Stepbrothers Keep Rivalry on the Field

Brothers Across the Line of Scrimmage

Although they attend rival schools, stepbrothers Andrew Thompson and David Schnur leave the competition on the field—and leave their playbooks out of sight!

Their best advice probably comes from Jon Thompson.

“One thing I told them last year was ‘don’t leave your playbook lying around.’”

This was advice for Thompson’s son Andrew, a senior defensive end at St. Xavier, and stepson David Schnur, a senior linebacker at Manual. The two were once teammates on a little league baseball team in St. Matthews in fourth grade and an Oldham County youth football team in fifth grade.

They became stepbrothers five years ago when Jon married David’s mom, LuAnn.

The meeting between Manual and St. X on October 16th will be the first time Andrew and David meet while both playing key roles for their teams.

“I would say it’s a friendly rivalry,” says Jon. “They both focus on their own stuff. There’s no trash talking. That would make for a tense situation.”

“I don’t really think about it until game week,” says David. “We both do our own thing, but when game week comes along, that’s when it gets a little more serious. We keep to ourselves and prepare for the game and shut up about what one another is doing and what our team is doing because we want our team to win.

When asked whether they talk about football much, Andrew says, “We actually do a lot…driving in the car, not necessarily about the rivalry but how’s your team looking?” He adds, “It was kind of weird when the teams were shaking hands after the games last year but when we got back home there was no tension or anything.”

Game week for the district rivals is not easy on Jon and LuAnn. They sit on the side of the home team and wear neutral colors. “We want them both to do well,” says LuAnn. It wouldn’t be right to choose sides.”

Andrew thinks the Tigers are looking pretty good heading into the season. David likes the experience on the defensive side of the ball for Manual, but thinks an inexperienced offense may take a little time to come around. Neither is making a prediction on their encounter.

As for Jon’s warning about not the leaving the playbook lying around, Andrew agrees. “That’s an unspoken rule. You don’t know who’s going to grab it. If I left it there, I’m sure he’d be curious but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t look at it. But I’d just as soon not test it out.”

David responded with a chuckle, “I’d like to think of myself as a pretty honest guy with a good heart and I don’t think I’d look through the opposing team’s playbook. I’d like it to be as fair as possible. Andrew wouldn’t do it to me either…but I’d never leave it to chance. Better to lock it in my car at night.”

One other thing to look for when the Tigers and Crimsons meet: There’s a chance David may do some kicking off for Manual and Andrew is on the return team for St. X.

Would Andrew look to get in a shot on his step-brother?

David doesn’t want to find out. He says he hopes to kick it through the end zone.

Tom Lane is the sports director for WDRB-TV Fox 41.