Saturday, August 28, 2010

Pride






I've never been this mad at a football game, or maybe anything in my whole life. Last night was our annual Austin vs. Decatur big rivalry game. The whole week preceeding we have dress up days, car painting, spirit days, drum line competitions, peprallies, just all sorts of stuff that allows people to show their love of their school. Its one of my favorite weeks because everyone is so pumped and ready to cheer on our boys.

Right after school, me and Gab went to get our matching shorts then headed to the field a little before five to help all the guys paint up. That was fun. Then I had to go sing the national anthem with the mixed Austin/Decatur choirs.

Everyone wants to win, I know that. But someone has to lose. Its not so much that we didn't win, its the fact of how immature and disrespectful Decatur was. During the third quarter, Morgan, our starting quarter back got injured. Everyone saw him go down, and we figured that maybe he had just gotten the breath knocked out of him. But he was still on the ground in what looked like agaonizing pain when the ambulance rolled out a stretcher.
Now, when someone gets hurt in a football game:
One, the away team and more importantly, the home team are quiet. However, Decatur was still cheering and blowing horns and a good two third of Austins student section could not shut their mouths. All the seniors and some of the juniors were furious. If nothing else, show respect for our boys out there especially when they are hurt, and if not, why don't you get out there and do better.
Two, BOTH teams take a knee, not just the injured player's side. While they were stilll on the field our players were down as soon as they knew something was wrong. However, Decatur just stood around then eventually walked off the field. Then they just walked and stood around on the sidelines talking. By then me and, I'm sure, many other people were really feeling how much I generally hate the school across town.
And finally, Three. After talking through the whole time that they showed no respect what so ever towards Morgan, Some of their boys had the nerve to come on our side blowing their stupid horn with all simles. I talked to Mary Beth after the game and she said she followed them all across the stands yelling at them. Good.

I don't want to even look at the Daily this morning. Even when Austin does win, it finds someway to put us down, and DHS always ends up on the front page anyways.
I feel so awful for coach Perkins because he is going to take such a beating from the local press, and criticism from alot.

All that said, I have NEVER been more proud to be a Black Bear in all my life. Even when Decatur was playing dirty and throwing hits on the field, Austin held their composure. Maybe we don't have the most talented football team ever, but what we do have is CLASS, class and respect. I guarantee if the injury would have been for the other side, theres no doubt we would have conducted ourselves accordingly.

I was with Michael after the game. He said one of his friends texted him, and all it said was, "I tried." I almost cried. I just wanted to hug every boy out there. We had to go pick up a few of his friends that didn't have rides. As soon as I saw Ryan Watson, I did exactly that, hugged him.

No matter what, I'm proud to call Austin my home.

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