Game Face

Look  I grew up in a small town that on Friday night main street shut down to go see the Indians play.  From 1947 until 1970 Ahoskie High won five state titles.  I realize that during those days there was a western state champion and the NCHSAA champion. But we won every game in the playoffs they gave us to play.

There was a hope for every boy that when they were old enough that they could wear the black and gold. When my time came I know one of the greatest days of my life was when I received my letter from coach Al Vaughn when the first day of practice was but the most important  I had been invited to try out for the team.

Every Friday on game day we were allowed to wear a gold tee shirt that said " I am a football player for Ahoskie High  school and wear for me number 89."   We were told the second school ended we were thinking only about that nights game and get your game face on. If it was a road game there was never one word spoken  while traveling and if you lost the trip home was in total silence.

My first year out of high school I was in the press box doing color for the Indians but my main job was to read the commercials live  because  in those days once you went on the air it was your broadcast until sign off at the end of the game.

During my playing days while getting my game face on I on many an afternoon left my lunch on the ground somewhere and now in radio thinking that a million people in Ahoskie could be listening I was so nervous Friday afternoons and working in radio I was off on Friday afternoons and I continued the process of a good throw up heading to game time.

As I grew older and I mean much older I have been able to keep my lunch but there is still deep agony in my stomach of nerves.  I guess that is the game face every time before a game. There is a major problem that has occurred for me over my 40 some years doing almost 1200 live events and  even anytime I do PA.

That problem is calming down after a game.  In the 70's it would be 5 in the morning on Saturday before I could think about sleep. Even today now that I am a seasoned veteran it is well past midnight before I am calm enough to think of sleep.

In today 's  world where camera's are thrown in players faces right at the end of a game I understand that they are still in the middle of their game face and to ask them a question while still on the field of play can be very alarming at what can be said sometimes.  In a world where TV money rules  access to players will only get worse.  I can see that cameras can be inserted into helmets  and fans will be even more in the action.  There is no telling what you might hear when those players have their game faces on.