We’re Keeping These (1993 Desmond Howard banners)

This week I posted the audio of Coach Moeller’s headset from The Catch in 1991 which happened 27 years ago this Friday.  In the backwash of Twitter reaction a gent replied with this…stadium signs apparently made back in ’91 that his roommate hung onto all these years:

First off, it’s so great that Desmond himself checked out the signs and loved it.  You have to wonder if this is actually the first time he’s seen them.

More importantly let’s break this down and talk about serious fandom.  No, I’m not talking about guys making signs for a football game in the early 1990s, but I’ll note that these are beyond commendable, and by the way, easy to read from a distance on TV thanks to the clear contrast and thick letters.  Well done.  But it’s not that.

Following the game in 1991, after crushing the postgame pizza & beers I imagine something like this was uttered: “dude, we gotta keep these signs!”   And they did.  For nearly three decades now and running. Rolled up in someone’s closet to the dismay of family and/or spouse and/or unenlightened friends & confused neighbors.  Through all of the awkward conversations about how it’s time to get rid of them.  Through the questions such as “what are you even going to DO with these things?“.  As if that matters to this guy.  It even survived after he read that damn magic of Tidyness book last year.

Through all the changes in life, each time he moved, the signs stayed with him.  And based on the pics, apparently cared-for, protected and preserved as if Greg Kinney was watching after them.  The guy is probably right around 50 now.  That’s fandom right there and I love it.

** Postscript  If you are puzzled on the “Magic’s Kingdom” reference, Magic was Desmond’s nickname back in the day.  I believe it started in high school in Ohio as #21 could handle his business both on the gridiron and on the basketball court.   I don’t think it had legs because you just don’t hear it today.  Perhaps it’s because former MSU hoops coach Jud Heathcote issued an omerta on it:

Gotta love Jud!