That's a dude in an Auburn 'National Champions' t-shirt volunteering in Tsunami recovery efforts in Japan. A lot's happened in 659 days.

Auburn lost to Clemson Saturday, an ugly 38-24 defeat. Clemson outplayed the guys in orange and blue, ending a 14-game streak in the series that dated back to the Korean War. Most importantly it also ended Auburn’s 17-game win streak, which dated back to the Outback Bowl at the end of the 2009 season. It had been 659 days since Auburn last lost. One year, nine months and 21 days.

Since Nov. 27, 2009:

The Tiger Woods story broke.President Obama sent 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

More than 1,000,000 World Cup tickets went on sale in a big international farce.

President Obama accepted his much ballyhooed Nobel Prize.

As the World Turns was canceled.

The world’s tallest man-made structure, the Burj Khalifa in United Arab Emirates, opened.

The earthquake in Haiti claims 230,000 lives.

The Vancouver Winter Games.

Volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull, an ice cap in Iceland, disrupted air traffic across northern and western Europe.

The Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11, and beginning an ecological disaster.

S&P downgraded Greece to a junk rating.

Scientists suggested, through a genome project, that Neanderthal and humans might have interbred.

Nine activists were killed in an Israeli Navy forces raid on a flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade.

Spain won the World Cup.

Wikileaks.

Monsoons lead to flooding in Pakistan. Over 1,600 were killed, and more than one million were displaced.

The World Health Organization declared the H1N1 influenza pandemic over.

Thirty-three miners in Chile were trapped 700 meters underground, and returned to the surface after being trapped for a record 69 days.

The International Space Station, in October of 2010 took over the record for the longest continuous human occupation of space, dating back 10 years. (Now that’s a streak.)

Researchers at CERN trapped 38 antihydrogen atoms for a sixth of a second, the first time in history that humans have trapped antimatter.

Harvey Updyke.

Flooding and mudslides in Rio de Janeiro killed more than 800.

Auburn won the 2010 National Championship.

The Tunisian government fell.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned, leaving control of Egypt in the hands of the military.

The 9.1-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the eastern portion of Japan, killing more than 15,000 and leaving another 8,000 missing. Emergencies are declared at four nuclear power plants.

The United States and a host of other countries become tangled in the Libyan Civil War.

Some royalty got married in London. Americans cared way too much.

Osama bin Laden killed, Party in the USA, Auburn fans shout “War Eagle.”

Syria and Yemen are in turmoil as the Arab Spring continues. There have also been unrest or uprisings in Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia and more.

The world’s first artificial organ transplant was achieved, using an artificial windpipe coated with stem cells.

NASA’s space shuttle program concluded with the return to earth of Atlantis.

76 people were killed in twin terrorist attacks in Norway.

NASA announced that its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured photographic evidence of possible liquid water on Mars during warm seasons.

Clemson beat Auburn. Stanford (Stanford!) holds the nation’s longest winning streak.

Related: Auburn fans start “Un-Rolling Toomer’s” Tradition.

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

…

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Gary Andersen: A Choo-Choo Charlie and a class act.

I confess: I was the only guy in orange in Jordan-Hare Stadium last Saturday that blurted out “THAT’S A GREAT CALL!” when Utah State faked that field goal.

I don’t have any historical investment in the Aggies, but I have no problem giving them their due. They left it all on the field, right down there in the northeast corner where they saluted their fans immediately after Philip Lutzenkirchen, Emory Blake, Mike Dyer and company ripped their hearts out.

The Aggies have been so close. They were there again and it slipped away.

So I wrote Coach Gary Andersen an email, something I’ve never done before. I told him congratulations, despite the outcome. I told him Auburn’s savvy football fans noticed they played inspired football and they deserved the attention.

I finished it like this:

As an Auburn man, I must say that was a terrific scare, but a lot of fun to watch. I wish you and the program much success this year with the rest of your schedule. There’s a lot of talent and heart wearing the Aggies’ colors. We were proud to see it on display. I’m sure they’ll do very well.

And today, in the midst of preparing for Weber State, Utah State football coach Gary Andersen wrote me back :

Thanks for the e-mail. You are correct that was very hard to deal with. Auburn University and the fans have a ton of class!! I do wish you all the best. TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS

Gary Andersen

We could argue about what Auburn did or didn’t do on Saturday, but maybe we can agree on our new favorite WAC team.

They don’t appear on the schedule any time soon, do they?

Related: Auburn fans start “Un-Rolling Toomer’s” Tradition.

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

…

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This is about Auburn’s people.

Auburn University has gone to great lengths and expense to save the oaks. The campus experts have consulted with some of their best peers in the country. The community grieved a bit, accepted the support and condolences of friends near and far and is moving on in a wait-and-see environment.

The university decided in mid-summer that they would allow for Toomer’s Corner to be rolled again this fall. The cleanup was the concern, they said, and the firm that does the cleaning would no longer use a pressure wash system, but would clean the trees by hand.

And so football is here. There’s new signage everywhere. Many things in town and on campus are unchanged, as they often are. Many things in town and on campus are new, as they often are. The Tigers won their home opener; fans rolled Toomer’s Corner.

But it all feels different now.

Opinions varied when the roll on announcement was made. Some were ready to continue the tradition. Others counseled restraint. More than a few groups volunteered to help with the cleaning. It was time, they said to themselves, to demonstrate a new kind of contribution to a place they appreciate. After the season’s first game, some of them followed through and helped with the cleanup. Volunteers came and went, working alongside the professional cleaning company for a brief time. It rained and the mushy paper turned even more fragile.

But the health of the trees and the soaked cellulose are the only things around Toomer’s Corner that are fragile. The spirit is strong.

What makes history?

I thought a lot about that while we helped clean up the celebration today. We decided, for our part, that we’d clean a little farther down College Street.

