Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Vanderbilt

#1

OneManGang

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#1
Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Vanderbilt

Well, I reckon it's time to come clean. There are reasons the last three of these maunderings have been delayed. I could just state that I started a new job and so forth, but it's a part-time gig, so that's not the real reason.

Of course, I spent Friday and Saturday of the Veterans Day weekend taking part in the commemorations at Sgt.Alvin C. York State Park and so missed the Georgia game and actually listened to Buckeye Bob on the way home. I've stated before that much of the criticism of Kesling spawns from the fact that he is Not John Ward, but then, who the hell could be anything else? But that is still not it.

I have visited three different football venues this month. Each left lasting impressions on Your Humble Correspondent but also wore his a** out traveling and at my advanced age such exertions require extended time for recuperation.

First up, on 6 November, I scratched one off the “bucket list,” attending the Notre Dame vs Navy game at Notre Dame Stadium. As one who played as a member of “The Fighting Irish” of Knoxville Catholic and proudly bore that title, going to South Bend for a game has been a dream for decades. As to the experience, let me say this: These people know how to “football!”

The entire set-up is designed to give the fans of either side the best experience possible, All over campus, there are “Guest Service” people in green sport coats to point you in the right direction or tell you when and where the next pre-game event will be. The stadium itself, “The House That Rockne Built,” is laid out so that there are no bad seats and the climb to the cheap seats (where we were) was not bad at all. Anyone who has scaled the upper deck at Neyland can appreciate that. Also, the people that run the place understand the concept of the pressure washer, something the UTAD still hasn't figured out. I don't know if we were just lucky but damned if it didn't seem that everyone involved was dedicated to seeing that fans had the best possible experience. Hell's bells, even the rest rooms were clean, well maintained, and modernized. As an aside, I went to the can at Neyland Saturday and hand o' Gawd, thought I was in a barn. Note to AD Danny White: For Chrissakes, GET RID OF THOSE DAMNED TROUGHS! Paint the rest rooms!

Finally, last weekend I went to the Titans game at Nissan Stadium. They too seem to grasp the whole pressure washer thing. There are elevators with real operators (!) to carry you to the upper decks and different food vendors hawking (imagine the concept) different foods. Even in the cheapies you have a seat with arm rests and a cup holder.

I do actually love Neyland Stadium, the history and pageantry rivals the best you can find anywhere but, BUT! UT can do SO much better and really with not a whole lot of effort. It's called doing things with class. All it really requires is attention to the details that separate a “good” experience from a great one.

*******​

Confederate Gen, John Bell Hood, AKA “The Gallant Hood of Texas” was a reliable division commander, a passable corps commander and an absolute disaster as an army commander.

Last week we left the redoubtable Hood convalescing after having the femur of his right leg shattered by a Yankee Minié ball on 20 September 1863 during the Battle of Chickamauga. This wound resulted in the amputation of that leg about 4 inches below the hip. This was on top of wounds received to his left arm on the second day at Gettysburg which caused him to lose much of the function in that arm.

Hood must have had an amazing constitution as he reported for duty as a corps commander in the Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joe Johnston on 1 February 1864, less than five months after the amputation. An artificial limb was ordered from Europe and smuggled in through the Yankee blockade. Hood would have to be strapped onto his horse but that made little difference to the fiery general.

Johnston had replaced Braxton Bragg after the disastrous end to the siege of Chattanooga. Over three days, from 23 to 24 November, the Union Forces captured the key position of Orchard Knob, swept Bragg from the slopes of Lookout Mountain. Then the Army of the Cumberland under George Thomas, knocked the rest of Bragg's army off Missionary Ridge.

Grant's plan for that last action was for Thomas to conduct a limited attack at the base of the ridge to hold the Confederate's attention while Sherman and the Army of the Tennessee attacked Bragg's right at Tunnel Hill and then charged down the crest of the ridge. In the event Sherman was stymied by troops under Gen. Patrick Cleburne. Meanwhile, Thomas's Army of the Cumberland, against orders, charged up Missionary Ridge and drove the Rebels off the crest. Grant was upset that his favorite (Sherman) had been upstaged and that laid the basis for a lingering bias against Thomas.

