This is inspired by my friend Chadd Scott.
Like Chadd, I am a proud journalism graduate of Auburn University.
Football is an important part of the culture here, but Auburn is not a football team. Auburn is a community, a history, and sharing in a common experience. Auburn’s biggest dream is realizing her potential and Auburn’s greatest potential has always been her people.
And we’ve got a lot of people.
I want Auburn to win for:
A teacher – One of my favorite high school teachers, an Auburn grad.
A girl – She was a big part of the reason I chose to apply to Auburn.
Mr. Ethridge – Who gave me my scholarship. He died just last year.
Dean William Alverson – He helped raise that scholarship money and was my academic adviser. He retired just a few years ago.
My roommate – He and his family, all Auburn people, and all nicer to me than they had to be during my first two years at Auburn.
My friends from school – Those I’ve kept and those that drifted away.
Chadd – A friend of 15 years, he gave me my start on air, was always full of advice, helped me build an incredible professional foundation. He’s never asked for a thing in return.
For Jim and Rod and Andy and Bill and Paul – Auburn athletics wouldn’t sound the same without them.
For an old man – I sat next to him during the 2004 season. He said simply, “I went to school here when it was API.” He was impressed that season, and I’m sure he’s amazed by this one, too.
For my wife – She was undeclared until I brought her to her first game but she’s been an Auburn woman ever since. Now she teaches at Auburn.
For the family in Section 52 – They adopted us and let them sit in their section for years. They remember the Barfield years.
For the Browns – Another strong, proud, kind Auburn family that have been indescribably good to us over the years.
For Mr. Jimmy – He played on the 1957 championship team. He told me this season he doesn’t want to do it again, but I’d like to think he might change his mind Monday.
For Shug and Doug and Pat and Terry and Tommy and Gene – And for all of their coaches and players and staffers, the people fans really mean when saying “We won.”
[UPDATE] Stranded Auburn men and women – Headed to the game, but stuck at home in the snow. That’s not fair.
Like Housel said: “It is a spirit. It is an attitude. It is a way of looking at life and at one another. It is, almost, a way of living. Unless you have experienced it, you will never know what it is; you will never understand it. Once you have experienced it, you will never be the same. A part of you will, forevermore, be an Auburn man or an Auburn woman.”
