08/21/2026
IT'S GAMEDAY IN MASSILLON, OH
FOR OVER 100 YEARS, THE PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN HAVE WOKEN UP ON A FRIDAY IN THE LATE SUMMER AND FELT SOMETHING JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT. MOST LIKELY THEY HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING THE NIGHT BEFORE. THEY PROBABLY WOKE UP A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE MORNING. THEY NOTICED THAT THE SUN SHINED A LITTLE BRIGHTER. THEY HAD A LITTLE EXTRA BOUNCE IN THEIR STEP. WHEN THEY WENT TO WORK OR SCHOOL AND NOTICED THAT THE TOWN JUST FELT A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND EVERYONE HAD A LITTLE EXTRA ENERGY...
BECAUSE TODAY IS THE DAY….IT'S GAMEDAY.
WE WAIT FOR THIS DAY LIKE IT'S CHRISTMAS....EXCEPT THIS HOLIDAY LASTS FOR MONTHS. AFTER WEEKS OF TALKING ABOUT IT, WAITING FOR IT, READING ABOUT IT IN THE PAPER..IT IS FINALLY HERE. GAMEDAY IN THIS TOWN IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS NOWHERE ELSE. EVERY TOWN IN AMERICA HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY DO THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO THEM; WE DO FOOTBALL...AND WE DO IT BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. I BELIEVE WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A GIFT. THINK OF ALL THE OTHER PLACES THAT YOU COULD HAVE BEEN BORN, GROWN UP, LIVED, WORKED, RETIRED, BUT SOMEHOW WE ALL MADE IT TO THIS TOWN. WE ALL GET TO BE A PART OF THIS. THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS DAY. THINK OF ALL OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE SO CLOSE, BUT YET ARE SO FAR FROM UNDERSTANDING WHY THIS FEELS SO GOOD TO US AND MEANS SO MUCH,
TODAY THERE WILL BE BOYS WHO WILL FULFILL THEIR LIFELONG DREAM TO BECOME MASSILLON TIGERS.
TODAY THERE WILL BE GIRLS WHO WILL FULFILL THEIR LIFELONG DREAM TO BECOME MASSILLON CHEERLEADERS. TODAY THERE WILL BE PARENTS WHO WILL GET TO WITNESS THEIR KIDS LIVING THE DREAM THEY HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. TODAY THERE WILL BE KIDS IN THE STANDS WHO WILL BEGIN TO DREAM OF THE DAY THAT THEY GET TO BE A PART OF THIS. TODAY THERE WILL BE SOMEONE IN THE STANDS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WHO WILL BECOME A LIFELONG TIGER FAN.
TODAY EVERYONE WILL DO "THEIR THING". YOU WILL WEAR "YOUR SHIRT", YOU WILL EAT AT "YOUR RESTAURANT", YOU WILL SIT IN "YOUR SEAT". WHAT PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THIS TOWN DON'T REALIZE IS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME. THIS IS A CIVIC ENTERPRISE, AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN LITTLE PIECE THAT THEY CONTRIBUTE.
WE ARE ALL A PART OF THIS; WE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, AND WE ALWAYS WILL BE.
TODAY IS GAMEDAY IN MASSILLON, OHIO. WHERE ELSE ON THIS EARTH WOULD YOU RATHER BE?