Texas, the Big 12, and the SEC. Even after recording and editing, I (Mitch) don't understand it well enough to summarize. Austin also explains the changes to the NCAA's power over players' name, image, and likeness. email us at deviltownpodcast@gmail.comfollow up on Twitter @deviltownpod, @a_greenameyer, and @organzapleats

It's the last day of Pride Month! We're talking about LGBTQ+ representation in Friday Night Lights and TV in general. Plus, Carl Nassib and what it means for a professional athlete to come out of the closet. Links:Queer Eyes, Full Hearts, from the blog DietCoke4BreakfastDave Kopay's Long Wait by David KampOutSports article on the 16 out retired NFL playersOutSports article on Carl Nassib and interview with Dave KopayEmail us at DevilTownPodcast@gmail.com

In this episode, Mitch and Austin discuss Becky's abortion storyline in season four. Mitch gives some context for Tami's part of the story, looking at the rules and expectations for a school counselor in Texas. Then they look at some recent developments in the fight against abortion access in Texas, Oklahoma, and nationwide. There are many people and organizations doing the vital and difficult work of maintaining abortion access. Please consider donating to one of these organizations, or find and support the clinics and fund networks in your community. Tulsa Women's ClinicTrust Women Oklahoma CityJane's Due ProcessThe Afiya CenterAvow TexasTexas Equal Access FundSources:American School Counselor Association article on district policies and student pregnancies Melissa Prober, Please Don't Tell My Parents: The Validity of School Policies Mandating Parental Notification of a Student's Pregnancy, 71Brook. L. Rev. (2005).Nora Ellman, State Actions Undermining Abortion Rights in 2020, Center for American ProgressFact sheets about abortion in Texas and Oklahoma from Guttmacher InstituteShannon Najmabadi, Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, The Texas TribuneTexas Abortion Access Network - 4 People Fighting to Save Abortion Access in Texas Explain What's at StakeInterview with Amanda Bennet from Jane's Due Process, from Harvard Civil Rights Civil Liberties Law Review

Austin explains the NFL's policy of race norming when deciding payouts for players affected by CTE. He explains the history of the Heaton norms used by the NFL, the court case that regulates payouts, and what that means for players and their families.  AP New articleFollow us on twitter @deviltownpod, @a_greenameyer, and @organzapleatsEmail us at deviltownpodcast@gmail.com

Austin and Mitch reveal their Top Ten Performances by Friday Night Lights Actors in Non-Friday Night Lights Properties. They also play a round of Two Truths and a Lie: IMDb EditionEmail us at DevilTownPodcast@gmail.comFind us on twitter @deviltownpod, @organzapleats, and @a_greenameyer

Austin explains the offensive and defensive schemes we see in Friday Night Lights. We discuss the playing styles of each of the quarterbacks, evaluate Eric Taylor as a coach, and learn a little football history. Links: An X's and O's Breakdown of Friday Night Lights by Steven Ruiz

Does Jason Street have a negligence case against Eric Taylor? In season one, the Streets sue Coach and get a settlement. In reality, the state of Texas treats lawsuits like these very differently. We look at similar cases, the history of sovereign immunity, how laws vary by state, and a coach's burden of care. Links:Overview of the Oklahoma Tort Claims ActTexas Public School Qualified Immunity from Houston PressIn School Sports, Hundreds of Concussions but Few Athletic Trainers to Prevent Them, in Oklahoma Watch2019 Sports Law Year-In-Review from NFHS - information on defamation suits, and contractors vs. employeesAn Analysis of Court Cases since 1995 wherein High School and College Coaches in the United States Were Sued for Negligence as a Result of a Players' Injury in Journal of Physical Education and Sports Management Legal Liability in Covering Athletic Events in Sports Health - an overview of the history of sovereign immunity, and details on many of the cases mentioned in this episodeLegal Aspects of Concussion: The Ever-Evolving Standard of Care in Journal of Athletic TrainingKahn v. East Side Union High School DistrictFortier v. Los Rios Community College DistYanero v. Davis

