Antics from the Football Field

He is holding the 100th water bottle for this season; leaves them at the field most evenings

Last Saturday I saw one of Porter's personal "top 10 things that have happened in my life" moments (remember, he's only 8).

Porter 'recovered a fumble.'

Let me explain how it all went down, so you can smile on the inside like I do whenever he retells the story;

1. Porter, one of the team's smallest players, is put in a defensive position at the very end of the line (I have no idea what this position is called). He goes out, stands like 15 feet away from his nearest team mate, and waits for the other team to snap the ball.

2. His next job is to plow over the kid on the other team who is standing across from him (don't know what that offensive position is called either). Porter tenaciously goes to work on this task. The opposing player decides to go around Porter-and both players are happy.

3. Porter, having 'gone through' the other team's guy, sees that the QB has been tackled-and like manna from heaven, the ball distills itself on the dew of the football field.

4. Porter is the first one to it-no one is paying attention to this little guy-and I see his hands open just slightly as if to gesture to himself 'come to Papa Mr. Football'.

5. Porter tackles the football. He winds himself around it, tightening into such a fetal position so as to never let it see the light of day. The referees blow their whistle, the fumble has been recovered by the defense-by Porter.

6. Porter jumps to his feet. Having played his part successfully, he leaps high into the air, and sends his fists before him. He screams "I did that-YAAAA! I did that!"

INSERT 'BEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE SO FAR' HERE INTO PORTER'S BRAIN.

7. Coaches yell 'great job Graham!' and Porter starts pounding his chest. I think he was looking for a teammate to chest bump, but they were busy cheering for the guy who tackled the quarterback.

Whatever the blessed circumstance, Porter feels he has made a contribution to the win. And this week, to validate that idea even further in his mind, they made him "team captain" (a rotating job that travels from boy to boy all season so everyone gets a turn to call the coin toss).

Porter thinks this is his week 'because I got that fumble'. I think Porter feels good about himself.

and that is all that matters.