UA fun fact: The UA School of Law is ranked 29th in the nation in U.S. News and World Report’s 2013 edition of the annual “Best Graduate Schools” publication.

Hope everyone is enjoying the off-season for college football…I’m still in withdrawal on Saturday without Alabama football, the Houndstooth, and my Bama Alumni.  We are working on putting together some different things/activities for the rest of off-season so we can be active all year long.

Events/Activities with the Chapter in March and April

Friday February 22nd – The first activity is this Friday at the Houndstooth.  The Houndstooth Saloon is celebrating its 7^th anniversary/birthday on February 22^nd and will have happy hour from 7 till 9, which will include FREE Absolut drinks, Green Line and Miller Lite beers and shots of Fireball (cinnamon whiskey.)  Come out and celebrate the Tooth’s Birthday and we can cheer on Alabama’s #15 National Championship, since many did not know about our Championship Happy Hour earlier this month.

Saturday March 9^th – Another Round Happy Hour/Get Together on March 9^th – join us to watch some Alabama softball and Alabama Basketball.  Plus some of us city folks will be heading to the burbs to join in on the Suburban bar fun….make sure to stop by and say hello!

Game times:

Softball: Alabama vs. Tennessee 1:30pm

Basketball: Alabama vs. Georgia 3pm

Saturday April 6^th – 1st volunteer activity of 2013. We would like to get our chapter more involved in some volunteer activities, so keep watch others will be shared and if you have any thoughts on some volunteer activities for RTC and the Chicago SEC alumni please email me at rolltidechicago@gmail.com.  The 1^st volunteer activity will be helping out with the Muscular Dystrophy Associations (MDA) Muscle Walk that takes place in Solider Field.

Saturday April 20^th- A-Day Game watch party at the Houndstooth – come watch how the 2013 team is shaping up game time is at 2pm and the game this year will be shown on ESPN2.  We will have some raffle prizes so if you aren’t planning on heading to Tuscaloosa (hit me up in you are heading to T-Town – I will be there for A-day!) come to the Houndstooth for a Saturday in the spring!

These are the activities that are going on for March and April.  Stay tuned to emails and our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/groups/70751310545/ and we will share our speaker date for the summer, we are looking at holding this event in June this year – it will depend on who we are able to obtain for a speaker.  Also, stay tuned for student recruitment events this spring that Bethany might need RTCs help with.

Volunteer Opportunities with the Chapter

We’re always looking for people to help us out! If you want to volunteer for any of the following committees, please email rolltidechicago@gmail.com or contact me via our Facebook page.

• Viewing Parties: Help us set up, sell t-shirts, squares, raffle tickets, and do other game-day tasks at the Houndstooth. If we get enough volunteers, we’ll be able to set up a schedule and each volunteer only has to “work” 2-3 times. This is an important one, but not too time-consuming, so a great way to contribute your time.
• Suburban Viewing Parties: Same thing, only at Another Round. You loyal ARers know what a great job Kim and Paul do there every week. Lend them a hand!
• SEC alumni liaison: We’re looking for one person who can be our liaison among the other Chicago SEC chapters. This includes organizing our participation in the annual flag football event.
• Summer Event: Help us plan and execute our annual summer party.
• Community Outreach: One aspect of our mission is to promote the University of Alabama in the community, and we’d like to do that by organizing group volunteer outings. So if you have a favorite nonprofit that needs some help, let us know, and we’ll coordinate.
• T-shirt Designer:  Our T-shirt Designer, Ben Milam, has also been designing our T-shirts for 6 years.  We would love to add some new creative to help in designing our 2013 RTC t-shirts.

Hope to see you this Friday at the Houndstooth or at Another Round on March 9^th and Roll Tide!

Laurel

4^th & Goal

Welcome back to 4^th and Goal did you miss us? It’s been an interesting off-season so far has it not. Let’s review the story lines since we all last spoke after the National Title game.

• Notre Dame spends more time dealing with a “fake girlfriend” than they ever did in trying to field a winning team from 1988 till now.
• 4 of the dumbest Alabama players in history get kicked out of school for mugging and beating up a fellow student only to use his stolen credit card on dorm food.
• Chip Kelly goes to the NFL and Nick Saban stays in college!
• We get the best recruiting class for something like the 3^rd time in the last 4 years all the while taking a guy that had committed to Bama then to Auburn then getting an Auburn Tattoo to flip back to Alabama did you follow that?
• Ole Miss must have spiked the hottie totties and brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the country which will be good enough to finish 4^th in the SEC west.
• Our QB’s Girl (couldn’t say our girl since she’s an Auburn Grad – Laurel) Katherine Webb kept her 15 minutes of fame going by posing for the swim suit issue in an AJ McCarron jersey. I hope that ends up in the Bryant Museum someday.
• The trees at Toomers Corner are getting removed but not before they roll them one more time. (This by the way is still the darkest day for me as a Bama fan when one of our own destroyed those trees.)
• The greatest offensive player in Alabama history guides his team to their 2^nd Super Bowl (Ozzie Newsom).  I must add that Courtney Upshaw went from winning the 2011 National Championship in the Superdome to helping the Raven’s win the Super Bowl in the same stadium…what a year a national championship ring and then a Super Bowl ring…RTR!  (Laurel)
• Our basketball team scored a total of 37 points vs. Auburn who might be the worse Div. BCS conference basketball team in the country (or at least one of them.)
• Oh and I became a father for the 2^nd time.  CONGRATS from all of Roll Tide Chicago to The Brafman Family! (Laurel)

So in other words there has been a lot going on. I didn’t even mention the horrible state of SEC basketball. I am first in line to make fun of the Big Ten when it comes to football, but somehow all of the lousy boring play that we are used to watching from the Big Ten on Saturday afternoons in the fall has come onto the basketball courts across the SEC. Meanwhile the Big Ten is producing one great game after another in hoops. I think the Tide gets into the Big Dance and does next to nothing once they get there. But I’d rather get in than not at all right? But nothing is going to wash the stink of scoring 37 TOTAL points vs. Auburn.

Are you guys like me and find yourself wearing Bama gear a lot more than you used to? I on purpose wear the same Alabama polo shirt to work each Monday. I have no reason to do this I just like doing it.

