Football Fans Need Fans

It's the start of the high school football season in the Tennessee Valley tonight. And it will be a steamy start to the season. Kickoff temps will be in the upper 80s to around 90 in most spots.
I don't know if any of the high school teams do this, but I've heard of college and some pro teams serving up pickle juice during early season workouts. Seems as though it's an old-timey preventative for cramps. And trainers say it works.
For a couple of reasons this wasn't necessary back when I was in high school. In the first place, schools started later. The players and the band would practice in the August heat, but I don't remember ever starting school more than a couple of days before Labor Day. In fact it always seemed like a hassle to go to school for one or two days, and then have a 3 day weekend. Secondly, heat in the northwest corner of Illinois is relative. This year being the exception, by late August things begin cooling off compared to here.
I never played football. I spent Friday nights perched above the field shooting the games for the team. The press box still looks the same. For anyone who's interested here's a look: http://www.sports.thecity1.com/index.php?module=photoalbum&PHPWS_Album_id=1&PHPWS_Photo_op=view&PHPWS_Photo_id=26
My friend Mike Renkes and I alternated shooting from the windows above the "N". Mike and I would freeze our fingers on many nights hanging out of the open window with the camera. Mike ended up working as a sports journalist with several newspapers. I blame my television career on early work with video cameras in junior high and high school.
Around here fans can enjoy an evening of football in comfort on most nights. But fans will need fans tonight. If they're lucky and their team is good enough they'll get to freeze their fingers during the playoffs.
Good luck and let's play ball!