That tree above grows near Langdon Hall and, while it is a bit younger than the Toomer’s Oaks, it has a history of its own. Inside Langdon Hall they debated secession. Near this spot is where students of another generation heard President Roosevelt ask for a declaration of war over a loudspeaker after Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. Near here is the lathe that commemorates Auburn’s role in the Civil War as a hospital and who’s young men served. Recovered from Selma and presented to Auburn in 1952, it has been the site of endless ghost tales these last 60 years. Near this spot many young couples have been engaged, another was recently married and, during my time in school, I asked a nice girl out on a date and she agreed. That’s a lot of history, too.

None of those things belong to a tree, but to the people of Auburn.

The greatest generation would help clean up after a Toomer’s Corner celebration.

They’re calling it Unrolling Toomer’s. It is going to grow slowly, but there’s enthusiasm there. It requires garbage bags, a few yard tools, gloves and work, hard work.

As all good traditions, it has started informally, organically and by word of mouth. Unrolling Toomer’s is late Sunday mornings, or after church lets out, and you simply clean until you’ve had your share. Some picked a little, others cleaned up pounds of the stuff.

No one ran anyone off, and the cleaning company doesn’t mind the help. Unrolling Toomer’s started small, but there will be a few more volunteers on College Street next week. There will be more the time after that. One day there might be great crowds, hopefully including you, and perhaps big cheers. This should be as much of a celebration as rolling the corner.

After all, this is about the people. These particular good-natured people think it is great to be an Auburn Tiger.

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

…

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Kodi Burns, quarterback turned receiver, scores the first touchdown of the season against Arkansas State, beating the visiting Indian-Red Wolves 52-26. The obscuring shaker just adds to the atmosphere:

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

After gunning down Arkansas and running over LSU, the season definitely took on a special feel. Up next was Ole Miss, who were just a mascot-less speed bump in the way of a juggernaut. Ole Miss was looking for a Halloween surprise, dressing up as a football team (albeit in new, gray unis) but Auburn took the win in Oxford 51-31. Cam Newton caught a touchdown pass from Kodi Burns. The Tigers were showing themselves to be:

But on the day when Auburn earned the right to go to Atlanta, the Tigers’ offensive line deserved special recognition. Guys like Cameron Newton, well on his way to the Heisman Trophy, wouldn’t have accomplished all he did on the field without these guys:

And the same shot, as told by AUHD:

It was simultaneously the biggest choke ever by Alabama and the largest comeback by Auburn, as the Tigers finished their regular season a perfect 12-0 after the 28-27 victory.

In a year full of tremendous efforts, Antoine Carter may have saved the season on this play, shifting the momentum of the game inexorably into Auburn’s favor:

Some time after this a deranged individual would prove his poor decision making and self-worth by poisoning the trees at Toomer’s Corner.

Half of Auburn was in Atlanta for the SEC Championship game against South Carolina. More of us were in the new Auburn Arena to watch a simulcast. The Tigers played their most complete game of the season, proving themselves a force while winning their first SEC Championship since 2004. Auburn thumped Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks 52-17. More than a few of us grew misty-eyed when the score became 49-14 and we realized these Tigers would have a shot at football glory.

That night I wrote “For 1983, 1993 and 2004. For 270,000 alumni. For every coach and player from Shug to Gene. For Auburn and for ol’ API.”

The state’s newspapers the next day:

A month later Auburn faced Oregon in Arizona and brought home the national championship after Mike Dyer’s run:

… which was exhausting, and Wes Byrum lined up behind senior backup quarterback Neil Caudle to cinch the win:

Kodi Burns, the quarterback who so famously and selflessly said he’d move to wide receiver, unifying the team behind eventual Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, scored the first touchdown in the season and the first touchdown in this game. From September through January, this team was a joy to watch.

And then there was the final celebration of the year at Toomer’s Corner:

War Eagle, and let’s kick off 2011.

…

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

Title: An Open Letter to AUHD

To: the brilliant crew running the big screen
From: 87,451 fans
Re: It goes to 2011.

Earmark 8:24 seconds somewhere in the pre-game. Sometime after the students and the recruits get settled and before the marching band’s intro video. Right around the cool archival video of Bo and Punt, Bama, Punt and the day Jason Campbell and Courtney Taylor slayed the Bengals. Right in this area, just play the entire video of last year. It is mid-August as we seize upon this idea and the video is as fresh today as it was on that night of possibility that we watched the in-progress version after the Georgia game. It is the heat of a late summer and the video still chills, as it did that bright January morning in Jordan-Hare when we saw the full strength of your labors.

And we’re going to need to see that video a few dozen more times.

Despite everything else that swirled around the season, the narrative of those guys in blue is one of our best tales. It would have been compelling if it were just another team, but the entire story was so gratifying to think of Kodi Burns becoming the archetype of an Auburn man in a jersey, Cameron Newton discovering his redemption and an unsung defense living up to their potential. An undefeated season is always a great story, but the chilling story behind Zac Etheridge’s comeback, Wes Byrum being his implacable self and Mike Dyer taking Bo’s torch to threaten the entire conference lives on.

We could discuss each player and how their contributions and subplots filled such a tremendous narrative. But to put it simply, this team is a joy to watch.

Photo via.

…

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

If you haven’t read his emotional essay on the impact of last season, you should. If you haven’t read his story on Dean Hallmark, a former Auburn student who was captured during the Doolittle Campaign, you should.

…

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Think of that feeling of the opening weekend of the season. Players are perfect, the sun has been shining, your kids are darling and the tailgating is top-notch. Anything is possible and the opponent isn’t one you’re really very concerned about. You’re just full of optimism about what you’ll see that season. It is a carefree feeling, heading inside when it isn’t LSU or Georgia or Alabama across the way. That’s a great way to walk inside the old stadium. This was like that, but perhaps better, maybe happier. You didn’t get to see the Tigers play, but you got to celebrate all the same.

Early:

At the national championship celebration. (With about 45,000 others.)

We walked in about 45 minutes early and caught the end of the BCS game replayed on the big screen. The crowd was still streaming in, the students (and others) were filling up a significant section of the field. The championship logo was brilliant. There was ice in the upper deck.

