BY WIL CREWS
SPORTSCREWS@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
Dedicated to hard work, brotherhood, friends, family and the making of small-town legends … it’s time for Friday night lights.
Can you smell it? The freshly cut grass …
Can you taste it? The concession stand popcorn, hot dogs, hamburgers or whatever else gets thrown on the grill or in the deep fryer …Can you feel it? The humid September night. The November cold, with a tingle of rain in the air. The fourth down and one; the hairs on your arm standing on end. The butterflies performing a circus in your stomach …
Can you hear it? The pitter-patter of cleats on sidewalk. The game announcer over the stadium PA system. The whistles of the referees. The band drumming the fight song. The desperate outcry of fans. The cackling of pads colliding like freight trains …
Can you see it? Droves of supporters rolling into the stadium. The speed of the running back. The long touchdown pass. The scoreboard tricking down. The final seconds of celebration before the roar of victory …
Across the state of Alabama, it’s game week for a number of high school football teams. Players, coaches, cheerleaders and fans alike are on the precipice of a day they have anticipated all offseason. The lights are coming on. In just a few short months, they will go off again. So, enjoy them while they are here … enjoy every smell, taste, sound, sight and touch. The Friday night lights provide a feeling like no other.