Several months back, my friend Andrew Monroe approached me about going to a pair of Spring Training games in March. After a few preliminary plans, we purchased tickets for the Red Sox outings vs. the Marlins and Dodgers, the latter taking place in Dodgertown (Vero Beach, Fla.). The plans took yet another step in a positive direction two weeks ago outside Anders in Auburn when Andrew suggested us going to Islands of Adventure on Friday since we would both have the day off work.
After weeks and months of great anticipation, THE WEEKEND was upon us. Approximately 4:45 p.m. Thursday, I was heading to my truck en route for Valdosta, Ga. After a quick (that turned into not-so-quick) stop in Auburn for dinner with Andy Shores and his father, I rolled into southern Georgia around 2:30 a.m. EST.
DAY ONE
Friday started rather early, especially for myself on the refreshing two-plus hours of sleep. I awoke to Andrew hovering in the doorway of their guest bedroom and the patter of raindrops on the window pane. He asked if I still wanted to head to Islands of Adventure, and I jumped in the shower while he checked the weather forecast for the Orlando area. Early diagnosis stated that we'd miss most of the storm in the morning and may have a few thunderstorms pop up in the afternoon. It was a risk worth taking.
Amazingly, I stayed awake for the car ride down despite plans to sleep. I guess the conversation was that good, but I digress. Andrew's mom called as we passed through Gainesville alerting us to tornado activity in the Gainesville/Jacksonville area. God was looking out for us, though, as we only suffered heavy rains en route to the best theme park in the country. I had also missed a call from my mom (isn't it weird that they have that telepathy thing down pat?), by the way.
We knew the day would be special since we arrived roughly an hour after the park opened and we were still able to park on the lowest level of the parking deck - an unprecedented feat for both of us. I also marveled at the fact that throughout my friendship with Robert, Jennifer and Andrew, this was my first rendezvous at a theme park despite our unhidden love for thrill rides and coasters. Tickets were purchased, and it was straight to the Hulk.
I'm not going to give a play-by-play of the entire day's activities. Andrew's facebook photo gallery can do the justice there. A quick recap:
- four times on The Hulk
- four times on Dueling Dragons
- twice on Dr. Doom (the first of which I was completely unprepared for and provided much amusement for Andrew throughout the course of the afternoon)
- once on Jurassic Park's River Adventure (I hate, hate, HATE water rides, by the way. Luckily, Andrew got soaked while I was able to just suffer a couple of droplets thanks to my rain coat)
- once on Spiderman
- once on Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat
- once on The Mummy (Universal Studios)
- once in Men in Black's Alien Attack (Universal Studios)
We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and were able to be seated right away. It is the first time I've ever been able to go straight to seating and ordering food at a HRC. Just part of the perfect timing we had the entire day. After one last ride on The Hulk, we meandered over to Margaritaville for a couple of Cheeseburgers in Paradise (mine a hamburger) and good tunes in an unbelievable atmosphere before returning to the car to head towards Josh and Katie's in Bradenton.
The ride to Josh (aka "Pissface") and Katie's was nerve wracking with the storm finally catching up to us. Constant heavy rain and lightning littered the evening sky as we moved southbound on I-75. We made a very quick stop at a gas station on Pissface's exit to fill up the car and get a couple of supplies. We arrived at the apartment around 10 p.m. and visited a little with the happy couple before retiring for the night.
DAY TWO
Alarms started going off at 8:30 a.m. as day two of THE WEEKEND was upon us. Today, the Red Sox vs. Marlins was on the agenda in Fort Myers. Plans initially called for us to depart Bradenton by 10 a.m. A long wait at McDonald's for breakfast foiled those, but it did not crush our spirits. Lots of sharing of good times gone by and fun times to be had was captured on the drive to Fort Myers. When we were pulling into the city limits, Andrew realized he had forgotten our tickets in Bradenton. While this would have derailed a trip in the past, we used the vacation motto and didn't let it affect anything - besides the wallet.
Andrew found four box seats behind home plate soon after arriving at the stadium and parking, and we were headed inside for my first spring training experience. Josh and I made the first drink run and went to the souvenir shop so I could get a hat before the players headed back to the dugouts for game preparations. Andrew left with Josh after we returned to the seats for him to also go to the souvenir store. Katie and I caught up, shared some laughs and soon it was time for first pitch.
Josh highlighted the afternoon at the ball park by cracking on a spring training invitee in the top of the ninth, who proceeded to smash a line drive beyond the outfield wall to stretch the Marlins' lead to 5-0. Jacoby Ellsbury blasted a homer to right in the home half of the final frame, securing the final score of 5-2. But, it was just a spring training game, and we had an awesome time just watching the big leaguers having fun out on the diamond.
We went back to the apartment and decided to hold off for a little while before going to Lee Roy Selmon's for dinner. Katie and I were flipping through the TV guide when it happened. Let me preface things by saying Andrew had told us of a great show on CMT (yes, THAT CMT...we thought he was crazy as well) called My Big Redneck Wedding. An episode was on, so we decided to check it out. Nearly two and a half hours later, all four of us were hurting from laughter. Words cannot provide this reality show justice, especially John and Gail's episode.
We decided if we didn't stop watching the show and go to dinner at 8 p.m., it was not going to happen. This helped us to keep the theme of perfect timing as we missed the dinner rush. After waiting for a few minutes, we went straight to being seated and served. The food was great, and the company made it even better. I can't remember the last time I laughed as hard as Saturday. An early morning awaited all of us on Sunday, so we watched John and Gail's episode once more in addition to a gem provided by a couple from Lithia, Fla., before calling it a night.
DAY THREE
Andrew and I wanted to get on the road to Vero Beach by 9 a.m., and we hit the target despite losing an hour to moving the clocks ahead. Josh and Katie had planned on kayaking and also needed to get on the road. After the goodbyes, we were off. A stop at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast was all that stood between us and Dodgertown - well, that and about three hours of nothing with the exception of YeeHaw Junction.
Christa McElyea interned with me at UF during my sports information days, and she now works for the Dodgers' minor league club in Vero Beach. She had reserved our seats months ago, so we were anxious to see what kind of rockstar treatment we'd receive. As we defied the GPS and took a couple of backroads to get to the park, we parked for free and walked through to the front of the complex known as Dodgertown - this the final season LA would be training at the Vero complex. It was cool to be able to say we attended a game here.
