The Best of College Sports

This afternoon, I witnessed (not in person, unfortunately) one of the greatest things I have seen in college sports in a long time. Today was the last game of the regular season for Auburn. It was also a home game, so that meant it was Senior Night. This is a team that has not been successful with the 'W', but they have never quit fighting. There were so many games they were RIGHT on the edge.

This afternoon, however, the won.  Here is where the great moment came in. It was nearly the end of the game. It was somewhat locked up that Auburn would win. The student section started chanting, 'We want Jake!! We want Jake!'  They were referring to Jake Drum, a walk- on (non sports-scholarship) Senior. He hasn't played any this season. I am not sure if he has played any other time before. When I could hear the uproar of the crowd, I knew he was going in, even though I couldn't see him yet.

So, in goes Jake. Lo and behold, he grabs a 'steal' and they moved it down the court. The ball is passed to Jake, and he goes up for a shot and is fouled. Then, he gets to go to the free throw line. I was sitting on my coffee table with tears in my eyes, pleading that he make his shots. He does!!! The student section (known as The Jungle) goes wild! It was really a special moment to watch, even on television. I love the underdog, and this kid scoring definitely fits as underdog in my eyes. I love sports anyway, especially college sports, and this is one of the reasons why I love it so much.

Then, he becomes a trending topic on twitter. So, if you saw, 'Jake Drum' (drumsanity) trending on twitter, now you know why.

Here goes my thanks list to the Auburn basketball Seniors:
Kenny Gabriel- You fought for what you wanted. Your path wasn't easy. You showed us high-flying acts of slam-dunking greatness, even when other things weren't great on the court. Thanks for your hard work and love for Auburn. I admire your dedication to the team and the university. Congrats on a win for the end of the season. Best wishes for a successful career.

Adrian Forbes- I don't know any backstory on you. However, I knw it was probably not the easiest path for you. You also showed great moments of basketball. You remained dedicated to your team. Thank you for being an Auburn man for this team. Congrats on the win today and best of luck in the future.

Tony Neysmith- I think you have a pretty cool name. There were probably times that you wanted to give in, but you did not. Hard work and dedication mean more than other things sometimes, even a W. Thank you for your dedication and hard work.

Jake Drum- It takes a lot to be a walk on for a college team. There is a lot of practice time. You didn't get the glory, and you didn't get your school paid for as others have. You didn't quit though. I am so glad you got a shining moment today. You deserve it. Thanks for being an Auburn man. I wish I could have seen it in person today.