PORT ANGELES — Summer’s never been my favorite season. And as the calendar flips to September and summer’s final three weeks slip past, football season, my true No. 1, begins in earnest tonight with the first edition of high school football’s Friday night lights.
It’s an irrational love, that’s for certain. Football is dangerous. It’s essentially a turf war with repeated car crashes in confined spaces. Players will suffer broken bones, muscle and ligament tears and maybe the most dangerous injury of all — concussions. Two high school players already have died while practicing in other states.
That’s a story I hope I’ll never, ever have to cover.
And the evidence that those who play this sport are putting themselves at increased risk down the road for degenerative neurological diseases linked to concussions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and CTE is vast and growing every day. The most recent study by Canada’s McMaster University looks at the brains of living former Canadian Football League (CFL) players. It is damning and even scarier than the brain studies conducted on deceased former players.
The study is available at tinyurl.com/PDN-ConcussionStudy.
I read it as I’ve read many others, an uneasy, nauseous feeling settling in my stomach.
But addict-like, I can’t stop consuming the sport.
The familiar buildup begins in July when I notice CFL games popping up and sit down and watch until the number of punts (the league only allows teams three downs on offense) drives me batty.
Year after year, I’d pony up the $60 for the year’s college football video game, until former players rightfully sued and won a judgment for the uncompensated use of their likenesses and the game stopped being made.
I’d pay $100 each season with the extra proceeds going to a fund to pay the players if they’d only bring that game back. Truthfully, I’d probably pay even more.
Preseason games don’t do much for me, but I loyally watch HBO’s Hard Knocks series, a behind-the-scenes look at a different NFL team’s training camp each year.
And I tune in and watch the Seahawks, waiting patiently for the real thing.
No season will likely top 2013. My dad’s health slipped in late summer and after a short hospital stay, he died in mid-September, the same day the Seahawks dominated the 49ers, despite a delay caused by a rare lightning storm in western Washington.
And all Seahawks fans know the ultimate outcome of that team — Super Bowl champs.
And 2013 saw my Washington State Cougars, after a decade wandering the college football desert, finally make a bowl game for the first time since 2003. Of course they lost that game in confounding fashion and finished with a losing record.
But those games gave me something to focus on besides my grief.
I’m depressed after the college football season ends, usually poorly for my beloved and bedeviled WSU, and I’ve been despondent after the Seahawks close up shop — behavior that dates back to a 1987 Seahawks playoff game ended in overtime by the fiendishly accurate foot of Houston kicker Tony Zendejas.
Mostly, I’m just sad that it’s over for another six or seven months.
It’s often said that football is the modern-day equivalent of gladiators competing in ancient Rome’s Coliseum.
But there are no more gladiators, Roman, or American, another passion of 10-year-old me.
And in a few short decades, there may not be football when enough parents decline to sign those permission slips, or when schools can’t afford insurance or lawyers file enough lawsuits after injuries. And maybe that’s a good thing if it prevents more people from the effects of CTE, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
But as irrational as my love for this game is, as damaging as I know it to be, it makes me feel alive and connected to friends, family and fellow fans like no other sport. Your team, your tribe, right?
It’s time for the coin toss, and the 2017 kickoff is moments away. Enjoy it all.
Neah Bay at Chimacum
PORT TOWNSEND — The rebuilding (or reloading) Red Devils and Cowboys open the season together for the second straight season in tonight’s 7 p.m. contest at Memorial Field.
Neah Bay, the defending eight-man football state champions, lost much of their offensive and defensive production to graduation and have 13 new players this season out of a turnout of 27.
Despite these facts, the Red Devils reputation and pedigree precedes them, as Neah Bay earned the most first-place votes (three) and was picked second in the Class 1B Associated Press preaseason prep poll.
Chimacum coach Mike Dowling has plenty of returners at the skill positions but will have to work some of those players into the offensive and defensive lines early on this season.
He said his team can’t take any breaks in order to snap its nine-game losing streak.
“We will have to play a full four quarters to win against any of our opponents,” Dowling said earlier this month.
“I think we are capable of doing that.”
I agree. But I don’t think this is the game where Chimacum snaps that skid. Next week, however …
Prediction: Neah Bay 28, Chimacum 12
Port Angeles at Mount Tahoma
TACOMA — The Roughriders head south for a game with the Class 3A Thunderbirds at 7 p.m.
Mount Tahoma plays in the 3A Pierce County League with top-tier teams like Lincoln, Bonney Lake and Lakes. They return a junior and senior-studded roster, players Port Angeles had trouble matching up with both in terms of size and speed last season.
The Riders’ quest to snap their 16-game losing streak will likely last a little while longer.
Prediction: Mount Tahoma 26, Port Angeles 6.
Forks at Vashon
VASHON — The Spartans and Pirates should know each other well by now, this is the third straight season the teams have met.
Vashon has a new coach and must find a way to replace Bryce Hoisington, the state’s leading rusher in 2015.
Prediction: Forks 20, Vashon 14
Saturday’s Games Tacoma Baptist at Crescent
JOYCE — The Loggers and Crusaders met twice last season, in both team’s season opener and in the district playoffs. Tacoma Baptist won both games, the opener 54-6 and the playoff game 69-36.
Crescent will have to corral Crusaders quarterback PJ Talen, the SeaTac 1B MVP last year. He passed for 1,259 yards with 19 touchdowns and no interceptions in 2016 and also rushed for 1,401 yards and 20 touchdowns without fumbling.
Prediction: Tacoma Baptist 54, Crescent 20
Quilcene at Mary M. Knight
MATLOCK — The Rangers knocked off the Owls by scores of 52-0 in the season opener and 50-14 in the district playoffs last year.
Expect a similar result with Quilcene returning many linemen and much of its offensive backfield and secondary on defense.
Prediction: Quilcene 50, Mary M. Knight 6
Port Townsend at Sequim, canceled.
SEQUIM — A lack of eligible players forced Port Townsend to postpone its season opener with the Wolves. Sequim Athletic Director Dave Ditlefsen said the Wolves looked to replace the Redhawks on their schedule but were unable to find an opponent at such a late date.
Sequim will open its season on the road at Class 1A power Montesano next Friday, while Port Townsend will visit Civic Field for a game with Port Angeles next Friday.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
