Golden Beagles and Other Assorted Golden Thoughts

Went Saturday evening over to my "unofficial" family gathering to watch some football. Our school was playing Tennessee on pay-per-view.

Back story: Back in the day, I lived and died with football. I would go to all the games and sit and watch with anticipation and/or dread - depending on the circumstances, of course.

I loved when we won and died when we lost. Luckily we normally win 8 or 9 games a year so the highs were better than the lows. When we would play our in-state brethern I would be a nervous wreck. Luckily, again, in my 5 years of college we were 9-1 against those dirty bastards from Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

The University of Southern Mississippi is famous for beating people we don't have any business beating.

But for the past decade, I just haven't given a shit. I lost the mojo for caring. Or as they say, "The world has moved on".

But I watched Saturday, for a while at least.

I have made the journey to Tennessee a few times in my life. There's nothing quite like that - except if you're a yankee and go to Michigan, I guess.................

108,000 screaming people in one place is actually quite impressive. But OMG, most of them are serious HILLBILLIES.

Anyway, I watched my Golden Eagles kick Tennessee's ass in the first half. I saw, just like in days of old, how we can handle men the size of giants with confidence.

And again, I was sucked in - but reality, oh yea, reality soon set in. I had forgotten the curse of the SEC officials and how the breaks never go to the poor cousins. Then I watched Tennesee run off several scores and we lost.

So the bubble was busted again.

Now I'm back to my apathy and it actually feels better.

So does that make me a fair weather fan? Yep. Guilty as charged.

But I had a good time. I finally got to introduce my lovely wife to my best friends - the ones I was raised with. And except for a trip that went a little to far into the past, it was fun for me.

When you grow up and start a seperate life, you forget where you came from. Don't really know why that happens but it does something to you when you are reminded of those times past.

And maybe that's the great thing about getting older - you can relive the old times without actually having to live them again.

A thousand stories - with hindsight for your guide!

I hope all of you had a great weekend.

I was, once again, reminded that I am the luckiest boy in the world. I'm the boy that loves his wife more than anything in the world and I wouldn't trade that for all the memories in the world.

God Bless.