green team
High School. It all came rushing back to me on Friday night.
Luke and I decided to attend the big rivalry football game. Cedar Park vs. Leander. This would be the equivalent to our Villa Park vs. Orange High, when I was in school. The haves against the have nots. Cedar Park: green uniform..all put together..big fancy mascot..big huge band..all dressed nicely..and their side of the stadium, packed. Leander: a little tired all around. Good energy, but just a step behind. I don't remember seeing a mascot. Maybe he was having a smoke. Our fans (we were on the Leander side).. were not fanatic. They were subtle and cool. Supportive, sure..over the top, no. Cedar Park had a huge cheering section where everyone wore green and were all bunched together yelling in wild revelry when someone did something big. Our side was again, more subtle..cautious with their ebullience..waiting for the perfect time to stand and yell.
The stadium was beautiful. Brand new. Luke said it looked like Hi Def TV. It did. Great lighting, 1st class speaker system, beautiful field. The bleachers were so nice that they now make it impossible to drop things underneath..like your wallet or phone..and make you walk allll the way down and around and under, past the bad kids to get your lost belongings. Somebody was really smart when they built them drop proof. Real smart last sentence...
So anyway, we bought our tickets and started walking to the wrong side of the field. We were on the pretty and supportive side. Everyone was wearing green. Everyone was fit and healthy and had really white teeth. Everyone had fancy padded chairs to take with them to sit on throughout the duration of the game. Everyone was talking to each other, like they were all best friends. We thought we were in Heaven. This felt great! So much love for the home team! Slowly I realized that over on the other side of the world was where we were really meant to be. We were supposed to be on the misfit side. The side where only 1/4 of the stadium was filled. The side where the band was just kind of playing. The side where there was no cheering section all dressed in green or blue or any bad bright school color. (Orange High.. bright pumpkin orange) The side where there wasn't a line to get in on the biggest night of the football season.
So we walked through the smiling people saying excuse me all the way while swimming upstream throughout the mass of green and white (teeth) and trudged on over to the other side of the tracks. Oh yeah..forgot to mention that there were tailgate parties in the parking lot. Tailgates for High School football. Smiling people with bbq's set up with nitrate free hot dogs and natural sodas. Throwing the football around to their over achiever mini children in green jerseys.
Suddenly as I approached the entrance to the Leander side, I had a flashback to when I was in High School. The talk was the same. The energy was the same. The jeans were much more expensive, but the dress was the same. In the restroom the girls all but ignored the mom in the room while they talked about the hot guy. The cool kids hung out, but didn't really pay attention to anything around them. They geeky kids were hanging out with each other and talking about geeky things. Girls walked in 3's, not moving out our way, even when we were clearly on the correct side of the walkway. I did not move. I walked straight for them, towing Luke behind me, as to block the messy haired texting 3 headed monster coming our way. We all just stood there waiting for someone to move. Finally they spilt apart, with 3x's the rolling of the eyes, hopefully not multiplying as they split and walked around us. I won. I finally won.
Feeling pretty confident I walked up the bleachers to find seats. Oh God. The rush of judgement washed over me as I slowly walked step by step to the far corner of the stadium. Thank God my sweet neighbors were there to protect me from the demons of my past. They kept my mind occupied as I walked through 10th grade in my head..too many times falling up bleachers in my size 13 Gloria Vanderbilts. They chose an aisle right on time ..before I panicked and realized that in 11th grade I went to too many football games alone. They chose seats in the perfect spot, unlike me who in 12th grade chose/was elected to be mascot of the school. Too much info right there. Still seeking therapy for that choice. Don't expect a mascot themed blog anytime soon. I am still getting over facebook postings of my big hair in 10th grade.
Finally I was safe. It was me and my kettle corn and my sweet neighbors and my son and his sweet friends. And one creepy guy in fatigues and a cowboy hat sitting somewhat too close. I kept faking that I was looking for somebody, just to make sure he wasn't getting ready to take out some of his high school angst on innocent spectators.
Finally, I relaxed. I noticed that our side was slowly filling up. Our side was becoming more powerful. We were finding unity. Perhaps our side was a mix of working class and professional folks who had to stay late at work but came to the game when they could. Unlike the other slacker side who skipped work early to set up their Whole Foods, environmentally safe, non carbon burning BBQs. It looked like an even turnout. The teams played hard, the bands, dancers and flags were all strong. The mascots were even good. I could not see any cheerleaders because I have blocked them out of my mind since Jr. High.
It turned out to be a fun night. I actually felt a sense of community. I can not wait to go again. The whole Friday Night Lights experience. The Green side ended up winning, but it did not matter. They both played well and people came to cheer them on. Both sides.
It felt great to support the home team, even if I am going to send Luke to the Green side when he is older..
Kidding.
