Mad Dogs, Englishmen and...

Football fans! My husband Phil and I joined more than 80,000 of our closest friends for the first football game of the 2008-2009 season at the world-famous Ohio State University horseshoe stadium Saturday. I don't know how the players felt, but 508 degrees is definitely too hot to sit in the stands. Seeing the alumni marching band members, drum majors and cheerleaders added a great dimension to game! But you had to feel a little sorry for the Youngstown State Penguins. Not only did the football team lose 43 to 0, but the marching penguins graciously agreed to perform their halftime musical selections after the second half of the game. This made it possible for the alumni and current marching bands to perform four simultaneous "Script Ohios" during halftime. (Even as white-haired, wiry old men, those drum majors can still do the high steps and catch flying batons!)

The only problem was that, by the time the game was over, the fans were more than WELL DONE! And most were LONG GONE!! Sorry Youngstown, I hope to see your band sometime in the future. Try for a day when the temperature is below 80... and a little cloud cover would be great.