Mom and I kicked off football season last night by attending the season opener of our alma mater, Newnan High School. The Cougars defeated the Carrollton Trojans 13-34, so you know the home crowd was enjoying itself.

We were accompanied by Mom's high school classmate, Bill, who played for the team in 1965. It was his first visit to Drake Stadium since 1970. When asked how he felt about returning to attend a game after all these years, he said, "old."

I'm glad I went. I, for one, am ready for some football.

P.S. I should also mention that we arrived before the game and watched 10 people — including several R.O.T.C. cadets — spend 15 minutes trying and failing to raise the American flag on the pole by the field. Apparently, the pulley had rusted since the pole was last used in November, and they couldn't get the flag up without it getting twisted around the halyard. When they finally gave up, one kid rolled the flag up in his arms like it was a soiled motel bedsheet and walked away with it. I know times change, but back when I was a Boy Scout that behavior would have been unthinkable. Back in my day, we wouldn't have stopped until we had it flying, even if that meant someone had to climb the flagpole with it. (My Boy Scout troup was known to smoke cigarettes, steal purses, and throw rocks at cripples, but we respected the flag.) #GetOffMyLawn

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