Thursday Night Lights

What do California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and Ohio have in common??? Good high school football that acts as a religion for most people. These states produce the most Division 1 college football recruits and the highest quality of football you'll find in the US. The season kicked off tonight with the annual opening battle between my Northmont T-Bolts and the Chaminade-Julienne Eagles. So let me tell you about my trip back to high school.

Northmont won 28-14, let's get that out of the way. In reality, this game should've been a blowout. Northmont turned the ball over twice when it looked as if they'd score, and poor Justin Watkins dropped a TD pass when no one was within 25 yards of him. The T-Bolts' new quarterback, 6'6" (legit) Clay Belton was impressive in his first start, standing tall in the pocket, throwing beautiful touch passes down the field (something Miami's Josh Betts needs). All eyes were on Northmont's Kurt Coleman, who will play for Ohio State next year. He was the best player on the field. Quick, elusive, and around the ball. So Northmont got revenge from last year's 39-36 last second loss. But this is just the beginning for Northmont. Next week, the Bolts travel to Cincinnati to play LaSalle, followed by a home game vs. Centerville. Also back on the schedule for the first time since my dad was still coaching them is Wayne, possibly the best team in the Dayton area. And of course there are the usual suspects: Troy, Piqua, Sidney, and those Purple Pansies (Vandalia-Butler).

Because this was the first game of the year in the area, it was liable to attract more people than usual to Northmont Stadium, which it did. Evidently, the Northmont athletic department and Clayton/Englewood police departments didn't expect a huge crowd because parking was pure CHAOS!!!! 9,500 was the reported attendance, the most I've ever seen at a Northmont football game and quite possibly a stadium record. Hopefully the band director doesn't come after me for parking on his practice field. There were cars all over the place, including on the side of US 40 (yes, National Road, a heavily traveled state highway).

Speaking of the band, yes, Northmont is a high school that takes marching band seriously, WAAAAAAAY too seriously. The marching band performs competiton music, so I've seen it all: wacky costumes, scenery that covers half the football field, and choreographed dance among other things. I was heavily recruited to join marching band before high school, but I couldn't because of basketball, so I did concert band for 3 years. I was pretty much an outcast since I wasn't part of marching band, so my senior year I stopped playing because it was no longer fun. I have a lot of friends who did marching band and were into it, and I respect that. I just don't understand the seriousness of it. I think marching bands should entertain crowds, play upbeat music, like the show bands of the South. Instead, like Northmont's band tonight, they lay down on the grass and looked as if they were waking up. This was half of the halftime show, there was only about 3 minutes of acutal music. Gaaaahhhhh!!!!!

Tonight's game was broadcast live on 980 WONE AM, with local sportscaster Guy Fogel and former Bengal David Fulcher handling the broadcast. Let's just say next time, Guy and David need to start doing their research for the game MORE than 5 minutes before the game starts.

It was good to see the alma mater win and see some familiar faces. I wish I had a quarter for everytime someone asked me, "What are you up to now?", but it's ok, I don't mind answering, so don't hesitate. Acutally got some good news, but I won't put it on here until it becomes more official, but a step in the right direction was taken today.

It was just good to watch some football tonight. The long summer of baseball boredom is almost over.

9,500 people for a Northmont football game. And just 6 years ago, Northmont was 0-10......