An Open Letter to Auburn Fans

Figured I'd add to the spirit of Iron Bowl week and share this recent post I read.

War Eagle, y'all. 

It's hard to watch your team go 13-0 and miss the chance to have a national title.

It's hard to finally get that championship and have the NCAA and media breathing down
your neck the whole time. 

It's hard to watch your team go winless in the SEC and 3-9 overall, and then see your beloved trees ripped from the ground because one of your detractors doesn't know the difference between rivalry and hatred. 

It's hard to see your program's rich tradition and moments of greatness denied by a never-ending chorus of haters who don't care what it means to believe in Auburn and love it.

But it's also hard to think of a greater memory than Tommy Tuberville leading the perfect team out arm-in-arm onto the field.

It's hard to find a better pre-game tradition than an eagle circling the stadium to the soundtrack of 90,000 people united in our rallying cry.

It's hard to find a fan base that could take the death of another tradition in the wake of a terrible season and turn it into a picturesque celebration of everything Auburn.

It's hard to catch a ball you can't even see, to juggle the weight of an improbable comeback and an improbable year, and then carry it into the end zone like you meant to do it the whole time.

It's hard to find a better coach than Gus.

The truth is, I'm not too worried about this Saturday. We are the underdogs, and it'll be hard work to pull off the upset. But hard work is exactly the kind of work we believe in. And no matter how easy it might be right now to just roll with the Tide, I will look back when it's all settled and know that the hardest moments and how we dealt with them are just part of why it was, is, and always will be 

GREAT TO BE AN AUBURN TIGER.

 - Tim Tyler, via All Things Auburn 

Elephants, California Dreamin, and a Piri-WHAT?!

As you may have heard, the Republican National Convention is in town this week causing a ruckus. The city is full of patriot-clad delegates, VIPs, VVIPs, and VVVIPs from around the nation. 

I immediately decided that since my hotel was hosting a delegation (amongst some other miscellaneous big wigs) that I needed to be dressed appropriately - decked out in the red white and blue, of course.

The problem with wearing red white and blue (and anything with an elephant on it) is that I don't own much red, and I don't own anything resembling an elephant. The white and blue, no big deal. But I mostly avoid the color red and elephants altogether, due to Auburn's arch rivals the Crimson Tide, whose colors are red/white and have an elephant as their mascot. 

Plus red just ain't my color. Makes me look washed out.

After a trip to Payless and the thrift store for red items, I was able to accessorize enough with my white and blue pieces that 4 different cute outfits were born!

I'm leaving for California tonight so won't physically be able to wear my Day 5 outfit. 

I was sad for about 2 seconds them remembered I would be in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA instead, so then I got happy again.

Doing long runs in the dry cool air along the strand from Hermosa Beach all the way to Marina Del Ray and back are the things that dreams are made of, y'all. 

The sunny 75 degrees hanging out on the sand with a drink in my hand watching a beach volleyball tournament isn't so bad, either.

And, speaking of running....

Moving on to something I've been mute about -- my hip.

At first we (my running coach and I) thought it was probably just a tight IT band, so iced/stretched/took advil/strengthened for a solid 2-3 months and stopped my speed/track work altogether. And it's still not better. 4 or 5 miles into my runs, I get this sharp pain in my left hip and can't shake it unless I take way over the recommended dosage of Advil and stop once every mile to shake it out.  

On a 15 mile run, a stop at every mile past the 5th is an average pace cold-blooded killer.

I finally succumbed to the fact that I needed to see a specialist.

 *Cue scary music*

Sports Specialists: Where runner's dreams go to die.

The doctor thinks its my Piriformis muscle, which connects to the hip joint as well as the sciatic nerve. See highlighted area below for details.

 Yes, I just posted a photo of butt muscles on my blog. Who doesn't like butt muscles?!

I told him I'm running the Chicago Marathon in October. He said he'll get me there, but I may not get a PR. Although I was hoping to get in the 3:40's timing wise this year, I was content with this diagnosis. 

At this point, just get me there!! 

He wants me to do Physical Therapy for three weeks then come back. At that point if I'm still in pain he may shoot me up with some Cortisone I hope he shoots me up with some Cortisone. I can't lie. 

Happy Labor Day/College Football Opening Day weekend, and War Eagle! 

The Fat Lady Has Sung

There are a few things in my world that are officially over.

First thing's first.... 

My brother's tour in Iraq

Dallas is coming home, y'all!! 

He lands in the USA on Friday morning. Thank you Lord for keeping him safe and bringing him back in one piece! I am devastated I can't be there, as I'll already be in California. 

Ever since he left, I had a plan that when he came back I was going to wear some sort of ridiculous red/white/blue outfit and hold a sign that says "Welcome Home". So Dallas, you can bet your bottom dollar that the next time I see you, I'll be in an embarrassing patriotic get-up holding a homemade sign!! So get ready!

Auburn's Defense 

Ted, there is nothing to fist pump about.

