Are You READY for Some Football?

Hip, Hip, Hooray, the football season is upon us and we can finally have a diversion from poppycock politics. This week high school footballers checked out their gladiator-gear and began practicing. I suppose there may be a few rules changes but those noted we will still have six of eleven players 'allowed' to touch the ball and they will henceforth be called 'skilled-position-players' while five interior linemen will be assumed as 'unskilled.' Whatever you do or say do not make that reference in front of those parents of the 'unskilled' for fear they may refuse to work their assigned night at the Booster Club concession stand.

I am somewhat amused at football coaches who are quick with negative remarks about soccer players whose fast growing program threatens to deplete football numbers and God only knows that 'numbers' in football seems to justify more budgeted monies. Let me suggest that you can much easier 'hide' a non-athlete, unskilled kid on the gridiron than on the soccer field. The football 'specials teams' is a terrific place to hide the School Board President's fat ass kid.

My fifty plus years of coaching associations causes me to conclude that basketball coaches and football coaches differ drastically. Football guys 'share film' (video). Basketball coaches go behind one another's back to a clandestine source to get a film on the opponent. Football coaches thus have more integrity or perhaps lack an appreciation for drama. Football coaches are more paranoid and need to 'control' the moment. Consider, if you will that once upon a time football teams 'huddled' to call the next play; today we notice more 'no-huddle' offenses. This no huddle approach reduces the possibility of players talking secret trash about their coach and permits the coach to send-in all plays from the sideline.

Then we have the proverbial Friday Night 'show' versus week-nights 'go.' Let me explain. Most high schools across America will have an ambulance parked near the end zone on game night. This emergency vehicle gives a strong visual message to mommies and daddies that 'their school district goes to any measure and expense for your child's safety.' That's bull-butter fans. Two-thirds of high school football injuries occur at practice when no ambulance is present.

Before we stand for the National Anthem, remember the 50/50 drawing will be at the end of the third quarter.