Say the words Nederland Bulldogs to anyone who knows high school football in Texas and I guarantee you the name Larry Neumann quickly pops up at least 95 percent of the time.

When people think of Nederland they think of Neumann.

Coach Neumann was and will remain the face of the Nederland Bulldogs even after his retirement later this month.

Excuse me readers while I speak directly to Coach Neumann.

Coach Neumann congratulations on a tremendous coaching career. I really hate to see you go and cannot begin to imagine what next year will be like without talking football with you.

You always treated me with the highest respect and were the model of what I think all coaches should strive to resemble. I wish you nothing but the best.

One of Neumann’s biggest accomplishments was staying put in Nederland. Coaches move around these days, either by choice or being forced out.

Not only has Neumann been there, the man won. His teams averaged 7.7 wins a season.

Consider that West Brook, Central and Bridge City each averaged 5.5 wins while Neumann was with the Bulldogs. The Jaguars and Cardinals are on their sixth coach since 1993, Neumann’s first year at NHS, and West Brook is on its fourth.

I know readers will want to hear about those darn Indians. PNG averaged 6.6 wins a season in that span and Brandon Faircloth is the third coach to face Neumann.

So what will I miss the most about Neumann being at Nederland? That is easy.

No matter what the outcome of a game was Coach Neumann always had the same attitude with sports media.

His mind was always the same on what he had to do the next week. The words I will remember Coach Larry Neumann saying are “Gabe, all I know how to do is continue to go to work.”

Well Coach Neumann, have a Moo Bar instead. The work is over and we in Southeast Texas appreciate your time spent molding outstanding young men more than you will ever realize.

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Gabriel Pruett can be reached at 721-2436 or at gabe.pruett@panews.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaNewsGabe