by Ken Lass
There’s nothing like a high school football Friday night in the South. Sharon and I went to all the Hewitt Trussville games when our kids were in school. We swelled with pride as we watched our daughter perform with the band for three years. Even after the kids graduated, we remained fans of the team. We always tried to attend at least a few games each season.
But, alas, time passes. The friends and familiar faces who regularly sat around us dwindled. Our connections with players, cheerleaders and band members played out. Eventually we stopped going to the games, but continued to follow the team as best we could.
Which is why we were delighted to discover that all the regular season games are televised on the Husky Fast Network app. We watch faithfully every Friday night. It’s not always a slick, network quality production, but that only adds to the charm. It doesn’t have to be slick. It’s local. It’s our telecast. Designed specifically for us.
And the thing that gives the program its greatest hometown flavor is the elaborate and unapologetic sponsorship of various aspects of the game. Throughout the effort, you will consistently hear about Grogan Agency first downs, the Sneaky Pete’s red zone, and the Alabama Roofing Professionals halftime show. Blatant commercial plugs? Sure. But hey, if it helps to raise money to support the Huskies, I’m all for it.
In fact, there’s so much more potential there. I foresee a day when we will see quarterback sacks sponsored by Hefty Trash bags. A safety could be brought to you by ADT Alarm Systems. Penalties could be sponsored by the Trussville Police Department. A flea flicker pass by Ortho Pest Control. A Hail Mary pass by First Baptist Church. A screen pass by Trussville Windows & Doors. The water breaks by Dasani. And, of course, the end of the game by the Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home. (I can already hear the slogan. “We’ll be there to serve when your clock runs out.”)
Hey, can individuals get involved in this? If I could scrape together the money, could the Huskies line up to play the Ken Lass third down? And it occurs to me that the city council and the mayor could learn something from this approach as well. Instead of raising taxes or floating a bond for their next project, how about selling sponsorships? Imagine driving through Trussville and pulling up to the Walmart Stoplights? Take a stroll along the Cahaba River greenway, brought to you by Scott’s Turf Builder. Welcome to the Barnes & Noble city library. Let your four-legged friend run free in the Alpo Dog Park. The possibilities are endless.
Maybe I could even find a sponsor for this column. Pepto Bismol would be appropriate.
Ken Lass is a retired former Birmingham television news and sports anchor, and a Trussville resident since 1989. You can read more from Ken at kenlassblog.net