[RollTideFan] Eagle Soup

[Jeff Todd]

Nothing like a good game of football in the mud!   The resident barner and mySlef braved the elements and witnessed The Crimson Tide close out the 2001 regular season with a HuGe win over Jeff Bower, and his Southern Miss Golden Eagles last night. The weather was much like our resident Meteorologist, James had warned us of every 15 minutes throughout the day on Thursday. I thought the rain was rather cool. Sure beat the hell out sitting in the blazing sun.   The crowd was the smallest I've ever seen at a BAMA football game. I've not heard what the actual attendance was, but I'd say somewhere in the neighborhood of 22-25k. When you compare that number to the 19 fans that usually attend UAB games at Lesion Field, it doesn't seem too bad. (Shout out to Javvy!) Although the crowd was sparse, it was a very loud and enthusiastic bunch. Well, at least it was until the final five minutes of the game which is when the usual mass exodus of fans takes place.   Kudos to the brains within the Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board that devised a method to keep the scoreboard operational for an entire game! Now, how about coming up with a plan to keep the damn lights burning for an entire game!   The music played during the television timeouts was very fitting. In the first half it was 'Rain Drops Keep Fallin' On My Head', followed by 'I Can See Clearly Now (The Rain Is Gone)' later in the game.   Rick and Jess(ica) McMahan joined us for the second half of the game. (Pleasure to have met y'all!) We could use a lot more fans like Rick! I mean that as a sincere compliment.   I never dreamed I'd being calling a 6-5 record a 'turn around' season for BAMA. But that's exactly what it is. Closing with three consecutive wins, after being thoroughly *THROTTLED* by LSU speaks volumes about the character and determination of our team and coaching staff.   As for the game itSlef, I offer my usual rambling thoughts....   How about that BAMA Offensive Line? Whoo-Hoo! Hats off to Jim Bob Helduser. In case you haven't noticed, this unit is *SPECIAL*! Television coverage doesn't do these guys any justice whatsoever. You have to be there in person to see things like Wesley Britt blocking his man completely out of the play, driving him into the mud and laying on him so he can't get up. Television doesn't show Evan Mathis driving his man twenty yards off the line of scrimmage. And television doesn't show you that these linemen are staying with their blocks until the whistle sounds; and sometimes a little longer. Britt, Smiley, Ephraim and Mathis are not only big, strong, smart and agile; they are *MEAN*. And I like *MEAN* football players! If Galloway was a couple steps quicker out of the gate, he would still be running. The holes are there more times than not. And they are HuGe at times. What happened to that fat, lazy bunch I saw during Spring Practice? ;-)     Another solid performance by Andrew Zow. Glad to see him continue to prove me wrong.