Football season begins

I bathed myself in the Friday-night lights of high school football tonight. With my pen behind my ear and notebook in hand, I searched the crowds looking for outrageous-looking characters to interview.

As I bounced between two different high schools I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. I kept catching these conversations as I passed by teens in the stadiums.

“Why are you saying that about me (sob, sob)....”

Or...

“The (female dog) is all over my (expletive) boyfriend! I’m gonna go over there and punch her in the (expletive) face!”

Catching these gems of pure teenage-gold was hilarious. I couldn’t help but try to figure out the whole story. But as I thought about what could be going on and what would happen, it just turned into a soap opera and I had to stop.

As I wandered around interviewing the teens I decided to interview some cheerleaders. One of them was smart and well-spoken. The other, well, was lacking.

As I asked the well-spoken cheerleader about what she’s enjoyed about the first football game of the season, the cheerleader who lacked in manners, interrupted...

“This is my first time at a game...you want to talk to me right?”

Then she proceeded to tell me what she enjoyed about the first game day. Hmmm. I thought to myself. I quickly scribbled away everything I could from the two young teens and walked away as soon as possible.

High school football seems to bring out all sorts. The young, old, the kids full of school spirit and the kids with none at all. But one thing I did notice, it doesn’t matter where a teen is on the social spectrum, everyone cheers when their team scores. In a way, sporting events unite the geeks, freaks, jocks and preps — and tonight that unification was kicked off.