Game week is finally here for the local high school football teams.
It's an exciting time of the year for the schools and their fans. Like many other places, football is king around here. There's just something special about a good crowd cheering on high school athletes under the Friday night lights. The games become a social gathering spot and of course offer an opportunity to show school pride while watching some good football.
Before that first pass is thrown and the first stadium burger is consumed, be sure to check out our new football magazine.
This year we've taken our annual football section to the next level, offering an 80-page color magazine filled with player pictures, team photos, schedules, previews and more.
Subscribers should have received their complimentary magazine in the mail over the weekend. Non-subscribers may pick up their copy at the Courier News office for just a couple of bucks.
This year, we've partnered with several of our sister newspapers to produce what I feel is our best football section to date, at least the largest in scope since I joined the CN back in 2002.
You can read all about the Mississippi County teams -- Blytheville, Gosnell, Osceola, Rivercrest and Manila -- as well as Trumann, Marked Tree, EPC, Harrisburg, Piggott and Rector. The magazines will be distributed in those areas as well, which is neat for the players and schools and a pretty good deal for the sponsors who can reach new markets.
Like football itself, there were some challenges and a learning curve with this being the first magazine -- and it took some strength and patience from God to clear the hurdles and beat the deadline.
But we're pretty happy with the final product. The magazine was definitely a labor of love.
I hope readers enjoy flipping through it and checking out their favorite players and teams.
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College football got underway last week and so did the new-look Pigskin Panel.
We're sad to see David Tennyson and Harry Darby leave, especially because they served so many years as the anchor -- holding down the bottom.
Just kidding, guys.
Though there is no way to really replace a David Tennyson or Harry Darby when it comes to making football predictions, Courier News Regional Advertising Manager Lisa Bryant and Caruthersville Democrat Argus Sports Editor Matthew Duckworth will try as the new additions to the panel.
It was a split championship last year, with Aaron FitzPatrick and yours truly tying for first. Andy Weld hung around but wasn't much of a threat at the end, nor were Chris Pinkard or Steve Knox.
They'll have to step up their game this year to avoid the dead last label held for so long by Mr. Tennyson (I'm sure glad he's had such a good sense of humor all these years).
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I'm also participating in the local Rotary Club's football contest, defending my Rotary Gridiron Steak Chase championship.
We're divided into three groups, with the winning team earning a steak lunch at the season's conclusion.
I've got some pretty knowledgeable teammates: Alisha Crawford, Billy Curl, Brenda Allen, Bruce Young, Dave Fieber, David Gullic, Diane Hay, John Huffman, LaRay Cloud, Linda O'Guin, Mary Gay Shipley, Ralph Beaty, Ralph Todd, Richard Atwill, Sabrina Minyard, Sarah Regan and Susan Carter.
They're all good Rotarians and hopefully successful prognosticators.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com