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Aggies win enthusiastic new football fan
Published October 9, 2008
The Albertville Aggie team dejectedly left McCord football field and Aggie stadium following their disappointing 30-27 homecoming loss to the Cavaliers from Birmingham’s John Carroll Catholic on Sept. 26.
Other than the Cavalier fans who made the trek from the city over which old Vulcan stands watch, no one was happier with the event – note I didn’t say outcome – than our 4-year-old grandson Ethan.
Ethan had never been to a football game before, not high school, professional or pee-wee.
Therefore, he had no concept of the importance of the win-loss factor for Aggie fans.
No, he was blissfully, and innocently attending with his grandma “Mimi,” otherwise known as my wife, Margaret, the new house that Ruth built – no that was baseball, and Yankee Stadium.
Ah, just another momentary mental slide back to yesteryear.
Now, where was I?
Oh yes, they arrived early to find a good seat, about halfway up the new rows of metal bleachers, in advance of the soon-to-be-engaged-in sportal combat.
“Sportal combat?” I believe I just coined a new word! Anyone from Webster’s reading this?
OK, I know, get back to the story.
So, the 31-inch-tall, blond, blue-eyed, mischievously lovable replacement for Dennis the Menace became progressively stimulated by the spectacle unfolding in front of him.
Following the homecoming ceremonies, the opposing teams entered upon the green-carpeted field of play by running through paper walls, which intrigued Ethan.
As the game progressed, Mimi began to notice Ethan’s quizzical facial expressions belying the turmoil developing within his cranial cavity to understand what he was observing.
Once the adolescent combatants began their sportal contest, Dennis – I mean Ethan – appeared to develop a however limited cognitive understanding of what was taking place before him.
He soon joined those Aggie fans round about him with words of encouragement for the Aggie football players.
In Bob the Builder fashion, he yelled, “Come on boys! You can do it. I know you can do it.” Then happily and confidently added, “I told you, you could do it!”
At one point, he noted his shadow, enhanced by the stadium lights, being stretched across the field below. Gleefully, with a few bodily gyrations, he informed those within earshot, “I’m making shadow monsters.”
Displaying the innate appreciation he possesses for high-quality music, he quickly became, enamored of the Aggie Band during halftime – especially the lighted guitars.
So much so that he joyously shouted, for all to hear, “That’s my band!”
He also noted “the boys and girls from the army” (ROTC) and the antics of the cheerleaders. He’s a boy all right.
Mimi said, “Watching him was worth a million dollars.”
Can you really place a price on a grandchild’s worth?
[George Jones is a staff writer for The Sand Mountain Reporter. His e-mail address is boaz(at)sandmountainreporter.com.]
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