I love football. I especially love high school and college football.
I’m in football heaven this weekend, with the high school football season now in full swing, and college football getting started.
I awoke this morning with stanzas of “Rocky Top” dancing in my head as I prepared to watch my Tennessee Volunteers take on Bowling Green at 3 p.m. Saturday.
I’m proud to be a University of Tennessee alumnus. Yes, I’m a Tennessee Volunteer with roots that run deep in the Volunteer State.
The origins of Tennessee’s state nickname run deep in our country’s military history. Thousands of brave Tennesseans answered the call to serve the country during the War of 1812 and the Mexican War during 1840s, earning Tennessee the nickname of the Volunteer State.
Too often, we forget who the real volunteers are. We try not to think about sending our young men and women into parts of the world that see us as the enemy.
Instead, we prefer to talk about Crestview doing battle with Mosley or the Baker Gators having a war on their hands when they host a tough Blountstown team this week.
They are high school boys playing a game, but that game does prepare many young people for real battles and wars fought on the other side of the world in combat zones with complicated names.
We are surrounded by the military’s presence here. And I’d dare say all of us know several people who are active duty. We go to church, coach youth baseball or go fishing with them.
But unless we have a relative or close friend serving, we tend to forget about the sacrifices they are willing to make.
I never met Staff Sgt. Forrest B. Sibley, but almost 50 years ago his grandmother was my Cub Scout leader. His father was a few years ahead of me at Gulf Breeze High and he had an uncle a couple of years ahead of me and another that was two years behind me. When I learned of the Aug. 26 deaths of Sibley and Capt. Matthew D. Roland, the war “way over there” suddenly got a little closer to home.
Not too many years ago, these men, who will forever be known as national heroes who paid the ultimate price, were growing traits that would allow them to give their all for our freedom.
Friday night, when the boys “go to war” on the football field, they’ll return home safe and sound. Their worst fear is that of a season-ending injury. The mothers and fathers of our football players will know their sons are safe.
In the days and weeks ahead, I’ll be praying for the families of Staff Sgt. Sibley and Capt. Roland.
I’ll also be praying that by God’s grace, this war — which has lasted way too long — will soon end.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DICKSON: Remembering the real warriors