I’m standing on the parking deck, trying to simultaneously suck in the sun and hide in the stairs. That defeated the wind, but put me back in the shade. And it was cold. Windy and cold. Gloves, hat and scarf cold.

And so we sat, sniffly, watching Auburn take easy, steady control over Maine, who were the most comfortable people in the weather. The locals were coming and going, and it all had to do with the sun, which was behind a giant cloud for far too long.

A lady asked me if I had a child on either team. Her husband struck up a conversation, not realizing that when he asked me about the War Eagles thing he’d get an inning long conversation and a chamber of commerce speech. He was from California, by way of Georgia.

Turns out they were part of a family there to watch their son/nephew/cousin who was hoping to get into his first collegiate game. And then, after chatting with them for most of the game, the stadium announcer called his name.

Rock Rucker was brought in to pinch hit in the eighth inning. He fell behind 0-2 and then had the patience to wait for the pitcher to work his way into a full count and took a walk. So now his family, the folks of this first round caliber talent were very excited to see their guy standing on first base.

The next batter quickly doubled down the left field line. By the time the ball was getting out to the wall, 315 feet from the plate, Rucker was already touching second. He never slowed down and so we all celebrated his first score together:

It can be easy to lose the proper perspective of collegiate sports, I think, until you meet the players’ families. They appreciate the game at a different, better, level.

This was the first game of a doubleheader, which Auburn won 12-3. I walked two blocks away to the aquatics center where The Yankee was in the Short-Course Yards Invitational

Here she is, in the orange Auburn cap, leaving the blocks in her first race:

Mind you, she started out saying “I don’t know if I should sign up for any events.”

And I would say Go ahead, do one, have a good time, meet more people.

Then she came home one day and said “I signed up for three races.”

Today was her first race:

She had a good swim today, finishing second in the 200 freestyle.

Today she said “I might race as part of a relay, too.” So we’ll be back at the pool tomorrow afternoon.

After spending the rest of the evening at a very cold second baseball game. The sun had gone down by then, but Auburn won 4-3.

Then Chinese takeout, and resting up for tomorrow’s swim.