The Grass is Always Greener on the Football Field

Forty-five years ago I was in college and had a couple of part time jobs. One job, I had my entire college career. Bobby Katz, a life long friend, and myself were the "straw bosses" of two yard mowing crews. It was a part time job my Dad had contracted with the FHA to clean and keep up repossessed houses until they could be sold. Mostly, it consisted of mowing the grass. In the summer each crew would mow as many as 25 yards/day. This was before Zero turn mowers, sun screen and OFF insect repellent. Well, my Dad, not to be content with just the houses, got the job of mowing the grass on the new Lamar University (nee Tech) stadium. We were to mow it every two weeks until the contractor turned it over to the University. Bobby and I figured out that the two crews would meet at the stadium in the afternoon and cut the grass together. We had six mowers and eight workers, therefore two would sit out about 20 minutes each. Jerry Northcutt and my brother, Chub drew the first bleacher time. By this time of day it was HOT! and the mosquitos were awful. Unless you grew up in the wetlands in the 60s, you can't imagine. Needless to say everyone was tired and tempers were a little on edge. When it was time to shift jobs, the "bleacher bums" had it figured differently and refused to come down. Long story, short, Bobby and I fired them and made them walk home without pay. They were later reinstated by my Dad, but our decision was held to be right and just.

We mowed the stadium grass a few more times after that. However, we lost our contract when the mower I was using lost one oil plug and we left a streak of oil from one sideline to the other one. The grass soon died.

I was in the stands cheering the Cardinals on for the first game played in Cardinal Stadium. Lamar dropped football after 1989 and this is the first year to field a team since then. I will be in the stands for the first game to be played in the newly renovated stadium on Sept. 11. Since the new playing surface is synthetic field turf, I won't be self conscious about a dead streak of grass across the field.