Last Friday night, I found myself in Johnston, bundled up, watching our Fairfield Central Griffins fight for the Upper State Championship. That game reminded me of something my college basketball team psychologist taught us: “Referees and skunks have a lot in common. They both stink, and there’s nothing you can do about either one.” And boy, did those refs stink.
Present tense. Ongoing. Generational stink. A family tradition of stinkiness passed from father to son, uncle to nephew.
Even in the cold — the disrespectful kind of cold where you start confessing sins you didn’t commit — the Fairfield fans showed up loud, proud, and full of heart.
Our boys fought hard, played with discipline, and above reproach.
But what caught my attention wasn’t just the field; it was what I saw in the stands. As soon as the Griffins went down 15–7 with about 1:30 to go, I saw people drifting towards the exits. Giving up. Not everyone, but too many.
“That’s the game.” “We gave it away.” “You can’t beat the refs.”
I almost got frustrated, but I took a breath. These young men needed our energy. They needed the same energy we had when we’d get in our cars, get on the bus, and do whatever it took to support them.
Then, in classic Fairfield football fashion, our Griffins marched down the field and scored. They went for two, and in my completely unbiased opinion, my former student Dre Walker converted it.
Something about that moment stayed with me because I’ve seen this before. Not in Johnston. Not at Essie Mae Williams’ daddy’s house, but at home in Fairfield County.
Fairfield County has lived through fourth quarters, slow starts, and moments of uncertainty. When times are good, we are loud and proud — our businesses booming and our community thriving. But when life gets tight, we begin to drift away. We start to pack it up. We leave early. We fold the chair before the concert’s over.
But some of our greatest achievements have come when it looked like everything was collapsing. Fairfield County has produced talent now shining across the state, the nation, and the world. We can’t forget this county is full of creativity, resilience, and brilliant minds.
I think we need to stay.
Stay connected, invested, and engaged. Yes, our leadership hasn’t always been the best, but we don’t have to let life happen to us. We need to get involved, because there’s a big building being constructed in Blythewood, set to hire thousands. These are good jobs and life-changing opportunities.
However, from what I see, not enough people from Fairfield are applying.
Change is good, and growth is inevitable, and I want our community to have a say in its future. I’d rather welcome change than watch it pass us by. When thousands of new workers are hired, where do you think they’ll live? Right here, with their ideas and values.
If we walk out early, we might miss the chance we have to shape the future of Fairfield County.
