Matthew Osborne
On the endless road to Friday night games over 28 years, sometimes it’s hard to get into that mentality to be ready for another contest under the lights.
Yes, reporters have to be ready, too. We don’t get to hit anyone or be hit – or even run around for 48 minutes, which frankly can be a challenge for some of us. But motivation is key for everyone, and I need my motivational music to be in the right mindset.
While my go-to on Sundays is Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” to get me ready for the Eagles, my Friday night staple is Kenny Chesney’s “Boys of Fall.”
The chorus almost makes me tear up every time, which really punctuates the connection I have had with high school football over all this time.
“Well it’s turn and face the Stars and Stripes;
It’s fighting back them butterflies;
It’s call it in the air, alright, yes sir we want the ball;
And it’s knocking heads and talking trash;
It’s slinging mud and dirt and grass;
It’s I got your number, I got your back when your back’s against the wall;
You mess with one man you got us all;
The boys of fall.”
Those lyrics have so much heart in them. Those national anthems are nerve-wracking as anything. The idea of giving everything you have and being together with your teammates no matter what comes is kind of making me tear up right now just writing about it.
Look, I don’t condone what goes on at Kenny Chesney concerts. Frankly, nothing good ever comes of them, but this song was an absolute bullseye.
The first stanza really makes you feel like you are out on the field on a Friday night.
“When I feel that chill, smell that fresh cut grass;
I’m back in my helmet, cleats and shoulder pads;
Standing in the huddle listening to the call;
Fans going crazy for the boys of fall;
They didn’t let just anybody in that club;
Took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood;
To get to wear those game day jerseys down the hall;
Kings of the school man, we’re the boys of fall.”
All of us who are no longer in high school now almost get transported back to that moment. For me, I think of guys I was friends with who were ready to go out there Friday night and represent us, represent our community. Just seeing all that orange (yep, that color suits me for sure) walking the halls meant it was Friday, and that soon it was time to take care of business.
The second stanza is also spot on, giving you the feel of communities like ours who have such a deep connection to the team.
“In little towns like mine that’s all they got;
Newspaper clippings fill the coffee shops;
The old men will always think they know it all;
Young girls will dream about the boys of fall.”
I mean, first of all, who can live without the newspaper clippings? But on a serious note, there are so many coffee shop coaches who think they can do a better job than the men who are out there giving their time to our young people. But just like they think they know better than Kirby Smart or Arthur Smith, they usually don’t.
The main takeaway here is that we all love high school football, but our coaches and players are human. They make mistakes. They hurt, they bleed.
But they love each other like brothers, and they love this community. So whether we trounce a team or score 3 points against our hated neighbor, we all walk together forever.
So come out tonight and cheer for a win over White County, but to the players and coaches, we’ve got your number, we’ve got your back when you’re back’s against the wall.
You mess with one man, you got us all.
Matthew Osborne is the editor of The Northeast Georgian. Next week, we’ll talk about AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and its impact on football and daily life.