“Field Notes”

Saturday- December 9, 2006- Morning


Saturday morning, and whoo- ee…the coffee from the Mid-Florida Volunteers tent, opposite the misty north end-zone of Hess Fields at Disney's WWS, sure tastes good! Yes, it's the last big day of Pop Warner Super Bowl '06, and there'll soon be PLENTY of action to report. But first…

”Frantic Friday”- Part Deux!

Yes, last night Disney- MGM Studios once again opened its doors, free of charge, to the Pop Warner Family for our annual Friday Night party! After loggin' my last bloggin', I motored over to MGM, hopped a handy shuttle bus from the “Stage” parking lot, and filed in the main gates with throngs of Mouse Ear - bedecked cheer squads and football teams sporting championship jackets.
Ambling down the main boulevard of Disney-MGM Studios, and up to the live band show under Mickey's big “Sorcerer's Apprentice Hat”, everybody found themselves bathed in a wonderland of lights and shadows…

Okay, picture this…You're strolling through a “Norman Rockwell “inspired Christmas town, brought to life courtesy of Disney Imagineers, with twinkling trees, sleighs and homes decked-out for the season. And, along the way, the sounds of Bing Crosby , Nat King Cole, and all your traditional favorite holiday warblers, fill the brisk night air. In this dreamscape setting, the gift of “Imagineering” is irresistible for Pop Warner kids and adults alike. Lines of folks file steadily up and into top thrill-ride favorites, “ The Tower of Terror” and Aerosmith's “Rock ‘N Roller Coaster” . Younger siblings join their brothers, sisters, moms and dads for the “Indiana Jones” show, the “Star Wars” ride, and the always popular “Muppet 3-D Movie” . And, everywhere you turn , folks stop at pushcarts, concession stands, and restaurants to grab piping hot cheeseburger plates, savory slices of pizza, a big, juicy turkey leg, fresh popcorn, or a "Mickey Special" ice cream bar…and all of it FREE !

The great thing about this annual Disney-MGM Studios party is how well the event functions as a magical reward for the effort put in each season by all the Pop Warner folks in attendance, from all over the country. It's also another great example of how the Disney/Pop Warner tradition has made the yearly visit to Disney World the highlight of the year for each and every championship teams and squad that's made this week exciting for everyone.

And, just think, this very month, in “1956”, exactly 50 years ago, Walt Disney himself helped to kick-off the first of the Disney/Pop Warner Super Bowls . In fact, Mr. Disney loved the idea of Pop Warner football & cheer so much that he had the Disney Studios produce a feature film that year called “Moochie of Pop Warner”. Rumor has it, you can still see that oldie-but-goody on the Disney Channel from time to time. Now, here's an idea. Why not have Disney come out with a new “Pop Warner “ DVD featuring both “Moochie of Pop Warner” and the most recent Pop Warner –fan favorite “Little Giants.” Talk about a great Disney/Pop Warner collector's item !

So, as the fireworks signaled the end of another great Friday evening at Disney-MGM Studios, three cheers must go loudly, and in unison, to Jeff Wentworth and all the folks at Disney's Wide World of Sports, as well as all the folks at Disney – MGM Studios , for bringing another “Frantic Friday” to a colorful, memory-filled conclusion through the best Pop Warner party anywhere!

Check out my Division I “Championship Saturday” blogs soon, including an inside look ESPN – NFL Films' coverage of today's D-I Midget Championship clash between the hard-charging Marshall Heights Bison and the high-flying Alaska Eagles !