Appreciates AHS stadium

Dear Editor:

Being a fooball fanatic as I am, I enjoy all types of football games, whether its high school, college or pro games. I've surely played my part as a couch potato with the remote in hand during a game, but I have to say there's nothing like actually being there. I've been to a few college and pro games, but I've definitely made more trips to high school football games than any other.

My brother played in the band at Andalusia High School during their winning era so that

meant four straight years of attending every game from regular season, play offs and also

state championship games. To say the least, I've been in all types of high school stadiums in the past and have also been to all of the road games this year.

Unless my younger days are locked away in a memory bank somewhere. I can't recall being this disappointed at some of the

road games I've witnessed this year. I realize that every stadium is unique in their own way. Some bigger, nicer, etc. AHS just completed four road games in a row. Two of those made you pay-to-park. A couple of those had the poorest lighting known to man. With one of them having the light poles stand between the bleachers and the field. Needless to say at a certain point, you were "blinded by the pole."

Some of the bleachers were so low to the ground, you were almost at field level. In that case, the football players standing on the sidelines were blocking from your view from the game. The fields weren't marked off like we're all used to. One had to sometimes guess where the ball actually rested. If you looked really hard, you could see the imprint of the yard line and numbers.

I have to say, the most unusual thing I noticed was during AHS's last road game of the season. I had made a joke to a friend that traveled the three hour journey about some "porta pottys" I saw on the home field side. Only to find out that it was no joke. If you had to go, that's where you went. I've seen it all now.

I'll tell ya, that makes me appreciate everyone's contribution to make AHS football a success, win or lose. From the ones in charge of servicing the lights so everyone can see inside and outside the stadium, the ones that stock the concessions and make it easy to find what you want without having to walk a mile for a drink, the ones that paint the field, each yard line, each number so you know exactly where the ball is, the ones that help you park without asking for a dime, and mostly to have stationary bathrooms. Boy, I'm glad to be home.

Jim Brown