The Gameday Post — Beat Bama

Phil Neelness again via the treasure trove at Weagle Weagle.

Postgame update from Jerry: I have neither the time nor the words at the moment, other than “War Damn Eagle,” repeated over and over again in a louder and louder voice.

So this will have to do:

This is the best of all possible worlds.

Pregame update 12:45 by Jerry: I promised Jeremy I’d have a pre-Iron Bowl post. I started it three different times, and a dozen more in my head. I wanted to try and encapsulate this entire season, contrast it with 2004, how that team was an unstoppable steamroller you could set your watch by and this one a harrowing Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride on the field and off, how personally speaking in the middle of the best but most exhausting fall of my life I could have used a little more 2004, but how none of that will matter the slightest micron if they win today.

I never even got halfway to finishing any of them, because between caring for a newborn while travelling for the past couple of weeks and keeping up with a brand-new job, spare moments were spent in sleep. Glorious, glorious sleep.

But that’s for the best, because all of that stuff, honestly, completely besides the point the moment someone kicks off today. After that, for the next 60 minutes of football and three-and-a-half-to-four hours of real time, all that matters — all that matters — is beating ‘Bama. The Heisman, the BCS, the allegations, the close calls, the media smears, Ted Roof’s performance review, the slurs of Tide fans, the exhaustion, the everything … pardon my French, but f**k it all. It’s the Iron Bowl.

Beat ‘Bama. Destroy them. Make them hurt. Win. That’s all that has to be written about today, really. Everything else will have to wait.

War Eagle, Auburn. Do this. Please.

War Damn Eagle!

[Pregame 10:50 a.m. CST] Last post from me until after the game. I’m heading to D.C. with leftovers to watch the game with my crew. Walt and Van P will be commenting below. Jer checks in with a couple of twit pics:

You can see his updates and photos here.

It’s cold. It’s rainy. I like it. It’s gonna be like a long, cold dark day for Bama fans.

We comin’. War Damn Eagle! We comin’. As a participant of the unofficial Tiger Walk in Knoxville last year, let me just say you can’t stop it from happening. You can’t stop or quash Auburn Spirit. Give ’em hell today Tigers! Beat Bama!!! — J.M.

[Pregame 9:15 a.m. CST] Jay G. Tate’s Hotties have a tailgate here: “Official Hottie Tailgate is set up right on the backs side of the Mound in the quad. Come by and see us. If you find the historical marker titled “Site of Franklin Hall (The Mound), Turn around and you’re looking at us.”

Official TWER tailgate is wherever Jeremy Dale is at. He brings da ruckus son!!!! Hoooootie-hoooooo! And the chips. Jer will bring the chips. — J.M.

[Pregame 9 a.m. CST] Truckers Jukebox. Jer’s tweet: “47 miles. All I Do Is Win on the radio. Beat Bama.”

Here’s a trucker’s (driving music) classic from the Flying Burrito Brothers if you are on the road today:

“White Line Fever” by The Hag:

And once again, the Flying Burrito Brothers’ version (one of my favorite songs ever):

Safe travels y’all! — J.M.

[Pregame 7:55 a.m. CST] Oh. And I love both of these stories from al.com published yesterday morning. Quentin Riggins and Roger Shultz think back to the 1989 Iron Bowl.

Riggins:

We didn’t really understand how big the game was until we came in. We stayed in LaGrange (Ga.) the night before. We rolled into Auburn and came onto College Street and turned onto Donahue and we were met with cars everywhere. Everywhere we looked there were people. We could barely get up to Sewell Hall and get off the bus. We were thinking, “Oh my goodness what have we stepped into?”

We got ready for Tiger Walk and we started out trying to go five- or six-across. It got to the point when we got down to Donahue we had to walk in single-file. You saw people on top of campers, people in trees, people crying. That’s when it really hits you. Guys we are playing for something a little bit bigger than our third SEC championship.

You’re 18 or 19 years old, you’re not really a history buff. We weren’t into the politics why the game was played at Auburn. But it hit me like a ton of bricks. You’re playing for guys like Bo Jackson and Lloyd Nix and Tucker Frederickson, guys that never had a chance to play Alabama at Auburn.

Shultz:

It was a great game. The atmosphere was electric. It was really loud. You talk about some of the loud places we played, like Neyland Stadium at Tennessee. And LSU would get that way at “Death Valley.” But it was so loud you couldn’t even communicate with the people next to you. I couldn’t hardly talk to Trent Patterson or Chris Robinette, my guards.

It was raucous. We knew people were going to shake the bus and cuss at us, all the things you expect when you come into a hostile environment.

…

It was just one of those games. They were a good football team and they were motivated.

We moved the ball on them. We scored 20 points. We just couldn’t close the deal.
I’m think I’m going to cry (laughing).

[Pregame 7:45 a.m. CST] Walt checks in below with greeting from lovely snowy Kosovo. Jer is on the road to Tuscaloosa with his brother. He’s checking in via Twitter:

“tWEr comin’. We ride at dawn. Tweeting all the way. Stay tuned. Beat Bama. War Eagle.”

[Pregame 7:15 a.m. CST] Good morning folks! War Damn Eagle! B-E-A-T Beat Bama!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I did. I ate many a delicious casserole and pie.

And I’m thankful for you readers; Auburn; its fans, students, alum; our brilliant coaches; and a senior-laden offensive line and Cammy Cam. And then I’m most thankful for my favorite defensive player (ever?) Nick “Big Freak” Fairley. Visions of sacks today. Visions of sacks, chaos, suffering and candy canes. In my mind, it comes down to our defensive line today. Can they get to Greg “Never Lost … Except …” McElroy enough to disrupt his passing game? Can they plug the running lanes? I’d say yes. Hell yes. With Tracy Rocker calling the shots for the IRON BOWL?!?! C’mon! YES!

Here’s a few links in case you missed ’em during the last few days:

• Justin brings it for your Orange-and-Blue Friday preview. Let’s just say the margin is looking comfortable. Very comfortable. That margin offers the comfort of a La-Z-Boy with a fold-out foot rest.

• But then … well … there’s the other way of thinking. That the Iron Bowl might come down to the last possession. Mac’s Predict-O-Nomics column has Auburn winning … but it won’t come easy.

• Want pep? We’ve got pep. Have you got pep? Devo’s got pep. Smilin’ Jack has it in spades.

There’s more than one way to skin that Bear!

Click to enjoy:

 

More pep? Here’s the 1956 Beat Bama pep-rally with downloadabubble audio.

 

Shug: “Now, no matter how many ballgames that we here at Auburn have won during the course of on any particular year, the season is absolutely not a success unless we accomplish what we’re going after this coming Saturday. So I tell you once again: on to Birmingham. And let’s beat Bama.”

Even more pep? Dancing in the streets/War “shaking ya tail feathers” Eagle!!! after the 17-16 win.

Back in a bit. — J.M.