Column by Barry Svrluga

Hey, Jayden Daniels. You don’t have to stand on the goal line, exhorting the Northwest Stadium crowd to get to its feet. The fans are there with you. You’ve got them wrapped around your finger. You earned it. Fire them up by thrusting your arms in the air? They’re fired up already, brother. For Sunday. And for the future.

The holidays feel different in Washington, now and next year and a decade hence, because Daniels plays for the hometown football team. That was true before Sunday afternoon. But after the final seconds of Sunday’s absolutely improbable, he-didn’t-just-do-that-did-he 36-33 victory over the hated Philadelphia Eagles, what’s clear is this: With Daniels, the Commanders always have a chance. With Daniels, everything is possible.

“If you give him moments, he really lights up in those spots,” Commanders Coach Dan Quinn said. “Today, he became a heavy hitter. He really did.”

(Artur Galocha/The Washington Post)

It was just the latest data point. It is now the most important. With his team down by five points and 1:52 remaining — and only a single timeout to spare — Daniels and the Commanders took over at their 43-yard line. Nine plays later, they were in the end zone, where Daniels found wide receiver Jamison Crowder for his fifth touchdown pass of the day. With six seconds showing on the clock, Daniels gave Washington its most significant regular season win since … when?

That’s a great bar stool debate. What’s important is that there could be more to come, because Daniels leads the way. He’s only a rookie, just 15 games into his career. Already, it’s his team. It’s damn near his town.

“He’s so poised,” star wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “No matter if we’re making plays or we’re missing plays, he just has a way to stay even-keeled. And I’ve never seen that from a rookie at any position, let alone quarterback. ...

“He has a way of just making the right plays when it’s time. You can’t teach that. And I feel like his ability to continue to get better each and every week and learn from his mistakes is why I feel like he has a chance to be one of the great ones.”

That’s not hyperbole. It’s only a chance. But it’s a real one.

This victory — which gives the Commanders 10 wins in a season for the first time since 2012 and allows them to clinch a playoff spot next Sunday at home against Atlanta — was far from clean. But the fact that Daniels pulled this out is an extension of the complete flip-flop of reality for this franchise.

Think about it a few different ways for this game specifically. The Commanders committed five turnovers — and won. They were down 14-0 less than eight minutes in — and won. They allowed Eagles running back Saquon Barkley to gain 109 yards and two touchdowns on his first seven carries — and won.

That’s in part because Daniels overcame two interceptions — just his second two-pick game of the year — and accounted for 339 yards of offense (258 through the air, 81 on the ground). Daniels’s speed is blazing, his arm strong and accurate, his shiftiness more like a salsa dancer’s than a quarterback’s. But his greatest strength is actually to take one play and — regardless of its result — think about the next one, not the previous one. Quinn said he’s “able to clear.” His teammates all notice that trait is hardwired.

“I think the biggest thing people don’t really see: It’s like, hey, if he throws an interception or something like that, it doesn’t faze him,” offensive lineman Sam Cosmi said. “And a lot of QBs, that can really get into their heads. He doesn’t allow it. He just keeps going.

“So that’s a really hard characteristic to have. And him being so young and being able to do that, with the experience that he has, it’s pretty impressive.”

Daniels is at the center of this entire transformation, and it’s clear the Commanders wouldn’t have come back Sunday, wouldn’t have overcome all the turnovers, if not for him. (It’s also fair to point out the Eagles lost quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion in the first quarter, and while Kenny Pickett was fine as a backup, he’s not Hurts.)

But Daniels aside, the Commanders could overcome all they faced because this team, in its first year with a roster built by grown-up general manager Adam Peters and coached by the we-play-as-one Quinn, has shifted in attitude and ability. It’s palpable. Early on in this overhaul of an organization, the Commanders have won games they should have lost and lost games they should have won. Those experiences are invaluable as the calendar marches on.

“It builds a little callus, you know what I mean?” McLaurin said. “They get you ready for the next moment. … You look at everybody on that sideline today — they were square-jawed, looking you dead in the eye, ready to make the play to try to win the game.”

Whatever the play necessary, it’s almost certain to involve Daniels. He kept alive one second-half drive by turning a this-play-is-dead fourth and 11 into a squiggling, dizzying 29-yard conversion, leading to the touchdown that pulled Washington back from 13 down to within 27-21. He put them ahead by recognizing the Eagles had 12 men on the field, understanding he had a free play and patiently waiting for wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus to break wide open before flicking him a 49-yard scoring pass.

And when he arrived in the huddle for that final possession, trailing 33-28 because the Eagles had kicked two field goals, the interception he threw to end the Commanders’ previous possession might as well have come in his junior year of high school. It seemed that far in the past. Pick? What pick?

