Alright, it’s time to stop sulking. It’s time to get back to giving you what you long for each day. It’s time to give you good, quality, Auburn craftsmanship. It’s time to blogle. I can’t avoid it any longer. Note: if you have no idea what I’m talking about, or why I haven’t finished this list just yet, you should follow me on Twitter for updates like that. But for those without the Twitter, here’s a brief update…
So my 30th birthday was Saturday (5/19), which was the whole purpose of this thing. As my birthday present, Beautiful Blogle and I took a trip up to Nashville. We left Saturday morning, and on the way, I wrote the last blogle of this list (#1-6). I had no internet connection so I just saved it on the Macbook, and planned on posting it when we got to the hotel in Nashville. I threw the Macbook in the back seat on top of my “Backpack of Almost All Electronics That I Own,” and enjoyed the ride through beautiful Tennessee. Note: if it wasn’t for that whole Tennessee Volunteers thing, it probably would be my favorite state.
We got to Nashville a little after lunch, and instead of checking in at the hotel, we decided to leave our car in the Sheraton parking deck and walk down to Broadway to eat. About four hours later, we came back to the hotel to check in before dinner. I pulled on the rear driver’s side door and it was locked. I unlocked the car, opened the door, and pulled out our luggage. I then went around to the front passenger’s door to get the backpack of electronics. It wasn’t there. Oh, that’s right. I threw it in the back seat. Nope, not there either. Which means…
Some S.O.B. stole my Macbook (that held my awesome final post), my iPad 2, my video camera, and my external hard drive that holds almost every picture and video of Baby Blogle from birth to today… on my birthday.
We filed a police report, and they looked for finger prints but got nothing, so I just assumed it was all gone. However, on Monday I was able to get an IP address that was assigned to the Macbook in Nashville. Since then, the tracking software I have installed hasn’t found anything, which probably means he wiped it, which means my awesome final post of this list is gone.
Insurance is covering part of the loss (how do you put a price on awesome blogles?), but the detective, with a little help from Memorial Day, isn’t exactly being expedient on using this IP address to determine the physical location of this idiot. Yes, I do have a desktop computer at home, and a very old laptop that sometimes decides to work, so there’s no real excuse as to why it’s taken me a week to finish out this list, but just the thought of getting on a computer or even looking at the site lately just makes me sick. However, time heals all wounds, and plenty of people have asked for the final six moments of my thirty years, so it’s time to close it out.
There will no doubt be some heads turned after this list is read – at least with the order of a few – but I will remind you that this is my list. This is the order of the most awesome plays in my lifetime and I have ranked them in the order that gave me the most chill bumps or made me lose it the most at the time. Ok, enough justifying, let’s do this…
6. Reggie Sharp’s buzzer beater against Alabama (2001, 19 years old)
Alabama’s Rod Grizzard had just tied the game in overtime with just a few seconds remaining when Reggie Sharp of all people took the in-bounds passed and streaked down the court. I remember thinking “No, not you! Pass the ball!” Then, the legend of Reggie Sharp was born. It was the first and only time I have ever rushed a court or field or anything, but it didn’t last long because once I got down there, I realized that my checkbook had fallen out of my pocket back at my seat. Talk about a buzzkill.
I witnessed this play from some pretty good court-side seats that we snuck into after some old people decided that a midweek game against Alabama wasn’t good enough to attend.
5. Cam’s Heisman run against LSU (2010, 28 years old)
It’s rare that a Heisman trophy is won in October, but Cam did it with this play. I think the amount of times that I said “Ohhhh!!!!!!” during it had to be up in the twenties. This play completely showed the level of dominance that he had over all of Auburn’s opponents that year. There was no way that anybody could downplay his abilities after this run. Unfortunately, that meant that everybody had to move on to something else to attack. Oh well, 2010 National Champions and a Heisman Trophy all up in ya face.
I witnessed this play from my usual north end zone seats.
4. Byrum’s field goal to win the National Championship (2011, 28 years old)
That whole disclaimer in the intro about how this was my list and all that? Yeah, I was pretty much talking about this one. Look, I know what the play did. I know how special it is, but we’re talking about singular plays here. If you just look at the play, it’s nothing more than an extra point. Honestly, it really shouldn’t even be in the list, but I’m breaking my rule and putting it in because of what it did give Auburn. I’m not taking away anything from the kick, but just don’t get all up on me because it’s not number one. You can do that with another one that you’ll see later.
I witnessed this play from the corner of the opposite end zone in the upper deck, and it was just as beautiful there as it was to the people who caught the ball.
