Seasons Change

Ah. The second weekend in August. To all of us, it has different meanings. To Presidents, traditionally for the last 60 years, it means vacation from the heat of Washington, sometimes from the weather, other times from the frying pan they find themselves due to their own making. Off to distant climes, Florida, New England, California, Texas. To try and get away from it all. Good luck to that.

For Members of Congress, it is also a time to get away from the Washington humdrum. Junkets to exotic countries, like India, South Africa, Brazil, Japan. All justified as fact-finding missions. Sure. Or visits home to the district or state, to shore up support, especially if their incumbency is in jeopardy. Town halls, parades, pancake breakfasts. Sound familiar?

For Mr and Mrs Front Porch, it means possibly a vacation to the mountains or the shore, a last respite before the seasons change, kids back to school; or young adults getting ready to go back to college, or first job after graduation.

But to the die-hard football fan, it means the first pre-season game, and four weeks until the real deal. Fans all over the country dressed in their teams' colors, green and white, white and blue, black and gold, yellow and maroon. Chips and dips, beers and soda, even some wings or pizza bagels, all at the ready.

The passion returns, none like any other. People in the stands, screaming at the players, the refs, each other. Fans in their living rooms, yelling at the TV, as if the announcer or QB can hear them.

The games don't mean anything, not really. Oh, yeah? Tell that to the Jets and Giants fans in New York. Or the Raiders and 49er fans in the Bay Area. Or the fans of the Cowboys and Texans in Texas. Or even the Rams and Chiefs fans in Missouri. It's all about the bragging rights.

We all want our teams to do well in August. We believe that a good momentum in pre-season translates to a winning start and hopefully, a chance to go to the Super Bowl in February. But, as always, numbers don't lie. Teams that went 4-0 in August usually finish at 6-10 or 7-9, which means that you begin counting the days until spring training.

And then, the NFL draft and mini-camp are here before you know it! And the cycle begins anew.