College football

Well into fall which means college football galore, Kieron's favorite time of year.

This weekend is the Red River Shootout, OU vs UT. Not sure how many of these I attended with Kieron but there were many. Kieron, me, and my dad relished weekends like this, whether it was being at the game live or watching on tv at our parent's house.

As the state of things has it today, the fall - football season - is sadly, entirely different. Gearing up for the weekend preparing for two days of grilling, convening with family, throwing the football and watching college football on Saturday and the Cowboys on Sunday now takes on a new approach. Without talking betting stratgey and how OU, Notre Dame and how the Cowboys might fare against their respective opponents, something seems amiss.

We grew up die-hard Cowboy fans because we were so close to them, not only b/c of geography but also that Tex Schram was our dad's boss at one time. He would never let on to it, but Kieron loved it when the Cowyboys won and just the same hated to see them lose.

In 1981 against the Dolphins, Kieron and I went to the game with our dad. Dad was working and as was most often the case left at halftime. Thankfully we were in two cars...Kieron was 20 and old enough to drive and I was 14. Dallas was getting beat by two td's late in the 4th quarter so most of the crowd at Texas Stadium had left. We took advantage of the open seating and from the Stadium Club spotted seats open on the Cowboys side down near midfield.

So here we were, within spitting distance of our heros - Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson, Too Tall Jones - not caring about the lopsided score as much as we were about the excitement of being so close. I was ecstacic...I was with my big brother, who I idolized, on a school night, watching up- close and personal the Cowboys!

Low and behold they came back and won the game in the final minutes. The final score was 28-27. Those who stayed witnessed one of the greatest last-mintue comebacks in Cowboy's history. Kieron and I were in heaven. We jumped up and down and feverishly slapped each others hands as Danny White completed pass after pass in the two-minute offense.

There is a special aura about the fall and football in Texas. Kieron loved it. I love it too and wish I could steal another football weekend in the fall where my brother and I could be fans together.