BEHIND THE LENS - November 23, 2007 -

Football Stars For Tomorrow - www.storkmontgomery.com

Playing a team twice in the same season
The Press Box and its purpose
This time the team plays for the band

Thanksgiving Day and we are still alive. I have three topics so let's roll.

Playing a team twice in the same season
So what are your chances of beating a team twice in the same season?

I think they are even odds on two evenly matched teams. I tend to look at the total experience when this occurrence happens. How anybody can give an advantage to either team amazes me.

In basketball you play each other in your region or district twice in a season regardless. If you were to give any advantage why would it not go to the most seasoned squad?

At this point in the season heart is a huge factor that you cannot overlook. A lot of coaches will tell you that the team that comes ready to play will win. I like that thought, but I like experience and hear more than just being ready to play to game. You can be ready to play and still lose in my opinion. I don't think the second time around plays that much into it when you have the heart and knowledge.

I think Army and Navy play harder when it's against each other more so than any other time. In horse racing you may run three or four times up against the same horse on your way to the KY Derby. Why does football get more attention when it comes to this factor?

Last thought on this topic, you can measure a lot of things, but you can't measure the heart when it gets right down to it.

Enough of this, let's move on.

I am going to pass the keyboard on these next two and speak from my heart and experiences.

The Press Box and its purpose
I have had the opportunity to visit a lot of different Press Boxes since I have been filming.

I am usually greeted with a simple "Hey or Welcome - you can setup over there OR you guys are in here' type of scenario... At Gallatin, we were treated like kings and at Wilson Central we were treated like dirt. Not trying to start any wars, but it is what it is.

My main purpose for being there is to capture the video for the breakdown. We arrived at Wilson Central's press box earlier in the year, only to be shuffled around like a deck of cards. I asked about several spots in the box, only to be told those spots were for anybody but media and football personnel.

In my opinion, the clock keeper, the announcer, radio, newspaper, both sets of coaches, film crew, and spotters are the only ones who have 'dibs' on the spots in this arena. Having front spot glass to these folks is an important part of what the fans pay for. After all, it is these people that are driving what is taking place on the field.

Wilson Central gave 'dibs' to everybody but us. After asking for several spots in the box, we were turned down and forced to the top of the press box where there was no electricity. This school is quite new and electricity was scarce. I will admit that back at the Dog Pound the school is old and the electricity has to be pulled from the bottom. But, we always make sure that everyone is plugged in and happy.

We are seeing more schools use higher technology in breaking down video, as the equipment has become more affordable to the school systems. Usually on our shoulders we are packing around $4,000 worth of equipment. It is not something that is feasible to be used in the elements.

We will be inside tomorrow night and Wilson Central will be on top, only because radio, two newspapers, several TV stations and other necessary personnel will be on the glass. I will end it at this; there won't be two women discussing last night's bridge match in front of the glass. Enough of that, let's move on.

This time the team plays for the band
In most instances, the band always plays for the fans and the athletes. They play the warm up music. They play the fight song when the banner falls or when there are touchdowns. They provide music at high moments in the game.

The biggest thing though, that these bands spend many hours working on a half-time field show. Even at 10,000 feet we all know that the band has a camp every year before school starts. This is where many long hours are spent perfecting the music, the choreography, timing and positions only to bring it all together to produce the show that entertains us all. These shows have their own theme and are used as a strong representation of the school.

It is customary for both the home band and the visiting band to perform at half-time. Since I have been filming in the state of Tennessee, I have never experienced a one-band half-time performance. However, this year at Wilson Central our band unloaded all equipment, and positioned themselves at the end of the end zone. They were all prepared to take the field, only to watch the time "gobbled" up by other events besides the performance of the bands. The time simply ran out, and as the players started to warm up, our band begin the process of loading their equipment back onto the semis.

When you get right down to it, "somebody got robbed". A parent, who drove to Wilson Central paid money and expected to see their child perform, got "robbed" because they did not get to see what they paid for. The semis don't run on good will, they run on fuel. The band members got "robbed" of their chance to display the show they have worked so hard to bring to you, the fan. If we take away the bands of high school football, then we end up being no different than a youth football game. It would be me playing music for you until the players took the field for the second half.

So maybe it is not about playing for the second time, or playing for the press box turf. Maybe, just for once, it is about the players playing for the band that have always played for them. When the horn sounds, I hope I look up and know the Bulldogs are playing for THEIR band.

That's A Wrap
Well tomorrow night, as you can tell from above; we will be back at the Dog Pound. Yes, we will be inside.

If you see us at the game give a shout or a wave.

I know in the end I will be writing next week about the Dogs moving on to the Semifinals. I feel good about this one. Until next week.

God bless and Take Care.

From Behind The Lens.
The Stork
“A man who truly delivers”

Football Stars For Tomorrow - www.storkmontgomery.com