It's in the air..People are talking and watching football practices,and upcoming games...2008 is here...ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL???
Today at church one of my friends came up to me and said "3 1/2 weeks"!!!!! I knew what she meant..B.Y.U. will play its first game..
My boys grew up with their Fav. NFL teams..They are loyal to this day...Long before now, there were NFL jammies, sweatshirts, hats and footballs..Everything you could buy we had for the boys..Christmas and Birthdays were so easy.....
Justin loved Pittsburgh Steelers
Brandon loved Denver Broncos
Ethan loved Dallas Cowboys (He's such a true blue fan, he named his only son Dallas)
Jake loved the Raiders
Joe loves the Chicago Bears
The boys have been part of a fantasy football for over 10 years..Brothers, and friends, and other family look forward to this every year..They have the dinners, the trophy, and the talk...Their teams are always going to win with their players...
Perhaps the love of football came from their G-pa Nielsen..He was the quarter back at South High School...He loved Football..One day his Father Christopher Nielsen was called to serve a mission.There were 8 children living at home, with 4 foster kids..G-ma told my dad he would have to quit the team and get a job..He worked at the railroad and gave his mom the paycheck to help out the family..My dad couldn't play on the team any more but he practiced with them whenever he could...Would you believe g-pa got a football scholarship at BYU?..Tell me the Lord doesn't work in mysterious ways..
That's where my appreciation for BYU Football begins...The grid iron saga continues..For the past 28 years we have watched and cheered for my Sisters husband Lance Reynolds...
He has been at BYU since 1983..He's been Assistant head coach since 2000..He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Played for the Philiadelphia Eagles..He has coached 19 bowl games..He is now the Running back Coach..But what I love about This Big Fella is his heart..He loves the players, and teaches them on and off the field what its like to be a great father, son, and husband...He is currently serving as Bishop in one of the wards at BYU.Lance has Two sons who will play this yr. at BYU..How exciting is that ? A father who is coach and his own sons on the team.
Dallas is 6 ft. 5 in. Weighs 332 lbs. He plays Offensive lineman..He is a senior this year. He has served a mission and is Married to Suzanne.
Matt is a Freshman this year who is also offensive lineman..He is 6 ft. 6 in. 315 lbs...He served a mission in Germany.
Lance jr. also played at BYU as center..He went on to play with Seattle Seahawks until he was injured. He served a mission and married Becky.They have a son Lance the third..Also a daughter Rylie..They are expecting their third child...
There is yet another Reynolds boy to play some football..Houston is serving a mission in Germany...We anxiously await his return and his talents to the team..
The Reynolds family is a great example of doing what you love and not sacrificing any virtues along the way..There is not a more noble or honorable family...
WE LOVE YOU GUYS...
Our love of the game will continue this year within the homes of the Heugly's.. We have Mike, Christopher, Hunter and Christian who will be playing little league Football..We all have our Favorite teams and players..
To all of you ....Have a fun season, and a great year of football..We will be there to cheer you all the way....
“Football Is an honest game. It's true to life . It's a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life.” Joe Namath
9 comments:
I have seriously been so excited! I can't believe it's already that time again....crazy! We're excited too! We love you guys, and are so lucky to have such a supportive family like you all!
Ironically, my memories of football growing up are all the things that YOU did - Subways, drinks, wings, steaks, burgers, chips, coke, and more coke...
Nut/treat bowl, nut rolls, snickers, licorice, and brown licorice.
Mostly, football means that the family is together. I remember two quick Grandpa stories: first, Grandpa Nielsen - I was playing defensive tackle and the quarterback went back to hand off the ball and I sacked him before he could hand it off. I pulled something in my leg and limped off the field. G-pa grabbed my shoulder and said, "Get back in there, they need you".
Next, Grandpa Heugly. Grandpa Heugly came to more games than I can count. He was a fan, not into Xs and Os. He was there for the love of the game and to support the boys. I don't ever remember inviting him..funny enough...but he was always there. I was too worried about my Vador Visor. One other story...After one of my high school games, I didn't shower and hurried out to my car. I'm not sure why I needed to leave the game quickly but I did. In the parking lot, I was merging at the same time Uncle Wally was merging to leave. I didn't even know Uncle Wally was coming to the game. I will never forget that. He leaned out his window and told me I did a good job. I will never forget that. Lastly, I can remember my parents going to every game. I can remember coming home from School one afternoon preparing myself for the "man-talk" with Dad. After I gained enough courage, I asked him "Dad, do you think I can play football for Alta?" He smiled, and I never looked back. I can remember my Dad coming up with new ways to fuel me before games. (And no, I never used anything..good old fashioned Port Chops). I can remember playing with Jake, who was the hardest hitting 50 pounder in the league. Who players Middle Linebacker at 64 pounds with no speed? Jake was quick and had a nose for the ball. Peach and Ethan for the many, many, many backyard games. "Arena Ball, on the sport court..to street ball." It's funny though, of all my family I love so dear, it was my oldest brother Justin who had the greatest impact on me. I'm not sure how, but I can still hear his voice today from my helmet on the field. I could hear him over everyone. I wanted to play well for my older brother who was proud of me. Now I see him as a proud fan of his sons. So Justin knows, that's why I drive to A.F. to see games.
On September 4th, I proposed to Marci...the night after driving to go see Matt Reynolds play Pleasant Grove. September 4th is the first weekend of football, always will be for me.
You don't hear from me in weeks, and now this....I love this game and I love my family.
Go Bears, Go Cougars
A few last points... (I know, breaking all etiquete...post too long bla bla bla..)
1) If you're not called for holding more than twice a game, you're not holding enough. (Come on, lineman humor)
2) Football is about technique. I can remember coach Wong telling me that unless I gained 35 pounds, I wasn't playing next year. I went from 190 to 235. Weights and running for all the "performance enhancing players of today..." By the time 2-a-days were over, I was down to 210. I played Center at 210 the rest of the year. I missed the game, but don't miss the hurt.
I am speechless. And my family will testify to the fact that it doesn't happen often. Someone asked me recently, how do you feel about the Fall time. Do you really smell football in the air? One of the last BYU games that my dad went to was the game with Miami. He so hesitantly asked my husband if he could get a sideline pass just for this game. He said he would be back in his seat by game time. Big Lance told him that he could have his field pass. My dad was down on the field at the Miami game. He wanted to "smell" the field. He wanted to hear the grunts from the players as they warmed up. He wanted to look up at 65,000 people knowing the excitement that he felt only matched theirs. So yes, you can smell football in the air. A friend asked me about football the other day and I said that sometimes you feel butterflies in your stomach. But mostly there is this pit in your stomach because the people you love most in the world are down there on a green field, getting shorts of novacaine in their ankles before the game as well as at halftime just so they can play and not feel the pain. These people practice every single day for several hours hitting the same people waiting for a game so they can hit someone from another team. These people fall down and get up with grass in their vision as they are looking out of the ear hole on their helmet. They practice and absorb information over and over again so that by game time their reactions become natural. Instinctive, no thought involved. There is a man with the knowledge of how to win every game there is, hoping that he expressed and taught that knowledge well enough. Hoping that each player feels successful and happy with his performance. Win or lose. This man thinks more about those players than he does himself or the game. This man wants his sons to feel good about their physical performance, their mental toughness and their athletic abilities that obviously come from Grandpa Nielsen. Size, weight, coordination, fast footwork, good hands, just all round natural athletic ability.
Thanks Sue for reminding me that I shouldn't worry so much, but just sit back and enjoy the show. It won't last forever.
That was so cool!! Isn't it so fun to be involved with and love something like football so much? Everyone should have some kind of passion, whether sports or music or whatever. For us, it has been the backdrop of our entire lives! So fun! Awesome trib- and i love the pic of jake and joe- oh, it seems like only yesterday...
This is an amazing post! Go g-ma! Go BYU and STEELERS! ARe family loves football as much as everyone else! FOOTBALL ROCKS! (you can tell by all the mini football stars in the fam :) We all love you guys so much! love, kinzie
I have always craved Football.....And I craved to sit by
granpa at a BYU game and see how many questions I could ask him about why did they do that?...Or what was that call?.....I wondered
why his hearing was bad during games....And as soon as it was over....He regained it.....I would make up dumb questions....As it would be payback time....for some dumb thing.....Maybe for throwing
peanuts in the air and seeing how
many he could catch in his mouth?
That was zero....And did he pick them all up?...That is a negative.....
And now to Football...Doesn't
Big Lance just carry the aura of a
Coach?...That big square head....And that square jaw....and
that big square neck.....Dang! if
that ain't a purty picture.....You
are the perfect Football Dad....And
those dainty demure sons.....Where
did they get their full figures?...
You have a tincy Mom and Dad Lance.
.....And there is something wrong
with this picture?.....
OK....If I can just be serial....That was Dads word for serious.....Just for a moment....
But I don't think I can because I
just can't.........I can't go there......maybe I might check in
later..........Mom.....
I feel like I shouldn't comment today, but I have had a hard day, so please let me, It won't be long, I just met Brittany, she is one sweet girl, I love her family as if they were my own. I never knew how you two were related, but now I know. Heavenly father brings people together whether you know it or not, I love coming to your blog, it is peaceful, joyful, and that is what I needed today, thank you for being my bloggin' friend. ps, we too, at this house is all up in football, being a tongan family, every cousin, uncle, brother is on a team somewhere. I love it, my husband played for awhile, but his love is for Rugby. take care, thanks for letting me stop by anytime, you might regret it. :)
All these comments are as touching and awesome as the post! Love it! God job Joe and G-ma. Oh, and Mom.
I will always remember me and mom sitting with dad at the BYU football games. He would also have his earphones on. But we never knew if the radio was really on or if he just didn't want us asking him questions. He would watch the game, pick his fingernails, chew on them and mom would say, "Dad, why did the quarterback throw that?" And dad would say, "Yeah." Then she would say, dad, was that big lance's fault? and he would say, "a blitz". I would say, dad, what's wrong with the defense? And he would look at me and smile. Mom and I finally started looking at each other and we'd start laughing. THEN he would look at us like, "Are you even here to watch the game?" I crave it and if I ever forget those games and dad trying not to hear us, help me find my alzheimer's meds.
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