Mike Moser "I Say" Published Aug. 27, 2004

As fall approaches, the county is awash in colors; elementary school rivalries abound

Can it be fall?

Already Cumberland County is awash in bright and brilliant colors. Green and yellow, or is it gold? Red and white. Blue and white. Brown and even black and white. And is that crimson or maroon?

It is football time in Tennessee ... and more importantly on Thursdays, elementary school football time.

The smells and sounds are pleasant to me and awaken good memories of times when I had no cares in the world except to escape injury and be part of the team that won. Whether it was the red and white of Hector High in Minnesota, or the maroon and white of Thorsby High in Alabama, football was an important part of my growing up.

The rivalries among the elementary schools in Cumberland County is amazing and interesting to watch. Some schools generally just have good athletes. Other schools never seem to catch a break. The pecking order among elementary schools, for the most part, is consistent.

So what makes elementary school football so great?

Just like ball at higher levels, on any given evening any given team can beat another. How is this possible? It is the very nature of amateur athletic competition.

Whether one is a Hornet from Pleasant Hill, a North Cumberland Patriot, a South Cumberland Rebel, a Crab Orchard Tiger, Homestead Bulldog, Martin Eagle, Brown Bear or Stone Coyote, every child that puts on that uniform on Thursday believes, and hopes, that when the final horn sounds, his team will be victorious.

And it can happen. Each team starts out with basic skills taught by dedicated coaches. While it is true that some teams do the basics better than others, when it is game time, that may or may not figure into the outcome.

Unfortunate injuries, mistakes that cause penalties, one team overachieving and catching their opponent underachieving can all spell disaster for the so-called favorites.

The past few seasons I have helped sports editor Ed Greif with photography duties on Thursday evenings. I have been struck by the intensity of the rivalries on the field.

I worry at times when I see a team with a seven-touchdown lead still passing the ball, or keeping first-string players on the field deep into the game. Make no mistake that the rivalries transcend all kindnesses that the victor might extend to the loser.

I asked about this once and was told, "Well, this school had a grudge over something that happened last year in the county basketball tournament." I asked about another team and was told, "Well, they are just making up for being pounded for years and years."

My worries about such things are short-lived, however, because at the end of each game the colors line up on opposite sides of the field, face each other and walk past each other, shaking hands and congratulating each other on playing the game to their best.

Team play, personal best, a chance for the unlikely, good rivalries, the spirit of competition and, yes, good sportsmanship. Those are the ingredients that make Thursday afternoons exciting and special to so many of us in Cumberland County

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Mike Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His column is published periodically on Fridays.