One of my favorite times of the year. So much excitement! You can see it in the eyes and hear it in the excitement of the coaches. The players are fired up. Oh, they will be tired by the end of the week, or possibly even today, but you can see it. They are playing for the love of it. Not for the paycheck. Not for the NIL money, or potentially for the NIL money, but for the love of the game. There is something about watching the players learn the fundamentals. Getting ready to prepare to play their hated rivals. Playing for the little brown jugs. The mountain trophies.
Oh I love the Saturday passion of college football. I love the marching bands. The tailgates. The hated rivalries, there, as well. Playing for Paul Bunyan trophies. But there is something about playing on a Friday night, under the lights. The pomp and circumstance of homecoming Friday nights. Being a part of a special night called 'The Clash for the Cure" in Freeland, Michigan, where they play in honor of family members that have or have had cancer, as well as picking out someone from the opposite team, and honoring them. That is what is left of the innocence of high school football.
Sundays in Detroit have become electric. No doubt about it. It has been decades upon decades since Detroit has been relevant. The fans are there. They are passionate. But at times, even when pro teams are good, the passion stops with the fans. With the way of the NFL world, money is the motivation. Both sides. Players and management. Loyalty is a thing of the past. You can almost say that in college football now. No, it's more than almost. Loyalty is a thing of the past. You can thank the transfer portal for that. Give me the passion of putting on that jersey on a Friday night, or for some of the smaller schools, a Saturday afternoon in September and October, not being able to wait to put it on and hit the field.
You talk about the genuine love of the game. It starts with the coaches. At the high school level, they sure are not doing it for the money. The hours they have to put in. The extra time even after that. First ones there, last to leave. Sure they are tired. They all call it a good tired. They all make a difference. I was told the two words that make it all worth it in the minds of the coaches are: "Thank You".
I talk about college and pro football every week here on https://12ozsports.com/ on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I love it. It is a passion of mine. Many say that I am full of whatever you want to call it. But I also have been blessed to be a part of a great community in Mid-Michigan calling high school games for the Freeland Falcons. I drive an hour and a half to do these games. The community is amazing. The coaching staff is awesome. The players have the passion. The atmosphere is electric. I get the butterflies as I drive to the field. It has been in the 90s. I have had to sprint to my car in thunderstorms. I have had to navigate through snow. But i wouldn't trade it for the world. The crowd roaring before the first kick. The halftime band. Talking to the players after the game. I have it pretty darn good. I am very lucky!
It's GO TIME....ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!?
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