Friday Night Lights

Last night, our football team improved to 12-0 with an impressive win over a San Antonio team who eliminated us last year from the post-season, and who went on to win the 4-A state title. Although the weather was a bit blistery, with light drizzle, our fans were out in full force--as usual.

The game took place in San Antonio, but it was rather remarkable, if not pathetic, how few fans showed for the opposing team. Those that DID come, arrived late perhaps because they lost track of time while they shopped local malls. Additionally, because of the good, old-fashioned thrashing we handed them, many of them left early, retreating to the nearest Starbucks to lick their wounds. OUR fans, however, came early, stayed late, and were loud the entire time, but that is part of our tradition. Yep, It felt pretty good last night to be associated with our school.

The school we played was from an affluent part of town, so one of the conjectures for the poor turnout was that many of the families were out of town for the Thanksgiving holidays, thinking that they'd surely get a chance to watch their beloved team the following week. Instead of being their to support their team, they were likely enjoying a skiing trip to Aspen (I can't say I'm not envious of THAT!) I wonder if the fans that WERE in attendance were real fans at all, and not some paid "stand ins" for the people in Aspen. Further evidence of this theory was reinforced when, during the presentation of the colors, just prior to the Star Spangled Banner, when there was a respectful quiet throughout the stadium, a fan from the opposing side gave loud, clear, vocal evidence of his uninhibited, doltish, impudent, unbridled fanatic fervor--something that caused quite an objection among all and mortification among his own people.

The paltry patronship on the part of the fans was not the only thing the other team was lacking: their band, too, was rather depleted. It appeared that they only had one representative instrument of each kind, except for the tuba section, in which case there was a surplus of TWO that produced ebullient, overpowering, unbalanced, cacophonies of commodes. I guess playing short-handed at a game over the holiday is typical, though, as even our OWN band was a bit understaffed, although proportionally so.

I was impressed, however, with the opposing fans I encountered at the end of the game. As we were loading our mascot onto the truck, many of the fans on the losing end were very gracious and congratulatory, expressing how well we played, and wishing us good luck throughout the rest of the playoffs. This goes to show that regardless of how disappointed you are with your football team losing, you've got to admire great effort, talent, coaching, and fan support when you see it. It's only the uninhibited, doltish, impudent, unbridled fan who doesn't appreciate good play on either side of the ball.

After all, this is what makes sports so fun to watch, at any level. How many people who weren't Bulls fans still respected Michael Jordan. I'm an NFC Cowboys fan, but Brett Favre is my favorite player. As much as you might hate the Yankees or Red Sox (or both), you can't help but appreciate the talents of Alex Rodriguez or Josh Beckett.

Anyways, next week, our team will take to the road to play the winner of today's match up in Corpus Christi. You can be sure that our fans will make the two hour trip, will be in the stands long before kick-off, will stay to the bitter end, and leave the game hoarse as can be from their incessant cheering, as they celebrate another victory on our way to the State Championship.

Three more wins to go!!!