Thursday, September 27, 2007

Swamp Thing

Tomorrow afternoon, my son and I head for the Swamp. We are meeting my cousin and his son for a weekend of family, fun, food, frosted mugs and football. And yes, with the way Auburn has been playing, I could have added another word that started with the same consonant, but let’s hope we’re not fish food.

Swamps, in general, are seen as creepy kinds of places. It has been the backdrop for a number of (less than) artistic endeavors. In 1973, Jim Stafford wrote a song about “Swamp Witch Hattie” which told about her living “back in the swamp, where the strange green reptiles crawl.” DC Comics had a long running and quite successful comic book series entitled “Swamp Thing”. The character was a humanoid mass of vegetable matter that fights to protect his swamp home. This lead to a 1990’s television series that ran for 3 years by the same name. Mark Lindsay Chapman, who starred in this forgotten and useless series, went on to have roles in such feature films as Legend of the Mummy and Titanic. And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Florida’s own Lynyrd Skynyrd had a hit song written by Ronnie Van Zant entitled “Swamp Music” (something about “gonna watch me a houndog catch a coon…”) Artists of all kinds have tried to somehow capture the mystique of swamps.

But for me, swamps have one characteristic above all others. Swamps smell. Oh, sure…they’re teeming with organisms, but swamps are usually gross and slimy and stink. And why are they gross and slimy and stink? Because they are stagnant! Because they cannot move! Because they are stuck in the same quagmired mud hole from now until forever! And this forces everything that deficates, urinates, rots or dies there, to stay and decay right there in that cesspoolish bog. And it stinks. It’s a post-Katrina Super Dome. Actually, you can make the argument that a swamp is nothing more than God’s personal septic tank. But hey…it happens!

Gators and snakes and green flies and maggots live in swamps. They try to eat and clean as much of the putrefied gunk as possible, but it’s a hopeless task. They will never be able to clean up their own back yard. And so they are relegated to life in a septic tank.

Why, then, would you give this acronym to your football stadium...."The Swamp"....???
I guess some people are enamored by swamps. They see them as mystical and eerie and spooky and frightening. They think that anyone who enters should tremble and be afraid. They think that “the swamp is alive with a thousand eyes, An’ all of them watchin’ you”. They think anyone who enters the swamp is gator bait.

Maybe. Or maybe not. Basically, swamps just stink. When Auburn invades The Swamp on Saturday, if they hold their noses AND the ball.....after the night is through and the stink is settled, we could just have an alligator grin on our face as we leave The Swamp, saying to a bunch of dejected Floridians …..”See ya’ later, alligator!”

War Eagle,

WJLaneSr

Monday, September 24, 2007

Kindergarten

When I was a little boy, about the age of 5, I attended Langdale Kindergarten. The Kindergarten was located adjacent to the Langdale Elementary School (where I started school), just in front of the Langdale Swimming Pool (where I swam), and just across the “underpass” from the Langdale Mill (Where my Great Grandfather, Grandparents, Father and later I worked). A few hundred yards south of the Langdale Kindergarten was the Langdale Methodist Church (where I worshipped), and a few hundred yards north of the Langdale Kindergarten was the Langdale Barber Shop (where I got my hair cut) and the Langdale Drug Store (where we got our medicine).

Do you think I may have lived in a very small village?

One other tidbit of trivia….this was the very same kindergarten, in the very same building, that my father attended when HE went to kindergarten. Today, it is called the Cotton Duck.

Kindergarten was a place where we played, sang, scratched, fidgeted, laughed, cried, caught every one else’s cold, got in trouble for throwing toys and unrolling all of the toilet paper the bathroom had to offer (that’s one I did and still remember), and generally took that huge step from being mama’s baby to elementary school student. It was an in-between time. Mamas didn’t want to let go….children didn’t want to sit still…and nature didn’t want to stop us from growing up. (Some of us grew up much faster than others….and SOME of us…this writer included…may STILL be more kid than grown up!) But the best thing about kindergarten was that it was a safe, protected, controlled environment that allowed children to make the transition with the least amount of conflict and pain.

Kind of like a red-shirt. I mean, that’s really what a red-shirt is, isn’t it? A year for the 18 year old high school graduate to mature, learn what college is all about, learn how to live away from home, learn how to study, learn the offense or the defense in a controlled, safe and protected environment? And do all of this with the least amount of conflict and pain, so that later, when they “move up” to become “upper classmen”, they have made the transition from high school to college and are equipped and ready to contribute at a high level.

But what happens when a program can’t afford to let its athletes go to “kindergarten”? What happens when you play 3 true freshmen on the line…a true freshman at quarterback…true freshmen at wide receiver and kicker and defensive secondary? They have to grow up fast. Really fast. And it’s hard….really hard. It’s not a safe environment for them…it’s not a protected environment…and it’s certainly not a controlled environment.

In the heat of battle, when the score is close or when the team is behind….it’s hard to remember that a lot of these kids should be in red-shirt kindergarten. And when kindergarteners get booboos and skinned knees, they need more attention than the older kids.

On Saturday, our youth brigade invades a swamp of gators, waiting to bite. The kids are a 20 point underdog. Every logical position one can take when looking at this game would tell you that this could be a massacre. That a 20 point spread might be conservative.

But there is one thing about kindergarteners. They can say and do the darndest things!

Even win games that no one else thinks they will win. And when they do…..all we can say is, “I’ll be darned”.

And then unroll all of the toilet paper the bathroom has to offer and look for the nearest tree.

War Eagle!

WJLaneSr

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Yom Kippur

Saturday was strange. It all began for me at 6:30 a.m., when I went outside my hotel in Manhattan (the Marriott East on 49th and Lexington) to catch my ride to LaGuardia Airport. There were policemen and barracades everywhere. People were acting, well, not really afraid....but maybe a little paranoid mixed with a tiny bit of fear. I felt as if I were in the middle of the Buffalo Springfield song which has the line "Paranoia strikes deep.....Into your life it will creep.....It starts when you're always afraid.....Step outta line, the men come, and take you away...." What I didn't know was the United Nations, which was only a few blocks away, were about to begin their meetings. And the President of Iran was coming. (Glad I got the heck out of there!)

When I got back to Spartanburg, I drove straight to our church which was in the midst of celebrating "Apple Annie Days". This is a two day fall festival event to raise money for our in-state mission project....giving the transition house at the Methodist Children's Home in Columbia a complete face-lift with new plumbing, wiring, etc. The sun was baking outside, and my wife got sunburned doing her chore, which was monitoring the jumbo air-filled slide and jumping pillow for the kids. There was barbeque, bands, an auction, church yard sale, an auto show and....well...lots of stuff.

Our son had his first flag-football game, and he intercepted two passes (woo hoo!) He almost ran one back for a touchdown! Our oldest daughter got a nail in her tire in Charleston, where she goes to graduate school, which was a major pain and inconvenience for her.

Also yesterday, I found out that my very good friend who has bone cancer, which is not progressing fast...but rather is progressing at a RACING speed, now does not know many people who visit him. I am just sick about this.

And all of this happened yesterday on Yom Kippur.

Yes, yesterday was Yom Kippur. Actually, Yom Kippur began on Friday Night and ran through Saturday Night.

Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is the Day of Atonement. Atonement means "At One Ment"....becoming one again...becoming whole again.

It is a day of forgiveness and starting over. Of putting the past in the past and moving on. Of atoning for past sins. On the day of atonement, a goat was taken to the west gate of Jerusalem and put outside the gate. It was called the "Scape-Goat"....and yes, that is where we get the name. The scape goat took the sins of all the people on his shoulder, and was sent out so that the people had no sin anymore. You can see the symbolism as it relates to Jesus.

Much as I would like for this to be a religious post, today it is really not. It could be. And I may do that at some point.

But I want to get back to yesterday. I was thinking about Yom Kippur all day. And then I listened to the Auburn football game. Kodi Burns was the starter. Brandon Cox was the Scape Goat for all that had gone wrong in the last three games. I don't have to tell you what happened in the game, because you already know. Brandon Cox went from being Boo'd as the Scapegoat, to being cheered with chants of "Brandon...Brandon...Brandon..." by the student body. For him, it was a Day of Atonement. Not for his "football sins" alone....but for the entire Auburn family. Because as bad as Auburn played in the last three games....and committed many "football sins" that cost two games and almost cost a third....the booing of Brandon Cox was also a "football sin". We all needed a Day of Atonement. A Yom Kippur. A time to set everything straight. A time of forgiveness and moving on. I hope against hope, that last night we received our Yom Kippur. Let's move forward now, and beat Florida.

War Eagle!

WJLaneSr

Saturday, September 22, 2007

"The Times They Are A Changin'..."

Bob Dylan was right, when he wrote that lyric. One thing always remains constant: change. Have you ever thought about how often, and how many different ways, we use the word “change”?

Change management, change your oil, change your underwear, “do you have any change?”, change jobs, change schools, career change, “going through the change”, change machine, change gears, “time for a cool change” (that’s a lyric from the Little River Band, for those of you who don’t know good music!).

I made a career change over 20 years ago. For the past twenty years, I have been in Human Resources. While in HR, I have changed companies 5 times, with 3 of my former companies no longer existing. When I first went into Human Resources, it was called “Personnel”. I started as a Personnel Assistant, became an Assistant Personnel Director, Personnel Director, Division H.R. Manager, Corporate H.R. Manager, and on up the “proverbial ladder” to the job I have today. There have been a lot of changes in my life “within” H.R. over the past 20 years.

But this blog isn’t about me.

Rather, it is about someone who worked for me when I had my first job as a Personnel Manager. I was working for WestPoint-Pepperell at the time, and I was assigned to The Advanced Fabrics plant as their Personnel Manger. When I arrived, I found that I had no benefits coordinator….that would be done by me….no safety/health coordinator….that would be done by me….no training manager….that would be done by me….and 1 part-time clerical person who was a student at Auburn University.

