Today begins the kickoff of college football season.
For me and the millions of college football fans across the country, this is our time.
We will wake up on game day, either really early to make it to the tailgate outside the stadium; or right before ESPN College Gameday comes on to see if Lee, Kirk, and Chris pick our team on Saturday.
We will put on our freshly purchased jersey, hat, or t-shirt; letting each of these new items in our game day attire wash away the pain of a losing season, a bowl game loss, or favorite departed player.
We will make sure that either the fridge or our coolers are stocked well in advance. Not one of us likes to go hungry or thirsty before, during, and after the game.
We will welcome back alumni to campus and introduce new co-eds to places like Toomer's Corner, The Grove, and The 12th Man.
We will watch the parade of sorority sisters and cadets march to their own respective cadence, one group carrying Coach purses and the other carrying a rifle
We will watch as little boys toss around the football with their father's, little girls dressed like cheerleaders, and the proud parents that look at them as the next generation of Trojans, Wolverines, Bulldogs and Fighting Irish.
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We will talk about the new coach, the new freshman QB, the returning seniors, and what shenanigans our rival has been up to; all in hopes that this is our year. Nothing will stand in our way.
We will either be cordial or hostile to visiting fans, depending on their choice of team.
We will also be cordial or hostile to the hosting fans, depending on if they offer you food and drink.
We will watch Tiger Walk, Gator Walk, and Vol Walk. We will listen to The Band of the Hour, The Million Dollar Band, and the Marching Chiefs as we walk with them to the stadium.
We will watch in anticipation as Lee Corso puts on a Brutus Buckeye head, carry a Trojan Sword, and do the Gator Chomp.
We will watch our team run through either white smoke, red smoke, and purple smoke.
We will watch our team touch Howard's Rock, the Go Blue banner, and a wide collection of bronzed animals.
We will watch as our team invades hostile territory or plays in the friendly confines of home.
We will do the Hokie Bounce, The Wave, Salute to the Chinese Bandits, The Tomahawk Chop, The Gator Chomp, The Penn State Bounce, and we will most certainly Jump Around at Camp Randall.
We will scream our heads off, either to drown out opposing fans or to carve out our own place among 90,000 people rooting against you.
We will saw the Longhorns off, sing our alma mater, and do the Haka dance.
We will walk out of the stadium either with our heads held high, basking in the glow of a win; or we will saunter out, head hung low, cursing the coach and blaming the refs.
We will pack up the RV, the suburban, and head home. Some of us will walk back to the dorms or to on-campus bars, and some of us will shut the TV off.
We will suffer through the next six days of the week, because after all is said and done:
We do it again next Saturday.
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2 months ago
Nice read, just getting my College Sports 101 and this article helps
2 months ago
Great read. I like how you covered all bases. The only thing I would add is the way every hair on your body raises when Script Ohio dots the i. Good luck to all, and have a great season.
2 months ago
Can you identify the person in the middle of the picture? Is this a local fan or someone who supports Notre Dame since there are some folks in Irish shirts around? There used to be a fan with multi-colored hair who came to games and held up a sign stating "John 3:16" and I wondered if this was someone similiar to that man or was it just a prank. I have heard that the 3:16 man was jailed.
Your descriptions are very well done. The memories they evoke are pleasant and make us glad college football season is here at last.
One item in your article I must confess I'm not familiar with. Who is the "Band of the Hour"? If you could clue me in on that I'd appreciate it.
from 2 months ago
I actually just found this picture by typing in 'Notre Dame Football' here on the BR, and I liked enough to put it as my picture and name my article accordingly. The John 3:16 fan you speak of is Rollen Stewart, who is currently serving three consecutive life sentences on kidnapping charges.
The Band of the Hour is the marching band at the University of Miami. At an Orange Bowl Classic, they were playing the song "The Man of the Hour," by Harry Filmore. The PA announcer annouced the song as 'The Man of the Hour' played by 'The Band of the Hour,' and the name has stuck since.
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