Looking back on the experience that was my first Jimmy Buffett concert, I can't think of a more appropriate quote than the one above, provided by Brittany Taylor through Jennifer Hipp Boully. Truth be told, we never limited ourselves to just one U-Turn during our two-day trip down to the bayou - those things came in pairs and threes.
Yep, folks, it's official: I'm a full-fledged Parrothead. The show was incredible, and the four of us (myself, Jeanie, Jaren and Jennifer - I just noticed that I was the odd-man out on the J-names...we should fix that) enjoyed the tunes Sir James Buffett (gah, another J!) and several laughs at the event known to all as JazzFest on May 3. I am pretty sure everyone else had as good of a time as I did, and I want to thank the three J-birds for going with me.
Now, detailing the excursion...Friday, I left work around noon and headed off to Columbus to get my oil changed and have lunch with my terrific mother. Soon afterwards, I was back on the road to Hattiesburg to meet up with Jeanie and Jaren. On the drive into the Pelican State, I tried to rehearse the two of them in some of the more classic Buffett tunes, but it mostly was swapping stories and backgrounds for Jaren.
(A side note: this was the first time I've really been able to celebrate in the close vicinity of Jeanie's birthday since before moving to Auburn for school. While it wasn't really her birthday and it's much belated now, I want to wish her a fantastic year as a 22-year-old.)
We arrived amidst the nightfall in Houma at the Boully residence to the welcoming snorts of Rascal and an open-armed Jennifer. Quickly, we departed for Outback to get some much-needed food before calling it a night. After all, we had to be cautious of the pending new addition to the Boully household.
Saturday morning, Jennifer and I headed to McDonalds for breakfast. Six hours later (really, it was 45 minutes although I'm not far off on my judgment), we got to place our order amongst the monsoon and waited some more. I talked to her about Robert and some of the stories he hadn't put on his blogging updates (all two of them), and she got caught up on some of the other things going on in the world of Chris "J" Rushing (OK, the "J" doesn't really work, but I wanted to fit in).
It took a few more U-Turns, but we got back to a hungry J duo at the apartment. Around 11:30 a.m., we braved the rain and wind and began our trek for New Orleans and Margaritaville. Jeanie was the pseudo-navigator in the Crescent City and did a fantastic job (despite Jaren's and my own doubts) of getting us to said restaurant. After lunch (which was amazing, by the way), we headed to the gift shop and made a few purchases before starting the trek back to the car.
Since Margaritaville is in the French Quarter, following the turn-by-turn directions proved to be more difficult since we thought we had parked somewhere along the way to the Fair Grounds. A few U-Turns and a good 30-minute back-tracking journey later, we found a church off Blue Bayou Rd and parked the 4-Runner. It wasn't a bad hike to the race track, and I was gearing up with anticipation for my first Buffett concert experience.
One of the first things we saw (albeit at the wrong stage) was an Auburn flag planted in the ground surrounded by a couple of umbrellas. "If Jimmy Buffett is on this stage," I said to myself, "I know exactly where we'll sit." About 30 minutes later, we were in front of the correct stage and found a nice dry(er) spot out of the mud to put Jeanie and Jennifer. Jaren and I went to get some water to "cure the thirst" (saw it on a t-shirt and vowed I'd put it in the blog recap somewhere). Luckily for us, we were asked to move from our location in the dry(er) concrete and were forced to tread through the mud to a new prime seating spot.
It was here we'd stay thanks to the hospitality of the Artist Formerly Known as Bernie. Bernie is quite possibly the friendliest person I've ever met at a concert, and he did not take long to get to know everyone in our group (sans the wandering Jaren). Now, it must be said that I was informed following the show that Jeanie and Jennifer (or the J-Twins as they will now be referred to for the remainder of this entry) decided that I'd be the spitting image of Bernie when I'm 40 years old. Now, if that is what God has in store for my life, I think I'd be doing pretty darn good.