“There’s no, ‘Oh, my gosh,’” Cosmi said. “There’s just no panic. And that keeps the rest of the offense calm.”

One timeout, 112 seconds and 57 yards to victory. Got Jayden? No problem.

“I love those type of situations when it’s on thin ice and plays need to be made,” Daniels said. “That’s what you live for if you really love this sport — for those big-time moments where it comes down to the end.”

It’s not yet Christmas. The Commanders are closing in on the playoffs.

Keep reading those sentences over and over. Then thank Jayden Daniels.

“When you’re moving at a pace the way we are, the past you can leave in the past,” McLaurin said. “We’re taking the necessary steps to continue to move forward. I don’t even think about the past anymore, to be honest. I’m living in the present — and looking forward to the future.”

That’s simply not what it has been like to be a Washington NFL player — a Washington NFL fan — for a decade or more. What will Daniels do next? There are so many possibilities. What we know: The next game is on “Sunday Night Football,” in the lights of prime time. A win clinches a postseason berth. 

Thank Jayden Daniels for it all

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Geronimo

RIMROCK — Jerry “Geronimo” Martin brought the words of the legendary Apache warrior Geronimo to life at the Sycamore Community Park Wednesday as he stood in the middle of a camp-fire style circle of about 50 people seated in lawn chairs and on plastic buckets.

And those words even rang louder today as the Yavapai-Apache Nation is actively working to bring its displaced members back to its ancestral homeland in the Verde Valley by acquiring more land and building homes.

Martin, who said he is the great-great-grandson of Geronimo, told his stories in a deep voice and traditional clothing and explained how Geronimo came to the decision to surrender in 1886.

Geronimo and his group of Chiricahua Apache resisters evaded the U.S. Army for decades and didn’t want to live on the San Carlos Reservation, Martin said

The elder women who were in Geronimo’s resistance group told him, “We’re tired, we’re being pursued like animals, we’re hungry because provisions are becoming too hard to possess, we’re getting old, and we’ve become so few of us,” Martin explained to the people seated in lawns seats and plastic buckets.

“If we can save our tribe by coming home, we need to go home,” Martin said to the Rimrock Community Gathering Group members who were dead-still and didn’t make a sound during his storytelling.

The group gathers every Wednesday for different speakers, yoga, music, meditation, chanting, prayer, singing, energy, medicine, geology, archeology, exercises, herbs and health and wellness and is open to everyone.

The elder women told Geronimo that, “If we don’t have our children, no one will ever know we ever existed.” So Geronimo surrendered in Skeleton Canyon in Arizona.

During his surrender to Lt. Charles Gatewood, the warrior reportedly said, “Once I moved about like the wind. Now I surrender to you and that is all,” the warrior told Lt. Charles Gatewood during his surrender.

“The people are coming back together,” Martin said. “We knew that would happen when we got the sign. The sign of the White Buffalo. And that has already happened.”

In 1875, 1,400 Yavapai-Apache were driven from their land in the Verde Valley by the U.S. government.

“We’re going to continue to grow,” Chairwoman Tanya Lewis said Nov. 4 during the historic land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. “This is an opportunity for generations to come as we’re taught to prepare for those who are not here.” Lewis said the Nation will continue to acquire land, to build back on their historical homeland.

Hey hey, Major Lingo's Ziegler is here to stay

The merry, pied piper singer of the Major Lingo tribe, John Ziegler, is entertaining a new clan these days. Slowly they walk in, some helped strollers, others in wheelchairs. The Cottonwood Villages conference room is packed as residents inspect the cart with birthday cupcakes and adult libations ready for his show. VVN/Vyto Starinskas

By VYTO STARINSKAS The Verde Independent Oct 22, 2024 

COTTONWOOD — The merry, pied-piper singer of the Major Lingo tribe is entertaining a new clan these days.

And they are just as engaged and mesmerized by the talented, guitar-slinging musician.

Slowly they walked in, some assisted by walkers, others in wheelchairs. The Cottonwood Village Senior Living conference room was packed as residents inspected the cart with birthday cupcakes and adult libations.

It’s a far cry from the wildly clad, free-form dancers that used to weave and blend into Ziegler’s hypnotic words and his bandmate’s New World music during Major Lingo gatherings.

“Lingo performed for 30 amazing years,” Ziegler said.” “Lingo’s retirement seems official, but the future is unwritten.”

The band put out about eight discs and songs with names such as the Gold Trapeze, Carnival Lives, To the Lighthouse, Mombas, Seventh Seal and Flaming June.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct 16, Ziegler was performing again and serenading his latest audience with ballads and hits, and they were singing in their chairs. Ziegler breaks into a Buddy Holly song:

All of my love, all of my kissin’

You don’t know what you’ve been a-missin’

Oh boy, when you’re with me, ho boy

The world can see that you were meant for me

Ziegler makes his way around the room making eye contact with his engaged audience members who were sipping cokes and other drinks.