The interesting thing about my part time clerk was basically two-fold. First of all, the clerk was male, and second, his grandfather (whom he and most of the plant called “Pe-Paw”), was the retired Plant Manager who had basically started the business for West-Point Pepperell.

His name was Roddie, and he and I shared an office. My desk and his desk faced each other, and we shared a tape dispenser, stapler and in/out tray. I always thought that was kind of funny, because he would take mail, or forms that were for me, and reach over and put then in my “in” tray. I never understood why he didn’t just hand them across the desk to me.

Roddie was smart, and could write very well. I remember asking him one day what he wanted to do with his life….and his response was, “I don’t know. I might just work here for the rest of my life. It was good enough for Pe-Paw.” I told him he should think about Human Resources, and he told me he would.

Changes came for me and for him. I don’t think that I ever spoke directly to Roddie again after I left Advance Fabrics in 1989. The winds of change took me all across the southeastern United States, and the winds of change took him out of the world of textiles. But we both learned many things from Advanced Fabrics. I learned a lot about human resources. He learned a lot about weaving and spinning.

Today, he weaves details and spins story lines like the professional he is. He’s changed a lot since the days I knew him as Roddie. Because today, he is known as “Rod”.

Rod Bramblett. The voice of the Auburn Tigers. My, how things have changed.


War Eagle!

WJLaneSr

Friday, September 21, 2007

Bo Knows

He was the only player to rush for more than 4000 yards in his career at Auburn. He was timed, OFFICIALLY, at 4.12 seconds in the 40 yard dash. He was 6 feet tall and 210 lbs when he did it. Growing up, he claimed he was a cousin of Reggie Jackson, which to all official accounts, was not true. In his first game for Auburn, as a true freshman, he rushed for 128 yards on 10 carries. While at McAdory High School, he set six state class records, 4 of which still stand today. He won the Heisman Trophy, and is endeared to Auburn football fans forever.

Of course, we are talking about Vincent "Bo" Jackson.

Some things you might not remember about Bo. He played baseball for Auburn, but his senior season was cut short because the NCAA ruled that he was ineligible after he accepted a plane ride to Tampa to talk with and try out for the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers led him to believe it would NOT be an NCAA violation (and today, it wouldn't be one). Bo was so angry about this, that when Tampa Bay chose him as the #1 pick in the 1986 NFL draft, he refused to sign with them.

Bo signed a baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals, and on his first night behind the batting cage at Royals Stadium, he hit a ball that landed 462 feet away, at the base of the scoreboard in center field, and then another one into the water fountain beyond right field. Bo was using a borrowed bat at the time, because he didn't have his own.

But these aren't the memories of Bo that I want to put before you. Rather, I want you to think back 20 years ago. Yes, 20 years. It's been that long.

Bo decided that in addition to playing baseball, the sport that he really loved....he would give his "hobby" sport a shot. He signed a contract to play for the Los Angeles Raiders. On this particular night, it was his 25th birthday. In one of the most scintillating performances ever on Monday Night Football, Bo, whose main job was as an outfielder for the Kansas City Royals, moonlighted with the Raiders and set a Raider record by rushing for 221 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns on the Seattle Seahawks.

It really was 20 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Bo led off the Raider's 20 point second quarter by scoring on a 14 yard run when safety Kenny Easley fell down attempting to tackle him. Later in that same period, Bo ran around the left end and raced for a 91 yard touchdown run......unable to stop his 225 pound body, he just kept running into the tunnel of the Kingdome.

But this isn't what we remember, that made this night so special. For all of the Auburn fans watching....knowing that Brian Bosworth represented the best of the Southwest Conference and Oklahoma football specifically.....this was a showdown between Bo and Brian. The Southeastern Conference vs. the Southwest Conference. Good vs. Evil.

In the third quarter, on a second down play from scrimmage, Bo Jackson literally RAN OVER linebacker Brian Bosworth on a two yard burst. After the game, Bosworth said, "I think he should stick to baseball."

As I said in my post from yesterday, time just seems to get away from us. This happened 20 years ago, but it seems like only yesterday. Following that Monday Night Football spectacular, Bo did his "Bo Knows" commercials. Maybe you are wonder what Bo knows now.

Well, today he enjoys archery, and has almost 30 different types of bows. He doesn't follow most sports, but says he does enjoy watching the WNBA on occassion. He prefers to watch outdoor shows. He hunts two or three times a year on Pat Dye's farm just outside Tallassee,
Alabama. And he splits time between his Chicago suburb home and his Phoenix, Arizona home with this his wife and three children.

Twenty years later, Bo knows what he likes.


War Eagle

WJLaneSr

Thursday, September 20, 2007

A Decade Ago....

Aside from God and love, there have been more lines quoted about time than any other subject. You have heard them.....Benjamin Franklin said "Remember, time is money". Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote "Can anybody remember when the times were not hard and money not scarce?" And who can forget Kermit The Frog's play on words when he said, "Times fun when you're having flies!" My personal favorite is a quote from Marilyn Monroe, who, when late for an interview with a New York Times reporter, said "I've been on a calendar, but never on time."