I just read this morning that if you project out from last year the Tide has the easiest schedule of any SEC team next year. What does that mean on Feb. 20? Zero, but it sure doesn’t hurt. All I know about next season is that if Coach Saban can figure out the o-line we might see the best offense ever to grace Bryant Denny Stadium.

One more thing on those four guys that got kicked out of school (I’m not going to waste my time looking up their names) they will just be the four morons from now on. How did they think they were going to get away with this? And why do it in the first place? You have the world at your feet; you are playing on the best football team for the best coach in the last 20 years. Your teammates are getting drafted left and right you are going to play this year or next and continue the quest for 16. But instead you beat up a fellow student and then in a move that I will never understand use his credit card to buy DORM food. Is the Chef from Master Chef or the Girl in the Goat cooking for them? Who does this? MORONS

Switching subjects completely let’s say that Coach Saban wins one more National title before he retires. Do you think that down the road they rename the stadium after him? Bryant/Denny/Saban Stadium? Or maybe the field like they did for Bobby Bowden? I know this is almost unheard of but when do we stop bowing to Coach Bryant and start honoring Coach Saban? Wow sorry I just ducked a bolt of lightning…   I’m sorry but unless Saban coaches at Bama for 10+ years he will not surpass Bryant since he coached for 25 year at Alabama.  Sure we should honor him for all he’s done, but let’s wait till that egg hatches Marc! (Laurel)

Finally, like I mentioned I am a new Dad. Jacob Leo was born at 6:40 AM (does anyone ever have kids at say noon) or is it just me on Tuesday the 12. He is a wonderful little guy with more hair than I have. Maya is sweet big sister (at least so far) I had on my Bama sweatshirt during the birth and one of the nurses went to Iowa so we had some great Big Ten/SEC talk. So in 18 years I expect Kirby Smart to knock on my door and recruit Jake to be the next QB. Oh who am I kidding a Jewish QB at Alabama? He will be the next kicker if I am lucky…

RTR

Marc

What a great finish…Back to Back National Championships if you were in Miami we hope you had a great trip to everyone was here in Chicago and came out to the Houndstooth or Another Round thank you for helping make it an incredible night. I will leave the rest of the game talk to Marc in the 4^th and Goal, but wanted to share with you the press RTC did before and after the NCG.  Also, stay tuned for more volunteer actives for our chapter and other events that will take place in the off-season before we hit the road to #16.

Here are links to some of the stories RTC was part of:

This story aired on ABC 33/40 in Birmingham on 1/6/13 & is mainly about the Houndstooth, but you will see a familiar face or two: http://www.abc3340.com/video?clipId=8139815&topVideoCatNo=189741&autoStart=true

This story aired on  WGN on 1/7/13 while the championship was still going on and showed the Houndstooth and our Alabama fans cheering and a bit of our own Jeff Goode dancing!  http://wgntv.com/2013/01/07/frustrated-fans-turn-out-for-fighting-irish/

This story aired on WGN the morning of 1/7/13.  Bill Watt and his son are the ones featured in this story:  http://wgntv.com/2013/01/06/irish-fans-get-read-for-national-game

Hunter Byington (Class of ’75) and Will Byington (Class of 2000) were interviewed for a short article in the Naperville Sun about Bama grads in the land of Notre Dame. Just wish the reporter had used my whole quote about Alabama traveling well and having fans everywhere like the Cubs instead of just saying Alabama is the Cubs of college football – we all know that isn’t true! Roll Tide! http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/news/17402395-418/some-bama-support-here-in-naperville-too.html

Here is a local Chicago website that did a story on where to watch the game in the city Monday from the ND and Bama side of things.  http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130104/chicago/chicago-bars-cater-notre-dame-alabama-fans

Enjoy the articles and news stories. RTR!!  Keep watch for emails and postings on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/groups/70751310545/ and http://www.RollTideChicago.com for offseason activities.

Roll Tide!!!

Laurel

4^th & Goal

Wow!! That is all I could say when I talked to my Dad after the game. I’ve said it before but it needs to be said again. We all have to take a step back and realize the history that we are watching on the field. Three national titles in 4 years, back to back National titles! Tying the all-time record for most wins in a 4 year period (49) (to put that in perspective in my 4 years the Tide won 29 games) and if you include the 2008 season 61 wins with only 7 losses. How is that possible? How is it possible for a team to lose 7-8 players to the NFL and come back and win again? You know we all laugh at Coach Saban when he talks about each team being different and how next year’s team is 0-0 but if you think about it he is right. This isn’t like the Jordan era Bulls or the Yankees with Jeter, Mo Rivera and Bernie Williams. Heck this isn’t even Duke or Florida winning back to back titles in basketball. The turnover in college football is huge and to be this good, no this GREAT over the past 5 seasons is simply amazing. And to think that if they get the o-line figured out (the news Fluker is leaving isn’t a shock) we are going to be right back in the mix again. Take it all in everyone we might never see anything like this again down at the Capstone. And when you hear me complain next year about why the Tide isn’t running the ball more remind me of this.

Some random quotes from the game and the couple of days after Please note that these are all paraphrasing since I can’t remember all of them word for word: Pregame addition:

• Clearly no one has learned a thing, because here we are at the conclusion of the 2012 season, and the most popular college football topic for the past 38 days has been: “Does Notre Dame have any chance against Alabama?” Let’s think about that for a second. Does an undefeated team that led the nation in scoring defense stand a chance against a team that lost once at home and came within a last-minute pass-deflection of possibly missing the title game altogether? You Think..Si.writer Stu Mandell in his Colum on Monday before kickoff
• “I’m picking Notre Dame in a HUGE upset 24-21” Mike Greenberg on Mike and Mike on ESPN
• I don’t know what he said but Lee Corso dressing like the Lucky Charms mascot on the set of Game Day before the game.
• “The fact that Alabama is staying at a hotel on South Beach with one of the best night clubs in the world could hurt them.” I think that Notre Dame has the right idea staying 12 miles outside of Miami” Jessie Palmer ESPN Talking Head on Sports Center sometime last week
• I think the game is going to be close but in the end I don’t think Notre Dame has enough offense to win. Plus Alabama will wear down Notre Dame on the ground like they have everybody else the last two seasons. Alabama 24-Notre Dame 14 Marc Brafman to anyone in the Feld Entertainment office who asked me on Monday and in the last installment of 4^th & Goal.