We sat near the place where we sat when I took my wife to her first game. (As an out-of-stater, she declared her allegiance after Tiger Walk that night. I had the good sense to marry her a few years later.)

There are hundreds of little stories like that tied into this experience. Most of them, sadly, will never be heard — unless you leave yours in the comments below.

They should clear the field and recreate the final drive.

It was obvious they weren’t going to fly Nova — or Tiger, since this was as much about history as it was about the present — because of the crowd. But in my undying attempts to add to the pageantry I’ve come up with an alternative plan. Instead of landing at midfield, they should fly the eagle from the north end of the stadium, over the admiring crowd and then atop AUHD. The eagle would then grab the rope from the flag pole firmly in a talon and then hoist a championship flag into the sky.

The champion Tigers are about to take the stage set up at Jordan-Hare. There must be close to 60,000 people in here.

And they just kept coming. I finally and officially guessed somewhere in the neighborhood of 70,000. I’m guessing that others that picked a number out of the air are likewise not crowd estimation experts and so I’ll disagree with their 78,000 figure. The number doesn’t really matter once you get beyond that threshold of A LOT.

Athletic director Jay Jacobs is at the microphone, introducing President Gogue.

Gogue recalls Jan 10, 49BC, and discusses Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon. Apparently Caesar said “All in.”

Gogue, perhaps, wasn’t just offering a history lesson because he’s the president and felt the need to be academic. Caesar blew into a trumpet, crossed that river and, according to Roman historian and biographer Suetonius, said ”Let us go where the omens of the Gods and the crimes of our enemies summon us!”

And then he said “aquila di guerra.”

Having explained what War Eagle meant, he then began to build the Roman Empire.

Caesar, that day, is thought to have also uttered that famous phrase “Alea iacta est,” which has long been interpreted as “The die is now cast.” And so, I guess, it is. Let Tide fans and Hannibal have their elephants. Apparently Auburn is Rome. Rome defeated Hannibal.

Dr. Gogue is an ambitious man.

(And you don’t get this kind of football analysis on just every site.)

Gogue: Auburn was 14-0 and at every one of those games two great teams were on the field, the Auburn offense and the Auburn defense.

Apply that to whomever you’d like as a playful dig and admit it, you like Gogue just a little bit more now.

Gov. Bentley is here. He almost issued an executive order a football game be played today.

Gov. Bentley says the entire country is “fascinated by the orange and blue.”

This is a celebration and not political, of course. Bentley has a responsibility to both Auburn and Alabama. So while I’ll share a little Italian I won’t get involved with your politics. But. A fellow alumnus said “He’s a Bammer and thus not my brother.”

Individual player intros, with the seniors last. So far the biggest pops have been for BCS (offensive) MVP Mike Dyer and Philip Lutzenkirchen.

Rumors of fans doing the Lutzie remain unconfirmed.

Etheridge, Burns, Caudle, Ziemba all got huge cheers.

Nick Fairley was just introduced, speared Aubie, Georgia complained.

Gus Malzahn’s wife retweeted this, and so did several of her friends. She spoke highly of Fairley. Who are we to disagree?

Cam Newton is the fifth Beatle.

They apparently told Newton, or the team at large, that the crowd wasn’t that big. I bumped into Newton at an area restaurant after homecoming. That guy has been in a crowd for a long time. Not sure why this surprised him.

Gene Chizik comes out in long coat and blue jeans, pretty casual for him. Players on the stage, and now for the speeches.

Jay Jacobs just thanked the Board of Trustees for “latitude.” Where am I?

Pat Dye reference! Auburn Creed reference!

1957, 1993, 1994, 2004 teams recognized. Apparently three section of the stadium are devoted to former players today.

They weren’t in my line of site, but I’m assuming they all got rings and were wearing pads and eye black.

Auburn mayor stands up and thanks everyone for the day’s economic injection. Did I mention the RVs are here?

Mayor Ham: “This celebration is for Shug Jordan.” The man knows, that’s why they re-elect him.

Former athletic director Dave Housel’s image has been rehabilitated. He’s now on the microphone.

Housel’s WWII, Iron Bowl cross-pollination continues, recalling Churchhill and the comeback last November.

And now Housel is reciting his own “What is Auburn?” passage. Quoting oneself is always a little awkward.

The man is as erudite as they come, so this was all a bit deflating, honestly. Not to worry because …

They showed video from the perfect 1957 national champions. Dr. Lloyd Nix, that team’s quarterback is stealing the show.

Nix: When you put this ring on, wear it with pride, wear it with class and remember what it means.

Lloyd Nix, Auburn man.

Tracy Rocker gave Nick Fairley his Lombardi award … again.

Maybe it says something about the award, or the individual, or maybe a little bit about both, but that’s one happy little scene that took place down in the south end zone. He’s had that trophy for a while now, but everything still seemed kind of new.

Stan White and Randy Campbell “present” Cam Newton his Heisman. Both (Newton and Fairley) spoke. Fairley is a clown.

Newton: “There is a reason Coach Chizik has been undefeated not once, not twice, but three times in the last seven years.”

You think they’ll be playing that clip to the high school recruits?

“Hello, young man. My name is Gene Chizik. I’m the coach of the national champion Auburn Tigers. Perhaps you’d like to see what a Heisman trophy winner says about me.”

As endorsements go that’s pretty strong stuff.

Former Auburn great Karlos Dansby presents the SEC Championship trophy.

Five Super Bowl rings are on the stage right now. No big deal.

The Fiesta Bowl representative just invited Auburn back. There were many witnesses.

Somewhere in all of this Gordon Stone, the president of the Letterman’s Club turned to the team and spoke. I can’t recall much of what he said, I was too busy tying up the laces on my Under Armour cleats. (I don’t have any Under Armour.)

Lee Ziemba briefly spoke. Jacobs said “Gotta love a left tackle that’s straight to the point.”

