Perfect time to tell a story of my family's experience with Fitz. Forgive me if I've told this one before. In August 2009, I took my kids to see a preseason game in Pittsburgh. It was the preseason opener just after the refs beat us in the SB. We were the only people in the stands wearing Cardinal red. My youngest was 7 years old. The Cardinals were warming up in the end zone closest to us, so we got as close as possible. The Cardinal O were practicing fade routes into the corner of the end zone where we were. This was kind of a coming home party for Fitz, as he obviously played all his college games in that stadium. The kids were all leaning over the railing calling his name. My kid was the only one wearing a #11 red Fitz jersey. The other boys seemed older & bigger than my kid, but Joe made sure he was right up against the railing. When the drill was over, Fitz pointed at my kid, ran over, and scaled the wall to put the football in my son's arms. To this day, that football sits in a glass case on my son's dresser. We will be in Canton, OH to get it signed when Fitz is enshrined in the HOF. I had so many boyhood Cardinal heroes from the St. Louis days, but Fitz will always be our #1!!!!
