Emotions & Never Say Never!

Sometimes I find myself all caught up in emotions and can't for the life of me figure out why I let myself do that. I'm really a laid back kinda guy. I just don't surround myself with ignorant situations and I can keep my cool 99.9% of the time. Not during football games however. No sir, I must admit a weakness that does not allow for control in the face of the adversity that entangles college football.

Now I'm not saying that I get so carried away, that the language I use would make my US Navy buddies wife, who is an ex-hooker blush. (just kidding, I have no US Navy friends) But even if said friend existed, and his wife was an ex-hooker, I could not make her blush with my language. Laugh, yes. Blush, no way. My darling wife whom I have been married to for 32 years just rolls her eyes and walks away in disgust.

Last Saturday night was very emotional for me, and for many of you as well. Our beloved Tigers just didn't look like our Tigers. They didn't perform as we had hoped. We believed our own hype, and failed to realize that sometimes things happen that are unexpected. Adversity! Imposter's, is what I believe Coach Chizik has said before. He has preached that since his arrival on the Plains, and I for one gave it no thought. Good thing our thoughts didn't get carried to the team at halftime.

Instead Coach Chizik went in to talk to the players, and told them to keep their smiles on, there is still another half to play. "You came in here with smiles on your faces before the game, keep on smiling, this ain't over!"

When I rationally go back and look at the game, the incredible statistical advantage Clemson had through 24 minutes of the first half was rocking and shaking my foundation. Cracks began to emerge, and I was at a loss as to how this could be. I even started to question the staff's ability to get our guys ready to play. Talk about irrational, wow, I had to stop and think a minute.

At halftime, I went for a little walk, thought some things through. The players obviously hadn't quit. They were just getting beat by Dabo's bunch. So, how do we go about fixing the problem areas, and quit letting Clemson's Tigers outplay ours?

Whatever the coaches did at halftime, whatever adjustments they made, they worked! They worked to near perfection, and in less than one quarter of football Auburn had taken the game over and, was marching toward victory. It took Overtime, but victory nonetheless.

A valuable lesson was in there, somewhere deep inside the games numbers. That Auburn actually led Clemson in total yardage is a miraculous feat. the defense held Clemson to only 5 of 15 on 3rd down attempts. The whole game! When for all intents and purposes it looked like we had lost the game by halftime! Boy am I ever so glad to eat those words!

I'll never doubt this team again. No matter what, I'll believe that they can pull off the come from behind, at will. That's what it takes to be a true fan, and I'm all in!

WAR EAGLE!