Pat+and+Ethan

In __Friday Night Lights__ by H.G. Bissinger, the story of Boobie Miles is a tragic one. It is a fine example of how you can have everything one day, and lose everything the next. After Boobie Miles’ knee injury he thinks his football career is over, and thus his life is over. He does not know what he wants to do with his life, saying, “All I wanted to do was make it to the pros” (Bissinger 57). This quote shows Boobie’s passion and dedication to football, and how he relied solely on his athletic abilities to lead him to success, growth, and happiness. It seems like he lost much hope, due to his tragic injuries. Much like the author of “Tears, Idle Tears”, Boobie focuses on the tragic past. He highlights negative emotions, negative actions, and negative events that have haunted his past. It is as if he can not let go of the tragedy that lurks in his past. All of these feelings and emotions lead Boobie into a feeling of regret, causing him to lose all hope in the future. Boobie Miles, and the poem, “Tears, Idle Tears” are extremely similar in the sense that they both dwell on, “the days that are no more”. Boobie’s self confidence is definitely not getting helped by his surroundings, as he is constantly bombarded by people who have no hope in him, especially now that he has lost his football future. One man in Odessa believes that without football, Boobie and the rest of the black community would be nothing but “big ol’ dumb nigger”(s) (67). The story of Boobie Miles is definitely a tragic one.