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San Antonio, Texas, became Hollywood, California on April 24, 2008, at the JW Marriot Resort, just down the road from SACS. The NBC television blockbuster, Friday Night Lights, has been on the air for three seasons and recently debuted its fourth season on the red carpet in San Antonio. The red carpet was rolled out for the stars of the show, football celebrities, and the organization called The Gridiron Heroes. This group exists to help those who have been paralyzed while playing football. Proceeds for the evening went to the Gridiron.

The organization was started by the father of San Marcos Baptist football player, Chris Canales, who was injured during the final game of his senior year. He described that evening, saying he was having the best game of his life. With only four minutes in the fourth quarter, he went for a tackle not knowing that it would be the last tackle of his football career. Canales made a vital mistake that coaches warn players to avoid at all costs. He dove into an offensive player headfirst and ended up lying on the field unable to move any parts of his body. In order to keep Canales from diving deep into a depression after he received his wheel chair, his father began to take Canales to high school football games. They sat in the Alamo Dome at a state championship game and watched another nightmare play out on the field. Another player dove into the huddle headfirst and lay helplessly on the field. Canales knew exactly what the player was going through and what the following days would be like for him.  He leaned over to his dad and said, “We have to help him and his family. We know how it feels.” It was after that moment that the Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Organization was born.

They are now partners with the producers of Friday Night Lights to bring encouragement to these injured players and their families. The television show is about a small Texas town and the challenges of playing public high school football in a state that takes the sport very seriously. The series was originally patterned after Odessa, Texas, and the Odessa Permian powerhouse team of the past. The stars of the show insist that this season is unlike the others. They claim that it is more like a real high school and football team.

When asked why the show depicts so much teen drinking and promiscuous sexual behavior, actor Jesse Plemons denied that it does. “It does a great job of not covering up what goes on in the halls and outside of the halls in high school,” said Plemons. Though the season premiere might depict the bad behaviors of public high school students, it also is very realistic and has great scenes on the football field. The action is true and the drama depicts realistic action played out on the field. Our Dinner and a Show team enjoyed interviewing the stars of Friday Night Lights and professional football star Priest Holmes. Holmes said, “I really like being involved with the Gridiron Heroes because I can identify with the guys who have been injured.” Holmes suffered a spinal injury on the football field which eventually shortened his career. San Antonio businessman and Gridiron Honorary Chairman Red McCombs said, “It is encouraging to see a Hollywood production like this show give back to the community and it is an honor to serve with them at this event.” It is good to see this production give back to the injured players; however, the show should be watched with great caution. Though the action on the field is spellbinding, the activities off the field are harmful to any teen. The fourth season officially began on May 7.