Today we met the boys of Christian Brothers and they have a story that everyone needs to hear. While most programs we have visited during our road trip have a long legacy of football dominance and greatness, this was not the case with Christian Brothers. Roughly one year ago, their 2005 season ended with a 2-8 record. Coach Shannon came to Christian Brothers from a monster powerhouse of a team, East Saint Louis, where he won state and national championships. Now after 8 years at the helm, he has led this group of men to their first crack at the state title after a dismal season a year ago. This is a backdrop for a game that these guys are incredibly excited for an amazing season that they, admittedly, did not see coming. However, Coach Shannon makes sure to point out that records and trophies rarely tell the story of true success on and off the football field. But that doesn't mean they aren't going to have a blast going for a title this Friday in front of thousands at the Edward Jones Dome.
We've been around the country and seen a ton of football. The excitement and anticipation for an actual state championship game has even got to Chris and I. It is always the subject of conversation everywhere we go. People always talk about "getting a ring" and "in my old playing days we almost won a state title". Stories abound about this near mythical event, the state title game, and this Friday I can't wait to see some more stories unfold.