When we got to the ticket booth, Tommy Lasorda nearly knocked us over on a golf cart. Ron Sainto walked right by us on his way to the field to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. We made it to our seats - fifth row behind the Dodgers' on-deck circle - and awed at how Christa had come through for us. Almost immediately after taking our seats, Christa belted out the national anthem and suddenly Larry King (yep, the one from CNN) was introducing the two voices of the Dodgers, who came out and shared stories and thanks with the crowd. "He sounds exactly like Vin Scully should sound." - Andrew...not sure what that means looking back on it, but it sounded profound Sunday in the sun-basked glory of baseball and vacation.
The game, for the most part, was exactly what you would expect from a spring training game. We were able to see Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez, which we did not on Saturday in Fort Myers. Dice-K threw four innings, breaking Andruw Jones' knees on a gyro called third strike in the third inning. In the fifth inning, Andrew took a break from taking pictures and asked me if I recognized someone else in the crowd. I turned back to where he was talking and sure enough, James Van Der Beek (yep, Dawson) was sitting two rows behind us and a section over. Apparently, he's a big Dodger fan. Who knew?
We headed out of our section at the end of the eighth inning to avoid the autograph traffic and stopped to say thank you one last time to Christa for the seats. Just beyond the first base sections of chairback seats, we watched LA put the finishing touches on a 4-0 victory over Boston. After a couple of minutes of chit-chat with Christa, we made it to the souvenir shop, where I bought a t-shirt, and headed back to the car. First, we took some pictures in front of the Dodgertown signs knowing that this would be our last opportunity to ever do so. It was an accomplished afternoon.
We ate on the beach at a restaurant named Mulligan's. The fish was awesome, and the atmosphere was exactly what you would expect from a shop that not only met your nutritional needs but also sold chapstick, sun screen and beach towels. As all good things must do, it was time for an end and the drive back.
We cursed the GPS for sending us back through Orlando on the turnpike, but it was too late before we realized what it was doing. However, it did not kill our spirit. Lots of laughter was had looking back on the last couple of days before returning to reality in Valdosta. We shared our pictures and it was time for bed.
All in all, it was one of the best weekends of my life. I wish Taylor had joined us, which would be my only regret. I hope everyone enjoys reading this recap.
Until next time, War Eagle.
-6-
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
A Weekend Full of AU Athletics
This past weekend provided tons of laughs, insight and Auburn athletics as Andrew and I descended upon the Loveliest Village for a couple of days. Below are some of the anecdotes taken from the sporting events:
1.) Auburn's baseball team should win 35 games. We have more pitching than we've had in the Slater era, and I think that if the bullpen can keep up the entire schedule, 38-40 wins is not out of the question. That being said, there were still fundamental mishaps galore at the Saturday game. Seriously, two catcher interference calls in one game?
2.) Hunter Morris looks like a first baseman in the field. The kid is enormous. If he would widen his stance at the plate and change his number to 44, we'd have the second coming of Andres Gallaraga on our hands. You could tell that ETSU's coaching staff wasn't afraid of a true freshman by the fact that Mike Bianucci saw so few pitches. To stay in the 4 hole of the lineup, Morris is going to have to produce and big. Today, he had his first collegiate home run. I think that's the first of many. He has a better body build than former UF standout Matt LaPorta, and anyone who follows college baseball knows how much he loved playing at AU's Plainsman Park.
3.) While I still am completely on the Luke Greinke bandwagon, my favorite newcomer to the AU club is definitely second baseman Justin Hargett. We had the pleasure of sitting next to his cheering section for Saturday's game as well as a couple of innings of Sunday's contest. No one on the team has a more vocal mother. Super Justin - that's what we've decided to dub you after you continued to mash the ball despite counts, situations or pitchers - I wish you all the luck in the world and keep up the good work, kid. I tip my cap to your performance in your debut series.
4.) We posthumously awarded the Auburn Mitch moniker to the gentleman seated behind us at the AU-UAT basketball game Sunday. I don't think I can count the number of times we heard, "BOX OUT!" and "IT (the basketball) AIN'T A SNAKE! GRAB IT!" The best part? He was teaching his grandson how to be annoying and "That Guy" young. Oh, the future bodes well for the Auburn fan base with knuckleheads like Mitch passing on their habits.
5.) Speaking of the basketball game, Jeff Lebo is quite possibly the best coach on Auburn's campus right now. The guy is a phenomenal motivator. I just hate that we've suffered so much bad luck during his tenure. Sure, he could have a couple more athletes, but how easy do you think it is to sell Auburn's lack of fan support plus the facility we currently have? Luckily for us, the BOT has decided to do something about this with the new arena, but in the meantime, Lebo is doing more with less than anyone else in the SEC. One more player, and we're right in the middle of the fight for the SEC West with Mississippi State.
6.) Cool Hand Luke showed out, and I don't think he hit a bigger shot than his three with the shot clock expiring right in front of Rico Pickett in the second half. The kid played with a passion that matched his confidence for the first time that I've seen him in person. Also, someone apparently challenged Quan Prowell's manhood prior to the game because the guy was a beast underneath the basket. There's no excuse for Mark Gottfried to allow our team to outscore them in the paint, and Prowell lit up Hendrix - causing the big man to miss several easy layups and Bama to shoot up three after three after three.
7.) Much to my personal delight, I have now seen our team win two-straight games with me in attendance. This hasn't happened since early in Lebo's first season - against doormats. These have been against Ole Miss and Alabama - two games I like for us to win above all others in hoops. They have also put us in a position to wrap up third place in the West with a little help and two more wins in our last four. This streak will most likely come to an end on Wednesday when I travel down to Starkville, but it's nice seeing them be able to celebrate with one another after having not witnessed this since 2005.
8.) After basketball, we meandered over to football for a little while. Count me amongst the folks on the DeRon Furr bandwagon. Sure, it became different when there were defenders and I'm not sure he's game-ready when Chris Todd and Kodi Burns have both been in the fires. However, the guy has the physical tools to be one of the best QBs in Auburn history, and I think he has a supporting cast around him that no one prior to Furr has had. The kid can throw a post better than anyone else I've seen. He's going to end up being the best QB we have sooner than I thought.
9.) In an earlier post, I said that the item atop my Bucket List is to attend one of Tony Franklin's offensive camps. Sunday just reinforced that desire. Practice is so much more fun to watch than it was when I was in school - and this includes the 2004 season. The way Franklin coaches the wide receivers and quarterbacks is incredible compared to what it was like just three years ago under Al Borges. The drills are fast, methodical and fun. The guys seem to enjoy them a lot as well. I didn't stick around for the team drills, but the passing sets were very entertaining.
