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AU’s Draft Picks Navigate NFL Throughout four years of high school, Augusta, Ga., native Carlos Rogers salivated over the idea of someday playing football within the concrete bleachers of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Been there, done that. Now, Rogers’ days are reserved for the practice field, and his nights are spent studying the voluminous playbook of his new coach, NFL legend Joe Gibbs. “It’s like being a freshman again,” says Rogers during a short break from the grind of Washington Redskins training camp. He may be on a different team in a different city, but reminders of Rogers’ glory days as Auburn University’s star R For the first time in AU history, four Tigers were cornerback are still around. After all, he drafted in the first round in the same year—an wasn’t the only Tiger to be drafted by SEC record. The players: running back Ronnie the Redskins. But while Jason Campbell Brown, Miami Dolphins; running back Carnell figures to spend his inaugural pro season “Cadillac” Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; and cornerback Carlos Rogers and quarterback holding a clipboard, Rogers is expected Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins. to play a prominent role in the revamped Washington secondary. R The trio of Campbell, Brown and Williams represents the first college backfield to be drafted in Washington fans are hopeful their top the first round of the same season. draft pick—renowned as a leader on the field—will lead a resurgence for a R Brown is the highest-drafted Auburn player once-proud franchise that hasn’t since Vincent “Bo” Jackson was named first overall pick of the 1986 NFL draft. been to the playoffs in five years. R Rogers is the highest-drafted defensive back in It wouldn’t be the first Auburn’s history. Campbell is the first Auburn quarterback ever to be selected in the first comeback Rogers helped round. engineer, as Auburn fans can attest. But though he enjoyed his time on the Plains, NFL rookies don’t have the luxury of looking back. “I don’t even think about it anymore,” says last year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner about Auburn’s undefeated 2004 campaign. “I’m going to miss it, but I’ve got to focus on what I’m doing now. But I’ll miss the fans, and I’ll miss the group of guys we had.” Rogers says he was “praying” Campbell would still be available when the Redskins made their second first-round pick. “It makes it easier having someone you know going through this with you,” says Rogers of his teammate and close friend. Rogers will bump heads with his old roommate in November as the Redskins face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their own top draft pick, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams. The contest presents Auburn fans with a single deeply profound question: Who do you root for when a pair of former AU All-Americans face off on opposing teams? Photos by Todd Van Emst
Football Draft Scoreboard
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Carlos Rogers (left and above) won the 2004 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and finished his Auburn career with 50 games and 44 starts. He and collegiate teammates Ronnie Brown, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and Jason Campbell comprised Auburn’s own “Fantastic Four” as NFL first-round draft picks this spring. WWW. AUALUM .ORG
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Auburn women’s swim team captain Kirsty Coventry this summer became the first woman in AU history to receive the SEC’s Female Athlete of the Year award. In 2004, she became the first Auburn woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
Learning Curve For Rogers, the point is moot. He says he’s happy to be a Redskin, and not just because that’s what the rookie handbook dictates. He appreciates the team’s rich history, as well as its fervent fan base, which makes the game day atmosphere in D.C. seem practically collegiate. “They know what it takes to win here,” he says. “I think we’re going to be pretty good. We got a lot of new weapons, and all the guys here are focused on getting this team back in the playoffs where we belong.” As for Auburn’s future, Rogers advises opponents not to take the fresh-faced Tigers lightly. He thinks the team will benefit from lowered expectations, as was the case last season. “I’ve been in that situation before,” Rogers says. “A lot of these guys are in their third year, and that’s when you really start to see most players get better. And David Irons at cornerback is going to really take over this year, I believe. I like his style of play.” Rogers also says he expects sophomore defensive end Stanley McClover to continue to develop into an impact player up front: “He’s going to be a force.”
Photo by Todd Van Emst
AU’s Coventry named 2004-05 SEC Athlete of the Year Auburn star swimmer and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry recently was named the Southeastern Conference’s Roy F. Kramer Female Athlete of the Year by a vote of the league’s athletics directors. “I am honored and happy,” the 21-year-old Zimbabwe native said following the June announcement. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, coaches and family, and all the love and support they have given me through the years.” Coventry is the first Auburn woman to be honored with the SEC award, joining fellow AU athletes and Male Athlete-of the-Year counterparts Bo Jackson (1986), swimmer Rowdy Gaines (1981), and track-and-field standout Harvey Glance (1976). The 2005 Honda Award Winner for Swimming, Coventry finished her collegiate career by capturing three individual titles at the 2005 NCAA Championships. She won the 200-meter backstroke for the second consecutive season, swept the individual medley events and claimed the most points of any individual at the meet—a historic first for an Auburn swimmer. At the 2004 Olympics, Coventry won gold in the 200-meter backstroke, silver in the 100-meter backstroke and bronze in the 200-meter individual medley. She finished her career with seven NCAA titles and 24 career All-American honors.
