Wondering what fall will look like without football

Well, here I sit, wondering what fall is going to look like without football.

We haven’t closed down the NFL yet, but I figure we’re only a couple of house party indiscretions away from that happening too.

I’ve been in the stands or on the field for high school and college football for most of 50 seasons. It’s just hard to believe it won’t happen this fall.

Normally, this Friday or the first Friday after Labor Day I would be in the stands with my childhood chum Benton Blue to watch the Rams take the field in their season opener. We both pretty well beat each other’s brains in out in our front yard as kids playing football. Each of us played a little football in high school, but I never graduated from the freshman team and he saw limited glory as a punter.

I don’t think we ever dreamed we would be sitting in the stands 50 years later or, in the case of this year, wishing we were in the stands with our bad knees and backs.

Having played high school football I can understand why health officials don’t have a whole lot of faith that a team can stay free of the coronavirus. A cold or the flu could wreak havoc way back then. We traveled together on buses, we dressed out in cramped quarters and ate each other’s blood and sweat on the field.

Professional players are a different thing altogether. For the millions of dollars that some receive they should be required to “stay in the bubble” like NBA players are doing to complete their season. That’s where they essentially quarantine themselves from the outside world. They think they’re worth that kind of money, I say prove it.

I’ve been to NFL games and it’s a lot of fun, but I think most of us could survive without attending in person as long as we have football on TV.

Alas, I think those million-dollar players may be too greedy and self-absorbed to give us a season.

It’s hard to imagine putting together high school and college football seasons in the spring about the time we would normally be pulling the baseball gloves out. I guess if it happens I’ll be there. Heck, it’s football and that spring season will be history.

Karl Terry writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:

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