Tailgate Plan to Win: The "It's My Birthday and Ball State" Edition

So it's my birthday, and I could do a run-down of birthdays past.

In 1994, we had my birthday party (a rarity, it seems, throughout my childhood) a couple of weeks early so that some of my friends who played fall baseball in Madison wouldn't miss a tournament. The highlight of this one was basically ignoring most of my friends to watch the fourth quarter of the Auburn-LSU interception game. It was awesome, although I learned a lot about being a good host that day.

In 1998, I turned 16. My parents had hinted at a big surprise for what seemed like an entire month. What does every 16-year-old expect if his parents say that they have a big surprise for them? I got a Playstation and NCAA Football '99. Yep, I was surprised.

In 1999, Auburn played host to Ole Miss, Tommy Tuberville's first game against the Rebels. I got my first taste of being in the press box for a game, and it was the first conference game I witnessed in Jordan-Hare Stadium. While the Rebels won 24-17 in overtime, I was able to be down on the sidelines and on the field following the game - pretty cool gift in itself. Meanwhile, my mom chatted up David Housel's wife, forming a lifelong friendship between our families.

In 2001, I was volunteering at Macon First United Methodist as a Youth Counselor, and the entire youth group surprised me in Starkville at Harvey's for dinner that night.

In 2004, Auburn once again played on my birthday, this time against The Citadel. Robert's family came down from Arab, and Megan was in Auburn from Tuscaloosa. We all had a great time, and I spent most of the evening just chillaxin' and watching TV.

In 2007, I got to spend the entire day getting estimates on my truck after some crazy dame ran into my back fender in a parking lot. She was hammered and fled prior to the cops getting there to give a DUI test. It definitely made things much more interesting. The real highlight of this birthday was taking the week off and spending Wednesday-Sunday in Gainesville, watching Auburn topple Florida 20-17.

Now, I sit here in the camper with Trooper at my feet and my mom getting ready to go hang out in town. We're going to have a great tailgate this weekend, featuring the first appearances by Robert, Jennifer and Emma Boully plus the return of some of the Hipp clan. The menu is a Mexican burrito buffet, and the plan is to break out the mammoth Margaritaville blender for the first time this season.

Also expected here are Brad, Amber and Jarrod Gregg; Bryan Bowen, his son Carter plus a couple more; Andy Shores; as well as Tammy and Jacob. We're saddened that Katy Braden won't grace us with her presence, but she will be here in spirit (and at least she now knows that the game is televised).

Brad's group is in charge of individual bags of Doritos, etc. The Boully trio will provide a few more tortilla chips for the homemade salsa and cheese dips. (Yes, Coach, THAT homemade salsa.) Everyone else, same as old - ice, chairs and drinks.

My phone has been acting up the past 12 hours (what a day to screw around - the one day where people come from every direction to call and send texts), so if I miss a call it is not on purpose.

Call or text if you need anything. Do what we do. And, finally, I'm sittin' on G, waitin' on O. War Eagle.

Chris