Sunday 11:11 pm
Luke and I decided to attend the big rivalry football game. Cedar Park vs. Leander. This would be the equivalent to our Villa Park vs. Orange High, when I was in school. The haves against the have nots. Cedar Park: green uniform..all put together..big fancy mascot..big huge band..all dressed nicely..and their side of the stadium, packed. Leander: a little tired all around. Good energy, but just a step behind. I don't remember seeing a mascot. Maybe he was having a smoke. Our fans (we were on the Leander side).. were not fanatic. They were subtle and cool. Supportive, sure..over the top, no. Cedar Park had a huge cheering section where everyone wore green and were all bunched together yelling in wild revelry when someone did something big. Our side was again, more subtle..cautious with their ebullience..waiting for the perfect time to stand and yell.
The stadium was beautiful. Brand new. Luke said it looked like Hi Def TV. It did. Great lighting, 1st class speaker system, beautiful field. The bleachers were so nice that they now make it impossible to drop things underneath..like your wallet or phone..and make you walk allll the way down and around and under, past the bad kids to get your lost belongings. Somebody was really smart when they built them drop proof. Real smart last sentence...
So anyway, we bought our tickets and started walking to the wrong side of the field. We were on the pretty and supportive side. Everyone was wearing green. Everyone was fit and healthy and had really white teeth. Everyone had fancy padded chairs to take with them to sit on throughout the duration of the game. Everyone was talking to each other, like they were all best friends. We thought we were in Heaven. This felt great! So much love for the home team! Slowly I realized that over on the other side of the world was where we were really meant to be. We were supposed to be on the misfit side. The side where only 1/4 of the stadium was filled. The side where the band was just kind of playing. The side where there was no cheering section all dressed in green or blue or any bad bright school color. (Orange High.. bright pumpkin orange) The side where there wasn't a line to get in on the biggest night of the football season.
So we walked through the smiling people saying excuse me all the way while swimming upstream throughout the mass of green and white (teeth) and trudged on over to the other side of the tracks. Oh yeah..forgot to mention that there were tailgate parties in the parking lot. Tailgates for High School football. Smiling people with bbq's set up with nitrate free hot dogs and natural sodas. Throwing the football around to their over achiever mini children in green jerseys.
Suddenly as I approached the entrance to the Leander side, I had a flashback to when I was in High School. The talk was the same. The energy was the same. The jeans were much more expensive, but the dress was the same. In the restroom the girls all but ignored the mom in the room while they talked about the hot guy. The cool kids hung out, but didn't really pay attention to anything around them. They geeky kids were hanging out with each other and talking about geeky things. Girls walked in 3's, not moving out our way, even when we were clearly on the correct side of the walkway. I did not move. I walked straight for them, towing Luke behind me, as to block the messy haired texting 3 headed monster coming our way. We all just stood there waiting for someone to move. Finally they spilt apart, with 3x's the rolling of the eyes, hopefully not multiplying as they split and walked around us. I won. I finally won.
Feeling pretty confident I walked up the bleachers to find seats. Oh God. The rush of judgement washed over me as I slowly walked step by step to the far corner of the stadium. Thank God my sweet neighbors were there to protect me from the demons of my past. They kept my mind occupied as I walked through 10th grade in my head..too many times falling up bleachers in my size 13 Gloria Vanderbilts. They chose an aisle right on time ..before I panicked and realized that in 11th grade I went to too many football games alone. They chose seats in the perfect spot, unlike me who in 12th grade chose/was elected to be mascot of the school. Too much info right there. Still seeking therapy for that choice. Don't expect a mascot themed blog anytime soon. I am still getting over facebook postings of my big hair in 10th grade.
Finally I was safe. It was me and my kettle corn and my sweet neighbors and my son and his sweet friends. And one creepy guy in fatigues and a cowboy hat sitting somewhat too close. I kept faking that I was looking for somebody, just to make sure he wasn't getting ready to take out some of his high school angst on innocent spectators.
Finally, I relaxed. I noticed that our side was slowly filling up. Our side was becoming more powerful. We were finding unity. Perhaps our side was a mix of working class and professional folks who had to stay late at work but came to the game when they could. Unlike the other slacker side who skipped work early to set up their Whole Foods, environmentally safe, non carbon burning BBQs. It looked like an even turnout. The teams played hard, the bands, dancers and flags were all strong. The mascots were even good. I could not see any cheerleaders because I have blocked them out of my mind since Jr. High.
It turned out to be a fun night. I actually felt a sense of community. I can not wait to go again. The whole Friday Night Lights experience. The Green side ended up winning, but it did not matter. They both played well and people came to cheer them on. Both sides.
It felt great to support the home team, even if I am going to send Luke to the Green side when he is older..
Kidding.
Sunday 11:11 pm
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