3. Creede Simpson’s Homerun against Clemson (2010, 27 years old)
I’ll be honest, I almost put this at number one. You may or may not know that I played baseball growing up until nobody wanted me to play for them anymore, so late-inning, go-ahead homeruns always hold a special place in my heart. The only thing that kept this from being at the top is that it wasn’t a walk-off and Auburn ended up losing the regional to Clemson the next day. This is easily Rod Bramblett’s best call in any sport, and I dare you to say you don’t get chillbumps when you watch it.
I watched this play on my Macbook (yes, the stolen one), while watching the live stream of the game. The Macbook ended up being in the floor as I ran around the house yelling.
2. Cam to Lutzie to beat Alabama (2010, 28 years old)
The whole second half of the 2010 Iron Bowl was near perfect, and this play is what capped it off. In terms of getting that feeling like you could run through a wall, punch a baby and not care about it, and spit in your grandmother’s face without thinking twice, this play is right up there to cause that type of behavior. The play completely mirrored the game as a whole. Cam lured the defense in while rolling to the right – just like Auburn lured Alabama in to thinking the game was over at 24-0 – then Cam threw back across the field to Lutzie for the score to complete the ultimate soul-crushing blow. It was perfect. All of it.
The only thing that kept this from the top spot is that there was still plenty of time to play, which kept me from going completely ape. Of course this play does mean a little bit more to me because of a certain phenomenon caused by a certain video. I witnessed this play in my grandparents’ garage in a pseudo-tailgate setup.
1. Brandon Cox to Devin Aromashodu against Georgia (2005, 23 years old)
It was 4th-and-10. There were two minutes left. One stop by the Georgia defense and Sanford Stadium would explode. Brandon Cox took a low snap, found Devin Aromashodu across the middle, who outran the Georgia defenders until the 2-yard line, when the ball was punched out. Courtney Taylor, who’s been spotted on this list before, then jumped up on the ball. It was the greatest play, in the most dire situation for Auburn that I have ever seen in my life. It didn’t win a national championship. It didn’t win an Iron Bowl. But it won the next best thing, and again, in the most dire situation when absolutely nobody thought it would happen. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” says it all.
I said it that night and I still say it: this play is my favorite Auburn play that I have witnessed. Watch the reactions of the Georgia fans. Watch how they have the game won in their mind. It was over. Except it wasn’t. I witnessed this play next to the Auburn band in the corner of the opposite end zone.
Well that was fun, wasn’t it? I know there are some plays that weren’t in this list that probably should be. Believe me, I’ve read the comments. So early next week I will probably do an honorable mention list or something like that. We have 99 days to kickoff. There’s plenty of time to kill. If you’d like to go through the rest of the list, you can go here.
Let me know what you thought about this, how crazy I am, or any games that you thought deserved a spot, and I’ll let you know if I ever get the “backpack of electronics” back.
23 comments
Simpson’s HR definitely deserves that spot. I can still vividly remember the chaos which ensued from where I watched it in the Upper (Parking) Deck. I got chills from every video but #3 sent them up my spine.
Two of my favorites that weren’t on your list (same criteria – I attended or was watching):
1) Calvin Jackson 100 yd interception return against Florida in 1993. Given that it had rained all day to that point, this turned the student section into an absolute mosh pit.
2) Ontario McCalebb’s run around left end against LSU in 2010. This one sent me, my wife, and my two daughters running around our bonus room like idiots. This play was the one that made me realize that my daughters were forever hooked.
Todd, the OMac run had the same reaction in our house. My wife was out of town and it was just my two sons (7 and 4) watching with me.
The thing that made it so beautiful was that it was unexpected. Cam had been blasting LSU up the gut all game, and with the game on the line, you had to think he was going up the middle to grind it out like we had so often before. That play was beautifully set up by Gus’s use of the read option as our bread and butter. Since Cam didn’t do the little side/stutter step during the transfer like he normally did when he was making his read, I assume that it was a designed play and OMac was hitting the afterburners from the get-go.
Great set up. Great call. Great execution. It sealed that game and solidified our stance as national contenders. We put up a 1/4 mile of rushing yards up against the #1 rushing defense in the country that day.
Both very good plays that almost made the list. As for the Calvin Johnson play, I know I was at the game, but I was only 12 and honestly don’t remember it happening live. Maybe I was getting popcorn.
The O-Mac play was very close to making it, and will be in my honorable mention post.
Good call on your #1. I don’t think it would have been at the top of my list but I remember watching the last 2 minutes of that game as a senior in highschool after I had recently decided I was going to Auburn. It was pretty much the first time I had ever watched Auburn play as an Auburn fan.
