The Name of the Game

Last Friday the Don ventured out to his first football match here in the States, and by football match I of course mean the type of football "...where you don't use your feet."  To quote a 'real' football fan.

It was, in fact, a high school game the Don went to, and high school (as well as college) football in Texas is something altogether different.  And by that I mean it's b-i-g.  Think playing in front of a crowd of 20,000 people... while you're still in high school.  When was the last time you saw that many supporters at Pittodrie?  Anyway, if you really want to find out more then it's definitely worth reading Friday Night Lights: a Town, a Team and a Dream which chronicles a season in the life of Permian High School over in Odessa, and "...shows how single-minded devotion to the team shapes the community and inspires - and sometimes shatters - the teenagers who wear the uniform".  It's also a really good commentary on the social, racial and economic aspects of the area, or at least how it was in the late 80s, but probably still partly holds true today.

Anyway, there are two high schools in Midland: Robert E. Lee High and Midland High, who are, as expected, fierce rivals.   The Don went to see a Midland High game, and I think it was their homecoming match because there seemed to be kings and queens on the field.  Despite asking about and looking up 'homecoming', we're still not really any the wiser as to what it is, though tonight would have been a carnival at Toots' school to celebrate homecoming, before the whole school pep rally, chilli cook-off, parade and football game tomorrow.  This evening was also Midland Lee's homecoming parade with floats, acrobats, a marching band and more, pounding the streets of Midland.  Except it chucked it down with rain most of the afternoon and most of the evening, so Trinity's festivities were cancelled and I imagine most of Lee's were too.  So at least it's not only Scotland where events are ruined because of the weather!

MHS Band (which is a big deal, apparently)

Homecoming Court

Touchdown MHS!