10-51, Red 22, Hut!

  It’s full swing into football season. I figured this week would be dedicated to the All American Past time of eating and burping and throwing around the pig skin.

I’ll admit it, I was never a big football fan. I liked playing what I thought was football as a kid. Which generally meant, being the tom boy, I that I would come home full of bruises from playing in the park. We never had alot of kids and I”m sure at times that I was the entire defensive line, but that said, it was cold outside, my nose would be dripping, the street lights would come on and I would head home, tired and happy from playing with friends.

This was generally accompanied by my father who is what I’d like to think is the world’s biggest Steelers Fan. I honestly believe no one has yelled at a t.v. more. Every football season a descent of anxiety would fall upon our home. In the hopes that each week the Steelers would win and advance up the ranks to attend the Superbowl. Being born in 1979 was a good thing, they had some gusto then. God bless the house though, if they lost.

Later in high school I was a member of the drill team. Being in Texas, this is a deep rooted tradition of spandex and skirts and high kicks. I have fond memories of being in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, but as for football season, I remember standing up quite alot and having our team lose. Although, still to do this day, I adore the sound of a marching band’s drum cadence, it brings back the memories of bus trips and going out after games with friends. I suppose it was all the events surrounding the game that made the game itself tolerable.

College brought on the Texas Aggies and their football. I was blessed to see the game from the band section each week as a sophomore and junior. My entire junior year it rained. Every time. Every home game. and not just a sprinkle.  It like…was….torrential. We’d do our Midnight Yell Practice the night before – practicing our menacing yells to fill the stadium against whatever formidable opponent would come our way. It’s a unique experience, and Aggie or not, is something anyone visiting Texas should attempt to take in.

And now. Well, now I’m happy to watch it with friends – at the game, on TV. I’d prefer to be enjoying the fall weather, or grilling for them at a tailgate. I wouldn’t even mind taking a nap with the announcer’s play-by-play softly buzzing in the background. But that said, it’s still a fall fixture and I’ve dedicated this week’s posts to it’s place in the season. Enjoy!