All the Good Things

My cute nieces at J & M Bookstore on our summer trip to AU

Today's game was pretty incredible. It isn't everyday that you have a 4OT game. I wish, of course, that we had gotten the W but it didn't happen that way today. I've heard good and bad things today. I have seen a lot of negative headlines and stories. I have seen fans being ridiculous. I have also seen a lot of fans/family who have been very positive. I have seen players who posted very positive messages. Often, those of us who are positive get labeled as "sunshine pumpers." You do not have to call me one. I am self-proclaimed.  I realize that I do not see life the same way as other people, but I am just not going to wake up and gloom and doom about things. I am not nagging or lecturing. We are all wired differently.  If you are unable to see the game in the same way, here are the things that I saw.

-I saw a team that fought, after being two touchdowns down. I believe this team a few weeks ago might have just given up.

-I saw a coaches that adjusted and kept coaching. You can agree or disagree on the coaching, but I think some things just take a little time. 

-I saw special teams that made some pretty incredible and dependable plays

-I saw a really clean game with very few penalties.

-I saw a QB that is one tough kid. Cliche, I know, but he is the future face of AU football. He took hard knocks and kept popping right back up. He made accurate throws, he made good decisions, and he ran if he needed to run. To quote one of my favorite movies, "That's a baaaad white boy." 

-I saw a defense that made some mistakes but refused to just roll over and quit.

-I saw lots of young players that made some big boy plays.

-I saw players support each other and didn't make excuses.

-I saw a team that fought through FOUR overtimes after a game that was very lengthy in regulation. I don't know about you, but I was quite exhausted. I cannot imagine how the players felt. 

-I also saw a Lutz like play in the corner of the endzone. I just had to give that a mention!

Does there need to be improvement? Absolutely. Did I see mistakes? Of course. Were there some dropped balls that should have been caught? Probably. Did the defense make some mistakes? Surely. I fully believe these players will refuse to just quit. I will always be supportive of the players. Maybe its the teacher in me that works with the athletes in their classes. Maybe its the 8u softball coach in me. All I know is those players make a lot of sacrifices for us to have the enjoyment of football. All in all, I see better days for us. It might be this season; it might be next season. I just know that this team is better than they were in August.  I don't know what is going to happen the rest of the games. The road ahead is tough. There are better days ahead though. If you remember, the 2010 team often referred back to the LSU game in 2009. Even though it was a terrible loss, they saw the coaches keep fighting and coaching- and the players followed suit. You know the rest of that story. No matter what, its great to be an Auburn Tiger. 

-Christy