College football is back. We live in a college football town and the start of the season is something we look forward to every year. I know not everyone feels that way. People who live here usually either love or hate the football program because on home game Saturdays the entire city gets locked up. We have the largest football stadium (the third largest sports stadium in the world), and funneling more than 110,000 fans into, and then out of, such a small area for every game is a practice in patience for all who live here, and all who are visiting.
This year's football season arrived in a rather unusual fashion. Tailgating in temperatures upwards of 90 degrees is not as much fun as usual, but my family has been tailgating with the same crowd since I was young, possibly since before I was born, and our festivities are as much tradition as any other holiday. And as with other holidays, it brings me great joy to see my son enjoying the same activities with the same people, and the next generation. So, not to be missed, we spent a very hot afternoon enjoying grilled sausage and other fun foods while summoning the energy to play games, dance, and laugh in spite of the heat. We don't get to go to all the games, but I can honestly say that today I didn't envy anyone their tickets. And as it turned out the game was short lived, being called in the third quarter due to severe weather. And that makes our first win under a new coach. I can only hope the remainder of the year is less eventful, but equally as successful.