Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Writer looks forward to football

It wont be long until Friday, Sept. 1, and the Gurdon Go-Devils will take the field for an opening season home game against Jessieville.

In the past, Jessieville has been a tough, but beatable opponent. Time will tell how the teams really shape up for this year.

I was sitting on the porch at my house Sunday morning before church, because it was too hot to fish and yet I still wanted to hear a few sounds of nature with my coffee.

I noticed the old smoke shop across the way, previously operated by fire chief Robert Burns during a bit more prosperous economic times.

What I noticed was the school colors; gold and purple.

As some of you who read Johns Journey on a regular basis may recall, I graduated Hagerstown, Indiana High School in 1977 and the school colors were also gold and purple.

Our school taught us that the purple color was one of loyalty and heart, while the gold color was one of strength and endurance that it takes to win a battle.

I must admit, the Go-Devils have a much better football program than the Hagerstown Tigers did. I was a band kid.

I remember during my senior year just blowing charge on my trumpet as loud as I could from the football stands. You see, I was excited because that was the only time the whole season our football team scored!

We played in the rain. We all went to the game and tooted our horns anyway, but most people on the football team had basketball in their genetics and were just waiting things out to play some round ball.

So when we actually scored, there was a glimmer of hope that inspired me and the rest of the band.

I have a lot higher hopes for the Gurdon Go-Devils. They can not only score, they have been picked to be winners in their new conference.

Last year, from the stands, I remember taking notes and watching the police and a farmer leave in a hurry. It seems that a cow had gotten inspired by the football game and gotten loose on Main Street.

With a little effort, that cow was captured without too much hassle.

Well, whether it is another cow, or some inspirational song the band plays this year, excitement will be in the air at the Go-Devil stadium on Sept. 1 and on several Friday nights to follow.

I will be there as often as I can to try and capture a bit of that excitement using words on a page.

Until next time, this is John, still on his Journey.