Football

Coach Mumm played this video, "The Boys of Fall" by Kenny Chesney, for the players yesterday morning.

Though, I'm no country fan at all, I thought this was a great statement about football. Some of the people featured in the video have some great things to say. Sean Payton's introductory speech is great. Plus, the footage on some of the football gods of our time - Bear Bryant, Payton Manning, John Madden, Bo Schembechler, Joe Namath, and Mac Brown - are in there, and that's just to just name a few.



What I like most about this is that nowhere (at least that I remember) is the word "winning" mentioned. They focus on being part of a team (hence the line, "you mess with one man, you've got us all") and having others live vicariously through you. It's about that special feeling that fall brings. It's about that ability to just put your mind on hold when you're tired and how to move past that. It's about community.

Unfortunately, those are some of the things that are easy to forget or lose track of.

Coach Mumm had a great line, these players think it's going to be a long season, but it's already begun and soon it's going to be over. In fact, when he talks to athletes in winter sports they always say the same thing, "I can't believe it, but it's almost over." It goes by that quickly. Enjoy it. Have fun. And let all the work you put in be worth it.

It amazes me how hard Mummer works at making this season memorable for his kids - the watermelon feed, the dilly bar treats, the Morning Malitia, the meetings, the paintball trip, the senior trip to see the Gophers play, the senior/freshman pizza night, the senior parents dinner night, and all of the other things that go into Prowler football.

It's an honor to be part of it. And to have KoKo part of it too as a manager.