Everyone quiet. Kodi Burns is about to speak. They are chanting his name.

I’m predicting they name one of those springtime team awards after Burns before long. The story and lesson are both just too good to ignore.

Burns: “I came to Auburn for two reasons. One, because of the Auburn Family. Two, to win a national championship.”

Some parents, somewhere, are now naming some as-yet unborn child Kodi.

Lloyd Nix, of the 1957s, is bringing out the crystal football. Good form, too.

Four points of pressure. No swagger, just a casual determination befitting a man who’s committed his life to improving the world around him. Google Dr. Nix and be impressed.

And now Gene Chizik … calls his the best coaching staff in America.

Chizik: “This is a journey … This is about a very selfless team.”

Journey, process. Family, factory. Romans, Carthaginians. You figure it out.

Chizik says he wanted Newton and Fairley as BCS captains, but they turned it down saying seniors should get the honor.

Chizik: I will say it again, and it’s not kinda, sorta, almost, you are the best fans in America.

They played the season’s highlight video and all the players stood to watch @AUHD.

Great video on @AUHD. Top notch as always.

I suspect that it will make its way online eventually, but doesn’t seem to be up as of this writing.

[Ed. note — voila.]

And now over the scoreboard is a national championship flag.

I told one friend online that it was just about a perfect event. It had nice portions of a fun and playful atmosphere. There was humility and gratitude and just a little red meat for the fans. The players that spoke were silly, happy and nostalgic already. Reverse Tiger Walks are cool. Rolling Toomer’s again was a bit much. On a crisp January afternoon, though, Auburn students, alumni and fans had one more chance to come together and enjoy this team. Gogue and Jacobs and Chizik may see great things coming — and maybe they are right — but this season, for many, will always be a peerless experience.

It is a shame the eagle didn’t raise that flag, though.

…

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

If you haven’t read his emotional essay on the impact of this season, you should. If you haven’t read his story on Dean Hallmark, a former Auburn student who was captured during the Doolittle Campaign, you should.

…

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We did not go to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, but instead chose to save a few bucks and watch it in the brand new Auburn Arena with a few other folks who stayed in town. Since the game was a monstrous destruction of South Carolina, and since there will be time to discuss the game at length — and with more skillful dissectors of the game, anyway — I’m just going to reprint the Twitter updates and concentrate on the euphoria.

Because this was fantastic and as glorious as a silly little game should get.

So the Twitter thoughts are in blockquote below. Anything in bold are after-the-fact additions.

Now young men become legends, legends immortal, where memories are cataloged for an eternity. Get it, Tigers.

Inside the Auburn Arena. The Lady Tigers lead Temple, we’re set to see AU win the SEC Championship.

Temple has a one point lead. The crowd comes alive. When Auburn Arena is at capacity this place will be obnoxiously loud.

Temple escapes with a win 62-61. The Wave had three players in double digits. Tough break for the Lady Tigers.

They are lowering the HD screens in the very noisy Auburn Arena. It makes a beeping noise. Modern Marvels ain’t got nothing on us.

I challenge Auburn to make every away game an Auburn Arena spectacle. Back me up on this, Tiger fans.

Because this is silly, but it is fun. Yes, people were waving their shakers about something that was happening in a different state, but it didn’t matter. Everyone was in this terrific little moment. And if road games became 10,000 people inside the arena they could sell tickets for two bucks and make a run on concessions and we’d all have a great time. If they charged $3, however, I would stay home. Know and understand your price points, friends.

There might have been religious conversions as Cam Newton dropped a bomb in Darvin Adams’ hands.

I did hear several “Oh Lords!” and various other prayers of exultation.

For it was GLORIOUS.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Newton with all day finds Onterrio McCalebb for the score. Wes Byrum makes it 7-0. Bodda gettas abound.

One more of those and we say Zac Etheridge is playing out of his mind.

I don’t think it was a coincidence, the way that side played and how instrumental Etheridge was early. He set the tone in this one. And let us say in no uncertain terms that we have found that thing which has alluded Auburn all season: a complete game. We have seen it and we have trembled.

Auburn leaves a large man uncovered. Even Stephen Garcia won’t miss a fullback open like that. 7-7.

I kid, but it is true.

Cam Newton is a magician, Eric Smith is tougher than a Northport pork chop.

You see, it is funny because I imagine all the food in Northport, a “suburb” of Tuscaloosa, to be really bad. And Eric Smith is a bad, bad, dude.

Cam Newton thinks your spy is useless. And he is not in charge of any international spy rings.

Not that he’d get caught.

Cam Newton is an Auburn man among Carolina boys.

Oh hai, Cocky. Meet Mike Dyer. You may know him as a man who breaks Bo Jackson’s records.

How demoralizing this must be. “Here’s the two in our one-two punch. Consider his bonafides. Wanna quit yet?”

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cam Newton on a 6-yard plunge. 14-7. And, now, AUHD is piping in War Eagle after the score.

Darvin Adams is returning punts. There will be no drops.

I apologize in advance.

I shop at the same grocery store as Darvin Adams. He doesn’t drop stuff there, either.

Truly, I am sorry.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Newton to Adams! 55 yards! 21-7.

The game was long-since over, I called it on that third down where the Carolina defense couldn’t stop after they punted, but the fun was just beginning.

Fifteen minutes are in the books and the Tigers are looking fine. AUHD is drowning out commercials with TWill’s Tiger Walk.

It grows on you. I like the Pat Dye part.

Rub some Tussin on it!

Cam Newton got dinged. Posses were formed. That Carolina defender was probably thinking about changing his identity. No one would blame him.

Gary Danielson? Shut up. Accusing Carolina of taking dives is tacky.

It is one of those things that, if the Gamecocks were doing it, he could say “I pointed this out to you earlier.” But if it didn’t happen, the comment would be mostly forgotten. It didn’t happen. The comment was never revisited. I didn’t forget. Gary Danielson should be ashamed of himself.

