Gotta Love the Friday Night Lights!!

Hey sports fans!!(football fans in particular) Is there a more exciting time of year than right now? The NFL is a week deep, the college and high school football seasons are in full swing, and even the pee-wee's are running up and down the gridiron. It truly is a lot of fun to bundle up with a sweatshirt, maybe a pair of gloves, and that old blanket at a good ol' fashioned football game....wherever it may be.
Sure, the NFL and college football are great. In my opinion, they both feature the greatest athletes in the world. Where else can you find a 6' 5" 350 lb. lineman run a 4.9 40? There's nothing like a Saturday at Memorial Stadium, or a Sunday gathered around the tube with friends watching the Bears or Packers. But for my money, you get to see the game in it's purest form on Friday night at your local high school field. You can argue that there are kids out there playing for a scholarship(nothing wrong with that by the way)but for the most part, they're there because they love to play. No shoe contracts are on the line, no bonuses available if your tailback reaches 1,000 yards. Just pure, unadulterated love of the game.
As we reach the third week already of the 2008 high school football season, I encourage you to spend a Friday evening taking one in. It's cheap entertainment for the whole family. You could do a lot worse than becoming part of the "community party" that goes on each and every week during the fall. I know here in Gibson City as well as in Melvin and Sibley, the entire towns have gotten involved. Whether it's their support of the booster club, a sponsorship for our broadcasts here on WGCY, spending money for an ad in the program, or offering breakfast for half off on Saturday mornings to the players, it's nice to see the local merchants get behind our kids. And I'm confident it's the same way in other small towns all over our country.
It really does become a source of city pride to see your kids go out, and win or lose, give their best effort. We've been extremely fortunate here at GCMS to have quite a successful run in the past 5-6 years. Coach Mike Allen and his staff have done an absolutely tremendous job at resurrecting football on the north end of town. They'd tell you about all the hard work and sacrifice by the student-athletes that have ultimately led to the winning ways. Coach Allen would probably express that first and foremost, the support of the community and it's citizens are just as integral.
So when you get off work Friday night, finish dinner, and get the kids settled in after another school day, why not load up the family mini-van and take in a game in Downs, LeRoy, Fairbury, Paxton, Gibson City, or one of the other small hamlets in Central Illinois? Become part of something special....I think you'll enjoy it.