san antonio man feb/march 2013

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE THE SILENT KILLER

EXERCISE:SURVIVE AN OBSTACLE RACE

HOME BUILDERSSEE GROWTH IN SA

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Doyle BenebyThe Powerhouse at CPS

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6 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013

SAN ANTONIOMAN Table of Contents

p.20Doyle BenebyCover Story

FEATURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

COVER STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

MONEY & INVESTMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . 24

SA CULTURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

SELF-MADE MAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

FAST TRACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

EXERCISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

WHAT WOMEN WANT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

HAPPY HOUR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

TOP TEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

QUICK BITES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

RIDES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

HUNTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

THE DAYTRIPPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

ANOTHER VIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

MEN ON THE MOVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

THE LAST WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

BACK IN TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

EXERCISE

OBSTACLERACESp.38

p.57

HUNTING

VENISON SAUSAGEHunters Gather To Make Their Own


SAN ANTONIOMAN

MIKE GAFFNEYPublisher

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 Advertising and Subscription information:(210) 826-5375email: [email protected]

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San Antonio Man is published bimonthly by PixelWorks Corporation (Publisher). Repro-duction in any manner in whole or part is prohibited without the express written consentof the Publisher. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion ofthe publisher or its staff. San Antonio Man reserves the right to edit all materials forclarity and space and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors or omissions. SanAntonio Man does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertisements or editorial,nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear.Articles and photographs are welcome and may be submitted to our offices to be usedsubject to the discretion and review of the Publisher. All real estate advertising is subjectto the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise “any prefer-ence limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familialstatus or national origin, or an intention to make such preference, limitation or discrim-ination.” Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright ©2013 Pixelworks Corporation.

In our first issue of SAN ANTONIO MAN for 2013 we follow the recovery ofthe new home market in San Antonio, specifically targeting four local home-builders who have weathered the downturn in the market and tell us wherethey see improvement in the coming year. Housing starts are up for thesecond year in a row, and there is more optimism in the market now thanin the previous several years.

We got to visit with Doyle Beneby, the CEO of CPS Energy, San Antonio'smunicipal utility, and learn more about the powerhouse behind our powercompany. In addition, we feature some timely topics such as creating a newexercise plan in the new year and surviving the newest exercise trend — theobstacle course. Our etiquette expert, Diane Gottsman, offers advice on officeorganization and must-haves for every well-appointed office space.

As deer hunting season comes to a close, we have a great story on makingvenison sausage. Chet Garner takes us to Goliad, site of a historic battlefollowing the Alamo, and has some great suggestions for eating out in thearea along with other attractions to make your trip worthwhile. Be sure tocheck out our article on the new American Basketball League in San Anto-nio and, as always, Quick Bites will whet your appetite with more of our fa-vorite places to catch a bite.

As we enter 2013, we look forward to the new year with optimism and muchenthusiasm. We appreciate your feedback and are working on continuingto meet and surpass your expectations of our publication. Find us on Face-book and let us know how we're doing, what or who you would like to seefeatured, and tell us what's important to the San Antonio man.

sanantonioman.com

Photography ©Oscar Williams

President & Publisher | J. MICHAEL GAFFNEY

Editor | BEVERLY PURCELL-GUERRA

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Contributing Writers | ERNIE ALTGELT, STEVE ARNOLD, PAUL BALTUTIS, JEFF DEGNER, RON AARON EISENBERG, CHET GARNER, EDWARD GARZA, JOSEPH GARZA, KELLY A. GOFF, JOHN GOODSPEED, DIANE GOTTSMAN, RANDY LANKFORD, LEONARD PIERCE, TERRY NEGLEY, JANIS TURK, JASMINA WELLINGHOFF

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Printing | SHWEIKI MEDIA, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Terry “The Car Guy” Negleyhas been reviewing new carmodels for SAN ANTONIOMAN since the first edition.Last year he won a craft com-petition with the Texas Auto Writers Association.Through the years he has built and raced everythingfrom hot rods to high-powered sports cars, even racingwith Team Lotus while living in California. In the early‘90s he became a new car consultant, helping peoplewith the purchase of new or used cars, something hestill enjoys. In 2003 he was approached by the AutoAppraisal Group to be their rep in Central Texas. Tyingconsulting, appraisal and journalism together was anatural fit. He only wishes he were still racing. Terrysays the only thing he loves more than cars is his wife,Judy, and their 10 grandchildren.

SAN ANTONIOMAN


TERRYNEGLEY

An internationally publishedand degreed photojournalistwith 40 years on the beat, be-hind the lens and in the class-room, Greg Harrison sharespeople’s joys and successes through photography.Hired as a biweekly newspaper photographer, heworked his way through college, then spent a decadephotographing the oil industry. He gained new skillsdirecting commercials and producing print advertisingin Texas and abroad. Harrison taught photojournalismat Reagan High School before becoming a contributorto SAN ANTONIO MAN. Assignments for dozens ofnonprofits and corporate clients over the years definehis San Antonio persona. When there’s a premierevent, he will quite likely be the photographer. He elab-orates, “There’s nothing quite like capturing portraitsof San Antonio in all our prosperity, our community andour generosity.”

GREGHARRISON


SAN ANTONIOMAN

It can be a challenging and exciting un-

dertaking, and to capture a little of the

essence of this creative and indispensable

industry, SAN ANTONIO MAN has invited

five area veteran builders to share a few in-

sights on what’s going up and what’s going

down in the always active, never dull new

home biz.

The home turf

Since its inception and naming in

1691, San Antonio has been erecting

housing to shelter its ever-growing popu-

lace. In the days of yesteryear construc-

tion was entrusted to laymen who

generally relied on established tech-

niques, trial and error and maybe even the

proper recipe for mixing adobe. Homes

were erected as needed, and quality was

never assured. Remarkably, it wasn’t until

the middle of the 19th century that the city

got its first planned suburban neighbor-

hood, the King William District.

Today, the landscape seemingly ex-

plodes with development reaching far and

wide sprouting top-caliber housing at

mind-boggling rates. But for the builders,

new home construction can be like riding

a roller coaster. Like all cities in the United

States, San Antonio (ranked nationally as

the seventh-largest in population and

boasting the fourth-largest new home mar-

ket) and its residential building industry

haven’t been immune from the inherent, fi-

nancially driven boom-and-bust cycles

that have always affected areas within the

national economy.

As evidence, after a record high of more

than 19,000 housing starts in San Antonio

during the heady times of 2006, new lows

were soon to follow in the leaner years of

2008 through 2011, when the same fell by

two-thirds. Fortunately, Texas and espe-

cially San Antonio, thanks to military ex-

pansion, the Eagle Ford Shale play and

other factors, were somewhat sheltered

by ERNIE ALTGELT Photography GREG HARRISON

“Homing in”on San Antonio’s residential construction

For many San Antonians,achieving the American dreamisn’t just home ownership, it’snew home ownership. And for a variety of reasons,the local market for the freshlyfinished, often custom homeconstruction is seeing a resurgence as buyers, youngand old, flush and frugal, flockto newly created neighbor-hoods or entice builders to privately owned lots with the intent of acquiring anabode that’s never been occupied before.

Veteran builders offer insights into SA’s burgeoning new home market

from the nationwide downturn and, as a re-

sult, have rebounded more quickly than

other parts of the country.

In 2012 the city reported an acceptable

8,077 housing starts. This year, more than

9,000 are eagerly anticipated (source: Met-

rostudy). The market appears to be on the

rebound. But thanks to a top-notch building

industry driven by a cadre of professionals

who meticulously oversee every detail es-

sential to the inception and completion of

highly prized, value-sustaining, expertly fab-

ricated new housing, the consumer has

many options available when seeking a

newly constructed or custom home.

The following individuals, all well-estab-

lished and experienced players within the

local residential building trade and repre-

senting some of the city’s finest firms, offer

expert testimony covering various aspects of

San Antonio’s special, and, in many re-

spects, unique new housing market.

The “crash”

After 40 years as a builder, Art Burdick,

founder and president of Burdick Custom

Homes, has seen it all regarding the ups and

downs of new home construction. SAN AN-

TONIO MAN wanted to know what he thinks

about the latest downturn, which struck the

nation, Texas and San Antonio in 2007/2008.

He offers, “Our city was fairly unique in

that we didn’t have a huge price run-up

prior to the downturn; therefore prices

didn’t retreat much. The equity owners had

accrued didn’t evaporate. This allowed our

new home market to remain somewhat sta-

ble during these turbulent years. However,

others factors, such as the loss of AT&T (in-

cluding many of its suppliers), did nega-

tively impact home building. Fortunately,

San Antonio remains a fairly strong market,

thanks to our lower housing costs and high

standard of living. For example, many re-

tirees are attracted to the area since they

can sell a ‘mid-range’ home in another city

and upgrade to a luxury home here for the

same price. All in all, we’ve been better off

than many other areas.”

Burdick has been heavily involved in the

San Antonio building industry since 1972. In

1982 he was recognized nationally as one of

the Outstanding Young Builders. In 1981, he

was elected president of the Greater San

Antonio Builders Association, and in 2011,

was named by that association the Builder

of the Year. He established Burdick Custom

Homes in 1989 and over his career has built

more than 2,000 local homes.

15SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

Art Burdick of Burdick Custom Homes has built more than 2,000 homes locally. Hewas named Builder of the Year in 2011.

“San Antonio remains a fairlystrong market,thanks to our lowerhousing costs andhigh standard of living.”

Why buy new?

As an area leader within the new home

market, Jim Leonard, president and

founder of Greenboro Homes, was asked

by SAN ANTONIO MAN if there were ad-

vantages to buying new rather than pur-

chasing an existing structure. He responds,

“New homes today are far more energy-ef-

ficient than those built just a few years ago.

Building science has improved, and even

more efficient products are coming to the

market. The city will soon adopt newer,

more stringent codes and is currently work-

ing toward all homes being ‘net zero’ en-

ergy by 2030. So the emphasis is on better

building, resulting in a lower operating cost

for the homeowner. Generally, new con-

struction homes (reflecting their quality) will

come with a warranty. The buyer usually

has the ability to select all the features and

colors that go into the home. Many builders

such as Greenboro Homes also offer addi-

tional personalized options, resulting in a

high level of customer satisfaction because

the new homeowner will ultimately get ex-

actly what he or she desires.”

Leonard has been engaged in residential

homebuilding since 1982. Currently he

serves on the executive committee of the

Greater San Antonio Builders Association

and was its president in 2012. He is also a

member of the board of directors of the

Texas Association of Builders and is a di-

rector for the National Association of Home

Builders. Leonard has been recognized

several times as an award recipient from

both the local and state associations. He

began Greenboro Homes in 2004, and his

company has since completed more than

250 homes.


SAN ANTONIOMAN

Jim Leonard, president and founder of Greenboro Homes, was president of theGreater San Antonio Builders Association in 2012.

“New homes today are far more energy-efficientthan those builtjust a few years ago.”

17SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

Planned neighborhoods or

building on a pre-owned lot?

With so much experience building in a

variety of communities across San Antonio

and Central Texas, Frank Sitterle Jr. and

Jeff Buell, the owners of Sitterle Homes,

have a pretty good perspective when it

comes to reading market trends. SAN AN-

TONIO MAN asked where the new homes

are going up — in planned communities or

on pre-owned lots? According to Buell and

Sitterle, the answer is mixed.

As they volunteer, “Both locations expe-

rience growth as the market heats up; how-

ever, planned neighborhoods will continue

to build the lion’s share of the new homes

purchased. Generally, first-time buyers

start in the more affordable planned neigh-

borhoods that may have an existing ‘new’

inventory already in place; then, as the

family and its income grow, many become

desirous of acquiring a fully custom home

or perhaps a slightly lower-priced semi-

custom home where building changes are

welcomed. We’ve built many of these

‘step-up’ homes in our planned subdivi-

sions and on the owner’s lot.”

Sitterle Homes was founded in 1964 by

Frank Sitterle Sr. In 2005, Sitterle turned

over the company to his son, Frank Jr., and

Jeff Buell, both partners in the business. In

2010, the company received the presti-

gious AVID award for being No. 1 in Cus-

tomer Experience in the United States.

Today, the company builds in more than 20

communities in the San Antonio and Austin

areas. A new Houston operation located

near Sugarland is scheduled to open for

sales in the spring of 2013. Over its pro-

ductive history, Sitterle Homes has com-

pleted more than 4,000 homes.

Frank Sitterle, Jr. (left) and Jeff Buell, owners of Sitterle Homes, build homesin more than 20 communities in San Antonio and Austin.

“Planned neighbor-hoods will continueto build the lion’sshare of the newhomes purchased.”


SAN ANTONIOMAN

The financing challenge

builders and buyers may face

Like every quality custom homebuilder,

Raul Correa, with 25 years of experience,

has faced his share of the challenges that all

in his industry periodically encounter, includ-

ing labor shortages, rising material costs,

periods of inclement weather and other lim-

iting factors. However, when SAN ANTONIO

MAN asked what was the most pressing ob-

stacle he and his clients currently confront,

his response was immediate: “Financing!”

As he relates, “Unlike tract homes, most

custom home projects exceed the

$450,000 price range. This can make it dif-

ficult for a potential buyer to qualify be-

cause of the sheer size of the loan.

Because of the recent economic downturn

— much of it fueled by bad real estate in-

vestments — the banks have really tight-

ened up. Today, those with credit scores

below 680 have a very difficult time obtain-

ing a mortgage, where a few years ago,

that number would have resulted in a quick,

simple approval.” He believes, “It will take

time and growth to ease the situation for

buyers and builders alike. But people still

need and want homes, so, thankfully, I’m

still building!”

Correa is the president and founder of

Prodigy Custom Homes. He is a member in

good standing with the Better Business

Bureau (as an AAA-rated business) and the

Greater San Antonio Builders Association.

His homes have been repeatedly recog-

nized and featured in multiple Parade of

Homes events.

Raul Correa, president and founder of Prodigy Custom Homes, has 25 years of ex-perience in the industry.

“Be sure to askhow many years a builder has beenin business.Longevity is a definite positive.”

19SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

Insider’s tipson selecting a new homebuilder

When queried about what consumers should consider when

selecting a builder, our featured homebuilding experts not only

know what the savvy shopper should ask, but were most eager

to share the same. Maybe that’s because these pros and the

excellent companies they represent have all the right answers.

Whatever, all agree a little due diligence is mandatory.