As Bragg retreated into northern Georgia, he was relieved of command and replaced by yet another incompetent boob, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston had first demonstrated his incompetence during the Peninsula Campaign before Richmond in 1862. He would dig in then retreat again and again until the spires of the Confederate capital were visible. Fortunately for him he was opposed by an equally incompetent boob, one George McClellan. After continued goading by Davis he finally launched a counter-attack. He was wounded on the first day and replaced by Robert E. Lee who proceeded to chase McCellan back to the Potomac over the next seven days. It can be argued that the wounding of Johnston prolonged the Civil War by three years.

Johnston had a respite as Sherman, now in overall command of the Western Theater, gathered supplies and reinforcements and rode out the winter before moving south to Atlanta.

The campaign in north Georgia proved to be a repeat of the Peninsula Campaign as Johnston kept retreating until finally the Army of Tennessee occupied the trenches outside Atlanta.

Tired of Johnston's passivity, Davis relieved him and, passing over several senior commanders, named John Bell Hood as commander. In contrast to Johnston who always took council of his fears and never met a retrograde operation he wouldn't order, Hood never saw a frontal assault he wouldn't order. In a series of four swirling battles on the outskirts of Atlanta, Hood hurled the pride of the Army of Tennessee against Sherman and Thomas. Four times he failed. Sherman cut his supply lines and Hood was forced to abandon the city.

Hauling off into Alabama, Hood dug in around Gadsden and awaited Sherman. Sherman pursued for a while and then, with his eyes clearly on the prize, turned around and began his famous (or infamous – depending on your proclivities) March to the Sea. Hood moved north with eye to crossing the Tennessee River. When informed of this, the fiery Sherman snorted, “Let him go! If he would march to the Ohio, I'd give him rations!”

Neither Lincoln nor Grant were quite so sanguinary about the idea of Hood's army suddenly appearing in Louisville or Covington and once it was clear that Nashville was the actual objective, ordered Thomas and the Army of the Cumberland there. When he arrived on 3 October, Thomas was also named Commander of the Mississippi District which at that time ran from the river to the Appalachians and from Chattanooga into Ohio and Indiana.

While he had roughly 100,000 troops under his command, most were guarding critical road junctions and bridges. His total force at Nashville was about 30,000. Hood was moving north with 45,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry.

Hood began crossing the Tennessee on 1 November, however bad weather and other delays kept him from assembling his whole force on the north side of the river until the 20th. His objectives were several, first he would capture Nashville, cutting Federal supply lines to Chattanooga, in addition he intended to recruit heavily in Middle Tennessee and grow his army. Next, he would move into Kentucky and do the same. Like Lee in Maryland, his belief that the men of the area only required a spark to flock to the Confederate banner was sadly mistaken. Middle Tennessee had been spared the privations of the rest of the South and Kentucky had been so long under Union control that few, if any, saw any future in fighting for the Confederacy.

Be that as it may, he pressed on.

Thomas sent the newly arrived XXIII Corps, a veteran outfit under Gen. John Schofield, to Pulaski to watch for Hood's approach. As Hood approached, though, Schofield got word that Bedford Forrest's 10,000 cavalry were approaching from the west with an eye toward moving behind him and trapping him between the cavalry and the 40,000 or so infantry. Thomas authorized him to pull back to Columbia.

Unable to hold the line on the Duck River, Schofield withdrew further up what is now US Highway 30 fighting a rear-guard cavalry action at Spring Hill on 29 November as he dug in across the road at Franklin.

Hood reached Franklin the next day and, ignoring other possibilities, launched a series of frontal assaults against Schofield's lines. Schofield held while the heart of the Army of Tennessee was torn out suffering over 6,000 casualties over five tragic hours. But that is another story for another time.

Schofield pulled back to Nashville. The Army of Tennessee stumbled into lines to the south and east of the city on 4 December.

Thomas had not been idle and had been gathering reinforcements and building strong fortifications in a half-circle to the south of town with both ends anchored firmly on the Cumberland River. Hood's army was in no condition to assault those works and dug in to await developments and reinforcements of their own, which never showed up.

The weather was atrocious. A winter storm blew in and temperatures tumbled and everything was coated in snow and ice. At this point, Grant began to needle Thomas to attack Hood immediately. Over the next several days, Thomas engaged in a war of words with Grant with the latter becoming ever more demanding and finally threatening to relieve Thomas of command if he didn't get a move on. The telegraph lines went down due to the weather on the 12th so Grant's order actually relieving Thomas never arrived.