10.) We're going to be very, very, very, very good this year. "This team is starting to gel into something special," was Tuberville's quote following practice that stood out to me most. The boring games are still going to be very entertaining because of Franklin and his attack. The offensive line is as cohesive a unit I've seen under Tuberville and Hugh Nall. Those guys genuinely care about each other, and I think this will pay dividends in addition to the fast pace we're going to show in games this fall.
11.) We found Auburn's next mic man in the stands at the basketball game. I don't think that there is a single person in the Auburn family circle that can compare to his spirit. He may not know the words to the cheers, but he knows how to taunt and move around with the body God gave him. My dad in his All Auburn, All Orange attire could help out with the cheers. It is said, now let it be done.
12.) Thanks to Andrew for convincing me to come down and more importantly to Taylor, his lovely bride, for allowing us to stay at her grandparents' house as well as for the awesome robe. You know, I honestly feel like everyone who owns a house should also have a robe. I now can go on with my life completely ready for all the tricks of the mortgage trade.
(Editor's note: I did not spend any time watching the defense, but all accounts from Rhoads' quotes in articles are that they're feeling challenged by our offense and are eager to prove that they're still the stars of this team. What's the thing they say about competition breeding success?)
All in all, it was a fantastic weekend. I'll even sneak in a quote for you faithful reader(s) out there: "He was always a crazy bird, and I don't even call people birds."
Take it easy and keep living for The Weekend. War Eagle.
-6-
1.) Auburn's baseball team should win 35 games. We have more pitching than we've had in the Slater era, and I think that if the bullpen can keep up the entire schedule, 38-40 wins is not out of the question. That being said, there were still fundamental mishaps galore at the Saturday game. Seriously, two catcher interference calls in one game?
2.) Hunter Morris looks like a first baseman in the field. The kid is enormous. If he would widen his stance at the plate and change his number to 44, we'd have the second coming of Andres Gallaraga on our hands. You could tell that ETSU's coaching staff wasn't afraid of a true freshman by the fact that Mike Bianucci saw so few pitches. To stay in the 4 hole of the lineup, Morris is going to have to produce and big. Today, he had his first collegiate home run. I think that's the first of many. He has a better body build than former UF standout Matt LaPorta, and anyone who follows college baseball knows how much he loved playing at AU's Plainsman Park.
3.) While I still am completely on the Luke Greinke bandwagon, my favorite newcomer to the AU club is definitely second baseman Justin Hargett. We had the pleasure of sitting next to his cheering section for Saturday's game as well as a couple of innings of Sunday's contest. No one on the team has a more vocal mother. Super Justin - that's what we've decided to dub you after you continued to mash the ball despite counts, situations or pitchers - I wish you all the luck in the world and keep up the good work, kid. I tip my cap to your performance in your debut series.
4.) We posthumously awarded the Auburn Mitch moniker to the gentleman seated behind us at the AU-UAT basketball game Sunday. I don't think I can count the number of times we heard, "BOX OUT!" and "IT (the basketball) AIN'T A SNAKE! GRAB IT!" The best part? He was teaching his grandson how to be annoying and "That Guy" young. Oh, the future bodes well for the Auburn fan base with knuckleheads like Mitch passing on their habits.
5.) Speaking of the basketball game, Jeff Lebo is quite possibly the best coach on Auburn's campus right now. The guy is a phenomenal motivator. I just hate that we've suffered so much bad luck during his tenure. Sure, he could have a couple more athletes, but how easy do you think it is to sell Auburn's lack of fan support plus the facility we currently have? Luckily for us, the BOT has decided to do something about this with the new arena, but in the meantime, Lebo is doing more with less than anyone else in the SEC. One more player, and we're right in the middle of the fight for the SEC West with Mississippi State.
6.) Cool Hand Luke showed out, and I don't think he hit a bigger shot than his three with the shot clock expiring right in front of Rico Pickett in the second half. The kid played with a passion that matched his confidence for the first time that I've seen him in person. Also, someone apparently challenged Quan Prowell's manhood prior to the game because the guy was a beast underneath the basket. There's no excuse for Mark Gottfried to allow our team to outscore them in the paint, and Prowell lit up Hendrix - causing the big man to miss several easy layups and Bama to shoot up three after three after three.
7.) Much to my personal delight, I have now seen our team win two-straight games with me in attendance. This hasn't happened since early in Lebo's first season - against doormats. These have been against Ole Miss and Alabama - two games I like for us to win above all others in hoops. They have also put us in a position to wrap up third place in the West with a little help and two more wins in our last four. This streak will most likely come to an end on Wednesday when I travel down to Starkville, but it's nice seeing them be able to celebrate with one another after having not witnessed this since 2005.
8.) After basketball, we meandered over to football for a little while. Count me amongst the folks on the DeRon Furr bandwagon. Sure, it became different when there were defenders and I'm not sure he's game-ready when Chris Todd and Kodi Burns have both been in the fires. However, the guy has the physical tools to be one of the best QBs in Auburn history, and I think he has a supporting cast around him that no one prior to Furr has had. The kid can throw a post better than anyone else I've seen. He's going to end up being the best QB we have sooner than I thought.
9.) In an earlier post, I said that the item atop my Bucket List is to attend one of Tony Franklin's offensive camps. Sunday just reinforced that desire. Practice is so much more fun to watch than it was when I was in school - and this includes the 2004 season. The way Franklin coaches the wide receivers and quarterbacks is incredible compared to what it was like just three years ago under Al Borges. The drills are fast, methodical and fun. The guys seem to enjoy them a lot as well. I didn't stick around for the team drills, but the passing sets were very entertaining.
10.) We're going to be very, very, very, very good this year. "This team is starting to gel into something special," was Tuberville's quote following practice that stood out to me most. The boring games are still going to be very entertaining because of Franklin and his attack. The offensive line is as cohesive a unit I've seen under Tuberville and Hugh Nall. Those guys genuinely care about each other, and I think this will pay dividends in addition to the fast pace we're going to show in games this fall.
11.) We found Auburn's next mic man in the stands at the basketball game. I don't think that there is a single person in the Auburn family circle that can compare to his spirit. He may not know the words to the cheers, but he knows how to taunt and move around with the body God gave him. My dad in his All Auburn, All Orange attire could help out with the cheers. It is said, now let it be done.
12.) Thanks to Andrew for convincing me to come down and more importantly to Taylor, his lovely bride, for allowing us to stay at her grandparents' house as well as for the awesome robe. You know, I honestly feel like everyone who owns a house should also have a robe. I now can go on with my life completely ready for all the tricks of the mortgage trade.
(Editor's note: I did not spend any time watching the defense, but all accounts from Rhoads' quotes in articles are that they're feeling challenged by our offense and are eager to prove that they're still the stars of this team. What's the thing they say about competition breeding success?)