Jim Leonard believes that before and during the construc-

tion process it’s very important for the consumer to have ac-

cess to the builder — not just a salesperson. Also, buyers need

to find out at the beginning if the builder is “willing to accom-

modate requests for changes or additional items.” Not all are.

And regarding developments, find out what’s planned for any

surrounding vacant land. If neighboring open property does

exist, what’s scheduled to be put on that property may be

detrimental, price-wise, if the buyer ever decides to sell.

Jeff Buell and Frank Sitterle recommend visiting builders

who are located in the areas that the buyer wishes to live in.

The pair also advises “knocking on the doors of former cus-

tomers and asking about their experience with the builder.”

Quiz them

about what

they would

change or

do differently if they had a second chance. Was it a good ex-

perience? Quality companies are usually glad to share cus-

tomer references, but buyers should insist on obtaining a

complete list of past clients and not just accept a few names.

And regarding references, Art Burdick suggests also con-

tacting the company’s bank. Ask “Are there any liens or law-

suits?” Another source for good advice, according to Burdick,

is asking a Realtor or, as he clarifies, “several Realtors.” These

folks know!

Raul Correa recommends always using established

builders: “Be sure and ask how many years a builder has

been in business. Longevity is a definite positive.” Ask about

specific homes — were they finished on time and on budget?

And while price is important, be sure to find out just “what

you are getting for your money.”


SAN ANTONIOMAN by ERNIE ALTGELT Photography MARK LANGFORD

Doyle Beneby, president and CEO of CPS En-ergy, has always loved reading, especially non-fiction. The South Florida native credits hisgrandmother with pushing him toward achieve-ment, telling him, "education coupled with hardwork" is the key to advancement. He becamethe chief executive at CPS Energy in 2010.

21SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

A GRANDMOTHER LIGHTS THE WAYA native of South Florida, Beneby was born in 1959 to parents of

modest means. His father worked as a laborer for diverse industries,

while his mother taught school. His grandparents emigrated from the

West Indies. When he was a very young child, his parents divorced, leav-

ing the toddler in a fatherless Miami household shared with his mother,

several cousins and, fortunately for him, his maternal grandmother. While

it was a loving albeit crowded home, with so much constant activity there

wasn’t much time for a lot of personal attention to be lavished on any

one occupant.

As a result, independence was instilled early, and in retrospect, this

proved an important role in Beneby’s impending success. He was particu-

larly influenced by his grandmother, who through her admirable and tireless

actions became the individual he most desired to emulate. She labored

daily as a maid, yet never complained about her lot in life. More importantly

for her grandson, she tenaciously held to the belief that “education coupled

with hard work” was the key to advancement.

It was her steadfast determination regarding those truths that kept

Beneby focused during and beyond his academic years. When he looks

back at her innate wisdom and unrelenting encouragement, he feels a

deep gratitude for what she imparted. As he admits, when facing current

confrontations and challenges, “it’s like she’s sitting on my shoulder,

there to help me do the right thing, still guiding me.”

BRIGHT WITH BOOKS AND BASKETBALLAlways a bright child, Beneby was particularly adept at math. As an

example, during family shopping trips to the grocery store the youngster

would get his mother to tell him the cost of each item she planned to pur-

chase. When the basket was full, he would almost magically calculate

the exact dollar amount owed — including tax — before reaching the

checkout counter. As he recalls, “Even as a kid, I was a ‘numbers’ guy. It

just came natural.”

And it wasn’t only math at which he excelled. In school, Beneby, who loved

to read (and still does), found almost all of the assignments easy. The result

was his being placed in advanced groups where more rigorous studies were

involved. Still, he fought to stay attentive, constantly battling boredom — but

then he would remember his grandmother. Overall, he proved to be an excel-

lent student (needing occasional prodding) who maintained an A average while

participating in sports and working at a variety of after-school jobs, including

a stint at McDonald’s. All in all, as he relates, “I was a happy kid but always

wanting more. I needed to be challenged, mentally and physically.”

After graduation, an advanced education was attainable thanks in large

part to his considerable skills on his high school’s basketball court. Quite

frankly, Beneby, aided by a lean and quick 6-foot, 5-inch build, was really

good — enough so that he was awarded a full athletic scholarship to Mon-

tana Tech. When not competing with the basketball team or working part-

time for the university, he studied math and engineering. His family,

Many men ultimately come to be defined by their chosen profession, but for San Antonio’s Doyle N. Beneby,

the president and chief executive officer of CPS Energy, the reverse is perhaps more the case — his abilities

and personal energy have come to characterize the industry he has spent a lifetime embracing, bettering and

serving to the direct and substantial benefit of millions across a large part of the continental United States.

With almost 30 productive years working and learning within the field of effective, efficient and dependable

power generation and distribution, this dynamic individual, as demonstrated by his many public and private

accomplishments, today finds himself at the apex of a well-founded career and life. Here he continues to

guide, innovate and inspire while enhancing the comfort, productivity and well-being of CPS Energy customers.

Doyle N. BenebyHUMAN POWERHOUSEHUMAN POWERHOUSE


SAN ANTONIOMAN

especially his grandmother, was ecstatic with this scholastic opportunity.

After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in mining and engineering

in 1982, Beneby spent his first post-graduation year working as an underground

surveyor with Anaconda Copper in Montana. While he found the work instruc-

tional, his strong ties to Miami beckoned, and in 1983 he eagerly returned

home. Through pure serendipity, he soon discovered and ultimately embarked

on a path that he still treads today.

PLUGGED IN AT FP&LWith his degree in hand, Beneby found the only employer in his home-

town with the potential need for his particular skill set was the Florida

Power & Light Company. Initially securing a position as an entry-level mar-

keting services representative, he spent the next 17 years working his way

through the ranks by continuously accepting various positions of increas-

ing responsibility and leadership. These included field crew supervisor,

engineering manager, transmission superintendent, labor relations spe-

cialist, new construction superintendent, director of customer service and

director of distribution and culminated with his ascension to that of general

manager of two major power plants.

As he relates, “I did it all and that was my plan. I quickly realized this

was the industry I was meant to work within, and I wanted to know all as-

pects of it.” The experiences encountered at FP&L (along with his acqui-

sition of an MBA from the University of Miami in 1996) proved invaluable

and allowed Beneby to pursue even loftier goals within his chosen field.

ELECTRIC AT EXELONIn 2001 Beneby relocated to Michigan, where, as a site general manager

for the Consumers Energy Company, he continued to acquire and hone the

skills essential for future advancement. It was his next stop, however, where

he would excitedly face the additional challenges and accept the broader

responsibilities that would ultimately prepare him for the leadership position

he holds today. Joining the Exelon Power Company in 2003, Beneby became

an employee of one of the nation’s largest electric producers, and as he re-

calls, “The opportunities for career progression were rife.” Headquartered in

Chicago, and single at the time, he spent the next seven years moving from

position to position and market to market, learning, doing, fixing, improving

and always advancing.

Repeatedly being recognized and rewarded for his exceptional work,

Beneby soared through the managerial ranks, ending his tenure at the utility

giant as its president, Exelon Power, and senior vice president, Exelon Gen-

eration. Some might be content with these prestigious titles, but Beneby

wanted more. Hence his ready acceptance of the 2010 offer to become the

top man at CPS Energy. His entire professional past had prepared him for

this important appointment.

TAKING CHARGE AT CPSCEO Beneby oversees all internal processes and procedures at CPS En-

ergy. Externally, he represents the company in areas that are important to

the community and the utility. After only two and half years at the helm, he

Beneby and his wife, Christine, are the parents of twins Baye and D. J. In addition to his work at CPS Energy, he serves on numerous boards andis chairman of the American Heart Association for the second consecutive year. When time permits, he enjoys golf.

23SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

has already made significant strides in the areas of

employee and community relations. Heralding safety

as the company’s first priority, he says, “Every em-

ployee should return home to his or her family as that

individual left.” As for the community, he’s adamant

that San Antonio should become a solar hub, leading

in clean technology jobs.

TO THESE ENDS HE HAS:

• Led the transition to a lower carbon-intense fleet,

utilizing clean coal, natural gas and nuclear com-

bined with renewable sources, including wind

and solar. This diversification hedged CPS En-

ergy against tougher emission standards while

maintaining the lowest customer rates among

the 10 largest U.S. cities.

• Brokered partnerships with seven clean technol-

ogy companies to bring thousands of jobs to the

area by 2020 while fostering increased research

and development.

• Dramatically improved workplace safety aware-

ness, resulting in a 50-percent reduction of in-

juries.

• Maintained the premier credit rating among all

public power utilities in the nation.

• Improved customer satisfaction levels and relia-

bility metrics across the board.

A BATTERY OF BOARDSBeyond his corporate responsibilities, Beneby

makes time to share his expertise and wisdom in a va-

riety of other ways. Examples include his service on

the board of directors for multiple corporate and in-

dustry organizations, including Capital Power Corpo-

ration, Keystone Energy, the American Gas Associa-

tion, Texas Public Power Association (TPPA) and the

American Public Power Association (APPA). He also

serves on the board of directors for the Greater San

Antonio Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio

Economic Development Foundation, the San Antonio

Medical Foundation, the Association of Edison Illumi-

nating Companies, the University of the Incarnate

Word, Lincoln University, United Way of San Antonio

and the American Heart Association.

As the chairman of the American Heart Association

for the second consecutive year, Beneby assisted the

local chapter in not only exceeding its 2012 fundraising

goal, but securing the highest amount pledged in its

campaign history. He has also devoted considerable

energies in the past to mentoring the youth in many of

the communities where he was based.

STAYING CURRENT AT HOMESo is there a personal life as well? At first glance

one might not think so, but besides satisfying his vora-

cious appetite for nonfiction and an occasional game of

golf, fortunately for his wife, Christine, and two very

young twins, D. J. and Baye, his greatest commitment

remains fulfilling his role as an involved and caring dad

and husband. As he admits, “I’m a nurturer, at work and

at home. It’s just what I do and I love it.” Based on the

bright smiles and hugs he receives from Christine and

the twins when he gets home late from another busy

day at the office, he must be good at it. But where does

he get all that “energy”?

Beneby confers with CPS Energy employeesJonathan Adamcik (center)and Pete Anguiano. Beforemoving to San Antonio, heheld positions at FloridaPower & Light Companyand the Exelon PowerCompany, headquarteredin Chicago.

DOYLE’S DOMAINA CPS Energy overview

As the president and CEO of CPS Energy,Doyle Beneby obviously has his handsfull. The following briefly details the his-tory, range and scope of the entity heoversees:

CPS Energy (formerly SAPSCO, founded in1917) is the largest municipally ownedcombined gas and electric utility in theUnited States. It was acquired by the cityin 1942.

Revenues for 2011 were an impressive$2.3 billion. Up to 14 percent of all util-ity revenues are returned to the City of SanAntonio, and those revenues make up al-most 30 percent of the City of San Anto-nio's annual operating budget.

The utility serves 728,000 electriccustomers and 328,000 gas customers.

It is the fourth-largest electric gener-ator in the ERCOT region – the ElectricReliability Council of Texas, which man-ages the state’s energy grid.

A 1,566-square-mile area is serv-iced, including Bexar County and portionsof seven surrounding counties.

It has $11 billion in assets.

Its workforce numbers 3,500.

CPS Energy's diverse fuel generation mixincludes nuclear power (35 percent), coal(34 percent), natural gas (15 percent) andrenewable energy (16 percent).

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Considering aPayroll Service?


SAN ANTONIOMAN by STEVE ARNOLD

Tax liabilityTax issues are probably the No. 1 pitfall of handling payroll yourself. Every year federal and state

penalty notices, levies and legal action not only reduce productivity, but put many small companies

out of business entirely. Often the business owner was trying to do everything correctly, but was simply

unaware of all the rules for calculating paychecks, timing tax payments and filing.

If you hire a CPA or accountant to do your books, that person can handle your payroll as well. But

that individual isn’t going to pay your penalties and interest if something goes wrong. A professional

payroll service company will. And a good one will even work with the tax authorities on your behalf if

you ever face a payroll tax problem.

Payroll expertiseAny reputable payroll service you choose will be able to cover the basic needs, such as calculating

hours and vacation time, cutting checks and mailing them to your employees. The trouble is, those

might not be your needs. An experienced, trained payroll professional will get to know your business,

understand what it requires and work with you to make sure your payroll solution is a good fit. For ex-

ample, you may want to combine your online banking with online payroll processing or offer your em-

ployees a 401(k) plan.

5 things to think about:

If you answered “yes” to these questions, you can stop reading. But if you’re like most business owners,these issues are among the very last things you want to deal with. And yet they’re exactly what you need to be doingif you process your own payroll.

Sooner or later nearly every business owner realizes it’s time to let someone else — a specialist provider —handle the time-consuming, risky and unproductive task of processing payroll. But how do you choose the right one?When you make that decision, here are five key things to consider — and to ask potential providers about as well.

Are you comfortable keeping up with approximately 400 legal and regulatory changes every year?

Are you confident about making up to 268 tax calculations annually?

Do you prefer to do routine administrative tasks instead of serving your customers?

Ask yourself:

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SAN ANTONIOMAN

A trusted providerOf course, the provider you select needs to be someone you can trust. For something as critical as

handling your payroll and taxes, look for an established brand with a solid history, extensive resources

and experience and a reputation for great service. The last item is particularly important since at some

point you’ll probably face an urgent situation: If your administrator unexpectedly went into labor to-

morrow, could your provider step in and make your filings on time?

The right featuresAll businesses have different needs, but those of small companies are especially diverse and are

becoming more so. These days, even with just a handful of employees you might need payroll deduc-

tions for 401(k), a flexible spending account, and perhaps an HSA for your health plan, plus direct de-

posit. And because every minute you spend on administration keeps you away from your core business

responsibilities, you want it all to work as smoothly as possible.

To simplify your finances, consider working with your bank. Full-service banks can offer payroll serv-

ices that have some unique advantages, such as tying payroll directly to online banking for maximum

convenience. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to move money very rapidly, you will

appreciate having payroll services as part of your overall banking relationship.

Cost-effectivenessIf you’re still wondering whether hiring a payroll provider is worth the cost, consider that one in three

business owners will face a tax penalty each year. After several years the question will no longer be if

you’re one of them — it will simply be a matter of when. Even if you’re a very hands-on manager, work-

ing with the IRS or state agencies on payroll issues is one task you’ll be glad to give to a professional

payroll provider. When that time comes, the pennies per week you spend on payroll processing may

turn out to be the best business investment you ever made.

Steve Arnold is the area president for Wells Fargo in San Antonio.

