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14
Nov 10

Catching up

He came around for three passes, low enough to fertilize, but not spreading anything. You’re just glad he seemed sane enough and competent enough to negotiate tree lines, fallow fields, rivers and interstates simultaneously.

When I think of the South — the second-half of the 20th Century South, that is, what might unartfully be called the Dukes of Hazard period — I think of kudzu, gravel, quiet creeks, rusted signs and places not unlike this. They still exist. They are everywhere if you get out of the cities.

I forgot to note where this particular scene was. Indeed, I just “drove” the entire route on Google Maps twice and was ready to say it doesn’t exist on a map, but on the third bird’s eye view of the map I found it.

It is just outside of Maplesville, a town of under 700 people (at the 2000 Census) had boomed to more than 2,500 before the end of the decade. They are commuters. The town is named after a store owner. Maplesville has a Main Street, but you can’t see it on Google’s Street View.

You can see, on other roads, they’ve got everything you need: post office, bank, closed storefronts, plenty of churches and a pool and spa supply store. I believe I’ve been lost there before. (If you haven’t been lost in every town in your state you haven’t been driving enough, really. If you don’t stop the car and meet some of the people there you really haven’t been lost yet.)

It is not far from where my college roommate was raised. He’d playfully sneer when he said the town’s name, but it seems a delightful enough place.

The thought hadn’t entered into my mind. But how many people felt the urge before the dump truck people had to take action. I’ve been on some boring stretches of highway, and I’ve spent my time behind some unfortunate drivers who were working for a living, but I’ve never thought “Maybe if I just nudge him.”

Then again, this might be a good bumper sticker for the NASCAR set.

Georgia at Auburn

The South’s Oldest Rivalry, a bitter, bitter affair some years. This turned out to be one of those years. On the line for Georgia, the possibility to turn around a bad season (their worst in more than a decade) by beating second-ranked Auburn. For Auburn, a win meant a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. The Tigers were looking to snap a four-game losing streak against the Bulldogs. And, of course, there’s all of that Cameron Newton controversy.

I’m generally staying out of that debate (aside for expressing my disbelief at the poor quality of reporting that emerged in the first two days of the story) mostly out of a fundamental human decency. I’m not covering the story and I don’t know anymore than anyone else. The thing will turn out however it turns out. Neither of your basic resolutions will do anyone much of any good, but the chips will fall where they may. I hope, hope, hope Auburn comes down on the right side of this because the alternative will be more than unpalatable. In the meantime, it is entertaining to watch people play a game.

So here are pictures, video and my Twitter impressions, such as they are, preserved forever. After-the-fact thoughts are in bold.

Nastinchka called my sweater retro. Just because I’ve been wearing it to #Auburn games for 15 years … I see her point.

@AUHD is showing an overhead shot of Tiger Walk. That might be of 1989 proportions out there. Did it seem bigger than normal to anyone else?

Oh it is ON. Curtis Luper wore a bow tie! Surrender now, Georgia. You can hide a lot of weapons in a bow tie.

Not kidding: @AUHD plays Nothin’ But A Good Time, Cam Newton appears on the screen. Students develop a UGA bloodlust.

Hope you brought your tickets, Tiger fans. Receiving reports that upper deck seats are going for $400.

Hunker down, it is a fine day at Jordan-Hare for housebreaking Bulldogs.

Cam Newton is the announced starter. (Not that there was much doubt, but I included it and this for posterity. It might not count at all in a few years — who knows? — but it counted on a beautiful fall Saturday. They announced him last in the lineup. It would have been cooler if they’d just mentioned it like any other game.)

Praying for the souls of the poor puppy dawgs.

This place will be Beyond Thunderdome in an hour.

We’re all going deaf tonite. Riotous may not describe Jordan-Hare.

Buzzed by Nova – he flew just a few feet over us – and by two fighters. Now: football!

Touchdown Auburn! Cam Newton, Mike Dyer, TZach, Newton and that’s an 80-yard drive in 2:24. 7-0.

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray looks terrified. Not that you blame him. By far the biggest road game in his short career, but he settled in nicely.

Georgia converts a fourth and one for a score. 7-7.

So UGA has a running back of some talent, AJ Green, a flustered QB and … that’s about it right now.

That’s a statue of liberty. Good grief. And, sadly, a holding penalty. Thing of beauty, everywhere except the holding call. And, sure, this is Georgia and you can’t leave anything out, but you have to think “If this is what Gus is showing Alabama, what is he hiding?” And then you smile.

Flag, flag, interception, flag. Think it may be getting to the offense?

That stiff arm? Worth every penny. I only made the one joke. It looked more like a stiff arm than a head slap until I saw it on television. And I’m sure this was borne of frustration, if not the jawing and the extracurriculars that were already creeping into the game.

Freshman punter buries one inside the five. Four guys can’t down it. One of those days. Truly, this was the one place in the game where I fretted. If the ball isn’t going to bounce your way you need to find the signal as soon as possible, and this looked like a bad omen.

See number 8? He should be covered.

Murray to Green. 7-21. Down two scores? Not a bother. If Auburn had fallen back three scores I would have been squeamish.

Newton to Darvin Adams, inside the five. Easy enough.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Onterrio McCalebb around left end for the score. 14-21. Simply because of this. You know Auburn will score. And have you ever seen a team, of any vintage at any level, that seems to chew up yardage so quickly? It isn’t just a function of falling forward for three yards, but these guys are eating down and distance like a lineman at the victory dinner.

Somewhere Eric Zeier is a little sad at Aaron Murray.

Nick Fairley has a bad arm or shoulder, but he’s battling.

Tigers force a punt. Big stop for the defense.

When the defense has everything else, there’s always Emory Blake. It isn’t quite catchy enough for a t-shirt, but close.

@phillylutz43!

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! 21-21 after @wesbyrum‘s PAT. Glory glory.

Hey Georgia? Where is your Herschel Walker? Our Bo Jackson is right here.

That’s Mr. Means if your nasty.

The Redcoat band has a lady who twirls four (FOUR!) flaming batons. Apparently the band plays music, too!

She threw flaming batons high into the night sky, doing splits as she caught them. How did you pay for college?

Sweet halftime vignette from @AUHD.

And now we kick around some mangy red and black puppies.

@wesbyrum gives Auburn the perfect onside kick. Tigers recover, but Josh Bynes is hurt.

Not Bynes, but Chris Davis. He walks off under his own power.

Terrell Zachery on the reverse for 30 yards.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Onterrio McCalebb finds the end zone, @wesbyrum makes the lead 28-21.

Nosa Eguae is not a dawg person.

UGA marches down to score. 28-28. That guy is good. And only a freshman? Oh goodie.

@AUHD I still say you need a Fyffe “Touchdown Auburn!” button to go with Ric Smith’s call. One guy can sit by the Fyffe button. When McCalebb or whomever scores, he presses the button. A good, blaring Fyffe bite plays as the crowd roars. We’ve already built an atmosphere that makes the screen and the audio the other 12th man, so why not add a bit of nostalgia? If they can’t staff it I’ll volunteer to be the guy that presses that button. Help me out here, Internet.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! McCalebb with his third score of the night. 35-28.

Mike Dyer breaks Bo Jackson’s freshman rushing record.

They flash Mike Dyer’s record on the screen and Bo floats over, hugs him and raises his arm in victory. It probably wouldn’t have mattered much what else happened, because this was the coolest moment of the night. In one of those odd bits of timing that only sport can seem to inspire, Jackson happened to be on the sideline celebrating the 25th anniversary of his Heisman when one of his individual records fell and he had that great moment with Dyer. I’d say he’ll probably re-live that moment for ever, but I think we all will.

Man it is loud in here.

It just so happens that AJ Green is good.

BIG stand for the defense, holding UGA to a field goal. 35-31. And now the band strikes up their crazed rebel call. Love that fanfare. They need their own smoke effect for when they do this. And perhaps a trebuchet to launch something into the visitor’s section.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Newton to Lutzenkirchen makes it a two score game. 42-31.

