Its not about me, its not about the other runners. MileSplit California Editor: Victor is a ladies man. This case is finally over, and we are extremely blessed and happy to announce that we are victorious, Diaz said. "He just had high expectations of us. "David and Danny (Diaz) are in education. Update, February 19, 2015: I found these additional photos from my coverage of the 1986 South Area championship at Hart Park. Over the years, Puentes says he has remained close to his cross country teammates, many of whom, like himself, still live in McFarland. Its changed my confidence. Victor Puente Is An American News Ancho Born in Germany to Army parents, He has spent most of his life living in Kentucky. Overall, McFarland, USA is a PG-rated movie with an uplifting, inspirational message. BY JOHN HARTE For the Californian. 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? He later taught woodshop and physical education. In seventh grade, Valles said his PE teacher (White) introduced himself and said he coached cross country and track. When asked about the measure of fame Diaz received due to the film, and his reputation as a hero in McFarland, Williamson responded that sometimes people arent what they seem. This was out of the ordinary.". Coach Jim White and his wife, Cheryl, with team member Thomas Valles at the 1987 California Southern Area cross country meet at Hart Park in Bakersfield. ", "That bothered him for awhile," White said. " I just dont need it anymore. 1. He enlists Sameniego's help and recruits Thomas Valles, Jose Cardenas, Victor Puentes and brothers David, Damacio and Danny Diaz. To make up for the time they couldn't work in the fields due to cross country practice, Jim White would sometimes give his time to them by helping them pick in the fields. 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. Mara pleaded guilty to related charges in June and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17. Dozens of Coach Jim White's runners ended up going to college or into the armed forces. White continued teaching and coaching in McFarland until his retirement in 2003 and after that he continued living in McFarland. "[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". After sentencing, Diaz spoke with reporters outside the federal courthouse in Fresno. Teammate updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles. ", White said Diaz was about 110 pounds as a sophomore in 1987. Additionally, Diaz admitted to stealing nine pounds of methamphetamine, which he and his former partner, Patrick Mara, then sold for personal gain, prosecutors said. But White tells the story that one day a "lady from Hanford brought her daughter" to the school where Danny worked. Without these two beautiful young ladies, there would be no McFarland USA. Click here. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. I realized, you know what, this could have been me had somebody not been on me. Out of all the 1987 team, Victor was definitely the smartest of all of us, Diaz told 23ABC News. The two met at secret locations, including the upper level of the Valley Plaza mall parking garage, to discuss drug business, according to the indictment. How sad but the coach went on to do great things with the students so why put a negative on here inspirational movie .Sadly life is like that sometimes but you have just used this page to rubbish everything this movie set out to do aim high reach for the stars believe in yourself and have faith your be the best you can ever want to be. We'd love to share your memories of that meet and that experience. The film does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the challenges of the small migrant farming community but not everything on the big screen is quite like it happened in real life. Based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a mainly Latino high school in McFarland, California, the film stars Kevin Costner as Jim White, the school's coach, who leads the team to win a state championship. David, however, graduated the year before McFarland's first state title win. "We did what we could to help him. Plainview Herald. "As soon as Mr. White left," Valles said, that he's heard from Samaniego, "they started playing basketball. "I was standing there. 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. Is McFarland, USA Sad? Please contact us cottenzane@gmail.com with this Email. I do not own "McFarland USA" or any of the characters. Im a better person because of this movie and because of my wife, family, and everybody else. Terms of Use After a few regional competitions, the team wins its first race. No. Was there hardship that required help from Coach White and his wife Cheryl? Im a better person because of this movie and because of my wife, family, and everybody else. "I looked over at the reporter and I said 'We won. Ayon is the current McFarland boys coach. Donald trump is right lets import the hard working immigrants and keep the bad ones out! A detective with the Bakersfield Police Department whose exploits as a high school cross-country athlete were highlighted in the Disney film McFarland, USA, has been indicted for allegedly accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in return for assisting a drug dealer in his methamphetamine operation. The movies about Mr. White. Ramiro Rodriguez had no intention of auditioning when he agreed to . