Life in Small Town America

[BoSoxGal]

Our high school football team just won State Class B Championship, for the first time ever.

The game was over by Billings, 3 hours away. A whole bunch of folks went for the game, in personal vehicles and a couple of buses rented by the booster club.

They just got back to town, and there are fireworks going off all over town, while the entire contingent of emergency vehicles is escorting the team bus down the main street in town - where I live. Horns blowing, sirens wailing, lights going - and all the folks around town are blowing car horns, too.

For all that there is about small town life that can be maddening, it truly is the way life should be.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Only a lawyer..... "The game was over by Billings, 3 hours"

[wesw]

ha ha ha. that s funny. I remember driving 3 hrs to garrett county for a class b state championship game...

I haven t watched a game, even on tv, for two years now.

football hurts too many of our strong young men

[oldr_n_wsr]

football hurts too many of our strong young men

So does the armed services, and the pay is much, much less.

[Big RR]

And if I recall correctly, cheerleaders have far more injuries per capita than football players in high school and college, and the injuries more often serious than in football.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Big RR, that reminds me of an adventure in my youthful days... drunk friend Ken climbed over the Embankment wall and down to the muddy flats of the Thames at low tide.

"I'd better make sure he's safe" said soberish friend Mick, following him down.

A few miles later, along by London Bridge station, Mick clambered back up to the safety of dry ground, covered in mud and smelling foul.

Ken staggered up behind him. "He fell ... into the mud" explained Ken. "Good job I was there to pull him out"

[wesw]

lol. yeah cheerleaders get hurt worse....

the armed forces have a more important mission...most of the time

don t get me wrong, I made sure that my son was involved in most sports. he lettered in three. I was thankful that he only played one year of football in middle school. the coaches weren t happy he chose soccer again the next year, but I was

[Big RR]

lol. yeah cheerleaders get hurt worse....

Wes--not sure if you are disputing this conclusion or not with your "lol", but if you just google the American Medical Association and you can find the data.

[wesw]

they may get hurt more often, but I think the severity of the injuries is the more important factor. the ama has been wrong before too, unless I m mistaken

[Big RR]

yes, the AMA has been wrong; but when you're tossed 10-15 feet in the air and are missed, when the pyramid collapses and you get a finger or toe shoved in your eye, when you do a double back flip and land on your head, ....., you can be seriously injured. Add to that the fact that cheerleaders perform their routines without any equipment to protect them (unlike football players, e.g.), and the number of serious injuries is not all that surprising.

[wesw]

the cheerleaders in your area must be more lively than they are around here. I only see that stuff on tv.

football players hit each other on purpose, every play. cheerleaders only fall when they make a mistake.

that said, I take your point. if my kid was a competitive cheerleader I would probably have a better understanding.

[Big RR]

Yeah--my daughter, who was previously a gymnast, did competitive cheerleading for a couple of years in high school and I hated it. When she did gymnastics some of the things were pretty scary, but she only had to rely on her own skill for her safety. In cheerleading she needed to rely on her fellow team members; as she was ordinarily the flyer, I really didn't like watching. She got banged up a bit, but never really hurt bad (one girl did get a serious compound fracture of her arm during practice and needed surgery to set it).

Actually, her worst high school mishap was when she played softball and lost a front tooth (needing an implant); I had a discussion with the coach after that and they began issuing mouth guards (actually I donated the money for them the first year) and insisting they be used.

[wesw]

yeah, I was happy my son chose soccer until he had his tibia kicked in half....

[Jarlaxle]

Yeah--my daughter, who was previously a gymnast, did competitive cheerleading for a couple of years in high school and I hated it. When she did gymnastics some of the things were pretty scary, but she only had to rely on her own skill for her safety. In cheerleading she needed to rely on her fellow team members; as she was ordinarily the flyer, I really didn't like watching. She got banged up a bit, but never really hurt bad (one girl did get a serious compound fracture of her arm during practice and needed surgery to set it).

Actually, her worst high school mishap was when she played softball and lost a front tooth (needing an implant); I had a discussion with the coach after that and they began issuing mouth guards (actually I donated the money for them the first year) and insisting they be used.

Anyone have the problem I do? That being: mouth guards make me retch.

[wesw]

RR, that was great that you got the mouth guards. I never thought about the about thumbs in eyes and all that in cheerleading before.

I stand corrected

[Big RR]

Jarl--I sympathize, but then a tooth down your throat might have the same effect. Try soaking the mouth guard in your favorite libation first.

[wesw]

we boiled ours then sunk our teeth in after they cooled a bit when I wrestled

[oldr_n_wsr]

Some guys who had sensative gag reflexes would cut a little off the back of the mouth guard.

[BoSoxGal]

They had the BIG victory parade today!

Two vehicles, traveling the five blocks that comprise 'Main' street.

[wesw]