Saturday, November 21, 2009

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad...

...(thank you, Mr. Meatloaf!)

I froze my jujubees last night to watch the championship football game. We showed up well over an hour before kickoff, and still ended up in the temporary bleachers in the endzone. Still, it was fun to experience high school championship spirit. Unfortunately, it came from the other team's fans. I was sorely disappointed in what passed for "spirit" from my alma mater. Whereas the other team's fans packed their bleachers on the other side, and were rarely ever quiet (and actually cheering with the cheerleaders!), the home team could barely even be noticed to be there, even though there wasn't an empty seat to be found. Students and parents alike. Not until it was too late in the 4th quarter did they make any decent noise. Was it because they expected their team to win (going for their 4th straight championship, and 34th win in a row)? I think not. The other's fans seemed to be a classy operation, making it almost a home field atmosphere for their team. Our fans seemed very rag-tag, unorganized, and unaware of what was expected of them. And for the record, their football team was very much the same. They lost the game, 28-14, and were totally outplayed throughout most of the game. Maybe it IS too easy to rest on your laurels. But this year's champions played like they wanted it!
Fortunately, all was not lost for the weekend. Carroll College annihilated Dickinson State, 59-7, in the first round of the NAIA playoffs. It wasn't a pretty sight. They led 31-0 at halftime, which was convenient, as it allowed me to watch the Griz on a different channel without feeling guilty for not watching the full game. The Saints will host another playoff game next week. GO SAINTS!!
As for the Griz, the game started out slowly (the score was actually 2-2 at the middle of the 2nd quarter!). It's frustrating, but it's the way the Griz generally play. The second half is when they shine, and that's exactly what they did. They beat the Cats, 33-19, and completed their undefeated season. They are most likely to receive one of the top 2 seeds in the playoffs, meaning home field advantage until the championship game. GO GRIZ!!

No comments: