Sunday’s extra point: How We Turned a Crazy Idea Into a Rolling, Jumbotron-Powered Reality

Aug 10

Since 2016, I’ve had this itch to create a high school football pregame show. Not just highlights. Not just scores. A storytelling show. Because that’s where the magic happens. And being a storyteller myself, I knew the real heart of Friday night lights wasn’t just on the field — it was in the stands, in the traditions, in the hometown heroes whose stories never make it past the city limits.

It took a couple of key believers — Randy Hendrixson and Kate Gassman — to turn that itch into an actual plan. With their help, Friday Football Tailgate became more than just a “what if.” Suddenly, we had a stage, a screen, an RV, and a reason to pack it all up and go shine a spotlight on communities that deserve it.

Every single high school football program in the country is made up of stories that aren’t being shared outside those communities. The work is surprisingly simple: ask questions, listen, and let people talk about what matters to them. That’s it. The rest is just lights, cameras, and a little bit of organized chaos.

I’ll be honest — I never played football in high school. But I do remember the feeling of walking into a stadium on a Friday night, the smell of the popcorn, the band warming up, the lights cutting through the crisp fall air. I still remember watching the St. Joe Bears play at the Pontiac Silverdome for the state championship — that feeling never left.

Now, I get to see that same excitement every week. When we roll into town, back the RV into place, fire up the jumbotron, and start building our set, you can feel the buzz. Teachers, parents, players — they’re curious at first, then they’re all in.

Is it glamorous? No. It’s tiresome. It’s gritty. It’s late nights, early mornings, and lifting heavy things that definitely require two people but you try to do yourself anyway. But when the lights come on and the show starts, we remember exactly why we do it. Our team can see where we’re headed, and that makes every ounce of effort worth it.

Friday Football Tailgate isn’t just a show. It’s a traveling love letter to the traditions, rivalries, and communities that make high school football one of the purest forms of sports left. And we’re just getting started.