Oh, Ted Roof. What are you doing down there on the Plains? Y'all can't see the forest for the trees. This is the SEC. You've still got Florida, LSU and Alabama to deal with. Get your head out of your *(expletive also meaning "donkey")*.

Tampa Bay Rays Cinderalla Story, part 2 

Defeat in the Dugout

The night they came back from 7-0 to beat the Yankees and clinch a playoff spot will go down in history as one of the best nights of baseball ever played. Unfortunately for the Rays, the Rangers had a different idea of who should go onto the ALCS and knocked them out in game 4. Sadly, the Cinderella Story of 2008's Tampa Bay Rays could not be repeated. I have to say its so fun to see my city get pumped up about our teams, whether it's the Rays postseason or the Lightning hockey playoffs (and the Bucs....well...I guess back in 2002 it must have been pretty fun?!)
I kid, I kid. Kind of.

Phillies World Series hopes 

The Phillies limped off the field in a literal sense on Friday night after their game 5 loss

With the best record in baseball and 3 all-star pitchers, one would assume that a team could do some work and at least get to the NLCS. But alas, Philadelphia, you never let us down easy. Not much else to say about the Phillies except they have warranted a place on failblog. But, it does bring me to my next team.

Philadelphia Eagles - you call that football?!

A missed tackle - imagine that

 Let's be honest, I can't say that I am as die-hard as Prateek, or that I literally bleed green. But, I do love football and I've taken them as my NFL team and have earned the right to be pessimistic. What you see out there on the field is not football. It's a bunch of very talented guys, running around wilder than a peach orchard hog, trying to deal with the ridiculous play-calling coming from the sideline. Oh, and the defense is apparently still trying to learn how to tackle. Any pee-wee teams in the area want to show these guys the fundamentals? 

Just stay away from Auburn's playbook for God's sake.

I'm not sure who on the sideline will take the blame at this point, but there is talent oozing out their ears and they don't know what to do with it come game day.

At least there's the Flyers. 

Last but not least.....

Marathon Training

 

The grueling months of training are finally over!! This week, I get to eat as many carbs as I want, wear flats, do a few light jogs and do some yoga. Sunday morning's forecast is perfect - a low of 54 and high of 63 degrees. I can already taste the salty air coming off the San Francisco Bay.

I don't know what I'm going to do with myself after it's over (besides sport that Tiffany necklace around like it's going out of style!), but you know what they say: when one door closes, another door opens!

Go ahead and sing, fat lady. You can't scare me. 

If Winning Isn't Everything, Why Do They Keep Score?

It’s a scene that plays out regularly in the fall. Masses clad in team colors descend on college campuses to join in the ritual of cheering on their favorite school in a mass of excess that includes tailgate parties, lavish recreational vehicles and oversized flags with the school crest flying as far as the eye can see. 

College football in the south is unlike any other conference I've ever witnessed. It is a religion. It's a way of life. People willingly miss huge lifetime occurrences for game-day. If you are a true southern woman, you know better than to plan your wedding/child's baptism/baby shower on a game day weekend if you want people to actually show up.

By the time I was 8, I had decided that I wanted to become a veterinarian. I had a soft spot for animals - my cat, Sugar, and Cocker Spaniel, Smokey, were the loves of my life and I wanted to take care of dogs and cats for a career. It was that point in my 8 year old mind that I figured in order to become a veterinarian, I needed to go to Auburn University, since they had the only vet school in the state.This was much to the dismay of my dad, who was a huge Alabama fan.

There are old photos of me outfitted in Crimson Tide attire from the time I was born, which would disgrace my name if they were ever to be shown to fellow Auburn alumni. For those that aren't familiar with the Auburn/Alabama rivalry, and the fierce college football game known as the Iron Bowl,  you have to understand that it is not just one game. It is a 365-day a year obsession that tears the state in two. Take the Ohio-State Michigan game, or the Eagles-Cowboys game, multiply it by 5, and add the spirit and the passionate following of the SEC, and that's a glimpse into the realm of what is known as the SEC. It was publicized a lot last year due to the poisoning of the trees at Toomer's Corner by one outraged fan. While I don't believe that any educated, self-respecting fan would do something dreadful to another, it just shows how deep down this rivalry really runs.

Toomer's Corner after Auburn won the Iron Bowl, 2010

For me, I am a rare Auburn breed because while I do want to beat the Crimson out of the Crimson Tide on the field, I don't wish evil upon their fans. I grew up with a respect for the Tide because of my dad's love for them, and also because of my best friend's love for them (she later graduated from the University of Alabama and now works for them too). We have a mutual understanding of one another and have remained best friends through the trials and tribulations of past seasons, and with both of us getting back-to-back Heismans and National Championships there was lots of smack talk going on that we had to remain calm about. (Plus, our other best friend is a Florida Gator, so if we are all to remain friends, we must remain civil).

Proof of our friendship, even on game day - Iron Bowl 2005

This weekend marks the beginning of my favorite time of the year- football season. Fire up the grill for some tailgate treats. Stash your bourbon in your pocketbook, put on your best dress (in team colors) and throw on your favorite heels and pearls. 

 

It's game time, y'all.