When he played in high school I was away at college, but I remember taking a special flight home so that I could watch his last game. Then came college football and lots of flights and drives to make his games. Even though he went to school in southern California and we still lived in Idaho, my parents saw a majority of his games and I caught more than a few. In fact, the first year my brother didn't play my parents and I commiserated on the phone one Friday night about our withdrawal symptoms. I was living in a place where I could see the local high school's lights go on and hear the cheers of the crowd and I couldn't comprehend that our many years of cheering were finished.

I can't in all honesty say I was that thrilled when football meant early mornings and frozen toes as a child, but the whole thing grew on me. When the air turns crisp and I see the lights of a high school field flip on, I can smell football in the air. I hope my brother has lots of sons so we can start the whole process over again.