I'd talk about the couple standing in front of the J-Twins, but I could not do justice compared to their stories and "color commentary"...The phrase, "She just bit him" was quickly followed by "He just spanked her!" - leading to a roaring applause of laughter and clapping from those who were within earshot of the J-Twins. I wasn't focused on those two, though, because...Jimmy Buffett had made his way onto the stage.
A 24-song set was bellowed out from Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band, and one item on my Bucket List had been crossed off. Honestly, there aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe the show. There were a ton of highlights (the fact that he swapped his flip flops for a t-shirt with a guy in the front row; he came out onto the stage in drag for "Why Don't We Get Drunk"; and of course, watching the J-Twins hold their arms high for "Fins"), but I'm all typed out as-is. Don't worry, I'm more than willing to share any and all stories to curious bystanders.
We left the concert and headed back to Houma. Now, we had acquired a large amount of mud on all our shoes thanks to the rains that soaked the New Orleans area on Friday and throughout Saturday morning, and the hunger was starting to strike. We found a nice little pizza place after stopping into a shopping mall to wash hands and relieve ourselves, and the food was incredible (not to mention the jukebox featuring hits from high school and junior high days).
Sunday morning, we hung around for a little bit before packing up the 4-Runner and returning to the road. On the way back, we stopped on the Quarter again for beignets at Cafe Dumonde and a po-boy from Johnny Po-Boys. I really didn't think I could eat again for a week afterwards. Jeanie fell asleep shortly after leaving the NOLA city limits, and Jaren remained quiet in the backseat for the most part. Much like the rest of the drive in my own truck that afternoon, it was just me and some tunes from Buffett.
A full set list from that night can be found at the following web address: http://www.buffettworld.com/set-lists/sl-2008/#9
I know that this is a bit delayed, but I've been busy coaching a potential league champion little league team and writing a book of short stories from the perspective of Uncle Bernie (kinda catchy, huh?). A longer update on things going on in my life will be coming in the next few days. Right now, I have a lot of praying to do that I can keep my tongue in a particular situation.
As always, thanks for reading and War Eagle (and War Jimmy Buffett!).
-6-
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Changes on the Horizon
In 23 days, I will have been graduated from Auburn for exactly three years. Since May 13, 2005, I've lived in two apartments, at home with the parents twice, a rental house and now here on Birch Tree Lane in Saltillo. In a lot of ways, I'm the same guy who walked across the stage behind Joy Howie and in front of my family (not to mention those who I consider to be extended family). It was one of the most fulfilling days of my life, that Friday the 13th.
I remember vividly every aspect of that morning. Momma Goldberg's after the ceremony and our pictures. The fast goodbye to Robert as he packed up and traveled back to Arab before we headed to O'Charley's for a celebratory dinner. John, Andrew's brother, leaning over to Jeanie and asking her to reach in his pocket. I look back on that 24-hour milestone with a smile.
As I stated above, I'm a lot like that guy who, on May 13, 2005, was ready to take on the athletic department ladder by storm. I was going to be moving to Gainesville in just over a month and learn under a new regime at UF. After that, it'd be an entry-level full-time spot at another Southeastern Conference institution before getting back to Auburn. It was a well-planned out career chart. Nothing could deter me from getting my next goal, since every other goal to that point had been achieved.
A total of 1,072 days have passed me by, and I no longer hold that aspiration to be an Athletic Director. As a matter of fact, I don't really have any desire to re-enter the athletic world other than being a spectator with several great stories to share with anyone willing to hear them. So, what do I do now?
Time plays its toll on those who are not ready for its benefits. I'm smarter than that day in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. However, I'm a guy without a plan at this moment. Where am I heading? What am I going to do?
I'm happy, very happy, with the way my life has worked out so far. I have friends that span across this great country and a family that can be surpassed by none other. The love and support they have shown me over my 25 years is a blessing from God, and I am not the person I am today without everyone who has ever been a part of my life - positive and negative alike. I'm happy, just not as happy as I believe I can be.
