Taking a Look Back

Looking back over the last few years, I realize that my attempts at fighting changes in my life never seem to work as well as planned. Graduating from college and moving to a new state (all be it a much WARMER one), I told myself that no matter what happened, I would never lose those childhood interests that kept me entertained.

The Indians in Winter Haven were obviously the biggest draw. Seeing the Water Tower with the Chief Wahoo logo in unfamiliar territory brought back those feelings I had at Old Municipal Stadium.

As my great friend Zach Baker (a much more talented writer I might add) pointed out to me after my first posting, Chain of Lakes Park and Old Municipal Stadium had a lot in common: Despite their rusted out appearance and lack of modernized amenities, we still look at the pictures and smile. 

Municipal Stadium was an old, broken down facility by the time I was first introduced to it in the mid 1980's....but it was ours. And that's why we loved it.

I hope they never paint over the logo on that water tower.

At the beginning of 2008, I was told that Wrestlemania 24 was coming to the Orlando Citrus Bowl. Given their prices, I laughed it off as yet another milestone event that I would be watching from the dollar dvd rack five years later. But I was able to secure my inexpensive ticket through a competitive bargaining and negotiation process (thanks Ebay). 

Now a year later, I am so thankful that I got to see an event like this firsthand.  My fiance', in an attempt to show support encouraged my going (she had to work that night and I honestly believe it was the most relieved she's ever been to have a previous work commitment). 

But seeing men like Ric Flair and the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels brought me back to the days of wrestling with the neighborhood kids.  We'd go to the basement and each have individualized theme music to come out to.

We'd meet for a fake battle in the squared circle (e.g. a sectioned off carpeted area).  We would even prepare in advance how we wanted the matches to go (we had wild imaginations, but even in our youth knew the realities of the business). 

As a modified version of the old saying goes, you can take the boy out of Ohio, but you can never fully take Ohio out of the boy.  Now an independent adult (I've got my stimulus check to prove it), I try to never lose sight of how I got here.

I think in many ways that's why we follow sports.  Is it any wonder that college football fills up 100K+ stadiums each week? 

We miss our youth.  We miss our teams. We miss our friends.

Always remember where you came from.

Hold onto those memories. Cherish them.

.... and smile if you pass the water tower.