Love and Football

How many of you remember Donald Murphy or Jimmy Austin? Does Coach Beck, Coach Harris, or Bobby T. Welch ring a bell? Those gentlemen coached the Tallapoosa Red Devils either at the high school level or in midget football in the 50's and 60's. Donald Murphy is retired from serving in the Cobb County School System for many years, and Bobby T. Welch is retired from serving as dean of students at Southern Union and in graduate admissions at Auburn. The Red Devils were the home team and you always wore red. Once I had a blue football jersey given to me in the 7th grade and I made the fatal error of wearing the colors of rival Bremen that I was verbally reprimanded by Judy Price in front of Cummings Department Store on Alabama Street. I don't wear blue to this day. I have loved football since watching the Baltimore Colts led by Johnny Unitas play what is billed as "The Greatest Game Ever Played" against the New York Giants. The game played at Yankee Stadium was played 50 years ago last December 28th and I will never forget it. I was in the second grade and that game led me to a 50 year romance with football. Did you all watch the Superbowl? The Steelers won their 6th Superbowl championship and won a last minute thriller last Sunday night. Watching the commercials and the half-time performance of Bruce Springsteen was valued added. Seeing the hero of the Hudson River airplane landing Captain Chesley Sullenberger in the pre-game was heart warming. He is going to be on David Letterman's "The Late Show" this coming Tuesday. The commercials were again entertaining and somewhat influential. My daughters no longer want a pony, they now want a Clydesdale. I had Doritos for breakfast the morning after the Superbowl and I was verbally chastised for throwing a snow globe at the snack machine here at the office. The big play of the game was Ben Roethlisberger's pass to Santonio Holmes in the last minute of the game. As a sports historian I can tell you that this is the first time a form er drug dealer has done such a feat. I am sure that Madison Avenue will have him doing television commercials for some pharmaceutical company very soon. My heart went out to Arizona's Kurt Warner for his never give up spirit. His story is one of inspiration. He gets my vote for most valuable player in the NFL. He will one day have a place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Guys, don't forget to check the calendar because the 14th is coming up. I am just giving you a heads up because I don't want you sleeping on the sofa or in the same house as Fido. I've been there and its not pretty. A memorable Valentine's Day came in the fourth grade as Gail Brooks promised to love me for the rest of my life or until fifth grade, which ever came first. I want to give a written "shout out" to the kids at Haralson County High School. Congratulations on your dedication to last month's literacy program. We also want to say "way to go" to Zachary Brandon Limbaugh for receiving his Eagle Award in the Court of Honor on Sunday at the First Methodist Church of Tallapoosa. He is a senior at HCHS and has been in scouting for a dozen years. Watch this young man's success continue. Move over Rush, there is a new Limbaugh headed for the stratosphere.