EVEN THIS JOB HAS PROS, CONS.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Community Sports

The good and bad of Foothill League football:

--I like the artificial turf that has been installed at every Santa Clarita school's home field. It looks great, the players like it - and my car remains mud-free on the drive home following games.

--I don't like the soccer lines.

--I like the wide-open, high-scoring passing offenses most Foothill League teams employ. It makes for great stats - three 3,000-yard quarterbacks last season - and there's usually plenty of long touchdowns and last-minute comebacks.

--I don't like the fact that most of the teams don't establish the run, then the pass, a style of football I grew up with in the 1970s with the USC Trojans and Los Angeles Rams. I'll always believe power football is the best strategy - in any weather, which is important during playoff time. De La Salle High of Concord has proved so year after year.

--I like the pageantry of marching bands, cheerleaders, drill teams, etc. The more spirit - and the more opportunities for students to be directly involved with the football program - the better.

--I don't like the absence of most school mascots. Doesn't anyone want to dress up in one of those oversized costumes anymore?

--I like breaking the news when a local player commits to a Division I scholarship. It's like a dream come true for the athlete, and an inspiration for everyone around him.

--I don't like learning an otherwise signable player can't accept a four- year deal because he didn't meet NCAA academic eligibility requirements. There is no bigger shame than wasting such a wonderful opportunity. Then again, there's always the option of playing for College of the Canyons, a proven assembly line for second-chancers.

--I like surfing the Internet to track the progress of former players through college, or in Kyle Boller's case, the NFL.

--I don't like devoting too much newspaper coverage to such players who have graduated and moved on. I'm a high school sports nut, and I always will be. I wish folks like Kyle Matter and Manuel White the best, but when they go, they go.

--I like covering homecoming games because there's more energy and excitement in the air, plus a chance to make acquaintances with alumni - and it's nice to see the kids in the homecoming court all dressed up.

--I don't like half-hour halftimes, no matter what the occasion. Homecoming games make for a long night.

--I like PA announcers who have been around for a long time. Nobody loves their jobs more, and they provide an important service.

--I don't like those announcers to give opinions or commentary. Although a lot of them are volunteers, it's not professional. Just the facts, please.

--I like Fox Sports Network to cover as many Foothill League games as possible, and there are always at least two or three telecasts every year involving local teams, which is great exposure.

--I don't like television timeouts during those telecasts. It disrupts the rhythm of the game, and high school players aren't used to it like college and pro players.

--I like kickers who reach the end zone on kickoffs, something you don't see from the average Foothill League kicker.

--I don't like the rule disallowing high schoolers to return kicks out of the end zone. What could be more exciting than a 100-yard touchdown?

--I like reporting on high school sports, particularly football, for a living. For me, there's isn't a better job on Earth.

--I don't like those rare occasions when I'm unable to find a good way to end my columns.

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One reason columnist Gerry Gittelson enjoys his job is following the exploits of ex-Hart High quarterback Kyle Boller, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens.

Chris Gardner/Associated Press