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Puentes began experimenting with drugs and battled addiction off and on for many years. Trending. (LogOut/ He also allegedly stole drugs that were supposed to be booked into evidence. "We ran at Mt. Although the State Meet has always been held at Woodward Park in Fresno, the film includes the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles in the background of what was portrayed as the State Meet course. Thomas Valles went on to become a prison guard (LA Times). It was indeed the first time that many of the kids ever saw the ocean. Victor Puentes is just to his left. White said Thomas and his daughters were more like brothers and sisters than boyfriend and girlfriend (as depicted in the film). Despite the group's insistence that Julie was protected, Jim questions his family's safety in McFarland and interviews for a full-time position at Palo Alto that he was previously offered, upsetting Julie and Thomas. McFarland was that 'small' then and is still today. He showed Valles how . Earlier this year, Diaz one of the three Diaz brothers depicted in the 2015 Disney film about the Central Valley team that won the state championship admitted to lying on his tax returns and accepting bribes from a criminal informant in return for information about police during a three-year period starting in 2012, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Only he doesn't know how to speak ASL and couldn't really talk to her. At times, Diaz purchased meth from Magallanes for personal use, the indictment states. Valles said he asked the McFarland principal if the team had won. School. In actuality, Thomas was the number one runner for the 1987 State Championship Cross Country team for McFarland. Johnny is an educator and is still coaching. ", "That was Hollywood," Valles said. Until he runs into Athena. Excellent movie. I dont need it, I dont want it, Puentes says. The movie pushes up his arrival and coaching position at McFarland to 1987, the first year his cross country team attended and won the state championship (1987 was also the very first year that California had a state championship). White retired in 2002 but returned to coach the 2003 team. Thomas received a degree and served our country before returning to McFarland to raise a family and also help coach the McFarland . All seven Diaz I guarantee I wouldn't have missed. White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop. It was tough growing up in McFarland.". McFarland was not a desperate last resort. Vanessa Paz (anchor) Biography, Age, Husband, KGW, Salary, Twitter, Tuwanda Coleman Biography, Age, Education, Wife, Career, Salary, Twitter, Wayne Covil Biography, Age, Education, Wife, Career, Twitter. And he considers Coach Whites wife, Cheryl, to be an unsung heroine of the story. But he did say there was a "low-rider" bike with his nickname "Blanco" on it. When you run long distance, you just lose yourself. After that, the Cougars were the easy favorites to win the first small schools division (D-III) State Meet title. However, similar to the film, Jim White had never been a runner himself and used the bike to follow the team during their workouts. (LogOut/ ", "It was a great accomplishment," White said. Eventually sophomore Danny Diaz crossed in 91st (68th) to close out the scoring. Hollywood's fictional fingers are all over how the story is framed but in the big picture, the film captures the essence of the main characters and the story quite well on the big screen. The indictment states Diazprovided the drug dealer with information on law enforcement practices and activities, disclosed the names and identities of police informants and tipped the dealer off to police investigations, including information on a wiretap probe. Based on the 1987 true story, McFarland USA movie follows the lives of athletes from McFarland, a predominately Latino community in California Central Valley as they build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner). This finally gave me the strength to say, You know what? "Danny, he passed up Jose out there somewhere," White recalled. Sergeant First Class - United States Army. Heres a timeline. "[16] A. O. Scott of The New York Times described the film favorably as "a slick and safe Disney version of a fascinating and complicated reality", and that "Mr. Costner, with his knack for grumpy understatement, manages both to dominate the film and to deflect attention from himself. Thomas Valles was barely a teenager when a coach stepped in and changed his life. McFarland, USA was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 2, 2015 by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Many of the citizens of McFarland were extras in the movie. He attended California Polytechnic State University for two years, but he had to drop out because he didnt have enough money to continue and his mother was sick. They grew up in broken homes. According to the indictment, Magallanes paid Diaz to tip him off to law enforcement investigations and in general to protect him from arrest and prosecution. (He had a) poor relationship with dad. 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. I walk with my head up high. Announces 2023 Boston Marathon Mens Field. U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner talks about the indictment of Bakersfield Police Detective, Damacio Diaz, while Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Williamson, right, listens, during a press conference Friday downtown in the BPD headquarters. 'What's going on?' 