Remember Episode Zero of the hit comedy “Friends?”

It was called, “The One Where It's Not Week Zero.”

Or Week Zero of last year's NFL season? I think Le'Veon Bell actually played in that one.

Maybe you recall the winners of every sporting event proclaiming, “We're number Zero!”

And you certainly remember Super Bowl Zero. I believe the Browns beat the Lions in that epic clash.

You don't?

Then why do we still insist on calling the first week of the high school football season “Week Zero?”

It's not Week Zero. It's Week 1.

Repeat after me.

Week 1.

Every team in the Butler County area except for Freeport is opening its season next weekend. Just about every team in the WPIAL is also playing and a vast majority of the football teams in the state have a game scheduled for either Aug. 23 or Aug. 24.

That, my friends, is called Week 1.

I repeat: It's NOT WEEK ZERO.

I refuse to call it that. You should refuse to call it that. Everyone in the state should refuse to call it that.

This needs to be stopped.

Now. Before it drives good people like me insane.

It makes no sense, like reviewing judgement-call, pass interference flags in the NFL.

It makes no sense, like why Chiefs' coach Andy Reid dresses like a giant apple for every game.

It makes no sense, like why the PIAA would allow teams to decide to play a scrimmage or a regular-season game in “Week Zero.”

It just makes no sense.

I get why it was called Week Zero in the beginning.

In 2016 when the PIAA decided, for some strange reason, to give teams the option to play a good ol' real game. It was 50-50. Some did. Some didn't.

Now, it's about 85-15.

At what point does not playing in Week Zero just become a bye? At what point is Week Zero just Week 1?

Um, at this point.

I'm kidding myself, of course.

Week Zero is here to stay, I'm afraid, unless the PIAA changes course and removes the ridiculous scrimmage option.

Until then, I will have to grit my teeth and accept Week Zero is still a thing, even though it shouldn't be.

Until then, I will continue to have zero interest in calling it Week Zero.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.