The Boys of Fall

If you knew me and asked me a few months back if I liked football or had any interest at all in it, you know that this would have been 1 barbaric question to ask, me. I used to really just ignore football. Checked it off any list and just didn't really care. I thought it was boring and complicating really. Just not for me.

Ask me now. Go on. No, it's not barbaric anymore. I was barbaric then for writing off this incredible thing disguised as just a game.

It all started...well...I don't know. Football has always been around me. Mechlings haven't been into it religiously or anything, but it's been around. Last year the very first football jersey entered the house and things just picked up even more from there. Just a few months back we all drove up to Indiana just for the Manning Bowl.

(See here, here, annd...here)

You told me 5 years ago that we were going to do that, I would have laughed. Hysterically. But, here we are now. Eli Manning is everywhere it seems and always being talked about. So is Peyton, Drew Brees, and very recently Tony Romo. (aka to me, Romonaugh:) It's incredible, but somehow, the Mechling family is living and talking football. Not quite me, but, it's here. Harrison has been unbelievably inspired. He nearly always has a football at his side. (or 8 at his side. Turning 8 called for receiving 8 footballs. VW 1's too;)

Not a few hours go by that he doesn't give you that nod or inviting toss of his football asking to get some time to throw a few back and forth with just, you. It's not only just cool to be able to do with him, knowing that even 5 minutes will make him so happy, but it's just cool how well he can throw. This kid can already throw a pretty mean spiral and directly to you too. After awana is over for the night, Harrison and I hang around in the gym for a bit with some guys who usually play around throwing a football between each other. 1st week of this, Harrison got right in with them. Now, these guys aren't 8. No. We're talkin high school guys. Teens, who I think some, are playing on teams. Quarterback. And there's wee little Harrison. He loves it though and the guys get a kick outta little Eli. I remember when he threw 1 of his spirals to 1 of them for the 1st time, how impressed they were that he could do that, that well, no training, no team. Just him in our backyard.

He's put in hours and hours of practice just for the fun of it. He's loves it. And all this love work has payed off. He's 8 and has some well...less than...ok way less than Popeye-like arms but, can throw way better than I probably ever will. Not that I'm any good at all, but I'm no match to lil' 8 year old red head wonder. I know he is dreaming of 1 day being that next Eli or Peyton. If 8 year olds can be passionate, he has great passion for this game and for his dream.

I was really reminded of him when I 1 night stumbled across the greatest music video i have really, ever seen.

This 1:

I honestly don't remember how I found this. A bunny trail from country music youtubing I suppose, but I found it. I watched it. I loved it. I, not being 1 bit into football, actually cried a bit while I watched. I was blown away. I had some idea from movies and stories about this small town love, but had never seen it portrayed in that way. All that in those few minutes, I couldn't believe what a whole season must be like.

I suddenly wanted very, very badly to be able to experience the small town high school football game. I want to just at least 1 time be right in the middle of it all. But reality set in and was part of the reason for the emotion from the video. As you know, we are home schooled. Now, before you think on that too much, don't. I do not have a problem at all with being home schooled. I'm very thankful to my parents for choosing this for us all. It's just, the only thing I wish is that I'd had the chance to experience in these teen, high school years, are those school events. Most of all, these games. Football. I hear about the closeness it brings. The fun and excitement friday night is just because everyone knows, it's football night. The players wearing their jerseys on game day and the eagerness and excitement just that brings to see that. Everyone comes together and experiences it all, together. I'm actually sad, I've missed this all. Then I think, "Ok. Well maybe you still can get that chance as a teen in high school to go to 1. Be invited to a game or tag along with someone maybe."

Small problem....the season is over. When it starts up again, I'll be in college. So it hits again. I missed it. Maybe. I still hold out hope that maybe it will work out next year and that I can go to at least 1. Any1 want to fulfill my small dream and...drag me along?Any 1?:) Maybe?:)

No I won't be in High School but ya know, that's ok to me. I just want to be there. I want to have those memories and don't want to miss them.

As I watched this video, the beginning is what I especially loved. Sean Peyton talking to the team before their last game of the season (and for some, the last of their lives). Before this video, I had no idea who Sean Peyton was.

(Stop laughing;) Now, I love that guy. That is a great person, right there. I loved how just real he is. I loved how he thinks. How he thinks about the game. How he's thinking about life. How he tells and teaches about how much those 2 are alike. I watched it a few times to really get all he was saying. What he said about focusing on today and not just tomorrow. What he said is what really, inspired me and got me thinking again. It's 1 of the things that lead me to write that post yesterday. The first in months.

The importance of football and having it be in your life is something, I was never aware of. I always just thought it was just a sport. Just a game. I now see and have so much respect for it and really, anyone ever associated with it.

I shared this video with everybody and recruited some more fans of it. When Christmas shopping a few days later, I discovered a dvd of an entire documentary film of Kenny Chesney's The Boys of Fall. I was too excited. I thought it was just a music video! I loved those few minutes and to find that there's a whole movie?! Awesome.

So, I bought it and gave it to Dad for Christmas. It wasn't until New Year's Day that we pulled the plastic off and put it on. We saved it for when we were all together for the whole day. Really, what better day and what better time than now to watch?

We were all...blown away? No. That's not good enough. Let's just say, it has been deemed the official New Year's Day tradition that ever year, on that starting line of the following year, we will get together and watch The Boys of Fall.

It is the perfect thing to watch on that day. You learn and are reminded of so much. You do not just learn about football and what the sport itself has been for all these great people, but what it's done, what it's doing, and what it can do in not only their lives, but yours too. Regardless of who you are. Football is so much like life, and you find out how, through this. You can learn so much from it. Many things, you would have never thought you could learn, from a "sport". You soon find that football, is just the foundation of this production. Just the start. I just can't stress enough how awesome it was to watch this. It's funny but in just 1 day, just a few minutes, this film became something, so special and charitable.

All props to Kenny Chesney for this. I have so much respect for him now.

"It all started with a song", he said.

I'm so glad it did. That song turned into so much.

Song, inspiration, film, reaching so many, inspiring even more, and now a new tradition for an entire family. Oh, and let's not forget, a few more football fans too.

*****************************************

(P.S. I'll post later about what I recently ordered....it just has to get here first:)