Thomas would not be rushed though. On 14 December, all was ready. Thomas had conceived his plan as a “swinging door.” His left flank would engage Hood with artillery and feints while the bulk of his army under Schofield on his right would move out and outflank Hood's left and swing around behind them. The weather cooperated with temps now in the 60s as Schofield began.

The operation went like clockwork and Hood was forced to retreat or be destroyed in detail, He pulled back to a new hastily constructed line anchored on a prominence now known as “Shy's Hill” named for a Confederate officer killed there.

Thomas now moved the rest of his force out of Nashville and his combined divisions assaulted Hood again the next day along Hood's entire front and both flanks.

It was a rout. The proud, veteran and hard fighting Army of Tennessee shattered leaving behind over 6000 killed wounded and captured. Much of the army simply melted away. To all intents and purposes, the Civil War west of the Appalachians was over.

As the remnants of the Army of Tennessee made their way south they sang bitterly, to the tune of the “Yellow Rose of Texas:”

Oh! You can talk about your Beauregard
And sing of General Lee!
But the Gallant Hood of Texas
Sure raised hell in Tennessee!


Hood was relieved of command and replaced with – you guessed it – Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston rallied the 15,000 or so stragglers in Alabama and Mississippi and then headed east to keep an appointment with General Sherman in Durham, North Carolina, on 11 April 1865.

It was over.

Thomas's telegram telling of his triumph crossed Grant's informing him of his relief and naming his successor. The latter order was quickly rescinded.

Grant, however, could not resist one last dig at Thomas citing his lack of pursuit of the fleeing Confederates. Thomas patiently pointed out to Grant that the weather had closed in once again and that the Rebels were retreating faster than even the Union cavalry could move!

General George Thomas was now feted throughout the Union. Alongside his moniker of “The Rock of Chickamauga” he was now the “Sledge of Nashville.” The Yankee Congress passed a bill thanking Thomas for his victory, a piece of legislation that Lincoln gladly endorsed.

Grant now began to strip the western theater of troops to bolster his forces for the final push against Lee. Thomas was essentially left with a flag and a couple of guys to hold it up.

In 1868, now Commanding General of the United States Army Ulysses Grant, prepared to run for the presidency, Thomas was called to Washington to succeed him. He demurred, stating he had no desire to enter the political snake pit that was (and is) Washington.

He was sent to command the Army forces on the west coast and settled into his quarters at The Presidio in San Francisco. On 28 March 1870, while writing a response to a critical article by John Schofield, General George Thomas, a Virginian who chose to stand with the Union, suffered a fatal stroke. He was 53.

Look at the three pictures below. Grant always looked like he wanted to be somewhere else. Sherman always looked a touch mad. Thomas, though, had the clear level gaze of a born commander. He was a man who fulfilled Sun Tzu's dictum: He knew himself and he knew his opponents and he never feared the outcome of a hundred battles. He was, in this writer's humble opinion, the finest Union general of the Civil War.

********​

So, how did the Vols do against The Maxims?

1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.

Vanderbilt's major mistake is to have stayed in the SEC long after their “sell by” date. Yes, I get it that VU is a Charter Member of the SEC, but so were Georgia Tech and Tulane.

2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way … SCORE!

That “pick six” by Tennessee on Vandy's first possession was a dandy. John Wilkerson even quoted Maxim #5 in the post-game show when describing this play.

3. If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don't let up … PUT ON MORE STEAM!

I remarked to Younger Son&Heir on the way to the game that you can throw out nearly every stat and record when it comes to Vanderbilt. Under normal circumstances, this is Vandy's bowl game and they treat it as such. They could literally be 0-11 but beating Tennessee would make it a successful season.

4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.

The Common-Hos scored but never threatened the Vols. One hopes the injury to Hendon Hooker's hand is not serious.

5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.

The defense seemed to take most of the game off. Methinks they were reading all the pre-game nonsense about two 60-point games in a row and forgot that the other guys play to win as well. Also Vandy is a well coached team. Their new head coach is from the Brian Kelly tree and they run Notre Dame's offense. Thankfully, they don't have ND's talent.

6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.

Vanderbilt kept trying to “directional kick” away from Velus Jones and ending up with shanked punts or kickoffs that went out of bounds setting up the Vols with good field position.