Nick Fairley for dawg catcher!

OH: Why are we so CLASSY!?!?!

The band and students sing Lean On Me, the unofficial theme for the 2010 Tigers.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Newton over top. 49-31.

Dee Ford has your exclamation point.

Georgia has clearly gotten under the skin of the Auburn defenders. Tigers need to focus on the game. OK, look. Nick Fairley’s spear into Aaron Murray’s back earlier in the game was reprehensible and helped gift UGa a field goal. As for the rest of his reputation, the guy is playing within the framework of the existing rules. Don’t like it? Get the rules changed. If he doesn’t abide by your new rules, I’ll call that reprehensible too. Clearly, the scuffle at the end of the game was a regrettable moment for all sides. Players taking swings at opponents is first patently stupid (your target is wearing pads) and they should be punished accordingly. Georgia: going after Fairley (which is pretty clear in the replay) and storming the field en masse doesn’t make you innocent of anything.

Similarly, the booing of the Georgia player hobbling off and then falling to the ground on command from the sideline was pretty bad. Could he have hopped off? Sure, it did seem like it. What he did, though, is also within the framework of the rules. Cynical, perhaps, but get over it. Besides ….

Final 49-31. The Tigers are 11 and oh! Western division champs!

Hey Bama! Hey Bama! …

Watching the seniors bask in their moment as their fellow students take up the S-E-C chant. They deserve it.

Proud for those seniors. They’ve been a strong and special bunch throughout and they deserve their moment.

Kudos again to @AUHD for the season highlights in the post-game. Great feature.

Rolling Toomer’s.

And finally:

iPhone / photo / weekend — Comments Off
7
Nov 10

Catching up

I took this picture in the yard and then ran it through a tilt-shift filter on the iPhone. When you blur everything else grass blades are very interesting.

Did I mention it was cold yesterday? Absolutely gorgeous today.

Saw this at church. A 1930 Ford, I believe.

The detail on the radiator cap. Very fine looking auto.

Auburn / football / photo / Twitter / video / weekend — Comments Off
6
Nov 10

Chattanooga at Auburn (Homecoming)

War Eagle and laissez les bons temps roulez! Auburn dispatched their homecoming foe with expected ease, 62-24. No one was seriously hurt, it seemed. We all shivered because the thermometers which said 40-degrees were surely lying. And LSU beat Bama. Perfect, perfect day of football.

Here are my Twitter memories, because I don’t want them to disappear one day, as recounted from the south end zone where we spent a great deal of time in an over-worked scoreboard. Wendy’s parents loaned us their seats so we could be down in the lower bowl with the in-laws. Wendy’s parents, like Wendy, are awesome. So here’s the stream of frozen consciousness. Parenthetical additions from after the fact are in bold. Enjoy and War Eagle!

At Tiger Walk. Cam Newton looks unphased.

Hanging out in Jordan-Hare with my in-laws who are taking in their first college football game (in the South). They’ve been to Rutgers games, but that doesn’t really count, now does it?

No Daren Bates, no DeAngelo Benton today. They are in jersey, but no pads during warmups.

Eltoro Freeman and Corey Lemonier are announced as defensive starters. Interesting even at homecoming.

Touchdown Auburn. Two plays, 30 seconds and it was Newton to Adams for the 30 yard score. 7-0.

Chattanooga punts against the most vanilla defense you’ve seen since A-Day. Carr muffed the return. Tigers are on the march again. Here’s Quindarius Carr scrambling to recover the ball

Touchdown Auburn. Newton to Adams for the 20 yard score. 14-0. This is getting ugly in a hurry.

The Alumni Band, sounding crisp, has already struck up Hey Baby. Seems a bit early for that, with 9:33 to go in the first quarter.

Cam Newton just jogged for a first down. Chattanooga’s defense is not LSU. See that bit with him playing ball with the local elementary school kids on television? It looked almost like that.

Newton slips and falls for a first down. Kenny Rogers on the tackle. It’s funny because that story is the only thing that can slow this guy down.