All in all, it was a fantastic weekend. I'll even sneak in a quote for you faithful reader(s) out there: "He was always a crazy bird, and I don't even call people birds."
Take it easy and keep living for The Weekend. War Eagle.
-6-
Thursday, February 14, 2008
2008 AU Baseball Preview
Maybe I'm not the right person to be writing this. According to Andrew, I'm just too pessimistic about the abilities of this year's Tigers on the diamond to accurately predict how they will fare. Much of this comes from my lack of faith in the fundamentals the team has shown during conference seasons of years past in the Tom Slater Era. Maybe, this team will turn the corner this season. I certainly hope so as I would love to get back to Hoover and watch a team I care about playing again.
If you haven't read this article by Jay G. Tate, I strongly recommend it. Copy and paste the following link into your browser's address bar and take a few moments to read. Even if you don't like baseball, I promise it will touch your heart. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/NEWS/802130342/1001/rss01
It was after reading the above article that my opinion changed on the possibilities of this season. These are great guys on the team, and they've come through for their teammates time and time again. I have to give Slater immense credit for being able to convince some of these guys to bypass millions straight out of high school to don the orange and blue for three seasons. Hopefully, some of that coercing can equate to more victories in Southeastern Conference play, which will and should ultimately decide Slates' future at AU.
Luke Greinke is a name to watch for in box scores and SEBaseball.com recaps throughout the entire season. This kid is special, and I think he has much more upside than his brother who is currently working towards locking down the closer job for the Kansas City Royals. There's a reason that one of my fantasy baseball team names is L. Greinke 4 Heisman. He can hit, play defense at multiple positions and is one of the strongest pitchers on the team. He'll be the starter on the mound when the Tigers debut against East Tennessee State to show off the fruits of a tremendous offseason that included garnering the MVP awards in the prestigious Cape Cod summer league.
Hunter Morris is another name that I'm pumped about. One area the Tigers really never have been lacking under Slater is the ability to score runs, and he has Morris penciled in the 4 hole...as a true freshman. He was recently named on of Rivals.com's top 10 freshmen to watch this season, coming into school as a second-round draft pick of the Red Sox. We have ourselves the next Pedro Alvarez (see SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 at Vanderbilt), and, assuring that he can hit the curve better than Josh Bell, the Grissom High standout will provide protection from slugger Mike Bianucci. Toss in a year of experience from Joseph Sanders and a slugger who tore up AU and Ole Miss pitching last year at Arizona State in Matt Hall, and you have a potentially deadly lineup between the 2 and 6 spots.
Anchored by Greinke and solid experience at the back of the bullpen in Evan Crawford and Bryan Woodall, the pitching staff looks to be the most experienced of the Slater era. An area that will be often overlooked is the importance of Scott Sullivan's role as a mentor to these hurlers. Upgrades were made at almost every position of the rotation, and I think it will pay dividends for the younger guys to know that they have upperclassmen such as Crawdaddy and Woody backing them up in the later innings.
All in all, it could be a very special year. Baseball America seems to think so, pegging AU to finish second in the West. The schedule matches the need for improved concentration from February to June as it seems to get tougher week in and week out. I love how Slates set up to have 20 of the first 22 games at home, including all the four-game series early on to save on pitching depth in April and May. I don't think a lot of people realize how hard it is to schedule in college baseball, not to mention it just got much harder to recruit with new restrictions passed over the past two seasons. One thing about Slater, every class is better than the one before - a tremendous improvement over Steve Renfroe.
So tip your caps, Tiger fans, because it's almost here. Soon, the pop of the catcher's mitt and ding of the aluminum bats will be filling the air at America's No. 1 college baseball stadium, and I for one cannot wait. The team chemistry is there, and I'll root these guys on and support them as much as I can from afar. I just hope that there's a better start than 0-8 in SEC play on the horizon.
War Eagle, and Luke Greinke for Heisman.
If you haven't read this article by Jay G. Tate, I strongly recommend it. Copy and paste the following link into your browser's address bar and take a few moments to read. Even if you don't like baseball, I promise it will touch your heart. http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080213/NEWS/802130342/1001/rss01
It was after reading the above article that my opinion changed on the possibilities of this season. These are great guys on the team, and they've come through for their teammates time and time again. I have to give Slater immense credit for being able to convince some of these guys to bypass millions straight out of high school to don the orange and blue for three seasons. Hopefully, some of that coercing can equate to more victories in Southeastern Conference play, which will and should ultimately decide Slates' future at AU.
Luke Greinke is a name to watch for in box scores and SEBaseball.com recaps throughout the entire season. This kid is special, and I think he has much more upside than his brother who is currently working towards locking down the closer job for the Kansas City Royals. There's a reason that one of my fantasy baseball team names is L. Greinke 4 Heisman. He can hit, play defense at multiple positions and is one of the strongest pitchers on the team. He'll be the starter on the mound when the Tigers debut against East Tennessee State to show off the fruits of a tremendous offseason that included garnering the MVP awards in the prestigious Cape Cod summer league.
Hunter Morris is another name that I'm pumped about. One area the Tigers really never have been lacking under Slater is the ability to score runs, and he has Morris penciled in the 4 hole...as a true freshman. He was recently named on of Rivals.com's top 10 freshmen to watch this season, coming into school as a second-round draft pick of the Red Sox. We have ourselves the next Pedro Alvarez (see SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 at Vanderbilt), and, assuring that he can hit the curve better than Josh Bell, the Grissom High standout will provide protection from slugger Mike Bianucci. Toss in a year of experience from Joseph Sanders and a slugger who tore up AU and Ole Miss pitching last year at Arizona State in Matt Hall, and you have a potentially deadly lineup between the 2 and 6 spots.
Anchored by Greinke and solid experience at the back of the bullpen in Evan Crawford and Bryan Woodall, the pitching staff looks to be the most experienced of the Slater era. An area that will be often overlooked is the importance of Scott Sullivan's role as a mentor to these hurlers. Upgrades were made at almost every position of the rotation, and I think it will pay dividends for the younger guys to know that they have upperclassmen such as Crawdaddy and Woody backing them up in the later innings.
All in all, it could be a very special year. Baseball America seems to think so, pegging AU to finish second in the West. The schedule matches the need for improved concentration from February to June as it seems to get tougher week in and week out. I love how Slates set up to have 20 of the first 22 games at home, including all the four-game series early on to save on pitching depth in April and May. I don't think a lot of people realize how hard it is to schedule in college baseball, not to mention it just got much harder to recruit with new restrictions passed over the past two seasons. One thing about Slater, every class is better than the one before - a tremendous improvement over Steve Renfroe.