I've been thinking a lot about time, lately. Maybe it's my age. Maybe it's the fact that my wife has a birthday in a few weeks. Maybe it's because I see my children growing up (and in a couple of cases, already grown!) way too fast. Maybe it's because 1/4 of the Auburn football season is already over. Maybe it's because I'm not sure that Mick Jagger's words really apply to me anymore. (When I give you these words, this song is going to be on your mind the rest of the day!) Remember the words?? Time...it's on my side.....yes it is....

In my quest for re-capturing some "time", I decided to stroll backwards down memory lane and look at 1 decade ago today....September 20, 1997. Tenth ranked Louisiana State University played host to the twelfth ranked Auburn Tigers. Over 80,000 fans packed Tiger Stadium to see the 11 point favorite LSU Bengal Cats have their way.

But this was a day that belonged to a star. And that star didn't wear gold, or yellow, or mustard, or whatever color LSU has that somehow supposed to blend nicely with Teletubby Purple. This star was an Auburn Tiger. And on this day, he passed for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns. His name is Dameyune Craig. Craig was quoted as saying, "They may have been a 10 point favorite to beat us, but we felt like we could come to Baton Rouge and win the game. I felt like we were 10 points better than them." Auburn won the game by a score of 31-28.

This was a game that saw a wild first half end in a 21-21 tie. The second half, however, was one of defense. With 3:12 seconds left in the ballgame, LSU was up 28-24. Craig and his troops took the field at the Auburn 20 yard line. On a 10-play, 80 yard drive, Dameyune Craig went 5-8 for 69 yards, including an 18 yard pass to Tyrone Goodson on a third down play that needed 14 yards for a first down. Rusty Williams capped the scoring drive with a two yard run into the endzone with 30 seconds left in the game. Jaret Holmes converted the PAT, and Auburn won 31-28.

An awful lot has happened in the 10 years since that game on September 20, 1997. Bowden-gate, Brother-gate, Jet-gate, Undefeated Season, Fear the Thumb, and now....a rebuilding year. Time just seems to get away from us, when you think about it. The joys seem to be over too soon, and the lows seem to last longer than they really do. But it brings a little smile to my face when I think about how Dameyune Craig used to run and pass up and down Jordan-Hare Stadium. Maybe looking at Kodi Burns last week, it reminded me of a young, green Dameyune. Maybe that's just the kind of quarterback Auburn needs right now. The speed, the arm, the excitement. In fact, when I saw Kodi running and juking down the field last week, I thought....

....it's about time.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Mumme Returns

His career was over. Done with. Finished. Down the drain in disgrace. Boosters had been asked to contribute money to pay for recruits to attend his summer football camps. Over 20 recruits “took advantage” of these now “fee free trips”. Over one thousand dollars was sent to a Memphis High School football coach for “assistance in convincing certain recruits” to attend his school. And we are not even talking about the University of Alabama. As Shakespeare so aptly put it when he named his comedic play….”All’s well that ENDS well…”

You see, in synergy with Tim Couch, Hal Mumme was on a rocket ride from obscurity to offensive genius. His team set records, won games, earned bowl bids, and filled Commonwealth Stadium at a school known for basketball, not football. Commonwealth stadium piped in an air-raid siren, and played Jimmy Buffet music over the loud speakers. He was Steve Spurrier on training wheels. And then, the wheels came off. For all of the flamboyant promise Hal Mumme arrived in Lexington with, he departed disgraced and dejected.

Mumme arrived at Kentucky flippant and fun, but ill equipped for what an SEC Head Football coach must deal with. What he knew was X’s and O’s, but what he wasn’t prepared for was the P’s and Q’s. His air-bomb attack got high passing marks, but he flunked miserably with public relations, media relations and NCAA compliance.

Hal Mumme left in disgrace.

While out on his almost 2 year exile (sabbatical) from football, an even deeper wound would hit him and his wife, June. She would find out that she had breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy followed by a mastectomy followed by six months of chemotherapy followed by years of as-yet-not-finished treatment. I cannot imagine what this would do to one, but perhaps for Hal Mumme, this put things into perspective.

Following an 18 month hiatus from football, he was hired as the head coach of Southeastern Louisiana. While there for one season, 2003, his team led all Division I-AA teams in total offense per game of 537.1 yards and passing offense per game of 408 yards. In December, 2004, Hal Mumme was named the head football coach of New Mexico State University.

On Saturday, a new movie will hit Auburn, Alabama. It is called “The Mumme Returns”.

Yes, Hal Mumme returns to the Southeastern Conference, bringing his New Mexico State Aggies to face our beloved Auburn Tigers. I am sure there will be a total air-blitz attack. I hope we are ready.

War Eagle!

