marching band and beyond

i just found out that DCI is going to be broadcast on prime time on ESPN@. check it out here. i think that my heart actually skipped a beat when i saw that. seriously. if you didn't know me during high school, then you won't really understand how big of a part of my life marching band was.

we weren't your typical marching band. we had a tradition of winning, a reputation for coming out on top...no matter what. while i was in high school, we carried on the tradition, and we carried it well. we might have been cocky and egotistical, but we should have been...we were good.

last weekend, the town i grew up in held it's annual festival. on saturday morning i went to the parade, mostly to bring back some old time memories. they were great memories. as i watched the local high school bands march down the street, there was this tremendous sense of pride that welled up from somewhere deep in the pitt of my stomach. just by watching them, i knew that there was no way they could ever be the band we were.

this time of year always brings back those memories. i get excited when the weather gets a little chill in it. when it's warm until the sun goes down...too cool for just a tee shirt and jeans, but add a jacket or sweatshirt or sweater and it's just right. i call it "football weather" but it's funny because in refering to football, i still always think of marching band.

it would be a awesome to go back and be able to relive some of those experiences. there are so many to choose from, i wouldn't even know where to start...probably somewhere in the state championships, national championships area. i guess i'll always have the memories, the pictures, the videos, the cds. and i guess now i have DCI on ESPN2 to help relive the good ol' days of my high shool past.