BOOPA RESPONSIBLE FOR FOOTBALL TEAM’S SUCCESS
Coach Schnellenberger is coaching the FAU football team to the best year in school history. However, my crazy thoughts will have you thinking:
Ronald Smith Sr., or my grandfather (us grandkids called him “Boopa”) passed away on Thursday, November 13. His 30 years of working in the boiler rooms and working with asbestos proved to be too much for his body to handle. He was a baseball player in high school who was offered a semi-pro contract for his switch-hitting and switch-pitching; he was also voted Most Popular in his senior class, enjoyed fishing and golf and was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. His faith, is what I believe, could be driving the FAU football team’s success this year.
The three months before his death, he spent most of his time in hospitals and rehab centers fighting his sickness. He was hooked up to oxygen and had trouble talking to me on the phone. However, he always managed to ask the same questions every time we spoke: “How are your grades?” “How is your girlfriend?” And finally, “How is the football team doing?” We would spend most of our time talking about the FAU football team’s success and how amazing it is that a three-year program is having such a great year. He would frequently watch ESPN Saturday night football and see the FAU score at the bottom of the screen and beat me to the punch by telling me who won the game on that routine Sunday afternoon phone call that I always made.
He always ended each conversation with “I love you, God bless, and I’ll say a prayer for the football team.” Well, his prayers are being answered and that’s why we are having such a great year. He also kept me in his prayers during Homecoming week, a week that proclaimed me Homecoming King.
And if you think I’m lying, I wish you had been here in my room with me when I was writing this. Not even 12 hours removed from his funeral, I returned back to my home in Deerfield. I stood his golf clubs up in my room and they stood idle for nearly 3 hours. When I began writing this, they fell to the ground. I know he is looking over us.
Well Boopa, now we have to have a serious talk. I’m a little worried about the power that you seem to have. Your son, who is my father, Ronald Smith Jr., who is also named Smitty, (but without the dollar sign), he graduated from the University of Delaware. Your sister has kids who not only live in Montana, but who have season tickets for the Montana football team. Both of those teams are ranked in the top 5 and will most likely be playing FAU in the playoffs. I hope that you keep FAU in your prayers and not Delaware or Montana. Use your powers for FAU! It’s FAU’s turn to win! And Boopa, we need your help to get the FAU Fighting Owl football team a playoff birth and a win.
Regardless of whether you hear my request or not, tonight I will be doing one of two things: 1) representing FAU as the Homecoming King in the Pompano Beach Parade, or 2) making plane arrangements for me to travel to an FAU football playoff game.
Either way, tonight, I will be thinking of you because you help make both of these dreams of mine a reality.
Rest in peace Boopa.
You were the best grandfather anyone could ask for.
I hope I turn out to be half the man you were, because if I do, that would be outstanding.
Don’t worry, I will improve my grades and graduate.
And as always, GO OWLS!
That’s all for now. And remember: Although $mitty is spelled with a dollar sign, Student Government using your A&S fees to give you free stuff, MAKES CENTS!
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