Football season returns, and we're here for it

Baseball has been known as America’s “pastime”. The world’s game is soccer. But as summer ends and fall begins, football — our football — takes center stage.

It’s easy to understand why: Everyone gets a role.

The players and coaches work hard and give their best for each precious game.

The bands and cheerleaders hype the crowds.

Booster club members grill burgers and hot dogs to raise money for uniforms and trips.

Fans show up early to tailgate and then support their teams.

Football season has begun, and we’re looking forward to every flea flicker and dusty 3-yard gain. The anticipation of a long field goal that just slides inside the upright and improbable touchdown on a one-handed catch. And the pressure of one more defensive stop as the clock winds toward 0:00.

It just doesn’t get much better than that!

High school teams have gotten their season underway, and we know every game will be hard fought. We look forward to following all the area teams as they march toward a possible state championship.

Colleges and universities have begun their season, too, and the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks have already played twice.

They sit at 1-1, after a heart-breaking loss at New Mexico State last weekend. They romped over North Alabama in the FCS Kickoff in Montgomery, Alabama, to open the season.

Coach Tom Matukewicz will lead the team into Big South-OVC play for the home opener at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, against University of Tennessee-Martin.

The stadium at Houck Field is a year removed from its remodeled new beginning. It looks great and will only become more impressive as the rebuild continues.

On the professional level, the two-time defending NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs open their season Thursday, Sept. 5, at home against the Baltimore Ravens. No NFL team has ever won three titles in a row. Can the Chiefs? We’ll know in about five months.

Speaking of being in the know …

Our annual Southeast Missouri football preview, Gridiron Magazine, is available at area Rhodes convenience stores. Sportswriters from around the region preview all the high school teams and the Redhawks. It’s an indispensable guide for football fans in Southeast Missouri.

As this season gets going, good luck to all the players at every level. We wish them a successful and safe season.

And we’ll see you in the stands!