At work, I have several projects that are going to be wrapping up in the coming months. I'm hoping the last major one will implement around December or January. When it finishes, I'm going to place the house on the market. When the house sells (and it must meet a mandated price figure to get out the investment I've made), I'm going to search for a new job, a new career. I feel like I've hit a ceiling at BancorpSouth and can only offer so much to this position.
What's crazy is that I've prayed about this change to make me a better person, and I asked for signs that this would be the right move. Suddenly, these projects started to pick up steam. The next sermon at church dealt with making big decisions based on faith and knowing that God will take care of us as long as we find His plan and His way in all we do. For the first time in I don't know how long, I'm going to let Him direct everything without question.
Something like this will take is a lot of discipline, and I'm not the most patient person around. I know better than to pray for patience, but we listened to a sermon on discipline today at church. Talk about your back-to-back whammies. Doing what we ought to, not doing what we want to. What a novel concept...
My next goals are very personal yet simplistic in nature. I feel in my heart that these goals cannot be attained in Tupelo. If I don't get out now...well, time will take its toll on me also. I'm praying for discipline and guidance. I've rested easier at night since making this decision, and it's a peace that I've been missing for so long.
I'll keep everyone updated as much as possible. Now, it's time to go outside, look up at the stars and have a conversation. As always, thanks for reading.
War Eagle.
-6-
I remember vividly every aspect of that morning. Momma Goldberg's after the ceremony and our pictures. The fast goodbye to Robert as he packed up and traveled back to Arab before we headed to O'Charley's for a celebratory dinner. John, Andrew's brother, leaning over to Jeanie and asking her to reach in his pocket. I look back on that 24-hour milestone with a smile.
As I stated above, I'm a lot like that guy who, on May 13, 2005, was ready to take on the athletic department ladder by storm. I was going to be moving to Gainesville in just over a month and learn under a new regime at UF. After that, it'd be an entry-level full-time spot at another Southeastern Conference institution before getting back to Auburn. It was a well-planned out career chart. Nothing could deter me from getting my next goal, since every other goal to that point had been achieved.
A total of 1,072 days have passed me by, and I no longer hold that aspiration to be an Athletic Director. As a matter of fact, I don't really have any desire to re-enter the athletic world other than being a spectator with several great stories to share with anyone willing to hear them. So, what do I do now?
Time plays its toll on those who are not ready for its benefits. I'm smarter than that day in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. However, I'm a guy without a plan at this moment. Where am I heading? What am I going to do?
I'm happy, very happy, with the way my life has worked out so far. I have friends that span across this great country and a family that can be surpassed by none other. The love and support they have shown me over my 25 years is a blessing from God, and I am not the person I am today without everyone who has ever been a part of my life - positive and negative alike. I'm happy, just not as happy as I believe I can be.
At work, I have several projects that are going to be wrapping up in the coming months. I'm hoping the last major one will implement around December or January. When it finishes, I'm going to place the house on the market. When the house sells (and it must meet a mandated price figure to get out the investment I've made), I'm going to search for a new job, a new career. I feel like I've hit a ceiling at BancorpSouth and can only offer so much to this position.
What's crazy is that I've prayed about this change to make me a better person, and I asked for signs that this would be the right move. Suddenly, these projects started to pick up steam. The next sermon at church dealt with making big decisions based on faith and knowing that God will take care of us as long as we find His plan and His way in all we do. For the first time in I don't know how long, I'm going to let Him direct everything without question.
Something like this will take is a lot of discipline, and I'm not the most patient person around. I know better than to pray for patience, but we listened to a sermon on discipline today at church. Talk about your back-to-back whammies. Doing what we ought to, not doing what we want to. What a novel concept...
My next goals are very personal yet simplistic in nature. I feel in my heart that these goals cannot be attained in Tupelo. If I don't get out now...well, time will take its toll on me also. I'm praying for discipline and guidance. I've rested easier at night since making this decision, and it's a peace that I've been missing for so long.
I'll keep everyone updated as much as possible. Now, it's time to go outside, look up at the stars and have a conversation. As always, thanks for reading.
