Kickoff 2006

This week marks the beginning of yet another fantastical journey known as the football season. From the blazing sun of August to the stark blustery freeze of January folks from all walks of life will congregate in stadiums and in living rooms across the nation and cheer on the home team, their alum, or the under dog. For some, its just a leisure event, a relaxing Saturday afternoon. For others, its a passion marked by dates that have been circled in calenders for months. For everyone its a distraction from the daily toils and tasks that routinely demand our attention. Its an excuse to stand up and cheer, or curse aloud. Its an excuse to recall the glory days of seasons passed, to remember that one time, that one play, that one miserably perfect moment when all in the world was right, or wrong. Its the one time when, despite preseason polls and predictions, all teams are equal. Its the time when everyone, whether they say it out loud or not, truly believes that this could be the year! This could be the year, we go all the way, break .500, or beat that one elusive team. Its a time when the hopes and dreams of strangers ride on the backs of a young men whom they will never ever meet. It's a time when fathers look to sons say "some day that could be you." It's a time when friends, neighbors, and coworkers debate the outcomes of events they have no control over. Oh, this is a special time and it draws nearer. So whether your strapping on the pads, throwing back a cold one at the tailgate, or just sitting back in your favorite chair, close your eyes, and enjoy the wondrous event known to all as kickoff, and thank God for this thing called football.