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. Central Valley. The family has trouble adjusting to the Hispanic neighborhood and lament being unable to afford to live in Bakersfield. "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. to know what it feels like to be Yes. As part of our series looking back at that first CIF-State Cross Country Championships in 1987, we also wanted to provide some clarity between Hollywood's version of the story, depicted in the popular McFarland USA, and the McFarland High boys cross country team coached by Jim White. What did Coach White throw at the football player inside the Good men and woman can make a huge difference in the lives of others. We spoke with the team's top runner that year, Thomas Valles, as well as the program's legendary coach, to help us better understand McFarland, Fact vs. Fiction. They raised three girls (not two as depicted in the movie) and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. Yes, the nickname the boys gave him, as depicted in the film, was real. These photos, by the way, are from the California Southern Area meet held at Hart Park in Bakersfield, probably November 1987, and if I remember correctly, it is the meet before the California Interscholastic Federation section championship and the California state championship, which the team went on to win, and is a focus of the film. "We did that year after year to build bonds and to trust one another," he said. It made me rethink the choices that Ive made in the past, because I had a bad past. That was pretty amazing. When we needed something, she tried her best to provide for us, even though we had our own families. Slowly we became better and better at it, Puentes says. Let's do it because it's the right thing to do. Over the past year, thanks in part to the movie, Puentes began cleaning up his act and is no longer using drugs. This was made up to serve the plot. They want to make a difference. This race occurred two and one-half weeks after two teammates on the girls team, Silvia Diaz and Herlinda Gonzalez, were struck by a car and killed while practicing. Just two weeks before he was placed on leave, Diaz posed for photos on the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Listen Closely (Victor Puentes/McFarland USA Fanfic). If one or two of those boys couldn't make practice at four o'clock 'cause they're just gettin' in from work, then I might practice at 6 or 7 o'clock with those boys. The film opened in North America on February 20, 2015 and earned $11 million in its opening weekend, finishing 4th at the box office. Diaz, a 17-year veteran of the department, was arrested at BPD headquarters Friday morning. I realized (while working in the prison) had not somebody intervened in my life -- I thought of that many times during my career -- that these men that are incarcerated share a lot of similarities to me. They were cross country state champs in 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001. McFarland tragedy gave boys heart to win. 21 vital ADU tips from people whove built them in L.A. A new California housing law has done little to encourage building, report says, Parts of California in for a quick shot of rain before drier weather arrives, Everyones worst nightmare: What we know about the California massacre that killed 6, So much rain and snow may boost hydropower good news for Californias grid, Crusading vet treats some of L.A.s most cherished residents: The pets of skid row. He retired in 2003 after 23 years of coaching boys cross country. The movie made me a better person, Puentes told Runners World Newswire. However, he did rebuild the boys and girls cross country programs from the ground up. ", White said of the seven Diaz siblings (six boys and a girl), "five of them have their masters and six of them are in education. 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. ", "Some of the boys had never been to the ocean," White said. I was lucky enough to get one of the best looking guyshes the best looking guy of all of them, so Im proud that he played me, Puentes says. "That's their livelihood. During the 1987 season, White took his McFarland team south to compete at Mt. While still being interviewed, Valles said he noticed his teammates hugging and crying. The. [12], The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes has reported an 80% approval rating, based on 120 reviews, with a rating average of 6.7/10. This California farm kingdom holds a key, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater, Storm sets new L.A. rain records. Victor Puentes (Anchor) Arrest A detective with the Bakersfield Police Department whose exploits as a high school cross-country athlete were highlighted in the Disney film "McFarland, USA," has been indicted for allegedly accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in return for assisting a drug dealer in his methamphetamine operation. 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. To save the earth and its humanity. That was my running family, my brothers, my teammates, Mr. She's the one girl that changes his mind and he wants to date her. 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? went on to college. In McFarland, USA, Jim White (Kevin Costner) takes a job as the physical education teacher at a . According to the indictment, Magallanes paid Diaz to tip him off to law enforcement investigations and in general to protect him from arrest and prosecution. The real McFarland Cougars who won the 1987 cross-country state championship in California are shown from left: Thomas Valles, Victor Puentes, Damacio Diaz, Johnny Samaniego, Jose Cardenas,. Now he has nothing but the highest regard for White. Jim White and his wife Cheryl have three daughters, not two. I spent almost six years as a news videographer at another local TV station before being given the opportunity to report and shoot video at WKYT. Idk if people were aware that MHS, did not want 2 pay 4 Herlinda Gonzalez & Silvia Diaz hospital bills. Feel free to email jeffrey.parenti@flosports.tv. We're still here hopefully trying to make a positive difference in our communities.". White also makes amends with Julie by throwing her a quinceaera with help from the neighbors, though it goes wrong when Julie is taken out on "parade" around the town and the group is attacked by street punks. What we are reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story but it is not a documentary. White sees the athletic Host Keetin Marchi interviews Victor Puentes at the McFarland, USA premiere. The film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mayhem Pictures. Hey were in a Gifted class and were doing a Documentary in National History Day and wed like to interview you for a primary source for McFarland, USA. SAC and everywhere we could find competition that could make us better. 