Flashback 1985: Auburn’s Bo Jackson wins Heisman As Ronald Reagan ran the country, Auburn football dynamo Vincent “Bo” Jackson ran the ball. And ran. And ran. And ran. It’s been two decades since Jackson’s remarkable college career as a champion AU running back, but fans still remember him as the athlete who could do it all. After winning the Heisman Memorial Trophy Award in 1985, the Bessemer native left school to pursue a professional career, serving four seasons with the Oakland Raiders and eight seasons as a major league baseball player, including stints with the Kansas City Royals, the Chicago White Sox and the California Angels. He later returned to Auburn to complete his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in family and child development in 1995. A self-taught gourmet cook, Jackson, 42, now co-owns N’Genuity Enterprises, a food, technology and staffing company based in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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It’s hard to miss Larry Balko ’94 in the sea of tailgaters that congregate before Auburn University football games, and not just because he’s worn the same orange-and-blue Hawaiian shirt for the past seven years. He arrives, no sooner, no later, than 7:30 a.m., parking his customized blue-and-orange Ford pick-up, adorned with exactly 30 War Eagle magnets, outside Jordan-Hare Stadium’s Gate 1. In his pocket he carries an orange-and-blue marble, a lucky rock and a Lone Star bottle cap (in honor of his birthplace).
is painted orange and blue, with a border depicting the AU fight song. (For Christmas last year, Balko received a music box that plays the song, which he cranks up whenever guests drop in.)
“I’m very, very superstitious,” understates Balko, 37, a golf course superintendent who lives in Chelsea. For example, he no longer visits Tiger Walk before a game because, the last time he did, Auburn lost.
EYE of the beholder
He faithfully drives the same route on football Saturdays, stopping each time at the McDonald’s in Childersburg, never deviating from a breakfast of two bacon, egg and cheese McMuffins. Once he sees the “Welcome to Auburn” roadside sign, he pops open a cold Miller Lite.
Balko’s fanaticism isn’t foreign to the Southeastern Conference, the home league of the country’s most dedicated football fans. Of course, that adjective gets switched to “obnoxious” when describing the other school’s faithful, such as fans of the universities of Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
It’s all about tradition for Balko, who says he fell in love with Auburn the first time he stepped on campus. Part of his tailgating routine includes grilling Nutter Butter cookies (“I swear they taste delicious”), and he’s glad to share them with Tiger fans, who are encouraged to swat the elephant doll he hangs from a nearby pole as they pass by en route to the stadium. But whatever you do, don’t attempt to repay his hospitality with a Budweiser or Coca-Cola. It has nothing to do with taste but instead a certain rival university in Tuscaloosa; “I just don’t use, or wear, or buy anything that has the color red in it,” says Balko, who named his youngest daughter Tatum Auburn. Further proving the point, he replaced the red flag on his mailbox with an orange-and-blue one. His home is an unapologetic shrine to the Tigers, says Balko, who admits to shedding a tear whenever he sees the War Eagle fly. His office
“I’m fanatical, no doubt,” he says. “There’s something about Auburn that is like no other place in the world.”
“Oh, LSU is the worst,” declares Greg Peoples ’96, a special agent with the Georgia Office of the Inspector General, who is part of Balko’s tailgating posse. “I’m not as superstitious, but I’m just as passionate as Larry is. I can’t control it. I’m just in love with Auburn.”
Bringing up a Tiger cub Don’t risk your kid’s defection. Start early, and your baby will be reciting the Auburn creed by the time kindergarten rolls around:
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Forget “dada” and “mama.” Teach phonics by repeatedly enunciating “WWWWWW-AAAA-RRRRRRRRR EEEEEE---GGGGGG----LLLLL.”
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Stick to one decorating theme. From cradle to college, tiger-striped bedding, stuffed Aubies and orange-and-blue window treatments grow with your child.
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Take a trip to the zoo. Show her only the tiger and eagle exhibits, and explain that all other animals are inferior.
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Encourage an emotional investment in toilet paper. Take your kid to the nearest warehouse store, allow him to choose whatever brand of toilet paper he likes, then buy it in whatever quantity he thinks will cover a square block. (It’s a math lesson, too!)
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Avoid bad influences. Aunt Edna went to Alabama? Ban any contact with your kid.
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Club Fun in Your Town
Tailgating 101
Can’t make it to Auburn? Chances are there’s a football watching party near you:
WHAT TIME SHOULD I GET THERE?