So tip your caps, Tiger fans, because it's almost here. Soon, the pop of the catcher's mitt and ding of the aluminum bats will be filling the air at America's No. 1 college baseball stadium, and I for one cannot wait. The team chemistry is there, and I'll root these guys on and support them as much as I can from afar. I just hope that there's a better start than 0-8 in SEC play on the horizon.
War Eagle, and Luke Greinke for Heisman.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A Recap of the 2008 Auburn Signing Class
Well, another Signing Day has come and past. This year, it was a little different since we didn't get that "Signing Day Surprise" that Tommy Tuberville has been notorious for providing in each of his first nine signing classes at Auburn. Guys like Devin Aromashadu, Stanley McClover, Carlton Thomas, Karlos Dansby and Demarco McNeil have all come via this route.
To sum it up, comparatively speaking, we got taken to the woodshed by Alabama. Everyone we went head-to-head with them for either went to another school or signed up for four years of verbal abuse and (hopefully) a little more mediocrity from Nick Saban. I have to tip my hat to them, though. They did sign a hell of a class, much deserving of the No. 1 national ranking and praise being stowed upon them. For the first time, Saban delivered something besides hype since he's been sitting atop the altar at the C(r)apstone.
This class that we signed, though, is one that has a lot of bright spots. We brought in a ton of defensive backs, a ton of wide receivers and a ton of defensive linemen. These are three areas we had been focusing upon to build depth, and I think we will have contributors (based on the merit of them making their grades and/or returning to us after their stops at prep school and junior colleges) in all 28 signatures landed today.
Have I mentioned the speed acquired today? With the exception of Borat (AKA Derek Winter), we have speedsters in all of the wide receivers. Phillip Pierre-Louis is going to be a playmaker sooner rather than later. He's the steal of the class, in my opinion.
So what does this mean? Do we get taken to the woodshed every year because we can't compete with Saban and his gang? I don't think so. This could just be hopeful thinking, but they caught Auburn in the midst of a perfect storm. They also had a lot more to offer in terms of numbers and playing time. We ran into a perfect storm there as well.
This wasn't the greatest signing day, to tell you the truth, most of it was pretty awful for things beyond the scholarships being awarded today. We'll move on.
War Eagle, and I guess the sun comes up tomorrow.
To sum it up, comparatively speaking, we got taken to the woodshed by Alabama. Everyone we went head-to-head with them for either went to another school or signed up for four years of verbal abuse and (hopefully) a little more mediocrity from Nick Saban. I have to tip my hat to them, though. They did sign a hell of a class, much deserving of the No. 1 national ranking and praise being stowed upon them. For the first time, Saban delivered something besides hype since he's been sitting atop the altar at the C(r)apstone.
This class that we signed, though, is one that has a lot of bright spots. We brought in a ton of defensive backs, a ton of wide receivers and a ton of defensive linemen. These are three areas we had been focusing upon to build depth, and I think we will have contributors (based on the merit of them making their grades and/or returning to us after their stops at prep school and junior colleges) in all 28 signatures landed today.
Have I mentioned the speed acquired today? With the exception of Borat (AKA Derek Winter), we have speedsters in all of the wide receivers. Phillip Pierre-Louis is going to be a playmaker sooner rather than later. He's the steal of the class, in my opinion.
So what does this mean? Do we get taken to the woodshed every year because we can't compete with Saban and his gang? I don't think so. This could just be hopeful thinking, but they caught Auburn in the midst of a perfect storm. They also had a lot more to offer in terms of numbers and playing time. We ran into a perfect storm there as well.
This wasn't the greatest signing day, to tell you the truth, most of it was pretty awful for things beyond the scholarships being awarded today. We'll move on.
War Eagle, and I guess the sun comes up tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
If I were to start a Bucket List, this would be at the top:
"I've been to Tony's system clinic before, it's 2 days of intensive football training. However, this year I had a bit different perspective on things given that he's at Auburn now. Several things that he mentioned that may be of interest with regards to Auburn:
We're going to be the most hard-nosed, physical, passing team in the country.
Tempo is the key to the game, attack and control it.
Offensive philosophy: Fast, Fight, Finish
Great game execution comes from great pace (very fast)and intensity in practice by the players and coaches
He said that Auburn will line up under center more and run downhill more than he did at Troy, because of the quality of AU's offensive linemen
He also said that he will run more formations with a tight end (Which are already available in the playbook, just typically not used that often) because of the number of great players we have at the position
Something that I hadn't heard before that he said with regards to game planning and making adjustments; Basically he has a fairly lengthy script, he makes it a point to get through that script no matter how long it takes. Once he has done that he has a fair idea of what's going to work, based on how he charts the success of plays. The adjustments that he makes through the course of the game essentially boil down to running the plays that worked over and over again. He is definitely not afraid of calling the same play back to back if it worked before. A very pragmatic, no nonsense approach.
He also is including all the practice plans for the 9 Auburn practices where he installed the offense. I'm looking forward to seeing that when we get everything.
Another thing that AU fans might find interesting is that Tony does 'player scripts'. Which is a list of particular plays or variations on existing plays that target getting the ball to a particular playmaker. He showed us a script sheet from the Troy vs Arkansas game, and the name that was most prevalent on that sheet was Jerrell Jernigan. I think we missed out on that guy big time.
He also tracks 'touches', or each time one of his playmakers gets to touch the ball in a game. When he looked at the chart at half time of the bowl game he noticed Brad Lester only had 4 touches, and he wanted to get him at least 15, so that's what he set out to do in the second half. It's amazing how well an offense works when the playmakers get to make plays in space. :)
I also got to spend a little time talking to Troy's RB coach, Chad Scott. The guy was very impressive! If Eddie Gran happens to get the South Alabama job, this guy should be our next RB coach!
Sorry for the length of this post, but I thought that some of this stuff might interest some folks around here." (Mattimer40 from the Bunker last night)
A couple of notes from the above quoted post...
1) I must attend one of these camps before I kick the bucket. It would be incredible to see into Franklin's mind and figure out what all went through his mind to get AU's offense ready in nine practices to take on a top-10 defense.
2) I love that Franklin plans to have plenty of lining up under center. One thing that I grew to loathe watching Florida run the "spread" was watching every snap out of the shotgun. Chris Leak looked even more awkward in a prototypical I-formation accepting the snap directly, and one of the things that scared me most about this hire was thinking the same thing about any of AU's future quarterbacks. I'm hoping for a good mix like the one Mark Richt employs at Georgia.
