Hey Nick, Got a Second?

T his football season I’ve celebrated each Auburn win with a pumpkin ale of some kind. I might have saved one of the best for last. Fitting since the last regular game of the season was probably one of the greatest games in college football history. I’m proud to say I was there.

It was too late when we got back to my brother’s in Griffin to drink my celebratory brew.

Right now I’m watching the end of the Auburn-Alabama game on my DVR.  With about 5 minutes to go I’m still wondering if we are going to pull this one out. I’m enjoying the second half of my He Said series from 21st Amendment. I drank the first half back during the Arkansas game. It was the Baltic-style Porter now it’s the He Said Belgian-style Tripel. 

This brew isn’t as bold or strong as the Porter. It’s all pumpkin and sweet. The spices aren’t as apparent. Light to medium mouthfeel. It’s a fairly sweet brew with a hint of bitterness at the end even thug the sweetness lingers on.

It is honey colored which is kind of appropriate because the sweetness is almost honey like. I can’t pick up any specific spice flavors but they are there, blending together and making for a nice brew.

As it warms up that ever so slightly bitter finish is more like a lemon or orange zest kind of bitterness. The pumpkin flavors also mellow out as it warms.

Hard call as to whether I like the Baltic Porter or the Tripel better. Doesn’t matter. They are both good.

Oooooooooohhhhhhhh. I’m watching the closeup of the Alabama fans cheering when they added a second back to the clock.  How sweet. Those smiling faces are about to change.  Here’s the kick…. short…….and the run. 109 yards of miracle. Chris Davis will never have to pick up the tab for dinner for the rest of his life.  There’s A. J. McCarron leaving the field getting a kiss and a hug from his girlfriend Katherine Webb. You can read her lips say “I’m sorry.” She’s an Auburn grad attending her first Iron Bowl. I know deep in her heart she wanted Auburn to win. Then there’s the dad comforting his young son who is just crying his eyes out saying “why dad why?” 

I just hit rewind to watch this again. Okay, this is such a collection of little events that make this a miracle game. The missed field goals, the Alabama penalties, the fact that Alabama was within easy striking distance so many times in the last quarter. Adding back the second. I remember sitting with my head in my hands when Auburn blocked the field goal with 2:32 to go. I got that feeling in my heart that I had when we played Texas A&M. If there is a team in the SEC that can score with 2 minutes left and tie the game it’s Auburn. They got the 2-minute drill down pat.

Forgotten here is that great TD by Sammie Coates that tied it up with 32 seconds left.

I remember telling my brother Charlie as Adam Griffith was setting up to attempt the 57-yard field goal that this was not how I wanted to see this game end. An Alabama field goal with 1 second left. We were all moaning that Alabama wanted their second back. How sweet that second is now. (“Hey Nick, got a second”)

I don’t believe that God answers prayers when it comes to winning the lottery or football games. He doesn’t get involved until some miracle like this occurs. Then he helps deal with the aftermath like when dumb ass fans start making death threats against the Alabama kicker(s) who missed the field goals or the ultimate dumb ass Harvey Updike. That’s when prayer is appropriate. Pray for their sorry souls.

After soaking in the moment for a good 30 minutes after the game we wandered down to Toomers Corner. After hitting College Street I bumped into an Auburn couple dragging a cooler down the street. The gent asked me “what team runs back a missed field goal 109 yards to win… AUBURN!” His wife was pulling out a Bud Light. Charlie lamented he wanted a Bud earlier so I thought I was going to surprise him. Unfortunately the last beer they had was a Heineken which they kindly offered to me. Charlie would rather drink horse piss before he drinks anything other than a Bud. I had the Heinie all to myself. That was the best Heinie I’ve ever had.

I never thought I would be at standing Toomers Corner, drinking a Heiniken watching the toilet paper streaming through the air after watching the greatest game ever. I’ve had some really sweet moments at Toomers Corner but this and the one after the Georgia Game were the sweetest.

I wanted to take some shots of Toomers Corner but my phone died while taking celebration shots.

It was a something of an strange accident that I was able to go in the first place. Mrs. Dan and I had planned to attend a pig picking at Big Mark’s Saturday. I had RSVP’ed we were coming then realized Mrs. Dan’s cold was heading down hill and she needed to rest. I didn’t want to go without her. Then Charlie called and said he had tickets. What’s the odds that I would be able to attend the Georgia game and the Bama game in the same season (odd enough that both were home games). Mark, I love you and Cindy but that game trumps everything.

Before I left Augusta I setup my blowup Aubie in the front yard and left it unplugged. There’s 2 Bama fans living in the neighborhood. The last message I sent on my phone before it died was “Baby, plug in Aubie.”

It’s time to head for bed. It’s been an amazing couple of days. I proudly wore my orange Auburn jacket everywhere I went today.

I just found one more pumpkin ale left in the little fridge. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be drinking this one after the SEC Championship game this Saturday.

Now if I could just find 2 tickets….