The Write Team Podcast

Today's episode of The Write Team Daily returns to September 2, 1945, when representatives of the Empire of Japan boarded the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay and formally surrendered to the Allied powers, officially bringing World War II to an end. After six years of global warfare, the Holocaust, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and an estimated 70 to 85 million deaths, the world could fi...

🐝🏈 FIX BAYONETS. KEEP FIGHTING. The Elysian Fields Yellow Jackets didn't get the start they wanted in their 2026 season opener, falling to Hawkins, 33-13. But for HFC/AD Bo Maines, one loss doesn't change what this young football team is trying to build. On this week's Coach Maines Show, Coach Maines joins podcast host David Weaver to look back at the Hawkins game, identify the areas where the J...

The first full weekend of the 2026 college football season has arrived, and David and Matt  are back From The Press Box to break down Week 1, make their picks and introduce a new season-long competition. First, we look back at Week Zero, including TCU's disappointing trip to Ireland against North Carolina, the continuing debate over why college football keeps sending teams overseas, a surprisingly...

Today's episode of The Write Team Daily revisits September 1, 1939—the dawn of World War II, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland and plunged Europe into the deadliest conflict in human history. From the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opening fire on Westerplatte to Hitler's devastating Blitzkrieg, the staged Gleiwitz Incident, and the Soviet invasion from the east, we explore how Nazi aggressio...

🏈 How do you respond when Week 1 doesn't go according to plan? That's the challenge facing the Hallsville Bobcats as they turn the page from their season-opening loss to Lindale and prepare to hit the road for Kaufman in Week 2. On this week's Coach Strickland Show, Hallsville HFC Josh Strickland joins David Weaver to look beyond the final score against Lindale and break down what the film really...

Today's episode of The Write Team Daily revisits the chilling murder of Mary Ann Nichols on August 31, 1888—the first widely recognized victim of the infamous Jack the Ripper. The brutal killing in London's Whitechapel district sparked one of history's greatest unsolved murder mysteries, forever changing criminal investigations, media coverage, and the public's fascination with serial killers. The...

🏈 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ARE BACK IN EAST TEXAS! The 2026 Texas high school football season has arrived, and From The Press Box is kicking it off with a huge Week 1 preview and prediction show. Host David Weaver and KMHT 103.9 FM Sports Director Matt Paul are joined by Longview News-Journal Sports Editor Jack Stallard, recently named the 2025-2026 Texas Sports Writer of the Year by the Texas High Sc...

Football season is finally here in Elysian Fields! 🏈🐝 On the premiere edition of The Coach Maines Show on From The Press Box, Elysian Fields head football coach Bo Maines joins David Weaver to preview Friday night's season opener against the Hawkins Hawks at Jacket Stadium. After three weeks of fall camp and challenging scrimmages against New Diana and Queen City, Coach Maines believes the Jacke...

Friday night football is back in Hallsville! 🏈🔥 On the first edition of The Coach Strickland Show on From The Press Box, Hallsville head football coach Josh Strickland joins David Weaver to preview the Bobcats’ season opener against a talented and experienced Lindale Eagles team at Bobcat Stadium. After challenging scrimmages against Kilgore and Chapel Hill, Coach Strickland likes the progress h...

What can happen when you stop allowing fear to keep you in the background and begin stepping into the purpose God has placed on your life? On this episode of The Conversation on The Write Team Podcast, host David Weaver reconnects with longtime friend and former colleague Kresha Lane for a conversation about education, faith, prayer, mentorship, writing, and discovering the calling behind your lif...

Who will win the 2026 Heisman Trophy? 🏆🏈 David  and Matt close out their college football preview on From The Press Box by revealing their preseason Heisman hopefuls—and somehow manage to select six completely different players. The discussion also includes Miami playmaker Malachi Toney, Texas receiver Cam Coleman, and the debate over whether an elite quarterback makes his receivers better—or wh...

Who makes the 2026 College Football Playoff? 🏈🏆 David and Matt put their preseason predictions on the record as they build their projected 12-team CFP fields on From The Press Box. The usual national powers are represented—but there are also some bold picks, potential sleepers and plenty of disagreement over which teams will still be standing when the regular season ends. The discussion also exa...

