No. 11 - Bulldawg Illustrated XI: 2011 Preseason
Here’s to the 2011 Dawgs!
Earlier this week, I left my downtown office and walked down Peachtree Street to what used to be the Carnegie Library to return a book—an exciting piece on the history of Coca-Cola. Why the city of Atlanta chose to tear down the original Carnegie Library—a classic building with Doric columns—for this brutalist monstrosity is beyond me.
In any case, I made my way up to the fifth floor where the Special Collections are housed (by accident—I meant to go to the third floor but ended up on the fifth after pushing the wrong elevator button).
As luck would have it, I found History of Southern Football: 1890–1928 by Fuzzy Woodruff, in lonely isolation… begging for attention. I’m sure this old fellow had been patiently waiting on his metal shelf, as stoic as he could be, confident that the literature between his hardbound covers was important. As I embraced this musty predecessor to Southern Fried Football, I knew I was handling a piece of history. As unflappable as this book tried to be, there was no denying its age (published eighty-three years ago). But like most gentlemen of his generation, he was full of interesting facts, mildly factual tales, and character.
To say this book got my capillaries flowing with unadulterated excitement—one that only comes from Georgia football—is an understatement of epic proportions.
During the off-season, Corinne and I had our second child—a son by the handle of Andrew (who, coincidentally, was named after Mr. Carnegie). We also left Fulton County for Forsyth County. Our little neighborhood is full of Georgia flags and cement bulldogs. Corinne’s only request in decorating the new house was to keep my antique bulldog decanters off the fireplace mantle (remember, she’s an Auburn grad, and like most females, she’s not a fan of showcasing whiskey).
Our daughter, Annabelle, will turn three before the Kentucky game this season. I’m trying my hardest to ensure her loyalty to Georgia, but our Auburn friends made some inroads—least of which is her favorite dress… a smocked Auburn number that she wore every day for months.
Andrew will be in his UGA onesie for the Boise State game, and God willing, Annabelle will switch the Auburn dress for her UGA cheerleader outfit. You can bet I’ll be wearing my red and black bow tie, cigar in one hand and bourbon in the other.
I actually planned on going to this game, but my name was picked in the Masters lottery last week… so the cash I would’ve dropped on the Boise State ticket is going toward 2012 Masters tickets. Between walking the hallowed grounds of Augusta National and spending the day in a parking lot at The Dome… well, the Masters won. Besides, I work downtown, and the idea of tailgating within sight of the skyscraper I work in just isn’t too appealing.
Do I think we’ll win? Of course I do. As I stated in one of these writings last season—I’m an eternal optimist. I start every season believing this could be the one.
Plus, I’ve consulted with three sure things—my bookie (Annabelle), my crystal ball (half-drunken bottle of cheap bourbon), and my Official Football Correspondent: Mr. Kristian Rosser. Kristian is an old friend of mine—a third-generation Georgia grad, UGA football junkie who brought his nine-month-old son to his first game last season, and the grandson of a former scout for the program. All three virtually promised me a win.
Here’s to the 2011 Dawgs!
Editor’s Note: Brad Evans is a guest blogger for Bulldawg Illustrated. He writes from the perspective of a UGA alumnus and suburban dad who longs every weekend to be in Athens. Instead, he ends up watching the game at home in a red and black bow tie, bourbon in one hand and cigar in the other, alongside his wife—an Auburn grad—and their 2½-year-old daughter and six-week-old son, both caught in the middle of mom and dad’s football loyalties.
