Go on strike. Go ahead. We don't care any more because football season is here. The bad thing about a Major League Baseball strike is that all of those steroids will be wasted.

Sure, I'd like to watch a World Series later this year. However, as long as I have high school and college football I really won't even notice if there is a strike.

The football season starts Thursday night for me when the Straughn Tigers host the Pleasant Home Eagles in the first high school football game of the 2002 season.

Since the game is being played on a Thursday night that means I get to cover two games this week involving teams from Covington County.

Then, I plan on going to Birmingham on Saturday for the Crimson Tide's season opener against Middle Tennessee State University.

I'll probably even watch the Auburn Tigers face Southern Cal on TV next Monday.

The start of the high school season, however, will be the highlight for several reasons.

High school football has something for everyone from the youngest fan to the oldest alum.

There is just something about being at a high school football game in Alabama.

This week fans will have the opportunity to see two games and I highly recommend attending.

The Straughn-Pleasant Home game should be well-played and no doubt it will be filled with excitement.

Then, on Friday fans can go watch the Andalusia Bulldogs face the Charles Henderson Trojans or check out the cross-county game between Red Level and Florala being played at Mathews Stadium in Florala.

Opp fans will have to travel to Luverne to catch the Bobcats' first game of the season.

Football is just one reason to attend a high school game. The halftime shows are another. The students in band put in countless hours of work preparing their shows and every year they shine on the gridiron.

There are other reason to attend, too.

Some people actually know little or nothing about the game of football and attend the games to socialize.

Many young children also attend the games only to wind up playing a game of two-hand touch football at one end of the stadium rather than watching the game.

The food is another reason to head to a local high school stadium. There is pizza, nachos, giant dill pickles, hamburgers, hot dogs and a variety of other tasty treats --including all kinds of candy.

Speaking of food, that is another reason I'm glad the high school football season is ready to kickoff.

I've been eating a little too much and not exercising at all.

I'll start getting a weekly workout thanks to the football season beginning with two workouts this week.

I'll be pacing up and down the sidelines taking notes and trying to get some good photos both Thursday and Friday night. It won't be easy, but trust me I need the exercise.

John Wallace is the sports editor of, and columnist for, The Andalusia Star-News.