Texas forever!

Some of the big surprises of Emmy night were the wins for the final season of 'Friday Night Lights.' To say that fans of the NBC/DirecTV show had full hearts would be putting it far too mildly.

First executive producer and head writer Jason Katims won an Emmy in the best drama writing category, and gave a lovely, graceful speech that ended with "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose." Katims won for writing the show's series finale, 'Always,' which beat out 'Mad Men's' 'The Suitcase,' which was widely expected to win in that category.

Not long after that, a clearly stunned Kyle Chandler won as best dramatic actor. The man who played Coach Eric Taylor on 'FNL' for five seasons bested 'Mad Men's' Jon Hamm and 'Boardwalk Empire's' Steve Buscemi, among others.

Former 'FNL' star Minka Kelly, who was one of the presenters of the award, gave him big hug, and Chandler took the stage to the screams of 'FNL' fans in the audience.

"I knew for a fact that i would not be standing here so i didn't worry about writing anything, and now I'm starting to worry about it," Chandler said. He did thank the show's casting director and producers, and also "the people of Austin, Texas, who welcomed us into their home and filled those stadiums and brought the show to life while we were there. God bless and thank you so much."

When it comes to impromptu speeches, Chandler clearly isn't in the same league as Coach Taylor, whose locker-room orations are the stuff of legend. But we can forgive Chandler for stumbling a little and for not giving a shoutout to his on-screen wife for five seasons, Connie Britton (a.k.a. Tami Taylor). (He did try to thank Britton after his microphone was cut off, and he had a little moment in which he gestured toward her from the stage, so it was all really fine.)

Chandler's moment on stage was true to life, it was messy and real and delightful. Kind of like 'Friday Night Lights.'

Who would have thought this show, the future of which was in doubt so many times, would get not one but two Emmys after five seasons on the air. Amazing.

My full Emmy writeup is here.