WJLaneSr

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Home Cooked Fried Chicken

I admit it. Home cooked fried chicken is one of my favorite foods. I know, I know…in this day of sushi, sashimi, Thai cuisine, Fettuccini Alfredo, Mexican restaurants, deli foods and hamburgers-in-a-bag, who has time or even wants to eat at home? And if you do eat at home, who wants to cook fried chicken anymore?

My mom, who is the world’s best cook as far as I am concerned, doesn’t fry chicken anymore. I have heard her say on more than one occasion, “there are too many places where you can buy fried chicken….I don’t need to cook it.” Now, I love my mom, and I would defend her to the death. But I have to tell you, in my opinion, bought fried chicken just ain’t the same. In fact, I don’t think I have had “knock-your-socks-off” homemade fried chicken since Hattie's. I realize you don’t know her, but she was my Great-Grandfather's cook in the 1960’s through early 1970’s (and maybe earlier, but that was earlier than I can recollect.) I remember smelling her fried chicken cooking while I was sitting outside under one of the big pecan trees swatting at bumble bees.

I had a taste for some chicken today. Since Hattie wasn’t around to cook any, and even if she was, I wasn’t around to eat it, I went to Bojangles for their breast and wing dinner. This Bojangles is close to where I work and right beside Interstate 85. When I walked in, I sensed something was wrong. Well…not really wrong…just out of place. There were five or six college aged kids in front of me in line, and several of them had on Auburn T-Shirts and/or hats. And I don't live or work in Auburn. In fact, I am in South Carolina. Of course I, being the quiet sort (ugh hmm…) spoke up and said, “are ya‘ll from Auburn?” One of the young men turned around and said, “Yes…..look behind you…we are all from Auburn.” I turned around, and there must have been twenty of them sitting down eating. He went on to say, “we are from the graphics design department and have been up here on a project. We are heading back to Auburn today, but just stopped in to get some chicken”.

After more discussion, I found out that they were doing a project for American Greeting Card’s parent company. It had something to do with how the cards are laid out. One of the graphics design students was a guy named Jakob Andkjaer from Farum, Denmark, and is on Auburn Men’s National Championship Swim Team. He came in 2nd in the 2007 Men’s NCAA Championship 100 yard Butterfly, losing by 3/10 of a second to World Record Holder and Auburn teammate Alexei Puninski.

Informing him that my cousin and his son, as well as my son and I would be going to the Auburn-Florida football game in Gainesville, and that we might want to wear a swim team T-Shirt, several of the students asked me, “what do you think of our football team this year?” While trying to think of the right words to say, one of they guys spoke up and said, “we stink!” Another one said, “Kodi Burns for Heisman in 2010”. Their advisor/professor spoke up at this point and said “Brandon just looks like he is afraid to get hit. Kodi, on the other hand, isn’t afraid of anything right now.”

We talked some more, and then I had to get back to the real world of work. But something the professor said keeps playing in my mind. “Kodi, on the other hand, isn’t afraid of anything right now.”

Kodi isn’t afraid….Kodi isn’t chicken. I agree with that. And I know chicken.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Tripping on High School Musical

Some of you are aware that I had this great pipe-dream for several years of driving my family “out west” to see America the Beautiful. This past summer, it became a reality. During the last two weeks of July, we drove from Spartanburg, S.C. to the Grand Canyon (via Colorado Springs) and back. 4500 miles of driving with my wife, our 4 children, our oldest daughter’s dog and me (the dog was the only one who never asked “how much longer?”)

Fortunately, my vehicle has a DVD player in it, and as I drove, I listened to countless movies. One that seemed to resonate with my children was “High School Musical”. Now I have to tell you. I had never heard of this movie. Nor did I know that its sequel was only a few weeks away. But boy, did my kids know about it! Heck, even our 11 year old son knew all the words to the songs!

Our youngest daughter couldn’t wait to get to Albuquerque, New Mexico, because this was the setting for the movie. We drove through the Painted Desert and not-so-painted desert to finally arrive at Albuquerque. It was as though, out of the midst of nowhere on some foreign (desert)ed planet, the city just appeared. And although we never actually SAW the high school that the movie was based on (actually the movie was shot in Utah or somewhere), at least the kids got the “feel” of New Mexico.

We passed the University of New Mexico while we were there, and I thought at the time it was the school Auburn would play on September 22. Of course I was wrong, because it was New Mexico STATE that Auburn would play. And up until this week, it didn’t seem to matter much to me, because it was a given….at least in my mind….that this week was a guaranteed win (New Mexico….New Mexico State…who cares??)

But just like Albuquerque, New Mexico, surprised us with beauty and civilization where we thought there was none, I am concerned that New Mexico State….and yes, I do now know who they are because Auburn can’t take ANYONE for granted….will jump up and surprise us.

The Aggies are 2-1 with victories over Southeastern Louisiana and UTEP. Their wide receiver, Chris Wilson, was named the WAC player of the week this past week by catching 8 passes for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns (one an 82 yard reception and one a 59 yard reception) against UTEP. You might remember UTEP….this is where Coach Mike “It’s Rollin’ Baby” Price ended up.

So my advice to our beloved Tigers comes from a song in “High School Musical”:
Just keep ya head in the game!Just keep ya head in the game!

War Eagle…

WJLaneSr

Sunday, September 16, 2007

A Rose For Emily--Music City for Us

Miss Emily was resistant to change. She liked things the way they were. The way they used to be. The memories. The glories of days past. And although she liked things "the way they were", the world around her refused to comply.

Much like Auburn football. Quenton Riggins, on the Auburn post-game show following the (only win of the season to date!) victory over Kansas State said "Auburn won this the way Auburn wins football games...outstanding defense when it counts...and just enough offense".

After the Miss(erable)ippi State game, I have to wonder....is that really the way to win in the SEC anymore? And what if you have a great (or at least very good) defense, but NOT just enough offense? What if you are so resistant to change, that you only try to do things the way you've always done them...to the point of being predictable?

William Faulkner went on to write about Miss Emily's anti-bellum home in the post-civil war south that "It was a big, squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies, set on what had once been our most select street. But garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighborhood; only Miss Emily's house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps--an eyesore among eyesores."

I have to say that what I have seen of Auburn's offense....outside of the spark that Kodi Burns brought....was like the decaying home of Miss Emily... "an eyesore among eyesores." Yes it once was great, but the world (conference) around it is changing. The teams that are being successful week to week (Florida, West Virginia, Appalachian State for Pete's Sake!) are running and passing off of the spread option. They are exciting, posting large numbers, and hard to beat.

Unlike Miss Emily's crumbling house, we did try this with Kodi....a little bit. But the kid can't do it alone. Receivers HAVE to catch the ball...we HAVE to reduce the number of turnovers each game....and we HAVE to be less predictable.

One statistic we cannot escape, however....and that is the statistic of youth. At one time during the game, on the offensive side of the ball, we had Lee Ziemba (Fr.), Kodie Burns (Fr.), Mike Berry (Fr.), Mario Fannin (Fr.), Chris Slaughter (Fr.), Andrew McCain (So.), Montez Billings (So.), and Tommy Trott (So.). That is 8 Freshmen and Sophomores. Maybe that explains why all 60 of Auburn's points this season have come from Freshmen and Sophomores. No Junior or Seniors have scored thusfar.

It is only at the end of the story that we find out why Miss Emily has been closed up inside her crumbling plantation house refusing to move ahead with life and be open to change. Read the story and you'll understand the rose part.

As for Auburn....maybe.....there is a blowing Pneumata (wind or spirit) of change. The change will continue to be painful, for it is a change from the old guard to one of youth. And unlike Miss Emily, who got a rose.....Auburn will get no rose....or sugar....or cotton...or chick-fil-et.... and will have to work very hard to get a Music City Bowl. But IF Auburn sticks with the change, 2008 could be special.

War Eagle,

WJLaneSr

Friday, September 14, 2007

Didn't have flowers in my hair....but....

I did go to San Francisco.
You remember the lyrics by Scott McKenzie...."If you're going to San Francisco ....Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair....If you're going to San Francisco....You're gonna meet some gentle people there..."

Frankly, most of the people I met here were working just like me. However, as I was sitting at the bar of the only open restaurant in the entire San Francisco Internation Airport, eating my Reuben sandwich with potatoe chips, a guy sat down with an Auburn hat on. I said "War Eagle!" to him, and of course, he replied with the same comoradoric greeting. After a few moments of simple chit-chat about Auburn's lack of offensive production, he asked me, "are you going to the game on Saturday?" I told him that "of course I am going. What about you?" He told me that this was why he was taking the red-eye to Atlanta tonight.....so he can leave tomorrow afternoon. I told him that I was doing the same. At this point, the partially drunk software salesman sitting on the other side of me chimed in, "you guys are crazy! You're taking a red-eye just so you can go to a college football game?? " We looked at each other as if we didn't understand his complete lack of understanding.
"Of course we are", I said. He looked back down at his beer and said, "not me. I'm a Michigan fan."

You know, for some reason I couldn't laugh. I don't know why. Usually I would have made some snide joke or comment. But I couldn't. Maybe it was because I knew the feeling (not quite this year, but in years past). Maybe it was because I felt sorry for him. Maybe it was because I was in the city that was celebrating the 4oth anniversary of the summer of love.

Yes, that's right. In 1967, a flowerdy haird throng of young people descended upon San Francisco to usher in what became known as the "hippies"...Singing groups like The Canned Heat, and Country Joe McDonald, and Wavy Gravy spent that summer here. Just down the freeway at Monterey, the first large out-door pop concert took place in June, 1967. It was the forerunner of the better known camp-cert known as Woodstock.

It was here that Timothy Leary, a psychologist and exponent of the psychodelic experience coined the phrase "turn on, tune in, drop out". Tens of thousands of young people descended upon the Haight Ashbury neighborhood and did just that.

Maybe that decade reverberates in our psyche somewhere. Maybe that's why I couldn't be harsh and chide this Michigan fan.

