Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Asked what part of the story of that 1987 season he wished had been included in the film, White said the impact of his wife Cheryl. However, I believe the Diaz family did go 2 court & the school paid them an undisclosed amount. After high school I went to Eastern Kentucky University where I sampled a variety of majors including English teaching, police administration, and journalism before finally discovering broadcast news. Let's not slack off.". Puentes said his troubles didnt begin until after high school. Im not like, Hey, Im Victor from the movie. I just feel a little bit better about myself because something good finally happened in my life, besides my children being born. Subscribe to Popcorn Talk Network's YouTube Channel @ http://youtube.com/popcorntalknetwork Check out all the. Three suspects in custody following fatal shooting in South L.A. Man who set five wildfires in San Diegos back-country gets 9 years in prison, Man serving life sentence for raping and killing San Bernardino 9-year-old charged with murder in second cold case. They worked hard. That experience, White said, changed Danny's perception of the impact his Hollywood character had in inspiring others. Im done. David, however, graduated the year before McFarland's first state title win. Victor Puentes; 2015; Related news. But he did say there was a "low-rider" bike with his nickname "Blanco" on it. You dont feel your feet hitting the [ground] anymore, you dont feel that youre out of breath. Cart. Its just something to be proud of. Discovering that some of his students are strong runners, White has Principal Camillo authorize cross-country as a sport and organizes an all-boys team. For Victor Puentes, one of the subjects of the Disney film McFarland, USA, life has not exactly followed a Hollywood storyline. Without Mrs. White, I dont think any of this would have happened. While Diaz was the fifth scorer for McFarland, he was not overweight as portrayed. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner, talks to the media Friday about the indictment for Bakersfield Police detective Damacio Diaz, while Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Williamson and Assistant Chief Lyle Martin, listen. "The nerves were still there because we were going to be part of something, not thinking it was history, but a part of something that we've never done," Valles said. McFarland, USA (2015) Starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Carlos Pratts, Hector Duran It's not a documentary. She was the real (team) mother hugging their sweaty bodies when they came in.". Out of all the 1987 team, Victor was definitely the smartest of all of us, Diaz told 23ABC News. "Niki Caro wanted to show more family in the movie so they chose me," says the real David Diaz, who actually graduated during the school year before the first state title win. Yes. "Jose Cardenas had had a bad race," Valles recalled recently about his teammate who was the team's seventh runner that day, finishing 148th. Yes. On occasion, he said, the boys would have to work in the fields on a Saturday morning before going off to a meet that afternoon. A U.S. district judge ordered Diaz to begin serving his sentence on Dec. 5. What about this one? "She was crying and hugging Danny. I walk with my head up high. "I was standing there. Wagner said during a press conference Friday that they began looking into Diazs activities as a result of information received from unrelated drug investigations earlier this year. That made us work harder. 1 of 27. Mejia was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2021 in local reporting for her investigation with colleague Jack Dolan that exposed failures in Los Angeles Countys safety-net healthcare system. Custom Content. "He was our second dad. White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop. He enlists Sameniego's help and recruits Thomas Valles, Jose Cardenas, Victor Puentes and brothers David, Damacio and Danny Diaz. Just two weeks before he was placed on leave, Diaz posed for photos on the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. For them to gel as coach and team members, they will have to understand the other better and fully embrace the opportunities. David Diaz is behind Victor wearing a white t-shirt and McFarland hat. He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. on their time as cross country runners Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. This case is finally over, and we are extremely blessed and happy to announce that we are victorious, Diaz said. They were requested by People Magazine. The information captured will be shared by the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS), with all known ISP's conducting business in the State. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). They grew up in broken homes. Diaz disclosed the names of criminal informants to Magallanes so the dealer would not conduct business with them and become a target of law enforcement. But Diaz believes Puentes has the tools to turn his life around. This finally gave me the strength to say, You know what? McFarland, USA (also known as McFarland) is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Niki Caro, produced by Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, written by Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson with music composed by Antnio Pinto. Its changed my confidence. He also attended the films premiere in Los Angeles with his daughters and wife earlier this month. This is part of a series of articles looking back at the 1987 CIF-State Cross Country Championships, the first in California. The legendary former McFarland Jim White (Costner) finds his days as a football coach numbered when an incident with a player leads to his dismissal. I give my thanks to her because shes the foundation of [that] home and she opened her doors to every single runner that we. Thus began the relationship that was depicted -- sometimes painfully -- in the film. She knew that some of us needed a little bit more. -LA Times. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". Mainly clear. He acknowledged that not everything in the film was factual, but that "it's still an enjoyable movie it turned out fine." "You try to offer them the same thing we offered our girls," White said. Click through our Amazon affiliate program at http://www.amazon.com//ref=as_sl_pd_tf_lc?\u0026tag=aftcom-20\u0026camp=15345\u0026creative=493161\u0026linkCode=ur1\u0026adid=1DB5P6Z81DTMQXSNPN4T\u0026\u0026ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Frcm.amazon.com%2Fe%2Fcm%3Ft%3Daftcom-20%26o%3D1%26p%3D9%26l%3Dur1%26category%3Dhome%26banner%3D1GKQW904419X3K3XEKR2%26f%3Difr Yes. David Diaz remains actively involved in the program, Valles said.). Its also a testament to parents, dont lower the bar for your kids, always aim higb. Host Keetin Marchi interviews Victor Puentes at the McFarland, USA premiere.Subscribe to Popcorn Talk Network's YouTube Channel @ http://youtube.com/popcorntalknetworkCheck out all the shows' playlists here: https://www.youtube.com/user/popcorntalknetwork/playlistsVisit our website: http://popcorntalknetwork.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thepopcorntalkCheck out http://schmoesknow.com for all your movie news!Shopping on Amazon? PE teacher in McFarland, an economically U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner said his office as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the IRS participated in the investigation. I do not own "McFarland USA" or any of the characters. "You saw the hills at the end of the movie.". 'That's not even my life story. -Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. Its about McFarland. He started teaching in the McFarland school district after graduating from, White did not establish the cross-country team at the school, but instead restarted it after it had been dropped for a year. It made me rethink the choices that Ive made in the past, because I had a bad past. "We couldn't go out there and run those things," White said. She's the one girl that changes his mind and he wants to date her. Since he graduated from Californias McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. Jim does whatever he can to get the key boys in any way he can to be the core of the needed seven member team. Though it is very close, Jim White likely wouldn't have had a clear view of it from his classroom window, as a street of homes separates the school's athletic fields from the prison grounds. There was alcohol or drug abuse in their homes. The McFarland girls cross-country team ran in the California Interscholastic Federation South . The 16-count indictment against Damacio Diaz, 43, was unsealed Thursday. The real Coach Jim White took both the boys and girls cross country teams to the California central coast beach at Cayucos during the 1985 season (not the 1987 season). Desperate for work, he moves his wife (Maria Bello) and daughters (Morgan Saylor and Elsie Fisher) from Idaho to McFarland, CA, a rural town that's predominately Latino and the only place willing to give him a teaching job. McFarland, USA (also known as McFarland) is a 2015 American sports drama film directed by Niki Caro, produced by Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, written by Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson with music composed by Antnio Pinto. He and his family relocate to his new job at McFarland High School in McFarland, California, which is predominantly Latino. SAC and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better. The principal shook his head. In 1964, after graduating from Pepperdine, White was hired to teach middle school science in McFarland. Kevin Costner plays a high-school football coach who ends up leading a cross-country track team made up unlikely students to a state championship. Its the best of both worlds. McFarland USA Movie Review. An ex-detective who was on the championship 1987 track team depicted in the movie "McFarland USA" has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to bribery and drug charges. Juanita Diaz. There were times while doing that job that he said he thought about what might have been had it not been for Jim White and cross country. This was out of the ordinary.". "He didn't know but I took it as if he had said no," Valles said. When Coach Jim White (Costner) arrives to teach at a predominantly Latino high school, everyone has a lot to learn about each other. Were part of his life, Puentes says. Q: Whats the latest on Bakersfield Police Department Detective Damacio Diaz, who is facing multiple federal charges after FBI investigators a, Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 304,028, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 297,089, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:71.26, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.16, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. All seven have little hope for their future, specifically Valles, who has hardships with his father and nearly throws himself off a bridge before White stops him. Jose Cardenas, McFarland's expected No. I dont need it, I dont want it, Puentes says. "Some had never had a sit-down dinner with forks.". What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. Find the perfect victor puentes stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. 