And there is Columbus Day, when you get to gorge yourself and try to discover something ... and Arbor Day when you get to gorge yourself and plant a tree.
And there are a few others, too, but Halloween rates right up there as one of my favorites.
One of the reasons I like Halloween, though, is the chance to dress up and be somebody else. Even if it's just for a couple of minutes.
It was fun the other day when I went to the store. I was out buying a couple of bags of beef liver kisses to give the kids for trick-or-treat and the ingredients for scrapple snack mix - similar to that kind with the cereal, only greasier - like Mother Sydney used to make.
Well, anyhow, I walked through the department where all the new costumes were hanging. Boy, there were some great choices.
- One had baseball cap, elbow armor and a huge chip to strap onto your shoulder.
I could be Barry Bonds.
- Another had a football hat, a headset and a chip to strap onto your shoulder.
Boy, I could be Steve Spurrier. It also had a broken water pistol ((No) Fun and (No) Gun).
With both, a helium tank to inflate an optional ego would be an additional cost.
- They also had one that had plate-glass glasses, a business suit with a partially undone tie, waxed hair (and an optional empty Clue box).
That was Bud Selig.
- The football version of that had an expensive silk suit, slicked hair and a Southern drawl (Clue optional).
Boy, did they nail Dallas owner Jerry Jones.
- This was a neat one. It had a helmet with a home logo on one side and a road one on the other. There was a jersey with three different numbers, complete with a clipboard, calendar and earplugs.
It was Washington quarterback Shane Rams-fel, all three of them wrapped into one.
- There was a football uniform and a flat dog.
That one was supposed to be Brian Griese.
- Over there was another football uniform that came with a toy car, complete with a doll that looked like a bandaged police officer on the hood.
It took a minute, but I figured it was supposed to be Randy Moss.
- Then I turned and looked. I gasped.
There it was. It was a ripped football jersey. There was a orange helmet, which could double as a pumpkin, over the top of a paper bag. One of the jersey's arm holes was sewn shut to make it look like the wearer was missing a limb. The back of the shoulders were padded, to make them look slumped (or allow you to take a second job as a bell ringer in a church tower after all the Halloween parties). It came with a greased ball, so it was hard to hold.
It was hideous. It was tough to look at.
I couldn't figure out what it was and then all of a sudden it hit me.
AAAAAAAHHHHHH.
It was a Cincinnati Bengal.
I haven't been able to sleep since.
On with the predictions. Last week 17-4 (.809), season 135-48 (.738).
HIGH SCHOOLS
St. John's-Prospect Hall 36, Good Counsel 8: No, Good Counsel is not related to Craig Counsell.
Middletown 28, Boonsboro 16: The Knights give the Warriors nothing to joust about.
Brunswick 31, FSK 19: Beating the Eagles could be the Key to the Railroaders' season.
Catoctin 34, Walkersville 24: Cougars knock Walkersville off stride.
North Hagerstown 19, Smithsburg 17: Finally, the Hubs don't sit on it. Happy Days for Cunningham.
South Hagerstown 26, Williamsport 8: Rebels put on their Miner's caps and dig past Wildcats.
St. Vincent Pallotti 35, Hancock 20: Panthers have to be lucky to win the Pal-lottery.
Urbana 42, Frederick 16: To Cope-a Urbana, don't fall in love.
Thomas Johnson 20, Liberty 12: Looking for a vacation, the Pats take a weekend Liberty.
Hedgesville 33, Jefferson 31: If the Cougars get beat by Hedgesville, is that shrubbery drubbing.
Martinsburg 41, Fort Hill 19: Sentinels climb the mountain only to be turned into Ant Hill.
Musselman 45, Hampshire 13: Applemen's attack leaves Hampshire looking like it's running on a wheel.
Cumberland Valley 37, Chambersburg 21: A loss to C-Valley might be the lowpoint of the Trojans' season.
Big Spring 40, Greencastle-Antrim 14: Big Spring push the Blue Devils to a little fall.
Steel-High 38, James Buchanan 18: Steel-High has the metal to ground the Rockets.
Susquenita 43, Waynesboro 8: Do you like Susquenita-a-lotta?
Saturday
Bishop Walsh 30, St. James 13: Bishop Walsh isn't ordain-ary.
Peddie School 44, Mercersburg Academy 25: Peddie tells the Blue Storm, "Don't come around here no more. (Hey.)"
COLLEGES
Miami 41, West Virginia 21: Hurricanes are more than an ill wind to the Mountaineers.
Maryland 34, Duke 13: Who will play tailback has more drama than the game itself for the Terps.
Ohio State 27, Penn State 20: This gives the Nittany Lions' season a Buck eye.
Shepherd 31, Glenville 17: The Rams aren't Catering to anyone anymore.
PROS
Colts 24, Redskins 16: Indianapolis makes Washington's offense look even more Dungy.
Ravens 20, Steelers 13: Without the Bus, Pittsburgh's running game is Zereo-ue.
Eagles 23, Giants 10: McNabb shrinks the hopes of most teams and the Giants are no different.