Shelby County, AL The Shelby County Auburn Club hosts its “Claws vs. Paws 2005” watching party and fundraising event Nov. 12 at Old Baker Farm in conjunction with the Auburn vs. Georgia game. Part of the proceeds go to the Shelby County Humane Society. Also, former gridiron greats compete in unusual competitions at the Legends Iron Bowl Challenge on Nov. 16 to raise money for Making Strides of Alabama and celebrate the Auburn vs. Alabama rivalry. Contact: John Needham, (205) 733-0700 Ext. 5017 or jcneedham@charter.net.
Phoenix, AZ
Tailgating in the core of campus is allowed only after 4 p.m. Friday before home games. For safety’s sake, a number of RVs with permits will be allowed into parking areas at noon Friday. RVs arriving prior to the designated time may park in the large grass parking areas at the corner of Donahue and Lem Morrison drives beginning at 4 p.m. Wednesday. RVs must leave campus by 4 p.m. Sunday.
CAN I COME REALLY, REALLY EARLY AND SAVE MY FAVORITE SPOT? Sorry, no. Reserving tailgating spots using stakes, ropes, ribbons, tape, chairs, tables, tents, vehicles or other items is not allowed until 4 p.m. Friday except for specifically permitted university events. Items found before that are subject to removal without notice or reimbursement.
I’M RUNNING LATE. CAN’T I JUST PARK ON THE SIDEWALK?
The Phoenix Metro Auburn Club meets at Indigo Joe’s Sports Pub, 2855 N. Power Road, Mesa, Ariz. Contact: Senta Ridgway, (602) 625-0527 or senta222@hotmail.com.
Washington, D.C. The Metro Washington Auburn Club meets at the Crystal City Sports Pub, 529 South 23rd St., Arlington, Va. Contact: Sentell Barnes, sbarnes@trainingpro.com.
Jacksonville, FL The Jacksonville Auburn Club meets at Bogey Grille on A1A in Ponte Vedra Beach just south of State Road 210. Contact: Kathy Harris, jmh87@dnamail.com.
Tampa, FL The Tampa Bay Auburn Club meets at Champions Sports Bar in the Tampa Marriott Westshore, 1001 N. Westshore Blvd. Contact: Skip Ryan, info@tampabayauburnclub.com.
Nashville, TN The Greater Nashville Auburn Association meets at Box Seat in Nashville’s Green Hills area; Bleachers Sports Grill in Franklin; and Fanatics Fun Eatery in the Doubletree Hotel, Murfreesboro. Contact: Bill Stone, (615) 844-3243 or bstone@harriselectricsupply.com.
www.aualum.org/clubs
No. It’s not safe for pedestrians and can make it difficult for emergency vehicles to pass. Vehicles are not allowed inside areas enclosed by bollards, posts, chains or fences. Cars in these areas or those found blocking roadways, sidewalks, emergency lanes, fire hydrants, driveways or other vehicles are subject to being towed at the owner’s expense.
WHERE’S THE RESTROOM? Tailgaters can use portable restrooms at various locations on campus.
I WANT TO CAMP ALL WEEKEND AND HAVE A HUGE PARTY. IS THAT OK? Special permits are required for large tents and outdoor entertainment with amplified sound. Tent permit requests should be made at least 14 days in advance to Carol Cadenhead at (334) 844-9572 (cadence@ auburn.edu). Outdoor entertainment permit requests also must be submitted at least 14 days in advance. Contact Patsy Rowell at (334) 844-9450 (eventc@ auburn.edu). Neither tent permits nor entertainment permits constitute site reservations.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT USING MY GRILL ON CAMPUS? Grills are not allowed within 50 feet of campus buildings or in other designated no-grill areas. All fires must be contained within grills or other containers designed specifically for that purpose. Extinguish charcoal fires thoroughly with water before leaving them unattended. Place extinguished charcoal in designated containers or remove from campus for disposal. And please—don’t dump charcoal on the ground or in dumpsters.
www.auburn.edu/gameday
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Like many of the more rabid Tiger supporters, Peoples, 31, was raised to bleed orange and blue, even though he grew up amid Georgia Bulldog fans in Lilburn, Ga. And his blood hasn’t thinned. Peoples’ doorbell, along with his cellular phone, chime the Auburn fight song. While not as compulsive as Balko, he does have some routines he follows on game days, such as wearing the same Bo Jackson jersey and orange shorts. And, just as his father did, Peoples is intent on passing down the family religion to his 3-year-old son. “He already knows the cheer,” says the proud papa, adding that his son always perks up when the sees the War Eagle.
A FAMILY thing Whether they grew up watching football games with their fathers or simply adopted an allegiance upon attending the university, Auburn fans are unified about what completes their devotion: the holy trinity of place, people and team. Through the shared bond, lifelong friendships are nurtured. “The first time I stepped on campus it was just a different feeling from Clemson,” says emergency-management officer Mike Freeman, raised a fan of those “other” Tigers. “It’s like you walked into a family you didn’t know you had. The whole community stands behind the university, and that’s one of the things I love about Auburn.” The 33-year-old showcases his adoration with an “AU” tattoo on his right arm. And he doesn’t step outside his house in Easley, S.C., before putting on some piece of orange clothing. “It’s a part of me,” says Freeman, who is hoping to engineer a move to Auburn soon. “It’s not just the sports; it’s the whole university. I feel blessed I had the opportunity to go there.” SUMMER 2005
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But it’s the sports teams—in particular the football squad—that wreak havoc with his emotions: “If we lose, it’s like someone’s punched me in the stomach,” says Freeman, who shares his insights in a weekly newsletter tailored for his local Auburn fan club. “When we win, it’s like I’m walking on air.” That’s how it is with love. The pleasure is always accompanied by some pain, but in the world of fandom, there’s little you can do to control it. You’re at the mercy of relative strangers. “If we beat Georgia and Alabama, then I know it’s going to be a happy Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas,” Peoples says. “If we lose, well, you know.” And that applies equally to those forced into a longdistance relationship, as is the case with technology consultant Greg Flores ’94 of San Antonio. “I remember going to bed when I was growing up to an old 45 album I had that played t he Auburn f ight song,” says Flores, 35, who says his passion for the Tigers intensified as a student. “There’s an electricity on campus that you can’t escape.” Although he lives a long day’s drive from Auburn, Flores still attends most home contests. He’s got tickets for five games this year, and “nothing short of a death in the family” is going to change that sch edule. “When I hit the county lines, all the memories and excitement come f lying back,” says F lores, who has a few traditions of his own. He recently introduced a series of “ugly shirts” to his wardrobe: loud, orange-and-blue Hawaiian tops. This year he’ll have shoes to match, a pair of customized Nike tennis shoes adorned with the university colors, orange with a blue stripe. His office is similarly color-coordinated, painted orange (with a blue sofa) and “not a trace of red.” Although he follows the team as closely as he did as a student, Flores says it can get lonely being a Tiger fan in the heart of “Big 12” country, where the football talk centers on the universities of Texas and Oklahoma, a rivalry akin to that of Auburn and Alabama. “It gets a little old, seeing nothing but Texas stuff all around,” he says. “One day we were in the grocery store, and we spotted someone wearing Alabama stuff. He and I started getting on each other right away. We were even picking on each other’s groceries. He was yelling ‘Roll Tide,’ and I was screaming back ‘War Eagle.’ “I think we were both just relieved to have someone, even if it was a Tide fan, who knew what the other was talking about.”
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other things to do at AU
Football not your thing? There’s still plenty of action on the Plains:
1. See a play. The AU theater department presents “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” Sept. 27-Oct. 9 in the Telfair Peet Theatre on campus. www.auburn.edu/academic/liberal_arts/theatre
2. Peruse an art exhibit. “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend,” featuring work by southwest Alabama’s famous seamstresses, will be on display Sept. 11-Dec. 4 at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art on South College Street. www.julecollinssmithmuseum.com
3. Shop for fresh produce. The open-air farmer’s market at Ag Heritage Park offers fruits, vegetables, honey, cheeses, herbs, cut flowers and more from 4-7 p.m. Thursday afternoons through Sept. 29, rain or shine. www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/2005/market
4. Visit the alumni center. Stop by and say “hi” for a break from the heat. Be sure to pick up information on reunions, away-game travel, pleasure trips, and other events and services. Open 7:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Monday-Friday and three hours prior to home football games on Saturday. www.aualum.org
5. Walk through the Davis Arboretum. Trails meander among 150 species of trees native to Alabama and the Southeast. Located at South College Street and Garden Drive. Open sunrise to sunset. 6. Check out a book. Auburn alumni have borrowing privileges at all AU campus libraries. Go on, browse our stacks—you’ve got 2.5 million volumes to choose from. www.lib.auburn.edu/alumserv
7. Shop for souvenirs. We know you’re dying for an orange-and-blue feather boa and an Aubie soap dispenser. Locations everywhere. 8. Take a hike. Chewacla State Park’s 700 acres present plenty of possibilities. www.alapark.com
9. Grab your camera. Forget the grip-and grins; walk the campus and zoom in on Auburn’s quiet spots: an architectural detail or a brilliantly blooming bud. Print your shots in black-and-white and have them professionally matted and framed for a subdued display of spirit. 10. Gulp a lemonade. Some things never change—like Alabama’s sweltering latesummer heat and Toomer’s Drugs’ classic lemonade recipe. Pucker up. www.shop-toomers.com
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WOMEN gone wild It’s not just men who live for Saturdays in the fall. Those who’ve witnessed the scene inside and outside JordanHare Stadium can attest to that, as otherwise modest mothers and businesswomen let loose their inhibitions, painting their faces and unleashing guttural War Eagle chants as loud as any macho beer guzzler in the stands. “I’ve gone hoarse before (at games),” admits Jenni Hilton ’93, mother of toddler Megan, who, she points out, has auburn hair and blue eyes. Megan attended the first of what will be many games last year.
