Well, summer is finally starting to wind down. Unfortunately, it looks like Mother Nature didn't get the memo. Every afternoon feels like somebody opened the oven door and forgot to shut it. I swear, I feel like I'm on fire. I'll take Heaven over brimstone and fire any day! But whether we're ready or not, football season is here. With practices getting underway across Texas, you'll notice a few changes this year. Back in 2023, the UIL started recommending schools use something called the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, or WBGT. That's just a fancy way of saying they don't just look at the air temperature anymore. They measure the humidity, the wind, and how hard the sun is beating down to determine how dangerous the conditions really are. This year, those recommendations became mandatory. When those heat readings climb into certain levels, schools now have to adjust practice times, add extra water and rest breaks, limit conditioning, and have rapid-cooling equipment ready. If an athlete starts showing signs of heat illness, schools must be prepared to cool them down immediately with full-body ice water immersion or other approved methods. Now I can already hear all the daddies... "Back in my day..." Ha! Yeah... me too. We drank 115-degree water from a water hose hooked to a homemade PVC pipe somebody drilled holes in. We'd take turns slopping warm water into our blistered mouths, and I don't think anybody ever stopped to ask, "Y'all reckon this thing's sanitary?" Nope. We took a few gulps, wiped the sweat off our face, and before long some coach was hollering for us to get back on the line. Those were tougher days, no doubt. But times change. Kids today grow up in air conditioning, virtual reality, and binge-watching the next season of Ginny & Georgia. They aren't adapting to this Texas furnace quite like we did. And honestly... that's okay. I'd much rather see these boys take an extra water break than watch one collapse from heat. Football is supposed to build toughness, not become dangerous because we ignored what we've learned. Now... Who's ready for Friday night football? After this latest UIL realignment, I think everybody around here has been scratching their heads. There are some familiar names, a few new ones, and then there's that trip out west. Yep... Midland. Looks like the boys, and the Tiger Tunnel, might need to pull out a loan just to afford the diesel. At five bucks a gallon, that desert drive isn't getting any shorter. No sense complaining, though. These boys have work to do. There's only one option. FAW. Find A Way. It may take time. We may jive. We may stumble. We'll find out soon enough. One thing I do know... I saw a picture this summer of our offensive line standing next to Ms. Jackie. Good gracious. Cheese and rice... Those boys are nothing but meat and potatoes. I don't know exactly what this season has in store, but I can't wait to watch them line up under those Friday night lights. ________________________________________ As many of you know, Jessica and I have one foot out the door of the Glen Rose Athletic Booster Club. It's hard to believe it's been eight years. Looking back, we're incredibly grateful this community trusted us enough to let us serve. As for the Tiger Tunnel... we're still testing the waters. We'll see what this season brings.. Sometimes I sit back and honestly wonder how we did it. There were years when it felt like we were wearing ten hats at once. Some seasons it was just the two of us juggling things behind the scenes that most people never even knew existed. We never minded. That's what volunteering is all about. Now it's someone else's turn. The new Booster Club board is slowly finding its groove, and I truly believe they'll do a great job. They won't do everything exactly like we did—and they shouldn't. Every group brings fresh ideas, different personalities, and a new vision. That's healthy. One thing we learned over those eight years was the importance of listening to you—the fans. Without your feedback, we never could have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars that went right back into our athletic programs. Some of our biggest successes came from simple conversations in the stands, at the concession line, or after a football game. You told us what you liked. You weren't shy about telling us what you didn't. And because of that, we kept improving. So I'm asking one more favor. Support this board. Tell them when they're knocking it out of the park. If you see something that could be better, respectfully let them know. We asked for your honesty for eight years because we wanted to leave things better than we found them. I hope you'll do the same for them. Because at the end of the day, the mission should never change. The Booster Club isn't about titles. It isn't about who's in charge. It isn't about who writes the biggest check or whose logo hangs on the biggest banner. It's about making our athletic programs stronger. It's about supporting the students of Glen Rose ISD. It's about building Tiger pride. It's about giving back to a community that has given so much to all of us. It's about kids. Always has been. Always will be. So Jessica and I may have a different role this year. Hopefully it'll mean a little less stress and a little more time to simply enjoy Friday nights. But don't think we're disappearing. You'll still see us fist-bumping players as they run onto the field. High-fiving cheerleaders. Blowing the train horn until our ears ring. Filling the tunnel with smoke. And chunking T-shirts at your heads. So don't duck. Wear that Tiger shirt with pride. Cheer until you lose your voice. Support these kids. Support this Booster Club. And let's make 2026 another season this town will never forget. Now... My syrup's ready. Gimme dem pancakes, boys.