Dramatis Personae

Jaia Benson gets ready for the next play as a Shenendehowa Junior Plainsman. At age 12, he said farewell to football.

Your Humble Narrator: Steven Liparulo, author of Farewell to Football? An American Fan’s Examination of Conscience.

Visiting DawgDoc Tim Loonam in Athens, I was reminded of this fresco.

Outside one of the Houses of the Holy–Houston’s Reliant Stadium. L-R: SPL, Jaia Benson, Matt Benson.

One of my favorite interviews was with Ketric Sanford, who still holds some Houston Cougar records for rushing and yards from scrimmage. He never let football define him, and worked hard to get as much from academics as he did from college football.

After playoff loss in 1993, Norwich Football Coach John Pluta embraces defensive standout Jeremy Frink (Frank Speziale photo).

Jeff Ackerman carrying the ball for the New Berlin NY football team in 1979. His father lost a leg playing football. Jeff is also an avid antique car racer: see his website.

I didn’t play team sports in high school or college, so I had a lot of ground to make up when I was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Army. Here I am preparing to go on patrol in the Korean DMZ, consulting with my company commander, CPT Ross Rich, and LT Luke Robinson, who was going on the patrol with me.

Elder Statesmen: Jerry LeVias (L) and Milton Morgan (R), at the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame banquet. Jerry went in as a player, and Milton as a coach.

In 1977, I played rock and roll in a band with my high-school classmates. This was the last time I wore my hair that long or weighed that little.