Every year is different, and this is one where even the forced evolving plans CAME TOGETHER at an exceptional level. But it was the consistent execution by players that created the feelings of success on the sidelines and in the stands. Same plans with bad or even inconsistent execution could have made it look more like this year.
One bad pass, one dropped pass, one missed block, one fumble, or one missed tackle, one misread in the secondary, one too deep drop, one wrong lane at the line can change the dynamics of each drive. Stack up multiples and it gets away and starts bad mind games.
85’ will always be special to this old guy. Donahue story is great for me, he was the same age and grew up on adjoining farm to my Dad. They shared a lot of their youth, but not joined at the hip throughout their totally different adult lives. We still have a small portion of our farm, the Donohue place is now in the hands of another local sports figure I will not name, though a really nice humble guy.
I watched this game in my den of that time 8 miles west of Johnny Majors high school in Huntland just across the Lincoln County line. Have in-laws whose family baby sited Bobby back in the day, with pics to prove it. Wife is the native to this area. Will never forget the euphoria as Powell outran Blades down that sideline or the glee over the ever increasing sack stats on Testeverde. Memory ain’t what it used to be BUT these moments solidly survive. The PROMINENT UT reminder in my Aunt’s home is a large print of one of those sacks with Johnny’s image imposed on the border. You see, her Uncle was A wingback with Johnny at TB on those teams there. Last public picture I saw of Johnny was him sitting with my uncle at a table at a reunion there in Huntland in the local paper. Once again, not Bud’s for life, but friends of convenience.
SOOOO, loved all the reminders of this memory making game from multiple angles. As I have shared before, I have had more than my share of VOL blessings and am thankful.
Congratulations or condolences as applicable if you gutted it out and made it this far in my War and Peace length post.
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