I did not attend The University of Georgia. I did not even grow up in Georgia.
But I was born in Dublin, Georgia. My father was not only a high school football legend in that town, but a diehard Georgia fan. Some of my earliest pictures are of me decked out in Georgia gear. But at an early age, my father was transferred down to Mississippi where I spent most of my childhood into my college years.
I inherited my fanaticism from my father and carried it with me to Mississippi. I watched every Georgia game on TV and when they weren’t on TV, I listened to a faint reception of Munson on WSB 750. The reception was much better at night, but during the day I usually only caught every other play if that, but enough to keep up. Thank God WSB had a strong enough signal so I could at least get something!
I was the only Georgia fan in my school and outside of my family, probably in my town. I saved everything Georgia I could find, pictures in magazines and the old TV Guide rosters for every game:
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My dad took me to the 1977 Sugar Bowl, which I believe was my first game, but I had never been to Sanford Stadium.
By the time the 1980 season rolled around, Georgia football consumed my mind and heart at 13 years old. Herschel became my hero. And when it was decided that Georgia would be playing Notre Dame for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl, that’s all I wanted for Christmas – to go to that game. New Orleans was only an hour and a half away from where we lived. My father told me to not get my hopes up about going to the game. Tickets were nowhere to be found. He was being completely truthful; it was not a fib to keep it a surprise. He really couldn’t find any tickets at all.
Believing him, I decided that I would take matters into my own hands and go straight to the source – Vince Dooley. So, I wrote him a letter asking him if he could help me find tickets.
And he wrote me back. I still have that letter. He thanked me for writing but unfortunately, he could not help me, but offered some suggestions. He told me that there was very little chance I would find any tickets.
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I know my dad must have really been disappointed that he could not find tickets for me, as I would have been for my own sons. But knowing he couldn’t get tickets, he commissioned a local artist, a friend of his, to paint a picture of Herschel and UGA for me for Christmas. It hangs in my office today, right behind my desk.
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On Christmas Eve, there were still no tickets to be found. I was in bed waiting for the big day, but with the realization that I wasn’t going to the game. So, I fell asleep.
When it turned Christmas at midnight, as my father was setting out Christmas presents for the morning, our neighbor knocked on the door. My father opened the door and our neighbor asked if my dad would fix him a drink. My father was puzzled and a little put out about this intrusion so late, but he was a nice guy and fixed our neighbor a drink. They sat down in the living room, and while sipping on his cocktail, our neighbor reached into his front pocket, pulled out four tickets and said, “Merry Christmas.”
My dad was in shock.
So, the next morning, I wake up and see this amazing portrait under the tree. I was thrilled! Next up, the stockings. I dumped out the stocking full of candy and at the bottom was a box. I opened the box and there in it were four of the most beautiful pieces of paper I’ve ever seen. Sugar Bowl tickets!
I cried like a baby.
I did not enjoy the game at all. I was a nervous wreck. But what a glorious feeling when the clock ran out and I watched all those crazy people run on to the field. My dad didn’t want to risk taking his kids into that crazy mob.
But it was glorious to behold.
I’m not going to the game this time. My back probably can’t handle the trip as I’m preparing for back surgery soon.
But I’ll be watching just about like I watched that game in 1981 – a nervous wreck.
Go Dawgs!
