Bumpy Journey To Oblivion

It's a long way across the Princeton campus to the field house, especially on Friday. Somehow, the day before a game, everything seems a little different. Same old concrete stairs, same old orange walls and same old black scale in the corner by the shower room. I guess it's what's in the air that's different. Someone yells.

"Hey, fat man, how's the weight?" It's Artie Hanes, no skinny rail himself.

"Don't know yet, butterball. But I haven't eaten since last night, so it shouldn't be too bad." I strip quickly and get on the scale.

"And I thought I had problems," says Artie.

My weight is 159. To play lightweight football you have to be under 154 pounds on the day before the game. That's today.

"No sweat, I was 164 yesterday," I say.

"Man, you better do some sweating or you can forget about playing against Rutgers tomorrow."

He's right. I go to the equipment room for some sweat clothes. The pants are a foot too long and the shirt is too big, but along with my own rubber sweat suit they should do the trick. It's a good thing that it's hot out, though. I hope I can lose the five pounds during practice. Otherwise it means the boiler room.

In the dressing room players are picking up their game jerseys and pants, which are spread around on the bench.

"Look, out, Rutgers," Artie says, "these are our undefeated jerseys. We've never lost a game in these blacks yet." I guess this is mostly for the benefit of the new guys on the team. He doesn't mention that they weren't issued until after our two losses last year.