Tuscaloosa or Bust!

Our first trip to Tuscaloosa this season.  Alabama vs Florida International.  Steve, Isabelle and I dropped off Zeke and Bryant with Nana.  I thought we'd get a pictures of all of us together since we all had on our Bama gear.  Zeke of course was not cooperative.



We arrived in Tuscaloosa about 2 o'clock and parked on our usual sidewalk by the steps of the Colesium.  I'm just waiting for one of these years when they start towing us for it, but for now, I'll take it!  We unloaded our stuff and headed over to Tim and Tanya's RV.  We spent the next few hours watching Michigan and Notre Dame.  Once we changed the channel, Michigan pulled ahead so we kept watching UCLA and Tennessee.  YAY for UCLA.  They beat TN 19-15.  We met some friends of Tanya's and the newest tailgater Nicolette.  She's a hoot!  For a time there we had quite a crowd.  Pretty cool. 

We finally headed to the game. Found this little girl with a sign.  Looks like one of my favorite players has an admirer.  Cute!


It was so different having Ivan and Jimmy Ray walk with us to our seats.  Jeremy, Gage and Jacob joined us this time since Leah and James weren't able to come.  Once we got in, we found Jimmy Ray and Ivan.  You can Jimmy Ray getting  a picture of me to send to Leah and Ivan was very excited as you can see!  He's the one with his hands in the air revival style!  The construction continues at Bryant Denny.  I wasn't happy at all having to crane my neck to the right to see the screen but next year we'll have it made with two big screens!  WOO HOO!

The game was pretty slow.  Bama didn't look great the first half.  Julio was out with ice on his knee the rest of the game, but we were able to see our offense without him.  Mike McCoy and Colin Peek really are stepping up.  It's nice to see a little depth.  



Our regulars in front of us were not there but their kids were.  Leo and his crazy sister weren't at the first game as usual.  They have their ticket sto a couple Bo and Jenny.  Jenny graduated from Auburn but quite obviously, Bo intends on bringing her to our side.  He introduced himself saying that Leo told them we'd be cool to talk to.  Well that's nice we have a good rep with the drunk dude behind us.  Really though they are nice couple and the got married since last football season.  Steve was happy to not have to sit by Smokey Smokerson this game.  Isabelle actually got into the game.  She cracked us up when it got quiet and she suddenly screams out "COME ON...LET'S DO SOMETHING BAMA!"  She's planning on going to the North Texas game with us next weekend.  We'll see how she does without Gage and Jacob to entertain her.  Jimmy Ray, Ivan, Auntie and Unc got sick of standing behind the red headed dude who wouldn't sit down.  OK he's red headed what do you expect, but anyway, we were happy to have them down close to us.  


Game was won 40 to 14.  Almost covered the spread.  I think we proved tonight we have depth for sure.  Florida International put up a good fight.  Cristobal their coach had a vendetta.  He was on the 1993 Miami team that Bama beat for our 12th National Championship.  


We walked back to the RV and had some food and watched the rest of the USC vs Ohio State game.  Even after our rooting for Ohio State, USC scored with a couple minutes left and wound up pulling it out.  Oh well, chalk another one up for the University of Spoiled Children!


The three of us headed to the Hilton Garden Inn for some much needed sleep.  Upon arrival, they guy told us they'd had a disaster with reservations and we didn't have a room.  Needless to say we were too tired and sweaty to hear that.  Poor guy found us a room and had to call and make sure no one was in it.  After he verified it was empty, he then offered us bottled water for our trouble.  As he went to the cooler, he said he was out of water and told us to take whatever we wanted.  Poor fella.  We told him we just needed a bed and an air conditioner.  We slept great and had their FABULOUS french toast and omelet!  YUM!  So worth it!  We headed to St Francis for church.  Father Holloway greeted us and remembered us.  We saw a lot of the same faces we remembered from 5 years ago.  The church seemed so small.  We sat on the same pew we sat in when I got to hold Mike Shula's hand.  Ah memories. 


We did a little shopping at The Campus Store, Alabama Express and The Trunk.  We were going to have lunch at Buffalo Phil's but there was a wait and not a whole lot of organization on seating so we headed to Baumhower's Wings.  It was a bit of a wait but yummy.  We went to midtown and went to Alumni Hall where Isabelle and I got some new shirts and Steve found some awesome houndstooth shorts.  


We headed home finally.  Picked up Zeke and Bryant about 7 p.m..  Been a long day but can't wait until Friday when we head back to Tuscaloosa.  Had a great time as always and looking forward to Bama vs North Texas.  


Roll Tide Roll!

1 comment:

Leah said...

That was a great blog....I just really hate that I was not there! Oh well, such is life!!!