Football Preview

Today was Brother's Spring football game at Peru State College.  Conveniently, the date of his Spring game is always on the same day as the Huskers' Spring game, forcing me to choose between supporting family and supporting my alma mater.

Family wins.  Every time.

A fun thing about Brother's football stadium is that they don't have a pet policy.  In fact, dogs are welcomed there.  I'm pretty sure that Memorial Stadium would never consider such a policy.

So, I packed up Harper, and we headed to Peru.  She really is a good passenger.

My parents absolutely love spending time with their grand-dog, and they delight in having her around:

It's hard to evaluate the performance of the team, since Peru's Spring game (like most) was merely a scrimmage.  Brother played for most, if not all of the game.

At least I think he did.  I'm afraid that I may have spent more time watching this little monster than I spent watching football.

She's cute, no?

My Other Favorite Football Team

I was probably one of the very few Nebraskans who didn't wear red today.

I wore blue.  Actually, gray with blue writing.

As much as it pains me to not wear red in support of my alma mater, I am proud to put on my blue and gray to support my brother, who plays football for Peru State College.  Today, my parents and I went to watch him play.

Brother is #72.

He is listed on the roster as being 6'2" and 310 pounds.  He's an offensive lineman.  More specifically, he's a right tackle.

The movie The Blind Side explains the significance of the role of the left tackle - the team's best pass blocker.  The left tackle is credited for protecting the quarterback's blind side as he throws the ball.

The right tackle (which is what Brother is) is usually the team's best run blocker.

Most running plays are towards the strong side (the side with the tight end) of the offensive line. Consequently, the right tackle will face the defending team's best run stoppers.

He must be able to gain traction in his blocks so that the running back can find a hole through which to run.

I am happy to report that Brother blocked very well today.

I very much enjoyed the time that I got to spend with my family...

Unfortunately, the Bobcats did not win today.  But I always appreciate the good sportsmanship that is displayed during and after a defeat.  Brother has always been really good at sportsmanship.  I love watching how encouraging he is to his teammates on the sidelines and on the field.

After the game, we learned that Brother sustained a bit of an injury.

He took a helmet to the forearm, which caused him to lose his ability to grip and squeeze for a while, but he claimed that it was starting to feel better.  The trainers wrapped it with ice to reduce the swelling of a lump that had appeared.

Despite the loss, Brother agreed to take some pictures with his fan club...

I love you, Brother.  And I love watching you play the game that you love so much.

Go Bobcats!