Football is Back 🏈🍊🛡

Football is back! Evan was at Thursday night’s Vol opener and big win against Ball State. He had great seats on row 16 with the guys from the fraternity. 

Friday night Keagan was at his last high school Warfield Shield game.

Training with the Pros

Another summer camp wrapped up today. I think this means our summer vacation is almost over! Yikes! Where did the time go?

This time the boys attended a football camp on post that was hosted by Cortez Allen of the Steelers and Andre Robinson of the Redskins. It was the best sports camp we have ever attended on a military installation!

On offense, Evan played tight end and was recognized for the most catches on his team; on defense he had seven picks in one game! His team went to the championship, but they weren't able to pull off the win. Let's just say the loss made our drive home VERY long.

Keagan's team won the Bulldogs division with a record of 5-0. His coach commented on the camp evaluation form that Keagan needed to work on speed and agility. Um, really? Evan said, "Your coach must have made a mistake because no one is faster or more agile than you Keagan. Now throwing the ball would have been a more appropriate comment."

It was a truly great experience, even with the loss and the horrible pre-teen mood swing I had to endure. Perhaps best of all, though, the boys immediately went to sleep once getting home!

PPK

Here we go. The weekends overtaken by sporting events began today. The boys participated in the local Punt, Pass, Kick competition on post. Keagan told me all week that he refused to participate, but I signed him up anyway. He won third place.

Evan, has of course, looked forward to today's event all week. With coverage of NFL training camps on ESPN beginning this week, he has been consumed with the preseason schedule, the Cowboys' decision to switch to a new defense, and the health of all the current QBs. As he lounged on the couch this week watching Sports Nation, he mumbled something about dream job and no one can memorize useless football stats like I can. The boy loves him some football.

He won first place and advances to sectionals.

Let the backyard training begin!

Skating

Apparently I am the only Marne mom that didn't know it was a requirement to teach your kids to roller skate while stationed at Stewart. Although I was a regular at the skating rink in good 'ole Mount Pleasant, I don't think roller rinks even existed in Northern Virginia. We celebrated the end of the football season, though, at the post's skating rink, and no one could believe that the QB who scored all but two of the season's touchdowns had never been roller skating before and spent the majority of the night on his backside. The same could be said about "The Punisher". After one go around, he decided skating just wasn't his thing, and he spent a good half hour in a chair laughing at his big brother as he fell legs sprawled like a newborn colt.

Needless to say, we felt under-prepared when the other players walked in with their own personal pair of skates while we wore the disinfectant sprayed skates from the rental window.

With trophies, pizza, cake, and a pinata full of candy, though, we quickly left the new found skill of skating behind.

It's tough celebrating a 2-10 season, but we sure did. Someone has a really big decision to make next fall: U12 select soccer or football. I think Thursday night's game ending TD might have influenced his decision. 

Pure Joy

Who needs milk jugs or cow bells when you have my squeals of pure joy? That's what the Steelers had tonight when we captured win number two of the season. I could give you the play by play, but really all you need to know is that Evan had the winning touchdown with only 12 seconds left on the clock. At this point, that's about all I can remember about the night. That and Keagan's textbook tackle on the five yard line. He celebrated with a move that we call The Ratliffe, in honor of the the Dallas Cowboy. I think it was lost on the Georgian crowd,  but  he has waited all season for an excuse for that move. He performed it perfectly. Despite my near coronary in the last minute of play, I think this was probably the best day of my life.

Evan and Coach Merritt plan the big play

All that I said Tuesday night about how happy I was to say good-bye to football was a lie. I am saddened to say good-bye to legitimate first downs, scrambles right down the middle, and last minute wins. It is unfortunate that we decided to do all of this the last game of the season - very unfortunate because I know that I could muster the energy to cheer the boys on one more time. After tonight's excitement and confirmation that God is a Steelers fan, I don't know if I can wait nine months to begin the next season.

Perhaps it goes without saying that the search for summer football camps has been moved to the top of my list of priorities.

