After my run this morning,  I headed to the campus of the university where I work:  University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).  Our football team's opening game is on August 29th and today was fan appreciation day.  Gail and I love football and we have been season ticket holders since UTSA  started its football program in 2011.   A few of the team-members who started with the team in 2011 are now Seniors so it is a bitter-sweet season for them, having played for the team since it started up and now they will be graduating this year, in December.

Our coach is Larry Coker, who used to coach the Miami Hurricanes.  Like me, his mother is a cancer survivor.  I gave him one of my shirts - the first thing Gail said was "a clean one I hope!"  lol; yes, it was clean. I told him feel free to stick the shirt in the team locker room somewhere or use it however he wants and maybe at a game when any of the players might be struggling a bit, they can look at this, and realize there are people 'out there' digging down deep every day to overcome significant struggles themselves, whatever they may be,  and they can sure do the same.  Never Give Up!

It was a very nice event put on by UTSA Athletics, very well done.   Food and drink; photos; meet the players and coaches, free team posters that you could get autographed by Coach Coker and the players; also team souvenir items for sale such as shirts, caps, etc.  From what I saw when I was there, everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselve; and kudos to the team players and coaches for having a lot of patience in dealing with everyone, they were all very polite and made sure to interact with everyone who wanted to talk with them.

Coach was very nice and let me have a photo with him.

Of course, Gail and I also had to get photos with the team mascot Rowdy RoadRunner.  Our university  team name is "RoadRunners" and "Runners" for short.  Naturally, I like that!

And, of course, I had to get a photo with some of our cheerleaders

Well hell Scotty, if UTSA ever visits Marshall, you ought to hop a plane and come on up to Huntington and we'll run whatever race we can find that weekend.

You never know what the future holds, it just might happen!  This is our 4th year having a football team and we have come a long way in a short time. This year is the first year we are now Bowl eligible...and we have a tough schedule.  Our opener is an away game with Houston Cougars...and then our first home game is with Arizona Wildcats, sheesh.   We also play this year, Oklahoma State and Southern Mississippi..yikes!  The good thing is because these teams have contracts for televising their games nationally, our growing team is going to get some national TV exposure.   I think we will do pretty well; as said, we've come a long ways in a short time and the last 3 seasons  have gone well.

Well hell Scotty, if UTSA ever visits Marshall, you ought to hop a plane and come on up to Huntington and we'll run whatever race we can find that weekend.

Just one race? Scotty needs to race every day of the weekend. More great legs to chase