I know it is Chattanooga, but that 18 second (yes) scramble by Cam Newton was absurd.

Newton to Burns to the goalline and then Newton keeps for the score. 21-0.

Touchdown Auburn. Newton to Adams (I need macros…) for the score. @wesbyrum’s PAT was no good. 27-0. Byrum, now Auburn’s all-time leading scorer, is having another great year. Before this miss he’d hit something like 104 in a row.

Chattanooga crosses midfield for the first time, aided by a pass interference penalty.

After one quarter Chattanooga has 48 total yards. Auburn has 56 yards rushing, 193 yards passing, 249 total. 27-0.

Also, it is cold and windy and the hot chocolate smells delicious.

Touchdown Auburn. Newton to Zachery for the 80-yard score. 34-0.

Chattanooga returns a kickoff 99 yards for the score. And then the guy got a celebration penalty. Hey Moc, it is 34-7.

Touchdown Auburn. McCalebb goes around the end and down the sideline 49 or so yards. 41-7.

So after the most backyardtastic-we-forgot-Dyer-can-play series we shank a punt and get a formation penalty. Georgia much?

My mother-in-law: If they come around selling blankies I’m buying one. The thermometer lies, it is cold on the Plain.

The Auburn Band is now soliciting your donations for a band complex.

Chattanooga scores on a 4th and 6. 41-14.

Touchdown Auburn. Mike Dyer carries 37 yards on the draw. 48-14.

Chattanooga may be on the verge of a record, having now mishandled three kickoffs and returning a fourth for a 99-yard score.

At the half, Chattanooga has 133 total yards. Auburn has 167 yards rushing and 317 yards passing, totaling 484 yards. Chattanooga is in the Southern Conference, with Samford, whom Auburn plays next year. Not looking forward to that.

Just saw a guy wearing a Grandpa To Be button. Too cool.

It is four dollars for a packet of cocoa powder. That’s an awesome profit margin on a cold day at Jordan-Hare.

They lowered the price to $3, but still. At kickoff it was $4.

Remember two weeks ago when we were out here sweating? Sigh. Did I mention it is cold?

Chattanooga marches down on the Program defense. 48-21. Because you need a program to identify some of the Auburn men now playing, but good for them to get on the field. They deserve a nice reward and an afternoon in the sun. Meanwhile, where I’m sitting in the shade …

They announced this as a sellout. To Ric Smith’s credit he said it with a straight face.

Touchdown Auburn. Mario Fannin carries in for the score. 55-21. Fannin is wrapping up the ball nicely. I hope he gets a chance to run over Georgia next week.

Clearly there is still some work that needs to be done in preparing next year’s secondary.

Saw a four-year-old boy wearing an “I’m taller than Saban” shirt. Heh.

Chattanooga kicks a figgie. 55-24. Anthony Morgan, who’s battled injuries all season, has a nice kickoff return. Mario Fannin scores. 62-24. It isn’t that close, by the way. Auburn’s first team defense came off the field in the first quarter. There are assistant coaches scouring the student body for intramural players at this point.

These are 10-and-oh Tigers!

And be honest: no one would have suggested that in December 2008.

Neil Caudle scrambles inside the 10 … And then takes a knee. Wish he could have scored, he’s a deserving kid.

Hunker down you hairy dogs, you’re next and these Tigers are due!

Rolling Toomer’s with The Yankee and the in laws.

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31
Oct 10

We’re out of candy, kids

The kids who aren’t loved or parented enough by their parents aside, and the teens who just show up in their daily casual clothes notwithstanding, we’ve had fun with the visitors. And we’ve come to learn this is a ridiculously high-traffic neighborhood for grubby little hands.

So next year I’m putting up a sign that says “You must be shorter than this and dressed in a costume to receive candy.”

Though the adult dad who came to the door in traditional Robin Hood tights pushing his daughter in a stroller was worth seeing. The teenager with a lit cigarette wasn’t really necessary.

Here are my two favorites from the evening: