district tournament time. We were starting up weekly f.b. meetings about then and I found my mind wandering to football. We had a good local league but some of these district coaches think they're Connie Mack.
I always get a little down as f.b. season winds down and find I miss it for a few weeks. I've been fortunate to work a week or two into the playoffs but there are too many ahead of me to make it past the early rounds.
Barring anything unforseen, this will be the first season that I've worked every Friday night save the opening week when there are just a few games scheduled in our area. I've worked almost every Thursday too. I used to call 3-4 days, maybe even 5 per week. Now 2, maybe 3 is all I get but physically I fear that I'm going to have to cut back soon or come off the wing.
I'm not a fitness buff but do try to work out 3-5 days a week at lunch to be in some semblance of shape to officiate. I'm 43 and have called for the past 13 years. Like most guys my age, I ought to drop a few pounds and actually did lose 10 over the summer. I laugh at what the doctor's chart thinks I [I]should[I] weigh
The cooler weather the last couple of weeks has really gotten to my knees and hips and its difficult to get loose. We come dressed to the game site and pre-game stretching can be minimal. I suffer from plantar faciitis, arthritis and favoring my right foot to keep the pressure off the heel has led to tendonitis in the achilles this season. Its a struggle to take those first few steps out of bed on Friday and Saturday mornings.
I don't really want to be an umpire and I don't know if I can get selected as a WH. I don't want to hang it up but I don't want to get to the point I'm not effective. I've felt at times that I'm not getting downfield fast enough and thanking God that I've got a BJ on Fridays at least.
OK, now I'm depressed