7. Carry the fight to Vanderbilt and keep it there for sixty minutes,

Many moons ago, Vol legend Joe Thompson used to be on the post-game show. After a hard-fought win against Vandy he intoned, “At the end of the day, they are still Vanderbilt and we're still TENNESSEE!”

May it ever thus be so.

Suggested Reading

Benson Bobrick, Master of War: The Life of General George H. Thomas

Shelby Foote, The Civil War, A Narrative: Volume III Red River to Appomattox

Wiley Sword, The Confederacy's Last Hurrah: Spring Hill. Franklin & Nashville

General Ulysses Grant (NARA)

Ulysses S. Grant.jpg

General William T. Sherman (NARA)

General_William_T._Sherman.jpg

General George H Tomas (NARA)

George_Henry_Thomas_-_Brady-Handy.jpg
 
#2
#2
Well, Grant was usually drunk, so that may explain his look of wanting to be elsewhere, probably in his tent with a bottle. Sherman was crazy, no doubt about it, but he did understand the idea of total war being necessary to defeat the South. Thomas was an accomplished general with no liking of the politics of the US War Dept. Who can blame him.
Thanks for the walk down the road of history. Great work as always.
 
#4
#4
So many people act like JE Johnston was a military genius and I have no idea why. I agree with you OMG that he was an incompetent boob…only knew how to go backwards.

I do think Thomas has a strong claim to the best commander in the field of the Union, but Grant and Sherman both showed a knack for getting people to move later in the war and pulling off more bold maneuvers in a big picture sense. Not much of a huge gap regardless of how one ranks, as all three were superb. It also is important, even though definitely late, that Thomas was eventually pushed to MG USA. Very few men exited the war at that rank.
 
#5
#5
Stellar as usual and a fine, fine way to wrap up the regular season.

In regards to the trip to South Bend, I emphatically agree. Having seen now two games at Notre Dame I can say the overall experience is one of the best in all of football. If anyone is a fan of the sport, a trip to Rockne's is a must.

Thank you again my friend for an exemplary season of lessons, musings, and keen insights.

Bring on bowl opponent - GO VOLS !!!
 
#8
#8
OMG this came out so fast, I wonder if it wasn't prepared beforehand. Just kidding, another great read and congrats on marking a few things off your bucket list.

I have been working on the George Thomas trilogy all season. As soon as I got Mill Springs done, it became obvious that Chickamauga (Georgia) and Nashville (Vandy) would follow on. I had the history part done by the time I left to go to Saturday's game.

The rant at the beginning had it origin in that trip to the head at Neyland. The troughs referenced are rusted on the bottom and literally would not look out of place in a old barn. That's one of those "Really?" things. I was embarrassed that visiting team fans (a number of whom sit up there) would see this. I didn't have the guts to look in the toilet stalls.

UT likes to boast about its great facilities, but in many ways, Neyland Stadium is a dump. The `section my seats are in, QQ, hasn't had anything done to it since that part of the upper deck opened a half century ago.

Neyland Stadium is literally UT's front porch. Using that analogy, too much of it looks like an abandoned farmhouse in Bucksnort. There is rust EVERYWHERE! How in the hell does an athletics dept with millions at its disposal let that happen? I believe the last time it was repainted was in the early days of Doug Dickey's stint as AD or possibly under Bob Woodruff.

Like I said, it's attention to the details. It's not all that hard and one would think with a huge number of students on some kind of a work-study grant, they could find people to operate leaf blowers and pressure washers.

I REALLY like the idea of the "Guest Services" people. I can see two or three dozen old grads in orange "Ray Mears" blazers acting as guides and information sources for fans coming to the game, particularly those coming for the first time or from visiting teams.

Again, it's not hard.
 
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#9
#9
They sure like taking our money and have improved some things but would not cost much to freaking make it more presentable. We will see what these renovations which have moved me out of my seats will bring forth. For the record, I have better seats now so it all worked out.
 
#10
#10
Thank you for another great week of historical reading that educates the masses. Having went to an ND/ UT game several years ago, I can confirm the pleasantry of the trip and the overall atmosphere presented by the campus and home team fans. I asked a tailgating group who were one of the many that let us Orange wearing fans partake in their festivities, if they were always that friendly to opposing team. The unanimous response was yes EXCEPT to Miami and USC.OMG, Glad you got to experience your own trip and blessing us with your knowledge and writing skills. If there is ever a “Ring of Honor” for Vol fans, you would be one of my selections. God Bless you for your diligence.
 