War Eagle.
-6-
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The "Justin Hargett Power" Equilibrium
While 78,000-plus walked through the gates in Tuscaloosa to see Nick Saban win his ninth game as the head coach at Alabama (seven regular season + two spring games), I headed down to Auburn for a quick trip filled with stories, fun and a baseball game. Since I slept in a little too late for the early church service, now seems as good of a time as any to write this post.
As I wrote earlier this week, I was a bit under the weather Wednesday and still felt the effects well into the evening hours of Thursday. I had been wanting to go down to Auburn to see at least one of the South Carolina games, but I couldn't force myself to drive all that way for one game if I didn't feel at least 90 percent.
Friday morning, I felt better as the day went on, and I went ahead and made the call to go around lunch. I drove home to pack up so that I could leave straight from the office to the Plains. The drive included several phone conversations with people about some things I'm working through in my mind right now (more on those later...probably much later).
When I got to Auburn, it was Brick Oven for dinner with Andrew. Soon afterwards, Andy headed out to edge of forest to hang out at the camper. We swapped glory stories of little league seasons gone past (inspired by my team's scrimmage Thursday night). Things were great until Andy decided at 2:45 in the a.m. that he was hungry for some Taco Bell. An hour later, he got his "nourishment" but we had some good laughs about it.
Saturday, I hung out at the camper until it was time to go to baseball. I made a quick stop in the press box to say hello to Dan Froehlich (Auburn's baseball SID) and Andrew Kitick (South Carolina's baseball SID) while waiting on the game to start and for Andrew to show up. After catching up a little with those two, I headed down to the stands and sat with some of the players' parents for a couple of innings.
Andrew arrived around the bottom of the third, and we headed to Section 111. Normally, I hate sitting here thanks to the riffraff clientèle, however Saturday was the exception to the rule. From this perch, we found a blast from the past, circa summer 2004. Sitting a couple of rows ahead of us was "Music Appreciation Girl" from Andrew's class that summer semester. I think her name is Caroline, but "Music Appreciation Girl" is what has stuck.
After confirming with 100 percent assurance that MAG was in our presence, we both noticed around the same time her wedding ring. Andrew then rattled off three phrases which should go down in our friendship's long and storied lore: "Woah, she's married now. Wow, she's waayyyy married. She's married to the Justin Hargett power."
To explain, our first baseball game experience this spring was enhanced by the support from Justin Hargett's (AU's second baseman) mom. We heard "Super Justin" and it's stuck with us through text messages and conversations over the last couple of months. The ring on MAG's finger had at least 20 diamonds wrapping the band and surrounding one massive mega-diamond. I think I still have a minor headache from the glare it caused when the sunlight caught at the right angles. We laughed about this the rest of the game.
As far as the game is concerned, South Carolina has one of the three best lineups our pitching staff will face from the 1-9 holes in the order. This does not really set up well for true freshmen on the mound. Cory Luckie had a very good outing and left with a chance for the "W" as AU was up 5-4. I would have pulled him before seeing the lineup for a third time, but I'm not making the decisions.
After a clutch two-out dinger from ninth-year senior Gamecock Phil Disher, AU's fate was pretty much sealed. The experience level gap just is too much for a team starting five freshmen. You just have to hold out hope that the missed opportunities diminish as their careers develop more. I have faith in their ability, and they have really good chemistry. It doesn't seem like there's really any quit in them and there's no deficit they feel is too great. You have to like that.
Another positive was finally seeing Hunter Morriss go yard. Almost on cue, Andrew and I both were talking about how we hadn't seen him really do anything in person aside from a couple of seeing-eye singles here and there. He turned on an inside pitch and knocked it into the hands of the K-Corner patrons atop the right field wall.
After the game, we headed to Buffalo Connection for dinner (which was great - to the Justin Hargett power) and I got back on the road. Most of the ride was spent talking some stuff over with the big guy upstairs, but I also was able to listen to my fair share of "old man music." I made it back to the house in record time (3:53), which saddens me and excites me at the same time. You'd think that I could make it to Auburn in record time and just take my time coming back. Oh well.
