In "Friday Night Lights," Bissinger shows how Permian High School football in Odessa Texas is more than just a game to them. They spend more money and more time and effort into football than anything else they do. Football is so big there that going to a game is the same as going to church, football is like a religion there. The way Bissenger describes the story and the words he puts in the story, it makes you feel like that your there. 

Permian High School football is the typical High School football stereotype. The football players own the school, everyone knows them, and mostly all of the have girlfriends, but there is something that is quit unique when it comes to this high school. The Football team and the economy, this town loves its team so much that it spent $5.6 million high school football stadium in 1982. The Stadium included a sunken artificial surface field eighteen feet below ground level, a two-story press box with VIP seating for school board members and other dignitaries, poured concrete seating for 19,032, and a full-time caretaker who lived in a house on the premises(Bissinger 320). They could have spent that money on many more things but football means so much to them that they choose to build this college level stadium for a high school. They could have used it on books for the school, new equipment for the school education system or the town could have just used it to open up something that would help the town overall, but football in this town of Odessa Texas that they would rather spend it on a football stadium the anything else. This not only shows the spirit for this towns high school but how important football it too this town. 

What makes this place significantly different is that not many Football teams have their very own pepette for each player, a pepette is a girl from the high school that is assigned to make and give there football player baked goods, signs to put on their front lawns for the entire season so everyone knows that someone in that house plays for Permian, also small signs to put up in the school and when the pep rally came they would be hung up in the gymnasium and in some cases a six pack of beer. Some pepetties even spent as much as $100 of some of their own money to do this, as this was a very competitive thing for the pepetties to see which one gives or buys there players the best things. Some even made pillow cases for their players to take on long road games. 

In the beginning of the story it states "Had the watermelon feed been held inside the county jail, or on a sinking ship, or on the side of a craggy mountain, they would still have flocked to attend" (Bissinger317). The watermelon feed is when everyone gets together in the school cafeteria and introduces all the football players to the community, there is also watermelon that is served as well, and this isn't even a game and the writer is saying that it does not matter when or where this is the fans of the Permian Panthers would still rush to attend just a simply old introduction of this season's team, imagine what they would do too go to the actually game. The fans of Permian did not care for golf or basketball or other sports, they waited every fall so they can finally get excited about something for that small town of Odessa Texas. One retired man and resident of Odessa stated "That football is just something that keeps me going. You know the kids moves, you know em personally. It's just like your own kids (Bissinger319)". Football in Odessa Texas is more than just a game, it's a way of life for these people, and every kid in Odessa dreams to be a Permian Panther and they look up to the ones are currently playing.

Bissinger does a good job in making the readers feel like they are actually in the story living it. He gives good imaginary details such as "Outside, the August night was sweetly cool and serene with just a wisp of West Texas wind (Bissinger 317)". This sentence really give you a good feel what he is trying make you imagine, sweetly cool so around 68 to 73 degrees with a wisp of West Texas wind. Since its West Texas wind it must be a dry there and a wisp means it's a little breeze. This next part of the story really feels like the writer wanted you too feel the emotion and excitement. "Friday nights under a full moon that filled the black satin sky with a light as soft and delicate as the flickering of a candle. The road trips to Irving and Abilene and San Angelo in that endless caravan or RVs and suburban's and plain old sedans rising forth so proudly from bowels of West Texas. The Family reunion atmosphere or each practice where they knew everyone and everyone knew them. They could hardly wait (Bissinger 319)". The moon light is as bright as a flickering candle, which is not much light but it is enough to see. The road trips and the RVs and suburban's were the faithful fans of Permian Panthers and the rising from the bowels is another word for rising over the horizon that is how far they traveled to watch their beloved team play. The Family reunion including the fans and the players and that they all were one big family and treated each other like family. 

In conclusion Bissinger shows in this story how that a football team in a small town of Odessa Texas means more to the community then anything and that going to a football is the same as going to church for them. Also that Bissinger makes you feel like you are there by the way he words his story and describes it.  

