Making Progress

We have had a few days of bad luck with weather recently.  Before arriving at school, I was listening to an Orlando radio station saying that heavy rain and thunderstorms were passing through town and heading  southeast.  I sort of knew we were going to get some rain later in the afternoon. We were forced indoors at 4PM.  We waited around and finally got back on the field at 5pm.  We actually got in 45 minutes of good work.  We had a few players who thought we were washed out and left the facility.  Bad move.  I guess Randy will handle this tomorrow.  Weather is a real problem in Florida during the spring and summer.  It could be absolutely pouring down rain in one place, and be absolutely clear a few blocks away.  I tell the kids:  "Never, Never assume we will not be practicing because of weather.  Always come to practice and lets us deal with it!" 

I hate when it rains before practice.  When the sun comes out, the whole place turns into a giant sauna.  Our practice fields are not exactly covered in shade; in fact, the only shade is the available is the little tiny ray of shade provided by our aluminum tower.  Other than this, it might as well be the Mohave desert.  Also, after the rainfall,  the mosquitoes (our State Bird) are really bad sometimes.  As we walk in the grass, these big black clouds of mosquitoes rise from the ground and swarm our legs and arms.  It looks funny when all the players and coaches are standing in grass and swatting their legs; however, mosquitoes are no joke.  I remember a few years ago, the entire state of Florida was put on a (I am going to do my best to spell this) Encephalitis warning.  We were forced to move all of our games to the early afternoon....or on Saturday.  Encephalitis is spread by mosquito bites, so the State put the cabash on all night games for a month or so.  Also, I notice the darn Love Bugs are swarming again.  They do not bite; however, they are very annoying and messy.  I hope the maintenance people keep our grass cut short for awhile.  The main practice field drains pretty well, and the band field drains REALLY well.  The 3rd practice field drains like a wet sponge.  I wish it did drain better,  because the field is the nicest one we have.  Life in Florida.  Sounds Glorious huh? 

Back home in Kentucky, the football fields used to freeze in the fall.  We would practice in the falling rain on our field; thus creating gouges and ruts in the dirt.  Then, if we had a cold front move through, the ground would freeze.  Walking on the field was like walking on large gravel.  I used to hate even walking on frozen fields, much less running.  Being tackled on a frozen field was misery.  Our arms and legs would start bleeding from the frozen dirt clods, and then the blood would freeze over.  No one cared if  you were bleeding back then; in fact, bleeding was encouraged because it made you look tougher, LOL.  Now days, after the first sign of blood, the trainer will pull a player out of the practice or game and dress the wound.  The very real fear of A.I.D.S has changed the world forever.  I remember when Professional Wrestlers used to "GIG" themselves with razor blades to make their foreheads bleed.  Guys like, Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk, Dory Funk, Harley Race, and my man RIC FLAIR used to bleed like crazy during a match.  With all the body to body contact among the wrestlers, it is amazing that more of these athletes did not have more problems. 

Later.
GZ