The Legend Of Johnny Football And The Perfect Storm

Think about the events that led to this moment. Kerrville-Tivy HS quarterback Johnny Manziel was not considered by Texas. He went to Texas A&M where he redshirted.

After a miserable 2011 season, the coach that recruited him (Mike Sherman) was fired. A big-time offensive coach (Kevin Sumlin) was hired.

The Texas Longhorns had created their own cable TV network. So Texas A&M told them to go fuck themselves, left the rivalry, left the Big 12, and joined the SEC. Texas A&M's facilities, rabid following, and most importantly their on-field program, were every bit up to the challenge in joining college football's toughest conference. They put all their faith in a 19-year old to lead them.

Hurricane Isaac wiped out a tough season opener in Shreveport vs Louisiana Tech, which cleared the way for the new Aggies to have a national rollout, complete with College GameDay in their SEC opener against Florida. Even though the home team lost by a field goal, they proved they belonged.

In Manziel's 4th career game, he set the SEC total offense record in a 58-10 win against Arkansas. In his 5th career game, he led the Aggies on 2 TD drives in the last 7 minutes to pull a victory out of the fire at Ole Miss. In his 6th career game he re-set the SEC single-game total offense record in a 59-57 thriller over Louisiana Tech.

In his 10th career start, after back-to-back road wins at Auburn and Mississippi State, Johnny Football took his team into Tuscaloosa and knocked off #1. Now we are rightfully talking Heisman, and the Manziels are talking about trademarking "Johnny Football."

In our wildest imagination, not even for a kid who starred in the real version of Friday Night Lights, could anyone have written a script like this. But the funny thing is, the story isn't over. Not even close.

An Athens Hit and Run

Apologies for not posting earlier - the DigCamera was MIA but it was ultimately unearthed. So while Georgia will have their hands full with Bobby Petrino's Razorbacks this weekend, the home opening 44-41 win over South Carolina had enough action for half-a-season.

Most importantly on September 12, it was a conference game.

The day was full of quirky missteps.

First after talking our way into the best parking lot, we wound up too close to the stadium. My personal vehicle was englufed by fans crowded around for Uga's arrival, and the band nearly ran us over. The crowd was getting a little hostile especially since my friend was in Georgia Tech colors (below).

Later (much later), I got a speeding ticket in podunk Adrian, Georgia. The cop was laying in wait on one of those country roads right after the limit changed from 55 to 45. Dude zapped me at 68. "We were at the Georgia game" - no response. "My friend needs to get home to his pregnant wife" also true - no response. No small talk, no break on the speed, no warning despite the fact that I was hopelessly sober. Adrian must need my $$$ (I called - $211 OUCH) for some kind of southern bridge to nowhere.

But in between, we got a unique vantage point for a thrilling game Between The Hedges.

I could have taken a million pictures down there, but you don't want to look too much like a tourist.