The Mechanics Of High School Football

It’s that weird time of year for a football fan – the NCAA season is now waiting on bowl games, our favorite NFL teams are essentially just playing out their schedule in anticipation of the playoffs (we hope, ahem, Patriots), and high school football has been over for weeks.

But The Teller’s football jones was stoked by an uplifting, if modest, gift given recently by Mechanics Cooperative Bank in support of the Taunton High School Football Tigers.

At the outset of the season, Mechanics pledged a gift of $25 per touchdown scored by the team this season.

It was a battle for the Tigers this year, but after an epic 8-7 victory over Coyle Cassidy on Thanksgiving Day, the team finished with a winning 6-5 record and a total of 36 touchdowns.

The three dozen TDs, valued at 6 points and $25 apiece, netted the team $875.

Now, $875 isn’t a lot, but it makes a difference. It may by a few extra uniforms or some pizzas after practice or pay for higher-quality hot dog buns in the concessions booth. Trust us, this stuff matters.

The Tigers’ 36 touchdowns were scored by no less than eight players this year, including an astounding 25 by one Cabrini Goncalves alone. Perhaps he may have earned an extra slice or two of post-game pizza, but football is a team sport, and we think this modest gift by Mechanics is really what team is all about.

Now kids, be team players and send your parents to Mechanics if they need a mortgage.

In 2010, We Resolve To…

The Teller thought its 2010 New Year’s resolutions were modest: Find a girl not named "Mom" to go on a date with us (no offense, Mom). Buy pants that fit. Learn to type and talk on the phone at the same time.

We learned long ago not to set expectations too high, lest reality quickly crush the fire of ambition.

But apparently, compared to the rest of you hardworking Americans, The Teller’s goals are downright astronomical.

According to a new study from Fidelity Investments, more than 50 percent of Americans have announced their intention to make 2010 the year they "save more money."

The second-most popular resolution, at 30 percent of respondents? "Spend less money."

Wow, America! Don’t go too far out on that limb! You sure you wouldn’t rather "breathe more air" next year? Or how about we all simply try to "be cold less?"

Now, see what we said above about not setting expectations too high. We stick by that. But we also think one should set expectations that are actually real. Instead of "save more money," why cant 51 percent of Americans vow to "save enough money… to buy a cup of coffee?" And if they can do that, why cant 30 percent "Spend less money… on booze and pixie stix."

Times are tough all around, so even by our low standards, we think committing to "saving more" and "spending less" is kind of a cop out. Goals are more fun when they’re specific, not to mention a whole lot less trite.

It’s not like any of us actually keep our resolutions anyway (sigh, another dateless year wearing threadbare pants that are too short, while typing gibberish), but when we aim a little higher, it makes it easier to settle for modest success.