Dum di dum dum, ho boy

Dum di dum dum, ho boy

Buddy Holly must have been smiling in rock and roll heaven as Ziegler cheered up another elderly resident.

Next, the musician sang a Kingston Trio ballad to serenade a long-time resident who was having a birthday.

It’s not your grandmother’s song, it’s a rocker!

And I don’t give a damn about a greenback dollar

Spend it fast as I can

For a wailin’ song and a good guitar

The only things that I understand, poor boy

“I’ve been performing at Cottonwood Village for roughly 25 years,” Ziegler pointed out. “Locally, I also perform adult and assisted living at Sedona Winds and Gracious Grannies.”

“I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity.”

The rewards of playing these venues are numerous, the seasoned performer said. “With music, I’ve got them in the palm of my hand and they have me in theirs. Smiling eyes that reminisce, tapping feet and clapping hands.”

Memory care and hospice patients have been a “miraculous experience” for Ziegler. “When someone lifts their head in recognition of a song and a time spent with friends or a loved one. We’re transported to that moment together as they smile and sing the words they haven’t spoken for we don’t know how long.”

Ziegler said that 25 years ago, he was tailoring his song selection to a much different age group than today. But many of those tunes can withstand the test of time, such as La Vie En Rose, Edelweiss and music by Fats Waller and Glenn Miller.

“I’ve been joined for the past 10 years by my gifted friend and chanteuse, Candace Gallagher,” he said.

With her, they collaborate on songs by Patsy Cline, Etta James, Peggy Lee and others.

“We love harmonizing on tunes from Appalachia, the islands, British Isles and post-modern jukebox. We even perform Major Lingo’s To the Lighthouse.

Zieger said for his 11th birthday his dad bought him a “sweet J-45 Gibson acoustic guitar for $50 bucks from a hock shop in Philly. He took lessons off and on for a year when he decided to learn the rest by ear. The Beatles helped guide his way.

Lingo performed for 30 years and having a small town like Jerome as the home base helped kindle the familial affection they had for each other.

“Egos were never an issue. And of course we had one of the most remarkable and creative guitarists on the planet, Tony Bruno,” Ziegler said.

“Our selection of original and cover music was highly influenced by World Beat/Rhythm and the crowds responded with swaying energy and enthusiasm.”

“We cultivated a respectful and loving relationship with our fans that we feel to this day. Our “All Ages” shows certainly boosted our popularity.”

Ziegler said he’s also slowing down as a solo performer and with others bands. “I still take on certain celebrations such as: birthdays, weddings, wakes and occasional open mics at the Spirit Room.”

That led to a standing ovation for Ziegler recently when Llory McDonald of Combo Delux lent Ziegler two of her bandmates, Steve Botterweg and Darryl Icard, for an impromptu mini Major Lingo reunion in the Spirit Room to perform one Major Lingo song.

“Lingo’s retirement seems official, but the future is unwritten.”

From Wikipedia:

Major Lingo is a band from Jerome, Arizona, founded in 1982, and lasting 30 years until its retirement in December, 2012. Band members as of the band’s retirement included original members Tony Bruno on slide guitar and John Ziegler on rhythm guitar and vocals; and more recent additions Sally Stricker on bass and vocals, and Steve Botterweg on drums and vocals. Alumni include drummer Tim Alexander, who went on to join Primus and Blue Man Group, bass player Darryl Icard, who has also played with the Gin Blossoms side project Low/Watts, bass player Linda Cushma of international band Oxygene8, vocalist Christine Thomas, original drummer Dave Rentz of New Mexico’s The Withdrawals, and original bass player Teddy Rocha.

C-OC Supt.

 COTTONWOOD — Officials at the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District expect between 1,700 to 1,800 students will be enrolled when classes start districtwide on Thursday, Aug. 1.

That’s lower when compared to the district’s enrollment before the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared in March 2020. The decline in the student population at the six schools in the Cottonwood-Oak Creek district can also be attributed to changes in the local economy, according to district Superintendent Jessica Vocca.

“The population in the Verde Valley is changing. It’s harder to raise a family here if you cannot afford a home. During 2008 to 2015, we had a big migration of families relocating here, and a lot of those family members were working in the service industry. But, lately we have seen a lot of restaurants closing and people can no longer afford to live in the area, so they are moving away,” Vocca said.

That means smaller class sizes at Cottonwood-Oak Creek District schools this academic year and that can be considered a positive for students and teachers because students will get more individual attention than they would with crowded classrooms.

This year’s anticipated maintenance and operations budget at the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District totals about $13 million, which is a slight increase over the previous school year — roughly an uptick of about $100 per student, Vocca explained.

