Home

Last night, after 8 painful months, I got to go home.  My home away from home, anyway.  Wake Forest hosted the Flames from Liberty and barely escaped with a 20-17 win.  At least I think they won.  I had to ask my friends twice, even though I was there with them.

Now, I know it's Labor Day Weekend.  No, it wasn't the most glamorous of opponents.  Finally, I understand that there was rain (we just don't do well with weather events, do we, Winston-Salem?).  However, I was expecting to walk in to BB&T Field and let the feeling of football wash over me as the Deacons eviscerated their guests.

I guess I should have known it would be a long night by the pictures I took pregame.  Look at the cloudy grey haze.

Maybe I'm just spoiled.  After all, I've spent the last three Friday nights immersed in the prep football experience.  I've been introduced to things such as "theme nights" for students.  I've been exposed to just how many parent volunteers are a part of Friday Night.   Most of all, I've enjoyed the passion and energy brought by these high school student-athletes, no matter the score.

On top of everything else, I had the opportunity to meet two high school students with resume's more impressive than some college graduates.  Athletes, class officers, club presidents and National Honor Society...and they say there's little hope for the future.  Humbug.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the experience of being "home" last night.  However, I truly realized that I'm not lying to you or myself when I say, "it's about the experience".  The game and effort last night was dreadful but I was surrounded by my best friends, listening to the band play, watching the fireworks after touchdowns and smiling as the kids fell over one another chasing flying t-shirts.

It's football season.  Life is good.  And there are two games on television today. 

Have a great day and be grateful for all that is good in our little corner of the world.

John

An Introduction

Some guys buy motorcycles.  Some guys get divorces.  Some guys get tattoos.  Me?  I'm live-tweeting high school football games.  For free. Follow me at @JMundyFballFri.

Welcome to my mid-life crisis.

Some brief history:  My step-daughter, Morgan, spent her Junior and Senior years as a varsity cheerleader at Parkland Magnet High School.  I thought this was a great idea, since it gave me plenty of excuses to get out of the house and watch sporting event...er, support my step-daughter.  As the basketball season heated up this past winter, I began to realize how much I enjoyed going to these prep sporting events.  I began to lament Morgan's imminent graduation and started thinking of ways to keep prep football and basketball as part of my weekly routine.

All hail the power of Twitter!  I sent a mass tweet offering my services for free to anyone needing assistance with 2012 football coverage.  Kenny Beck, the sports director at NBC affiliate WXII, accepted my offer and here I am.

Important Note:  I am not a WXII employee.  I am not compensated by the station nor do I wish to be.  I'm also not a professional sports journalist (if you haven't already figured that out).  My dossier includes one year of writing for UNCC's University Times,  a season working the video screens at the University of Tennessee, and a season volunteering with the now-defunct Charlotte Sting.  This was all a long, long time ago.

Simply put, I am a fan of the passion and energy that student-athletes bring to their respective tasks.  Only the top percent of the top percent will ever play sports at a higher level, so every game is life-and-death as Senior Night looms on the horizon.  I care nothing for recruiting, and know even less about it.  For instance, I watched Ja'Shawn Joyner of Reagan dismantle Glenn last week, and I have no idea whether he is college material or not.

I DO know that he and his troops opened up a can on a Glenn team stocked with some very good athletes.

At any rate, I'm aware that I may spend this entire season live-tweeting and blogging to an audience of 5.  I don't care.  This is an experiment.  I'm watching football- I win either way.

Anyhoo, I have to go.  After all, it's Finally Friday.

-John