Country Roads, Take Me Home

This weekend is a holiday on two counts. Of course, it is Labor Day weekend with the obligatory day off. But, much more importantly, it is the official start of the college football season.

And on an even more detailed note, the Mountaineers kick off at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon. Bring on the blue and gold, the Natural Light at unnaturally early morning hours, the Pride of West Virginia, Pat White and his quick scamper and all the rest of the glorious aspects of WVU football. I am ready to witness first-hand how Bill Stewart and the 'Eers can prove we don't need Rich Rod with all his drama and lies.

It's always a bit of a jolt to realize that, after all those years in Morgantown, with Mountaineer Field literally in my backyard, I am now so far removed. No more walking to the stadium with beers in my pockets, no more celebrations at Kegler's after a win, no more weary fans crashed on my couches after a day of football madness.

I still watch every game and cheer as fervently as ever. With DirecTV and some clever programming luck, I never miss a snap. But I do miss the comraderie that came with a whole town of crazy WVU fans united for one common goal. It's somehow not quite the same.

But, things change all around us, all the time. We can either roll with the punches or stubbornly dig our heels in to fight the inevitable. I know there are countless fans out there who can relate with relocation and a touch of loneliness this time of year. We can empahize with one another when we have to watch the games from a living room hundreds of miles removed from the campus.

But we can also take comfort in the realization that we're not alone. That passionate spirit will follow us no matter what. And that's the important thing.

Well, that and a winning season, a BCS bowl bid, and the ultimate dream of a national championship. Let's go Mountaineers!!