The Game of the Week
Well, we went to the Game of the Week last night--at least it's featured on a Web site called "TheGameoftheWeek.com"; Naperville North High School versus Naperville Central High School playing footbal at Cardinal Stadium, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois, USA. Unfortunately the Game of the Week site is pretty lame; there's space for lot of pre-game content, including and article, directions to the game, and a pregame interview: the interview and a few photos were the only things present. And now it's a full fourteen hours after the game, and all that's there from the game is the final score (we--i.e. Naperville North--won). In Internet time frames that is just unsat.

Speaking of lame--at the end of the Sophomore game (before the Main Event) the PA system in the stadium failed. This is a "serious" college stadium and also home of the Chicago Fire soccer team (until they return to the new Soldier Field). Why do I care so much about a PA system failure? Because my son was one of eight forlorn-looking young singers standing on the fifty yard line, ready to sing their hearts out in an a cappella rendition of the National Anthem, which just is a non-starter in a stadium without a PA system. Bummer.

On a fashion note, who would have thought that the definitive garment of the first decade of the 21st century would be the hooded sweatshirt? Everybody wears hoodies--from teeny babies to 45-year-old soccer moms to grandmas. It just proves that fashion trends are not forecastable. (I'm waiting for my Blogger.com hoodie to arrive, since they are sending me one to pay me back for being a Blogger Pro customer when they decided to give away free all the services I had already paid for.) Another fashion note--the marching band at Naperville North wears cadet-style shakoes, but instead of a badge they have mirrors! This is pretty disconcerting when they're relecting the stadium lights back in your face. And sadly the uniforms under the shakoes are pretty nondescript as well. I think the state of high school band uniforms in general in our nation is unimpressive--but I'm a British band freak myself so I may have different opinions than some...

On a final note, being at the game made me think back on one of the most popular songs to sing in the stands at my alma mater, Vista High School, Vista, California. It's completely politically incorrect now but when I was in H.S. we thought it was hilarious:
(To the tune of The Notre Dame Fight Song)
   Beer, beer for old Vista High,
   You bring the whiskey, I'll bring the rye;
   Send a sophomore out for gin
   and don't let a sober senior in!
   We never stumble, we never fall;
   We sober up on wood alchohol,
   While our loyal faculty lies drunk on the ballroom floor.