Pure Joy

Who needs milk jugs or cow bells when you have my squeals of pure joy? That's what the Steelers had tonight when we captured win number two of the season. I could give you the play by play, but really all you need to know is that Evan had the winning touchdown with only 12 seconds left on the clock. At this point, that's about all I can remember about the night. 

That and Keagan's textbook tackle on the five yard line. He celebrated with a move that we call The Ratliffe, in honor of the the Dallas Cowboy. I think it was lost on the Georgian crowd,  but he has waited all season for an excuse for that move. He performed it perfectly. Despite my near coronary in the last minute of play, I think this was probably the best day of my life.

Evan and Coach Merritt plan the big play

All that I said Tuesday night about how happy I was to say good-bye to football was a lie. I am saddened to say good-bye to legitimate first downs, scrambles right down the middle, and last minute wins. It is unfortunate that we decided to do all of this the last game of the season - very unfortunate because I know that I could muster the energy to cheer the boys on one more time. After tonight's excitement and confirmation that God is a Steelers fan, I don't know if I can wait nine months to begin the next season.

Perhaps it goes without saying that the search for summer football camps has been moved to the top of my list of priorities.

Punt, Pass, Kick

This is what I overheard tonight in the stands while I watched fifty something kiddos punt, pass and kick at the local NFL competition.

"That number 77 on your team is the biggest kid in the league!"

"What are you talking about? You have at least five guys as big as our number 77 playing on the line."

"That ain't true. I think you need to double check the weight on that 77 boy. He's too big to be running the ball."

That's when I interjected.

"Hey, that number 77 is my baby, and I will verify all 88 pounds of my eight year old boy."

"Oh, yeah? 88 plus what?"

"88 pounds plus pure talent"

"Whatever, m'am. I saw that number 77 this morning at PT running with first brigade."

I know that joke is lost for anyone who doesn't live the Army life - which means not one person will read this and understand the above conversation. But it was the funniest thing I had heard all day, and after spending a full day in professional development and the early morning hours in the ER, I was laughing pretty hard. 

Evan won second place in the 8/9 year old bracket. He couldn't believe the real NFL commissioner had signed his certificate. I didn't have the heart to tell him it was a pre-stamped certificate. Evan went to bed wondering how he could have possibly missed the arrival of the man that holds his dream job.

Keagan won second place in the 6/7 year old bracket. He was madder than you know what, and said, "I don't like to lose, Mama." Hence, the dark background of the picture. We had to wait an hour after the winners announcement before he would consider posing with a second place ribbon.

I take full blame for the above.  However, I do not take the blame for having my boys dressed in identical sports wear. It just happened. Honest! 

Black and Gold

I am THAT mom. The one that I promised I would never become. I am the mom wearing the matching yellow and black shirt with my boys' names on the back. All I'm missing is a milk jug filled with dry beans.

Keagan is that guy. The guy that gets tackled and gets a scratch on his arm that produces a bit of blood, and by the end of the game, the story eventually morphs into "my arm was bleeding like a volcano."

Evan is that sideline ref. Not one penalty was our fault. That tackle our linebacker did while the center still held the ball was just a misunderstanding. The holding call wasn't holding at all; it was a slight nudge. This according to Evan who while playing QB couldn't possibly be biased with his calls.

They are "Magic Hands" and "The Punisher," and this is what you call yourself when you scramble twice and score two touchdowns and throw blocks to make sure your big brother gets the six points both times.

If you don't like football or reading about football, then please check back after October 22. Because until then, I think it is safe to assume football will be our only form of entertainment. 

Sprinting

I have made one very important observation during this year's tackle football season. Wes can skip every soccer practice that we have attended in the last five years with the excuse of work, but he can move heaven and Earth to attend all fifteen football practices that have transpired in a four week window. He just might be a bit proud that both boys are playing tackle football this year. So proud that the weekend training sessions might include stuffed dufflle bags, big sticks, and bright orange cones as far as the eye can see.

Tonight it was 5:23, and Wes still hadn't shown for the boys' first tackle football game. I assumed something serious must have happened at work to keep him. At 5:32 I see him across the field and then across the parking lot sprinting with the video camera on his shoulder - sprinting so he wouldn't miss his boys' first run through the paper banner designed by the cheerleaders.

