Can't Sleep...KICK OFF IS IN 19 Hours...

Mad Dog_2

Mad Dog_2

Tonight at 730pm At Hofstra University (Hempstead Long Island 🏝 New York) my Boys in Red, The Floral Park Memorial Knights sqaure off for The Nassau County Conference Championship with Southside HS (Rockville Centre - a very nice Suburb about 3 Towns East of us on the Isle of Long...  We have not had a game THIS big since we won the Entire County Championship in 1976!!!

I was A Three Year Starter on the Varsity at Middle Linebacker and Right Offense Guard in the Early 1980s.. and I also kicked off (Straight-on style with Sqaure, Black High Top Rugby 🏉 Boots and my Johnny Unitas Flat Top Crew Cut. I never left the game...I loved EVERY damned minute of it. I  Played my heart out, left it all on the GridIron Field of Battle. Blood, sweat, tears, front teeth...smashed noses...

The Program has had its ups and downs, but we still sent quite a Few on to Division 1 Schools, D 2, D 3...NCAA College Football Programs.  In fact, I had the great honor & pleasure of playing alongside Big Daddy Richie Salgado at FPM My Sophomore Year, 1983.  Richie wisely (At my older Brother Bart's "Brotherly" advice) returned to his hometown Just East of us, The New Hyde Park Gladiators (Long Island 🏝 Football Factory, Nationally Ranked HS Team Richie Wozniak All American at Rutgers, Pete Koch The Swede in Hearthread Ridge, NFL Career/ Actor, Dave Butzke, On and on).

Richie lifted & grew to 6 foot 6 350lbs and  got a Full Ride to Maryland and is a Major NFL and Professional Sports Insurance agent to the Stars!!! When Richie was still a Big Great Dane Puppy I beat him in Arm Wrestling in Mrs Oerter's ( Al Oerter's 4 time Gold Medal in Discus" wife) art class!!!! A few years later, Big Daddy would have ripped my arm off and eaten it....ha  ha 😂 ! 

If you find me intense and rambunctious, imagine me at 16, 17, 18!!! Ha ha 😂 🎶 😆 😄 Always full of Wild, unbridled Passion and enthusiasm!!! Today,  I pulled out my Old School, White Leather Sleeved HS Football Stadium Jacket from 1985...38 Years ago.  It don't fit great at the Belly, but I'll be sporting it tonight, Boy!  

When my Floral Park Knights do battle tonight, that stout, Loud guy from Queens (as they nicknamed us at NYG Basic Training 2001)..that 56 yr old Guy rooting you on, is down there with you on every kickoff, return, hit, block, touchdown, beat down, collision, concussion (had over a dozen...) Ha ha 😂 🤣 .

Let's go Boys..BEAT SOUTHSIDE....(Our old Coach Joe Bellisi who was a loving, caring Rough, Fire 🔥 brand, Marine Drill Instructor , 5 Boros Probation officer that used to chew nails and spit them out would say :  " Come on you  $*&%@!"'s !!!!!  are you gonna let these  *%@#;'@$ from "EAST CUPCAKE 🧁(A mocking & Dispariging insult toward Well to do Long Island Suburban neighborhoods) Beat your A----??????

I'd run through a brick wall at full speed for the beloved & feared Vince Lombardi Molded, Coach Bellisi (pushing 80 now??). Great Battlefield Sgt.....Love 💘 you coach  wherever you may be... with you tonight!!!

Go Full tilt tonight Boys...110% Run to daylight, smash & bash...this ain't soccer, Tennis or Cross Country track...Enjoy every second, every down, every block, sack, Linebacker  blitz, interception and Goal line stand. This will be the greatest and last HS Football game most of you will play.....Leave IT ALL on the field tonight and whatever will be will be. Have no regrets Man...As Conor Larkin  said in The Leon Uris Epic? "Trinity"...these memories....  
"YOU WILL SUPP (Relive, reflect & draw on) ON THEM THE REST OF YOUR DAYS...
Mad Dog # 52......

Mad Dog_2