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First I apologize for typing Ridwell in the earlier post. Should have typed Travis Didwell if I was going to have a typo. Another story of a game aganst the great satan that AU was "supposed to lose"
Most of these guys aren’t in the headline I’ve been using but it goes without saying that the 89 team that included Reggie Slack, James Joseph, Stacy Daniels, Alexander Wright, Quinton Riggins, David Rocker, Craig Ogletree, little Shane Wasden, and so many more belongs in this list.
Once again the mighty Tide came into the annual showdown undefeated, ranked number two in the nation. Two time defending SEC Champ Auburn had struggled early in the season, hanging around in the top 20, but seemed to have righted the ship going into the final month of the season and were ranked 11th. I don’t remember what the spread was going into the game but there was an underlying fear in the Auburn family. We finally had the bastages from Tuscaloosa in a HOME game and they were supposed to beat us. 24 AP voters were polled and 20 said Alabama would win. The impending nightmare if that happened was enough to cause a bit of restraint in the glory of the moment (those of you who were around then have to admit it). Little did most of us know that our Tigers did not share our concerns. Everything was under control.
20K people lined the street for TigerWalk and IT was on. While Auburn trailed at the half, those beautiful Tigers dominated the second half and topped the “greatest day” in Auburn history with a decisive win. Even Clyde Bolton and Kevin Scarbinsky had to admit that the Tide wasn’t “cheated” that day. Pat Dye described the experience this way, "I'm sure that must have resembled what went on the night the wall came down in Berlin. I mean, it was like Auburn fans had been freed, and let out of bondage, just having this game at Auburn." It also led to perhaps the greatest post game line in history. “ I’ve watched you wrestle with them Angels, but I’ve watched you grow up and become men,..... I’ve watched you become men”.
BATJAC couldn’t be there that day. Duty called. I was there in spirit but I will forever envy those of you who were there in person. What might have been our worst nightmare became our greatest day. The spirits of all of Auburn's past were smiling that day. Another day Auburn shouldn’t have won but did.
