The BBQ grill rolls.

The lights glare.

The crowd shuffles in.

The band begins to play.

The team takes the field.

It’s back.

Football has once again made its debut at the high school and college levels and soon the sounds and sights of professional players will grace the television sets of millions across the country — including those right here in Union County.

Americans have listed the pigskin sport as their favorite for more than 30 years, says Gallup which has been asking people across the nation what their favorite sport is since 1937. In fact, 43 percent of those asked in the 2006 Gallup Poll said football was their sport of choice.

But what is it about the sport that makes it so popular?

“I think belonging to something that you can get behind and cheer for is what it's all about,” said Times Facebook Fan Samuel Fullbright. “Talking smack to your friends makes it fun, too.”

“Back some years ago, most schools had only football, basketball and baseball teams,” said Union County School District Athletic Director Mike Massey.

Massey has been AD at the Union County district for seven years and has coached for a total of 27 years. He’s seen quite a few football seasons come and go. He added football — while not the only sport — became the premiere sport for many schools and that tradition seems to have carried on through the years.

“Now you see schools with more sports but football is still premier in most because of its tradition,” Massey said.

Union County Yellow Jackets Head Football Coach David Lipsey agreed with Massey’s evaluation. Lipsey is in his 20th year as a head coach and this is his 29th year — overall — coaching football. He said the game is a “celebration of community.”

“Everyone’s passionate and they care,” Lipsey said. “People love it and they expect good football.”

He added the fans in Yellow Jacket country and the appeal of the sport here in Union County are just as high as anywhere else in the state because the game becomes a source of community pride.

Dave Gillespie, who holds the home run record for the Vol. State baseball team and has never played football on an organized team at any level, knows one thing about the pigskin sport for a fact.

“Football is intense,” the Gallatin, TN, resident and Union County visitor said. “Second, there are highly-skilled athletes doing things — Gladiator-like.”

Times Sports Editor Joe Pettit has seen both sides of the equation. Not only does he get the pleasure of watching football every Friday night during the high school season, he also knows just what it’s like to be on that field with everyone in the stands watching.

Pettit played football throughout his high school career at Union High, starting out in Coach Shell Dula’s last year at Union in 1996 as freshman quarterback. He was the varsity long snapper and backup QB in 1997, the same year he was an Upper State finalist and became the starting varsity quarterback in 1998 until he was sidelined with an injury until the final regular season game of that year. He came back to the field in 1999 as the varsity starter and helped lead his team to the 3A state championship.

Pettit holds the school records for most passing yards and touchdowns in a season and was named the 1999 Shrine Bowl Offensive MVP.

He knows a thing or two about football.

“The thrill of being a Yellow Jacket on Friday nights was unbelievable,” Pettit said. “Everywhere I went, so it seemed, fans encouraged and supported the team. The excitement of hearing the crowd roar and the band striking up the fight song before the game and after scores was like no other experience. Wearing black and gold was not only an honor but a duty. It was a chance for everyone to forget their troubles and collectively celebrate in victory and encourage one another in defeat.”

Being on the other side of the field now, reporting on the games instead of being in them, is a different experience for Pettit.

“It is an interesting view, because I take a look at statistics more than defensive schemes,” he said. “But the excitement and pride levels are as high as ever. Football is a game of situations and I overlooked many of those as a player — i.e. Gaffney and the first half of state in '99 — and now, as a reporter, every detail about a game becomes a possible headline. You can’t miss a play.”

Pettit said football is a favorite sport for many because of the excitement that surrounds the game.

“Football teams play only one game per week,” he said. “MLB has 162 regular season games and NBA plays 82 games, but the NFL plays only 16 regular season games. The excitement is there every game because it doesn't lose its luster by having too many scheduled games.”

The game also has an intensity no other could duplicate and it’s nearly strictly a man’s sport.

“Football players risk injury or even death every play which makes the game more exciting,” Pettit said. “Take a look at MMA. America loves brutal, punishing sports. Football is also unlike any of its counterparts because there are no women equivalencies in the game. For example, what softball is to baseball and golf, tennis, basketball, etc., all have women's participation. But football is still the only man's game. Football is about toughness and ‘manliness,’ which appeals to football's largest market segment — males.”

The game also helps instill a level of pride — not only in community but also in school.

“Football brings pride because it normally showcases the best athletes from each, respective school,” Pettit said.

“In Union County, football is the sport,” Massey said. “It's a gathering point and has been for each community even before consolidation. Every community has a rallying point and here it's football. Football is big in South Carolina and that's another reason why it's so appealing here.”

So it seems football fever is a tradition and a sport even someone who has never physically played the game can rally around, and one that can renew the passion for the game for someone who once was under the Friday night lights every week.

“Yellow Jacket fever is back in me now that I am on the sidelines covering the Jackets from a journalistic standpoint,” Pettit said. “Yes, it is my job, but I do it with great dignity and pride and I feel honored to be a part of Jacket country.”