Last modified: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 11:04 AM PDT Scott Ford | Argus Observer Argus Observer sports writer Ray Rodriguez (middle) laughes along with the student body at New Plymouth High School during a special assembly to give Rodriguez a new look. Silas Gaskins (right), clears a path down the center of Rodriguez’ head, while members of the footabll team look on. All the senior Pilgrim fooball players took a turn at giving Rodriguez a trim. The buzz in New Plymouth By Scott Ford Argus Observer New Plymouth—A simple wager from an Argus Observer sports writer fired up the town of New Plymouth this past week. Argus sports writer Ray Rodriguez was at it again, putting his hair on the line for the sake of motivation. This hair loss trend for Rodriguez began last football season when he called out the Vale Vikings, saying they could not beat the Grant Union Prospectors and if they did he would go to Vale High School, and in front of the student body he would let the football team shave his head bald. Well he los the bet and was soon bald. On Sept. 13, Rodriguez rose to the challenge again. This time he called out the New Plymouth Pilgrims on the radio during the Carl’s Jr. Coaches Corner. He said New Plymouth was too small and too slow to beat the Payette Pirates, but once again Rodriguez was wrong. New Plymouth excited the crowd and crushed Rodriguez with a 74-yard, come-from-behind drive, and Monday the buzz of the clippers were being heard again. Rodriguez arrived at the Pilgrim Pavilion to man up to his wager, and with the entire student body, faculty and a few parents on hand, Rodriguez suddenly was nowhere to be found. New Plymouth Principal Bicker Therien did not miss a beat and ordered the door to the gym be guarded by saying, “Lock the doors we have another Argus guy in here, and someone is getting a hair cut today.” Therien - referring to the photographer from the Argus, which happened to be the Argus sports editor. Ray, however, did not disappoint and came strolling into the gym, making a grand entrance wearing shades and a Fruitland High School baseball cap. The reaction, at first, was one of cheers, because the lamb came to its slaughter but quickly turned to boos when the Fruitland hat was recognized. The amateur clipping of Rodriguez’ hair was painful to watch, as every Pilgrim senior football player took a few locks, followed by New Plymouth offensive coordinator Porter Lacy and Therion. “Ray is a great guy. I am glad he stood up to his end of the deal,” Therion said. “He is a big man to be here and to live up to it.” Lacy said the whole event made the week prior to the game against Payette a lot of fun in the hallways. “It did elevate the level of excitement at school,” Lacy said. “But the team was motivated to win the game, and we wanted to win this game for other reasons. It was good publicity, and hopefully this will cause more people to come out and watch our games.” Rodriguez took it all in stride as the Pilgrim football players buzzed off his locks and jeered him while doing so. Senior lineman Silas Gaskin said when he heard about the wager Rodriguez placed, he felt sorry for him. “This is the icing on the cake,” Gaskins said. Senior running back Justin Peterson said right after the game he saw Rodriguez on the sideline and he got excited for what was to come. When it was all said and done, Rodriguez had this to say: “It was a total display of savagery and degradation,” Rodriguez said. “Walking over to that chair, I felt like the convict being ushered to the gas chamber. But I am glad I could be apart of it. It is always good to inspire a team, and I am glad they kept a sense of humor about it. Who knows, last year after the Vale hair cut, the Vikings ran off 10 straight wins and made it to the state championship. Maybe the same will happen for New Plymouth.”