As always, thanks for reading. War Eagle.
-6-
As I wrote earlier this week, I was a bit under the weather Wednesday and still felt the effects well into the evening hours of Thursday. I had been wanting to go down to Auburn to see at least one of the South Carolina games, but I couldn't force myself to drive all that way for one game if I didn't feel at least 90 percent.
Friday morning, I felt better as the day went on, and I went ahead and made the call to go around lunch. I drove home to pack up so that I could leave straight from the office to the Plains. The drive included several phone conversations with people about some things I'm working through in my mind right now (more on those later...probably much later).
When I got to Auburn, it was Brick Oven for dinner with Andrew. Soon afterwards, Andy headed out to edge of forest to hang out at the camper. We swapped glory stories of little league seasons gone past (inspired by my team's scrimmage Thursday night). Things were great until Andy decided at 2:45 in the a.m. that he was hungry for some Taco Bell. An hour later, he got his "nourishment" but we had some good laughs about it.
Saturday, I hung out at the camper until it was time to go to baseball. I made a quick stop in the press box to say hello to Dan Froehlich (Auburn's baseball SID) and Andrew Kitick (South Carolina's baseball SID) while waiting on the game to start and for Andrew to show up. After catching up a little with those two, I headed down to the stands and sat with some of the players' parents for a couple of innings.
Andrew arrived around the bottom of the third, and we headed to Section 111. Normally, I hate sitting here thanks to the riffraff clientèle, however Saturday was the exception to the rule. From this perch, we found a blast from the past, circa summer 2004. Sitting a couple of rows ahead of us was "Music Appreciation Girl" from Andrew's class that summer semester. I think her name is Caroline, but "Music Appreciation Girl" is what has stuck.
After confirming with 100 percent assurance that MAG was in our presence, we both noticed around the same time her wedding ring. Andrew then rattled off three phrases which should go down in our friendship's long and storied lore: "Woah, she's married now. Wow, she's waayyyy married. She's married to the Justin Hargett power."
To explain, our first baseball game experience this spring was enhanced by the support from Justin Hargett's (AU's second baseman) mom. We heard "Super Justin" and it's stuck with us through text messages and conversations over the last couple of months. The ring on MAG's finger had at least 20 diamonds wrapping the band and surrounding one massive mega-diamond. I think I still have a minor headache from the glare it caused when the sunlight caught at the right angles. We laughed about this the rest of the game.
As far as the game is concerned, South Carolina has one of the three best lineups our pitching staff will face from the 1-9 holes in the order. This does not really set up well for true freshmen on the mound. Cory Luckie had a very good outing and left with a chance for the "W" as AU was up 5-4. I would have pulled him before seeing the lineup for a third time, but I'm not making the decisions.
After a clutch two-out dinger from ninth-year senior Gamecock Phil Disher, AU's fate was pretty much sealed. The experience level gap just is too much for a team starting five freshmen. You just have to hold out hope that the missed opportunities diminish as their careers develop more. I have faith in their ability, and they have really good chemistry. It doesn't seem like there's really any quit in them and there's no deficit they feel is too great. You have to like that.
Another positive was finally seeing Hunter Morriss go yard. Almost on cue, Andrew and I both were talking about how we hadn't seen him really do anything in person aside from a couple of seeing-eye singles here and there. He turned on an inside pitch and knocked it into the hands of the K-Corner patrons atop the right field wall.
After the game, we headed to Buffalo Connection for dinner (which was great - to the Justin Hargett power) and I got back on the road. Most of the ride was spent talking some stuff over with the big guy upstairs, but I also was able to listen to my fair share of "old man music." I made it back to the house in record time (3:53), which saddens me and excites me at the same time. You'd think that I could make it to Auburn in record time and just take my time coming back. Oh well.
As always, thanks for reading. War Eagle.
-6-
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
A little reflection...
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-
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 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-
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