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On the Light Side

25SANANTONIOMAN.COM


TOBIN CENTER WILL HAVE TRANSFORMING IMPACT

Story and Photography by JASMINA WELLINGHOFF

On Dec. 6, 2012, a “topping out ceremony”

was held at the construction site of the new

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. A couple

of hundred supporters gathered just outside

the fenced perimeter of the property to hear

civic leaders extol the virtues of the new center

and recognize the many community players

who helped make this dream a reality.

After a few short speeches, a huge crane

slowly lifted up a heavy steel beam bearing the

U.S. and Texas flags, with a small potted tree

between them. As everyone looked skyward,

the beam was deposited at the top of what will

be the H-E-B Performance Hall, the larger of

the two theaters inside the center. Before being

hoisted up, it had been signed by just about

everyone present. There was a palpable sense

of excitement in the crowd.

“One word to describe what’s happening

before you is ‘transforming,’” said County

Judge Nelson Wolff, summing up everyone’s

feelings. The most obvious transformation is, of

course, architectural, as the iconic Municipal

Auditorium is being turned into a much larger

and altogether different edifice. But for San An-

tonio performing arts organizations and the

public at large, the Tobin holds the promise of

transforming the entire experience of present-

ing and appreciating music, opera, dance and

theater. When it opens in the fall of 2014, San

Antonio will no longer look with envy at Austin’s

Long Center or even Houston’s magnificent

Wortham Center. We will have our own state-

of-the-art performance hall.

It all started in the summer of 2007, when

Wolff convened a citizen advisory committee to

SAN ANTONIOMAN

It will bringstate-of-the-artacoustics

J. Bruce Bugg, Jr.Head of Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation

27SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

discuss the need and feasibility for such a fa-

cility. “Then in September of 2007, Nelson and

I met, and he asked me to form a foundation to

take the idea forward,” says J. Bruce Bugg Jr.,

president and chairman of the Bexar County

Performing Arts Center Foundation (BCPACF).

Although he’s put endless hours into the project

— and his enthusiasm for it is evident — Bugg

describes himself as a “loaned executive,”

meaning this is a volunteer position for him that

takes him away from his primary job as chair-

man and trustee of the Tobin Endowment. Bugg

and Wolff were soon joined by former mayor

Phil Hardberger as incorporators of the founda-

tion. District Attorney Susan Reed and former

San Antonio Symphony chair Debbie Montford

completed the founding board membership.

In February of 2008, the city, county and the

BCPACF entered into a preliminary agreement

regarding an overall financial plan, but nothing

could move forward without the voters’ ap-

proval of a bond issue that would generate

$100 million for the project. Several months

later, with that approval in hand, it was clear to

the founders that the community as a whole

was behind the $203 million undertaking. Today,

91 percent of the needed funds have already

been raised, says Bugg, with $108 million from

the county, $41 million in land and buildings

from the city and the rest raised by the founda-

tion, mostly from major corporate donations.

BCPACF must raise another $18 million to com-

plete the construction and secure a $10 million

reserve fund.

“To get to this point, it’s been five years of

work, but the results are now becoming visible,”

notes Bugg, who donated $15 million from the

Tobin Endowment. “The credibility that we now

have will help us raise the remaining $18 million.

People understand the importance of the center

to the community. Among other things, this will

be the first acoustically correct building in San

Antonio history. It will help us bring the best

artists from around the world. It will have a

tremendous impact on economic development,

and it will have an educational component for

our youth. Studies have shown that children

who are exposed to the performing arts show

higher math and science skills, for instance. All

of these things taken together make people rec-

ognize that this is an important project in the

evolution of culture in San Antonio.”

Among the arts organizations scheduled to

perform at the Tobin are the San Antonio Sym-

phony, Ballet San Antonio, the Youth Orchestra

of San Antonio, the Children’s Chorus of San

Antonio and the newly formed Opera San An-

tonio. Others may be added.

When completed, the Tobin will be home to

a 1,750-seat performance hall and a smaller

250-seat theater for more experimental produc-

tions. In addition, there will be a 600-seat out-

door “performance plaza” connecting the

center to the riverfront. The most innovative fea-

ture is the first-in-the-nation flat-floor mecha-

nism that will make it possible to change the

entire floor and seating configuration from a

raked theatrical setup to a banquet-style flat

surface in 15 minutes. Though it costs an addi-

tional $8 million, the mechanized floor makes

the big hall more versatile, increasing its rev-

enue potential. A $3 million kitchen will provide

catering services.

But the feature that attracted the most con-

troversy — and that ultimately changes the ap-

pearance of Municipal Auditorium the most —

is the enormous 120-foot metal “veil” that will

top the renovated structure. Bugg explains that

it was necessary to achieve top-notch

acoustics. “Municipal Auditorium was originally

built on a lead shield underneath, and we were

told we couldn’t go below that shield. Since

acoustics are driven by volume and size, we

had no choice but to go above the existing

roofline. Also, because the building will accom-

modate several entities, the various rooflines

needed to be tied together, so the veil was the

solution,” he says.

The metal “veil” may actually help the build-

ing become an attraction in its own right, but

how is the Tobin going to help develop bigger

audiences for the performing arts beyond the

initial excitement of going to a cool new place?

Bugg is ready for that question. He has sta-

tistics from other cities that decided to build

modern performing arts halls. “Revenues and

endowments grew exponentially,” says the

chairman. In Nashville, for instance, symphony

ticket sales went from 1,500,000 to 7,500,000,

a 400-percent jump. Donations soared 147

percent. In Kansas City, the impact was

smaller but still substantial: Symphony and

ballet ticket sales increased by 67 percent and

85 percent, respectively.

“About 50 percent of San Antonio Sym-

phony’s output sound is lost at the Majestic

Theater,” says Bugg. “When Renée Fleming

performed last spring, I was sitting in the sev-

enth row, and I couldn’t hear her at times. They

had to bring her a mike (normally not needed in

opera houses). That will not happen at the

Tobin. It’s going to be a difference between

night and day. And once people experience

symphonic or operatic performance as it should

be, the first time they actually hear fully what is

being presented on stage, it will be exhilarating.

They will want to come back again and again.”

Courtesy Photo

by RON AARON EISENBERG Photography CASEY HOWELL


SAN ANTONIOMAN

Before opening his own business, Darmstetter, 48, spent 10 years as

CEO of Creative Link, a San Antonio branding/marketing/digital technology

company. He was the boss. “I had overall responsibility to hire and fire and

manage new and old business," he says. But he felt boxed in at Creative Link.

"I've always been an entrepreneur," he says. As a student at Southwest

Texas State, now Texas State University, Darmstetter sold T-shirts on campus.

"I did very well in the T-shirt business," he says. It gave him the freedom and

flexibility to do his own thing. He liked that.

So after 10 years at the helm of Creative Link, he knew he needed out. He

left the company in 2002, and on March 1 of that year Darmstetter opened Sales

By Five, his current company. Risky? Perhaps. But he immediately quadrupled

his income.

So what does Darmstetter do for a living? What is Sales By Five all about?

In the traditional sense he and his people are business consultants. He de-

scribes his work this way: "I grow businesses. And that," he adds, "is a lot more

than just sales."

His approach to his own business differs markedly from other consulting

firms: "We want to be easy to hire and easy to fire. We don't want our clients to

feel as if they are wedded to us, stuck with us. And I also want the right to fire

clients." Indeed, he has fired nine clients over the years "because they were

rude to my employees."

Darmstetter goes to work for a client with a handshake. No contract. "We

don't believe in contracts or billable hours. Every account is on a monthly flat-fee

basis. We put in the hours needed to make the project successful for the client,"

he says. "And that truly means whatever it takes to be successful." He believes

keeping track of so-called "billable hours" is very time-consuming, and yet for

most consulting firms, ad agencies, law firms and the like, it's the Holy Grail.

But he believes when you tie hours on an account to projected billable

hours, you end up either spending too little time to accomplish your goals or

you look as if you lost money on the account when you go over the allotted

hours. None of that helps the client, Darmstetter says. And it doesn't help his

company either. "Our average assignment lasts six to eight months. We handle

five to six clients a month," he explains.

A lot of what Sales By Five does is related to internal and external corporate

communications. He has great advice for salespeople because a lot of what he

does is to build and train sales teams to do more and more. "The biggest thing

You won't meet many guys like Erik Darmstetter. In fact, you may not meet anyone like him. Example: He turnedhis living room into a volleyball court and a bedroom into a wrestling room filled with 11 mattresses covering thefloor and walls — to make his house a "fun house" for himself and his two children.

He has built an incredibly successful business without requiring clients to sign contracts. And he is not afraid totoss everything out the door to start over. Call him a "risk preferrer," and you'd be right on target.

His company, Sales By Five,helps businesses grow

29SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

with salespeople that I see today is they are not

building relationships. They do what I call 'show

up and throw up.' They end up 'unselling' rather

than 'selling,'” he says.

"People are talking too much. What can you

remember? Microscripts sell products and serv-

ices. 'Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.'

People remember those things. Salespeople

tend to say too much," Darmstetter notes. "They

need a 10-second pitch these days. Not 30 sec-

onds or more.

"The key," he explains, "is what are you going

to say that will build intrigue to get people to ask

questions? Just think of having to get your pitch

in while going from one floor to the next in an ele-

vator. One floor. Not two or three."

He takes fault with emails too: "They are way

too long. When I see a three- or four-paragraph

email, I ask myself if I really have to read all this

and if I do, what will I remember? The same is true

with voice mail ... too long ... much too long."

How does Darmstetter measure his company's

success? "Clients know if Sales By Five has made

a difference to their bottom line,” he says. “For ex-

ample, we helped the Miner Corporation go from

$7 million a year to $70 million in revenue."

He also says companies need strategic short-

and long-term plans and goals. And they need to

put those plans in writing. The long-term goals

should really be out there — audacious, an enor-

mous challenge. He helps organizations put those

plans in place.

He does it for his own company, too, including

goal setting. "One of our goals is to bill $100,000

a month, not including expenses. We're not there

yet ... we were close before the economic down-

turn in 2009. But we'll get there," he says.

One of the things Darmstetter likes best is to

make complex ideas simple. Think fifth grade lan-

guage, he argues. He recently volunteered some

time to Child Safe, a nonprofit agency helping chil-

dren who've been abused [www.childsafe-sa.org].

He said he thought they needed a short, simple,

concise way to hook people in to the agency's

mission — what it does and how it goes about it.

So he came up with "Is Yours?" as a way to get

people thinking about the issue.

The agency had told him they had too many

words, too much copy on their website to commu-

nicate with parents and others. So he suggested

asking the question "Is Yours?" would hook folks

into their mission.

In a nutshell, that's what Darmstetter and

Sales By Five do — help make organizations more

effective. Sometimes that includes identifying em-

ployees who should be terminated because they

are not doing their jobs.

As for his company and its five employees,

look for a name change in the near future because

Sales By Five does so much more than sales-re-

lated consulting work, he says.

While overseeing Sales By Five, Darmstetter

also devotes enormous time and energy to his two

children, Devyn, 12, and Dylan, 10. Thus the volley-

ball court for a living room and the "wrestling" room

for a fourth bedroom. He also lives a block away

from his ex-wife so his children can spend time with

both their mom and dad. As for a personal relation-

ship, he calls himself "extremely single."

In many ways he's still a kid himself. "I hate

the have-tos" in life, he says. Rules bother him.

And his business success mirrors those beliefs.

While Erik Darmstetter is a long way from his final

curtain, it's clear he has done things his way. And

it has paid off big time for him, his company and

his clients.

Erik Darmstetter and his employees atSales By Five handle five to six clientsa month. The average assignment lastssix to eight months.

His prescription for success is simple:Never assume — always deal with facts. Follow your

heart. Have fun. And one thing he didn't voice but follows religiously in his personal and professional life:Don't be afraid to take risks!

SAN ANTONIOMAN


FocusFocusFor Gene Williams

Its All About

31SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMANby RON AARON EISENBERG Photography CASEY HOWELL

Like the minor league baseball player who

realizes the odds of making it to the major

leagues are slim and none, Gene Williams put

his love of golf and his dreams of playing on the

PGA Tour on hold and turned to commercial

real estate, where he’s become a star.

Not that he didn’t give golf a chance.Born in Beeville in 1978, Williams went to the

University of Virginia on a golf scholarship be-

fore transferring to TCU, where he graduated in

2001 after playing golf there too. He majored in

marketing and minored in Spanish.

He was pretty good at the game of golf. In

fact, he finished eighth in his first professional

event in 2002. Williams had a plan and the de-

sire to make it. He incorporated himself and

raised the money he needed to compete as a

developmental player — golf’s minor league. It’s

the first step to the PGA Tour.

It was a challenging life. He drove to most of

the tournaments from Texas to the Carolinas

with stops in states in between. He would play

golf all week, compete over the weekend if he

made the cut, and then drive nearly all night to

the next tournament in time for the Monday

Pro-Am round. This went on week after week,

month after month. At the time he was single,

which made it easier to be a nomad.

But the life began to wear on him, and the

prospects of making it to the big leagues — the

PGA Tour — were slim. In 2005, at age 27,

Williams realized it was time to move on. Think

of the character Crash in the movie Bull Durham

— 12 years in the minor leagues and just 12

days in the majors.

Williams’ time had come to find a new ca-

reer. He talked to people he knew around the

country in an effort to figure out what he wanted

to do next. “Many of my friends were in real es-

tate, and they loved it,” he explains. “It seemed

to be a good fit for me.” And that turned out to

be an understatement.

He was living in Austin at the time, but when

he decided to change careers, San Antonio

seemed to be the place to be. He moved to the

Alamo City in 2005, interviewed with several

firms and joined the Weitzman Group, where he

quickly became a top seller.

In 2012 he moved to CBRE, one of the

largest commercial real estate companies in the

world, where he currently works in offices over-

looking the Quarry Golf Course. He acknowl-

edges that the golf course views are like a

magnet on many a day when he can see folks

on the links from his office window.

Williams put the same energy into learning

commercial real estate as he put into mastering

golf. For example, he says he drove nearly every

street in San Antonio and Bexar County visiting

every neighborhood — residential and commer-

cial. It was much like the repeated practice

rounds on a golf course checking out greens

and sand traps and more. He wanted to know

everything he could about the lay of the land.

“Golf and commercial real estate have a lot

in common,” Williams says. “In many ways it re-

ally is all about focus.” He says in golf it is liter-

ally keeping your eye on the ball and

remembering the twists and turns on every

hole. In commercial real estate it’s visualizing

shopping centers and neighborhoods and fig-

uring out who might go where and why.

