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Seems I didn’t take a lot of extra pictures this week. Most things have either already been published or were adventures of the prosaic kind. Nevertheless, here are four pictures — three of them a little overdue — and one video.
Here’s a three-picture collage from the gym meet. These guys always sit on the front row, on the floor. If you paint yourself blue, you deserve it.
She likes books.
Allie helped us put away the Christmas things some time back.
She also likes sun tans.
Rolling Toomer’s.
I’m not going to Walmart. I don’t care for crowds or lines that much. I’ll just see the trophy at the museum.
That’s the setting for tomorrow, though. If someone doesn’t write Fear and Loathing in the Walmart Parking Lot piece I’ll be disappointed.
That is all.
For my in laws in New England, and everyone else that likes to make fun of the weather. This is the calm before the storm.
We’re expecting the ice and snow any minute now, or eventually, whichever comes first.
Serious business to the north of us though. Be careful out there.
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.
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.”
Maybe you’ve heard my alma mater is playing for the national championship Monday night. Auburn lines up against Oregon and everyone that’s even a little bit emotionally invested is ready to see history be made in Glendale.
So this is a look back at history. In 1957 Auburn won its first national championship. These are pictures from that year’s Glomerata. Things certainly have changed.
The rare color photograph.
The cheerleaders of 1957. In a few of the action shots they look to be screaming fiercely.
Ralph “Shug” Jordan and his coaching staff.
These days Auburn boasts one of the largest HD screens around, measuring 30 feet high by 74 feet wide. In 1957 they had this.
Cliff Hare Stadium’s average attendance in three home games in 1957 was 27,667 per game. (The Tigers played in a handful of different venues back then.) The total attendance for the season’s on-campus games was 83,000. The modern Jordan-Hare Stadium seats 87,451.
The Tigers were in the middle of a 30-game home winning streak during the 1957 championship season.
That’s still Petrie Hall at the top of the picture. Built in 1939, it was named for George Petrie, a history professor, graduate school dean and Auburn football coach. He also penned The Auburn Creed. Petrie Hall used to be the athletic field house. Today that building houses COSAM and Geography offices.
How they celebrated in 1957.
UPDATE: This was picked up and adapted at The War Eagle Reader.