RIDE THE SHUTTLE. Bus service to and from the stadium is available from several locations, including Colonial University Village mall, 1627 Opelika Road, and Tigertown shopping center just off I-85 at Exit 58. TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED. The College Street exit (Exit 51) off I-85 into Auburn will likely be under construction throughout the 2005 football season. After the game, fans traveling northbound on I-85 toward Atlanta can take Glenn Avenue east to Exit 57 or Exit 58; fans planning to take I-85 southbound toward Montgomery can take Wire Road to Exit 42.
AVOID CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION. A number of building projects will be under way throughout the football season. Check the game day Web site before each home game for specific closings, detours and maps.
Hilton and her husband Robbie met at Auburn, “back when I had really big hair,” she says. Going to football games was part of their courtship and remains a big part of their marriage. The Hiltons, who live in Cumming, Ga., merged with another tailgating group a few years ago and now share the pre-game tradition with, as she calls them, “20 to 30 of our closest friends. We have a high-tech friend who brings the satellite dish, a tent, turkey from the fryer, you name it. “You could say we have come a long way from the Milwaukee’s Best college days,” she says. “We’ve taken tailgating to a higher level.” Hilton was instantly hooked on Auburn and the football team upon moving into her freshman dorm, right next to the stadium. Once she attended her first Auburn-Alabama game, there was no turning back. “It created such an atmosphere—I mean, how could you not get into it?” Hilton says.
www.auburn.edu/gameday
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Need some inspiration for your tailgating party? Try this chili recipe from “There’s a Tiger in the Kitchen,” a new cookbook compiled by the women of AU’s Panhellenic Council. The book’s sales benefit the James E. and Emma O. Foy Spirit Scholarship.
www.auburn.edu/panhellenic/bookpage
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CRADLE to grave When J.R. Parrish started his freshman year at Auburn in 1950, the school was still known as the Auburn Polytechnic Institute, and Ralph “Shug” Jordan wasn’t the coach yet—though, fortunately for Parrish, the athletic department’s soon-to-be icon would take over the following season, reversing the fortunes of what was then a woeful team. “We were terrible,” admits Parrish ’54, a Winder, Ga., city councilman. “Georgia Tech was our big rival back then. They beat us all four years I was there. But the spirit was always there, even when we were losing. Of course, all that started changing when Coach Jordan took over. The whole psyche of the team seemed different.” More than a half-century later, Parrish, 74, remains one of Auburn’s most fervent followers, and his children and grandchildren have followed his lead. “We know we stink of Auburn,” he offers, “but we have a lot of our heart in Auburn. We still have the passion for it we did in school— more so. I’d say there’s some orange and blue in just about everything we own.” He confesses to speechlessness whenever the War Eagle flies. “I hurt badly when we lose,” says Parrish, who recently purchased a condominium just off campus. “I go into a blue funk for several days, replaying the game in my mind over and over. Then I get all worried about how it might affect recruiting. It’s not something I’ve grown out of, to tell you the truth.”
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On game days, he’s energized with a spirit that belies his age. The generation gap disappears as he sits in the stands with his college sweetheart, Carole, feeling almost as if he’s a student again, watching API play in a stadium much less than half the size of the current one. And then there are the fans who continue to honor their alma mater even after uttering their last battle cry. Phil Jones ’56 graduated two years after Parrish, but sadly did not make it to see last season’s undefeated campaign. “Everyone who saw me who knew my husband would say they knew Phillip Jones was up there in heaven cheering them on,” says his wife, Ruth Jones of Americus, Ga., a Florida State graduate who converted to Auburn fandom at her husband’s behest. “I haven’t been able to go back yet (to Auburn),” says Jones, who attended hundreds of games with her husband over the years. Two of their sons also attended Auburn. “I will one day, but right now it’s just too tough. “Tiger football was practically his whole life,” she adds. “He loved them no matter what, win or lose. It kind of epitomized him.” So, upon his death two years ago, Jones decided to place a tribute to her husband’s second love on his tombstone: the Auburn logo. “It hit me one day. He loved Auburn, and I wanted it to go down in history. “I knew he would approve.”
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They also aired their gripes. “Fans were pleased that the university was, for the first time, asking them what they wanted for the game day experience,” said John Hachtel, AU’s assistant vice president for communications and marketing and chair of AU’s Game Day Committee.
About 200 AU football fans and tailgaters suggested ways to improve the game day experience during fan forums in Alabama and Georgia this spring.