I worked in sports radio for 5 years, I understand that you have to pump up both teams and try and make sure that the game is entertaining to get ratings but what two teams did these guys watch this year? I think all of us living here in the Midwest knew before the game that ND had a punchers chance if the Tide turned the ball over made dumb penalties or Golsen turned into Johnny Football but I think of ND as a glorified Big Ten team. And friends as we all know no Big Ten team is going to beat an SEC team that is primed for battle like the Tide was.

Quotes from the game itself:

• “Lacy bolts middle up the middle-still going ENDZONE- Eddie Lacy scores the first touchdown of the night” ESPN Brent Musburger 12:10 seconds left in first quarter
• “Jessie Williams #54 is in as a blocking back they are going to throw TOUCHDOWN The other Williams Michael Williams the TE” ESPN Brent Musburger 6:14 second left first quarter
• Right now they have two drives over 80 yards as Yeldon takes it across TOUCHDOWN Alabama! ESPN Brent Musburger 14:57 left in 2^nd quarter
• Two receivers to the left McCarron throwing all the way drops it off to Lacy in a footrace spins TOUCHDOWN Tide Rolling again! ESPN Brent Musburger :33 seconds left in 1^st half
• Heather Cox ESPN Sideline reporter to Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly at Halftime:
  • Cox: Where do the fixes come from in the 2^nd half?
  • Kelly: Well maybe if Alabama forgets to come back for the 2^nd half (this might be my favorite quote from a coach of all time)
  • Coach Saban had a slightly different take at half time: I think we played well offensively,” said Saban as he went into the locker room. “We controlled the line of scrimmage.  “We just gotta play 60 minutes. This game is not over, and our players need to understand that.” (I said the same thing to my friends who were at the game and texting me all of whom started calling me Debbie Downer.)
  • Well, I tell you, you quarterbacks, you get all the good-looking women! What a beautiful woman!,” So if you’re a youngster at Alabama, start getting the football out and throw it around the backyard with pops” Brent Musburger talking up AJ’s girlfriend Kathrine Webb (My favorite part of this is that Brent used the term “Pops” which I believe went out at about the same time that Miss America was must see TV.) So to recap the most talked about pre-game video was the Dad who’s son surprised him with tickets to the game and used the term “PAW” which I believe went out of style around the time of the Beverly Hillbillies and now Musburger is using the term Pops.) And yes this is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night.

• Roll TIDE! The entire back two rooms of the Houndstooth after Cooper scored the 5^th touchdown of the night which promped all of us even me to do a shot of something called wild fire.
• “And that’s it Alabama has become the first school since Nebraska to win back to back National Titles” Brent Musburger ESPN final call

Before we get into the post game quotes a couple of quick things on the game. The first half was the best half of football I think I have ever seen Alabama play. Minus the fumbled punt that was as good a half of football as a team could play. If you could bottle a half of football and roll it out all the time that is what I would choice. You know me I’m always a 3 yards and a cloud of dust guy but the numbers are striking: 265 yards rushing, 264 passing. The perfect balance (now if only they had run the ball vs. A&M…ok, ok I’ll stop)

Barret Jones will go down as one of the 4-5 best players in Bama history along with Joe Willie, Ozzie Newsome, Ingram, Dwight Stephenson, C Bennett and John Hannah) and like I’ve said before depending on how he does next year AJ might be the best of all time (college addition).

Post game quotes:

• “We were 5 yards away from not being in this game. We are going to have to work on that” Nick Saban to the ESPN game day crew after the game
• Believe it or not I am really happy right now. Nick Saban without a hint of a smile during his post game news conference
• I am going to take 2 days off and then start up again. We are behind in recruiting…Nick Saban with a straight face to the ESPN game day crew after the game while they all laughted
• “ As usual I was right” Barret Jones to the ESPN Game Day Crew and AJ talking about the shoving match they had during the 4^th quarter
• Nix:”(Bama OL) did not dominate, I hope no one uses that word. I don’t think they physically dominated us and took us out to the woodshed (I guess he was too busy sucking wind by the middle of the 2^nd quarter to realize how dumb this quote sounded.)
• “Pretty much when Lacy scored the first touchdown” When both Herbstreet and Todd Blackledge when asked by Mike and Mike on Tuesday morning thought the game was going to be a rout
• And finally the reason that the Tide could be back in the Rose Bowl next year doing it all over again: I’m already thinking about two weeks from now when I have to get back and get ready for next season,” said sophomore tackle Cyrus Kouandijo. “We’re going for it again next year. And again. And again.”

Had enough yet? Too bad theirs more!!

Stats of the game:

• 0 times Notre Dame had let up drives of 80 yards or more this season.
• 3 amount of times they let up drives or 80 yards or more to the Tide.
• 0 times Notre Dame gave up 100 yard rushers this season.
• 2 times that Alabama had rushers of over 100 yards (Both Eddie and TJ rushed for over 100 yards.)
• 0 number of times that ND had given up 100 yards to a receiver.
• 1 times Alabama had 100 yards receiving (A Cooper had over 100 yards.)
• After five offensive snaps, Alabama led 7-0. After 15 offensive snaps, it was 14-0. After 23, it was 21-0.
• 21-0 score before ND had 3 first downs.
• 7 straight SEC BCS champs.
• 4 straight years that the Title has come home to Alabama.

• 9 Most times Alabama has been ranked #1 in final AP poll (most All Time.)
• The game was the 2^nd most watched game in cable history 17,216,000 households (this does not include all the bars, clubs etc.)
• 4 titles that Coach Saban has won joining Bear (6) John McCay and Frank Leyhey with 4 each.
• Dating back to a 2010 BCS triumph over Texas and extending through last year’s 21-0 win over LSU, there was a time in this contest that ‘Bama had run off 69 unanswered points and held opponents scoreless for nearly 107 minutes across three title games.

Stats non BCS title game addition:

• N. Western of all Big Ten teams became the first Big Ten school to beat two SEC Teams in the same season
• Per USA Today, 475,200 babies were born in US since Notre Dame played (this was before Monday.)
• Big Ten is 2-13 on New Year’s Day games in past 3 years.
• 0 amount of times that the Bengals throw the ball or even looked at AJ Green in the first half of their playoff game. Any wonder why they lost?
• 0 Inductees into the baseball hall of fame this year. (For more on this rant just e-mail me) My take it’s a joke
• 12 but it could 200 at this rate the number of players leaving LSU for the draft.