In addition to state funding and other revenues provided to Arizona public school districts, Cottonwood-Oak Creek District regularly applies for competitive grants to bring in additional money.

Vocca took over as district superintendent last spring after serving as principal at the district’s Dr. Daniel Bright Elementary School. Vocca has been with the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District for 20 years, and she is a Verde Valley native, who grew up in Sedona and Cottonwood.

Her grandmother, Karen Pfeifer, once served on the Cottonwood City Council as vice-mayor and has been involved in other city committees and commissions. Vocca said she uses the inspiration from her grandmother to be dedicated to improving the community and she has some clear goals she wants to achieve as superintendent in the upcoming school year.

Among other things, she vowed to update curriculum and expectations for teachers as well as improving student proficiency in core academic areas. She aims to establish a more diverse and inclusive school culture where students feel physically and emotionally safe and connected.

Vocca has prioritized updating aging buildings, some of which were originally built in the 1950s. In fact, the district headquarters is located in a building constructed about 100 years ago.

“I also want to put more emphasis on the district participating in community outreach and creating tighter bonds with families of students who attend our schools, and that includes finding better means of communications with families. Right now, we regularly use robocalls, emails and apps,” Vocca added.

Currently, the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District reports it has hired all of the teachers needed for the new school year.

“However, we are still recruiting qualified candidates for paraprofessional positions, custodians and bus drivers. Bus drivers are a big need and some districts are even offering signing bonuses for new bus drivers. In the past, we have had to cut routes because we were not able to find enough bus drivers,” Vocca said.

All Cottonwood-Oak Creek schools will continue to provide free breakfasts and lunches for students during the upcoming school year.

As the first day of school quickly approaches at the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District, Vocca encouraged parents and guardians to get their students back into their daily routines including earlier bed times, planning for means of transportation to and from school, and contacting the district and schools with any last minute questions.

“After all, creating a path for success isn’t just up to the student. It’s the family and everyone in the community. We all have to be involved. Yes, it really does take a village,” Vocca said.

Mingus Supt.

 

COTTONWOOD — Melody Herne, Ph.D., the new superintendent of Mingus Union High School District, credits a strict upbringing by her parents and strong devotion to Christianity for helping her land an important leadership position in the community.

“I am a God-fearing woman who prays about everything, and I believe that’s helped me get to where I am today,” Herne told the Verde Independent.

Herne wants to use her position with Mingus Union District to encourage young women to consider careers in public education.

“When I was younger, there were not a lot of female role models. I want to try to use my position here as superintendent to connect to young women. I think being a strong role model requires a person to listen carefully, to ask others how their journey is going? It’s important to connect with young people so you can provide them with good advice about how they can reach their ultimate success,” Herne said.

Herne started her new job in May. Since then she’s been busy meeting her staff, students, parents and the five members of the Mingus Union Governing Board. Herne succeeds Mike Westcott, Mingus Union superintendent since 2019, who announced his retirement in September to allow an appropriate amount of time to find a replacement.

“I am going to use this position to always defend public education. I am focused on helping kids get to the next level in academics and in life. I always depend on prayer to help our schools, and I pray for all of our kids because they are the future,” she said.

Herne relocated to Cottonwood from Scottsdale, where she was previously superintendent of the Salt River Schools for the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

“I came on early in this new position in Cottonwood while Mike Westcott was still in the role. That gave us time to work together and we had a good time. We had a good working relationship,” Herne said.

“Building rewarding relationships is key to success in the superintendent’s role at Mingus Union or any other district where I was involved before I arrived here,” she explained.

Herne was born in Heidelberg, Germany, where her family lived while enlisted in the U.S. Army. Her mother was a teacher, and both parents were influential as Herne embarked on a career in education leadership herself.

“My father was a man’s man,” she said. “He was reassigned to Fort Huachuca, so we moved as a family to southern Arizona. From my mother I learned diligence, she always encouraged me to speak proper English, and I credit her for that,” she said.

While Herne was attending college working on her education credentials, she served as a substitute teacher in Sierra Vista. She landed her first full-time teaching job and moved around Arizona quite a bit over the years, serving in various teaching and administration jobs with Dysart, Higley, Mesa Public Schools and Phoenix Elementary school districts before she ended up with Salt River Schools.

“That’s where I got immersed in their language revitalization programs learning O’odham, Maricopa or Piipaash. They are considered endangered languages. It was a wonderful opportunity learning the language, and I even studied Latin during my earlier years,” Herne added.

In-between her different jobs at school districts, Herne was employed with the Arizona Department of Education, where she helped to create a statewide school grading and evaluation system that still exists today.

In her free time, she loves to sing and she has been involved in church choirs and Sunday School wherever she lived at the time, including at Cottonwood’s Faith Baptist Church.