The Boys of Fall
Well, its turn and face the stars and stripes,
Its fightin back them butterflies
Its call it in the air alright yes sir we want the ball
And its knockin' heads and talkin trash
Its slingin mud and dirt and grass
Its I got your number, I got your back when your backs against the wall
You mess with one man, you got us all,
The boys of fall.
From Celina to Joaquin, the Friday night lights of high school football stadiums pierce the darkness. Whether its a big Class 5A program like Tyler Lee or a small one, like the Six-Man football played at Leverette’s Chapel, its still football and their fans order their lives around the season schedule. On Friday, from Paris to Italy (Texas, that is), yellow school buses with teams, bands and fans will be caravanning down the highways on their way to a stadium somewhere. All for the boys of Fall.
Well I feel that chill, smell that fresh cut grass
I’m back in my helmet, cleats and shoulder pads
Standin' in the huddle, listenin' to the call
Fans going crazy for the boys of fall
They didn't let just anybody in that club
Took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood
To get to wear those game day jerseys down the hall
Kings of school, man, we're the boys of fall.
As memories of their playing days come flashing back, men become the boys of fall again. All the sights and sounds, even the smells trigger flashbacks of those times when they were on the field. From the stands, they see things on the field, that others don’t see because they have been in that elite club. Life lessons were learned there. Friendships were forged there. Blood, sweat and tears were spilled there. Between goal lines, they experienced the thrill of victory and agony of defeat. That’s why they come back year after year, to remember and relive those days when they were kings.
In little towns like mine, thats all they got
Newspaper clippings fill the coffee shops,
The old men with think they know it all
Young girls will dream about the boys of fall.
High school football consumes East Texas communities like Arp and Daingerfield because the schools are the heart and soul of the community. Their history is chronicled by the win -loss record of the home team that year. The streets are deserted on Friday nights, because everyone is at the game. Old and young, will debate important questions like…who was the best you ever saw?…was it Campbell or Shead? Harrell or Mallett? Moore or Alexander? …that is until next “best ever” comes along.
Well its turn and face the stars and stripes,
Its fightin back them butterflies
Its call it in the air alright yes sir we want the ball
And its knockin' heads and talkin trash
Its slingin mud and dirt and grass
Its I got your number, I got your back when your backs against the wall
You mess with one man, you got us all,
The boys of fall.
Friday night throughout East Texas, high school teams with mascots like Lions, Tigers, and Bears (oh,my), as well as Bulldogs and Buckeyes will kick off the 2010 season against Eagles, Wildcats, Mustangs, Pirates and Panthers . All with high hopes. Coaches and players alike, will be fightin’ back butterflies. There will definitely be the knockin’ of heads. Bands will be blaring fight songs. Cheerleaders will be jumping. And the fans will be drawn to football stadiums, like moths to the lights.
All because of the boys of fall.
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