3) I love that he charts touches, and I'm certain recruits will love this as well. Mario Fannin is going to get the ball in his hands at least 10 times a game next season...wow. We may have a new favorite trick play(s) to replace the flea flicker TD pass against Arkansas in 2004. This goes right into my fourth and final point...
4) Player scripts. Need I say more? It was things like these that got Urban Meyer recognized at Notre Dame and Colorado State, leading to his hiring at Bowling Green.
On to the defensive side...
We have sadly parted ways with Will Muschamp, and we are now under the direction of Paul Rhoads. Rhoads' resume is impressive enough, especially on passing defense and total defense. It's hard to get excited after losing someone with Muschamp's dynamics, though. I'm sure we'll continue to have top-7 defenses nationally because Tommy Tuberville is not going to sit idly by and watch the defense suffer, but I can't help but think of the possibilities one more year with BOOM would have done. I don't see any "Superman wears Paul Rhoads pajamas" jokes in the near future.
Some positives though...The guy wants to have the best secondary in the country, which will be big. He will get an opportunity to work with potential All-SEC stars Aaron Savage and Jerraud Powers. His Pitt defense completely shut down a West Virginia team that should be very similar to the one we face in September or October. Lastly, as good as Will Muschamp is, how many times did we play in Atlanta when he was here?
As always, War Eagle everyone.
Chris
-6-
We're going to be the most hard-nosed, physical, passing team in the country.
Tempo is the key to the game, attack and control it.
Offensive philosophy: Fast, Fight, Finish
Great game execution comes from great pace (very fast)and intensity in practice by the players and coaches
He said that Auburn will line up under center more and run downhill more than he did at Troy, because of the quality of AU's offensive linemen
He also said that he will run more formations with a tight end (Which are already available in the playbook, just typically not used that often) because of the number of great players we have at the position
Something that I hadn't heard before that he said with regards to game planning and making adjustments; Basically he has a fairly lengthy script, he makes it a point to get through that script no matter how long it takes. Once he has done that he has a fair idea of what's going to work, based on how he charts the success of plays. The adjustments that he makes through the course of the game essentially boil down to running the plays that worked over and over again. He is definitely not afraid of calling the same play back to back if it worked before. A very pragmatic, no nonsense approach.
He also is including all the practice plans for the 9 Auburn practices where he installed the offense. I'm looking forward to seeing that when we get everything.
Another thing that AU fans might find interesting is that Tony does 'player scripts'. Which is a list of particular plays or variations on existing plays that target getting the ball to a particular playmaker. He showed us a script sheet from the Troy vs Arkansas game, and the name that was most prevalent on that sheet was Jerrell Jernigan. I think we missed out on that guy big time.
He also tracks 'touches', or each time one of his playmakers gets to touch the ball in a game. When he looked at the chart at half time of the bowl game he noticed Brad Lester only had 4 touches, and he wanted to get him at least 15, so that's what he set out to do in the second half. It's amazing how well an offense works when the playmakers get to make plays in space. :)
I also got to spend a little time talking to Troy's RB coach, Chad Scott. The guy was very impressive! If Eddie Gran happens to get the South Alabama job, this guy should be our next RB coach!
Sorry for the length of this post, but I thought that some of this stuff might interest some folks around here." (Mattimer40 from the Bunker last night)
A couple of notes from the above quoted post...
1) I must attend one of these camps before I kick the bucket. It would be incredible to see into Franklin's mind and figure out what all went through his mind to get AU's offense ready in nine practices to take on a top-10 defense.
2) I love that Franklin plans to have plenty of lining up under center. One thing that I grew to loathe watching Florida run the "spread" was watching every snap out of the shotgun. Chris Leak looked even more awkward in a prototypical I-formation accepting the snap directly, and one of the things that scared me most about this hire was thinking the same thing about any of AU's future quarterbacks. I'm hoping for a good mix like the one Mark Richt employs at Georgia.
3) I love that he charts touches, and I'm certain recruits will love this as well. Mario Fannin is going to get the ball in his hands at least 10 times a game next season...wow. We may have a new favorite trick play(s) to replace the flea flicker TD pass against Arkansas in 2004. This goes right into my fourth and final point...
4) Player scripts. Need I say more? It was things like these that got Urban Meyer recognized at Notre Dame and Colorado State, leading to his hiring at Bowling Green.
On to the defensive side...
We have sadly parted ways with Will Muschamp, and we are now under the direction of Paul Rhoads. Rhoads' resume is impressive enough, especially on passing defense and total defense. It's hard to get excited after losing someone with Muschamp's dynamics, though. I'm sure we'll continue to have top-7 defenses nationally because Tommy Tuberville is not going to sit idly by and watch the defense suffer, but I can't help but think of the possibilities one more year with BOOM would have done. I don't see any "Superman wears Paul Rhoads pajamas" jokes in the near future.
Some positives though...The guy wants to have the best secondary in the country, which will be big. He will get an opportunity to work with potential All-SEC stars Aaron Savage and Jerraud Powers. His Pitt defense completely shut down a West Virginia team that should be very similar to the one we face in September or October. Lastly, as good as Will Muschamp is, how many times did we play in Atlanta when he was here?
As always, War Eagle everyone.
Chris
-6-
Thursday, January 3, 2008
The View from Section 109: The Clemson Game
Happy New Year, folks. With the important bowl games winding down, I've decided to finally sit and write out an analysis of a pretty entertaining Chick-fil-A Bowl win over Clemson. As an added bonus, you'll get to read some of the thoughts and views from the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, played on Dec. 29.
Without further ado, here are my thoughts. First off, I couldn't have imagined watching 90 plays from scrimmage from an AU offense under Tommy Tuberville's watch. Even crazier, there wasn't a single huddle (sans the groupings around Franklin prior to the first play of every drive). After Monday night, I'm ready to get to J&M or Anders and buy my AU 18 jersey (which will serve a double-purpose as it reps both highest-potential All-Americans on the current roster, Kodi Burns and Wes Byrum).
I don't think I could be more excited about the future of this program being in the hands of kids like Burns, Chris Todd or Barrett Trotter. I know there are three other QBs in the mix next year, but I don't think we'll keep Furr at field general and am not convinced that Neil Caudle can stay healthy or Blake Field is capable of directing more than two or three drives in meaningless games. Remember, a 40 percent healthy Brandon Cox > 100 percent healthy Blake Field.
