So I'm sitting at home today with the stomach bug, and I can't help but think a little. OK, those of you know me me well will see right through that and find that my mind never really stops working or processing. I do my best to calculate my every move, which may seem to some folks as acting slowly. Everything with me has to possess a strategy and show to me a plan. It's hard for me to make leaps of faith, but I'm trying to get better with that.
A very good friend told me recently that you can't force things, and as hard as I try, there are just certain emotions and feelings that you cannot impress upon people. It's not that this is a new concept to me, but it's something that has inexplicably resonated with me the past few days. Remember, I try to plan all of my moves ahead of time and, to me, nothing is said or happens without reason.
If you feel like you don't have the energy to read a lot, please stop now. I give fair warning about the long-winded nature of this. People say that I don't really use my journalism degree any more, but this is an avenue where I can express an appreciation for something simple yet complex: words.
From a young age, I learned the importance of words and the power of silence. Sitting back, observing then surprising the people around me is my style and my comfort zone. That being said, most people that allow me to get close have realized that I can sometimes ramble and forget that whole "silence is golden" thing. There's really not that much middle ground, I guess.
Growing up, I used the tactic of letting my parents air out their frustrations and anger whenever I did something wrong. After the yelling and screaming, I would then state my case which usually led to reduced or no punishment whether I deserved it or not. I think I figured this out after inexcusably telling my mom to "shut up" once I realized something that all children eventually come to understand (I don't want to spoil the ending, but it involves the true identity of the guy in a red suit at Christmas). I lost my temper with them, something that rarely happened for the rest of my adolescence. Whenever I was really upset from then on, it was pretty much the silent treatment.
The phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" has always been too cliche' for my liking. Sure, words are powerful and can affect the recipients' lives both positively or negatively depending on their tone and delivery, but it all depends on the person holding the pen and the person holding the sword. I've wrote and said things that have lifted people beyond the limits of the sky, and I've also destroyed confidences and hearts with the wrong words. It's not something I've ever been proud of, and I wish I could take those times back. Those times helped me to be better with words though, retrospectively. They've helped me to control something else that has always touched my life: passion.
Passion is one of those words that, when we are asked to define, we can't always come up with the right compilation of words to give these seven letters justice. It's just something that is inherent in all of us, something that everyone that has ever walked this earth holds in common. Whether that passion lie in sports or God or music or anything else, I've always been inspired by anyone who could unravel a speech from the heart concerning the importance of that passion in his or her life - whether or not I agree with their opinions. This is why I really enjoy the turning points in war movies where the general pulls the troops together or the coach fires his team up as they go out to face the common enemy.
I often joke with my friends now that my TV is my best friend here in Tupelo. Usually, this gets some laughs but I've also had folks act jealous for some reason. Anyway, I digress. Two things that I've watched in the past few weeks have really caught my attention and stirred emotions within me because of the words and the passion portrayed are John Adams, the HBO miniseries, and Facing the Giants. I was drawn to both of these by my love for sports and our country's history, but they both left me on the edge of my seat waiting for more. (Luckily, there are two more episodes in John Adams to satisfy that thirst.)
In Facing the Giants, a prep football coach is at the end of his proverbial rope. His car has broken down to the point of never starting, his team can't get over the hump of average 3-4 win seasons and he cannot give his wife the family that both want so desperately. Finally, he breaks down and, in a very moving scene, puts everything in God's hands. He even reduces the importance of his team winning on the scoreboard by pressing upon them the importance that they win in life with Jesus in control. "Praise Him when we win, praise Him when we lose" becomes the team's motto. Through the dramatization of film, this powerful message permeates throughout the school, the team wins game after game, a parent buys him a brand new truck...you get the drift.
In John Adams, I don't know why but it's hard not to find reasons to relate to one of the most distinguishable people in our early history. How awesome it would have been to be able to say that, as an actor, you were able to portray people like Abigail Adams, Sam Adams, Ben Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The speeches that these men (and women) gave to match the importance of their words which have stood the test of time...it's really powerful if you allow yourself to get caught up in it.
That's not what this blog is about though...I'm not Roger Ebert or anything. Life only gives you so many moments of reflection, and I don't want to pass up one of those right now. I want the words I choose to write and choose to say to be important. I want people to see my passion for not just sports, not just God, not just movies or Auburn or my country. I want the people in my life to see the passion I have for them, for their friendship and for the paths that our lives have crossed together.
I just hope that I find the right words to say when the opportunities arise.
As always, thanks for reading. War Eagle.
-6-
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The View from Section 109: The A-Day Game
Well, it took about three snaps for me to remember why I never got into the whole A-Day thing. While I thought this year would be different with the new offense and whatnot, I was sorely mistaken as we found a way to make things boring. Now, it must be said that "boring" in this case is not necessarily a bad thing. There were several sets of eyes hoping to get a glimpse of hints of what to expect in the future. All they saw was different personnel running the same plays and sets from the Peach Bowl.
Here are a few observations from the weekend concerning the football team, the baseball team and our tailgate setup...
1.) Kodi Burns is going to be dynamic in this style of offense whenever he's allowed to tuck and run. He may get beat up, but it's the first time we've had a true dual-threat in over a decade at this position. What's awesome is that we have another kid waiting in the wings who is more dynamic as a dual-threat in DeRon Furr.
2.) Ben Tate is our best running back. This says more about Ben than it does about the rest of the group, because I am not skiddish about the ball being in Brad Lester, Tristan Davis or Mario Fannin's hands either. I really think Tate is the best back we've had since Carnell and Ronnie. He's had more time to contribute for Auburn than Kenny Irons and possesses the vision necessary to read a hole off the sweep or power toss we like to run out of the spread.
3.) Josh Bynes may push starting time away from Blackmon. The kid is a beast and has gotten the mike linebacker calls down to an art. The second string defense really didn't miss much of a beat from the first string in backers and secondary, and Bynes was a big reason in all of this. I'm not saying Blackmon's fallen off as much as Bynes has stepped up.
4.) Ryan Williams will be the next Thorpe candidate from our secondary. Aairon Savage is ready for the primetime if he can get the bump and run coverage down just a little more. Jerraud Powers is a true shut-down corner and will make some more huge plays this year. Mike McNeil is the second coming of Junior Rosegreen. In other words, our secondary is S-I-C-K with talent.
5.) The baseball team has a very small margin for error, minuscule even. They're playing very good right now, sans the loss Tuesday night at always tough South Alabama, but a four-run lead can easily become a tie game or deficit if the freshman pitchers take on one too many batters or the normally flawless bullpen has a mental lapse, as was the case in the late innings Saturday. We could have swept Tennessee, but one thing that they're doing that they failed to do past Arizona State last season and earlier on the 2008 schedule is they're winning the winnable series. It's kind of weird that we're in first place but would be the odd man out if the SEC tournament started today.
6.) The tailgate is going to be a lot of fun at University Station. It was a little difficult to find in the dark of night Friday, but once everything was set up, it felt like a home away from home. The people around us are extremely friendly and I can't wait to develop better friendships with them. Plus, we're at the edge of forest for crying out loud. There is a gi-normous cell phone tower right in the middle of the RV park, so you'll always have service (if you are an AT&T customer). All in all, it was a great success.
7.) I've been told, ahem, that I'm too long-winded on my blog. Maybe so, but it was at the personal request of someone who I hold very dear to my heart that a thorough recap be written about THE WEEKEND. I did not want to disappoint by leaving out any minor details which could have enhanced the knowledge of those who could not be with us.
Lots of familiar faces were in town over the weekend (Brad, Amber, Karen Deaver, Andrew and Taylor). Purser had a great initial Auburn experience. He purchased an AU hat and changed his phone's background to the scoreboard from Plainsman Park. We missed Josh and Katie, but there will be plenty of time to catch up with them in the future. Congrats to Katie for making it into Florida State for law school.