What I do know is this. Today I was working in San Francisco. A sizeable proportion of the Silicon Valley entrepeneurs and wealthy San Franciscans were born well after that momentous summer. What was once thought outlandish is now considered mainstream. Tie-dye is found in upscale malls, and organic food stores have found their way into most American cities.

One thing has not changed, though. In 1967, Kenny Stabler had his "run in the mud" against our beloved Tigers. There was no "summer of love" there. However, that same year there was a high school senior at John Carroll High School in Birmingham who would sign a scholorship with the Auburn Tigers and change forever the mark that Bear B. was trying to put on Auburn during the 60's. His name was Patrick Joseph Sullivan. He signed with Auburn, quarterbacked the Tigers to a 27-7 mark under his leadership as the starting quarterback for three years, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1971.

And he was coached by the legendary "true gentleman of southeastern conference football." His name was Ralph "Shug" Jordan.

The song says about San Francisco, that "you're gonna meet some gentle people there". That I cannot confirm. But in 1967....the year of the summer of love in San Fran.....there was a gentle person....a gentleman....the true gentleman of southeastern conference football....walking the sidelines of the old Cliff Hare Stadium. Today, that stadium has his name....Jordan-Hare. And I will be there on Saturday....maybe....with flowers in my hair.


War Eagle!

WJLaneSr

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Stark-ville reality...

Human nature has proven it over and over. People learn from their mistakes. Sometimes they heed their education and correct their mistakes...sometimes they turn a deaf ear and make the same mistakes again.

And this is the very point where I have a concern. Think back for a moment to the week prior to Auburn vs. Kansas State. It was a Thursday night...before a capacity crowd and a national television audience. Mississippi State and LSU were kicking it off. LSU....highly ranked...highly talented...and Mississippi state....highly.....well.....highly hopeful.

In the first half, the Mississippi State defense played extremely well. In fact, were it not for the three interceptions that Henig threw in the FIRST half, LSU may never have scored by halftime. Of course, we know the rest of the story. 3 more turnovers, and the rout was on.

What did Mississippi State do? They learned from their mistakes. The next week, against Tulane, they had ZERO fumbles and ZERO interceptions. They had 28 first downs and almost 500 yards of total offense. Now, you can say "yes, but this was Tulane, not LSU".
Granted.

However, even against much less talent, when was the last time Auburn played a game with ZERO fumbles and ZERO interceptions?

And what about Auburn? Week #1 against Kansas State Cox threw 2 interceptions. Both costly. But, thanks to guts and glory defense, a victory is grasped. Did Auburn learn from it's mistakes? Let's look.

Against South Florida, Auburn threw 3 interceptions and lost 2 fumbles....for a total of 5 turnovers and was 2 of 13 in third down conversions.

Did Auburn learn from it's mistakes?

The stark (ville) reality is, Mississippi State is a potentially dangerous football team. If Auburn comes out flat this week, it could be disastrous.

I don't expect that to happen. I expect Auburn to be less predictable and more imaginative on offense. I expect the defense to play well. But most of all, I expect them to learn from two weeks worth of mistakes.

Prediction: Auburn 27 Mississippi State 10

War Eagle

WJLaneSr

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Rush Hashana

As I sit at Gate #35 in JFK airport (it's 6:45 a.m., an ungodly time!), let me be the first to wish each of you a Happy New Year.

Say what??

That's right...happy new year. Today is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. It is a time of darkness, and a time of light. It is a time of quiet introspection, and a time of joy. It is a time to forgive and be forgiven. And this period lasts until September 22, which is Yom Kippur... a day of fasting and atonement.

Now before you think that I mispelled the title above, I did not (more on this later).

Just like during the days of the great Roman Empire........the Pax Romana.......the "peace of Rome".....symbolizing that all the world is centered by, is in order by, and revolves around Rome.....I want to espouse the Pax Auburna.

Pax Auburna. You will not find this word in Wikepedia. But if you look in Lanepedia, you will find that it means "the world is in order when Auburn Football is in order". Pax Auburna.

Unfortunately, there has been no Pax Auburna the last two weeks....especially this past week. That's the bad news. The darkness. It has led to a time of introspection, concern and the asking of forgiveness.

But today is a New Year. Rosh Hashana. A time of light. A time of joy. A time of being forgiven. A time to restore the "peace of Auburn". A time of Pax Auburna. A time not only of Rosh Hashana....but of RUSH Hashana. With this New Year, may the Rushing game of Auburn return to it's glory....bring Peace to the Auburn Family.....and restore order to the football world!

So to all of my friends I say....Happy New Year! Happy Rosh Hashana! And Happy RUSH Hashana!

War Eagle!

WJLaneSr

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

You can hide, but you can't run....

O.K., so it is a little twist on a common phrase. I will return to my (thank you Dr. Harvey in English 101) "thesis statement" momentarily. First, I digress....

I do NOT plan to write a blog each day, but like every new toy that a child gets, most of the "playtime" happens when it is new. This is my new toy, and I am playing with it. Hence, a new blog post today. Back to the thesis.

