A True Homecoming
Spending a fall day in Athens is as good as it gets, and on this day, the game had nothing to do with it. Now don’t get me wrong. I am very glad we won the game in a fashion close to what should have happened. It sounded dominant, yet far from perfect. My day consisted of reunion after reunion, and none of them were planned. Spontaneity thy name is Athena, and I love you.
Scott Woerner and I had an appointment to meet some folks from Monticello to tailgate. We couldn’t find them. Although the silent auction package to hook up with Scott and I was acquired last summer, we didn’t know about it for sure until Wednesday night. I tried calling all the numbers I had to find out where we needed to be. Maybe you heard Neal “Hondo” Williamson mention this fact on WSB radio, we tried everything.
Since that didn’t work out, we went to see some other “Old Dawgs”. We ran into Andy Johnson, he is really old…just kidding. Old team mates Jim Milo, Mark Hodge, Pat Collins, Mack Guest, Donnie McMickens, Freddie Gilbert, Mike Weaver….I didn’t see Eddie Weaver, but I think I could hear him wherever he was.
As the game started, we walked back to the Carlton Street parking deck, we went our separate ways. Scott went home to the mountains. My wife and I went to see my eldest son, Ryan. He is 25, works at UGA and lives with his wife in Watkinsville. We hung out for an hour or so and took a tour of his new office.
Next we went to the “V”…oh yeah. The Varsity takes me back to 1977 all over again. Two chili dogs, shared rings and fries and a large drink….suuhweet!
A very gratifying day indeed, yet strange. I go to Athens and missed my first game of the year. Go figure.
I’ll have to watch the replay.
The Classic Triple theater is no more, sadly. I worked there thru high school and part of college. We had these old school pics of Damn Good Dawgs in the lobby. Scott Woerner was the Dawg I emulated most in my backyard as a kid. Maybe it was all those return yards he racked up…most likely it was the INT in the Sugar Bowl, shortly before Dooley got his ride.
But when I went to work to earn the money to buy my grandmother’s car, Woerner would watch over me as I made kettle after kettle of popcorn. And during the 16 weeks of Dirty Dancing…that was a LOT of kernels!!
Despite missing the game, sounds like you had a classic day in Athens Rex. Which is exactly why that city was built.
11/08/2009 at 11:30 PM
you mean you didn’t even get to see the game?
neither did I !
so glad you got to see your old buds…. was looking for some names I didn’t see that I remember who played with you. I hope you keep in touch with them.
KLB
11/08/2009 at 7:45 PM
The guys I talk to most are Jim Broadway and Frank Ros. Reconnected recently with Dan Leusenring.
11/08/2009 at 8:28 PM