Meanwhile, we learned 21 points is the most any team has ever scored in any quarter of the SEC Championship game. And we’re still just getting settled in.

And now Cam Newton is angry. Also, Auburn’s defense is forcibly in the game.

Garcia garcias (Don’t they make his name a verb by now?) and Spurrier is ticked. Daren Bates intercepts.

Cam bleeds. He is human.

This tidbit is sure to go down the memory hole.

Carolina’s kick, like their offense and defense, is no good.

Cam is smiling again. Carolina trembles. The entire state.

I jinxed Darvin, and I am sorry friends.

He’s better now. Glad my apology was accepted by the football gods.

That guy is so good and so dependable it was shocking to see a brief hiccup in his game. And then, just like that, he’s back, everyone is comfortable and we’ll never again have to revisit the two most unexpected drops you’ve ever witnessed.

I would love a Kodi score and a Mario score and a Caudle score in this game.

I’m a softie. This is a blowout. Let’s call our shots. Those guys all deserve a moment to celebrate.

Carolina caps off a big stand by driving the field for a score near the end of the first half. 21-14, Tigers

In retrospect this seems odd, doesn’t it? Looking back it doesn’t seem possible this was at one time, albeit ever so briefly, a one score game.

Who’s day is it? TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cam2illa to Adams by way of TZach. Quit now Spurrier! 28-14, half.

Terrell Zachery maybe didn’t get a hand on that Hail Mary, but that was my call at the time, so I’ll just use it as a reason to celebrate him, too. Meanwhile, HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE KNOWN EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO GO JUST AS YOU HOPED FOREVER, AMEN? Today was Auburn’s day.

In the second half Newton will throw a chest pass.

I love the Dr. Pepper promotion. It should be at every game. That young lady was great and she won (a LOT) of money. Good for her. She dropped a dynamite promo in Dr. Pepper’s lap at the end, too. Everyone is happy. Except Carolina.

Marcus Lattimore is putting Carolina on his back.

If that had gone on just a little bit longer it might have given the orange and blue reason to worry. And then I think South Carolina put him on the sideline for a while.

You get the feeling that Danielson, an aerodynamics expert, is just making it up as he goes along.

Truly, AUHD is great. I just wish they’d had the chance to take one of those Sports Synch radios and run that through their equipment so we could listen to Rod Bramblett and Stan White call the game. Or if they couldn’t do that for technical or licensing reasons, just turned down the audio so I could listen to the six-year-old Bama fan sitting nearby trying to talk Iron Bowl smack. That kid would have been better than Danielson. “The air flow in the dome is impacting how the players run and play and breathe. Also, a butterfly flapped its wings in New Brunswick and declared Cam Newton eligible.” Just stop, Danielson.

LOVE YOUR CAM NEWTON.

There’s a guy sitting in front of us who keeps turning around for high-fives. And he keeps asking me, not his two friends, just me, “How does he do that!?” I don’t know, bub, but I hope he does it forever.

That referee is trying to keep Emory Blake down.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cam Newton trucks the entire state of South Carolina. 35-14.

Poetry.

That’s culture. A friend on Facebook says his darling young daughter has added two new words in the last hour. “Cam” and “Darvin.”

Cam Newton joins Tim Tebow in the 20-20 club. Twenty rushing scores and 20 passing TDs in a single season.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! AC with the pressure, T’Sharvan Bell with the pick six. 42-14.

Word. RT @WBE_Jerry That pick was courtesy of a blitz drawn up by Ted Roof. 14 pts vs. this O w/this many possessions in game is excellent.

Mike Dyer is a beast!

Time for @supurmario27!

Grace, power, etiquette. LOVE YOUR CAM NEWTON.

We have this theory, a friend and I, usually applied it to old famous high school footage from people like Bo Jackson, James Bostic and Stephen Davis running over people clearly not their equal. They were obviously going to be stars. Cam Newton is that on the collegiate level. We have another theory, this same friend and I, about the consummate politician, who must be on all of the time, because the cameras are always there. Newton just picked up that referee’s hat, gave him a little wink and smile and made him blush. And then he went back to today’s chore of ripping South Carolina from the mainland.

Gus Malzahn is drawing up a Kodi to Mario passing touchdown. Come on Gustav!

A guy can dream …

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cam Newton to Emory Blake! 49-14. Delirium.

Right about here, I think it was, that it really sank in. I texted my parents “Auburn is going to the National Championship!” and that was my moment of clarity. Odd, really. I’m generally a pragmatist about sports, but this entire year, since the Clemson win, there wasn’t a team that I felt could stop the Tigers. Despite that feeling, it had never really registered that this was the logical conclusion of that. It was a moving moment.

Now, back to beating down the Gamecocks.

I’m thinking of old skool Spurrier and we NEED to hang about 56 on him.

Cammy Cam Juice! Drink.

Sugar and Gatorade, Tracy. This team is so good we can do stupid sideline bits during the SEC Championship game against Spurrier.

Carolina pushes through a field goal. 49-17.

Did Bo Jackson just have some Cammy Cam Juice? Did the orbit of the earth change? (It could happen.)

Bo Jackson does not need whatever extraterrestrial growth hormone jet ski fuel is in that bottle. Only bad things could come of it. And then he might suit up and run for 218 Tecmo yards in the waning seconds of this game. On second thought …

Yes, Danielson, brag on that O-line. They more than deserve it.

He made a great point here.

Barrett Trotter’s got him some wheels too.

What do I have to sell to get Mario a few more carries?

And then …

Happy birthday Mario. War Eagle, sir.

I’m glad he got the chance to score on his birthday, near his home in a huge game. Do you remember forever ago when Mario came to Auburn? He was a high school quarterback. He was converted to running back. And then he was split wide. And then brought back into the backfield. And he’s been there the whole time, watching his playing time get trimmed during his senior year, loaded with talent, working on a second degree and doing what he’s called upon to do. People like that deserve a moment like this.

OK, defense, get it back for a Kodi score.

Same principle. But I have a vision that he gets one in Arizona to bookend the season.