Who wins the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 in 2026? 🏈🏆 On this segment of From The Press Box, David Weaver and Matt Paul make their 2026 college football conference championship predictions, picking potential title-game matchups, champions and sleeper teams capable of disrupting the race. 🔥 SEC: Both see Texas vs. Georgia as the matchup to beat—but they disagree on the winner. Meanwhile, South C...

The 2026 AP Preseason College Football Poll is out—but do preseason rankings really mean anything before anyone has played a game? 🏈 On this segment of From The Press Box, David Weaver and Matt Paul put the official poll aside and build their own 2026 College Football Preseason Top 10. Both agree on one major point: defending national champion Indiana deserves to begin at No. 1 until somebody kno...

Football is back—and From The Press Box is kicking off the season with our complete 2026 College Football Preview! 🏈 David Weaver and Matt Paul break down the teams, players and storylines they’ll be watching as another college football season gets underway. Who belongs in the preseason Top 10? Which teams will win the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12? And when the dust settles, who will make the 12-...

After nearly a decade in the classroom, Terra Croley reached a defining moment: She loved teaching, but she also wanted the freedom to be fully present for her son. In this episode of The Conversation, host David Weaver talks with Terra about teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating grief and depression, and recognizing when it was time to make a change. Terra explains how faith gave her...

A new school. Improved facilities. New students. And a new chapter for Elysian Fields ISD. In this episode of School House Rocks, host David Weaver visits with Elysian Fields ISD Superintendent Amy Dickson as the district prepares for one of the most exciting school years in its history. At the center of that excitement is the opening of the brand-new Elysian Fields Elementary School. Years of pla...

What makes a school district more than just a collection of campuses? For Hallsville ISD Superintendent John Martin, it comes down to people, relationships, leadership, and a community that genuinely cares about its schools and students. In this episode of School House Rocks, host David Weaver sits down with Martin as Hallsville ISD prepares to begin another school year. A 1987 Hallsville High Sch...

How do you change the culture of a school district? For Smackover-Norphlet School District Superintendent Bo Smith, it starts by getting students, educators, administrators, families, and the community believing they can accomplish something greater together. In this episode of School House Rocks, host David Weaver sits down with Smith as Smackover-Norphlet prepares for another school year. Smith...

What can a small school district offer that larger schools sometimes can't? For Karnack ISD Superintendent Angela Fitzpatrick, the answer starts with relationships. In this episode of School House Rocks, host David Weaver welcomes Fitzpatrick back to the podcast as Karnack ISD prepares to open its doors for another school year. They discuss how the small East Texas district uses its size as a stre...

The Hallsville Bobcats enter the 2026 football season with experience, speed and expectations. Hallsville head football coach Josh Strickland joins David Weaver From The Press Box to discuss the opening days of fall camp, what last year's young roster learned, and why this year's team could be poised to take the next step. 🏈 Fall Camp Begins Early morning practices and preparing for another East...

Year two has arrived for Elysian Fields head football coach Bo Maines, and with heightened expectations comes a new challenge: building a new identity while maintaining the championship standard established in his first season. Coach Maines joins host David Weaver From The Press Box to discuss the Yellow Jackets' offseason, the start of fall camp, and why relationships—not just X's and O's—remain...

College athletics continues to evolve—and this week may have been one of the most significant yet. On this segment of From The Press Box, David and Matt examine the NCAA's latest courtroom setback, the fallout from a federal judge's eligibility ruling, and the growing momentum behind the proposed Protect College Sports Act. 🏈 NCAA Eligibility Ruling A federal judge grants another year of eligibil...

Football season has officially arrived in East Texas, and there's no shortage of major sports stories to discuss. On this episode of From The Press Box, David and Matt kick off the high school football season before diving into Major League Baseball's blockbuster trade deadline, the latest NCAA eligibility controversy, and LeBron James' surprising move to Philadelphia. 🏈 East Texas Football High...

Carthage athletic director and head football coach Scott Surratt joins From The Press Box for a wide-ranging conversation about East Texas football, championship leadership and the remarkable dynasty he has built with the Bulldogs. Entering his 20th season at Carthage, Surratt reflects on why a job he once viewed as a possible steppingstone became home for his family—and how the Bulldogs grew into...