It had been a long day already, and I had scheduled a post-regular work hours interview.

So I left the office and had a few minutes to spare.

And there I was, parked in a traffic lane on Ash Street, right by the "brass," which I always call horns. The corner home owner was weeding, and I thought how cool it was that she had West Side Story music to weed to.

A woman in workout clothes ran around the track. A couple strolled on the sidewalk, holding hands.

Soon, a couple of other cars stopped as I had, passenger windows down and radios turned off.

The light behind us turned green and I thought I should move. But the approaching folks respectfully slowed and went around rather than forcing us to move.

The reason the Troopers were at NC's gorgeous field for an entire week of practice can be credited to one man - outgoing athletic director Glen Legler, who watched their free program a week ago and invited them to stay.

On Friday at noon, with the sun blazing and temperatures still cool, they practiced in skimpy muscle shirts and swim suit tops. But when they broke for lunch, even though they eat outdoors, every shirt was on.

Only complete geeks like to watch practice.

Count me in, but I come by it genetically.

And on this Father's Day, it's Fritz the Dad I have to thank for that.

Legend has it that back in the day when newborns were "confined," as though we'd catch some horrible disease from air, my first outing after a mid-July birth was a stroll to football practice at Albion College. Peggy Jane the Mom had an upscale swanky navy blue "buggy," and we lived just blocks from the field.

And legend further has it that after practice, Fritz the Dad cruised by and tossed a football in the buggy to keep me company.

So that pretty much explains a lot.

But practice is where you see stuff, hear stuff, learn stuff. It's the real deal, not some extravaganza that dilutes what's really happening.

Anybody can watch a game, but practice is the place to be.

And whether it's the Troopers or the Pokes or any of six NFL teams, it's always been a place I want to be.

When I was in high school, I'd go to the Pokes practices nearly every day. I know Fritz the Dad thought it was weird.

When I was in Michigan for the summers while I was in college, I'd beg to work an early shift and then drive to training camp every afternoon. All of the other coaches' sons were there working, and I was there watching.

So now I still enjoy practice. And regardless of what it is, you don't get to the championship without practice.

I think I'll bake a pie today, because Fritz the Dad absolutely loved pie. Lemon meringue was his absolute favorite, but I'm not patient enough with meringue.

The last thing I baked him was a peach pie. So perhaps I'll bake one of those.

And even though he's not here to eat that pie, I'll thank him for teaching me so many things.

And that includes loving practice.

Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@trib.com. Read Sal's blog at tribtown.trib.com/Sal/blog