With golf and weekly travel gone, he wasable to put his personal life in order too.Friends introduced him to a woman they

knew, and he and Sonya Medina were married

in March 2010; they now have a baby boy.

Sonya had served in the White House in the

George W. Bush administration. She spent time

with AT&T and now is an executive with Silver

Eagle Distributors. Honored as one of San An-

tonio Business Journal’s 40 under 40, she prob-

ably knows anyone who is someone in Texas

and beyond. And those connections can’t hurt

Williams’ career either.

This year Williams is being honored by the

Business Journal in 40 under 40. If this were

Washington, D.C., the Williamses would be

seen as a power couple at the top of everyone’s

dinner invitation list.

Williams loves what he is doing now, loves his

team at CBRE and enjoys working with clients

from across the country. And he is making a lot

more money than he did traveling to develop-

mental league golf tournaments prior to 2005.

What does he love about his job? “I’m a

problem solver,” he explains. “Clients want to

grow or figure out why one location is doing so

much better than another. That’s a challenge I

enjoy. Helping clients achieve what they can

achieve. That’s rewarding to me and to them, of

course.” He enjoys visualizing which commer-

cial clients will fit into a planned shopping cen-

ter. He is very much a corporate matchmaker.

There’s no doubt Williams is enjoying great

success in just six years into his commercial

real estate career. “In my career now I have to

focus on what I am doing, focus on my pre-

ferred clients,” he says. He makes it sound like

it’s all about real estate. He tries not to think

about that other passion.

But golf.The tour still pulls at him, and dreams die

hard. And his dream of playing on the PGA Tour

got a small boost in 2010 when out of the blue

and on a dare he qualified to play in the Valero

Texas Open in San Antonio. He remembers

walking into the players’ locker room and seeing

his name over one of the lockers. “I took a lot of

pictures,” he recalls. “A whole lot.” And he called

his golfing buddies from coast to coast.

He did not make the cut. But qualifying for

the tournament was an unexpected high, and it

didn’t hurt his reputation as a doer.

Is professional golf in his future? Williams is

not yet ready to say no. In just 15 years he’ll be

old enough to play on the Seniors’ Tour. And

then who knows how the ball will bounce?

For now, golf is onthe back burner.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 201332

SAN ANTONIOMANSAN ANTONIOMAN by KELLY A. GOFF

HIGH DEFINED

A blood pressure reading ap-

pears as two numbers. The first and

higher of the two is a measure of

systolic pressure, or the pressure in

the arteries when the heart beats and

fills them with blood. The second

number measures diastolic pressure,

or the pressure in the arteries when

the heart rests between beats.

It's natural for blood pressure to

rise and fall with changes in activity

or emotional state. Men under age

45 have the highest incidence of hy-

pertension. The chart below shows

normal, at-risk and high blood pres-

sure levels.

BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS

Normal

systolic: less than 120 mmHg

diastolic: less than 80 mmHg

At risk (prehypertension)

systolic: 120–139 mmHg

diastolic: 80–89 mmHg

High

systolic: 140 mmHg or higher

diastolic: 90 mmHg or higher

Source: CDC

People with diabetes are

treated if their blood pressure

rises above 130/80, since they

already have a high risk of

heart disease.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affectsabout one in three U.S. adults, and nearly one-third of themdon’t know it. With no outward signs or symptoms, this “silentkiller” works the heart too hard and hardens artery walls. Highblood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke,the first- and third-leading causes of death for Americans. Hy-pertension can also cause other problems, such as heart fail-ure, kidney disease and blindness.

THE SILENT KILLERWant to protect your brain and bedroom performance?Control your blood pressure

Do you get nervous whenyou visit the doctor?Some people experiencehigh blood pressure onlywhen faced with medicalprofessionals. You may beasked to monitor yourblood pressure at homefor 24 hours for anaccurate reading.

ARE YOU AT RISK?The exact cause of highblood pressure is unknown,but several factors andconditions may increaseyour risk:

• LITTLE OR NO EXERCISE

• TOO MUCH SALT IN THE DIET

• DRINKING TOO MUCH ALCOHOL

• ETHNIC BACKGROUND

• HISTORY OF HIGH BLOODPRESSURE IN THE FAMILY

BEING OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE

SMOKING

STRESS


SAN ANTONIOMAN

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND YOUR BODYVery high pressure can cause abreak in a weakened blood vessel,which then bleeds in the brain. Thiscan cause a stroke. In addition, ac-celerated brain aging was found inpeople as young as 39 with hyper-tension, as well as those with pre-hypertension, including damage tothe structural integrity of white mat-ter and the volume of grey matter.

Eyes: Impaired VisionHigh blood pressure caneventually cause blood ves-sels in the eye to burst orbleed. Vision may becomeblurred or otherwise impairedand can result in blindness.

Kidneys: Damage/FailureThe kidneys act as filters to rid the body ofwastes. Over time, high blood pressure can nar-row and thicken the blood vessels of the kidneys.The kidneys filter less fluid, and waste builds upin the blood. The kidneys may fail altogether.When this happens, medical treatment (dialysis)or a kidney transplant may be needed.

BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE BEDROOM

Although high blood pressure is often

without symptoms, one place where it can

ring warning bells is in the bedroom. High

blood pressure can damage many parts of

the body, including the blood vessels. As a re-

sult, it can affect your body’s ability to get and

keep enough blood in the penis to achieve

and maintain an erection.

In one major study, 35 percent of men

with high blood pressure said they had erec-

tile dysfunction (ED), while only 14 percent of

men with normal blood pressure had ED.

If you’re having mojo problems, get your

blood pressure checked by a professional

and have a candid discussion with your doc-

tor. If you are diagnosed with high blood pres-

sure and given medication, it’s important to

know that some drugs, like beta-blockers and

diuretics, can make ED worse. ACE inhibitors

and calcium channel blockers are less likely

to cause ED.

WARNING!As tempting as it might be to stop taking blood pressure medicine in order to “fix” ED, never stop takingmedication without talking to your health care provider.

Heart: Heart Attackor Congestive Heart FailureArteries bring oxygen-carryingblood to the heart muscle. If theheart can’t get enough oxygen,chest pain, also known as"angina," can occur. If the flowof blood is blocked, a heart at-tack results.

Congestive heart failure is a se-rious condition in which theheart is unable to pump enoughblood to supply the body'sneeds. High blood pressure isthe No. 1 risk factor.

Arteries: HardenedAs people get older, arter-ies throughout the body“harden,” especially thosein the heart, brain and kid-neys. High blood pressureis associated with these"stiffer" arteries. This, inturn, causes the heart andkidneys to work harder.

35SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

GOT KIDS?It’s a good idea to start having your child’s blood pressure checkedat an early age — even children as young as 6 can have high bloodpressure. When kids reach the teen years, they should certainlyhave their pressure checked. According to research, teenagers withthe highest blood pressure and extra pounds have thicker arteriesby age 30.

TAKE CONTROLOf all the risk factors for high blood pressure,

only two of them are completely out of your con-

trol. Beyond ethnicity and family history, you

have the power to lower your blood pressure

through various lifestyle changes and possibly

drug therapy.

A healthy lifestyle is your best defense and of-

fense. You can lower your blood pressure with the

following lifestyle changes:

• Quit smoking.

• Lose weight if you are overweight orobese.

• Eat a healthy diet, e.g. eat more fruits, veg-etables and low-fat dairy products, less sat-urated and total fat — ask your doctor aboutthe DASH diet.

• Reduce the amount of sodium in yourdiet to less than 1,500 milligrams a day.

• Get regular aerobic exercise (such as briskwalking at least 30 minutes a day, severaldays a week).

• Limit alcohol to no more than two drinksa day.

WHAT TO EAT TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSUREEat a plant-based, whole grain diet with low-fat dairy and lean pro-

teins. More specifically, foods like berries, plain yogurt, flaxseeds, oats

and hibiscus tea may all help bring down the pressure. Here are some

other foods that may help:

RaisinsSnacking on raisins, which are high in potas-

sium and contain antioxidants, fiber, polyphenolsand phenolic acid, could mildly lower bloodpressure. This is a promising finding for peoplewho may not have full-blown hypertension, butare on the cusp of high blood pressure.

KiwisResearch presented at a meeting last year of

the American Heart Association shows that eat-ing three kiwis a day is linked with decreasedblood pressure.

Peas, bananas and other potassium-rich foodsA 2005 study in the journal Hypertension

found it’s possible to get the blood pressure-low-ering effects from potassium-containing foods,instead of just from a potassium supplement.

(Purple) potatoesA recent study showed purple potatoes

have blood pressure-lowering powers that arenearly as effective as oatmeal, without packingon pounds.

TofuResearchers report people who consumed

the most isoflavones — found in soy, nuts, miso,edamame, tempeh, soy milk and green tea —had lower systolic blood pressure than thosewho consumed the fewest isoflavones.

ChocolateA 2010 review of studies in the journal BMC

Medicine showed that flavanols, which are foundin chocolate, seemed to promote the dilation ofblood vessels, which in turn can lower bloodpressure in people with hypertension.

37SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

In-Home TrainingDevelop a healthy lifestyle at home.

An in-home trainer will come to your home

equipped with weights and a personalized

workout regimen tailored to fit your goals. If

there is room to walk in your house, then there

is enough room to make you sweat and be well

on the way to achieving fitness goals.

You may be wondering, “What are the ad-

vantages of being trained in my home?” One

of the many benefits is that you have the undi-

vided attention of the trainer, who will be able

to focus solely on you since there won’t be any

co-workers or other gym members interrupting

your time. Seeing you in your own environment

helps the trainer get to know you better and

make suggestions on how to use everyday

items to work out on days that you are not train-

ing together. It will be easy for the trainer to look

at your food logs, pantry or fridge to give nutri-

tion advice.

An in-home trainer will provide a

personalized workout regimen

based on the activities you enjoy and fitness

goals you have set for yourself. For example, if

you love to play tennis, the trainer will design an

in-home program that includes strength and

cardio with goals around playing tennis. Addi-

tionally, the trainer can better support you be-

cause most people need more attention and

daily accountability. Possibly the greatest ad-

vantage is that you can relax and focus on your

workout since there is no one else around to

make you feel self-conscious.

Immediately after hiring an in-

home trainer, you will find little to no

excuse for skipping exercise. Exercis-

ing becomes beyond convenient — of utmost

importance when it

comes to following

through with exercise and sticking with it.

Being trained in your home allows you to feel

at ease, which in turn allows you and the trainer

to focus on the task at hand. For those who

don’t enjoy the gym atmosphere or who have

a tough time knowing where to start, in-home

training is a wonderful choice.

As you can see, there are many

facets to living a healthy lifestyle.

Whether you were a high school track star and

haven’t run a mile in 10 years, have worn the

same pants since the ‘80s, or want to become

leaner in the body, working toward goals with

an in-home trainer could be just the right thing.

Whatever desires and goals you have, an in-

home trainer would love the opportunity to help

you be at your best.

by JOSEPH GARZA

Let’s face it, living in San Antonio, where delicious food is readily available, doesnot make it easy to eat right and live healthy. Most people are blind to what damagetheir daily food intake does to their bodies. Others are aware of their bad eatinghabits and simply need help and accountability to develop a healthier lifestyle. That’swhere in-home training comes in.

Joseph Garza is the owner of At Your Best. Heis a NASM-certified personal trainer and imageconsultant, who enjoys helping clients strive to beat their best, especially in developing a healthy wayof life. He trains clients within the comfort of theirown homes

He also offers image consulting, per-sonal shopping and youth sports

training. Everyone from youngmen to male and female

professionals can ben-efit from an image

consulting service.Some one-on-

one trainingmay just be thething a client

needs to getoff the bench

and into the game.


there was something called

a foot race. Get from point A to point B in the fastest

possible time, and you were declared the winner.

Since variety is the spice of life, and humans pay

tickets to watch monster truck rallies, enthusiastic

physical fitness buffs with wild imaginations have

come up with their version of a human demolition

derby. These specialty events are now commonly

called obstacle races, which lump together a group

of races, including mud runs, into the category.

Obstacle races have grown significantly over

the past 10 years, with countless numbers of race

names being added every year. From the Spartan

Race to Warrior Dash to the Foam Run, each new

event seemingly wants to "one-up" the competi-

tion with unique challenges to create the ultimate

rite of passage. Interestingly, obstacle races trace

their roots back to our ancestors’ warrior ethos.

THE ORIGINS OF OBSTACLE RACES

TRACE BACK TO OUR ANCESTORS

The ancient Olympics set the precedent for

sports participation and spectating with the first

Olympic Games in 776 B.C. The ancient games

started with just one running event, a foot race of

about 200 yards. The ancient Olympics began to

add events and sports to the schedule, primarily

because spectators demanded to see more ex-

citing and dangerous competitions.

Let's jump forward 2,500 years to the modern

Olympic games. The modern Olympic movement

recognized the inherent value of sports and the

contribution that physical fitness made to our well-

being. Ultimately, "Higher, Faster, Stronger" was

the Olympic creed that reinvigorated our memories

of the warrior ethos and created new opportunities

to challenge ourselves.

Because we recognized that physical activity

contributed to our happiness, we began to find

ways of making it even more fun. We noticed that

the obstacles and physical barriers of the modern

military boot camps of the U.S. Armed Forces not

only successfully recreated the landscape of a re-

alistic battlefield environment, but the net effect of

completing these course was truly rewarding. I

completed several Confidence Courses in the U.S.

Army at Fort Dix, N.J. They remain one of my fond-

est memories of basic training.

WHAT IS AN OBSTACLE RUN?

An obstacle run is any event that detours the

participants over barriers or obstacles during their

forward movement through a designed course.

This broad definition certainly leaves many possi-

bilities for a devious event planner. A well-de-

signed course often takes a mystical nature. A

good obstacle race creates a challenge that

equally tests both mind and body. According to

Alex Patterson, CMO of Tough Mudder: “An ob-

stacle race is equal parts mental toughness and

physical endurance. These events require the pri-

mal desire to conquer the course and the physical

dexterity to tackle each obstacle that we (happily)

put in your way.”

