The Johnnie Football Season, much akin to the entire going on a ride at Disney World scenario. One waits in a never ending line (the off-season), there are time point checks that advise you how long till you get to the front of the line (our monthly countdown posted on the site in articles) then you get to the line and embark on the ride (the best damn day on the calendar, kick-off) and after 3-5 minutes of intensity (the season), it is over. And once you exit the ride (the final “gun” of the last game) it always seem that you ask yourself “is that it, now what do I do?”
Not sure about all of you in the Nation but this is exactly what I am going through as we make our way though the final week of Johnnie Football and look to take out a LOT of frustration when the boys make the trip down to St. Paul and visit the Pipers of Hamline this Saturday. I am asking myself now what because it is going to be a very long off-season in my household that is for damn sure. But hey, at least once the calendar turns to the new year my wife( yes the one my Dad refers to as the Woman you live with….see the Tommie article from 3 years ago and you will understand) allows me to begin the countdown for kick-off 2012 .
I mean let’s be honest; Johnnie Football is simply a priceless experience for any and all who are lucky enough to be exposed to it. And regardless of the score or final record (yea I know this year has not been what we expected or wanted but again, support our current Johnnies without hesitation and in an all in manner or feel free to not consider yourself a true Johnnie) the entire experience of a Johnnie Football Saturday cannot be matched anywhere on the Planet. I would never trade any of the Johnnie Football Saturdays that I have been lucky enough to experience, if you would then you are neither a true Johnnie nor a true member of the Nation that is unrivaled.
From the countdown we all live through each week, to the stocking up of “supplies” for the Tailgate, to the actual tailgate event, to the current Johnnies who get “IT” stopping by, to the pre-game warm-ups, to the announcement “Here come the Johnnies” and to the gathering on the turf of the Natural bowl to mingle with players, families, and friends after another Johnnie Victory, the whole game day experience is simply heaven for me and I assume all in the Nation. I think you all would agree with me that all of this is proof that God is indeed a Johnnie because why else would Johnnie Football Saturdays be just so perfect and precious? And if Johnnie football Saturday’s are not proof enough feel free to find Fr. Don at the next Game, he will verify that God is a Johnnie since he gave him a B in Theology class!
So this Saturday it is over. It will be many months before many of us get to see each other, life events will take place, we will lose our great Johnnie Seniors like BIG and Lightening to graduation, and we will read about some very smart High School Seniors making the best damn decision of their ever so young lives, (feel free to ask our young LB’s Thompson and Rose, they will concur on this point for sure) the decision to become Johnnies come Fall of 2012!
As we close out the 2011 Season let’s be sure to be all in on Saturday, the boys deserve it for God’s sakes. Find a few of the current Johnnies after the game and maybe thank them for representing SJU and those of us who have gone before them with such pride, honor and dignity, in what anyone would call a challenging year. Personally I thank all of the great Johnnie parents who come to the Tailgate, take a look at these ramblings on our site, and of course have given us some fine young men who get “IT”! To these fine young Johnnies like: BIG, Lightening, The Minister of Defense, The Mad Stork, KONG, The Tuna, GQ and Rain man, I say that we in the Nation do consider you our owns sons, and we are damn proud of you. Keep it up.
Time to Johnnie up for the final time here in 2011. See ya at Gabe’s before we head over to Hamline, and then…well Hell, NOW WHAT!
