I saw "Friday Night Lights" over the weekend.  It was one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.  Much better.  H. G. Bissinger’s book didn’t go over too big in Odessa, but the movie is doing a lot better.

I talked to Terry Alan, who is a Permian graduate and an Odessa resident who played a small role in the movie.  He also set up the MojoLand web site www.kylgrafx.com/mojo in 1996 to counter how the book presented the program.

"As far as the movie, I think (director) Pete (Berg) did an excellent job molding the movie to be a better representation of Permian and our community than that of the book.  I have lived here all my life, and pretty much content with staying here.  We all have dreams of greener pastures, but most of the time those pastures end up having more grass burrs than the one we leave.  The movie portrays Odessa as a run down city of about 40,000.  We are about 90,000 and there continues to be more new business and growth."

I don’t doubt that there was racism and overemphasis on athletics at Permian.  Let’s face it, racism exists everywhere as does the lack of concern for the education of a high school athlete.  Just read John Valenti and Ron Naciero’s book "Swee’pea and Other Playground Legends" about prep basketball in New York City.

Using former San Antonio Spur Lloyd Daniels as the illustration, the pair of New York-based sportswriters weave a tale of basketball players who go to four different high schools in four different years, but failed to get enough credits to get out of ninth grade.

But that’s another movie to be made.

Despite the nearly 600 miles distance between the Valley and Odessa, there’s a lot in common between the two areas, especially on Friday night.  The passion is the same as is the identification of a community with its team.  Thursday night would have been a good night to be a burglar in San Benito, as most of the town had packed Sams Stadium to watch the Greyhounds edge previously unbeaten Brownsville Rivera.  And you think a ticket to a reunion concert featuring the remaining Beatles would be tough to find; just try to get a ticket for the Battle of the Arroyo.  I’m glad I don’t have to get in line to get one.

The Friday Night Lights will be bright on Oct. 29, don’t doubt it.

Paul Conatzer, the Valley Morning Star.
Contact him at paulc@valleystar.com