Thinking about the Auburn running game, or lack thereof, for the past couple of days, I began to wonder....just where is the Auburn running game? Where is it hiding? It certainly isn't running. O.K., Fannin ran but it was straight into the doghouse. Hopefully, he finds the doorway out before Saturday.

But what about the others? And what about those who have gone before them?

You remember those names from the past that caused our foes to tremble! Certainly THERE will I find the true Auburn running backs, for they will not hide!

Ronnie Brown....remember him, and how he combined a Tennessee player on the goal line like he was a row of peanuts? Well....this past week he rushed 11 times for 32 yards for the Dolphins. No touchdowns, but no fumbles. Where are you hiding, Ronnie?

Carnell Williams....ah, yes, the Cadillac. Breaking away on the first play from scrimmage to rush 80 yards for a touchdown against the hated Crimson Ti...(I can't bring myself to even say their name). This past week, he rushed 12 times for 60 yards with no touchdowns and 1 lost fumble for the Scallywags. Oh, and got hurt as well. Where are you hiding, Cadillac?

Rudi Johnson....1 year at Auburn and every true blue Auburn fan will always remember him. You guessed it....rushed 18 times for 50 yards. Didn't score a touchdown, but lost a fumble that almost cost his Bengals the game. Where are you hiding, Rudi?

Speaking of Bengals, Kenny Irons.....Injured Reserve....enough said.

Heath Evans.....you remember him don't you? A true fullback if ever there was one. He's a Patriot now, and he rushed the ball 2 times for 1 yard. But, he scored a touchdown. Didn't touch the ball again. Where have you been hiding, Heath?

Tony Richardson....yep, still in the league. Think back and you will remember that he was running the ball when we didn't have anybody to run the ball. Today, he's a Viking. Hugging the bench. No carries and no yards. Tony...are you hiding down there on that bench??

Soooo....if you are looking for Auburn's running game and you can't seem to find it.....well, I have been looking also. And what I found was that none of our running backs....present OR past....are doing very well.

Except.....

Enrique Davis, at Hargrave Military Academy, rushed for 217 yards against Louisburg Junior College last week. And THERE, my friends, is where the Auburn rushing game is.

War Eagle...

WJLaneSr

Monday, September 10, 2007

Offensive Bull......

I have been toying with the idea of a fan blog for some time...however, I picked now ("it was the best of times, it was the worst of times") to begin. For starters, however, I want to set some ground rules.

Rule #1 I am not a journalist, analyst, editor, guru, investigator or any other form of "professional critic", therefore none of their rules apply.

Rule #2 I am the journalist, analyst, editor, guru and investigator for this blog, therefore only my rules apply.

Rule #3 I am happy and pleased to receive your comments, questions and remarks, but they must be made in good etiquette. My children and my wife may read this, and profanity and/or abusive/discriminatory language will not be tolerated.

Rule #4 This whole exercise is for fun and enjoyment....so relax...and enjoy.


Now to my thoughts.
Am I ever glad that I made the decision (thanks in part to my son's sinus infection) not to travel to Auburn this weekend for the game. I must admit....I came ohhhh so close to making the journey. As it was, I cooked a large pot of my world famous (o.k., my FAMILY famous) chili, and settled into my favorite chair for an afternoon and evening of football. The chili was good; seasoned to perfection so that it had just enough bite to make you want to enjoy that beverage of choice but not too hot for the kids. Georgia was getting beat by South Carolina. And I was getting irritated because I knew that the Auburn game was going to be well into the first quarter before ESPN2 switched to the Plains. After the thrill of victory, with a SC win over GA, I settled down for an evening of the agony of defeat.

I have to admit....I saw a lot of Bull saturday night. A lot of it was dressed out on the opposing sideline. But some......was on ours. Allow me to pose a few questions that, to me, just a jackleg neophyte when it comes to analyzing coaches decision-making, don't make sense. Or at a minimum is confusing.

First, when you know that without Fannin the running game is virtually nil (see Kansas St.), and with Fannin you have some explosiveness (see S.Fla. and scrimmages), why do you put him in a permanent doghouse after 2 fumbles, never to return.....so that you don't even have a CHANCE to put S. Florida away before an overtime?

Second, when you know that Cox is getting beat up, beat down, beat all around....do you not sit him down for a series or two...if for nothing else than to give him a break and see if Field or Burns can do something? Besides, isn't that good for their experience as well?

Third, when you are moving the ball, with three timeouts left on the board, and just under 1 minute to play...do you let the clock run out and take you to overtime instead of giving your place-kicker ((can you say one of the few "bright 'points of light'" (thank you GHW Bush for that phrase) on the offensive side of the ball??))

And finally, is it just me, or does any one else fully understand why our defense is getting soooo banged up and injured? I mean, if you're playing 2/3's of the game, and your back is always against your own goalpost, should we expect anything other than a lot of injuries?

O.K., enough of my pontifical and somewhat rhetorical questions. Today is a new day, and Saturday is a new game.

Enough Bull already.....

War Eagle!

WJLaneSr