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King for a day: for a guy who usually parties in a pickup, an all-access pass to the Orange Bowl is pure heaven

Sporting News, The, Jan 21, 2005 by Todd Jones

When you live in Alabama, as I do, being a college football fan is almost a birthright. On your birth certificate, after boy or girl is checked, you then must declare Alabama or Auburn.

Last week, I had the chance to do something I never thought I'd do. I got to cover the national championship game. I was a credentialed member of the media the whole week. Among other things, this meant I could run on the field when the game ended and not get arrested.

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When I arrived in Miami, where I will be setting up shop as a reliever for the Marlins this baseball season, I took a cab to get my credential. Security was so tight they might as well have taken blood, urine and skin samples to make sure it was me. Once I had my credential, I went to the media room, which was full to the rafters with Oklahoma and USC info. Every stat you can imagine. Both universities supplied nothing but good articles for their teams, and why not? But if I don't know a lot about a team, I want its bad stuff, too.

In the media room, I picked up maps of where I needed to be, how the field was going to be laid out and where all the parties would be. Big-dollar parties. You have to realize the only college football party I know is in the back of my buddy's pickup with a hibachi. If the meat's not spoiled, we're having a high-dollar party.

When game day rolled around, I felt like a king. I got there an hour before the stadium opened before realizing maybe I was a little early. But once the stadium opened to the media, I was free to go anywhere. I had my picture taken with the national championship trophy and with Will Ferrell, Toby Keith and Lynn Swann. Talk about a herd in heaven.

I tried to go into both locker rooms, but they were locked down pretty good. "Hey, man, I have my credential. " Well, that didn't work in a few places. Once I went to the press box, I instantly became a fish out of water. All these media guys had big bags with their laptops and tons of press releases. I had a disposable camera, my credential and, soon enough, all the popcorn I could eat.

During the game, I made my way to the field. I wanted to be so close to the action that I could hear these guys hit and talk smack. I didn't want to get too close, though. It wouldn't be good to get my legs broken this close to spring training.

One thing I took away from the experience is that the closer you are to the game, the more surreal it must become. Two hours before kickoff, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was on the bench reading press notes looking like he was hanging out on a park bench. Compare that with the parking lot scene, where guys painted their faces and taped their ankles just for good luck. I also was impressed with the poise of these kids who didn't realize that some families just spent their last $5,000 to see this game.

As an Auburn fan, I must say the BCS stinks. But the faster we realize that the powers don't want to change the system because it's making the schools involved so much money, the better off we'll be.

I just wish I could ask the SPORTING NEWS for one more credential this week: Auburn vs. USC.

King for a day: for a guy who usually parties in a pickup, an all-access pass to the Orange Bowl is pure heaven

Sporting News, The, Jan 21, 2005 by Todd Jones

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