While visiting Laughing Pastor family for the holidays I got to experience a quintessential Texas event. I went to a high school football playoff game. Laughing Son was on the JV team this year and was elevated to the varsity team after the JV season ended. He has gotten to suit up for games before but had only a very slight chance to play. But since his team was playing one of the traditional power teams of Texas in this game there was a chance they would get blown out and he might get to play as the other team mopped up.
Not only was this playoff game being played in Texas but is was to be played in a professional football stadium. There was good crowd for his game but nothing like the 50,000 fans that came the day before, but still there had to be at least 10,000 present.
When we got there the game before ours (yes I was an obsessive fan I claimed ownership as if I was going to run onto the field) was a scoring match between two passing teams. It was still the third quarter when we got there. As we sat in the end zone, not knowing which side "Our" team was going to be on, I got a chance to observe this phenomenon with a little distance. The first thing I saw was the Worst team mascot I had ever witnessed and that is saying a lot, In high school we played a team that had a giant size Cuppie Doll as a mascot.
This thing was supposed to be an Bird but it look like Barny Rubble! It did not walk or run it kind of weebled. This running Bird Rubble had to run the length of the field every time it's team scored, and they scored a number of times, the team had 8 touchdowns in the game. That had to be one tired mascot by the end. I watched transfixed each time they scored as it run down the field making mental calculation determining how far it was going roll if it fell over. Would it roll the rest of the way down the field? If it falls over will it take out the flag bearer? Where are it's arms?
This was my first high school football game since my senior year in high school when my trumpet got bent while I was taken out by receiver trying to catch a pass at the end of the first half of the final game (No playoffs for my alma mater.) I enjoyed this one a whole lot more and I did not look a fool laying on the ground with my three foot high royal blue hat flying to the fifth or sixth rank of the band.
It was a good game. They did not get blown out. In fact they won on a field goal with no time left on the clock, by a freshman kicker. Who ran to the center of the professional football field to celebrate. I could tell even from fifteen rows back that he was living the dream of most young men who play sports. He made the wining play as time ran out, he was a football hero.
Needless to say Laughing Son did not get to play but he reassured me that next year he would be starting. Maybe next year he can make the sack that stops the other team from scoring on the final play.
Not only was this playoff game being played in Texas but is was to be played in a professional football stadium. There was good crowd for his game but nothing like the 50,000 fans that came the day before, but still there had to be at least 10,000 present.
When we got there the game before ours (yes I was an obsessive fan I claimed ownership as if I was going to run onto the field) was a scoring match between two passing teams. It was still the third quarter when we got there. As we sat in the end zone, not knowing which side "Our" team was going to be on, I got a chance to observe this phenomenon with a little distance. The first thing I saw was the Worst team mascot I had ever witnessed and that is saying a lot, In high school we played a team that had a giant size Cuppie Doll as a mascot.
This thing was supposed to be an Bird but it look like Barny Rubble! It did not walk or run it kind of weebled. This running Bird Rubble had to run the length of the field every time it's team scored, and they scored a number of times, the team had 8 touchdowns in the game. That had to be one tired mascot by the end. I watched transfixed each time they scored as it run down the field making mental calculation determining how far it was going roll if it fell over. Would it roll the rest of the way down the field? If it falls over will it take out the flag bearer? Where are it's arms?
This was my first high school football game since my senior year in high school when my trumpet got bent while I was taken out by receiver trying to catch a pass at the end of the first half of the final game (No playoffs for my alma mater.) I enjoyed this one a whole lot more and I did not look a fool laying on the ground with my three foot high royal blue hat flying to the fifth or sixth rank of the band.
It was a good game. They did not get blown out. In fact they won on a field goal with no time left on the clock, by a freshman kicker. Who ran to the center of the professional football field to celebrate. I could tell even from fifteen rows back that he was living the dream of most young men who play sports. He made the wining play as time ran out, he was a football hero.
Needless to say Laughing Son did not get to play but he reassured me that next year he would be starting. Maybe next year he can make the sack that stops the other team from scoring on the final play.
3 comments:
The high school football game is THE event here in Podunk. (And I, too, get tickled by funny-looking mascots.)
Sounds like it was a great trip. You haven't mentioned how the trip back went, we can assume well since we haven't heard otherwise. I noticed your hotel stay, we stayed there on our trip to DC a year ago. May I advise that traveling with teens has it's own hazards (or adventures depending on how I feel about them at the time). Glad you are a blogger, and thanks for sharing your wife with us. Always wondered what you were like.
It's on to wrestling!
With a girl friend in the mix that means wrestling in a variety of ways. Lord help me.
Son is discovering the challenges of loving women!!!! He continues to say it is worth it.
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