Huddle Up!

Football is here!

High school ball is two weeks into the season.  College ball kicks off this weekend, with the pro ballers doing the same in a week!

Finally, something in the sports page besides Tiger Woods!

In a tribute to football, here is something I wrote many moons ago.  Settle in with a bowl of chips and enjoy!!

The familiar sights & sounds of the fall football season remind me of my own playing days at Wapakoneta Senior High.

We were a small school in the middle of farm country yet, we were big on talent.  Undefeated our senior year, our team boasted eight men who would play at the college level.  One young man would be an All-American and later play in the NFL.

But THIS isn’t about them, the guys whose skillful play made headlines in Saturday’s newspaper.  This is about the team I played for…a pack of fearless warriors who–on a daily basis–challenged the number one monster offense in school history.

We were “Squirrel Squad.”

“Squirrel Squad” was the mostly third-string group of defensive misfits reminiscent of the team from “The Longest Yard.”

Our jerseys had no numbers.  Coaches knew us only by our last name scrawled on a piece of tape stuck to our helmets.

We were the blocking sled for the first-team offense, explaining why our backsides were dirtier than our fronts!

We were “Squirrel Squad” and we were proud.

We were “Campbell,” our bespeckled middle linebacker.  No sports goggles for this legend.  His glasses were held together by large amounts of masking tape.  So much tape in fact, he had blind spots the size of a fullback!

We were “Truesdale,” our 115 pound safety.  His head could swim inside his helmet.  After one bruising collision, he was actually looking out his earhole!

We were “Nieter.”  We were “Overturf.”  We were “Dodds.”  We were “Squirrel Squad” and we had guts.  We played our hearts out and then we played some more.

No, this isn’t a tribute to the glory boys of Friday nights, but a courageous call of praise to the men of “Squirrel Squad” who got the job done the rest of the week.

The names may be different in your community…”Goof Troop”…”Splinter Squad”…”Bozo Brigade”…or “Boo Crew,” but every school has a team of individuals who play the game because they like it.  Check that—they love it!

Here’s to my fellow combatants of “Squirrel Squad.”

It will be a great season.

Huddle Up!

This weekend is the crown jewel of American sporting events!  The Tiffany competition between the two finest teams who have victoriously survived a long, grueling season of weekly battles.

You know what game I am referring to.  I don’t even need to tell you.  And if I did say, I could be arrested, be imposed heavy fines, even face imprisonment.  All because I would be breaking the National Football League’s copyright infringement policies.

Not familiar with the terms?  Here are a few words & phrases you cannot legally say or print:

“Super Bowl”

“Super Sunday”

The Super Bowl Logo

“NFL”, “AFC”, or “NFC”

Any team name (e.g., “Steelers” or “Cowboys”)

Therefore, My Odd Sock will take no chances when it comes to writing about this Sunday’s professional football championship game between the team of young filly’s from the city hosting an annual 500 mile auto race every May…versus…the exceptionally virtuous team, officially recognized and venerated for having attained heaven after an exceptionally holy life from the town practically wiped out under the oppressive power of Hurricane Katrina.

Cripes, it’s just easier to say the “Colts vs, the Saints.”  (So I’ll be some one’s “prison bitch” for the next 3 to 5.)

Sorry to spill the dip, Dip!

Are YOU hosting a big game party?

Easy with the party trays Martha Stewart–you may be in violation yourself!

Did you know it is unlawful to TiVo the big game?  It’s true.  But why would you anyway—the commercials are often the best part of the broadcast!

How many people have you invited to your shin-dig?  It is also against the NFL’s regulations if you are showing the game to “too many” people.  Funny, the esteamed league office doesn’t specify the number they feel is “too many.”

Nice console Ward Cleaver!

Finally, did you know you may be breaking the law if you are watching the game on a screen larger than 55 inches?

That’s another strange-but-true factoid.

Is all of this ridiculous?  Of course it is.  But without all of this, it wouldn’t be the United States’ legal system, right?

Whatever your plans, just enjoy the weekend and let’s look forward to a good game, The Who’s halftime show and some funny commercials!

“So, Bubba, you want the top bunk or the bottom bunk?”