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2022 Year In Review

2022 Year In Review

After the last two years, it’s hard to say that a season was unusual. 2020 had so many twists and turns. Including spring games until June in New York City. Last year, there was some turbulence with scheduling. And I hurt my back after my trip to Arizona and things went downhill as the season went on.

This year, I was mostly healthy. Though getting older is not without its pitfalls. And things seemed to go on as planned. But my entire year had been affected by things including the economy and personal matters. I usually have a rather open personal life in the fall for football. And just work a bit more in the first eight months of the year. 2022 wasn’t that year. Continue reading “2022 Year In Review”

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2022 Week 17 (Florida)

2022 Week 17 (Florida)

The end of my season hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Weekends where I expected to travel, I didn’t. And this week was supposed to be my trip to Texas. However, I knew at the PIAA Finals that I wouldn’t be able to leave Monday for Texas. At over 1200 miles the trip to AT&T Stadium would take two days. So, I would miss the Wednesday slate of games. If I could leave on Tuesday. But, I wasn’t going to be able to leave until Thursday. Which meant one day. So, instead, I went to Florida. Continue reading “2022 Week 17 (Florida)”

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2022 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)

2022 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)

The Pennsylvania Finals had been held at Hershey’s Hersheypark Stadium since 1998. With the state finals starting in 1988, it took four seasons before all four games were held at just one location. Before Hershey, and after those first four seasons, the games were held at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium. In the first and fourth year, games were held all over. Penn State, Shippensburg, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, and South Stadium in Pittsburgh even. Continue reading “2022 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)”

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2022 Week 13 (Minnesota)

2022 Week 13 (Minnesota)

Minnesota was the second half of a two week trip to the Upper Midwest. This was the second straight year, and third overall, where I’ve had an Iowa-Minnesota trip planned. After taking a few days respite in Sioux City, Wednesday was a quick drive northeast to Minneapolis. Leaving Sioux City, we stopped at Casey’s on the south side of the city for the cheaper gas. And then followed US75 northeast around the bypass. In La Mars, I followed the major highway as it changed from US75 to IA60 past Sheldon and into Worthington, Minnesota. Continue reading “2022 Week 13 (Minnesota)”

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2022 Week 12 (Iowa)

2022 Week 12 (Iowa)

This week did not go as well as I had hoped. It was part of a two week trip to Iowa and Minnesota. On the heels of returning from Fargo the previous weekend. I woke up on Monday and my right eye was hazy. Similar to looking through a white fog. I still felt horrible from the previous week. So, I planned to just soldier through it. Thought maybe I had poked my eye while sleeping the night before. Continue reading “2022 Week 12 (Iowa)”

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2022 Week 11 (Fargo)

2022 Week 11 (Fargo)

In Minnesota, the football playoffs have two segments. The latter are the state playoffs. The eight section champions in each class conduct an 8-team, 3-week tournament culminating with state semifinals and finals at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. To get those 8 section champions, they conduct section championships. And in northwestern Minnesota, as many as they can are scheduled for the Fargodome across the border in Fargo, North Dakota.

A few years ago, I found this out at the last minute, but couldn’t attend more than just two of those eight games. I had prior commitments and couldn’t stay longer. However, this year, I planned to be at them all. Nine games over two days. Continue reading “2022 Week 11 (Fargo)”

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2022 Week 9 (Arizona & New Mexico)

2022 Week 9 (Arizona & New Mexico)

I knew early on I’d be in Arizona for Thursday and Friday this week. So, my biggest issue was finding a Saturday game. Suburban Phoenix had enough in the way of Thursday games and the obvious Friday night contests to choose from. Saturday, though? Not so much. I had thought that Lordsburg, New Mexico had a game on Saturday. It was actually for Thursday. So, I went over things and saw Las Cruces would have games on Friday night and Saturday night. Continue reading “2022 Week 9 (Arizona & New Mexico)”