OBSTACLE RACE POPULARITY

HITS ITS STRIDE

It was just a matter of time before obstacle

races became formal events to be shared by the

masses. Now that we knew the genre was a winner,

it was trial and error to design courses with just the

right mixture and types of obstacles. After tinkering

with total distances — adding running, jumping,

climbing, dodging, crawling, etc., through the event

— winning combinations were created. When race

organizers added the social aspects into the exe-

cution, participation began to grow and grow. The

overall appeal of obstacle races is that they are

open to everyone who has a sense of adventure

and wants to challenge himself, not necessarily to

compete against others, but rather with others.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO DO

AN OBSTACLE RACE?

If you decide to venture into the world of ob-

stacle races, it is probably because they offer you

something different from a normal routine. Accord-

ing to former Marine Sgt. Jarod Spraggins, “It

seemed like a good change of pace from the stan-

dard 5K/10K road race scene. If you like the whole

military obstacle course idea, these events can re-

ally add variety and fun to your regimen." The

event planners carefully straddle the line between

creating a tough course, but not too tough for the

average participants to handle. In other words, you

Here’s Mudin Your Eye!

An earthy look into the worldof obstacle races

SAN ANTONIOMAN by PAUL BALTUTIS

Once upon a time,

39SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMAN

don't have to be a super-stud to participate. The

Spartan Race was one that Spraggins participated

in that had a nice balance. "The challenges weren't

so hard that they couldn't be accomplished, yet the

overall effect was that you felt you accomplished

something when you finished it," states Spraggins,

who completed the Spartan Race in Burnet in 2012.

One of the appealing features of these races is

their secrecy. Do you really want to know the exact

course beforehand, or would it be more fun to find

out as you go? Spraggins wanted to be surprised

around every turn on the course. "They kept the ob-

stacles pretty secret until the gun went off," he ex-

plains. "It was fun not to know what to expect

around the next bend. I prefer that kind of situation."

WHICH OBSTACLE RACE IS THE BEST?

Of the huge selection and variety of obstacle

races available today, it’s hard to sort them all out.

Each has its own merit and qualities. Part of the fun

is choosing whom you go with to the event. Sprag-

gins went to the Spartan Race with a group of

friends. “ We decided to do this as a group, so that

we could look out for each other and cross the fin-

ish line together, hopefully in one piece." Spraggins

remarks. Word-of-mouth, friends’ referrals and a lit-

tle research should go a long way toward pointing

out which one is for you.

BOTTOM LINE —GO FOR IT!

The obstacle race genre owes its creation and

success to the footsteps of the ancient Olympics

and military boot camp training. These elements

jointly planted the seeds for this sport to evolve and

grow. If you have a sense of adventure, like to hang

out with like-minded friends who enjoy physical

challenges and don't mind a little mud in your eye,

obstacle races just may help you find out what you

are made of!

March 16 Warrior Dash, Smithville (3.1 miles),www.warriordash.com.

April 6 5K Foam Fest, Floresville,www.5Kfoamfest.com.

April 21Muddy Mayham, San Antonio, (8K - 10 obstacles),theathletesfoot-sa.com/muddy-mayhem.

May 11Muddy Buddy (multiple events and distances), Johnson City,www.muddybuddy.competitor.com.

May 18 and 19Spartan Race, (multiple distances andevents), Reveille Peak Ranch, Burnet,www.spartanrace.com.

Obstacle RaceLocal Calendar

Paul Baltutis is a freelance writer andmarathon coach who works at Soler'sSport in Alamo Heights. He can bereached at [email protected].

SAN ANTONIOMANby DIANE GOTTSMAN

41SANANTONIOMAN.COM

Does your office pass the “mess”test? Is there dust in the crevices of your telephone but-

tons? Can you see a fluffy layer of powder flying off your lampshade

if it’s accidentally bumped? Are there cracker crumbs and little

wadded-up foil wrappers (from your favorite chocolate kisses) lit-

tering your workspace? Do you have a collection of dirty coffee

mugs collecting on your bookshelf or desk? Take 15 minutes for

basic 2013 cleaning, and then keep up with it weekly. Your image

will improve drastically if people have noticed even one of the

messy telltale signs.

How is your leather desk blotter hold-ing up? You may have spent a fortune on it 20 years ago,

but if it is covered in sugary rings of soda, ripped at the corners or oth-

erwise showing signs of wear, toss it and spend less of a fortune on a

new one. You’re successful; you can splurge on a new one.

Bust the clutter. If every flat surface in your officeis piled with papers, binders, journals and receipts, sched-

ule 30 minutes with your assistant and delegate the piles to him or

her. If you don’t have an assistant, don’t procrastinate one minute

longer. Organize, purge and repeat the process until the clutter is

completely cleared. It may take a few tries, but it will be worth it to

see the top of your desk again. Another positive to doing this is that

your clients will take you more seriously if they feel like you can per-

form a simple organization task.

Properly display your personal photos.It’s a nice touch to have a few pictures of your family, neatly

positioned on your desk or bookshelf. It’s another thing to keep a

hodgepodge of snapshots tucked into other frames, over another pile

of haphazardly stuck pictures, which are then strewn anywhere there

is a spare space. Somehow, these timeless memories lose meaning

when they are held up by tacks, tape and a little piece of chewing gum.

Be art smart. Most of us spend several hours a week,if not every day, in our office. Having a few nice pieces of art-

work in your office can add interest to your personal space and

Are you office ready?

Office EtiquetteWhen a client or your boss walks into your

office, what do they see? Just as with yourpersonal appearance, your office space cre-

ates first impressions too. The look of youroffice sends a message to others, whetheryou realize it or not.

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Here are eleven easy steps to makesure your office reflects your professionalism, as well as your dazzling personality:

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SAN ANTONIOMAN

can be considered a good professional investment. (Unless your in-

vestment is sitting on the floor or hiding behind your umbrella stand

because you haven’t gotten around to hanging it up.) Take stock of

your office artwork; determine if you need to update it, upgrade it or

hang it up for others to see and enjoy.

What’s hanging from your coatrack?You may have found a great coatrack on the way back from

your weekend home at a little antique shop along the way. It was a

steal of a deal and a beautiful conversation piece. Unfortunately, most

men use their coatracks to hang a variety of sport coats they have

forgotten to take home, multiple ties and several umbrellas that have

been left behind by clients over the past years. This would be a good

time to take everything home or donate it to charity if it’s already gone

out of style twice since you first hung it on the hook. Purchase and

keep one all-purpose jacket on hand and a nice sport coat for im-

promptu client meetings.

Avoid cord discord. Is your office overwhelmedwith orphaned power cords that no longer have a gadget to

charge? Camera chargers, computer, printer and smart phone

wires that you no longer even own? Get rid of them – all of them! Why

are you saving them? While you’re at it, get rid of ALL of your old phones

and technology that you no longer use. That includes your box of cas-

sette tapes, old DVD parts and keys if you have no idea what they open.

Brush up on your new gadgets. You have abrand-new smart phone and don’t know how to download

apps. You have a fancy computer and don’t know where to find

the volume on your speakers. Your iPad is worthless if you can’t use it.

Find the nearest intern or employee and ask for a tutorial. Take notes

because they will talk fast and be gone before you have had time to

click your Bic pen. (You should be using your note-taking app!)

Freshen up your office air.Real men have nice-smelling offices. Stinky men have no visitors! Consider stashing

a candle, scent diffuser, nice-smelling potpourri or other light scent on

your shelf, under your desk or someplace discreet. A pleasant atmos-

phere creates the opportunity for creative thinking.

Make space in your office. Arrange your furni-ture to make it easy for you and your visitors to use the space

efficiently. Don’t welcome your visitors to your office and make them

walk through a maze of chairs, multiple fans, space heaters, old silk

plants and boxes of supplies. Less junk around the office is preferable

and most appreciated.

Show your work. Don’t go overboard in an effort tobe neat; you want your boss and clients to realize there’s ac-

tually work going on in your office. Keep folders in an orderly hanging

file and pens and pencils on your desk (not too many) with notes written

in a notepad to show your boss and colleagues that you are actually

working during the day rather than decorating your office.

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Diane Gottsman is a nation-ally recognized etiquette expertand the owner of The ProtocolSchool of Texas, a companyspecializing in corporate eti-quette training. She is also theauthor of Pearls of Polish, anetiquette guide for today’s busywoman. Learn more at proto-colschooloftexas.com. Or con-tact her at [email protected].

Got a question on social protocol?

What’s in your topdesk drawer? This little stash of items is your lifeline to office sur-

vival. Here are the 10 things that you should haveready and waiting in your top desk drawer:

1. A sewing kit. Don’t let a missing button ruin a meetingwith a prospective client.

2. Breath mints. Always be ready to defeat coffee breath.

3. Basic toiletries. At a minimum, keep a comb, mirrorand nail file. Lotion is a good idea too, especially for dryweather.

4. Ibuprofen or other headache medicine.

5. A lint brush. People don’t need to know you have a petimmediately upon meeting you.

6. Multiple pairs of reading glasses. Keep extras soyou’re never caught trying to read something with squintedeyes, a fully extended arm and head tilted back.

7. Kleenex or a handkerchief. You never know whenyou or someone else will need one.

8. A highlighter. This is your best friend when you needto read something important quickly.

9. Stationery. Have your own nice logo-free, heavy-weightpaper and postage handy so you can quickly write a thank-you, word of encouragement or other personal note. Youmay have company stationery for this purpose, but keepyour own handy for occasions when it’s more appropriate(and less like a sales pitch) than corporate letterhead.

10. Double-sided tape. Don’t ask me why, but you’ll needit if you don’t have it. Trust me and buy it!


SAN ANTONIOMAN by JANIS TURK

HOT WAX IS SEXYGet her a coupon book for a hand-wax job for

her car, or have her ride detailed inside and out.Leave a card on the front seat telling her you’d liketo wax her chassis, too, or go with an understatedsingle red rose on the dashboard. Gift certificatesfor a detail or even a year’s worth of car washes aresurprisingly affordable at all of the Wash Tub loca-tions in San Antonio, www.washtub.com.

MUSIC TO HER EARSWhat if she got in her newly cleaned car and

found you’d left new CDs of her favorite love songsin her CD player? It’s simple: Just upload some ofher favorite music onto her iPod, and burn it to adisc. Then put them in her disc changer when she’snot looking. Write on the CD, “Love songs that re-mind me of you”; that way, she’s sure to swoon toyour tunes. www.itunes.com.

FLOOR HERGet her new floor mats for her car. OK, she may

not think this is the sexiest Valentine’s Day gift, butwith a card or candy on the front seat and your ownpersonal mix of love songs in the CD player, she’sgoing to love to know you were willing to go to themat for her. www.autoanything.com.

SHE’S A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY...Get her tickets to the San Antonio Stock Show

& Rodeo this February to hear her favorite singers,like Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bently and Toby Keithin concert. Still stuck on ‘80s rock-n-roll from when

you two first met back in school? REO Speedwagonis a headliner this year! Nothing tells a cowgirl YouAre Always on My Mind like good rodeo tickets.www.sarodeo.com.

GET HER GUSSIED-UP LIKE A RODEO QUEENYou may hate to buy her clothes, but you do

know a cool leather Western jacket or a great pairof cowboy boots when you see them. For the bestWestern fashions to bring out the cowgirl in yourlady love, visit Double D Ranch Wear of Yoakum.Just go online and pick out something special forher to wear to the rodeo. www.ddranchwear.com.

YOU SAY IT BEST WHEN YOU SAYNOTHING AT ALL

You couldn’t write a love letter or poem if youtried, so get her this book at Amazon: Love Lettersof Great Men: The Collection of Love Letters drawnfrom Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City. Highlightthe lines that say how you feel about her.www.amazon.com.

A ROSE IS A ROSE ……but daisies are neat, too, and a peony is

plenty pretty. Find these this spring at Central Mar-ket, or for an even better buy, stop at a local whole-sale florists’ shop. Did you know they have coolersfull of beautiful blooms available to the public, too?The wholesale prices are amazing. Or plant a treein the backyard and tie a red ribbon around it. Tellher you want to watch your children swing from itsbranches one day. www.traviswholesale.net.

DO A DELUXE DATE NIGHTMost women would love a romantic getaway. So

why not romance her with a weeknight getaway inbeautiful SA — hotel rates may be lower midweek,and in under a half hour you two can be strollinghand in hand on the River Walk. Great Valentine’sDay packages are available at downtown hotels,too, so book a room at the Omni La Mansion del Riowith a Juliet balcony overlooking the river. If youcan’t spare a whole weekend, make an evening feellike a vacation. Treat your love to a romantic RiverWalk dinner at Restaurant Gwendolyn, or take herto new heights at the Chart House at the Tower ofthe Americas for a glistening diamond-like nighttimeview of the city. Or enjoy jazz on Tuesday at Restau-rant Lüke; happy hour is extended on Tuesdays from3 to 8 p.m., and a charming jazz band plays from 5to 8. On weekends, Lüke also serves a great brunch,as does Las Canarias at La Mansion del Rio. Anddon’t forget to spoil your lady love with a massageat the glorious spa at the Mokara River Walk Hotel. www.omnihotels.com.

KISS HER IN THE DARK…Ladies like to go to the movies, so please her

with popcorn and kisses in a dark theater after giv-ing her a coupon book full of movie tickets to useall year long. www.santikos.com.

MAJESTIC ROMANCETake your love to Memphis — the Broadway

musical with performances this month at the Ma-jestic. Or get her tickets to see the Moody Blues orDon Williams when they play SA in March. Makeyour Majestic Valentine’s Day last all spring longwith season tickets, too.

Valentine’s Day — it’s just too much pressure, right? It’sthat dreaded day when women expect men to be romantic, buyflowers, get them perfume and presents and hand them heart-shapedboxes of chocolates. Women want you to pen poetry or love letters andserenade them with sappy love songs … but that’s just not your style.

Need a way to make Valentine’s Day painless? It’s simple — and you won’t even have to

make an embarrassing trip to Victoria’s Secret, either. Here’s the thing: A woman wants to

know you’ve been thinking about her and that you want to please her. It matters to her that

you thought of her ahead of time and didn’t just pick up flowers at the grocery store or buy an

all-too-expensive bouquet online.

Here are some really thoughtful gifts to give her this Valentine’s Day or any day at all. Some

of these are presents you would probably appreciate, too, but they aren’t traditionally romantic,

even though the thought behind them is sweet. So you may want to pick up a pretty card at

the drugstore to accompany your gifts.

Think outside the heart-shaped candy box

A GUIDE TOVALENTINE’SDAY GIFTS

Not enough?

SAN ANTONIOMAN

47SANANTONIOMAN.COM

The San Antonio Spurs will no longer have a monopoly on local

pro basketball fans now that the American Basketball League has

come to town, bringing the Texas Surge.

