These two images were not from our football weekend. I think I took them during my last year at Auburn. I was so excited to bring Kurt there and to go back myself! I hadn't visited since I graduated in May of 2008!
Back to reality, our journey began when we left Birmingham early Saturday morning. Joey and Kurt rode in front and Jen, her little brother Robby, and me in the back. I got the pleasure of riding in the middle seat for our two hour drive. I enjoyed my vantage point immensely. Don't let anyone tell you anything different.
One of my most highly anticipated events of going to Alabama: a trip to Chick-Fil-A! Our early departure time made it possible to stop there for breakfast on the way out of town. I love their chicken biscuits so much! Mmmm...I'm dreaming of them now. Why can't they come to NYC?! Please?!
We finally made it! Auburn traffic quadruples on game days, but it is fun to see all sorts of people pouring into town for one, collective purpose.
Fante tailgate central. We met Joey's parents at their tailgate spot and set up camp before the game. While many things change, some things pretty much stay the same. This was Joey's tailgate spot while we were in school and it was great to be back! The crowd was a little smaller :( but still a great time hanging with the Fantes. I'm so glad they let Kurt and me tag along. We had a fun day!
I took Kurt on a tour of campus. We stopped at the Architecture building, good old Dudley Hall where I spent many a long nights in studio.
My old dorm, Broun Hall.
Some real tailgating :) It was spread all around campus just as I remember. I'm glad Kurt got to see how it is done in the South and will spread the good word back to certain school in Ohio.
We have crazy fans too! You better believe his horn plays the fight song :)
Majestic Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Kurt also got to experience one of Auburn's great game day traditions. The players walk from their bus (they stay in a hotel the night before games) parked near the athlete's dorms to the stadium through a crowd of cheering fans who want an up close look.
He got to see Heisman hopefull, Cam Newton...
and our coach Gene Chizik. Kurt was sad he did not get a glimpse of his new crush Gus Malzahn though :(
It took us a little while to find tickets for the game. I was afraid we weren't going to make it in the stadium! Thankfully, we finally made a deal and got in there! Look closely at the center of the field and you will see Nova after he finished his War Eagle! flight around the stadium.
One of my favorite stadium experiences is the fly over. Occasionally, Auburn would have jets from a nearby airfield fly over Jordan-Hare just as the National Anthem reaches its culmination. It's amazing. The roar of the engines really gets you pumped up for the game. I think my favorite part of our day was when Kurt turned to me after the fly over and said, "that was terrifying!"
The team takes takes the field!
War Eagle!
Georgia got off to an early lead but Auburn came back and finally won! It was a high tension game and some Auburn players were removed from the game towards the end for unsportsmanlike conduct. I still believe the Bulldogs started it. It just doesn't seem like a very Auburn thing to do :)
Woo hoo! War Eagle!
The ultimate Auburn tradition is to roll Toomer's Corner with toilet paper after a win.
The aftermath. It was a great day and I'm glad Kurt was able to take in the full Auburn experience!
Where to start?!
ReplyDeleteThe tailgating is different. No doubt. It could be several things, none of which reflect well on Ohio State (or perhaps the north). The first is that OSU regulates tailgating as a money-maker for the athletic dept. The other that comes to mind is simply that we have a more 'there are rules in life' attitude. So 'live and let live' things like, letting people drink beer, bbq and party wherever they feel for 7 or 8 Saturdays a year doesn't fly.
I saw Bo Jackson before the game. I was thrilled. And due to the fact that I didn't believe it was him immediately meant someone got in my way of a great picture.
The campus architecture is pretty stuck in the past. I understand red brick on college campus, especially given that Alabama has so much red clay. But cast-stone greek columns and peaked roofs is too much! I guess Auburn will never have a green roof!
I really got too caught up in the Camgate. If Drew had been there I would've known that the real Heisman winner for Auburn is Gus Malzahn, he's who I should've stuck around to get a picture of. I even thought after the fact that maybe I could've slipped him a note pleading for him to come to Columbus, hell, I would've even slipped a check in there, that's how it's done in the SEC, right?! ;-)
The jet fly-over was intense. Amazing.
Jordan Hare's field, oh sorry 'Pat Dye Field', forgot you name your fields in the SEC, was as beautiful as I expected it to be. I wish we could keep the natural stuff growing in the shoe.
I was impressed with how loud the stadium was. Everyone was standing and cheering it seemed, even the old alumni.
Toomer's was madness! That's pretty cool that everyone goes there after the game to congregate and party. Also you left out, although it is tough to explain, the one of the highlights of my day, Joey yelling out O-H! in trying to locate us in the crowd! Loved it. War Damn Eagle!