Bo, Rocker, Pat Dye on the sideline. What decade are we in? Is Sullivan-to-Beasley around?

And then it was over. The team cheered and celebrated and got their trophy and all things in the world of football seemed possible. For a moment all past sins were forgiven. This moment was what everyone was waiting for, for decades.

For 1983, 1993 and 2004. For 270,000 alumni. For every coach and player from Shug to Gene. For Auburn and for ol’ API.

No pressure at all, eh guys?

And so we all left the Arena and made the nice little walk up the hill to Toomer’s Corner on a preternaturally warm December evening.

And what we saw there …

… was really remarkable.

By a stroke of luck we found our friends with whom we’ve been enjoying all of the home games this year. We took pictures and watched everyone just watching everyone around them. This felt more like an extended family reunion than a pep rally.

And, at least in the last 15 years, you’ve never seen Toomer’s looking as it did after this game. A bit more for posterity:

Standing in the intersection:

Standing near Biggin’s Hall, facing Toomer’s, looking through the old 1917 gates to Toomer’s Drugs:

The compilation video, put together by the talented people behind AUHD:

I kinda want this season to never end. War Eagle.

…

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

The result: The Tigers won 28-27, in the largest come-from-behind win in school history, to finish their regular season a perfect 12-0. (Speaking of memories, check out these.)

Saved below are my stream of consciousness Twitter feelings of the game. The bold comments are after-the-fact thoughts.

Wrapped up my Pick’Em picks. Tie-breaker: Who will score the most points? Auburn. The least? Alabama.

Bryant-Denny: Do not make Cam Newton angry. You wouldn’t like Cam Newton when he’s … On second thought, go ahead.

Students, you just sort of expect that. Goes with the pageantry of the game. From the stadium people? I’ll assume those are adults who should know better, but are stooping to the lowest common denominator. Think the Auburn people didn’t notice? Nice of them to run Thamel’s piece, no?

What I want: A good, clean, healthy game. And crushed Alabama egos.

And the paradigm shifts again. Bama fan: that means a systematic arrangement or certain fine-tuned standards.

Called it at kickoff. My, how our emotions swayed between here and there.

Did you notice when Uncle Verne said “worst fears” there was Cam? Yep.

Verne’s definition was right until he said it was a small degree of distaste. (Doesn’t apply to my three vetted Alabama friends.)

Yes, that show prep of reading any comment on an al.com page was top quality.

Oh Gary, you crack me up. “Neither picture shows it, but he fouled him.”

Still don’t see that pass interference.

Nicky is scared of Demond and Onterrio. He should be.

Can’t count jokes in 3, 2, 1….

My favorite: People talk about Bama’s championship inflation, but today proves they really just can’t count.

Did Gary Danielson just whooo? Really?

I’m not a fan.

I love me a good afternoon coverage bust.

Seriously, it is an interesting experiment in human psychology almost as good as the “I got it … I got it … YOU GOT IT!” stuff in baseball. No? Not buying it?

There is no cheering in the pressbox, but Gary Danielson is getting breathless. And Chizik better challenge his line again.

No doubt they are the engine that make the Gus Bus go this year, but the O-line was getting abused for a good long while in this game. But they once again pulled it together. Never bad-mouth an offensive line. Regret is a powerful thing.

Whooo! Timeout called! Moral victories, down 14-0, are no fun.

The only thing fun about being down 14-0 is knowing you aren’t down by 21.

Auburn, you’re getting screwed.

I stomped around a family yard playing with the younger kids yesterday in a more demonstrative fashion and I did not get penalized. Denmark smells.

Greg McElroy runs, yells, stomps, is not flagged. Investigate that, Slive.

This would be a good time to have adjustments in place, Tigers.

Antoine Carter! You so crazy! What hustle, Auburn man!

Though the turnover netted nothing on the scoreboard, I think we can safely call this a turning point in the game. There are many guys on this team who exemplify the things we’d like to see as the best of us. You have to include this play and Carter’s hustle as a tremendous example. He stayed in the camera shot the whole way. Watch him run and it is clear. He wanted that ball.

0-24. Stop or no, that’s still trending the wrong way.

Kodi Burns, we saw him at Barbecue House a few days ago. He had breakfast covered in awesome sauce.

Nice to see him make some good grabs today. And in clutch portions of the game. He’s certainly earned that.

You can tell that ref is on the take. He looked TERRIFIED calling that penalty against Alabama.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cam Newton to Emory Blake! Now we can play a football game.

Was it just me or did 7-24 feel oddly like the game was already winding up for Alabama? I mean even in the moment, everything else just seemed inevitable. And I’m not that blindly optimistic a person, either.

Can’t scream “BALL! BALLBALLBALL! BALL!” loud enough.

Nick Fairley gentle placed Greg McElroy on the ground, apologized for dripping his perspiration on the quarterback, inquired about his family’s holiday and recorded a fair play public service announcement. And still no one could find the ball. This was perhaps the most anxious moment of the game to me.

You don’t want to oversell it, but the first drive to start the second half is more than a little critical.

Right here I’m thinking about Chizik’s quote from earlier in the year, the one about chalk flying at halftime.

Alabama fans don’t have to ready Moby Dick, Blackberry just spoiled the end for them. Interesting commercial, though.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cameron Newton to Terrell Zachery for 70 yards!

Is it possible for a team leading 24-7 to start the second half as tight as Alabama has? Wow. Take advantage, Tigers.

That’s a different team than you saw in the first 15 minutes. It was like we all subconsciously decided to together cross into an alternate universe where Alabama stunk it up on the field or something. Did we do that? Was the Million Dollar Band that boring?

Funny how this defense can go from toothless to “Ewww, they tackle too hard” as the breeze blows.

Aside from the big plays that slip through, the ones they are so desperately trying to prevent, I no longer have qualms about the Tigers defense. As I’ve said here before, it is what it is. People whining about tackling should really try a new sport. Football is a violent game. All of the tackles you see here are perfectly within the confine of the rules. Don’t like the rules? Change the rules.