I had to be really close to you for #1. I was in the row RIGHT behind the band. That is, without a doubt, the craziest play I’ve ever seen Auburn pull off. It had everything.
An acquaintance of mine was a ball-boy in 2005. Apparently the entire offensive staff knew that play was open the entire game. They were saving it for a moment just like that.
My favorite two post-game notes:
1. I still have a unopened mini of Jim Beam that I found while walking back through a Georgia section. It will go with me if I ever make it back to Athens
2. Courtney Taylor admitted in an interview that he was only chasing the play to get in on the celebration. Thank goodness he was.
My sister and I were at that game. After the clock ran out, we crowded the hedges to celebrate with the players and other fans! In the frenzy, Courtney Taylor took off his gloves and tossed them into the crowd. I was ecstatic to catch one! After the game, I got him to autograph it. It was a great game, saved by that great play!
Ah, #5. The play of the year. That was the one game in many years that I have had the rare opportunity to bring my family to (we live in TX and have young children, it’s not that easy). But where was I for that exact play? Not in my parents’ seats in the upper deck, but in line to buy my son a funnel cake that I had been putting off for several drives. The irony was that my older, football-obsessed, son was in line with me while my younger, playing-mommy’s-iphone, son was up in the seats. Oh well, from the concourse it felt like an earthquake, and that weekend was so memorable that my older son still writes about it in vivid detail in some of his school work.
I remember watching that Georgia play, we had the neighborhood party at my house that night (yes unfortunately bama fans were there) so time running short in the game I left the back party room and went to my bedroom alone and watched it on my 9 inch TV. I think I out screamed all the people in the back room when that play happened. The only thing that dampened the mood was that is was called back to the 2 or 3 yard line because you can not advance a fumble. Great list Blogle!!!
I was at the GA game! I always put it at the top of the list (of course, now that game in Phoenix is right up there!) If you were there, you’d know it! It was VERY LOUD! They had gone back and forth all night. I could not believe we won in the end. We have GA alums in our family and it was a QUIET ride back to Atlanta. My daughter was in the band and the GA fans threw cups of drinks at them. They had to be escorted back to the bus by Ga State Patrol. I used to tolerate GA fans but they are getting worse by the year. All my family ever talks about are the water cannons and now Nick Fairley and Cam. ALMOST as bad as the bammers.
Play #5: “watch him accelerate right–now…………..oh my gosh”
Love it, Gary Danielson.
I remember the Cox to Aromashou play being the first Auburn game I ever watched. That game got me hooked on Auburn football and the love for the Tigers has been alive and well ever since!
Great job Blogle. Sorry about your laptop. The OMac run vs LSU was exhilerating and one of my favorites as well. I had the view from the end zone as he turned the corner. Our whole section knew right then that he was gone. He has been an absolute delight to watch. There may come a time when we come up with a list of OMac moments.
Next time you are in Nashville, we should have a warblogle meet.
First time commenter, long time reader.
If I missed this on the countdown, then I apoligize, but the Dyer run to set up the Bynum Kick has to be Top 10. Even playing flag football in the middle of UGA country if you’re not down people scream “RUN DYER YOU AREN’T DOWN YET!!!”
Yes! Totally agree. It’s such a weird play that I can easily see why it missed the list, but the case can be made that without the “immaculate tackle” there is no Byrum chip shot.
In this case, future actions by the performer caused the play to be removed from my memory bank.
Besides, I always kinda hated the play and how it set up the game-winning kick because it was sort of a fluky, confusing situation. I would have rather just gone down the field in a conventional way.
On #4 I’ll never forget that moment there in Glendale just as Byrum is trotting out onto the field with a few ticks left on the clock. Two hard core Oregon fans sitting in front of me turning around and asking in total fear and desperation if Auburn’s kicker was any good. I just smiled and nodded and they got up and left before the snap to minimize their agony. I feel like I helped ease their pain and it certainly improved my view!
This list has been an absolute blast to read.
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
I love this list and I agree with the #1 choice. I’ve never gone that crazy over a play in any sport ever. It’s # 1 in my book right after Courtney Taylor’s catch against LSU in 2004. Awesome list blogle! War Eagle!
Where would the 2004 Reverse Flea Flicker against Arkansas rank? I remember I was 19 ys old and it was my first game ever in Jordan-Hare. Still can see the toss to Ronnie, Aromashadu reverses back across the field just for a simple toss back to Campbell and an unfortunate to short throw to Obamanu. Guess if it would have been a touchdown it would have ranked. That was the best play ever
I have a feeling a few extras would be added in here… :)