The High school football season is coming to a close this weekend and it has been overall a good one. I finally hied myself to two games to see what it was like in person.
My high school had a terrible football team, I think they never had a winning season while I was there. The big athletic stars were the soccer team, state champions at least every other year. Also we never had a marching band, so this whole high school football/marching band thing is very alien to me. Dartmouth (our local college) has a football team, but I never went and their marching band is a "scatter band," wasn't much of a point of reference either.
What I have learned the past four seasons is that the game is important, but a huge part of the experience is the socialization. kids get to wander around, eat junk food, talk, goof off, and watch their team in action. I kind of understand the appeal of going to the games. I still don't "get" football, but I can see how being at the game is fun.
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Friday, December 13, 2013
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Farewell Reds
My favorite pro-football nonagenarian passed away today.
Reds was quite a character. He was recognized in 2007 as the oldest Philadelphia Eagles player, but I remember him as a shameless flirt that loved seeing my kids at services.
When we first met him he was a spry 86 year old that when he led services would rush through so he could play golf after wards. He liked to talk sports with Nate and always was pleased to see us. He was never stuffy and understood that kids need to be kids.
He had aged quite a bit the past couple of years, but he still was Reds. He was just a bit frailer, a bit more stooped, and little slower. Which considering he was nearing the century mark was not that surprising.
So his death was not a great shock, but a sad sigh. I'll miss him.
Reds was quite a character. He was recognized in 2007 as the oldest Philadelphia Eagles player, but I remember him as a shameless flirt that loved seeing my kids at services.
When we first met him he was a spry 86 year old that when he led services would rush through so he could play golf after wards. He liked to talk sports with Nate and always was pleased to see us. He was never stuffy and understood that kids need to be kids.
He had aged quite a bit the past couple of years, but he still was Reds. He was just a bit frailer, a bit more stooped, and little slower. Which considering he was nearing the century mark was not that surprising.
So his death was not a great shock, but a sad sigh. I'll miss him.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Really and Truly the End of Football
For now at least.
Tonight was the big end of season football banquet. There was much speechifying (one group of coaches kept going on and on about each player, I started to get snarky with a fellow parent. We both wanted this to wrap up quickly), good bbq and of course the ubiquitous trophies.
Nate is sitting on the edge of the stage with his team. They are all such nice kids. In fact the two other boys in the picture are coming over to our house this weekend for Nate's slumber party-birthday spectacular. He had a fabulous time tonight.
It is interesting to note that Nate is starting to appreciate the relative value of trophies. The two he received this year (one for baseball and tonight's football) were well earned, both of his teams won the championship. He now sees his numerous soccer trophies as just meaningless end of the season trinkets. His two championship trophies and his piano judging trophies now have an added value.
He told me just the other day that he only likes the trophies he actually earned. I picked out a busted soccer trophy in his room and asked him if that meant I could now chuck it. He happily said yes.
My boy is growing up.
Tonight was the big end of season football banquet. There was much speechifying (one group of coaches kept going on and on about each player, I started to get snarky with a fellow parent. We both wanted this to wrap up quickly), good bbq and of course the ubiquitous trophies.
Nate is sitting on the edge of the stage with his team. They are all such nice kids. In fact the two other boys in the picture are coming over to our house this weekend for Nate's slumber party-birthday spectacular. He had a fabulous time tonight.
It is interesting to note that Nate is starting to appreciate the relative value of trophies. The two he received this year (one for baseball and tonight's football) were well earned, both of his teams won the championship. He now sees his numerous soccer trophies as just meaningless end of the season trinkets. His two championship trophies and his piano judging trophies now have an added value.
He told me just the other day that he only likes the trophies he actually earned. I picked out a busted soccer trophy in his room and asked him if that meant I could now chuck it. He happily said yes.
My boy is growing up.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A Perfect Season
It was the championship game on Saturday. The skies were clear, but (for here) it was bitterly cold. The temps struggled to reach the low 40's and a sharp, damp wind cut across the field. It was not the pleasantest of days, but that's football. We were all bundled up and Meryl brought a nice fleece blanket to insulate our bottoms from the metal bleachers.
Before we left for the game Rebecca made a sign to show her support. It was completely her own idea, all I did was help her with spelling. She looked incredibly cute waving her sign and had a great time cheering her brother on. I guess she really will be a cheerleader next year.
Any way the game was fun to watch and Nate got a fair amount of time on the field. He was fairly confident going in, his team had already played their opponents during the regular season and had beaten them.
His confidence was not misplaced.
It was not a cake walk, but our team slowly racked up the points. The other team played a good game and was able to score, they even got the extra point. However, it was not enough, our team kept on rolling. When the clock ran down and the ball was in our possession, our side went wild.
12-0, that was Nate's team record at the end of the season.
