DJ, I watched that part of the Kenny Chesney video.... what's so interesting is that my school is starting a football team (to the tune of $60,000, but they can't afford $800 for my acadeca curriculum, but I digress) and my students THINK they get it, but they don't.

There's something about being from a small town where there is not much else to form a teens social world except for football on Fridays (and JV on Saturday mornings) and church on Sundays. That's how I grew up, with an uncle who coached the local high school football team, which did then and occasionally does win state championships. I have brothers and cousins who played their whole lives, from the time they were 6 until they finished high school.

And, my dad still goes to games every Friday even though he hasn't had a kid play in over 20 years.

You don't get that in LA except maybe at two of the big schools in South LA.

Yeah, I came from a city with 2 high schools (well, 3+alternative, but the third didn't really count since it was only a few years old) and the rivalry was EPIC. For Cruces-Mayfield games, the University stadium filled to capacity and people were refused at the gate.

I wasn't big on football, but by god, I went to every home game, even if I had no idea what was going on.

My best friend in high school's father played for Cruces one year that they won state in the sixties. Locals remembered that.

OK, really gotta work now.

My mother still tells me when Mayfield wins State. Which...buh?

ditto what Kat said - except JV is Thurs night! My parents don't go to any of the local games, but I was thinking about maybe starting to take mac. Thing is? I don't want him to play, no way no how. I guess we could also go to swim meets and tennis games and track meets.

Football is my very favorite game, and it's in my blood, but you know what? Except for the private school Dad coached at when I was in pre-K, I have never gone to a school that had a team.

My default team from my hometown is either Captain Shreve [link] where my mom, and many of dad's friends coached or Woodlawn which is where daddy coached and went to HS.

Remember the movie Rudy? Rudy's high school is mine (well, my brother's--the film's version was co-ed, but it was all-guys at the time Rudy and my brother went there), and his family's devotion to football as a whole and Notre Dame in particular isn't that far removed from reality! And the rivalry between Joliet Catholic and Joliet West was epic when we still played them. Now that we're in a conference with much better teams, our big rivalries are with Carmel and St. Viator.

I think I may actually be allergic to work. My nose is itchy and runny and constantly on the verge of sneezing, and my eyes are feeling itchy and runny. WTF office building!?!

I'm allergic to work, too! Although maybe I'm allergic to air conditioning? Or just allergic to everything. It's annoying.

I'm allergic to it not being 5:00 yet.

I think I'm allergic to the lack of cats here at work.

(DJ, did I tell you that K's mom moved back to your hometown a year ago? She keeps begging us to visit but, ugh, in the summer? just no. Plus flights from here to there are the same as here to London).