Prayers go out to Robert as he begins his Paris educational experience. Also (and probably even more so importantly) to Jennifer as she continues to prod along like a trooper. We love both of you here at Roger Dodger's blog.
The countdown for Jimmy Buffett in New Orleans (May 3) starts now. First, though, a little trip back in time on the docket this weekend to a place that I like to refer to as "prom." More details on that later.
That's all for now, faithful reader(s). As always, War Eagle.
-6-
Here are a few observations from the weekend concerning the football team, the baseball team and our tailgate setup...
1.) Kodi Burns is going to be dynamic in this style of offense whenever he's allowed to tuck and run. He may get beat up, but it's the first time we've had a true dual-threat in over a decade at this position. What's awesome is that we have another kid waiting in the wings who is more dynamic as a dual-threat in DeRon Furr.
2.) Ben Tate is our best running back. This says more about Ben than it does about the rest of the group, because I am not skiddish about the ball being in Brad Lester, Tristan Davis or Mario Fannin's hands either. I really think Tate is the best back we've had since Carnell and Ronnie. He's had more time to contribute for Auburn than Kenny Irons and possesses the vision necessary to read a hole off the sweep or power toss we like to run out of the spread.
3.) Josh Bynes may push starting time away from Blackmon. The kid is a beast and has gotten the mike linebacker calls down to an art. The second string defense really didn't miss much of a beat from the first string in backers and secondary, and Bynes was a big reason in all of this. I'm not saying Blackmon's fallen off as much as Bynes has stepped up.
4.) Ryan Williams will be the next Thorpe candidate from our secondary. Aairon Savage is ready for the primetime if he can get the bump and run coverage down just a little more. Jerraud Powers is a true shut-down corner and will make some more huge plays this year. Mike McNeil is the second coming of Junior Rosegreen. In other words, our secondary is S-I-C-K with talent.
5.) The baseball team has a very small margin for error, minuscule even. They're playing very good right now, sans the loss Tuesday night at always tough South Alabama, but a four-run lead can easily become a tie game or deficit if the freshman pitchers take on one too many batters or the normally flawless bullpen has a mental lapse, as was the case in the late innings Saturday. We could have swept Tennessee, but one thing that they're doing that they failed to do past Arizona State last season and earlier on the 2008 schedule is they're winning the winnable series. It's kind of weird that we're in first place but would be the odd man out if the SEC tournament started today.
6.) The tailgate is going to be a lot of fun at University Station. It was a little difficult to find in the dark of night Friday, but once everything was set up, it felt like a home away from home. The people around us are extremely friendly and I can't wait to develop better friendships with them. Plus, we're at the edge of forest for crying out loud. There is a gi-normous cell phone tower right in the middle of the RV park, so you'll always have service (if you are an AT&T customer). All in all, it was a great success.
7.) I've been told, ahem, that I'm too long-winded on my blog. Maybe so, but it was at the personal request of someone who I hold very dear to my heart that a thorough recap be written about THE WEEKEND. I did not want to disappoint by leaving out any minor details which could have enhanced the knowledge of those who could not be with us.
Lots of familiar faces were in town over the weekend (Brad, Amber, Karen Deaver, Andrew and Taylor). Purser had a great initial Auburn experience. He purchased an AU hat and changed his phone's background to the scoreboard from Plainsman Park. We missed Josh and Katie, but there will be plenty of time to catch up with them in the future. Congrats to Katie for making it into Florida State for law school.
Prayers go out to Robert as he begins his Paris educational experience. Also (and probably even more so importantly) to Jennifer as she continues to prod along like a trooper. We love both of you here at Roger Dodger's blog.
The countdown for Jimmy Buffett in New Orleans (May 3) starts now. First, though, a little trip back in time on the docket this weekend to a place that I like to refer to as "prom." More details on that later.
That's all for now, faithful reader(s). As always, War Eagle.