What an introduction to the sport, a championship season his first time playing. That'll be a tough act to follow next year and there will be a next year. The coaching is bit too serious for my tastes (football is a very, very serious thing down here in the south), but Nate had a great time.
I think he'll be smiling for quite some time.
Before we left for the game Rebecca made a sign to show her support. It was completely her own idea, all I did was help her with spelling. She looked incredibly cute waving her sign and had a great time cheering her brother on. I guess she really will be a cheerleader next year.
Any way the game was fun to watch and Nate got a fair amount of time on the field. He was fairly confident going in, his team had already played their opponents during the regular season and had beaten them.
His confidence was not misplaced.
It was not a cake walk, but our team slowly racked up the points. The other team played a good game and was able to score, they even got the extra point. However, it was not enough, our team kept on rolling. When the clock ran down and the ball was in our possession, our side went wild.
12-0, that was Nate's team record at the end of the season.
What an introduction to the sport, a championship season his first time playing. That'll be a tough act to follow next year and there will be a next year. The coaching is bit too serious for my tastes (football is a very, very serious thing down here in the south), but Nate had a great time.
I think he'll be smiling for quite some time.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Let the Games Begin
This weekend marked the end of our free time and the start of sports. Mind you the kids have been going to practice for a couple of weeks, but on Saturday they had their first official games of the season.
Max and Rebecca are both playing soccer with our local recreational league. For the first time ever, they are on separate times, which is both good and bad. Bad because their practices are on different days, good because they are not being lumped together. Max's team was first up and did a bang up job at their first game. They completely overwhelmed the other team. Rebecca's team did well in the extreme heat. Both teams were quite ragged by the end and a tie was a rasonable result.
Over on the gridiron, Nate played in his first, non-instructional game. I didn't get to see it, being over in soccer world, but Larry did take a bunch a pictures and told me all about it afterwards. Nate got a lot of playing time. One of the first string kids was sick and Nate got put in his place. He did a great job as tight end and really impressed the coaches.
I found out about the coaches on Monday from our dentist. I had a teeth cleaning and my dentist, who is also one of Nate's coaches, chatted about Nate. I found out that they were all amazed at how quickly Nate was picking up the nuances of the game.
As for Jake, he got to stay home in the 90+ degree weather. He had just made the middle school soccer team on Friday and will be having his first game this week. He was very excited to have made the cut and he looks forward to practices and his first game of the season Thursday.
So I'm not just a soccer mom, I'm a football mom too.
Max and Rebecca are both playing soccer with our local recreational league. For the first time ever, they are on separate times, which is both good and bad. Bad because their practices are on different days, good because they are not being lumped together. Max's team was first up and did a bang up job at their first game. They completely overwhelmed the other team. Rebecca's team did well in the extreme heat. Both teams were quite ragged by the end and a tie was a rasonable result.
Over on the gridiron, Nate played in his first, non-instructional game. I didn't get to see it, being over in soccer world, but Larry did take a bunch a pictures and told me all about it afterwards. Nate got a lot of playing time. One of the first string kids was sick and Nate got put in his place. He did a great job as tight end and really impressed the coaches.
I found out about the coaches on Monday from our dentist. I had a teeth cleaning and my dentist, who is also one of Nate's coaches, chatted about Nate. I found out that they were all amazed at how quickly Nate was picking up the nuances of the game.
As for Jake, he got to stay home in the 90+ degree weather. He had just made the middle school soccer team on Friday and will be having his first game this week. He was very excited to have made the cut and he looks forward to practices and his first game of the season Thursday.
So I'm not just a soccer mom, I'm a football mom too.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
A New Season Begins
I resisted for the longest time, but now my baby is a football player.
I don't having anything against football per se, I objected to the daily practices and the niggling concern that our kids are on the small size (We are a family of late bloomers, I grew 4 inches freshman year in college. I went in 5 ft 2 and came out 5 ft 6.)
Nate has been pleading his case for quite some time and I finally agreed this year. During his first practice he got welcomed to the south's other religion, football. One of the coaches, towering above the kids had in all seriousness this to say:
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT PAIN IS?!"
"IT'S WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY!"
Oh my, football is serious business down here. Though I have to admit Nate does look pretty darn cute, but don't tell the other players I said that.
I don't having anything against football per se, I objected to the daily practices and the niggling concern that our kids are on the small size (We are a family of late bloomers, I grew 4 inches freshman year in college. I went in 5 ft 2 and came out 5 ft 6.)
Nate has been pleading his case for quite some time and I finally agreed this year. During his first practice he got welcomed to the south's other religion, football. One of the coaches, towering above the kids had in all seriousness this to say:
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT PAIN IS?!"
"IT'S WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY!"
Oh my, football is serious business down here. Though I have to admit Nate does look pretty darn cute, but don't tell the other players I said that.
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