“That had never happened before. There was plenty of criticism of the way the university had, over time, changed the regulations. But, along with the criticism, there were several good suggestions as to how game day rules could be better structured.” Fan forums were held in Atlanta, Auburn, Birmingham, Columbus, Ga., and Montgomery just in time for the committee to consider participants’ input before the beginning of the 2005 football season. “Some of the fans’ suggestions were viable and had great potential,” Hachtel added. “Others simply were not doable because of issues related to safety and the preservation of the academic integrity of the campus.” The number one concern: the shortage of close-in parking for tailgating parties. Auburn officials now are trying to find more parking spaces within a short walk of the stadium. One possibility will be a new parking lot at the site of the Caroline Draughon Village, Hachtel said. Fans who missed the forums can still voice their opinions and suggestions regarding game day by e-mailing:
gameday@auburn.edu
AUBURN TIGERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Sept. 3 Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov. 5 Nov. 12 Nov. 19
Opponent GEORGIA TECH MISSISSIPPI STATE BALL STATE WESTERN KENTUCKY (HC) SOUTH CAROLINA ARKANSAS LSU OLE MISS KENTUCKY GEORGIA ALABAMA
Location AUBURN AUBURN AUBURN AUBURN AUBURN Fayetteville, Ark. Baton Rouge, La. AUBURN Lexington, Ky. Athens, Ga. AUBURN
Get there with our away-game travel program! www.aualum.org/travel
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Drifting at sea for 75 days on a voyage of discovery, an Auburn alumnus fathoms anthropological and philosophical questions— and in the process, ďŹ nds himself.
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In Flight Jan. 21
What do I want to accomplish with the expedition? Why am I going?
I
n the spring of 2003, Rod McCurdy ’96 took a leave of absence from his position as Lucent Technologies’ Londonbased commercial director and traveled to Viña del Mar, Chile, to begin the journey of a lifetime. The goal: to advance the population migration theories of legendary Norwegian explorer and de facto anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl by building an ancient-style reed ship capable of sailing 12,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands and beyond. Along the way, McCurdy and his fellow sailors, under the leadership of professional adventurer Phil Buck, faced diminishing food supplies, deteriorating equipment, physical injury, and several narrow escapes from storms, rocks and 20-foot waves that threatened to destroy the 60-foot, 25-ton, handbuilt Viracocha II. “We were to be at sea 35 days on the trip’s first leg to Easter Island, sailing approximately 3,500 nautical miles,” McCurdy recently wrote to Auburn Magazine from his home in Singapore. “We had a near fatal and disastrous launch which caused severe damage to the ship. We decided to set sail, believing we could overcome the problems. “We ended up at sea 75 days, running out of food, living with rations and using a spear gun as a key means to win food and survive. The fact that we actually sailed to Easter Island—one of the most difficult islands in the world to navigate to due to its isolation and vortex currents from offshoots of the Humboldt Current—was a significant accomplishment.
Definitely it is the adventure. Each day can bring glory, danger, creatures from the depths, beauty, fury…but everyday, the unknowns are new. Right now, I’m not spiritual. I grew up Southern Baptist but have since resented the lack of choice and the rules it puts on you. I do believe all people should believe in something bigger than themselves. So, over the course of the expedition, will I become more spiritual? Another question!
Launch March 17
Left 5:30 p.m. March 17. Tow boat began pulling us. First sail up, 11:48 p.m.
March 18
Awake 6:15 a.m. Got to act quick. Sail is pinned backward against the mast. Not only are the sails backed but we have drifted five miles and continue drifting toward a large point of rocks off the port side. There is not enough wind to get us off. All this time I’ve been so optimistic. I really thought we could make it all the way to Australia. I still believe it, but not if we can’t get the boat to move. We still see land…Came the decision to man the Zodiac (motorized boat) and tow us (away from the rocks). Not in clear yet, but on our way.
March 24
It is the calm of the water, the blue, the glaring sun, the motion of the swells, the gentle rocking of the boat…the laziness of time…these things are such a stark contrast to war, to fear, to the hustle of busy streets and the pressure of deadlines. Life is great.
“We encountered, physical, human and natural challenges like none other.” McCurdy chronicled the adventure’s glory—and its hardships— on film and in a journal he kept while adrift at sea. The photo essay and diary entries that follow highlight four extraordinary months in the life of one Auburn alumnus. Auburn Magazine
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March 26
Our boat is sinking. Just last night on watch, Stephan tells me this boat is in worse shape than (Phil Buck’s) Viracocha I when it reached Easter Island. This is relative—even if true, it doesn’t mean this boat can’t get to Australia. I believe we can get to Australia, but we will have to work for it. Looks like we are moving 50 to 60 miles every 24 hours now. It is hard to draw a conclusion on exactly the rate at which we would reach Easter Island. We could arrive in a total of 40 days—I’m losing a sense for time and how much has passed and how much is in front of us.
