One day last week, the linebacker called from Dallas. He had a quick question, but we ended up talking for a few minutes. He’s an orthopedic surgeon, so I figured he might have other matters to attend to, but we always find time to chat like neither of us have anything better to do.

That same morning, I returned a call from the All-State kicker called from south Louisiana. It was equal parts just checking in and looking for a quick bit of information.

A few hours later, the offensive guard stopped by my house to deliver a particular delicacy to my wife. Quite a nice gesture but not the least bit surprising.

Three former football teammates reaching out in the span of about two hours for reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with football. And I really didn’t give it a second thought.

Until I did.

That’s when I began to put all of the pieces together. I went to kindergarten with the center. Until he retired recently, the defensive end was my physician. I’ll drop in to see the head coach at his place of business for absolutely no reason whatsoever. 

It’s been almost 50 years since we formed a pretty special high school football team. But that season lives on in ways that have nothing to do with running an I-right, 84 off-tackle play or a calling for a weakside blitz.

I’d bet that more than half of us have lost our championship rings, but what we haven’t lost is the relationship that was formed during that season.

Football was never my favorite sport, but I played it because it’s what most of my friends did. I was happy to simply be with my guys. If we won a bunch of games, well, that just made for a few better memories.

It often gets a bad rap but there is no sport that bonds teammates like football does. And while I fully understand the reservations that some people have with the sport, this sport at this level does things that you really can’t understand until you’ve been through it.

Yes, there are a few negative effects that have trickled down from the pro and college levels, but high school football remains something truly special. And that has nothing to do with wins and losses.

Every sport evolves and things are never how they once were. But just because there aren’t two-a-days or leather helmets anymore hasn’t changed what players experience in the course of a season.

They also share more than a locker room. They share a camaraderie that is unquestionably unique. They will rally with each other and for each other. There are all sorts of terms that get thrown around way too much –  “Band of Brothers” or “Us Against the World” – but that’s because people can’t resist the opportunity to describe something that is particularly indescribable.

Do yourself a favor and go look at any high school team picture. They’ll be posed along the stadium bleachers wearing uniforms just out of the box and a few will have haircuts that they’ll regret later in life. But it is more than just a group of players and coaches standing in rows.

It is a snapshot of a moment in time. At that moment, those in the picture don’t know how things are going to play out over the course of the next 10 (or more) weeks. They certainly aren’t worried about how things are going to play over the next 10 years. Or 50 years.

It would be easy to say we didn’t realize it at the time, but actually, I think we did. We don’t keep in touch all of these years later because we were able to win games. We do it because a bond was formed all those years ago that we were more than willing to be a part of.

Even then. And especially now.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com