11-20-2025, 08:58 AM
The Night Before Big Game 2025
with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Big Game, when all through the Bay
Not a Cardinal was stirring, not even Elway;
The jerseys were hung by the lockers with care,
Knowing that Big Game soon would be there;
The Cardinal were nestled all snug in their beds,
Visions of Touchdown Cookies danced in their heads;
Deanne in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the Oval there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the tailgate to see what’s the matter.
Away to the stadium I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The sun over the field had begun to glow
Gave the lustre of gameday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should I see,
But a Cardinal golf cart, and eight mighty tree,
With a strong young driver, and blocking crew,
Mighty St. Micah broke right on through.
More rapid than griffins his teammates they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Williams! Now, Roush! now, Kenney and all!
On, Rose! on Edwards! on, Flintoft, come all!
To the top of the post! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!
As dry leaves that before the wild blitz fly,
When they meet with a stunt, mount to the sky,
So to the game his linemen they flew,
With a playbook of runs, and St. Micah too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the street
The prancing and pawing of each little cleat.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Who but St. Micah came with a bound.
He was dressed all in white, from his head to his foot,
And his jersey was tarnished with grasses and soot;
A bundle of tacklers he beat with his speed
His straight arm a weapon that made others plead.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks covered in eye black, his pose was quite scary!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the helmet he wore was as white as the snow;
The stump of a mouthpiece he held tight in his teeth,
And touchdowns circled his visage like a holiday wreath;
He had a quick step and strength that could freeze
And when he hit the line the bears scattered like fleas.
He was powerful and chiseled, a right jolly young Card,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of my guard;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had little to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to work,
And ran through the bears; then turned with a smirk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the field he rose;
He sprang to his left, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Let’s take the Axe, it’s our sacred right”
with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Big Game, when all through the Bay
Not a Cardinal was stirring, not even Elway;
The jerseys were hung by the lockers with care,
Knowing that Big Game soon would be there;
The Cardinal were nestled all snug in their beds,
Visions of Touchdown Cookies danced in their heads;
Deanne in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the Oval there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the tailgate to see what’s the matter.
Away to the stadium I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The sun over the field had begun to glow
Gave the lustre of gameday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should I see,
But a Cardinal golf cart, and eight mighty tree,
With a strong young driver, and blocking crew,
Mighty St. Micah broke right on through.
More rapid than griffins his teammates they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Williams! Now, Roush! now, Kenney and all!
On, Rose! on Edwards! on, Flintoft, come all!
To the top of the post! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!
As dry leaves that before the wild blitz fly,
When they meet with a stunt, mount to the sky,
So to the game his linemen they flew,
With a playbook of runs, and St. Micah too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the street
The prancing and pawing of each little cleat.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Who but St. Micah came with a bound.
He was dressed all in white, from his head to his foot,
And his jersey was tarnished with grasses and soot;
A bundle of tacklers he beat with his speed
His straight arm a weapon that made others plead.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks covered in eye black, his pose was quite scary!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the helmet he wore was as white as the snow;
The stump of a mouthpiece he held tight in his teeth,
And touchdowns circled his visage like a holiday wreath;
He had a quick step and strength that could freeze
And when he hit the line the bears scattered like fleas.
He was powerful and chiseled, a right jolly young Card,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of my guard;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had little to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to work,
And ran through the bears; then turned with a smirk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the field he rose;
He sprang to his left, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Let’s take the Axe, it’s our sacred right”
Eric
"the older we get the better we were"