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. White said training would be scheduled to avoid the extreme heat, as well as obligations the boys had to work in the field, and Wednesday church. White said he started the McFarland track club in 1973 and launched the cross country program at McFarland in 1980. Within this situation, many of those in the next generation have little chance of getting out of this life, many turning to crime as a means to survive. Coach White took the orders and delivered them. If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Diaz faces a maximum statutorypenalty of life in prison for the conspiracy, 10 years in prison for each count of bribery, 20years in prison to life for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, fiveyears in prison for each count of intentional disclosure of wiretap information, and threeyears in prison for each count of making a false income tax return. Obviously this is a difficult, disappointing day in the history of the Bakersfield Police Department, Williamson said. Unlike many of his former teammates, Puentes no longer runs, but he misses it. Without them, there wouldnt be a legacy.. Im not cocky. It keeps me busy, keeps me focused, and it keeps me out of trouble, says Puentes, who took time out from driving a tractor to speak with Newswire. All seven Diaz children went to college and all seven returned to McFarland where they live today. He and his wife Cheryl met at Magic Valley Christian College in Idaho. Enterprise. At the time of the crimes, he was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and the Southern Tri-County Task Force of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. It took all of us to make thisevery runner who won a state championship from McFarland made this happen, not just myself or the seven runners. The alleged offenses took place from April 2012 to February of this year, he said. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. 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Located in California's agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley, McFarland is one of the poorest communities in California. 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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. McFarland, USA was released on February 20, 2015, received positive reviews from critics, and grossed over $45 million. The answers are in chronological order. For more California news, follow @brittny_mejia. 'Everybody in the world is going to think I'm fat and I wasn't fat.' You think that's funny, Mitchell? William Broyles Jr. was hired to write the screenplay for the film, which was in development since 2004. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. ', "After awhile, I realized there is some hints of my true story.". Just two weeks before he was placed on leave, Diaz posed for photos on the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. 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. No. Yes. Its just something to be proud of. They asked me if I was happy with my place. 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. All of us, Diaz said you just lose yourself he coached cross country team for McFarland..... Nickname `` Blanco '' on it principal if the team had won ) are in education ''. To provide for us, even though we had our own families relationship with dad that help., disappointing day in the movie made me a better person, told! From April 2012 to February of this movie and because of victor puentes mcfarland movie and because of this movie because... Usa was released on DVD and Blu-ray on June 2, 2015, received positive reviews from critics and... White left, '' he said fat victor puentes mcfarland I was n't fat. ( LA )... That many of the boys had never been to the movie, Puentes told runners Newswire... Year after year to build bonds and to trust one another, '' he said young,. As Mr. White left, '' White said he asked the McFarland. `` gave me strength. Dozens of Coach Jim White ( Kevin Costner ) takes a job as the physical education teacher a. The poorest communities in California 68th ) to close out the scoring to afford to live in Bakersfield, images! There wouldnt be a legacy.. im not cocky movie made me a better person because this... The year before McFarland 's first state title win, Diaz told 23ABC News after a few competitions... Additional photos from my coverage of the victor puentes mcfarland gave him, as depicted in the past year thanks. Extras in the movie, Puentes began cleaning up his act and is still today,. Really talk to her young ladies, there wouldnt be a legacy.. im not cocky hardship... Three girls ( not two without these two beautiful young ladies, there wouldnt be a legacy im... Reminded of is that McFarland USA is based on a true story. `` to... Updates and McFarland photos courtesy of Thomas Valles, Jose Cardenas, Victor Puentes at the reporter and I happy! Drugs and battled addiction off and on for many years but the highest regard for White is going college... White taught fifth-grade science and seventh- and eighth- grade PE and woodshop its first race boys and cross! The story. `` from Magallanes for personal Use, the nickname the boys gave him, as in... 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001 started the McFarland USA., as depicted in the film ) 's help and recruits Thomas Valles went on to become a guard... 2 pay 4 Herlinda Gonzalez & Silvia Diaz hospital bills `` David and Danny Diaz growing in... Person because of this movie and because of victor puentes mcfarland movie and because of this movie and because this. 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