Finally since this has gone on long enough

In things I didn’t know until I was a dad: Just when you think you have your kids pegged they turn the tables on you. Maya since the day she was born has always loved taking a bath or a shower. But for the last two weeks it has been hard to get her into either. If you’ve ever tried giving your child a bath when they want to be anywhere but the bath tub you will know what I am talking about.

And last but not least it’s been my pleasure writing this every week. Thanks for all the feedback and I’ll post things either to our Facebook group or on the e-mails whenever Laurel wants. Have a great offseason puff up your chests with Pride and remember It’s GREAT TO BE FROM ALABAMA!!

RTR

Marc

• Bama has scored 45 rushing TD’s this year-ND has given up 2
• Both ND and Bama average 7.3 yards per play in the first quarter of games this year
• 0.4 yards in differential in average in gain per carry in the 3rd quarter of games this year for ND and the Tide (ND 6.4 The Tide 6.0)
• ND has gotten a sack on 7.5% of opponents pass attempts this year and in a stat that shocked me our o-line has given up a sack every 7.1% of pass plays
• Since the AP poll started in 1936 the Tide have won 9 National Titles while ND has won 8 the most of any two programs.
• The Crimson Tide have won 60 games over the past five seasons, the most in league history and tied with Nebraska (1993-97) for the most in major college football history. The Tide have won 48 games over the past four seasons; they can break the SEC record they share with Florida (2006-09) and tie the NCAA record of 49 shared by Nebraska (1994-97) and Boise State (2006-09) if they defeat Notre Dame. (This is simply amazing to me!)
• In 2012, a face-value ticket for an SEC game reached $100 for the first time. Four years ago, the SEC’s priciest ticket was the Iron Bowl at $65. This season, 30 SEC games cost at least $65, including nondescript matchups such as Mississippi State-Tennessee, Ole Miss-Vanderbilt, Missouri-Vanderbilt and Missouri-Kentucky.
• The SEC continued to lead the nation at 75,444 fans per game, but that was its lowest average since 2007. SEC crowds are down 2 percent since peaking in 2008 at 76,844.
• The Big Ten averaged 70,387 fans per game in 2012, its lowest since 2008 (not the least bit surprising considering the quality of play on the field)
• With both ND and Bama getting 17,000 tickets each for the game the combined requests for tickets depending on what source you go with came close to 145,000
• Finally I think this game will CRUSH and I mean CRUSH the record for most viewed cable game/show in history. Don’t believe me check out which two teams had the highest rated games this year: CBS aired three of the top four most-watched regular-season college football telecasts of the 2012 season, including the most-watched tilt: Alabama’s defeat of Georgia in the SEC Championship on Dec. 1. That game drew 16.2 million viewers, just topping ESPN’s broadcast of Notre Dame-USC on Nov. 24 (16.1 million). CBS’ coverage of Alabama-LSU on Nov. 3 came in third (11.4 million viewers), followed by Texas A&M-Alabama on CBS on Nov. 10 (9.6 million).

Make sure to add Roll Tide Chicago Scholarship fund or Chicago Illinois Chapter Endowed Scholarship to your check or to the online form, the link above will take you right to the page.

UA fun fact: This week’s fun fact is football related… The “Rammer Jammer Cheer” was a pregame ritual until the early 2000s, chanting “We’re gonna’ beat the hell out of you!”, but this was considered unsportsmanlike and banned. The university also briefly forbade the Million Dollar Band from playing it after games, because of its taunting nature.  In a vote at Homecoming 2005, the question was posed to students of whether the cheer should be banned. 98% of students voted in favor of keeping the cheer. Before the university’s attempt to remove the cheer, it was played before kickoff and at the end of the game. The cheer is now only played in the closing minutes when victory is certain, and is traditionally chanted twice. After Alabama’s victory over the Florida Gators in the 2009 SEC Championship Game, as well as after Alabama’s victory over the Texas Longhorns in the 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game, the cheer was played nine times.

We didn’t beat the largest victory last weekend, but we were pretty close.  I know we had fun at the Tooth, AR and F&H cheering on the Tide to a 49-0 victory vs. Auburn.  Now it’s time to focus on teaching those Bulldogs to behave!

We know the Houndstooth can get crowded but it’s worth it for the SEC Championship…wants to ensure you have a table Saturday and support the Roll Tide Chicago Scholarship Fund?  Email me at rolltidechicago@gmail.com and we have 2 tables you can rent this Saturday.  Cost is $100 for a 4 top table, all of this money goes to our scholarship fund, you just have to have one person at the Houndstooth 2 hours prior to kickoff to claim the table (1pm Saturday).  Please email me by Friday night to ensure we can reserve one of the tables.

Viewing Parties

Both of our official locations will be busy this Saturday, for the SEC Championship game Alabama vs. Georgia, come cheer on the Tide as they fight for a trip to Miami.  Kickoff is at 3:00 pm CT.  We are also looking at having some Alabama basketball on before the championship kickoff…Alabama is playing Cincinnati let’s cheer on our basketball boys as well this Saturday.

Houndstooth Saloon
3369 N. Clark
Chicago

Another Round
5141 Main St.
Downers Grove

Unofficial games watch location (no memberships/t-shirts for sale) in Arlington Heights-look for Becky Jones & they will have sound and game day specials@

Fox and Hound
910-918 West Dundee Road
Arlington Heights

2012 Roll Tide Chicago T-shirt

Don’t forget about ordering your 2012 Roll Tide Chicago T-shirts before they are gone! They make great holiday presents…so don’t forget to order yours today to ensure you receive your shirts in time for the holidays.  You can order online at http://rolltidechicago.com/?page_id=3 or pickup T-shirts, which include the long sleeve and kids t-shirt only at the Houndstooth or Another Round this Saturday.

We are looking to have some “Beat them Bulldogs” stickers made for Saturday…so we can have some game swag, but this comic is the best one I’ve seen this week!

Roll Tide and see you Saturday at The Houndstooth or Another Round!

