the devil went down to Georgia

We moved to Warner Robins, GA (that's right, home of the Little League World Champions!) at the start of my 6th grade year, leaving Metairie, LA (just outside of New Orleans). My mom bought me an autograph book to have all my friends sign their names, give me addresses (like I'd write them letters--seriously.) My friend David signed his name on a yellow page, writing, and I quote:

I hope the devil doesn't come back to Georgia, cause you can't play the fiddle.

There was one of those VH1 specials on tonight, and I saw a few minutes in which they were spotlighting Charlie Daniels' hit song The Devil Went Down To Georgia, which is what David was talking about. One of the pseudo-celebrities quipped, "It's the classic tale of boy meets devil, devil challenges boy to a fidding contest, boy wins a fiddle of gold...and it's a true story." Classic, indeed.

Little did my friend David know, but I would, in fact, meet the devil in GA. I attended Warner Robins High School, which just so happens to be the home of the Demons. Yep, our school mascot was an 8 foot tall paper mache Demon, complete with green-glowing eyes, a pitchfork that emitted Roman candles, and a fire-breathing mouth. Every Friday night when our football team takes the field, the PA guy leads with, "Here come the Demons!" and the crowd goes wild.

Great football tradition in Warner Robins. It's one of the winningest programs in GA history, with 4 State titles, and National Championships (voted by USA Today) in 76 and 81. James Brooks set all kinds of records, which held until Willie Reid (of the 'Noles and Steelers) broke 'em.

I was on the team from 83-85 (high school was 10th-12th grades way back then), and we went 34-5-1 over that span. We didn't lose during my senior year until the State Championship. I was a quarterback who could throw, but not run, and didn't see much playing time in a run-oriented offense. I took 3 snaps my sophomore year in a blowout against somebody. That's it--3 snaps. I did letter, though, and got a wicked cool jacket with a demon face on the leather sleeve.

When I wore the jacket at Toccoa Falls College, my Bible college buddies would get upset. "Dude, you're rooting for the wrong team." My roomie would wear it just to get the reaction from the fundie-bunch.

Good times, good times indeed...