March 27
Our power system continually deteriorates. The satellite phone is the only outside communication line, and its battery is low. We have no radar; we can’t be seen on someone else’s radar because we are a grass (nonmetallic) ship; no weather forecast—what are we steering into? The idea is that we have to take the weather as it comes—we really can’t maneuver well enough to steer around it anyway. Hopefully we will have a warning of a typhoon—but I don’t see how we could run from one either.
March 28
The sunrise was great—a light sprinkle produced a rainbow in front of us. You could actually see the end of the rainbow.
March 29
Loneliness; people around, but cut off. Cut off from the world around you, away from what comforts you. But with all long and lasting experiences and achievements, one must outlast the lows, climb over the hurdles and persevere to the end. The days move a bit slow right now. Little projects sparsely mixed in with naps, quiet, and either writing, cooking, reading or reorganizing the already organized groceries or personal belongings. Time passes almost effortlessly and sometimes with a sense of little accomplishment. We all are gathered around the table. Thom is just now gearing up to play the guitar. The Coleman lantern is putting off its three hours of light and heat. Inside the cabin, the wind is low. So it is quite cozy, though the never-ending rocking of the ocean is wearing on my nerves. The bow took its first wave on board today. The cabin is loosening and swaying more. The main sail has its grommets coming out—much more and it will need to be pulled down and repaired. It (Viracoha II) is a strong boat—a very strong boat—but its superstructure can only be weakened by the force of the Pacific. This is going to be one hell of a ride…Nothing is comfortable about it now, and I don’t see it getting any easier or better.
April 1
Highs and lows. It is days like this that I love being out here. Absolutely incredible. To have your tent, your domain, your doorstep open up to nearly 15,000 feet of the most beautiful color of water—nature beckoning at your welcome mat—is a treat that only the gods could create. Finally, from the depths and from the rear of the boat, on the starboard side, rise a school of mahi mahi! Big, very big. Along the coast of Florida, we have small ones. These were upward of 75 lbs. and 5 feet long. The colors were absolutely stunning, the most neon blues, greens and yellows—even gold! They were like kings and queens, they were so majestic.
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April 4
Sails are backed against the masts. All hands on deck. We pull, and pull, and pull on the main sail and hear the yard crack, but nothing breaks. Pull and pull on the mizzen sail…Crack! The yard of the middle is broken in half! We lowered it and moved the mizzen forward to allow for the main sail to be repaired and sew grommets. This place is a disaster. Very unclean; dishes from last night everywhere. We are all tired, exhausted and starving after a whole day and night unable to eat. Beautiful sunset. All colors. Great motivation after a very exhausting and frustrating day.
April 12
Amazing how in one day we can have a crisis, struggle and become dog tired, then almost want off the boat because of the pain in our hands, and eyes, and bodies and minds…Then the next three days are sunshine and perfect calm, and then my spirits are suddenly lifted, and I am so excited to be here. Ups and down, highs and lows—wow! Life at extremes!
April 15
Today is our 29th day at sea. We should arrive tomorrow in Easter Island according to our first predictions, and we are not even halfway yet...How life can be different than what we expect.
I’m washing my dishes on the starboard side, heading west. Sunset just in front of us. The colors are bright red and orange, fading into lighter shades until yellow, then greens, then the blues of heavens… It is moments like these that are surreal, nature’s gift…a masterpiece made, then wiped clean, except for the memories of the lucky few. No photograph could capture it.
April 18
Phil is taking inventory of our food. Obviously, given we are 30-something days into the voyage and not even halfway yet, we couldn’t have prepared enough food, though it’s close, I think. For sure it will get bland from here on out—rice, pasta, lemon juice…We have about two or three cups of sugar (one or two days supply). I really can’t believe we will soon be on rations.
April 21
At 4:45 a.m. I awake to the rustling of Phil near my bunk and also to the sound of howling winds! Phil says, “This could be the storm that has been overdue.” I had already thought that, and his reassurance didn’t help calm my slight fear. At 12:50 p.m. today we hit the 90th parallel. We are halfway to Easter Island! Today is our fifth-week anniversary. We are now in one of the most remote places in the world.
April 27
The Pacific gets it name from Magellan, who in 1519 sailed across the Pacific using the trade winds—three months, 20 days—no land except a few sand atolls inhabited. Not one storm; he called it Pacific because it was so passive and calm. How fooled he was. He died shortly after that voyage.
April 30
We’ve been weaving a mine field today of rain clouds; some we’ve missed, some we’ve skirted and others we’ve stepped into with both feet! It is eerie to be on watch alone in darkness. With a very accustomed eye, you can see the light, faded black/gray of the horizon, and then, scanning across, you can see the dense, black blotches signifying a squall. You are helpless as you steer, only hoping that they miss you, rather than you miss them.