Laurel

4^th & Goal – The SEC Championship AKA the Brafman Bowl

Before we move forward on what I expect to be a very hard fought game on Saturday let’s take a step back and relive the Iron Bowl for a second. First of all, are we all sure that was an actual SEC team that the Tide played? I don’t mean to knock Auburn (well ok a little) but holy cow that had to be one of the worse excuses for a team that I can remember. Show some pride or some guts. 7 possessions, 7 touchdowns vs. 7 first downs total for the Tigers. Let’s say for the sake of argument that the Tide wasn’t playing next weekend. I honestly think they could have scored 80 points if Saban had kept the starters in. On top of that they have recruiting violations hanging over their heads. http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=8674501&wjb and a new coach who is going to come into the SEC West with Saban at the top of his game, a pissed off LSU and Les Miles, the more than likely Heisman winner in Johnny Football, a better Ole Miss and Miss State team plus a new coach at Arkansas. Good luck with all of that…

A couple of things from the Iron Bowl: Losing Kenny Bell is really going to hurt the Tide this week. He is 2^nd in all of college football with a 26 yard average per catch. Cooper, Norwood, and the rest of the guys are going to have to step up big time. I hope he is ready for the bowl game if he can walk by then.

What a rare treat it is to watch an Alabama QB game after game complete long passes right on the money like AJ did to Cooper and Norwood this week. The mind wonders back how good the Tide could have been if Brody C. had ever learned to do that.

Laurel has mentioned this in the past but I will repeat it. If you are out of town and want to watch the game, check out the alumni web page.  I watched the Iron Bowl with the Cincinnati Chapter and it was like a blast from the past. They are just getting off the ground and have a great fan base and a bar. It was a lot of fun to meet new Bama fans and I was shocked when I found out that a girl from my high school had travelled down to the Capstone 8 years after I had graduated.

Finally in case you didn’t see it this never ever gets old: http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2012/11/watch_tide_fans_celebrate_thei.html

Ok, now onto the more important game the game this weekend vs. UGA otherwise known in the Brafman household as the Brafman Bowl. Why is that? Because for some strange reason two kids from Cincinnati went to schools down south. My sister is a Bulldog through and through so it was fun this past weekend teasing her a little.  My all-time favorite Bama win including the two national title games was the Bama win in the famous blackout game from ‘08. So, not only do I have to root for the Tide this weekend for all the normal reasons but if they lose I have to listen to my younger sister crow about it for oh about forever…

I think that UGA is going to give the Tide all they can handle. I am more worried about this game than any game over the last two year and I include both LSU games from last year and every game this year. They just match up so well with us. It’s like looking in the mirror. Very good QB who doesn’t turn the ball over check, two headed monster running backs check, two wideouts lost for the year check, beasts on defense check and check. Don’t believe me read this preview of the game and look at the numbers midway down the article: http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2012/alabama-vs-georgia-preview/

I have nightmares of Aaron Murray having all day in the pocket and picking our defense apart like Manzell and LSU did. But with all that said I think that Bama runs the ball down UGA’s throats. If there is one part of the Bulldogs that is a little weak it is the run defense. Plus, in the two toughest games that UGA has played they haven’t been world beaters on offense. And until proven otherwise I will pick Saban over any coach especially one who in 11 years has not exactly won the big games. Bama close and I mean close 17-14. Win or lose let’s once again get down on our hands and knees and thank the football Gods or Mal Moore that we have Coach Saban. All you can ask is that your coach gets you the chance to play for the national title. Coach Saban has done that in 5 of the last 6 seasons; can’t ask for more than that.

The crazy numbers from the weekend:

• Facing a regular-season slate that included nine bowl-eligible teams (by comparison, Alabama faced six and Georgia five), the Irish allowed just two touchdown drives of 60-plus yards and two rushing touchdowns the entire year.
• SEC Champ game tix range from $320 to 6k, and ACC Champ game tix start at $4.50. Not a typo.
• Bear Bryant was 0-4 vs. Notre Dame what that has to do with anything now is beyond me I just found it interesting.
• Vanderbilt, the Commodores, continued their rise under second-year coach James Franklin by winning six straight games to close out the regular season, the program’s longest winning streak since 1955. Vandy’s 8-4 record is its best since 1982, and its five games scoring 40 or more points are the most for the Commodores since 1915. “When you’re throwing numbers out about breaking records from 1952, 1948 and 1915, to me that’s impressive,” said Franklin.
• 6 #SEC teams in the #BCS top 10. All six teams have at least 10 wins on the season.
• If Georgia beats Bama on Saturday they would have the worst loss by margin (28 pts) of any BCS title game participant.
• The top 8 teams in the SEC were 30-0 this season against the bottom 6 teams.
• I wish I was this “lucky” with a 7.5 Million dollar buy out Auburn is on the hook to pay my man Gene $208,443.00 a month not to get his brain kicked in by UGA, LSU and Bama for the next 5 years! I thought that was the most insane stat of the week until yesterday when…
• The former head of the Baseball players union Marvin Miller died at 93. When he started the baseball union in 1966 the average player’s salary was $6000 it is now over $430,000. To put that in perspective A-Rod makes $6000 every half inning.

In this week in things I didn’t know until I was a Dad: It is crazy how much little kids pick up and remember. Due to my love of M&M’s I started to give Maya a couple if she ate her dinner or smiled or you know acted cute. So pretty much any time she asked for them. Well we hid them from her (along with her candy from Halloween) last night out of the blue she walks over to the drawer where they are and started to ask for them. I am learning that I am a chump or completely whipped or both because I of course gave her a couple. How she remembered where they were was pretty impressive.

See ya at the Tooth on Saturday be ready for a slug fest

RTR

Marc

UA fun fact: This week’s fun fact is football related…its Iron Bowl week here is some history on the series: Auburn and Alabama played their first football game in Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 22, 1893. Auburn (then named the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama) won 32–22, before an estimated crowd of 5,000. As if a signal of the future, disagreement between the schools began immediately, tensions further built, after both 1906 and 1907 contests the series was stopped but renewed again in 1948.  Largest Victory by Alabama 55, Auburn 0 1948 – Can we beat that this weekend?

Last weekend was crazy & I thankfully got home in time to watch the second half of the two games that put Bama back in the National Championship picture.  I just have to say thank you Baylor & Stanford.   I will leave the Notre Dame talk for now to Marc & 4^th& Goal, but once we both have a ticket to Miami will I start for now I will just say Roll Tide!

Viewing Parties

Both of our locations will open for this week’s game, come celebrate some of this weekend’s Thanksgiving family time with your Alabama alumni family and stop your holiday shopping for a few hours Saturday afternoon for Alabama vs. Auburn.  Kickoff is at 2:30 pm.

Houndstooth Saloon
3369 N. Clark
Chicago

Another Round
5141 Main St.
Downers Grove

We also have a member, Becky Jones, who has coordinating an unofficial watch party in Arlington Heights at The Fox and Hound, 910-918 West Dundee Road Arlington Heights, IL 60004 they will have the Alabama vs. Auburn game on Saturday with sound…thank you Becky!

2012 Roll Tide Chicago T-shirt

Don’t forget about ordering your 2012 Roll Tide Chicago T-shirts before they are gone! They make great holiday presents…so don’t forget to order yours today to ensure you receive your shirts in time for the holidays.  You can order online at http://rolltidechicago.com/?page_id=3 or pickup T-shirts, which include the long sleeve and kids t-shirt only at the Houndstooth or Another Round this Saturday.

Roll Tide and see you Saturday at The Houndstooth or Another Round!

Laurel

4^th & Goal – Iron Bowl

What a difference a week makes huh? As you could tell last week I was a little fired up after the loss to A&M and then Saturday night in the span of 3 hours it’s like that game never happened. Somehow the Tide is back in the driver’s seat and controls their destiny once again. We’ll save the SEC talk for next week because now it’s IRON BOWL week. I am not nor do a claim to be an Alabama football historian so for those of you that are lifelong fans forgive me; but since 1995 when I attended my first Iron Bowl this game seems to have the least amount of hype of any game that I can remember. Maybe it’s that the spread is 34 points (a record) or maybe it’s that Auburn is on its death bed with my boy Gene. Or the fact that everyone including, every single Auburn fan, I know is 100% convinced that the Tide is going to roll. All I know is this: Crazy things happen in rivalry games. From Punt Bama Punt, to Bo Goes over top, to a crazy 9-0 game in the sleet in 2000, weird things happen in this game. Now don’t get me wrong unless the Tide forgets how to get to BD on Saturday I see no way that Saban lets this team overlook the Tigers. But let’s just remember that in the Iron Bowl anything can happen.  Final score Bama 42-Auburn 7, but it could be worse if Saban keeps the starters in all game (which I sure hope we don’t need to).

Don’t you love dumb coaches? http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2012/baylor-coach-sec-comments/

My advice for all of you when dealing with friends, family, etc… who want to talk up Notre Dame and Ohio State or say that the Tide doesn’t belong at #2. First Notre Dame: Let them enjoy it keep your mouth shut and say over and over I hope we play you guys in the BCS title game. If two weeks ago proved anything else it’s that the Tide struggle vs. mobile quick QB’s (like say Oregon or K-State have).  Who does Alabama do well against? QB’s like Notre Dames who take their sweet time in the pocket and don’t always make the best throws. It’s been a long; long time since ND was any good so my advice is let them talk.

As for OSU just forward them this story and ask them again who they are mad at more? Jim Tressel, their AD, or all of the above. If they answer with anything else show them this story. Also remind them that the Big ten is so bad that they don’t have a single team in the top 15 and that even an 11-0 OSU team is ranked 4^th right now: http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2012/11/19/bowl-ban-leaves-fans-wondering-what-if.html

Iron Bowl and college football stats:

• In an interesting statistical aberration, Chizik and Saban have made one unbeaten run each through the SEC, including the SEC Championship Game. Otherwise, Chizik’s best SEC record is the same as Saban’s worst: 4-4. Chizik is the Iron Bowl away from hitting bottom at 0-8 in the league.
• Top 5 #SEC Rushing Yards:
  1. Johnny Manziel 1,114
  2. Todd Gurley 1,041
  3. Mike Gillislee 964
  4. Tre Mason 920
  5. LaDarius Perkins 895

I found this interesting in that most school would hand off the ball to Lacy and Yeldon 30+ times a game. Saban makes it a point to recruit multiple running backs (like this guy) http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1412325-alabama-football-recruit-derrick-henry-breaks-high-school-rushing-record?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=recruiting and tells them that they won’t have to carry the load all the while making sure they are ready for the NFL. Also that if Johnny Football wants to stay undercenter he will stop trying to run because one of these days a team is going to lay him out.

• Lane Kiffin’s Trojans on Sunday became the first AP preseason No. 1 team since 1964 to drop out of the rankings entirely Let’s hear it for a great coach..cough, cough.
• 18 years, 11 months and 26 days: Time it took for Notre Dame to get back to No. 1. That is why they are permitted to be excited. Remember how we felt in 2010?

This week in things I didn’t know until I was a Dad: Taking your kid to the circus for the first time has to be on the top ten list of my favorite things I’ve done with Maya. When the parade of elephants walked out her mouth literally fell down and she was jumping on my lap. By far the highlight of my day at the Greatest Show on Earth.

In this week’s installment of I forgot what it’s like to be married to a crazy pregnant wife: My buddy Kirz was out of the country last Saturday on vacation and called me from the airport Sunday afternoon to discuss the weekend. This was at least the 3^rd or 4^th person that I had spoken to about this already so she turned to me and said “Don’t you ever get tired of talking about Alabama, the SEC and Notre Dame? Now correct me if I’m wrong gang but isn’t that like asking if you get tired of Breathing?

I’ll be at the Cincinnati Alumni Chapter viewing party this weekend. Have a great Turkey day and remember you could be getting this card in the mail on Sunday to renew your Auburn season tickets:

RTR

Marc

UA fun fact: During World War II, UA was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission. This week UA’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs is hosting a series of events across campus in recognition of Veterans Week.

I know it took me more than 24hours to come down from last night’s Alabama vs. LSU game, both the Houndstooth and Another Round were crazy, check out our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/events/calendar#!/groups/70751310545/ for photos and videos from both viewing parties last Saturday, if you have any to add please upload to our page.

This week we are playing Texas A&M (Aggies), one of the SEC’s newest members, but don’t forget the Bear and Coach Stallings legacies, our two universities are also oddly connected and steeped in tradition.

Viewing Parties

Both of our locations will be busy again Saturday afternoon for Alabama vs. Texas A&M. Kickoffs is at 2:30 pm, but arrive early if you want to ensure yourself a seat at either bar.

