The other day, I had a vision. It was somewhat inspired by that scene from the movie “Remember the Titans,” where Titans coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington’s character) returns home from a big playoff victory in the middle of the night and dances into the street with his daughter on his shoulders screaming and celebrating with his neighbors: “We’re gonna win state,” Coach Boone and his daughter shout. “We’re gonna win state.” My vision also was inspired by a few of the comments I’ve seen at the end of my stories in the past couple of weeks. I live on the Free State side of town. I graduated from Lawrence High in 1996, when this was a one-horse town. I’m one of the small contingent of people out there who actually roots for both schools. And that’s what my vision had to do with. As I drove home the other night, I passed Matt Frantz’s house. Matt, a senior, is a starting offensive lineman on the Free State High football team that will pay in the state championship game Saturday in Topeka. His dad, Stan, was my eighth-grade typing teacher and junior high basketball coach. As I passed their house, both Stan and Matt were outside doing chores. In that brief moment, I envisioned neighbors raising their windows and shouting from their doorways, “Go Firebirds.” “Good luck at state.” It’s a bit of a fairytale image, and admittedly sappy at the same time, but it hit me smack in the face. It didn’t happen, of course, — at least not while I drove by — but that didn’t stop me from wishing it would. That scene in “Remember the Titans” is one of my favorites. It shows a community coming together, not just to support a football team on a nice postseason run, but to support a man who helped teach his young men about honor and respect, class and courage, things sports like football can teach us all. I’ve lived in Lawrence for 20 years and I’ve enjoyed every day of it. It’s a great community, it’s a great sports town and it’s full of great people who enjoy supporting one another. As the Firebirds head to Topeka on Saturday to play for the 2008 Class 6A state football title, here’s hoping that people all over Lawrence — Firebirds, Lions, Eagles and Seahawks — will be pulling for them. After all, as someone posted on the web site, it’s about time that state title trophy makes its way back to Lawrence.