So a good friend of mine, someone to whom I know owe my first born, was able to hook me up with Sugar Bowl tickets. For the first time ever, the Bowl was played in Atlanta, instead of the tattered and torn New Orleans. Really, there aren't many better places to host college athletic events. I'll admit, I hate Atlanta. Now when I say I hate Atlanta that really means it would take about $200,000 a year for me to want to live there. I love to visit Atlanta. I have many great friends there, and really the Georgia Dome is a great facility. Over the years, I've gotten to know it in and out. Not only is it a very well laid out facility, but the people who run it are pros.
So the lady and I road down to the Dome via MARTA. For those of you that don't know MARTA, it is the city's transit system. Honestly, you normally wouldn't want to spend much time on it. However, when you've got 80,000 people converging on one place for a sporting event, chances you are safe. We were. There were a good bit of West Virginia and Georgia fans on the train, so it worked out well.
Once we got to the Dome, we tried to hook up my fellow Bulldogs Lauren and Doug. Lauren is a friend here in Nashville, who is a UGA grad. Doug ... well, Doug is Doug. He's one of my dear friends from UGA and he still lives in Athens. Anyway, we never caught up with Lauren, but we did make it over to see Doug and some of my other old school fraternity brothers. I'm certainly not in touch with those guys enough, but it was great to spend a few brief moments with Doug, Clay, Will, Jon, Benton and Hackett. All good people at heart. Some a little crazier than others. Jon has always been the sage of the group. He is a deep south Georgia boy, but really with the heart of a good natured man. He is the type of guy that always pulls you aside and really asks how you are doing. Doug and I do that with each other all the time, but we are closer in age so I see it as he and I are just great friends and we want to know what is up. Jon is a few years older, and someone I always looked up to in college. So I always appreciate his care and concern.
So after hanging with those clowns for a bit, the lady and I made our way into the Dome. We went straight to our seats first, which were on the top level BUT they were on the 45-yard line. OUTstanding seats. We then made our way to the drinks and food. Let me tell you something, we had free tickets, we spent a total of $5 on our road trip tickets on MARTA, and we STILL spent around $70 while we were there. Man, those drinks are expensive, but they were good.
Unfortunately before I could finish my first beer, the Dogs were already down 28-0. I thought we might have to leave at half time, but the Dogs really stuck in there and made a HELL of a comeback. So much so, they outscored WVU 35-10 the rest of the game. Apparently 28-0 is a difficult hole. And that damn fake punt. DAMNED FAKE PUNT! What a smart and ballsy move. I think the West Virginia coaching staff knew they had to do it. They knew if they kicked it to Georgia the game would at least be tied.
But alas, Georgia ended its season with a three point loss. At least the game was great to watch ... well, after the 28-0 WVU lead. Hell, all of the BCS games were fun to watch. And the National Championship game? I believe that is one of the greatest college football games I've ever seen. It had all the drama, all the hype and all the power. And despite Flippen feeling differently, I am a Mack Brown fan. Yes, he left UNC high and dry, but the guy brought so much prestige to that program. He is a hell of a recruiter and a pretty damn good coach too. He deserves it.
We now return you to your regular scheduled Lowe Down