Sprinting to he wouldn't miss Evan's first touchdown. It was a 50 yard punt return.

Sprinting so he wouldn't miss Keagan playing linebacker (yes, I am just as shocked as you), sacking the quarterback, stripping the ball from his hands, and causing one of the biggest turnovers of the game!

Sprinting because there is no other place he would rather be! I have to agree - even if we did lose 18 - 6.

This is the only context in which you will hear me say it, but Go STEELERS!!!

Steelers Football

My mom calls it the F word. I call it football. The boys call it fun. Anyway, you look at it, the fall sports season is upon us, and for this family, that includes tackle football. Keagan and Evan are on the same team again this season. We are playing for the black and gold because blue and silver wasn't an option. We were just relieved it wasn't red and gold because die hard Cowboy fans can't ever cheer for Redskins - even if it is pee-wee football. After this weekend's first practice in full pads, I think everyone would be in agreement with Wes's one word description of both boys on the field: dangerous.

After Saturday morning's early, early practice, I met the boys at the local sporting goods store. The boys needed football cleats. Wes said he needed to pick up some cups; I reminded him the boys both had brand new water bottles. I learned we were talking about two different kinds of cups. When we left the store, I decided the frequent buyer reward program would be my new best friend. We might have spent a few dollars this weekend on football gear.

But when you see this on the field, it is all worth it! GO STEELERS! 

Deep in the Heart of Texas

For the two people that read my blog, I have to tell you that the Cowboys game was everything that we expected and then some. After whines and cries and protests with the decision to stay in a hotel in Dallas Saturday night instead of driving straight to Opa and Oma's, I had to tell the boys that we had a surprise for the next day.

The next morning we were in the rental car driving parallel to the stadium, completely oblivious that we were on the wrong side of the railroad tracks because we were all captivated by the sheer size of the stadium, and Keagan asked, "This is our surprise? A real surprise would be to go in the stadium and watch the game. Not drive by it." He said this while pretending he was totally not impressed. However, Evan, our sweet, sweet Evan, said, "Driving by it and seeing the stadium in person is surprise enough for me."

Wes and I had tears because we couldn't even imagine how he would react when he found out we were actually planning to go into the stadium.

We pulled into the parking lot of some sketchy motel with the catchy name, "Fiesta", where we had scored cheap parking, and Wes pulled out four tickets to the game. Surprise, Boys!

And nothing was said.

At all.

The boys were in shock for a good five minutes, but when it became more real for them, their ear-to-ear smiles said it all. It was an added bonus that we won the game, and an even bigger surprise for us to run into friends of ours that we knew from church while living in Virginia.

We had our fill of frito pie, more than our fill of Cowboy cheerleaders, and plenty of opportunities to cheer and raise the noise meter, but we already look forward to our next game. 

Undefeatable

The Bears' football season was "undefeatable" after today's win over the Cowboys 18-12, or this is at least Keagan's descriptor of the season. See, I told you we had some problems with adjectives in this house. By the way, Keagan won another blue slip award this week, and again it was from PE. This time he was able to jump rope. After yet another reminder from school that Keagan still needs practice with the letters p, a, e, b, and o, I am resigned to his label as an athlete. Well, almost. I intend to give academics one last push.

I hope no one is reading my blog for the first time. If you are, I am totally using sarcasm in that last statement.

Today's game was interesting. I almost had to leave the field, and it wasn't by choice. You see another player clothes lined Keagan, and when I ran onto the field to protest the roughness of the play, I was told to return to my collapsible chair, my multiple pieces of photography equipment, my after-the-game snack bags, and be quiet. Never mind that Keagan wasn't even carrying the ball, we don't play tackle ball, or that we sign our pledge of Christ like behaviors on the field. This little kid seemed to think he was Alex Barron, and it was perhaps the memory of last Sunday's game between the Cowboys and Redskins that such powerful emotions were released, and I was on the pee-wee football field yelling, "This is not gonna happen again....Or else." I really had no "or else" in mind, but I threatened it just the same. It happened again and again, though, so the opposing team mustn't have taken my threat too seriously. Anyway, the Bears complete a perfect season, and we have yet another touchdown to highlight the perfect season. 