“This could be the storm that has been overdue.”
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Later May 1
The spirits are starting to dwindle. I am on the edge of frustration, but I know we will get there. Yep, will need 60 days at least. Never would we have predicted that. Never.
May 4
One of the problems we have is that the wind hasn’t stopped but is blowing from the wrong direction. So, rather than drift…we are constantly fighting to hold ground, and try to gain a mile or so a day. Awful.
May 6
We have a week of supplies left, and afterwards it will be pasta, rice and salt, and whatever fish we can catch—which we saw not a one today. My estimate is at least A sunfish—to the bow of the boat I ran! One 20 days more to Easter Island. of my life’s dreams is to swim with one, even more so than a whale shark! There it is, a sunfish! I throw on my fins, grab mask I know I’ve grown in the last weeks, from simple things to more complex. I finally and snorkel, and head to the water’s edge. got my sea legs…Also, I have a new The sunfish approached us, swimming a wide circle around us 3 meters away at first, appreciation for time and patience, and then slowly closing in…After swimming and have developed a longing to read and truly understand the world I live in—not just pay sometimes pausing, just drifting/floating beside me, I gently reached out and touched a quarter and ride, looking out of windows. It is the journey, not the destination. his back—just a second as to not scare him. Skin felt like coarse sandpaper, though a beautiful, weird and unique ocean wonder! Some of the crew are considering leaving This was a life dream of an experience! the expedition upon reaching Easter Island. Wow!
May 1
May 8
May 10
Dad always told me to finish what you start, and I have always done that. I believe it is that point of extra effort—when you are ready to walk away from something tiring, grueling, and emotionally and physically draining—that character is built. I’ve got to stay in for the fight.
May 17
I’ve seen three or four softball-size buoys float by and am thinking how littered the ocean is. Now, more of them! It is a fish! A porcupine fish! It has a horn owl’s face and the head of a frog…beautiful.
May 23
SALA Y GOMEZ!! I awakened at 8:30 a.m. and saw my first glimpse of the lights off the starboard bow. My first feeling was happiness that we actually achieved something. Second was happiness that indeed we could sail a course, and we were not lost at sea. In the midst of all the challenges and problems, Sala Y Gomez has stepped forward from the horizon, encouraging us to stay strong. That we will do. In the end, through perseverance, patience and dedication, things come together. Although Easter Island is not our final destination, the past 3,000-plus miles have been fought with all our hearts and minds, and literally blood and sweat, not to mention the layers of skin, headaches and bruises, as well as interpersonal challenges and no luxury.
May 24
A MARLIN!! A marlin, marlin, marlin!! A marlin, we landed a marlin!!!!
May 26
Tenth week anniversary! We are tired, frustrated and hungry. The boat is nasty right now. The port side lists hard, and this accentuates the rocking motion significantly. The satellite phone is hit or miss, and the electrical system is shoddy and only supports the phone and video recorder, assuming people peddle the generator every day. There is no telling how far this boat will go. Things are starting to fall apart, though we have plans to fix them on Easter Island.
May 27 S UMMER 2005
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Excluding the peas and potatoes, we have 10 kg. of starches—rice, beans and pasta. We have seven days of rations left and could stretch them to 10 days.
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“One thing I’ve learned is May 28
The expedition is over on Easter Island. The boat is too far gone to withstand the potential storms we could face, and we can’t, professionally, risk our own lives because of the risk to our potential rescuers. The port side is too low, and the masts are weakening due to the wet reeds. If we faced a Force 10 storm, 30-foot seas would likely kill us. So, with this, we are now on our last days. It has been an honor, privilege and blessing to be here. I thank God, whomever he might be, for giving me this opportunity.
that storms pass. Rough seas, heavy rain and winds—all end in calm. When a storm comes, prepare yourself and ride it out—it will pass.”
One thing I’ve learned is that storms pass. Rough seas, heavy rain and winds—all end in calm. When a storm comes, prepare yourself and ride it out—it will pass. Could this be the lesson in patience I’d looked for in this expedition?
May 30
LAND, LAND, LAND! We are 31 miles away.
May 31
It is a happy moment. Standing on a rickety platform, though one that is symbolic of loyalty and patience, a friend…a teetering boat in front of you…one made of all natural materials. Bamboo, wood, ropes—a reed boat. One of the world’s most isolated islands, and one of the most mysterious places in the world, just to your right, the lights leading you in, almost tempting you to come. The sparkling of the phosphorescents stirring in the vortexes created by the rudder, leaving a glittery trail behind the boat. How many people in our time have been on a reed boat? There have been more astronauts than crew members on a reed boat. Auburn Magazine
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