Houndstooth Saloon
3369 N. Clark
Chicago

Another Round
5141 Main St.
Downers Grove

Roll Tide and see you Saturday at The Houndstooth or Another Round!

Laurel

4th & Goal

The Rally in Death Valley addition:
Ok, so it’s been more than 24 hours, we really shouldn’t be talking about the win vs. LSU anymore but come on how can you not? Plus it gives me the excuse to watch this video again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5Jt2Z_VSKE4 (watching this game at home I was doing the exact same thing. I woke Maya up and somehow hurt my ankle jumping around like a moron!)

I will put that 2nd on the list of sports YouTube video’s that I have watched the most (first being Jay Bruce hitting a walk off homer in 2010 to clinch the Reds first playoff berth since 1995.) And just like that homer the reason this is so special is because it came out of left field. I was certain that the game was over. The Tide was DOA and then boom we win, just an incredible ending to an otherwise really awful 2nd half. Three more thoughts on the game before Coach Saban makes me move onto A&M:

1. I think of the last three LSU/Bama games like the Ali/Frazier heavy weight fights back in the 70’s. The first fight/game was called the biggest fight/game of all time or at least in a very long time with Fraizer the LSU in this story, winning a surprise win when he knocked the Champ down. But just like Bama, Ali rose up and won the 2nd fight pretty handily (in a game that few will remember other than it was for the national title) finally the 3rd fight/game an all-time classic that no fan of college football or boxing will ever forget. The Thrilla in Manila and the Rally in Death Valley will go down in sports lore. Two heavy weights trading punches each team/man giving it everything they had, and at the end the better team/fighter won but was worse for the wear for it.

2. As the game was slipping away all I could think of was: why in the world did we go away from the run in the 2nd half, how in god’s name is Les Miles going to beat Saban again and my lord Notre Dame is going to be ranked higher than the Tide.

3. I honestly believe that AJ McCarron will be the best COLLEGE QB ever to lace um up at the Capstone.

It was a great win and a wonderful comeback but from the reaction of everyone you’d thought we’d won the National Title. Not to rain on everyone’s parade but the Tide hasn’t even won the West yet let alone a title. 4 more games to go…

If beating LSU at home wasn’t good enough maybe this fool won’t be allowed back into a press box anytime soon: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf–radio-host-booted-from-press-box-for-excessive-cheering-during-lsu-alabama-game.html

Now, with all of the LSU game out of our blood it’s time we turn our attention to a very good Texas A&M team. If this game was at College Station I would be scared to death. But it’s not so I’m just merely nervous. A&M presents a challenge to the Tide with the hurry up offense and a QB that can both run and pass. If there is any coach and team that can turn the page from a huge win, it’s the Tide and Coach Saban. I don’t see a letdown per-say but it’s only natural for the guys to not be as up for this game as they were for the LSU game. Either way this will be a great test for the guys and it could be a great chance to see how they would play a team like Oregon. I think the Tide forces the Aggies to throw, keeps the offense off the field by RUNNING The ball (if you want my commentary on the 2nd half play calling vs. LSU please visit me at the Tooth on Saturday) and wears them down like we do vs. everyone. The experts say the spread is 13 so I’ll say Bama 28 A&M 14.

• Your fun stat of the week A&M addition: The Aggies QB Johnny “football” has scored 24 touchdowns passing and running which is more than Mizzou and Auburn have scored COMBINED
• Fun Stat BCS: Since 1st poll of 2011 season (12 total), a #SEC team has held 22 of the 25 positions in the #BCS Standings. Only ones not: 4, 17, and 19.
• Fun Stat K-State addition: Kansas State has scored 111 points off turnovers; its opponents have scored zero.
• Fun stat Notre Dame Addition: I don’t have a stat just that having watched the Irish the last two weeks I have changed my tune on them. I went from zero chance that they wouldn’t play for the national title if they run the table to zero chance they do if Oregon and K-State also go 12-0. ND has 3-4 players’ tops that would have even seen the field in the Bama/LSU game. I’m not talking about starting I’m talking playing period. Now if Stanford can beat Oregon and TCU or Texas can beat K-State and ND runs the table I honestly don’t think they get across mid field vs. the Tide.
Since Auburn won for a change let’s pick on our 2nd least favorite coach: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/pete_thamel/11/05/lane-kiffin/index.html?eref=twitter_feed

Do you realize that with both Ohio State and Penn State being on probation if Indiana wins out they will play for the Big Ten championship?

Do you or anyone you know care about this game? http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8601209/sugar-bowl-new-orleans-site-marquee-big-12-sec-game my stance on bowl games not the national title game is pretty clear. I hope the Tide wins but if they lose I really don’t care. If the day comes where Bama and Baylor are playing in this game while LSU and Oklahoma are playing in the 4 team national title matchup I will care even less (if that is possible)
Finally, in this week’s installment of things I didn’t know until I was a Dad: I have figured out how to watch and entertain Maya while also watching football. It’s easy actually invite her friends over to your house for a playdate. The Dads can watch football while keeping an eye on the kids while the kids can watch if they want (something Maya actually enjoys) and they can play together. I did this both Saturday and Sunday worked like a charm everyone wins right?

Amazingly I will be at the Tooth on Saturday with my Dad. Looking forward to catching up with everyone.

RTR

Marc

• Is it really necessary for three different floats in the parade to play Sweet Home Alabama?
• It was COLD on Saturday yet the quad was packed.
• The Pomping at the sorority houses has been stepped up a notch since I left school. Back in the day pomping was an excuse to go to the girl’s house, drink a little and stick some paper into chicken wire. Now it looks like they actually care what it looks like.

