War Eagle

I’m not going to lie; I got a bit wistful when I saw the video clips from Auburn yesterday.

You know the ones I mean…the ebullient new head coach bounds onto the stage. He embraces the history of the place. He cites some of the traditions, sayings, chants, yells.

Who knows? Someday soon he might cover himself in orange body paint…only the shade would be darker…and accented by navy blue. 

Yesterday’s introduction of Bruce Pearl as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Auburn was vintage. And, as the saying goes, he “won the press conference.” It was a great day on the plains. A few hundred miles to the north…not so much.

I heard mixed comments from representatives of Vol Nation. Some say it’s time to move on; some are angry that we can’t go back.

I get all of that.

On the other hand, I can’t help but remember when the ebullient coach was introduced here. Everyone in town wanted their own Bruce souvenir.

I miss that boundless, positive energy. I remember when:

• He bought pizzas for our student body
• He sang Rocky Top (instead of chanting War Eagle)
• He embraced Coach Fulmer and Coach Mears (and not Coach Malzahn and Coach Smith)

In some ways, I wish we could go back and do it all over again.

Coach Pearl was not only a great shot in the arm for the university but for the community as well. Even after he was dismissed from his job at UT – for the reasons we all know all-too-well – he stayed in this community. As recently as a few weeks ago, encouraged us all to support Coach Cuonzo Martin.

He was a cheerleader in our town up until the end.

But now it is a new day.  Vol fans can officially turn the page. We should support our coach. Still, you wonder what the first meeting will be like…when the Tigers come to Thompson Boling Arena next season or the following.

I’m sure it will be emotional.

Now, Auburn Tiger fans have a reason to get excited about their basketball program and feel the way we were energized nine years ago. You wonder if the Opelika-Auburn News will print up a batch of “Bruce Pearl on a Stick” masks for inclusion in an upcoming edition?

JG

Originally posted 3/19/2014