Dear High School Varsity Football, I love you – today at least.
Okay, so, it was a blast – I’ll admit it – sitting at the varsity football game, wedged between the band and the student section. A perfect fall evening with the sun setting over the Colorado foothills…yes, I was secretly hoping for some deplorable antics from parents or a streaking student – maybe I can catch it on video for TFTB…I mean, you, my faithful groundfloor followers – you DESERVE that! But all I can say is I was practically giddy. There’s my kid – dressed for Varsity, the energy, the good/cute as well as the REALLY bad choices in fan-wear (seriously mom, something in between the beefy Tee and the tight tank next time?…), the lack of booze, the cross-section of parents (so what if I had to move due to over cologned fan, oh he’s just divorced? shocker…) united in a common quest – I mean, what can compare to this slice of life? (surreal, surprising, exhilarating? Where am I?)
Listen – I was not the rah-rah student when I was in HS. Sports were not really that rah-rah – or so it seemed in the early 80’s. I was not a cheerleader, a pom, a flag..I was a sort of athlete – sort of a party girl – but that’s another story…it’s that journey that’s transformed me I guess – there is just something about traveling the road of youth sports – from soccer bunch ball to tee ball to suddenly finding yourself soaking it all up at the High School level. And as much I hate to admit it..the whole gridiron thing, under the lights, it has a vibe that doesn’t compare to an afternoon at the baseball field or evening at the field house. This is where we start our love affair with arguably the most dangerous and violent sport on the planet…c’mon, have a sip of the kool-aid…it’s Friday – I’m sure there’s lights blazing somewhere near you in a few hours – I dare you! Try to hate it, try, just try, not to love it.
But dear football, remember, we are fickle. You hurt my boys? You know what they say about that thin line between love and hate, the wrath of an angry woman all that?…
GO CHARGERS!
FIGHT.
WIN…
Tales From The Bleachers 