Coffee and doughnuts, anyone?
Posted on Friday, November 28, 2008
Daily Record photograph by Charles Fowler Jared Lewis, 11, enjoyed his hot chocolate at Tiger Stadium as his father, Clarence Brooks, and Steven Mansfield had coffee while watching the Bentonville Tigers football team’s Thursday morning practice.
Suppliers scurrying to appointments.
School buses making their way across town.
Rental cars zipping to and from Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. y 8: 30 a. m. on any other Thursday, the streets in Bentonville would be crawling Bwith vehicles.
But this Thursday was Thanksgiving Day, so at 8: 30 a. m. Bentonville was very still and quiet. With the exception of Tiger Stadium, that is.
While most families were just waking up and getting their Thanksgiving turkeys into the oven, families and fans of the Bentonville High School football team were congregated at Tiger Stadium. The sun hadn’t been up for long, but a respectable collection of Tigers supporters were in the stands, lifting doughnuts and cups of coffee and hot chocolate, while watching the team’s morning walk-through.
“ It’s definitely a break from tradition, coming out to the stadium instead of being at a relative’s house, ” said Nick Nichols, whose son Ben Nichols was practicing on the field below. “ We’re out here with a cup of coffee and doughnuts, getting ready to play some football. To tell you the truth, it’s kind of exciting. It’s a nice change. ”
The Bentonville Athletic Booster Club is used to preparing massive Thursday and Friday pre-game meals for the Tiger football team. But Thursday morning coffee, hot chocolate and doughnuts for fans was a bit out of the ordinary. But, then again, it isn’t every year the Tigers — who take on Russellville in the Class 7 A state semifinals at 7: 30 p. m. tonight at Tiger Stadium — are still alive and practicing come Thanksgiving morning. This year, the Tigers not only cling to the No. 1 ranking in the state, but have home-field advantage tonight. Tiger football is the biggest game in town right now, even if it is just a walkthrough on Thanksgiving morning. “ I’m just excited, ” said Martin Garrison. “ There aren’t many high school football teams still going at this point of the season. Bentonville is one of the few and we’re excited about it. I know a lot of people are getting turkey’s ready but why not come out, have a cup of coffee and watch the boys ?”
“ We’re kind of shooting in the dark and trying something new with this, ” said Kevin Lyles, who’s been manning the grill at Tiger tailgate parties for nearly a decade and helped organize the Thursday morning event. “ It’s not what people normally do on a holiday morning, but it’s fun and it’s open to anyone who wants to come out. ” Looking into the stands and seeing fans huddled over steaming cups of coffee the morning before the Tigers’ biggest game of the year brings a smile to Bentonville head coach Barry Lunney’s face. It feels like football, he said.
“ All the team meals and tailgating and everything these boosters do, it creates a great family atmosphere, ” Lunney said. “ Now breakfast at the stadium — that’s great. ”
“ One thing you do worry about as a coach with it being Thanksgiving week is being out of school all week. It’s difficult to keep in the routine, but I’ve been trying to wake the kids up early and keep them going, just like a normal week. To look up and see people in the stands, even on Thanksgiving morning — that’s the family atmosphere I’m talking about. ”
Following the Thursday morning walk-through, Tiger players went home to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with their families, then returned to the Tiger Athletic Complex in the evening for an inspirational film and team meeting. Today, the Bentonville Athletic Booster Club will serve the entire team a pre-game meal at 2: 30 p. m. By 4: 30 p. m., the tailgating party outside the stadium will begin. Tiger Stadium gates open at 6 p. m.
“ It’s neat to see the excitement, ” Nichols said. “ We know these kids can do it. They’ve proven it all year and they know we’re here to support them. ”
With a win here tonight, Bentonville and its fans would have an opportunity to take the festivities to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