Wes, when you are watching this please tell the guys I have no idea how that crazy lady keeps getting in these video clips. I am so ready to be rid of her!

Bad News Bears

I feel like this weekend's football game could have been taken straight from the 70s film The Bad News Bears - even if the movie is about baseball and not football. Suffice it to say it is a good thing we were playing a team that had little to no talent because watching the game was one of the most painful things that I have had to endure since last week's soccer practice.

For beginners we had no coach, and for a while it appeared we would not have any players. Wes stretched all four players who showed up for the pre-game warm-up. Then we had players show up in uniform that we had never seen before. When the rain fell, I was crouching under that friendly three foot bush that just last week failed to protect me from the scorching sun. It also failed at protecting me from the rain.

Once the game began, Evan missed a tackle that allowed the other team to score. When it came time for Keagan to run the ball, the QB mishandled the ball, the defense was able to grab Keagan's shirt, and Keagan dragged the other boy about five yards downfield. While on defense, Keagan went for a flag and a player on the offensive line put Keagan in a bear hug. To top it off, most-annoying-side-line-coaching father's son played QB.

After all that, would you believe that we actually managed to win?

So it was probably nothing like The Bad News Bears except the title. But bad it was.

Next game is Thursday night. Wes is prepared to coach. Evan is prepared to tackle. Keagan is prepared to loosen himself from any strong hugs, and I have the camera ready to record some magic.

Lord knows I didn't get any this weekend.

The Bears

The boys are playing football again this fall. I am using "fall" loosely because our season runs August to September, when the humidity and temp are neck to neck and rising to about 95 every day instead of 98. Much to Evan's disappointment, he is playing flag instead of tackle. Because the YMCA league is the only league that allows five year olds to play, it was easier this way. After running around last spring with such a crazy Saturday schedule, I decided I couldn't have the boys in different leagues. When I told Evan it was this or nothing, the whining and crying were minimized to border-line-annoying instead of driving-me-crazy-annoying.

However, this season the boys are on the same team, The Bears, and this has brought a new enthusiasm to the game of flag football. We attended the first practice today in the noon day sun. With the air so thick with moisture I felt like I could bite it.

Have I mentioned that it is hot here in Georgia? It was so hot today that I thought that I would melt into the ground and that was while trying to steal some shade from a three foot shrub. 

The focus of this week's practice was the passing game. Evan and another boy that just happens to have the most annoying side line coaching father that I have ever met are vying for the QB position. It appeared Evan had won the coveted spot but Sideline Coaching Annoying Dad made it known that he thought tryouts might continue until the first game. I foresee a real fun season with this guy. Even though I stood next to him throughout most of practice, I decided the bit of shade I received from the shrub, however slight, was more important than my mental health. 

I may have misjudged the impact one annoying father could have on me, though.

Keagan took a few passes and did really well, but as most know, he is really more interested in the running game. That will be Tuesday. Next time I am bringing an umbrella so that I can carry my shade to anywhere Sideline Coaching Annoying Dad is not.

Go BEARS!

i-9 Football

Sadly, football season has come to an end.

When Evan was awarded an end of year trophy and a medal for showing sportsmanship on the field, Coach told Evan he expected to see him on TV in a few years playing college ball. Hence the big smile. Evan (and maybe his mama) share the dream. 

Evan had several great tackles and a really good run in today's game. He wanted to wear his Silly Bands from the tooth fairy to today's game. I was able to persuade him to believe that there is nothing tough about wearing tye died animal Silly Bands to a football game. In the end, he agreed. I even suggested he wear the tangelo stained wrist bands instead. At least the wrist bands are related to sporting wear. There is nothing athletic about boys wearing bracelets.