-6-
Monday, March 24, 2008
A-Day Preview and Tailgating News
What used to be my least favorite weekend of the spring has become one with which I look forward to with great anticipation as Auburn will don the game day jerseys and strike up the band at A-Day this weekend. I still don't really give much credence to the game itself, but it'll be a lot of fun to see the fruits of the players' labors the past four weeks in the new offensive and defensive schemes come to fruition in front of their largest audience since Dec. 31.
I will be arriving in Auburn Friday night to check out the new tailgating location, which we have nailed down for the upcoming season. Thanks to the advice and recommendation of Frank Buttler, we will now be setting up base camp at University Station RV Resort off Hwy 14 on the outskirts of town. We met Frank in Fayetteville last fall through Andrew and his dad.
This new location will not be campus-based like last year's tailgates, but we have been able to take a step that I feel will help us reach a new level of tailgating expertise. University Station will be a cut in costs, and it also has several amenities that are unrivaled by other campgrounds in the Auburn area. For the reader(s) weary of tailgating off campus, the owner has set up a game day shuttle service. Plus, the use of back roads to get to/from Logan Square with ease and sans traffic will allow a familiar route post-game should the shuttle service not be ideal.
Also on tap for this weekend is taking in some action at Plainsman Park as the diamond version of the Tigers attempt to take two-straight home series. From all accounts, this weekend's opponent - Tennessee - has solid starting pitching that's also been known to get rattled on occasion. The crowd will have to play a huge part in getting AU a couple more wins, and Friday's contest will be a good step to show that the showings against Kentucky and Troy were not flukes. Unfortunately, I can't make Friday's game but will be there with bells on for Saturday and Sunday's contests against the Vols.
Chris Purser will be making his first journey to the Plains, drawn by the status of seeing a couple of games at America's best college baseball stadium as well as the intrigue of seeing a Tommy Tuberville-led Auburn team unleash a spread offense/no-huddle attack. (Honestly, I think he's just ready to see real football again and since his head coach is Houston Nutt...)
We'll be updating after the weekend, maybe even from the tailgating locale if the website holds true and the campground offers wireless Internet capabilities. Until next time...
War Eagle.
-6-
I will be arriving in Auburn Friday night to check out the new tailgating location, which we have nailed down for the upcoming season. Thanks to the advice and recommendation of Frank Buttler, we will now be setting up base camp at University Station RV Resort off Hwy 14 on the outskirts of town. We met Frank in Fayetteville last fall through Andrew and his dad.
This new location will not be campus-based like last year's tailgates, but we have been able to take a step that I feel will help us reach a new level of tailgating expertise. University Station will be a cut in costs, and it also has several amenities that are unrivaled by other campgrounds in the Auburn area. For the reader(s) weary of tailgating off campus, the owner has set up a game day shuttle service. Plus, the use of back roads to get to/from Logan Square with ease and sans traffic will allow a familiar route post-game should the shuttle service not be ideal.
Also on tap for this weekend is taking in some action at Plainsman Park as the diamond version of the Tigers attempt to take two-straight home series. From all accounts, this weekend's opponent - Tennessee - has solid starting pitching that's also been known to get rattled on occasion. The crowd will have to play a huge part in getting AU a couple more wins, and Friday's contest will be a good step to show that the showings against Kentucky and Troy were not flukes. Unfortunately, I can't make Friday's game but will be there with bells on for Saturday and Sunday's contests against the Vols.
Chris Purser will be making his first journey to the Plains, drawn by the status of seeing a couple of games at America's best college baseball stadium as well as the intrigue of seeing a Tommy Tuberville-led Auburn team unleash a spread offense/no-huddle attack. (Honestly, I think he's just ready to see real football again and since his head coach is Houston Nutt...)
We'll be updating after the weekend, maybe even from the tailgating locale if the website holds true and the campground offers wireless Internet capabilities. Until next time...
War Eagle.
-6-
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Timing is Everything
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-
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-
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.
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