Friday Nights Lights

I was fortunate enough to read the book when I was in high school, but the message of the book didn't hit home until I fully reached adulthood.

I played a role (albiet a severely minor one) in my high school's football team's success.  In my four years in high school, we lost only seven games, reaching the state semi-finals our senior year.  I witnessed first hand the sacrifices kids (yes, I said kids; more on this in a bit) made to play, to be part of that success.  I saw coaches quietly confer about a player's health.  I saw favorites fall by the wayside as soon as the season concluded.

For all this, high school football is still a great thing to watch.  I've lived in my new home town for the last eleven years, and in the past five or six years I've started going to games regularly. This past Friday, I got to attend my first Friday Night game this season.  Our new stadium is quite nice, with the brand spankin' new turf and larger facilities.  Sweetness.

For the most part, no surprises.  The game was a pleasure to watch.  My son truly enjoyed the overlal atmosphere.  The cheers, the lows, and bands playing; it was all simply a joy to watch.  I don't think those kids should be put on a pedastal any more than they are:  they summons thousands to watch them play a game as it is.  The players are kids.  Many times, overzealous parents and spectators expect professional players to throw a frozen rope within a two-yard spot, expect a defense to clobber the opponent.  These players are kids.  We can have high expectations, but remember that they are kids playing a game.  The fun is in the competition.  In the end, I hope that people remember that Friday Night Lights is an event for fun and games, not a means to reliving youth lost.  

Edit:  I just remembered.  My buddy wrote about fall.  That's just so football season.

Rant over; I still had fun at the game.