One night whilst slumbering, Coach Gene Chizik was awaken by the voice of an Auburn spirit. Coach Chizik was startled, and thought it was a dream, until the spirit spoke to him. "Gene arise" the spirit said, "prepare yourself for a great journey, that will require your visit of three places before dawn".
Not quite sure what to think, Coach felt it better to go along until he could figure out the meaning to all this. After having readied himself, the spirit and he were whisked away, to a room where he saw Pat Dye talking to his players in an unfamiliar locker room. Outside he could here trumpets, and drums, and people laughing and screaming War Eagle!
With chants of "We're number one!" ringing in his ears, newspaper headlines were racing in and out of view with titles like, "Hurricanes Grab the National Championship" and "Auburn Finishes Number 2"
The spirit then asked him if he was ready, and without his answer he was suddenly in a room where his old friend, and former boss was talking to the players of another Auburn team.
From the same locker room as before he listened as Coach Tuberville was telling those Tigers that all they could do was keep on working hard, and believing, and let the poll voters see the best they have, and maybe things will work out for the best . Knowing all the while a miracle would have to happen before those Tigers would play for the Championship.
Suddenly the all too familiar headlines came back. "Sooners Implode Against USC" and "Auburn Finishes #2"
As he turned to say something to the spirit he was awoke by the sound of children running through the halls of the Athletic Complex. Apparently, it was all just a dream. Coach Chizik went to work, and "began to lay a foundation" for Auburn to build upon for years to come.
How it will end is another chapter yet to be written, and yet to be realized is that the heart of a champion still beats in these Tigers. The heart that has been broken twice before, and yet still beats strong, shattered and still together, tighter than anyone thought possible. One heart that is made up of millions, beating as one, for one purpose, toward one goal.
Whatever else happens in this story, rest assured that every effort is being made to take the the necessary steps to fulfill the dreams of all Auburn people. The dream lives on.....
WAR EAGLE Coach Chizik,
WAR EAGLE!