The American Basketball League is split up into two divisions:

the Tropics and Lone Star Conferences — each having six teams.

The Lone Star Conference encompasses San Antonio, Laredo,

Corpus Christi, Sugarland, the Hill Country and the cleverly named

Twin Cities, College Station/Bryan.

The Tropics Conference hosts teams from Panama City,

West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Emerald Coast, Heartland

and Miami. Having teams within a 500-mile radius allows for

short road trips that can be completed within a day, eliminating

hotel costs and plane tickets.

This 12-team league is projected to grow by four more confer-

ences by the 2014 season: New York City, Southern California,

Midwest and Puerto Rico. The addition of these 24 teams should

make for an exciting league showdown. This year, to culminate

the season, the top two teams from each conference will head

down to Fort Lauderdale to compete in a Final Four-style tourna-

ment to decide which one is the league champion and winner of a

$10,000 cash prize. In addition, each player earns a $3,000

monthly salary in a season.

Welcome to the

San Antonio is now home to the Texas SurgeAmerican Basketball League

by EDWARD GARZA


SAN ANTONIOMAN

The ABL’s goal is to provide “affordable family entertainment and high-

quality professional basketball,” all of which was visible at the Texas Surge’s

season opener at Boerne Champion High School gymnasium against the Hill

Country’s Lone Star Law team on Jan. 20.

While former San Antonio College Coach Curtis McGlown and his Texas

Surge did not walk away with the victory, there remain 23 more games in the

season. If the team continues to play with the same intensity and passion, this

should turn out to be a great season for the team and the Lone Star Confer-

ence. The ABL’s season runs from January through March, with all games

played on Fridays and Sundays. The Texas Surge, owned by TS Investment

Group LLC, calls the Palo Alto Community College gymnasium home court.

Le Moure Stephens, executive director of the Lone Star Conference, says

the players in this Texas conference “have an age range from 21 to 30, give or

take a few. We have a couple of older guys out there, and a few young ones,

too.” Regardless of the age of the players, the first game was entertaining

and family friendly, with an entrance fee of $7 for adults ($5 for seniors, military,

students, or those aged 12-16; children under 12 are free), and soda, pizza

and candy, all of which made the quick-paced game more enjoyable.

While some would say the addition of another team to the already saturated

sports market isn’t in San Antonio’s best interest, Debbie Walton with the Lone

Star Law says, “We are tapping a different market from the other basketball

leagues in town. The ABL follows FIBA rules, which are the same regulations

played in the Olympics — it’s a more upbeat game.” For those of you who

might not know exactly what the difference between NBA and FIBA is, let me

try to clear it up as quickly as possible: FIBA has four 10-minute periods, a

two-minute break between quarters set aside for the 15-minute halftime,

smaller court dimensions (3 feet, 2 inches by 9 feet, 5 inches), a five-foul limit

and two referees. Each team is allowed a full timeout in the first three periods

and two in the fourth, which can only be called by the coaches. There are only

12 legal jersey numbers (4 through 15), and closely guarding a player with the

ball for five seconds is legal.

Walton adds, “We are doing our part to build a strong sense of com-

munity within our league. Our players and coaches are approachable and

want to interact with their fans, along with their community. The teams are

working with several Boys and Girls Clubs in the area, inviting them out as

special guests to many of our games. The players are also working on bas-

ketball clinics with Roy Maas Youth Alternatives."

At the first game it was visible to spectators that the players definitely

put fans first. Several younger fans were tapping the backs of the Texas

Surge players during the game just to say “hello.” The young fans were not

scolded or pushed back to their seats, but were greeted with wide smiles

and grateful responses. That in itself was a moment that personified what

the league is all about.

The Texas Surge had its first home game Jan. 27 at the Palo Alto Com-

munity College gymnasium. For more information on the ABL or the Texas

Surge, visit their website at www.abl-hoops.com.

While the American BasketballLeague strives for a strong bond be-tween its organization and its com-munity and fans, it goes withoutsaying that the ABL’s executive vicepresident has a very personal con-nection with the city of San Antonioas well as the sport. After all, his sonis a star player for the Spurs.

Director of international affairsand executive vice president TonyParker Sr. has his hands full, as theleague plans to add four more con-ferences before the next season be-gins. Having a well-versed vicepresident can only further the leagueand provide extra exposure to theteams, players and league.

The senior Parker’s résumé isdecorated with achievements andmilestones, from playing at LoyolaUniversity, which led him to continueon to the European basketballleagues, and finally winning theFrench Cup.

The ABL’s executive team isheaded by chief executive officerSteven Haney, most recognized forhis success with bringing MagicJohnson back to basketball. KennyAnderson, director of player devel-opment, is a distinguished formerNBA player and 2008 New York CityBasketball Hall of Fame inductee.And Tony Parker Sr., as executivevice president, will be focusing on in-ternal affairs. This team of powerfuland well-seasoned men will serve asa strong foundation on which theABL can grow.

Tony Parker, Sr.

49SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMANby JEFF DEGNER

In 2003 I took a job transfer that relocated

me to Scotland for nine months. Prior to moving

there, most of my knowledge of Scottish history

was taken from Mike Meyer Saturday Night Live

skits or from the movie Braveheart. Even worse

was my knowledge of Scotch whisky.

Up until then I had had one really bad expe-

rience with a cheap blend and had all but given

up on ever drinking Scotch again. One of the

first things that was taught to me by my Scot-

tish co-workers (besides the fact that William

Wallace was much taller than Mel Gibson) is

that Scotch is as much a part of their day-to-

day life as is football and fish and chips.

When I returned home nine months later and

had been properly schooled in the joys of sa-

voring a nice dram of a single malt Scotch, I

wanted to further expand my horizons by trying

other whiskeys from around the world. I try

never to limit myself to just one type or origin of

any of my favorite beverages and felt that I had

enough basic knowledge to begin my quest.

Whiskey is a fermented grain mash that is

distilled at a minimum of 40-percent alcohol by

volume (abv). The common types of grains that

are used are barley, rye, wheat and corn. Dis-

tilleries can also use malted rye or barley in a

process used to dry the grain. Each region has

its own preference of the grain and the type of

barrels used to age the whiskey. Some distill-

eries will use freshly charred barrels, and others

prefer used wine barrels that have held port,

sherry or Madeira to create the flavor profile

they want. A lot of the flavor and color is ex-

tracted from the barrels, so picking the right

type of barrel is very important.

Here are some of the more

famous regions that produce

whiskey, along with some of my

favorite distillers:

United States — There is a wide

range of types and diversity that make up

American whiskey. Depending on your palate,

you can choose from Tennessee, bourbon, rye

or corn. While the traditionalist in me loves a

smooth bourbon, the adventurous side really

loves a good rye whiskey. Thomas H. Handy

Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey has an explosion

of crème brulee when it first hits your tongue

and then finishes with a subtle hint of dried

fruits. This has a lot of those classic American

rye flavors that will be appreciated by novices

and veterans alike.

Scotland — Five regions in Scotland

produce whisky. Speyside and Highland are the

more popular and larger regions followed by

Islay, Lowland and Campbeltown. I am more of

a Highland fan since that is where I spent most

of my time while living there. While the Balvenie

12-year-old double cask is my go-to, the 14-

year-old Oban is my favorite to drink. The nose

has a beautiful peaty, tobacco and salty flavor

that transports me back to one of Scotland’s

many coastal towns. I always keep a bottle

around the house for any occasion that de-

serves a little something special.

Canada — This is usually a rye whiskey

that needs to be barrel aged for a minimum of

three years. Caramel and other flavors may be

added. Most of my experience with Canadian

whiskey has not been favorable, but I have

found one that I really like. Spicebox Whiskey

is appropriately named since it has every flavor

of your grandma’s spice rack. There is a strong

presence of vanilla and caramel on the nose as

well as white pepper and nutmeg on the

tongue. This is a great starter whiskey since it

has a strong similarity to rum and is very easy

to drink.

Ireland — This is a barley whiskey that is

distilled three times and barrel aged for at least

johnb

raid

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ONLY IN SCOTLAND


SAN ANTONIOMAN

three years. These are generally smoother than their Scottish neighbor

since they lack the peaty smokiness that is present in Scotch. Over the

Christmas holidays my neighbor broke out a bottle of 16-year-old Bushmill

that was fantastic. It is a blend of whiskey that has been aged in both a

sherry barrel and a bourbon barrel. This made for a wonderful intermin-

gling of a nutty almond flavor and a honey sweetness that made it the

highlight of the night’s festivities.

Japan —While not as well known for their whiskeys as some others,

they have been making a lot of headway recently with their single malts.

The Yamazaki Distillery, Japan’s oldest distillery, produces a very approach-

able 12-year-old single malt that has hints of orange peel and clove that

make it reminiscent of a Scotch whisky. I predict a lot more Japanese

whiskey will start popping up over the next few years as its popularity grows.

Some of the fine points about whiskey

I do get a lot of questions of whether the proper spelling is whisky or

whiskey. I am not a stickler when it comes to this confusion with the ex-

ception of Scotch whisky. I’m pretty sure that I raised my glass a few years

ago at Deacon Brodies in Edinburgh and made a solemn oath to never

use an “e,” and I am pretty sure that was a legally binding agreement. A

good rule of thumb is that countries with an “e” in their names (United

States and Ireland) will use the whiskey spelling.

I generally drink from a tumbler glass because I prefer a wide-mouth

opening on my glass so I can get a good swirl and catch an array of aro-

mas as I tip the glass back. When I choose to open a nicer bottle, I will

switch over to a Glencairn glass. This is a tulip-shaped glass with a small

opening that will concentrate the flavors at the neck and allow for a fuller

appreciation of the aromas. I have used a Quaich (traditional Scottish

drinking cup), but this should be used only with your best friends since it

is the equivalent of sharing a toothbrush.

I am not a big fan of adding water to whiskey since it will change the

essence of the liquor, but in some cases it will allow for some whiskeys to

open up and the flavors to be more pronounced. In these cases I use dis-

tilled water that is at room temperature. Generally a splash is all that is

needed. Traditionalists do not like ice in their drinks because the cold tem-

peratures will hide a lot of the aromas that the distillers work so hard to

create. I like a slight chill to mine, so I was very excited a few months ago

when my wife gave me an ice ball maker as a gift. It makes a solid ball of

ice about the size of a tennis ball. The ice is visually appealing in a tumbler

and melts very slowly, making it ideal for social drinking situations and still

allowing me to savor the bouquet in the glass.

Regardless of your preference in glassware, temperature or spelling,

the world of whisky(ey) is fun to explore with friends or even by yourself.

A BRIEF VOCABULARY OF WHISKEY TERMINOLOGY:

Single malt whiskey —Made by a single distillery and unmixed

with grain or pot stilled whiskeys.

Cask strength — This is a higher proof of alcohol by volume,

usually 60 to 65 percent abv.

Neat — Ordering whiskey without ice or water added.

Angel’s share— A portion of the whiskey that evaporates from the barrel during the aging process.

AVOID: Gyms. Theysmell like old socks, the

smoothies are overpriced, and theycreate unrealistic expectations onthe part of potential mates.

INSTEAD, TRY: Art museums.We recommend the McNay, at 6000N. New Braunfels; it smells like lux-ury, it’s free on Thursdays, and itprepares your partner for long peri-ods of sitting down, looking atthings you can’t afford.

AVOID: Singles bars.These haven’t been stylish sincethe 1970s, and there comes a timein every man’s life when “Buy me aSlippery Nipple?” begins to elicitsighs instead of giggles.

INSTEAD, TRY: Karaoke bars.We recommend Rebar, at 8134Broadway; karaoke was stylish asrecently as the 1980s, and whenyou’re belting out Call Me Maybeat the top of your lungs, you won’thear anyone’s stupid drink order.

AVOID: The driving range.No matter what your golf buddies tellyou about that perfect match, it’s justone of their wives’ friends they don’twant coming over anymore.

INSTEAD, TRY:The shooting range.We recommend the Bracken Rifleand Pistol Range, at 19140 Mar-bach Lane; more women are learn-ing to shoot than ever before, andthe fact that you’ll both be armedguarantees politeness.

AVOID: Car dealerships.That expensive new red

convertible won’t attract as manywomen as you think it will, and theones that it will draw you shouldprobably stay away from.

AVOID: Rock concerts.You’ll get tinnitus, no one can

hear your pickup lines, and no one’spaying attention to you anyway.

INSTEAD, TRY: Rock climbing.We recommend Climb, at 2313Lockhill Selma Road; it’s easy tobuild trust when someone’s life is lit-erally in your hands, and you mightget some of that 127 Hours action.

AVOID: The place youwork. Sure, it’s easy, but

too many things can go wrong whenyou dip your pen in the company ink.

01

02

03

INSTEAD, TRY: Missions games, at Wolff Stadium on Highway 90 andCallaghan Road. They’re cheaper, they’re more fun, and there’s actually apretty decent chance you could end up in the game at some point.

04

08

INSTEAD, TRY: Women’s clubs. We recommend one of many at thesenior center at Lion’s Field Park, 2809 Broadway; you’ll get some peaceand quiet, the drinks are cheaper, and if you compliment someone’s quilt,you might just get lucky.

06

AVOID: “Men’s clubs.”Trust us, that stripperdoesn’t really like you.

Hey Look, Kiss Cam!

07 AVOID: Speed dating. All thisdoes is make the process of being hu-miliated much more efficient.INSTEAD, TRY: Speed skating. Werecommend the Rollercade, at 223Recoleta; you’ll get a nostalgic chargeover the mere existence of a roller rink,and if you fall over and a nice girl comesover to help you up, it could be the startof something good.

09

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and that meanseither finally finding that certain special some-one, or dealing with the blank look your at-tached friends give you when you ask if theywant to come over and play Call of Duty:Black Ops II on the night of February 14th.

The problem is, all the traditional venues formeeting women are tired, played out, bled dry.Here are the top 10 new ways to find the girl ofyour dreams.

SAN ANTONIOMANby LEONARD PIERCE

51SANANTONIOMAN.COM

AVOID: Spurs games.

You can only suffer by comparison.

05

INSTEAD, TRY: Car washes.We recommend the Baruch SpinozaCar Wash, at Eisenhauer and theAustin Highway; a clean car tells po-tential mates that you’re tidy and re-sponsible, and you can have funfiguring out why the place is namedafter a Dutch rationalist philosopherof the 17th century.

INSTEAD, TRY: The place you park. We recommend the CentralParking Systems lot, at 303 E. Commerce; it gets lonely in those littlebooths, you know.

AVOID:The courthouse.Prison romance is not al-

ways what it’s cracked up to be.

INSTEAD, TRY: Church. It’s agreat place to socialize and meetsomeone who shares your beliefs,but remember, God will be watchingyou on every single date.

10

Our Pick for this Month’s Best Bites in the Alamo City

Manola’s Thai & VietnameseCuisine7212 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas 78216(210) 348-9071

www.manolarestaurant.com

On a cool day, there is nothing quite as satisfying as a large bowl of tra-

ditional Vietnamese pho. At Manola's, the pho is served in a large bowl

containing vermicelli noodles in a savory broth served with bean sprouts,

jalapeños, lime and basil. Meat selections include thinly-sliced round

steak, meatballs or chicken, all of which are equally tasty. For a refresh-

ing complement to your soup, order the fresh springs rolls — vegetables

and rice wrapped in a rice paper, served with Thai peanut dipping sauce.

Also among our favorites from Manola’s: the Vietnamese Egg Rolls — they are very crispy and very addicting, Manola’s Noodle —

a spicy combination of salad, vermicelli noodles, meat of your choice and chopped-up egg rolls. The service is great, and the at-

mosphere clean and simple. If you like Thai or Vietnamese, you’ll love this place.

SAN ANTONIOMAN

Boiler House Texas Grill& Wine Garden312 Pearl Parkway, Bldg. 3, San Antonio, Texas 78215(210) 354-4644

www.boilerhousesa.com

Stopped by and enjoyed the 14-oz. USDA Allen Brothers Prime Rib

Eye, grilled with composite uni-rolled butter — as good as it sounds. I

highly recommend the Quail Poppers, skewered in grilled-wrapped

Nueskes bacon, topped with homemade green goddess dressing, red

chili oil and Blue Bonnet Farms micro-cilantro. They feature a design-

it-yourself menu. You won’t find common sides such as mashed pota-

toes. However, try the seared-grilled Brussels sprouts, sautéed with

country ham and charred lemon. To finish the meal, we suggest Camp-

fire S'mores. Reservations are recommended, and upon arrival you may be fortunate to meet the executive chef, James Moore.

Sushihana Japanese Restaurant1810 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, Texas 78213(210) 340-7808

www.sushihanasan.com

When you are hungry for chicken wings, a Japanese sushi restaurant may not

be the first thing that comes to mind. Order the Sushihana wings and taste some

of the best, freshest, and meatiest chicken wings in town. The spicy chili version

is our favorite and is served with a celery salad, which pairs nicely with the spicy.

At $7.95, they are a great value. Hungry for more? Order more, or better yet, try

some fresh sushi with competitively priced wines from select vineyards hand

picked by the owner. Sushi happy hour is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily.

53SANANTONIOMAN.COM

55SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMANby TERRY NEGLEY

Wow, what a ride! That was the intro-ductory statement I made when I first tested the

2006 Chrysler 300C, but now I would add another

Wow! The SRT8 for 2013 is a great example of an

American brand that captures the size and luxury

of cars from the ‘50s but with much greater per-

formance, thanks to technology. It is one of the

most powerful sedans available, offering 0 to 60

acceleration time in under 5 seconds. At the same

time it is as efficient as many of the V6-powered

sedans, getting 14 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

If you were around in the ‘50s ( like some of

us ) and you were aware of the automobiles on the

market, you would certainly remember the 300s

from Chrysler Corp. They were luxurious, high-

performance machines. The NASCAR version ac-

tually won the championship in its first year,

setting speed records at Daytona. The 2013 300

continues to capture that excitement. You might

say the 2013 300 is a sedan the way they used to

be — big, rear-wheel drive and a large grille like

the 1958 Chrysler 300. It is roomy and stylish and

still carries some influence of Mercedes-Benz

from their short- lived association a few years ago.

Let’s talk excitement: 470 horsepower and

470 lb-ft of torque will launch you like a rocket.

The five-speed automatic transmission shifts

quickly. I prefer using the steering wheel-mounted

paddle shifters, but you can also use the console-

mounted lever to shift manually.

The SRT8 features an active suspension that

offers Auto, Sport, and Track modes that affect

all areas of the car’s performance, such as steer-

ing effort, ride and response and transmission

shifting behavior.

The Auto mode is your normal driving selec-

tion, and the car will still handle sharply and re-

sponsively. When you stomp on it, adjustments

are automatic. This is the setting best for rough

pavement. Sport mode will stiffen the baseline,

making it more responsive on those long winding

mountain roads. It’s hard to believe you’re driving

a 4,400-pound sedan. The Track mode just stiff-

ens things a little more and enables some real fun

road-course-type driving.

Another neat addition for you performance

buffs is Launch Control. When you take off from a

stop, Launch Control holds the engine at optimal

rpm till the driver releases the brake. Then the

Launch Control will use engine torque manage-

ment to control wheel spin for maximum acceler-

ation up to 62 mph.

WOW, WHAT A RIDE!

2013 CHRYSLER 300 SRT82013 CHRYSLER 300 SRT8

VenisonSausage


SAN ANTONIOMAN

This car will definitely bring out the aggressive-

ness in your personality. You can use the track apps

in the instrument cluster or on the large touch

screen to measure G-force, acceleration and 1/8

mile ET’s. There is a selection of gauge screens that

will show other vitals such as water temperature, oil

pressure and more.

If you’re going to use all that power to have

some fun (let’s keep it safe), you can rest assured

that the government testing has given the 2013

SRT8 a top five-star rating for overall crash protec-

tion, with five stars both for front-impact protection

and side-impact protection. In Insurance Institute

for Highway Safety crash testing, the 2013 300 re-

ceived the top rating of good in the frontal-offset,

side-impact and roof-strength tests.

You might have second thoughts about paying

a lot more for a highbrow nameplate when you see

the luxury in the 2013 Chrysler 300 — topnotch ma-

terials, an 8.4-inch touch screen that controls hvac,

navigation, car settings and much more. Even the

optional Harmon Kardon audio system is controlled

through the touch screen for great sound quality.

Optional two-tone seating really adds something

special to the interior. The steering wheel is heated

(a special touch for the Yankees) and has thick

suede grips. If you’re not into working a touch

screen, there are redundant controls on the center

stack to handle audio and hvac.

For the folks who could care less about per-

formance or can’t afford the SRT8, I should tell you

about the other versions of the 2013 Chrysler 300.

There are five trim levels: 300, 300S, 300C, 300C

luxury series and my favorite, the 300 SRT8.

The base 300 comes very well equipped with

leather, 17-inch wheels, Bluetooth, most of the elec-

tronics available today and heated front seats. The

300S has a slightly more powerful engine, remote

start, shift paddles, a WD option, 20-inch wheels

with performance tires, a back-up camera and a 10-

speaker sound system. The 300C adds LED cabin

lighting, an Alpine sound system, power adjustable

pedals, additional chrome exterior accents,

heated/cooled cupholders, upgraded leather uphol-

stery, Berber floor mats and real wood trim. The

high-performance SRT8 has most of the upgrades

of the 300C but also has special wheels and high-

performance tires, Brembo brakes, Launch Control,

a three-mode adjustable sport suspension, sport-

tuned steering and sport seats with leather/faux-

suede upholstery.

Summary: The 2013 Chrysler shows the con-

tinuing improvements that are made every year to

keep it a best-selling sedan. It has all the latest

technology on the market. Every model is a pleas-

ure to drive and gives good value for the money.

Speaking of money, the 300 starts at around

$30,000 for the base model and goes to $48,000

plus for the SRT8.

Try one — you’ll like it at any level.

57SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMANStory and photos by JOHN GOODSPEED

“I make sausage as part of the continuing

deer lease camaraderie. The ability to make

Italian, Polish, German and garlic sausage

with my friends has been a source of great

joy,” says Mike Peterson, who began about

15 years ago after some friends invited him

to a sausage party, where half a dozen guys

processed more than 300 pounds of venison

and pork into links and pan sausage.

Not long after that, Peterson and three

other members of his Blanco deer lease

began teaming up to make 150 to 200

pounds of link and breakfast sausage in

about four hours.

Every February or early March, they get

together in Bill Doench’s garage, nestled

among the cedars and live oaks atop a hill in

Bulverde. He makes some tables, one with

a ladder supporting a long, narrow piece of

plywood, and all covered with thick plastic

for the knives, cutting boards, meat tubs,

grinder and stuffer.

Doench, 50, who shot his first deer at

age 13, began making sausage with his fa-

ther a couple of years later. “I didn’t realize

how much work was involved,” he says.

“Being one of the youngest, I always got

the toughest job — using string to tie the

ends of the sausage. Nobody wanted to do

that, and you better do it right. If you hang

it in the smokehouse and it hits the floor,

you’re in trouble. “I always enjoyed it, but it

took almost all day because the meat had to

be deboned, and much of it was not fully

thawed,” Doench says. “It’s not like we do it

today, starting with meat ready for grinding,

and it takes no time at all.”

Although Peterson and Doench have

taken their deer to a processor for sausage,

they prefer to do it themselves because

they know how the venison was handled

and can select the pork to be added for fat

content in a 60/40 ratio to keep it leaner

than the commercial variety and season it

to their liking.

“Everybody likes their sausage a little dif-

ferent,” Doench says. “I make my own spice

mix because I think you have more control

over the flavors. The building blocks for any

sausage seasoning are five things — pa-

Making venison sausage is a post-deer-season ritual for a lot of hunters for a good reason— many share more than a deer lease. Their bond in the love of the outdoors rumbles intheir stomachs, too, and that leads them to continue having fun long after the hunt.

The camaraderie continues whenhunters gather to make their own

VenisonSausage

5 BUILDING BLOCKS FOR ANY SAUSAGE

PAPRIKAGARLICBLACK PEPPERSALTCAYENNE PEPPER


SAN ANTONIOMAN

prika, garlic, black pepper, salt and

cayenne pepper. I don’t like sage.”

Many commercial spice mixes — usu-

ally for 25 pounds of meat — are available,

including some from deer processors such

as Granzin’s Meat Market in New Braun-

fels, where Peterson buys his mixes. He

adds a few spices to customize the flavors.

A good-quality electric meat grinder

and hand-cranked sausage stuffer are es-

sential. They start at around $100 and go

on up, but you get what you pay for. They

are available at a variety of outdoor stores.

Some butcher supply shops, such as Ro-

driguez Butcher Supply, 1715 W. Com-

merce St., also cater to hunters and can

provide expert advice.

Making breakfast sausage takes three

easy steps: grind the meat, mix in the

spices by hand and package. Peterson

and Doench fry a sample patty in a pan to

see if the spices need some adjustments.

While Doench uses the same spice recipe

for links, for breakfast sausage he holds off

on some of the pepper and adds a little

brown sugar because his son and daugh-

ter like it that way.

Link sausage can be made with natural

or artificial casings that are slipped over

the stuffer tube. One guy cranks while an-

other regulates the meat flowing into the

casing with a hand around the tube, curl-

ing the sausage into a big roll. It is cut into

links, some meat is squeezed out of each

end, and the link is twirled to seal it. For

smoked sausage, which requires a cure to

prevent bacterial growth, a cotton string is

tied on each end for hanging it in a smoke-

house. Like the unsmoked links, the

smoked links have to be cooked.

An informative book is Great Sausage

Recipes and Meat Curing, which includes

a section on building a smokehouse and

detailed instructions for making a variety

of sausage. It’s available, along with

spices, grinders and other products, at

www.sausagemaker.com.

“I only eat about 15 links a year,” Peterson says. “I GIVE THE REST AWAY, so it’s really more about the camaraderieand being able to give people sausage so they can see that harvesting Bambi does have its rewards.”

GRINDINGEnjoying the camaraderie as much as thesausage after it’s made, Mike Peterson dropssome venison into the meat grinder.

TYINGIt’s all hands on deck when itcomes to the tedious task oftying venison sausage linkswith cotton string in prepara-tion for smoking.

SMOKINGBill Doench checks the links of venisonsausage hanging in the smokehouse he builtout of plywood that he fuels with chunks ofoak smoldering in a covered pan.

STUFFINGA large coil of stuffed sausage awaits beingcut and tied into links, while another onecomes out of the sausage stuffer in a ritualthat brings hunters together after the season.

59SANANTONIOMAN.COM


by CHET GARNERSAN ANTONIOMAN

The bloody follow-up to the Alamo

REMEMBER GOLIAD!REMEMBER LA BAHIA!

Folks in San Antonio (and all ofTexas for that matter) know the storyof the Alamo all too well. Coonskinhats and Bowie knives, Travis’ letterand famous line in the sand, and, ofcourse, the fateful morning of March6, 1836. From the cradle, we have thestory of the Alamo burned into our col-lective consciousness. And if we missit as babies, we’ve always got fourth-and seventh-grade history and/orJohn Wayne to pick up the pieces.While the Alamo has gained world-

wide fame and attention (just ask PhilCollins), there’s a much lesser knownfort sitting 90 miles southwest of theAlamo that was just as important inTexas’ fight for independence. It’scalled Presidio La Bahia and beckonsanyone with a curiosity for history or aninterest in the great State of Texas.

�

THE PRESIDIOOriginally established in 1749, today the stone

walls of this Spanish fort stand as strong as they did

250 years ago. It looks exactly as you’d expect an

old Spanish fort to look: intimidating stone walls,

cannon lookouts and a massive wooden entrance

gate. Presidio La Bahia’s original purpose was to

offer fortified protection for the settlers of the town

of La Bahia, which existed outside the fortress walls.

A trip to Presidio La Bahia couldn’t be more dif-

ferent than a trip to the Alamo. Instead of being in

the middle of a busy city, Presidio La Bahia sits on

the outskirts of Goliad with the sounds of busloads

of kids and snapping cameras replaced by the

quiet whisper of the prairie wind.

Arriving at the fort and seeing the artillery tur-

rets immediately conjures up childhood desires to

grab a sword and storm the castle. However, after

much consideration, I took the more adult ap-

proach and walked into the visitor’s center, which

occupies the old officer’s quarters and contains a

number of artifacts and information panels that

help bring the many eras of the Presidio to life, in-

cluding its time under many flags and roles in nu-

merous revolution attempts.

The large, daunting walls of the fort surround a

huge courtyard and a handful of small buildings

where various military functions were performed.

The most impressive building is the Our Lady of

Loreto Chapel, which has served as a functioning

Catholic chapel since 1779.

