Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Sand Sculptures
These pictures were taken at the sand castle contest that's held inNew Zealand. They used to have it right in White Rock. However, it eventually became so big that it was impossible to continue to hold it in that little town any longer; so a few years ago they moved further North to a city called Abbotsford. People come from all over the world to compete. It's really something to see!
Monday, November 21, 2005
Marc's Account of the Iron Bowl
I'm too depressed to write about the outcome of the Iron Bowl, so my guest writer of the will will have to be Marc Tillis, who actually went to the game. Enjoy:
Not a bad game to go to, especially if it is your first one, like it was Kristen's this weekend. Can you imagine, 22 years old and your first taste of Auburn football to be against hated rival Alabama in a romp like none other?
Four years in a row we have done it. Four years in a row we have been able to chant our version of Rama Jamma! For only the second time in school history can a senior class say that they have never lost to Bama. A senior class that tied for most wins by any one class in school history. Even "Tubbs" let loose at the end of the game, raising four fingers to the air and waiving them around yelling "War Eagle!!!" It was worth the serious cash I dropped for her ticket - mine was free...a gift from a fellow Outbacker for a graduation present (Thanks Jenn!!!).
All of this on a weekend we dedicate the field at Jordan-Hare to one Pat Dye. I grew up watching the man on the sidelines. I was blessed enough to have an early baptism into the Auburn family by having great Grandparents that made sure there was Orange and Blue blood in my veins. Coach Dye was there for two of my cousins to play at Auburn and countless memories to be pressed into my little curly head. I'm not going to lie, there was a tear that came to my eyes during that vidio clip they played on the jumbo-tron during the cerimony...then Tiger flew. She circled the stadium four times, then landed right beside the Dye family as almost 90,000 of orange-clad Auburn faithful screamed WAR EAGLE!!!
Next was the walking out of the seniors, all in arms with Coach Tubbs in the middle, one last time on the plains. Then, the route was on! Twenty-one points in the first quarter against the #1 "D" in the SEC, heck...in the nation; they have only been giving up around 8 points per game, which isn't too shabby...until they ran into the Tigers! The student section was chanting "OVER-RATED!" by the time we had crossed the goal line for the third time...how many times has that happend in the first quarter of the Iron Bowl?
The band came to the goal line at half time to play Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" as most of the student section danced and sang along..."Its great to be an Auburn Tiger" was chanted over and over...late fourth quarter the keys came out, as the student section jingled and started singing "...Nah Nah Nah Nah, Hey Hey Hey ...GOODBYE!!!"...but there wasn't anyone to sing to...most of the Crimson and White had exited roughly mid-way through the 4th...can't say that I blame them! To go from 9-0 and ranked 3rd in the country and lose your last 2 and drop to 14th...got to be rough!
Alright, enough about the over-rated Tide...I think that point has been well-established. After celebrating a bit in the stands we headed back at the tailgate where we got to warm ourselves by a small fire and rest up for a bit before the long ride back. I had been up for 36 hours or so, and had dragged the best girlfriend in the world along the way...and never heard her complain once! I think I may have a keeper!
Well, as many of you know, that was my own personal Christmas...and what a Christmas it was! So I finish the tail by saying..."War Eagle to all, and to Bama, better luck next year!!!"
Not a bad game to go to, especially if it is your first one, like it was Kristen's this weekend. Can you imagine, 22 years old and your first taste of Auburn football to be against hated rival Alabama in a romp like none other?
Four years in a row we have done it. Four years in a row we have been able to chant our version of Rama Jamma! For only the second time in school history can a senior class say that they have never lost to Bama. A senior class that tied for most wins by any one class in school history. Even "Tubbs" let loose at the end of the game, raising four fingers to the air and waiving them around yelling "War Eagle!!!" It was worth the serious cash I dropped for her ticket - mine was free...a gift from a fellow Outbacker for a graduation present (Thanks Jenn!!!).
All of this on a weekend we dedicate the field at Jordan-Hare to one Pat Dye. I grew up watching the man on the sidelines. I was blessed enough to have an early baptism into the Auburn family by having great Grandparents that made sure there was Orange and Blue blood in my veins. Coach Dye was there for two of my cousins to play at Auburn and countless memories to be pressed into my little curly head. I'm not going to lie, there was a tear that came to my eyes during that vidio clip they played on the jumbo-tron during the cerimony...then Tiger flew. She circled the stadium four times, then landed right beside the Dye family as almost 90,000 of orange-clad Auburn faithful screamed WAR EAGLE!!!
Next was the walking out of the seniors, all in arms with Coach Tubbs in the middle, one last time on the plains. Then, the route was on! Twenty-one points in the first quarter against the #1 "D" in the SEC, heck...in the nation; they have only been giving up around 8 points per game, which isn't too shabby...until they ran into the Tigers! The student section was chanting "OVER-RATED!" by the time we had crossed the goal line for the third time...how many times has that happend in the first quarter of the Iron Bowl?
The band came to the goal line at half time to play Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" as most of the student section danced and sang along..."Its great to be an Auburn Tiger" was chanted over and over...late fourth quarter the keys came out, as the student section jingled and started singing "...Nah Nah Nah Nah, Hey Hey Hey ...GOODBYE!!!"...but there wasn't anyone to sing to...most of the Crimson and White had exited roughly mid-way through the 4th...can't say that I blame them! To go from 9-0 and ranked 3rd in the country and lose your last 2 and drop to 14th...got to be rough!
Alright, enough about the over-rated Tide...I think that point has been well-established. After celebrating a bit in the stands we headed back at the tailgate where we got to warm ourselves by a small fire and rest up for a bit before the long ride back. I had been up for 36 hours or so, and had dragged the best girlfriend in the world along the way...and never heard her complain once! I think I may have a keeper!
Well, as many of you know, that was my own personal Christmas...and what a Christmas it was! So I finish the tail by saying..."War Eagle to all, and to Bama, better luck next year!!!"