Austin walks us through the saga of of a football scandal from Valdosta, Georgia. It involves boosters wearing wires, grown men with nicknames, major college programs, and secret families. Links: Lawsuits, secret taping and the unraveling of a powerhouse high school football program, Mark Schlabach at ESPN.com

These episodes are the closest to news Devil Town will ever get. In part one, we highlight three local (to us) stories relevant to topics we've discussed on the podcast: the suspension of the UCO Cheer team, the racism from fans and ensuing fight at the John Marshall vs. Newcastle boys' basketball game, and the racist commentator for the Norman vs. Midwest City girls' basketball game. All three stories have details you might not have heard about if you only read the headlines. And the conversation does occasionally circle back to Friday Night Lights. Links:John Marshall vs. Newcastle - The Root, The OklahomanRacist language from the commentator of Norman vs. Midwest City - Frankie Park's video on twitter, The Black Wall St. Times, statement from OSSAAUCO Cheer - UCO's copy of the incident report, UCO Media article on the aftermath, UCO Media's video coverage on twitter

We're finally talking about music. When we first started talking about this podcast, music was the first idea we had, but it's such a daunting topic. There's so much to talk about and we don't get to everything, but we do discuss:Music Supervisor Liza Richardson and the process of making a show like Friday Night LightsExplosions in the SkyCrucifictoriousWhat is on Matt and Julie's burned CDs?What we'd choose if the show was remade in 2021Other shows with great music supervisionLINKS:AVClub interview with Explosions in the SkyHow Explosions in the Sky Became the Sound of Film and Telivision from Texas MonthlyAIMP interview with Liza RichardsonPitchfork interview with Liza Richardson about the process of supervisingTexas Monthly interview with Liza RichardsonAustin Chronicle writeup of Cowboy and IndianCrucifictorious performing She Don't Use JellyGQ article on the music of the showFuel Friends blog post about the original music used on the show

In this episode, we discuss the working lives of the Dillon teens. For a show about football, we spend a lot of time with these characters at their various jobs. We talk about our own experiences, look at some recent data, and speculate about some of the things the show doesn't tell us. Plus, a very special, first ever installment of Football Expert Mitch Explains Things to Football Idiot AustinLinks: Child Labor Regulations in TexasBureau of Labor Statistics Youth Employment SummaryBureau of Labor Statistics - Teen labor force participation before and after the Great Recession and beyondUniversity Interscholastic League - Football district and official informationUIL Official Scratch FormTASO Conflict of Interest PoliciesTASO Position concerning the national anthem

Austin and Mitch discuss the Superbowl. (Are we allowed to put Suberbowl in the episode title? Would the NFL send us a cease and desist?) Statistically, how likely is it for a high school football player to make it to the Superbowl? What were today's NFL stars like as high school players? What is Eric Taylor doing in season three, episode ten when he appeals the refs for an upcoming game? What is the best Portuguese movie allegorizing the life of St. Anthony? Old Gods of AppalachiaThe Ornithologist

Austin and Mitch discuss the season three episode It Ain't Easy Being J.D. McCoy in the context of hazing. 

Austin and Mitch discuss the Season 1 arc where Smash tries steroids. They look at the science behind how they work, some of the risks involved, and their prevalence among high school athletes. Plus an in depth analysis of the Season 3 JD/Matt QB fiasco.Sources: ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROIDS: Mechanism of Action and Effects on PerformanceFDA Advisement on Teen Steroid UseAnabolic Androgenic Steroid Use and Abuse in Pediatric PatientsNational Institute of Health 

Austin and Mitch discuss the Disney+ movie Safety. It's the true story of Ray McElrathbey, a student athlete at Clemson who took care of his younger brother while playing football. We discuss the odd style of the filmmaking, and compare the movie to the real life story. Links: TrailerSafety actors vs. their real life counterpartsEsquire interview with Ray McElrathbey