Keith Welch: Time for football
The NFL season began a few weeks back. There are always a few surprises with scores and which teams might win on any given week.
Back in October 2007, I had an opportunity to get my picture taken with four Indianapolis Colts after they won the Super Bowl in January of that year. Here is the picture:
The one to my right is Marlin Jackson whom many Michigan people would know from his playing days at University of Michigan.
When my son saw this picture he said, “Photoshop is great, huh, Dad!” I replied, “No, this is really me in this photo.”
A former Indianapolis Colt receiver, Tim Brown, was the celebrity at The Salvation Army Golf Tournament in Indy. I had three of his football cards from the past and ask him to sign each one. He very graciously signed all three. One went to my son, one to my wife’s mom, and one for myself.
I lawyer I worked with on our human resource issues, his company has a box seating for the Indianapolis Colts Lucus Oil Stadium. He would invite me to these box seats which also included a parking space there. I sat in the wonderful cushioned seating and had great food which was available for this partially enclosed box. It was a wonderful way to view the games.
I remember when the Indianapolis Colts played at the RCA Dome. This dome was imploded when the present Lucus Oil Stadium was completed.
My wife’s mom was able to get me a Payton Manning signed poster. I still treasure it and still need to get a large frame to protect it.
Fantasy Football is another activity many are playing. We have ten teams through our family members. These teams have a mixture of players from many teams. It is kind of like the best guess on who will give your team the most points.
One Salvation Army Christmas Season we had an Indianapolis Colts Strength Coach, Mike Stupanic, leading our Kettle Kickoff ceremony at the Salvation Army Indiana Divisional Headquarters outside on the lawn. The stage was set and we many people seated in chairs. Mike got up to the microphone and yelled in a loud voice, “OK, I want all you people off your butts!” I couldn’t believe it, but it did make me laugh.
There is a pee-wee football field in Wichita, Kansas named Sander’s Field. Barry Sanders was originally from Wichita and he paid to have the field placed in this location.
Emmitt Smith, the past running back for the Dallas Cowboys, learned to play football at a Florida Salvation Army youth football league.
Maybe you noticed the end zones of the Dallas Cowboys stadium. Cowboys Star … Salvation Army Shield … Cowboy’s Star … Salvation Army Shield. … The National Salvation Army has their kettle kickoff in that stadium during the Thanksgiving halftime of the game.
Greg Jennings, a wide receiver who played for Green Bay Packers and later the Minnesota Vikings, played biddy basketball at The Salvation Army in Kalamazoo. They won the state tournament and went to Florida to place seventh in the world biddy tournament.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (I Corinthians 9:24)
Football players always have protective gear. For the most part it works well, but there are sometimes when a player gets hurt. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. … Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10 & 13)
Sure, everyone has their favorite teams. My son likes the Kansas City Chiefs and my daughter is a Green Bay Packer Fan. What is your favorite team?
— Keith J. Welch is a resident of Holland. He has an MFA in creative writing and is a retired Salvation Army Major. Contact him at Keith.welch16@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Keith Welch: Time for football