#11
#11
Good job OMG. Thanks

And.....

Oh! You can talk about your Beauregard
And sing of General Lee!
But the Gallant Hood of Texas
Sure raised hell in Tennessee!


Seems like I read somewhere the last line went like this...

Played hell in Tennessee!
 
#12
#12
Good job OMG. Thanks

And.....

Oh! You can talk about your Beauregard
And sing of General Lee!
But the Gallant Hood of Texas
Sure raised hell in Tennessee!


Seems like I read somewhere the last line went like this...

Played hell in Tennessee!

I think you are right. I was doing it from memory.
 
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#13
#13
I have been working on the George Thomas trilogy all season. As soon as I got Mill Springs done, it became obvious that Chickamauga (Georgia) and Nashville (Vandy) would follow on. I had the history part done by the time I left to go to Saturday's game.

The rant at the beginning had it origin in that trip to the head at Neyland. The troughs referenced are rusted on the bottom and literally would not look out of place in a old barn. That's one of those "Really?" things. I was embarrassed that visiting team fans (a number of whom sit up there) would see this. I didn't have the guts to look in the toilet stalls.

UT likes to boast about its great facilities, but in many ways, Neyland Stadium is a dump. The `section my seats are in, QQ, hasn't had anything done to it since that part of the upper deck opened a half century ago.

Neyland Stadium is literally UT's front porch. Using that analogy, too much of it looks like an abandoned farmhouse in Bucksnort. There is rust EVERYWHERE! How in the hell does an athletics dept with millions at its disposal let that happen? I believe the last time it was repainted was in the early days of Doug Dickey's stint as AD or possibly under Bob Woodruff.

Like I said, it's attention to the details. It's not all that hard and one would think with a huge number of students on some kind of a work-study grant, they could find people to operate leaf blowers and pressure washers.

I REALLY like the idea of the "Guest Services" people. I can see two or three dozen old grads in orange "Ray Mears" blazers acting as guides and information sources for fans coming to the game, particularly those coming for the first time or from visiting teams.

Again, it's not hard.
I’ll sign the petition for improvements.

As for the “Neyland greeters,” I might volunteer for little more than lodgings once I finally retire. Tin Man, we’ve got you with the Smiths for Friday & Saturday night. You’ll have a private bedroom and share the guest bathroom with one other. We’ve got parking for you on campus. See you at the meeting, Friday.
 
#14
#14
Thanks again, OMG. Always a great lesson. I have always wondered at the designation of Army of Tennessee or Army of the Tennessee. Which is correct? Another question is how will all the fans wash their hands if we do away with the troughs? And, are there troughs in the women’s restrooms? 😀
 
#15
#15
Quote of the month:
"1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.

Vanderbilt's major mistake is to have stayed in the SEC long after their “sell by” date. Yes, I get it that VU is a Charter Member of the SEC, but so were Georgia Tech and Tulane."
 
#16
#16
Thanks again, OMG. Always a great lesson. I have always wondered at the designation of Army of Tennessee or Army of the Tennessee. Which is correct? Another question is how will all the fans wash their hands if we do away with the troughs? And, are there troughs in the women’s restrooms? 😀

In response to the second part, I'll quote an old joke. Seems a Tennessee fan and an Auburn fan were in the bathroom at the stadium. After finishing, the Tennessee fan started to leave without out washing his hands. The Auburn fan shouted, "Hey, Tennessee, at Auburn they teach us to wash our hands after using the bathroom!" The Tennessee fan stopped and answered, "Well, at Tennessee they teach us not to pi** on our hands."

The answer to the first question is, "Yes."

The Union Army named its field armies after rivers, hence the Army of the Potomac, Army of the Cumberland, and the Army of the Tennessee.

The Confederates named theirs after states or regions, therefore the Army of Northern Virginia, Army of Mississippi, and the Army of Tennessee.
 
#17
#17
Thanks for another wonderful entry in our post game activities OMG. My wife and I attended the Notre Dame vs Navy game a few years ago at ND stadium. It was the game where Navy finally broke the winning streak ND had over them. It was a wonderful experience, especially for this old Navy guy.
 
