You can always tell when it’s football season.

It doesn’t matter if it’s still 100 degrees outside, somehow, the winds change, the sun shines a little brighter and there are college fight songs resonating upstairs.

The fight songs don’t necessarily have to be within the ACC or SCC, it is whatever can be found on the internet.

One month prior to the ECU football season kickoff, the ECU fight song and the Pirate’s theme, emanate throughout the house. 

The corn hole boards and extra corn bags arrive and the lawn at home has been manicured for  practicing.

I used to call it beanbag toss, but the bags are full of dry corn.

A day or so before the game,  a new cooler and chairs are readied and the important tailgating menu is scrutinized and debated over; will it be fried chicken and fixin’s, or bologna and cheese sandwiches?  Catered is my preference.

The purple ECU T-shirts are ready, and Scott debates wearing shorts or long pants.  His legs are white, so long pants it is.

The arrival time is discussed to get the optimum grass spot; so the first game is the trial run. Scott and I will go alone hoping for friendly tailgaters wanting to share our food and a game of corn hole.

I am concerned about sunscreen and which hat I should wear, the ECU purple ball cap or the frumpy large brim SPF 50 hat that Scott hates.  He told me, “You can walk to the stadium by yourself if you wear that.”  Guess what I wore.

Little girls are dressed like cheerleaders.  Pirate paint and decals adorn fan faces.  Obnoxious clothing in purple and gold checkerboard patterns are worn by die-hard male fans. And skimpy, strapless purple short dresses with cowboy boots seem to be the college girl choice.

Footballs are thrown around the cars and barbecue grills fill the air with burger and steak smoke, and beer flows.  Some fans travel in million dollar RVs with primo accommodations, while others come in SUVs, bring a small generator for their stand up fans and the 50-inch flat screen TVs for pregame shows.

All this before the game begins.

Yes, everyone knows it’s football season.

I'd love to hear about your football adventures; email me at aitken.helen@gmail.com

Hey, pass the football one more time.