I'm going to miss Brandon Cox as the leader of this offense, but it's (reluctantly) apparent that he's not nearly as good today as he was when he stepped onto the field against Alabama in 2005 as a sophomore. Sure, when he was off, he was WAY off. However, it's going to be hard to replace his leadership capabilities with the big games on the line. All Brandon ever did was win big games as the signal-caller at AU and take a ton of hits in the process. Besides, this spread is not an offense in which a kid like BC can excel and it's good that he got to leave AU as a winner (27-9 isn't a bad record at all, considering he was pretty darn tough against the toughest teams we played during his three-year reign). Looking towards 2008 and beyond, my friend Andrew Monroe says it best: "War Kodi Burns!"
Brad Lester is going to have a great senior year in this offense, barring on whether or not he can stay on the playing field. While he didn't surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season, Ben Tate was playing his best football at the end of the year and can really make a push for a fantastic junior campaign should we line up under center a play or two and allow him to follow a lead blocker. There isn't anyone else on our roster I trust more to get us into the endzone from three-to-five yards out than No. 44. Mario "Speedwagon" Fannin is a natural fit for this offense, and the kid will deliver on much of his promise if we keep finding ways to put the ball in his hands.
How could you not be excited about the possibilities of throwing the ball down the field to big-time receivers that we've signed the past couple of years (Terrell Zachery, Tim Hawthorn, Chris Slaughter) to go along with a steady go-to guy in Rod Smith and a clutch deliverer in Montez Billings? I hope we begin to revisit the Gabe McKenzie options more at tight end, which pretty much disappeared past the first half of the Miss. State game. Franklin has been glowing about the talent level at tight end, which scares me since this group includes practice All-American Tommy Trott. Who knows, maybe the catch Trott made in the bowl game is a sign of things to come from the Montgomery prep standout. Until this is proven, I'll continue to hope for more throws to McKenzie and less snaps for Trott.
All in all, a good way to get off to a fast start heading into the offseason. This will be one of if not the most important spring practices in the Tommy Tuberville era. I just hope it's not one where we are breaking in two new coordinators, should some of the rumors concerning Will Muschamp heading to Texas pan out.
War Eagle and it's great to be an Auburn Tiger. -6-
A few notes on C-L-E-M-S-O...(pause, pause)...N: I'm thankful that CJ Spiller is at Clemson where he can't really damage anyone on a national level like he would have done at Florida. If that kid is in neon orange and metallic blue, we don't have a two-game winning streak over Urban's Gators. It's not a stretch to think that UF would be playing Monday night in New Orleans with a guy like Spiller to take a few runs away from Tebow. Cullen Harper decided to run his mouth a little prior to the game, and I don't expect him to rid himself of the nightmares caused by Pat Sims and Sen'Derrick Marks any time soon. Aaron Kelly couldn't catch a cold when he was guarded by Jerraud Powers, and James Davis talks way too much to have been bottled up as often as he was Monday night. He reminded me a lot of Larry Johnson prior to and after the 2003 Capital One Bowl.
***LIBERTY BOWL***
Also, concerning the Liberty Bowl...I had the opportunity to attend this year's "classic" with my dad and my buddy Chris "Deuce" Purser. We watched from our perch in section 116 as the defensive masterminds from UCF and Miss. State battle it out to an epic 10-3...wait, I can't say anything to really put a positive spin on this game. Outside of the company and the many jokes that were made at the expense of surrounding factions, this game was awful. God help Auburn if we are ever excited to play in this game. It makes me laugh a little thinking that Bama was going to be all hellbent with joy to play there this year. Thanks to the wonderful Memphis education system, I was able to purchase three $4 drinks for a sum total of $2, or $0.67/Coke for you math majors out there. This was the lone highlight of being in this stadium. State should have lost, plain and simple, to a pretty bad CUSA team. Should they have played Tulsa, it would have been U-G-L...(pause, pause)...-Y. However, I had a good time (even though it was almost at the expense of my body temperature reaching below freezing) with my dad and Deuce and am glad (sort of) that State was able to keep from embarrassing the SEC (we'll leave that up to Florida).
***ONE LAST MENTION***
Special thanks to my dad for making these two trips possible. We had a good time at both games. Deuce, you made the Liberty Bowl that much more bearable and thanks for procuring the programs. Andrew, thanks for the laughs sustained via text messages with our own commentary. Cassie, you were great in getting us to the apartment in Memphis so that we didn't have to pay $20 to park at the game. Brad, Amber and Jared all made it to Atlanta, and Jared came through in the clutch with his suggestion of Spondivits for food after getting back to the hotel Tuesday a.m.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Tailgate Review, 2007 Season
As rumors swirl concerning who will be Auburn's head coach next week, much less next season, it's time to sit down and go over some of the positives and negatives of this tailgating season.
First off, Andrew and I learned a ton on the road last year at the various campuses we visited and tailgated on during the Tour de SEC. It's thanks to those kind and generous fans who helped us that we were able to sustain any level of success whatsoever as I led my family on the tailgating endeavors this year. I made the statement last week that we were looking for year two production out of a first year tailgate, and there were points that this wasn't achieved. There were moments where things were successful, but, just like any great football program, there will be some attrition for next year as we move towards that goal of beating Alabama in everything - and this includes striving for the level of dedication and achievement Coach Hal's group has in Tuscaloosa and wherever the Tide competes.
Things began at the intramural fields with a cargo trailer filled to the brim with tailgate accessories such as two televisions, three coolers, various Rubbermaid tubs filled to the brim with snacks and a charcoal grill. We learned of one Chris Bailey at Eagle's West campground on Wire Road, who would take control of my parents' camper for the remainder of the season, starting with the USF game when mom and dad took it down. They say you make your biggest improvements from game one to game two, and the camper was a major step in the right direction as we look towards 2008.
As the season moved on, Bailey set us up in the RV fields on Donahue Ave., where we were able to set up prime parking and provide limited spots to other folks who joined us at the camper depending on the games. Folks like Robert, Jennifer, Andrew, the rest of the Monroes, Katie, Josh, Neal, Andi...you made the experience a "great success," to borrow from our friend Borat. I would be doing an injustice, however, by failing to mention one particular individual for his assistance in matters ranging from retrieving a phone number to a 24-hour locksmith when we left the keys back in Macon and had to get into the camper at 4 a.m. to gearing up to take down a particular fan of an opposing team who decided to go on a power trip with my irritated father.
Andy Shores is a hands-down unanimous selection for Tailgater of the Year at the Rushing Compound. Robert and Jennifer were of huge helps with the set up and breakdown of those first two tailgates at the intramural fields - and we couldn't have done it without them - but Andy was someone who was there week-in and week-out and never faltered in doing anything my parents would ask of him. Somehow, he even got a bug in his crawl to drive to my new house for the LSU game to extend the tailgating experience beyond even being in attendance at the game. Bravo, Shores, bravo.
