UNITED STATES—I am a big football fan, in particular college football. However, I recently attended a high school football game for my nephew. Newsflash, not fun going to a football game when it’s nearly 90 plus degrees outside, humid in ways I cannot describe and you’re battling flies, ants and bees at the same time. Watching football on TV has always been entertaining to me because it seems like time flies, however, when it comes to literally watching football live, it seems like time never moves.
We arrived at the game a bit late, around the start of the second quarter, and I swear it felt like the longest 12 minutes of my life. I was trying to make sense why it felt like a 45-minute quarter. Oh, I remember now, it seemed like the refs were stopping the game every play and that just delayed the clock more and more. I get it, calls have to be made, but at the same time, it just stifles the gameplay in my opinion.
I’m watching the game thinking, “Dang these players are huge.” I don’t recall being this tall when I was in high school; I guess it’s a testament to the changing times people. My nephew is bigger than me and if he wanted to take me or a few people out, as a football player he would not have much difficulty making that happen. He has the build of a football player and if he strikes with a hit, let’s just say you won’t forget it.
With that said, I want to talk about the people in the stands. Plenty of kids, but it’s the adults, jeez, can they get riled up and very fast. I mean if they spot what they think is a bad call; you’re going to hear yelling, screaming, irate behavior. It is like, “Dude please calm down.” However, it is not just the guys who can get riled up, so can the women.
I’ve never seen parents behave so badly at a sports event. I used to attend as many of my nephew’s football games when he played little league, but my work schedule didn’t really make it possible as he entered high school. So this was the first game I attended in like 4 to 5 years and I just forgot the aura and energy that comes with those games, especially at night. Most people might refer to it as Friday Night Football, in this case it was late evening on another weekday and there is a ton of fun watching sports at night.
The lights were bright and flashing, the field was a stunning beacon of imagery, the players were electric, there were shifts in the score all the way through the third quarter. It was a fun time. The only thing that bugged me was the weather, which put a damper on the game which was called late in the third quarter because of thunder and lighting. FYI, my nephew’s team lost the game because the interceptions did the team in allowing the away team to score multiple times making a comeback seem like an impossible feat.
I had a great time at the sporting event, which I plan to make it a mission to try to go to more football games if my schedule permits. Not just to support my nephew, but to enjoy the atmosphere of football, which brings people together, even if you think it doesn’t. Football is here people, get ready to enjoy it for the next few months.
Written By Jason Jones