• For the first time since last Nov. the SEC is not 1-2 in the BCS standings
• Alabama has forced 23 turnovers this season converting them into 17 TDs and 2 FGs for a total of 125 points
• Kent State is bowl-eligible for 1st time since 1972. That team featured Nick Saban, Jack Lambert and Gary Pinkel. Wow.
• This week in the train wreck that is Auburn football: Texas A&M (6-2, 3-2 SEC) came to the Plains and racked up 464 yards in the first half en route to a 63-21 rout of the Tigers (1-7, 0-6). The Aggies’ output marked the most points allowed by Auburn since 1917, and the Tigers are 1-7 for the first time since 1952. “We couldn’t tackle, we couldn’t cover and we couldn’t rush the quarterback,” said Coach Gene Chizik, whose job security departed along with about half the crowd by the third quarter.
• The Tide has allowed more than 14 points only once in its last 21 games. The one team able to score more? Georgia Southern, of course, which put 21 on the board last November. Other dominant stat: Alabama leads the nation in both pass efficiency and pass-efficiency defense.
• Finally and this is the most incredible of all: In the third quarter the Tide looked more like the Bengals on offense than Alabama and went 3 and out on three straight drives. This is the first time that has happened since the National Title game vs. Texas.

UA fun fact: The school’s fight song is “Yea Alabama,” written in 1926 by Lundy Sykes, then editor of the campus newspaper.  Sykes composed the song in response to a contest by the Rammer Jammer to create a fight song following Alabama’s first Rose Bowl victory. The song as it currently played by the Million Dollar Band during games (the form known to most people) is simply the chorus of the larger song. While the opening line of song is taken to be Yea Alabama, Crimson Tide! the correct opening line is Yea, Alabama! Drown ‘em Tide!

If you did not already know its Homecoming Week at the University of Alabama, which includes things like the lawn decoration competition, the annual pep rally on the steps of the Gorgas Library, crowning of the Homecoming Queen, and the Homecoming paraded featuring Crimson Tide teams, Big Al, the Homecoming Court and many local bands led by the University’s own Million Dollar Band.  This year “Timeless Traditions” serves as the theme for Homecoming 2012.  This has been a year of champions with the Crimson Tide family winning four national titles, a timeless tradition of our own, Sarah Patterson, Patrick Murphy and Mic Potter will be the Grand Marshals of the years Homecoming Parade.  If you are heading to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming this weekend, be sure to bring us back some pictures of all the events so we can enjoy in some of Alabama’s “Timeless Traditions.”

Viewing Parties

Both of our locations will be busy again Saturday night for Homecoming, Alabama vs. Mississippi State.  Kickoff is at 7:30 pm, but still arrives early if you want to ensure yourself a spot at either bar.

Houndstooth Saloon
3369 N. Clark
Chicago

Another Round
5141 Main St.
Downers Grove

Note: It is Halloween Weekend so both bars might have a few goblins and witches, since it’s a late game and we will not see this Saturday night, I will share with you the best Halloween costume this year.  That award goes to Mara, RTC Alabama members Mishra and Ryan Keller’s daughter for her Big Al costume! Roll Tide Roll Mara!

Roll Tide and see you Saturday at The Houndstooth or Another Round!

Laurel

4^th & Goal

Don’t hate me if I jinx Alabama, but after last week I am officially on the If the Tide doesn’t make the title game this season is a lost season bandwagon. You have to understand this is a big leap for me. In life I am a glass half full type of guy, but with sports I’m usually pretty glass half empty; maybe growing up a Cincy sports fan will do that to you. Here is why I say this. Did you watch the rest of College football? Florida while playing great defense and special teams had 30 yards total offense in the first half, LSU again with a good but not great defense should have lost to Texas A&M (give Johnny football or whatever his name is time at A&M that kid is a player) K-State seems to be a very good team but they play in the Big 12 so I take all games with a grain of salt. Notre Dame will be lucky to lose by less than 14 this week at Oklahoma which just leaves Oregon. Oregon vs. the Tide would be a fun game but we’ll address that later. Bottom line while all these teams have either a good/great defense or offense none have the offense and the defense that the Tide have.

It needs to be said again, that we as a fan base can’t take for granite what we are seeing from Coach Saban and the boys. It was not that long ago that we had the same look on our faces as the Vols fans had on Saturday and we had a coach as clueless as Dooley on the sideline. I’m not sure where the flip was switched but it sure is nice to go from hoping to win (Vols fans) to expecting and knowing we are going to win (us). I beg all of you to enjoy this ride that the Tide is currently on; I know I need to start.

TJ and Amari Cooper continue to impress. Imagine how good those two are going to be in the next couple of years.

I’m willing to bet (no pun intended) that there has never been a game between two teams 7-0 when the spread is 24. I guess not much respect is being given to Miss. State what with the juggernaut schedule of Jacksonville State, Auburn, Troy, South Alabama, UK, Tenn and Mid. Ten. State.

Time for a new segment called inside the crazy college football numbers from the past weekend:

• The Crimson Tide has converted 20 takeaways into 15 scores – all touchdowns.  Alabama has scored 11 touchdowns off of 13 interceptions.
• http://bigstory.ap.org/article/kehres-passes-bryant-4th-victory-lost
• After a 17-13 loss at Vanderbilt (3-4, 2-3 SEC) in which it gained just 212 total yards, Auburn has become the first team in the history of the AP Poll (since 1936) to go 1-6 two years after winning a national title. It’s also the Tigers’ worst start since 1952.
• Alabama lost six players from last year’s defense to the NFL and ranks No. 1 in the nation in run defense, passing efficiency defense, scoring defense and total defense
• Finally this is my favorite stat: Bama has not trailed at the end of a quarter since 2010. That is incredible.

Your weekly Auburn update: http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2012/10/scarbinsky_auburns_gene_chizik.html#incart_river

You all know how much I love poking fun at the Little Ten. Well, first of all if you are an OSU fan you must be both thrilled and sickened by what you are watching every week. Thrilled that your team keeps winning but sickened that your moronic athletic department didn’t have the wherewithal to slap themselves with a 1 year bowl ban from last year when they didn’t have a coach and half the team was suspended. So I hope OSU pulls an Auburn and goes 12-0 and has to sit at home and whine about what could have been. Also with their crazy last second win over Purdue on Saturday it made this guy very upset: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIQEOjkpxcc&feature=player_embedded

This week in things I didn’t know until I was a dad: We took Maya to the pumpkin patch over the weekend. You forget how much fun kids (and their parents) have at this type of thing. She didn’t know where to go first. To the pumpkins, to the hay ride, the petting zoo, the little train they had she was running almost in a circle. You know it’s a good day when by the time we got to the expressway she was already sleeping in her seat in the backseat. (For pictures friend me on Facebook)

I’ll be down in T-Town for the game this week so next week I’ll not only recap the game but also all of the other fun.

RTR

Marc