Team USA Road Tour Kicks Off!
On our way to our first stop in Columbus….
After driving through the rain and hills of western Pennsylvania, we took a detour at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. In just a few weeks, the Junior World Championship will be taking place adjacent to the Hall of Fame at Fawcett Stadium. The games will feature the world’s eight best 19-and-under junior national teams. Matt and I will be traveling throughout the Midwest looking for football fans, capturing your football stories, and getting you excited about the games. Team USA is comprised of 45 of the most talented high school seniors in the country. We will be meeting some of these players on our tour, as well. These players are headed to play for storied collegiate programs like Ohio State and Virginia Tech, but first they take on the world.
We arrived at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and were greeted warmly by the staff. They are excited and getting ready for the upcoming games. If you are any type of football fan and have never been to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, you simply must go. There is no better place to spend the afternoon.
As you make your way into the Hall of Fame, the statue of the legendary Jim Thorpe greets you. After ascending the ramp to the second floor, the history and evolution of the game unfolds. The Hall of Fame Gallery glimmers with the ghosts of the grid iron greats like Bronko Nagurski, Otto Graham, Ray Nitschke, Dick Butkus, and Jim Brown each enshrined with a stunning bronze bust. This is hallowed ground, only the best of the best are enshrined in Canton. Video kiosks show highlights, career achievements, and memorable games. There is so much history to be learned. One of the coolest exhibit there is the collection of the 42 Super Bowl rings and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. I could have spent hours inside the Hall of Fame, but I only had three to spare. (See a gallery of our pictures here!)
As we get ready to kick off this tour, it is important to remember the rich history and tradition of the game. And, the IFAF Junior World Championship will add another chapter. I hope you all will join us in Canton this summer as Team USA prepares to take on the world. For Honor. For Pride. For Country.
- MICK