#18
#18
Sherman literally was crazy, at the start of the war, but recuperated and rejoined the army. I guess he was always a bit crazy after that. That's not necessarily a bad thing for a general in a war that bloody.
 
#19
#19
Sherman literally was crazy, at the start of the war, but recuperated and rejoined the army. I guess he was always a bit crazy after that. That's not necessarily a bad thing for a general in a war that bloody.

I visited the Spring Hill battle site on Veteran's Day. They had a copy of "Company AYTCH" by Sam Watkins in the gift shop, and I had always wanted to read it so picked it up. Finished it just last night. All the talk of those battles was very familiar, though as Sam often says in his book, he was not writing history but more like a memoir from the private's perspective. Nevertheless your various battle descriptions above are very familiar. Watkins was one of the men driven off Lookout Mountain, for instance, and his recalling of the Franklin and Nashville battles was tragic. He says he only survived Franklin because he was on the skirmish line and was driven to the far left flank of the Union.

I learned a lot from reading that, as it motivated me to go online and read more on the battles he described, since he "was just a poor private who is not trying to write a history but only share his remembrances after 20 years". One of the interesting things I learned was that the Union charge against Lookout Mountain went right across I-75 right by Moccasin Bend, the infamous "malfunction junction" in Chatanooga that is almost always jammed up and likely will never get fixed. I was aware there was a battle on Lookout mountain of course, even visited the site back in 98, but never realized the Yanks charged right across what I drive over several times a year traversing between Huntsville AL and Knoxville, and am often stopped in traffic on.

Anyway, great read as usual, keep up the good work.
 
#20
#20
OMG, thank you for another outstanding year of war stories that relate to our beloved VOLS and their battle for the week. I hope you do one for the bowl game.

Regardless, God bless. And best to you and your family this Holiday season. Look forward to 2022!
 
#21
#21
So many people act like JE Johnston was a military genius and I have no idea why. I agree with you OMG that he was an incompetent boob…only knew how to go backwards.

I do think Thomas has a strong claim to the best commander in the field of the Union, but Grant and Sherman both showed a knack for getting people to move later in the war and pulling off more bold maneuvers in a big picture sense. Not much of a huge gap regardless of how one ranks, as all three were superb. It also is important, even though definitely late, that Thomas was eventually pushed to MG USA. Very few men exited the war at that rank.

Johnston and Sherman had known each other before the war and became close friends afterward.

There are Confederate graves at Arlington. You can tell them because the head stones have pointed tops. At one point Sherman wrote Johnston asking if they shouldn't round over the Confederate headstones to match the Union ones as a sign of the healing after the war. Johnston refused stating he didn't want any Yankees sitting on them!

On 14 February 1891, Sherman died of pneumonia in New York City. President Benjamin Harrison (himself a Civil War officer) ordered all US flags lowered to half-staff nationwide. This was back when that was a rare honor for anyone.

One of his pallbearers was Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston stood bareheaded throughout the ceremonies on 19 February despite it being cold and rainy. Someone told Johnston he should put on his hat lest he catch cold. Johnston answered, "If I were in his (Sherman's) place, and he were standing in mine, he would not put on his hat."

Johnston did catch a cold and died ten days later later of pneumonia.

General Joseph E. Johnston (NARA)

Joseph_Johnston.jpg
 
#22
#22
I went to the ND/Navy game at south bend in 2019 and it was a fantastic experience. Their game day atmosphere is great and I was shocked at how simple it was getting in and out of the city. I mean… the place is literally surrounded by cornfields on all sides so I shouldn’t have been surprised.
 
#24
#24
Well my friend, I expect that you'll do one of these after our Bowl Game.

After that we'll hit the offseason and it will be a very long time before I can enjoy another of these from you.

I shall miss you terribly and will look forward to after our 1st game WIN so I can read another of these outstanding posts from you.

May God bless and keep you and your family safe and well and may you all have a very merry CHRISTmas and a fabulous New Year.

SEMPER FI!!!

VFL...GBO!!!
 
#25
#25
Shameless self promotion alert!!!

For those looking for last-minute stocking stuffers, my book, It Was A Two Egg Mission, is available through Amazon.

Just type in my name (Pat Gang) or the title!

Mrs. OMG says thanks!

Oh, and a very merry Christmas to one and all!

amazon cover.jpg
 

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