High School Football

Yes, it is that time of the year again, "Friday Night Lights." Except, today's high school football is different from that of yesteryear. I went to a high school football game last week, primarily to see the band at half-time. I was excited as I walked the quarter mile from where I parked. I could hear the snare drums and the pep squad. The Star-Spangled Banner played as I neared the stadium. Everyone was decked in some sort of purple and white, the Weslaco school colors. I had on the only purple shirt I had, one from the University of Washington, with a small Huskie on the front. From a distance it may have resembled a Panther.

The stadium was not full, as the opponent, Brownsville Lopez, is a relatively new school and not a football power. Further evidence of the visiting team's weakness was the small crowd in the visitors' bleachers. It all seemed as I remembered. However, I soon became aware of how this game was different.

Back in the day when I was in high school, there were eight cheerleaders. They actually led the fan and pep squad cheers, with their pom-poms and megaphones. ( I am still looking for the yearbook to show you pictures.) Now there were 20 varsity cheerleaders, including four males. I cannot imagine having male cheerleaders in the 60s. They would not have survived the season. In addition, there were 20 Jr. Varsity cheerleaders and a covy of littler ones from elementary schools. The cheerleaders had chants and cheers, but I could not hear the crowd, students cheering along. The cheerleaders spent time tumbling, being raised on another's shoulders and posing. I don't know how that can promote a cheer from the crowd.

The stadium is a newer more modern than the one I remembered. Capacity is a big difference. This one has a capacity of up to 15,000 - home side, visitor side, and end-zone additional bleachers. The score board is a far cry from the one in the past. This one has a video screen. Every play is replayed. There are sponsors for first downs, and touchdowns. When the home team scores, we see the replay and then a picture of doctor so-and-so, the touchdown sponsor. What would a viseo screen be without advertisements - Sonic, WalMart, etc.

The other difference is how distracted the fans are from the game. The modern-day handheld electronic devices seem to be more important than the game. Of course if they miss a play, they can catch the replay.

Football snacks
    If you are at a football game, you have to have something to eat. I saw two snacks from the past, Frito Pie and Valley Lemons. Frito Pie is a bag of Fritos sliced down the middle (leaving the ends closed). To this opened bag you add a laddle of chile con carne and voila - Frito Pie.
    I don't know how to describe the Valley Lemons, using genus and species. It is a thin-skinned large lemon, green or with a yellow tinge. It is not anywhere close to the yellow lemons. Its formal name is Meyer Lemon. It is not widely known because it does not ship well. Because of its popularity in Sout Texas, it is known as a Valley Lemon. From an internet site, I found this description:

"Valley Lemons are a lemon variety that you can sink your teeth into! No sour faces here! Valley Lemons have a greenish color and are thin skinned. Sweeter than their regular lemon cousins, they are excellent for a less tart lemonade, desserts or garnish."

So what does this have to do with football? Football season and the citrus harvest overlap. Someone came up with the idea of inserting a stick of peppermint candy into a Valley Lemon and sucking. The peppermint stick serves as a straw. After a while you eat the candy, peel the lemon and eat it.

 This is a cultural experience.

I left the game after I saw the band at half-time. I wondered if the traditions of the past continued. After half-time the home cheerleaders would go to the visitors' side and greet their cheer team and bring them to the home side to introduce them to the pep squad and band, "Pep Squad and Band this is cheeleader Becky." I somehow think that have 20 cheerleaders makes this tradition passe.

Band

   Watching the band also showed me how this organization has changed. In my day, there was one drum major and 8 twirlers. We did precision marching, playing marching music - marches. Today's band is just this side of a broadway show. There are three drum majors. There is a squad of flag/banner people. There are props and backdrops/ screnary. The sideline is filled with instruments that cannot be on the field - tympany drums, marimba, chimes, etc. The show is usually a themed production, Fiddler on the Roof, Pirates, Westside Story. The only constant is the quality of the playing.

(not a home game)

I will continue to look for my year book and share pictures of the good-ole-days.

Joe