Coach Byrd, Keagan, and Coach Lynch

I love this shot because it just shows pure concentration. The ref told us after the game that Keagan was his favorite player in the pee-wee league because he is always so intense. I told him he comes by it naturally, but the ref already knew that. He saw me running along the sideline next to Keagan giving him "encouragement" during his fifty yard run.

Team Buckeyes - We celebrated the end of the season with doughnuts and trophies. Keagan was also awarded a medal for showing sportsmanship on the field. It is now bedtime and Keagan still hasn't removed the medal. I foresee our attendance at church tomorrow with the boys wearing Silly Bands and football medals.

Inzone Celebration

Keagan spent two weeks trying to determine which inzone celebration was the most appropriate for his next touchdown. As a family we voted and narrowed it down to the following:
1. The "Thanking the Heavens" Move that you see all of the pros do. You might need some imagination for this one.
2. Retro Disco Move
3. The Robot

Unfortunately, Keagan's touchdown on Saturday was called back to the twenty yard line because the ref said Keagan stepped out of bounds. I couldn't believe he called it back when it was surely just his big toe that touched the white line. "Give the five year old a break," I almost yelled until I remembered I promised to be quiet while on the sidelines.

However, Evan did score a touchdown this week - his first because he almost always plays quarterback. This week he asked the coach if he could play running back, and Coach agreed. The first play of the game Evan ran it the length of the field to the inzone.

I was not quiet. I did not sit. I was yelling wildly, "That's my baby!!!"

I saw the guy on the opposite side of the field grin; he was transfixed by my own celebration dance that included shrills, shrieks, and lots of jumping. I decided apologies were not necessary.

As for Evan's celebration...he decided on his own. Hands pumped into the air in pure joy. I have never seen him happier!

Saturday is My Favorite Day

"Saturday is my favorite day!" - Keagan reminds us of this every weekend, and if you ask him why, it is always because Saturdays are football game days. But our football game day this weekend almost ended in violence. 

I almost experienced a mutiny when Keagan's football team learned I brought apple slices and grapes for the after game snack. Who wants a bag of chips at 10:00 in the morning after a football game? Apparently all of the five year olds on the Buckeyes. Never mind, we won the game. Never mind, more players scored this week than ever before. There was one little boy that came to the game for a snack, and fruit was not what he had in mind. I got the tears and then the evil eye, and through my gritted teeth, I warned, "Keep it up or I'll bring rice cakes next week." 

Evan's game was better, but I was also not responsible for snacks. Evan threw his first pass that resulted in a touchdown. Can you believe I got it on the FLIP?

If this wasn't enough, the Dolphins won the game with just two minutes to spare. Evan left the field lamenting, "I wish every day was a Saturday!"

Me, too, Boys. Me, too.

Football Frenzy

I don't know who was more excited when we left the house this morning for the first i-9 football spring season practice. It didn't matter that it was too early to be up on a Saturday morning. We didn't care that we had to put on three layers each to survive the extreme morning temps. We were on our way to a morning of FOOTBALL!

As it turns out, it was my baby Keagan that was the most excited for the day. He said in the car on the way home, "This was the best day of my life." And there wasn't even a win.

Both boys are now totally obsessed with the game. We left the football games and sang the boys' praises for their football skills. We dressed for soccer, and took the football to the soccer fields. We came home from the first soccer game of the spring season, and played football in the yard. Now I have two little boys snug in their beds, no doubt, dreaming big football dreams.

Guess who played quarterback?

Guess who also got pegged to play quarterback?

And defense? Well, they both had that covered as well.

As for Team United, we left the fields victorious again, but it was all short lived because we all soon had thoughts of football dancing in our heads.

Friday Night Football

Because it was so warm today, I suggested that the boys play outside. It took only a few minutes for them to decide football was in order. After all we are Texans and it is a Friday night. The game included a pre-game show with a war of words...

Plenty of trash talk

Several "you're dead" looks prior to big tackles

And maybe a break or two

The Superbowl ended early, though, when the Aggies suffered a big injury. Locker room care and lots of TLC were in order. I have already been given instructions to leave the uniforms out. The big game will continue tomorrow.