Friday Night Lights

What's up, sports fans.

Abby (third back on the left) and the Midland Varsity Pom Team.

With the school year back in full swing, our week-to-week routines have returned to normalcy. A big part of our Fall every year is coming out for Midland High's 'Home' games, where Abby and the rest of the pom team performs. We're going on our third year of spending every Friday night (well, every Friday night there's a Home game - fortunately we don't have to drive all over the state to other schools for this) lounging on bleachers and watching a bunch of teenage boys play grab-ass with a ball for a few hours. When Abby was on JV her Freshman year, she got to perform at the opening show, then did a little routine every time the Chemics scored a touchdown. Since making Varsity last year, however, she's still been doing those two things and performing at Halftime as well (afterwards Kris and I bow out, seeing how we've got zero interest in football - or sports at all, for that matter.)

So this evening marked our first outing at a Midland High Chemics football game; we'll be hitting up probably four or five more over the course of the next two months. Fortunately the weather was decent, we had our trusty bleacher seats (the padded, fold-up kind with armrests and a comfy back - total game-changer), and we were with the Tribe, so it turned out to be a pretty awesome night.

Check out the videos and pics below, folks - enjoy. . .

Kris and I rolled in around 5:30pm and took up shop nearby where Family Video used to be (pretty sure it's another dollar store now - society can never have too many of those), joining up with our usual tailgating crew (comprised of the Johnsons, Griffins, Keyes, and Colliers.) We hung out with them for about a half an hour or so pre-gaming and chowing down on some pizza for a bit before heading into the stadium for the pre-game show.

My parents had driven down to watch Abby perform this evening, and Kris and I touched base with them for a bit before joining our friends at the start of the game. While we were visiting with them, Abby and the Pom Team marched into the stadium . . . 

Yanked this pic off the MHS Pom Team's Instagram account (they always get better pics at these things since they've got better access to the girls.) Abby is third from the left here (it's hard to spot her sometimes when all the kids are wearing sunglasses with matching uniforms and hairstyles.)

The pre-game show with the band (I mistakenly thought one of these girls here was Abby, but she's actually off-screen to the right. . . but she's doing what every other girl here is doing so you get the jist.)

Abby, in the middle here behind the drum major.

Erik, having a blast.

As the game started up, it was evident that the other team was just a pile of hot garbage, and Midland High repeatedly scored on them. As a result, Abby the her fellow pommers had plenty of opportunities to perform the MHS Fight Song following every Chemic touchdown.

This is a shorter, easier routine for the kids, they could probably do this one in their sleep.

Later, following yet another touchdown, the girls pulled the drum majors into the kick line.

This poor bastard had to run this giant MHS flag down the entirety of the field and back following each Chemic touchdown (as tradition dictates.) Tonight it was raining, however, so that flag was waterlogged like a son of a bitch - had to have weighed a ton, the dude was clearly straining keeping it up.

At the end of the first half of the game, the band and pom team took the field to perform for the Halftime show (and the girls huddled up for their pre-routine hype session (or whatever the hell you call that.)

These halftime routines aren't nearly as complicated as their Competition Season routines, and they clearly don't have the floor space to spread out (seeing how they're hemmed in all sides by the frickin' marching band.)

After Halftime, us and our friends decided to bolt and rallied at a nearby bar that opened up a year or so ago, Nord Social, for a drink or two.

While we were there, the game wrapped up and the high schoolers - as always - took the field to take a crap-load of pics with their friends (like this one, with Abby, Ella and Harper recreating their old middle school favorite. . . again.)

I found a cup of tampons in the mens bathroom (believe it or not) and brought one back to the table at one point to prove that such a thing actually exists in a mens bathroom. At some point it ended up in Lonnie's cocktail.

Abby and some of her teammates.

Abby and whoever the hell this is.

With some other chick (I don't know half of her friends' names anymore.)

(I think this is Kennedy.)

More teammate pics.

Abby, Logan, Kennedy, and Kennedy's boyfriend.

She stayed taking pics on the field with people for awhile before finally heading home, right around the time Kris and I were wrapping up with our friends at Nord Social (which, truth be told, is not my favorite joint - it's plain and boring and the drink selection was kinda lame, I wouldn't be down with going back.)

A pic of their menu, for your viewing pleasure. . . in case you're ever in the area and want to know what to avoid.

- Brian