Seriously, the ref calls a penalty and his voice quakes. It’s like he’s afraid of someone in the light stands or something.

Cam Newton is smiling again.

I can’t help it, but it makes me think of Jules Winnfield’s analysis of Ezekiel 25:17.

I’m cheering so hard for Mario Fannin.

The guy has done everything he’s been asked to do since he arrived on campus. He’s never stirred up anything. He’s working on his second degree. He deserves a lot of success. I just wish he could have scored here.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cameron Newton!

Eltoro Freeman is a bad, bad man.

Of course he glowered at the guys in Crimson after a big stop. I was afraid he’d get flagged for affecting a meanie face. Mean defense!

The Auburn defense — the maligned, can’t play, can’t cover, tackles too hard defense — holds the supposed juggernaut again.

I’ll go all in with them: they never stop.

Cameron Newton likes play fakes and thinks Ramma Jamma is stupid.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Newton to Philip Lutzenkirchen! 28-27. @PhillyLutz43, a 6-4 bowl of Justin Bieber is a scoring machine!

Bracing for the “Yall hurt Julio!” complaints. #heplaysfootball

Game of inch. Yes, inch

Row Tahd is Latin for “incredible spot.”

I’m just going to assume that when SkyNet takes over football will survive. I only hope the officiating is then conducted by the machines. Maybe it’ll be a little better.

Come on McElroy, get up. I don’t need to see Saban spank McCarron again. (Seriously, Greg, hope you can walk it off.)

Hurry back, number 12.

Woozy is double-plus ungood. The positive was that Saban said after the game he was OK. Glad to hear it.

@ikepigott I second @TWAY_Kris. Can’t we all agree these little arguments are ridiculous and not worth the feigned moral outrage?

Ike, who is my friend and a good guy despite his Alabama fetish, is suggesting people are cheering that McElroy got hurt. I don’t disbelieve Ike, because he has a terrific degree of credibility, but my experience is similar to Kris’ who saw no cheering about this. No one in my stream was happy about the injury.

This devolves to the circular and straw man argument, of which most everyone has been guilty, about the class of any given fan base that isn’t yours. Let’s just leave trailers and tractors and Walmart and Volkswagens hanging from trees out of what has become a terrific game. And, keep our eyes firmly on the ball, a very bright young man with a big future ahead of him is hurt. If this is too reasonable for you, let me know.

Cam over the top! Getting ready for Toomer’s!

I find it remarkable that a team of potential perfect destiny is coming down to a punt.

If the 24-point comeback was to preserve an undefeated season, this punt — on a night when no one seems to be kicking well — is what must defend it. Just a bizarre development in the game.

I find it remarkable that a team of potential perfect destiny is coming down to another improbable defensive stand.

Turned out to be not so improbable. But even as I’d felt comfortable about the outcome since 7-24, this was a fine opportunity to feel a little uneasy.

T’Sharvan Bell is your MVP if he catches that ball.

He just seemed to be in some key places throughout the game.

Tonight we rename the joint Chizik-Tuberville Stadium!

Twelve and oh. Twelve and OH! TWELVE! AND! OH! War Damn Eagle!

Love ya, Rod, and I miss ya, Jim.

Good Lord willing we’ll never have to see anything like V-E day. V-A Day at Toomer’s is plenty ecstatic.

I don’t know why I was thinking this as I walked up College Street. I’m not really comparing these two things. That would just be silly. But think about it: you see pictures from that day in New York and elsewhere, but you don’t know what it sounded like, which is a separate and lost experience. I know what relief and joy and exultation at Toomer’s sounds like from blocks away and that, I think, is enough. Plus, I like V-A Day. I’m coining a phrase. Make this happen, TWER.

49 degrees and feeling fine. Hey all you Tigers in west Auburn, make a quick and safe trip down 82. We need you at Toomer’s!

Police are trying to clear the corner and the bank sign says 48-degrees, but no one is leaving. The family reunion continues.

Here’s Toomer’s Corner in a nutshell, for the uninitiated. Toilet paper materializes from nowhere. If you didn’t bring any, or the bathrooms from the nearby establishments have all been locked, you will find an enterprising young man who will sell you a roll or three for a modest profit. You pull off a tail, throw that over your shoulder and heave the roll into the storied oaks that shade the corner of campus where downtown and the university meet.

(I’m not a big proponent of rolling the corner for every little thing. We’re overdoing it at risk of the trees’ health, which have toilet paper, cement over their soil, downtown congestion and a recent drunken driver to overcome. I wouldn’t mind if we could come up with a consensus for when a victory is “big enough.” I don’t roll the trees much anymore for those reasons, though I did throw a few tonight. I don’t begrudge anyone the chance to roll the tree.)

When friends or family come to games I make sure to take them. They should visit because this isn’t about rolling the trees, but about the spirit of the moment. I’ve been under the trees when they were lit on fire. I’ve been under the trees in rain and under cold fire hoses — because some idiot lit them on fire. I’ve climbed the stones and been beaned with the industrial strength rolls. I stood next to a police officer who had to rescue the street signs after a raucous celebration. I’ve watched people shimmy all the way up the light poles.

I don’t recall having ever witnessed a frantic moment at Toomer’s Corner. If there’s a more inclusive, family friendly celebration of something as silly and fleeting as a football game, I don’t know what it is. People jostle for position, but give up toilet paper to strangers. Kids always seem to win if there is a tie over a roll. People, shoulder-to-shoulder and chest-to-back are patient and help each other with pictures and walking through the crowd. I gave three or four rolls to kids to throw tonight. I taught one little girl and two young ladies how to throw their rolls tonight. You see a lot of this sort of thing all around.

Tonight a guy was stumbling a bit and I placed my hand on his shoulder. He turned and said “What’s up?” as if he suspected I was trying to start something.

“I’m just making sure you don’t stumble into my wife,” I said. He smiled, I smiled. He went on his way.

It isn’t unique to this place, but it is one of my favorite parts of Auburn: where strangers know each other, calm in the face of exultation, proud to be in a great place.

…

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.

Kenny wasn't there. Photo by War Dad Eagle, who was.

Straight from Twitter. Watched the Auburn game with friends, and three delightfully distracting little girls who managed to turn the television off at one point. At least they were all short enough to walk under the screen and not get in the way of the shot. On the other hand we learned about chocolate chip cookie brownies, so the trade off might have been worth it.

Stick around for the video at the end:

Florida and Georgia look like two emo kids trying to out emo each other.

Maybe Georgia is the most emo. They are wearing the black trim. Hunker down and play Radiohead, unironically, Bulldogs.

Ok, I’m at the football party. Let’s play ball. What do you mean it is already 7-7? Cam Newton the receiver? That’s just on-field Heisman marketing.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! There is no scheme for Onterio McCalebb on that misdirection.

Masoli to Summers for the score. The Auburn defense will get off the bus shortly. 14-14.

@tzac81au is no fan of Faulkner. Though he does run rather like Sound and Fury.

Cover this guy, cover that guy, there’s always Emory Blake. I love this. They haven’t had to show it, so the pre-season narrative has been diminished and then forgotten, but there are weapons and talent and the ability to produce all over the offensive side of the ball.

We didn’t see that. Best not to see it. As I, and now others, have said: the only team stopping Auburn’s offense is Auburn’s offense. Fumbles will do it. This at a point where they’d produced a defensive stop and could have gone ahead by two scores and start the tidy business of putting this game away. Instead Ole Miss gets a reprieve.

Demond Washinton with the goal line pick. So the drive in which we create separation continues again. I’m starting to warm up to this defense.

I’d like to see Kodi Burns catch one in space, just to see him run again like his freshman year’s enthusiasm. Do you remember that? He’d dance around, gather a few yards, get tackled and then hop up like a kid so flush with energy he couldn’t vent it or express it all at once. It was beautiful. He should get a few more moments like that.

Now this is offensive balance. Fill the box, Auburn will just throw it around the yard. Defensive coordinators are waking up in cold sweats now.

Darvin dropped a pass. Does not compute.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Cameron Newton to Darvin Adams, showing a complete offense to the RebelBears.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Demond Washington! 95 yards! 31-17. Kickoff returns for touchdowns make one think we might get something resembling the illusive complete game. But Washington has been due a big return for weeks and Ole Miss is not very good at this. Stands to reason it would happen here.

Ole Miss comes up short because Josh Bynes shows off his super powers. Now let’s see another score, just to rip out their hearts. The scoring defense isn’t there, but they show up when it matters and that is enough given everywhere else Auburn can produce.

A touchdown would have been nice, but I’ll take a 17-point lead going into the half of a trap game. There is no Admiral Akbar. I just never saw the trap in this game. My sense of peace with it is now validated. And this is only halftime.

Hey Ole Miss? Look away, look away, look away: Tigers are in town. One of the best songs a band plays. About four years ago, after Ole Miss lost at Jordan-Hare the two bands struck up a song simultaneously. Auburn’s band stopped playing while the Rebel band finished this tune. It was late, dark, a little ethereal out. I’ve always liked that memory.

His next update is “This is too easy.” RT @cameronnewton Cameron Newton can tweet during halftime. That’s a spoof Twitter account — I don’t write it, don’t know who does — and it is worth following.

If you can hold a team to a four-yard gain, and feel good about it, you might be playing Auburn. And you’re in trouble. Because, really, you’ve limited Mike Dyer to half his average yards per carry. This guy just gets more impressive with each game.

@wesbyrum stretches the Auburn lead to 20. 37-17.

When ESPN calls your game and gets things wrong about your school you wonder how much they get wrong about other placed too. And, no, I don’t mean just Bob Davie.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! Mike Dyer for 30 yards down the sideline. 44-17. He, too, is about to break a not insignificant Bo Jackson record.

Eli Manning is looking to beat traffic put of Vaught Henmingway!

Ole Miss scores, but this is all garbage time. 44-24. About the waning moments of the game, I feel for Mario Fannin having to fill that role, but I agree with the coaches that they’re going to need him to win. Fumble troubles notwithstanding, he’s a weapon receiving the ball out of the backfield. I hope he gets his chance to redeem himself before his career is done.

Houston Nutt just showed up, Ole Miss recovers a surprise onside kick.

@Lucas_au asked why Eli Manning would leave early, since Vaught-Hemmingway only seats 1,500 people. I replied: It takes a while. He can only drive his daddy.

TOUCHDOWN AUBURN! @tzac81au with the score.

If you were wondering, that’s hanging 51 points on an SEC team on the road. Fifty-one points! No matter if you say three-point road wins are good wins or that Auburn still has something to prove, you have to be impressed by this effort. The easy, obvious, natural comparison people try to make for this Auburn team is the 2004 vintage. I’ve asserted that you can be more confident about the general scoring power of the 2010 team on any given drive in any given game. Just for comparison, the 2004 Tigers, who could beat anyone like a drum by then, won 35-14 in Oxford.

How about that offensive line? They need a award, too. There’s no doubt these guys, Mike Berry, Byron Isom, Ryan Pugh, Lee Ziemba, Brandon Mosley (and A.J. Green, before his injury) are the reason why.

Nine and oh! War Eagle!

In a year where Auburn sheds the ghost of 2004 we find ourselves cheering for USC. Weird. Thanks, Trojans.

And, now, driving by Toomer’s Corner:

Undefeated, top of the charts and War Eagle!

…

Kenny graduated from Auburn at the turn of the century. He worked in newsrooms across the region and then earned a master’s degree at UAB. He met and married a Yankee, who declared her Auburn allegiance at her first home game. She’s now on the faculty at Auburn. He’s finishing his PhD at Alabama and teaches at Samford University. See him online at www.kennysmith.org and @kennysmith.