So, after seven home games (no traveling to the Tennessee Tech game this year for us), it's time to assess all areas of our tailgating plan and revise for a major improvement for the seven home contests in 2008. This year, we'll take a more active role on the road trips (Morgantown plans are already in the mix, while I cannot wait to get back to Nashville - not for Vandy but for the cinammony-sugar goodness at the Pancake Pantry) with the conference road games all within two hours of headquarters in Macon and Saltillo.
Next year, the cooking will have to be divided a little better - OK, a lot better. My mom has worn herself out putting everyone else's well-being first in her actions, and I want her to be able to enjoy this experience more. I'm not alone in that, either, as anyone who knows my mom would agree with this. I know we shrugged off a lot of requests for assistance from others this year, but we'll put out assignments a bit more freely next year (especially after you look at the home slate for 2008). Andy may have been voted Tailgater of the Year, but she is the MVP of this tailgate (and our family).
There have been numerous requests to limit the amount of alcohol present at the camper. I understand some folks' desire to have a couple of cold ones before heading to the stadium, and we're all adults so I am going to choose to let adults make adult choices. However, I think its best that all liquor be banned from inside the camper and would prefer not to have it around at all. My sister's Northface jacket had a mixed drink spilled on it late into the night following the Iron Bowl and, needless to say, it was not a pleasant situation I walked back into when I got back from Tiger Rags after the game. It hurt my feelings that someone would be careless enough not to throw it away and was pretty selfish by not being around to help clean up.
I love having all of my friends around me, and I would never want to be in a position to ban someone from coming around - especially for something as fun as Auburn football. I don't appreciate some friends who make it their mission to anger other folks around them, and there will be no tolerance for this next season. There are no excuses for not being courteous to those around you, especially when we are all there for the common cause - to be better than Alabama. Personal differences need to be set aside, and I will only get angrier if I find out some folks are not showing up simply because someone else is there. As it was stated earlier in this blog, we're all adults and our tailgate will be a setting which promotes adult behavior.
All in all, it was a good, not great, first year. I'm looking forward to seeing how a better plan of execution takes into effect next year.
War Eagle! -6-
Chris
First off, Andrew and I learned a ton on the road last year at the various campuses we visited and tailgated on during the Tour de SEC. It's thanks to those kind and generous fans who helped us that we were able to sustain any level of success whatsoever as I led my family on the tailgating endeavors this year. I made the statement last week that we were looking for year two production out of a first year tailgate, and there were points that this wasn't achieved. There were moments where things were successful, but, just like any great football program, there will be some attrition for next year as we move towards that goal of beating Alabama in everything - and this includes striving for the level of dedication and achievement Coach Hal's group has in Tuscaloosa and wherever the Tide competes.
Things began at the intramural fields with a cargo trailer filled to the brim with tailgate accessories such as two televisions, three coolers, various Rubbermaid tubs filled to the brim with snacks and a charcoal grill. We learned of one Chris Bailey at Eagle's West campground on Wire Road, who would take control of my parents' camper for the remainder of the season, starting with the USF game when mom and dad took it down. They say you make your biggest improvements from game one to game two, and the camper was a major step in the right direction as we look towards 2008.
As the season moved on, Bailey set us up in the RV fields on Donahue Ave., where we were able to set up prime parking and provide limited spots to other folks who joined us at the camper depending on the games. Folks like Robert, Jennifer, Andrew, the rest of the Monroes, Katie, Josh, Neal, Andi...you made the experience a "great success," to borrow from our friend Borat. I would be doing an injustice, however, by failing to mention one particular individual for his assistance in matters ranging from retrieving a phone number to a 24-hour locksmith when we left the keys back in Macon and had to get into the camper at 4 a.m. to gearing up to take down a particular fan of an opposing team who decided to go on a power trip with my irritated father.
Andy Shores is a hands-down unanimous selection for Tailgater of the Year at the Rushing Compound. Robert and Jennifer were of huge helps with the set up and breakdown of those first two tailgates at the intramural fields - and we couldn't have done it without them - but Andy was someone who was there week-in and week-out and never faltered in doing anything my parents would ask of him. Somehow, he even got a bug in his crawl to drive to my new house for the LSU game to extend the tailgating experience beyond even being in attendance at the game. Bravo, Shores, bravo.
So, after seven home games (no traveling to the Tennessee Tech game this year for us), it's time to assess all areas of our tailgating plan and revise for a major improvement for the seven home contests in 2008. This year, we'll take a more active role on the road trips (Morgantown plans are already in the mix, while I cannot wait to get back to Nashville - not for Vandy but for the cinammony-sugar goodness at the Pancake Pantry) with the conference road games all within two hours of headquarters in Macon and Saltillo.
Next year, the cooking will have to be divided a little better - OK, a lot better. My mom has worn herself out putting everyone else's well-being first in her actions, and I want her to be able to enjoy this experience more. I'm not alone in that, either, as anyone who knows my mom would agree with this. I know we shrugged off a lot of requests for assistance from others this year, but we'll put out assignments a bit more freely next year (especially after you look at the home slate for 2008). Andy may have been voted Tailgater of the Year, but she is the MVP of this tailgate (and our family).
There have been numerous requests to limit the amount of alcohol present at the camper. I understand some folks' desire to have a couple of cold ones before heading to the stadium, and we're all adults so I am going to choose to let adults make adult choices. However, I think its best that all liquor be banned from inside the camper and would prefer not to have it around at all. My sister's Northface jacket had a mixed drink spilled on it late into the night following the Iron Bowl and, needless to say, it was not a pleasant situation I walked back into when I got back from Tiger Rags after the game. It hurt my feelings that someone would be careless enough not to throw it away and was pretty selfish by not being around to help clean up.
I love having all of my friends around me, and I would never want to be in a position to ban someone from coming around - especially for something as fun as Auburn football. I don't appreciate some friends who make it their mission to anger other folks around them, and there will be no tolerance for this next season. There are no excuses for not being courteous to those around you, especially when we are all there for the common cause - to be better than Alabama. Personal differences need to be set aside, and I will only get angrier if I find out some folks are not showing up simply because someone else is there. As it was stated earlier in this blog, we're all adults and our tailgate will be a setting which promotes adult behavior.
All in all, it was a good, not great, first year. I'm looking forward to seeing how a better plan of execution takes into effect next year.
War Eagle! -6-
Chris
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