While the Presidio is impressive to look at, it

truly becomes amazing when you know the story

that unfolded within its walls.

THE GOLIAD MASSACREThe story of the Goliad Massacre starts months

before the actual event, when a group of Texian sol-

diers seized the fort from Mexican control and re-

named it “Fort Defiance.” Under the leadership of

Col. James W. Fannin, these men guarded the fort

until after the fall of the Alamo, when Gen. Sam

Houston ordered that they abandon the post and fall

back to Victoria to eventually join Houston’s army.

In a poorly planned escape attempt, Fannin

and his men were caught on the banks of Coleto

Creek by Mexican Gen. Urrea and his soldiers.

After a drawn-out fight, the Texian men surrendered

and were brought back to Presidio La Bahia as

prisoners to await their fate.

It is recorded that Fannin and his men believed

they would be held captive for a time before being

released into the United States and told never to

return to Texas. And while Gen. Urrea appealed to

Santa Anna for their clemency, Santa Anna was in

no mood for mercy and ordered that all captives

be executed.

On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, over 300

Texian soldiers were marched outside the fort

walls and shot at point-blank range. Wounded

soldiers who couldn’t walk were executed inside

the Presidio courtyard with Fannin being the last

to die. Legend says that before being killed, Fan-

nin made three requests: (1) that his personal

possessions go to his family, (2) that he be shot

in the heart and not the face, and (3) that he be

given a Christian burial. Soldiers proceeded to

steal his belongings, they shot him in the face,

and they burned his body along with the other

Texians who died that day.

A total of 342 Texians died in the Goliad Mas-

sacre, making it by far the bloodiest day of the

Texas Revolution.

Word of the massacre spread quickly to Hous-

ton’s men, inspiring them to add the battle cry “Re-

member Goliad” to the already fervent “Remember

the Alamo.” Both of these tragic events inspired

Houston’s army to fight stronger on the fields of

San Jacinto. It is impossible to say if Texas would

have won its independence without the passionate

inspiration stemming from the events at both the

Alamo and Goliad.

FANNIN’S TOMBAfter the defeat of the Mexican Army at San

Jacinto, Texas hero Thomas J. Rusk returned to

Goliad and gathered the remains of the executed

men and buried them in a mass grave behind the

Presidio. This hallowed ground is now marked with

an impressive stone column and is engraved with

the names of every brave Texian who died that day

in Goliad.

Walking through the courtyard and standing in

the spots where Fannin and his men were brutally

gunned down brings forth a very heavy feeling. It

is a feeling of both sadness and intense pride for

the Lone Star State. As Texans, we all “Remember

the Alamo,” but after a visit to Presidio La Bahia,

you’re guaranteed to always “Remember Goliad.”

AN EXTENDED DAY TRIPFor those truly brave souls, Presidio La Bahia

offers the unique opportunity to spend the night

within the walls of this Spanish fort. The old sol-

diers’ barracks turned priests’ quarters have been

converted into a small suite allowing guests to lit-

erally sleep only feet from where Fannin and his

wounded men were massacred. Of course, the

ghost stories and legends abound, but there’s only

one way to find out if there’s any truth to them, and

that’s to sleep there yourself. When I overnighted,

I didn’t find ghosts, but I did find one of the most

peaceful night’s sleep in my life. Maybe the ghosts

were waiting for YOU!

61SANANTONIOMAN.COM

Tune in to The Daytripper onyour local PBS station.

For details, visitwww.thedaytripper.com.

OTHER STOPS:While in Goliad, check out these other spots:

Angel of Goliad

Statue: Between

the Presidio and Fan-

nin’s tomb lies a statue

and an incredible story

of a woman who risked

her life to save others.

Mission

Espirtu Santo:

This is the mission

counterpart to Presidio

La Bahia’s fort. The re-

stored chapel truly

makes you feel trans-

ported back in time.

Goliad State Park: Hang out or take a swim

along the meandering San Antonio River, which looks

much different here from upstream along the River Walk.

Zaragoza Statue and House: The hero of

Cinco de Mayo was born in La Bahia/Goliad, and you

can visit his reconstructed home.

Hanging Tree: This real hanging tree on the

courthouse lawn has an interesting history of being

Goliad’s entire justice system.

FOOD:You’ll certainly get hungry on yourtrip, so here are my favorite spots:

Blue Quail Deli: a local sandwich shop serving

up its legendary cream of jalapeño soup.

La Bahia Mexican Restaurant: a tradi-

tional Tex-Mex restaurant with all the classics.

The Empresario Restaurant: homemade

food, including homemade pie. Need I say more.

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SAN ANTONIOMAN

During my senior year at Leesville High, home

of the Fighting Wampus Cats, which is a cross be-

tween a lynx and something even more intimidat-

ing, probably another lynx with a pointy stick, I

decided to go out for the football team. I’m actually

pretty sure we called ourselves the Wampus Cats

because no one I went to high school with knew

the plural of lynx.

Be that as it may, I’m over 6 feet tall and was,

before the invention of canned cheese, faster than

the average high school slacker. Since the ‘Cats (or

possibly Lynxen) had gone 2-6 the year before, I

hoped the expectations bar had been lowered

enough that I might be able to step over it and

make the team as a receiver or defensive back.

It didn’t take me long to realize I was better at

writing about football than playing it. Even my

blinding speed and stunning athletic grace couldn’t

make up for the fact that I’m extraordinarily lazy.

It turns out playing football requires a lot of

sweating and not looking at girls — two of my least

favorite things. Writing about football for the local

newspaper was much easier and safer than actu-

ally playing it. I almost never get a concussion while

sitting at my desk shooting rubber bands at my

computer monitor (which is by far the most stren-

uous part of writing.)

Landing my first writing job also meant I could

be associated with the team, get into the games

free and earn considerable high school hallway sta-

tus, all without having to do any of the more un-

pleasant things the players and coaches (all alpha

Lynxi) seemed to be obsessed with.

Bear in mind, this was before sports became

Dancing With The Jocks. Unlike today, a touch-

down celebration back then was called an extra

point and didn’t require props or backup dancers.

If I’d known football was going to become a per-

formance art, I’d have stuck with it. There may be

no “I” in team but, based on word count, it’s fully

half of “I rock.”

Now, a meaningless tackle in a 40-point blowout

is the athletic equivalent of finding a cure for Honey

BooBooism and cause for considerable Gangnam-

style merriment. It can also add to the ever-escalat-

ing sideline tantrums as coaches snatch off their

headphones and furiously chicken dance down the

sideline screaming, “You call that a pirouette? My

grandmother can cartwheel faster than that.”

Then again, the 400-pounders hokey-pokeying

at midfield are all millionaires, and I’m not. It could

be they’re onto something, as opposed to just “on”

something. Maybe we should all strut our various

stuff at every opportunity.

So the next time you successfully merge onto

Loop 410, pull over and chest bump a light pole. The

minimum reaction to finding your car keys should be

at least partial nudity. If it (the keys, not the nudity)

results in getting to the movie before it starts, you’ll

need to unleash your best victory yodel.

Successfully retrieve the newspaper (it’s a thing

people used to read), and you’re entitled to moon-

walk down the driveway — better yet, the neigh-

bor’s driveway. After all, what’s the point of

obnoxious self-congratulations if no one sees it?

More elaborate “completely spontaneous” re-

actions will require some prep work though. If any-

one asks why you’re wrestling a confetti cannon

into the office, just tell them you’re anticipating a

particularly insightful Facebook posting.

“These 500 balloons? They’re in case I get my

coffee just the way I like it.”

Get an email? Grab your tiara. Create a spread-

sheet? Crab dance your way to the break room and

re-enact your entire third grade holiday pageant.

But there’s no reason to limit our oh-be-joyful-

ness to just our own accomplishments. Sports fans

congratulate each other for simply witnessing the

heroic achievements of others.

“Did you see that catch?”

“I sure did. I was standing right here. I’m still

seeing it. We’re the world’s greatest spectators.

High five!”

Let’s take the self-aggrandizing wave to the

streets. Let’s do the wave in the streets.

Share your enthusiasm with whoever’s nearby.

If the gas pump stops on a whole number, fist

bump the guy washing his windshield in the next

stall. (Check your surroundings first. It’s vitally im-

portant to be in the right kind of stall.) Having the

correct change at the kolache stand is certainly

reason enough to start a robot conga line.

Give your waiter a comradely swat on the back-

side when he gets your fajitas to the table still siz-

zling. If you somehow manage to get your PIN

number right on the first try, don’t just walk away

from the next ATM you use, Funky Chicken your

way back to the car. Why not Frankenstein down

the dairy aisle chanting, “Monster dig 2 percent”?

And while public displays of delight at your own

incrediblosity are best, there are times when it’s ei-

ther celebrate alone or not at all. Like that’s a choice?

Wrap up an especially adequate column with

an hour to spare on your deadline? Spike your

computihgaaaaaaaaa.

by RANDY LANKFORD

Who’s got two thumbs and is awesome?

Everybody!


SAN ANTONIOMANSAN ANTONIOMAN

1.MassMutual South Texas an-nounces the addition of MARTYBOARD to its group of financialservices professionals. He will workin sales in the San Antonio office.

2. J. ROLANDO BONO is thenewest member of Port San Anto-nio’s board of directors, appointedby District 1 City Councilman DiegoBernal and confirmed by the CityCouncil on Dec. 6. As part of the 12-member board, Bono will help tooversee the ongoing redevelopmentof the former Kelly Air Force Base toits best and highest use, creatingconditions that maintain and growgood jobs for the region.

3. Security Service Federal CreditUnion announces the promotion ofMIKE CHAPMAN to executivevice president, chief operating offi-cer. He will serve SSFCU as the sec-ond-ranking management officialwith responsibilities for memberservice, marketing and training. Hejoined the credit union in 2001 asvice president of Texas lending andwas subsequently promoted to sen-ior vice president of lending andthen executive vice president, chiefof consumer lending, in 2012.

4. JIM LAFFOON has beennamed president of Security Serv-ice Federal Credit Union. He is re-sponsible for the credit union’sday-to-day operations and pro-vides leadership and strategic di-rection to its more than 1,600employees. He joined SSFCU in1989 and served as primary strate-gist, corporate planner technolo-gist and operations managerbefore being named executive vicepresident and chief operating offi-cer in 2002.

5. SCOTT MATLOCK hasjoined Broadway Bank as businessbanker II and a vice president in the

business banking department. Hehas 15 years of experience in busi-ness development, financial andmanagement accounting and com-mercial banking. Most recently hewas a vice president in commerciallending at another financial institu-tion. He earned an MBA in financefrom George Washington Universityand a BBA in business managementfrom the University of Mississippi.

6. ROBERT OCHOA has beenpromoted to commercial credit an-alyst II at Broadway Bank. Hejoined the bank in 2009 as thebanking services manager and wasnamed a banking officer. In Febru-ary 2012 he was promoted to com-mercial credit analyst I in the creditdepartment. He received his BBAdegree in finance from UTSA.

7. Broadway Bank announces thatROMAN RODRIGUEZ hasbeen promoted to systems engineerin the information technology de-partment. He joined the bank in 1993and has held several positions, in-cluding his most recent, assistantvice president systems administra-tor. He earned a degree in appliedarts and sciences at Texas StateUniversity and holds a Certified Pub-lic Manager designation from thestate of Texas.

8. RAMON VERDUZCO hasjoined the staff at MassMutualSouth Texas as a financial servicesprofessional. He will be located inthe San Antonio office and will workin sales.

MEN ON THE MOVE

Send yourMen on the Move

information [email protected].

65SANANTONIOMAN.COM

SAN ANTONIOMANby LEONARD PIERCE

I lived in Chicago for 15 years. I loved

pretty much everything about the city and

its people, but I couldn’t help noticing that,

considering its five-million-plus population

and its status as a world-class destination,

it had some, well, self-esteem issues.

Despite its great size, its incredible cui-

sine, its endless list of things to do,

Chicago just didn’t feel like the world was

taking notice. As a cartoonist friend of

mine once said, Chicago enjoys a friendly

rivalry with New York and Los Angeles,

while New York and Los Angeles — bliss-

fully ignorant of the Second City’s exis-

tence — enjoy a friendly rivalry with each

other. This sense of being ignored even

extended to the great fears of 21st-century

living; we figured we were safe from terror-

ist attacks, since no one in al-Qaida knew

we were there.

I never expected to see history repeat

itself, but when I moved to San Antonio, I

noticed a particular sensation in the air —

a pugnacious, scrappy attitude that one

might just call an inferiority complex. The

first thing you hear when you step off a

plane at the airport is a promotional video

at the baggage claim carousel informing

you that, whether you like it or not, San

Antonio is Texas’ No.1 tourist destination.

Why the hard sell? You just got here, and

already it seems like the tourist board is

afraid you’re going to leave.

Of course, this defensiveness is under-

standable to a certain degree. San Anto-

nio is an old city, but it got really big really

fast and really recently. Tell someone from

back east that ours is the seventh-largest

city in America and you will get a look as if

your hair was on fire. Our media profile

isn’t exactly top-of-the-line, so many peo-

ple, even in Texas, need convincing that

we aren’t still routinely fighting off incur-

sions by Santa Anna’s army. (I can dig it;

I grew up in Phoenix — currently the sixth-

largest city in America, though no one be-

lieves that either — and when I was

growing up, my Southern relatives would

ask me if we still got Indian attacks.)

We aren’t a gargantuan metropolis

like Houston; we aren’t the state capital

or the music mecca that Austin is; and

unlike Dallas, we didn’t have our own

top-rated prime-time soap opera in the

1980s. (These are all mixed blessings, I

can assure you.) We’re the biggest city in

America with only one major-league

sports team, our name has a confound-

ing three syllables in it, and Ozzy Os-

bourne peed on our most sacred tourist

attraction/historical site.

But there’s no reason for San Antonians

to walk small. We’ve got a growing popu-

lation, a steady economy, and a rich and di-

verse cultural history. Our one sports team

routinely stomps all over the rest of the

league, and if anyone tries to give us any

lip, we’ve got about half the country’s mili-

tary might sitting around. And once the I-

35 corridor is one big strip mall, we’ll eat

Austin for lunch and Dallas for dinner, and

then who’s laughing? Houston? Stand up,

San Antonio — your destiny’s calling.

SAN ANTONIO

HAVE ANINFERIORITYCOMPLEX?

DOES

SAN ANTONIOMAN

1944Color guard cadets stand at attention on the former Alamo Heights campus of Texas Military Academy.


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