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“Sports is life with
the 30 years ago this month marked the last time I had to get up early for two-a-days. You could make a case that sleeping in is one of the most enjoyable, if not critical aspects of being a teenager. But football beckoned and although the first 5 minutes after rolling out of the sack were a little brutal, shortly thereafter you were glad you got your butt out of bed and got moving. 30 years later, I’m still glad. So, when the Novi Wildcats opened camp at 8:00am sharp on Monday morning, they are using those additional waking hours to prepare for the Chelsea Bulldogs and the first away game of the 2004 season. It’s obvious the Novi faithful support their teams vigorously at home and on the road, so I thought you might like some more grist for the mill. 1- This is the rubber match of a 3 game set, as both schools held serve at home. Chelsea won 13-10 in ’02, and Novi prevailed 49-20 last year. 2- Both teams are perennial playoff contenders. Last year Farmington Hills Harrison ended Chelsea’s playoff run, and Brother Rice ended Novi’s. Each of those schools have been to the Dome… a lot. Novi and Chelsea have aspirations for the Dome this November neither wants to start the season 0-1. 3- Both teams were hit hard by graduation. Chelsea has a senior first policy so they only return 6 starters on their entire roster… Novi fans are curious to see how the Cats follow up on last years dream season. 4- Chelsea’s heralded Coach, Brad Bush, left for EMU temporarily, but then decided to stay at Chelsea and they have embraced his return and rallied around this presence. 5- Chelsea’s Stadium (much like Novi’s) offers one of the nicest, esthetically pleasing high school fotball venues you’ll find anywhere. The place will be packed, the corridors will be jammed, the parking lot will be full, and the snack bar lines will be long. In other words, the whole town will not only be buzzing about it, the whole town will be there. Ah… high school football… one of the last
bastions of purity in the world of sport. Support these kids, their effort
and sacrifice, and the school they represent. I bet I speak for a lot of dads and graduates that sit back and watch, and wish we could suit up one more time. Just as long as we didn’t have to get up too early!
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