Undercover Barner: Shake it Off

Auburn lost to Arkansas in quadruple overtime last Saturday afternoon. I watched it happen on television with some of my closest friends at a Taco Mac in Atlanta. Despite the sour mood, we ate good food and drank good beer. Afterward, we went to a Taylor Swift concert. I'm not saying that Ms. Swift's sweet stylings were the cure for all that ailed us, but I'm not not saying it either.

What I am saying is that after a gut punch like that, all we could do was Shake it Off.

With what we saw from Sean White, someone may be saying "Welcome to New York" during his senior season.

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove - USA Today Sports

That loss stings the most because we weren't able to take advantage of the Blank Space between BERT's ears.

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove - USA Today Sports

But it was comforting to see that good running back play never goes out of Style.

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove - USA Today Sports

While the team looks better than it has, with the remaining SEC gauntlet, we're anything but Out of the Woods.

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove - USA Today Sports

All You Had to Do Was Stay.

I Wish You Would explain to me why our defensive line is so soft.

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove - USA Today Sports

And this game did nothing to help the recent Bad Blood between Arkansas and Auburn.

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove - USA Today Sports

Maybe recent history fooled us into thinking that balls usually bounced our way, but in our Wildest Dreams, we never imagined a season where almost all of the things that could go wrong do.

Photo Credit: John Reed - USA Today Sports

There were bright spots, though. Gray King showed us that being able to catch the football is How You Get the Girl.

Photo Credit: Jenna Colley

And we know that even through the tough times, we'll keep loving Auburn. This Love is a love that lasts.

Photo Credit: John Reed - USA Today Sports

I Know Places that would've turned on this team already. They haven't been what we expected, but they're ours.

Photo Credit: John Reed - USA Today Sports

This weekend's homegame with Ole Miss gives Auburn a Clean slate. A new scorecard. I'll take it.

Photo Credit: John Reed - USA Today Sports

They didn't roll over and play dead during the Arkansas game. They fought. And even though it didn't end the way we all wanted, they still kept clawing.

In a season where our three biggest reasons for predicted success, Jeremy Johnson, Duke Williams, and Carl Lawson, have all been removed from the equation, it's easy to let yourself circle the drain with each stalled drive or huge allowed third down conversion.

But I refuse to die a thousand deaths. I choose life.

I chose Taylor Swift, and I have no regrets.

If you're making your way to the Plains for the Auburn-Ole Miss game, I may see you there! They're trying some tiger stripe thing so be sure to wear the color that corresponds to your section number. Or something.

I do apologize for the abbreviated* nature of this post. Work is eating my life but I'll be back next week with a full report of the Rebel Blackbear Ackbar shenanigans.

Until next time--War Eagle

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*Just one footnote? What you paying me for? LOL it's funny because we don't get paid.