Friday Night Lights...

 

It Begins...

 

The 2014 football season actually began back in the frigid days of January when Xavier's gridironmen convened in the weight room to begin hoisting tons of iron for Coach Chris Stevens '83.

 

It picked up steam in June when the tribe gathered on the hot dusty plains of Red Hook, Brooklyn, on theMonday following graduation for a week-long mini-camp during which The Amazing, Fantastic Gridiron Wayback Machine was taken out of its packing crates, reassembled and tuned up.  The 16th Street Kids also got their first look at whatever offensive wrinkles and defensive schemes Coach Stevens, defensive co-ordinatorKevin Kelly and their fellow mad football scientists on the coaching staff had hatched in their labs since last Thanksgiving's stirring 33-0 triumph over The Ancient Foe Who Dwells Atop Rose Hill.

 

Then came August, and with it another grueling week of practice back at Red Hook, followed by another week at Coach Chris's Holiday Camp for Wayward Gridiron Lads (Where No One Can Hear You Scream).  The 16th Street Kids managed to make their way back home from the upstate New York wilderness late on the Friday afternoon of Labor Day Weekend, and celebrated the last holiday of summer by scrimmaging three— count 'em three— other high school teams in Warwick, New York early the next morning.

 

The Team Formerly Known as the Kaydets... and then the Bruins...(Est.1882) formally opens their 2014 season tonight against Brooklyn's Xaverian High School at Aviator Field (where the Lion Sleeps).  Kickoff is at 7:00 PM 16th Street Sum-Sum-Summer Time.

 

John Polis '82 is leading an expedition to tonight's game, and the rally point is P.C.'s in Bay Ridge.  This fine establishment is owned by John's classmate (and former teammate) Craig Pazarecki '82, a.k.a. "The Falcon". If you wish to be a part of JP's Excellent Adventure, you can contact him at jwpolis@gmail.com.

 

Aviator Field is located at Brooklyn's historic Floyd Bennett Field on Flatbush Avenue, just off the Belt Parkway (Exit 11S) and across the Gil Hodges/Marine Parkway Bridge from the Rockaway and Breezy Point.  (Some refer to this exotic yet mysterious region as the Irish Riviera.  Others call it Broad Channel's Sundeck.  Do not heed this latter group, for they are wisenheimers and shall get theirs.) 

 

Directions from any corner of the galaxy to Aviator Field can be found at http://www.aviatorsports.com/ content/directions-0.

 

Parking at Aviator is ample, free and secure.

I'll be back (late) this evening with more football (and rugby) info, but I have some things to do before I head out to Aviator, so I shall leave you in peace.

Stand by... 

Tom O'Hara '69

Good (wee hours of the) morning, Xavier Nation.

 

The good news: tonight's varsity game against Xaverian was an exciting seesaw battle before the largest crowd I've ever seen at a regular-season Xavier gridiron contest against an opponent not named Fordham Prep.  Both schools' fans were out in force.  Good to see.

 

The bad news:  the 16th Street Kids lost to the Clippers 20-14.

 

Details to follow.  (I'm hitting the sack.)