Running Sprints (224/365)

 
“In football they measure forty-yard sprints. Nobody runs forty yards in basketball. Maybe you run the ninety-four feet of the court; then you stop, not on a dime, but on Miss Liberty's torch. In football you run over somebody's face.”

Donald Hall (b. 1928), U.S. poet, essayist. "Basketball: The Purest Sport of Bodies," Fathers Playing Catch with Sons: Essays on Sport, North Point Press (1985).

TIME:  8:00 PM
PLACE:  Jaycee Field
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

It’s that time of year again…football season.  Well, the practices have started at least.  They practice three times a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - until the games start in September, then they drop down to twice a week – Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  The girls decided that they did not want to cheer this year, so normally we are usually at home while the guys go to practice (HH is coaching again).  This evening HH had a meeting to attend after practice, so I picked up MB and took him home.

End Of The Season (312/365)

 
We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time.

Vincent Thomas Lombardi (American football coach, 1913–1970) 

TIME:  2:53 PM
PLACE:  Edwardsville High School
SUBJECT:  Ring in Cheer binder

MonkeyBoy ended up having his last game of the season today.  They lost 19-13 this afternoon, which made their record 5 & 4…not good enough for any playoffs.  They will play in a “Turkey Bowl” game over the Thanksgiving weekend against another city football league.  But other than that, this is it until next August.  I wish they would have done better and made it to the playoffs, but a little part of me is glad that we get a breather from an extra-curricular activity for a little while.  It was a beautiful day for football - sunny and 79 degrees.  I could handle this weather all year long.

On Any Given Sunday (263/365)

Tony D'Amato: On any given Sunday you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is - can you win or lose like a man?

Any Given Sunday (Al Pacino-actor, Daniel Pyne
& John Logan-screen story, John Logan & Oliver Stone-screenplay, Oliver Stone-director, 1999)

TIME:  1:14 PM
PLACE:  Knight’s Home Field
SUBJECT:  #39 MonkeyBoy

MB had his second football game of the season today.  I thought it would be a mud-fest as it rained last night and this morning.  But it ended up stopping in time for the game and the field didn’t end up being really muddy.  We were on our home field (can you tell we live in the Midwest…see all that corn in the background?).  MB had a great ball carry to gain a first down and also made a good defensive tackle.  The girls cheered them on to victory, even though we didn’t have pom-poms.  The Knights won 26-0.

(I used the Seventies Photoshop Action from The Pioneer Woman on this picture.)

Bring It On (256/365)

“Cheerleading was great!  It was just as much fun as kissing Jesus!”

StellaDella (American, Cheerleader, b2004)

TIME:  6:16 PM
PLACE:  Longacre Park Football field
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

Tonight was the first football game of the season for MB and the first game DQ and SD performed their cheers.  Thank goodness that the girls were assigned to the squad for their brother’s team.  It makes the game-day logistics so much easier on HH and me.  I have been assigned the duties of “CheerMom.”  Basically, I supervise and encourage the girls, making sure that they keep on track during the game.  The girl’s did a great job cheering this evening and MB’s team won their opener, 20-6.  He’s a happy boy tonight. 

BTW, I have no idea what SD meant by her quote.  She had her first day of Sunday School this morning, so Jesus was probably on her mind – that’s the only explanation I can think of!

Pigskin (246/365)

 
Professor Wagstaff: In case I never see you again, which would add ten years to my life, what would you fellas want to play football?
Baravelli: Well, first we want a football.
Professor Wagstaff: Well, I don't know if we've got a football, but if I can find one, would you be interested? I don't want a hasty answer, just sleep on it.
Baravelli: I no think I can sleep on a football.

Horse Feathers (Groucho Marx-actor, Chico Marx-actor, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, S.J. Perelman and Will B. Johnstone-screenplay, Norman Z. McLeod [as Norman McLeod]-director, 1932)

TIME:  6:26 PM
PLACE: Catholic War Vets – Football Field
SUBJECT:  Football

Football and cheerleading practice again tonight.  But we had a logistics issue tonight.  The practices were at two different locations, both from 6pm-8pm.  HandsomeHusband had a Labor dinner to attend at 6pm, so he was unable to coach tonight.  So here was our problem…how do we get 5 people to 3 different locations at the same time and make sure that there is an adult at each practice?  Why, we call Grandpa!  HH took MB to his practice, then left for the dinner.  I dropped DQ off at her practice, where Grandpa had already arrived, then drove down to MB’s practice with StellaDella.  Why did I have SD?  Why, I guess I forgot to mention that SD spiked a fever in school today and I had to go pick her up at 1:30 this afternoon.  Acetaminophen brought the fever down and she felt better, but we weren’t going to let her cheer tonight.  Just a little monkey wrench in our carefully orchestrated plans!  After MB’s practice was over, the three of us went to Grandpa’s house and picked up DQ.  Thanks Dad, your help is greatly appreciated! 

Cones (239/365)

 
I see four nuns
who sit like a bridge club,
their faces poked out
from under their habits,

Anne Sexton (1928-1974), U.S. poet. Letter Written on a Ferry while Crossing Long Island Sound (l. 35-38). . . The Complete Poems [Anne Sexton]. (1981) Houghton Mifflin.

TIME:  7:09 PM
PLACE:  Jaycees Field
SUBJECT:  Athletic cones

No exciting picture or adventure today.  Boring stuff mainly – laundry, grocery shopping and paper shuffling.  In fact, I did not even give a
thought to the whole Project 365 picture taking idea until football/cheerleading practice this evening.  These are some of the athletic cones the coaches place on the field to define a particular practice area for the players.  I took this whilst sitting on my folding chair, watching the girls practice their cheers.  I didn’t even bother to get up…I just turned and used Mr. Zoom Lens.  Here’s to better inspiration tomorrow!