Akron Life September 2023

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

[ Publisher | Colin Baker | cbaker@bakermediagroup.com ]

School Days and Football Plays

Fall brings memories of going back to school and engaging in fun football rivalries.

Justin Herbert, the quarterback of the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s fascinating how he honed his skills in flag football, transform ing those early lessons into professional prowess; but with me, nothing. Maybe it’s because he is 6-foot-6 and has a cannon for an arm while I have neither of those attri butes. My hometown allegiance was always with the Oregon Ducks. Autzen Stadium, where the Ducks play, was a stone’s throw from my home. I have memories of cheer ing them on during the 1980s. Marital alliances sometimes shift our sport ing allegiances. My wife, a native of the Columbus area, and her family are die-hard Ohio State Buckeyes fans. Over time, her enthusiasm rubbed off on me, and we began cheering for the Buckeyes together. Working together to reach a common goal can be powerful. Check out stories about locals who are collaborating on art projects on pg. 34. Eventually, the Ducks faded into the background as the Buckeyes took center stage in our household. The 2015 national championship was memorable. It saw the Ducks and the Buckeyes go head-to-head. Tensions ran high in our home, but it was all in good spirits. The Buckeyes took that one. But I’ve always believed in enjoying the game rather than agonizing over out comes. Intriguingly, the upcoming 2024 season promises even more excitement, with the Ducks set to join the same divi sion as the Buckeyes — the Big Ten. Next year promises spirited rivalry in the Baker household. I might have to retrieve my old Ducks jersey and layer it atop my Buckeyes one, as rivalry will begin again.

With the arrival of September and the crispness of the morning air, I’m immediately transported back to the anticipation of the back-to school days. Those final moments of summer were invariably marked by a frenzy — a last-minute dash to secure every item on the teacher’s school supply list. I often found myself musing, Where did all those crayons and colored pencils vanish to? It seemed as if I was purchasing hundreds annually, and I’m confi dent I wasn’t the only parent caught in this loop. Such memories often spark laughter between my wife and me. We share a quirky connection — a recurring dream. In it, we are high school students again, wan dering aimlessly through hallways, desper ately searching for our new classes. There’s always that one elusive class that we never attend. The fear of inevitable failure looms large, yet we never muster the courage to attend or drop the subject. It’s amusing how, even several decades since graduating, that dream revisits us, echoing the anxiety of youth. My household is momentarily free from the back-to-school rush — my youngest isn’t school-age yet — so I cherish the respite from that annual chaos. September, however, isn’t just about school. It also kicks off the regular football sea son. Growing up in Oregon, my time as a football player was limited. Our school system only permitted flag football until junior high. By the time tackle football was an option, my interest had waned. Interestingly, I shared this system with

[ Publisher Colin Baker is a retired racing driver and gearhead. ] Comments? Email them to Kelly Petryszyn [kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com].

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SEPTEMBER 2023 | akronlife.com