It took me seven or so months but I finally found one week of the year in which St. Louisians don’t talk Cardinals. This week. I can’t believe it. It helps to have two top 5 teams facing off this weekend – one of those being the state school. It also helps to have two high schools playing on Turkey day celebrating a 100 year rivalry. Of course they have no clue that the greatest football rivalry ever is down in Dixie.
It’s been pretty hard living in Big XII and Big Ten country. Heck, I thought it was hard living in ACC country but it’s much better than out here. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if I was near Ann Arbor or Columbus, or Austin, but St. Louis? I recall at the start of the season that I was impressed that a coworker wore his Missouri tie to work the Friday before the Missouri/Illinois game. Wow what a season it has been since.
Speaking of long rivalries, the Border Showdown is the longest west of the Mississippi? Kansas finds themselves in a position it never has before, staring down a potential national title match and being undefeated. Missouri has some work to do but they them self face that same reality if winning out. Who would of thunk it? I’m just happy that the media darlings all lost out and find themselves looking in.
I’m afraid however that these Big XII wanna-be’s won’t measure up in the end. A coworker today was giving two touchdowns to this weekend’s winner against LSU. The Kansas and Missouri fans were almost too quick to jump on it. The great side to this again, they aren’t talking baseball. It’s a very good thing.
No one is talking Iron Bowl. War DAMN Eagle! I’m not talking about it either. I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble here. Besides, these fair weather pigskin fans only follow the national story lines. The Iron Bowl has no national story line. The national media that praised Saban as a savior going into this year’s season is no where around him today. All Saban can do is compare the loss to UL Monroe to 9-11 to get headlines.
The media tried to drum up that Tuberville-to-Texas A&M talk before Georgia and there’s no telling what kind of impact that had. Yesterday both Tuberville and Auburn AD Jay Jacobs publicly showered each other with hugs and kisses to defuse the rumor. There’s no official word but it appears the fire has been smothered pretty good.
I have no doubt that Alabama will come out to play on Saturday. As a matter of fact I’m down-right nervous about the whole thing. I’m like this every year. I start drinking somewhere around a week and half out to quell the nerves and hardly make kick-off. I’ve only invited a non-Auburn guest to watch the Iron Bowl at my house one time and it was an Auburn loss. I made an attempt to invite others this year but it looks like I’m off the hook as all had plans. It’s just as good for me. I’m a man of superstition.
So here on Tuesday evening, Thanksgiving week, I’m feeling thankful that finally there’s football talk in the Lou. All the sappy family stuff will come in a later post this week I’m sure. Tonight there’s football. Tomorrow’s there’s football and the next day and the next day, and just a few more weeks to go…
War Eagle everyone.
