It was 40 years ago today . . .

I used to play some football. Of course, it involved an oblong ball and handball was encouraged. I wish I had played more of the foot only variety.

It's been 21 years since I last put on a football helmet. I still have dreams of remaining eligibility and me trying to play at ECU or USC. Then, I wake up and thank goodness I don't really have to go out there and pop people. I still hurt all these years later. If my kids never step on a football field, it won't bother me a bit. I love the game still. It is violent to your body though and the ramifications will manifest the rest of your life.

This was the best we did while I was at ECU. We played the best team I had ever seen, the National Champion Hurricanes. Standing on the sideline as Miami kicked off, it sounded and felt as though a herd of elephants was running down the field. They were huge and fast. We got crushed by an FSU team that ended up # 2. Todd Ellis and the Gamecocks had what was probably their best team ever and Southern Miss was lead by a freshman Qb named Favre.

G 1 9/ 5 1987 R A W 32-14 ( 4 - 7 - 0 55) North Carolina State
G 2 9/12 1987 R C H L 3-44 ( 11 - 1 - 0 2) Florida State
G 3 9/19 1987 R A L 10-20 ( 3 - 7 - 1 64) Illinois
G 4 9/26 1987 H W 16-13 ( 0 - 1 - 0 0) Georgia Southern
G 5 10/ 3 1987 R H L 0-49 ( 6 - 6 - 0 31) West Virginia
G 6 10/10 1987 R H W 56-28 ( 4 - 7 - 0 69) Cincinnati
G 7 10/17 1987 R C A W 32-23 ( 2 - 9 - 0 65) Virginia Tech
G 8 10/24 1987 R C A L 12-34 ( 8 - 4 - 0 10) South Carolina
G 9 10/31 1987 R C A L 3-41 ( 12 - 0 - 0 1) Miami (Florida)
G 10 11/ 7 1987 R H W 31-26 ( 3 - 8 - 0 81) Temple
G 11 11/14 1987 R C A L 34-38 ( 6 - 5 - 0 30) Southern Mississippi





This photo was taken after the Cincinnati game, six days before my 19th birthday. I played a few more weeks and then retired at the end of the season. All athletes retire at some point whether it's the twelve year old who decides that baseball is no longer for him or Chris Chelios who will have to hang it up at some point. Sports was a huge part of my life back then. I wish I had listened to Dad who told me to concentrate on pool and golf as I could play them my whole life and get paid if I was smart enough. It wasn't for me though as I insisted on playing all the baseball, basketball, and football I could. Now, I am a bad pool player and worse golfer to go along with my sore knees and shoulders. To top it all off, my ass hurts if I play poker too long.

Anyway, it's my 40th. I am taking the family to the State Fair tonight and meeting the gang for a few drinks tomorrow. I don't feel different.