5, was not in the picture. Yeah, that happened. When Diaz filed a joint income tax return that year, he omitted additional income of at least $97,900, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Immediately after the race, Valles said he was taken with a group of top finishers for awards and media but didn't know if the team had actually won. This movie is based on the remarkable McFarland High School Cross-Country Team which, until it was recently forced to compete against much larger schools, dominated its division in the sport state-wide for more than 20 years. The McFarland, USA true story supports that McFarland High School won nine CIF California State Championships in cross country (including five in a row) and held a streak of attending the state championship meet 24 years in a row. Finally a great movie, no mayhem, no killing, no swearing, no hanging boobs..this puts some of the other lollywood trash where it belongs In the trash.. Great movie, I cried, wonderful acting and the best inspiration for our young generations!!! McFarland USA Interview - Victor Puentes (2015) Interview with Victor Puentes (Real Life Character) for McFarland USA. McFarland, USA. Over the past year, thanks in part to the movie, Puentes began cleaning up his act and is no longer using drugs. The alleged offenses took place from April 2012 to February of this year, he said. Added Cheryl: "With him being a pitcher, he would have been straight on.". I'm getting goosebumps now. Youre just thinking about your life or whatever is going on around you at the time., Puentes former McFarland cross country teammate Danny Diaz recently .css-1hr08dr{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#59E7ED;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1hr08dr:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}told 23ABC News, He made some bad choices and hes the first to tell you, You know what? Director Niki Caro wanted to feature more family in the film, so Luis Partida, who was on the team, was replaced with David Diaz, Damacio and Danny's brother. Hey! But thanks to the film, hes been given a new lease on life. Video games, board games, collectible card games and sports all occupy my time. Now that I live in Lexington, I get to do my dream job of covering the people of central and eastern Kentucky. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. - Yeah. We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". Danny Diaz was not overweight, but he was the seventh runner on the team. Thank you for reading! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. His performance at the 1987 state meet did help McFarland lock up the title. "But we'd try to run in the shade in the almonds," he said. Puentes is proud to be recognized for his role in the teams accomplishments nearly 28 years later, and that the film has put his hometown on the map. He started off as a junior varsity runner but made the varsity squad as a freshman, working his way up from being the teams number four runner to being the number two runner by the time he graduated. After a few regional competitions, the team wins its first race. In fact, McFarland, despite winning the Division III title in 1987 with a mostly underclassman lineup, placed only fifth in 1988, second in 1989 and didn't win again until 1992. I want all of my. [18], Last edited on 1 September 2022, at 05:39, "Kevin Costner in Talks to Star in Disney's Sports Drama 'McFarland', "William Broyles Jr. A series of texts shows that under White's guidance, the team becomes outstandingly successful, winning nine state titles over fourteen years. When you run long distance, you just lose yourself. McFarland, USA Character Reference Chart Danny Diaz Jim White Damacio Diaz Thomas Valles Johnny Sameniego David Diaz Cheryl White Victor Puentes Julie White Instructions: As you watch the video, please answer each question. Since he graduated from California's McFarland High School in 1989, he has battled drug addiction and spent time in prison. Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. I dont know if it changed everybody else, but it changed me.. Jose. "[13] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has a score of 60 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Victor Puentes at the premiere of Disney's McFarland 1,588 views Feb 20, 2015 4 Dislike Share Save laughingplace 147K subscribers McFarland runner Victor Puentes, interviewed on the red. Well acted and tremendously inspirational. He looked after us, he made sure that if we got out of line, he corrected us.. I didn't do some of the things they had me doin' in there, but that's alright, that's Hollywood. Overall, McFarland, USA is a PG-rated movie with an uplifting, inspirational message. While at Eastern I wrote for the award winning Eastern Progress and served in the student government. "Thomas didn't have anger management and Danny wasn't fat," White said when asked about inaccuracies in the film. Puentes said his troubles didnt begin until after high school. Primary filming took place in McFarland, California in 2013. He recently retired as a California State Correctional officer supervising adult males. Damacio Diaz, whose story was told in a Disney movie about a high school cross-country team, admitted to accepting bribes and drug offenses, federal prosecutors said. Is McFarland, USA Sad? A struggling coach and teacher who has had to move around for different incidents in his career finally comes to one of the poorest cities in America: McFarland, California. Sun and clouds mixed. All right, guys. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. The chief said Diaz and the drug trafficker, Guillermo Magallanes, had known each other for quite some time and that Magallanes had been working as a BPD informant. They're men of color. Heres a timeline. "I started hanging around the wrong kids," Valles said. The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. Likely not. I received a nice surprise today when my pal, longtime Bakersfield Californian photographer Felix Adamo, found these photos I shot of the 1987 McFarland boys cross country team. Today, Valles coaches girls cross country coach at McFarland and travels around to speak and share his story. Another blast is on the way. The movies about Mr. White. That's OK. We're doing it for our kids, we'll do it for you. I think the school shouldve paid because it was during school practice. Puentes began experimenting with drugs and battled addiction off and on for many years. Cookie Preferences, Generated by 10.1.2.53 from cache (2435 ttl) in 25 milliseconds. 'Danny made a big difference in my life.' He did n't have anger management and Danny was n't fat, '' he said. ) McFarland! 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