09-13-2008, 10:51 PM
OK, I'm sick of the negativity. Yeah, yeah, spare me the crap. Here's my day's highlights:
- Got up at 5:15 a.m., showered, dressed and out the door by 6 a.m. This morning marked the first time I've seen the sunrise since, oh, the last time I played poker all night. I can't remember the last time I WOKE up in time. It's actually very pretty.
- Stopped at Waffle House for breakfast. I love Tennessee's new smoking law. It was the first time I've eaten at a Waffle House and could see what I was eating and not have to squint through the smoke. And the smothered, covered and peppered hashbrowns were delicious.
- The shuttle system in Knoxville is fantastic. I parked downtown for free, paid $5 for a round-trip ride on the Old City Shuttle, and got dropped off and picked up right outside the stadium. And the bus was air-conditioned. Praise Jesus.
- Mayfield (not Jeremy, the ice cream company) was giving away free ice cream outside the stadium. The Strawberry Cheesecake was delicious.
- My father-in-law insisted on purchasing the beverages inside the stadium, since I had paid for the ticket and the gas to and from Knoxville. I drank $17.50 worth of water.
- As always, the UAB fans were great. I enjoyed talking to everyone around me, and despite the events that transpired on the field, for the most part, had a great time.
- vinebc, it was great finally meeting you in person. I still owe you a beer.
- "Eighty-eight is great. Throw to eighty-eight."
- The cheers that went up when a cloud approached the stadium.
- The oohs and aahs that went up every time said cloud actually passed in front of the sun.
- At one point during the game, UT fans started booing when they thought UAB should have been hit with a roughing-the-passer call. When the boos died down, I shouted, "You're right, your quarterback sucks." Somewhere behind me, a UT fan shouted back, "No sh!t." Priceless.
- The UT fan who said to me after the game, "Why the hell does UAB get all the good quarterbacks, and we get stuck with idiots?"
- Getting back on the air-conditioned bus after leaving the oven that is Neyland in the afternoon sun.
- Getting in my air-conditioned truck after getting off said bus.
- The steak dinner my father-in-law bought for me at Outback in Cookeville after the game.
- Convincing my father-in-law that a necessary detour was in order after dinner. After all, I had $17.50 in water in me. I felt the need to urinate on Watson Brown field.
- Watching a UT fan get stopped for speeding after he had nearly run me off I-40 while driving about 90.
- Getting home, taking a cool shower, and watching more football from the comfort of my couch, while sitting directly underneath the air-conditioning vent (did you know it was hot at Neyland?).
- My wife handing me an ice-cold beer in a frozen mug while sitting on said couch.
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