Alan fell in love with their video room. Our tour guide explained how they would have the whole game uploaded within fifteen minutes of the final gun. We had to drag Alan out and check his pockets. We were taken to a casual conference room with couches that overlooked the indoor practice facility. We met Darrel Rodgers, the Director of On-Campus Recruiting.
“Welcome to the University of Georgia. My staff and I’ve had extensive discussions with your coaching staff. Coach Hope has some great things to say about each of you academically, athletically, and character-wise. Based on those conversations, we have customized your visit to meet your specific needs. So, at this time, we’re going to split you up.”
Alan and Brandon accompanied me as I was led to the meet the offensive coaches. I ended up in a meeting room with Carl Freeman, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach. What we learned was there were 38 alumni in the NFL. Two were quarterbacks: Matthew Stafford and Aaron Murray. They had said that my visit would be customized for me. Everything Coach Freeman talked about was how they could best prepare me for the NFL.
We were then whisked away to see a video of football highlights. The recruits who were on official visits were shown to the locker room, where they were presented with football jerseys. Then in rapid succession, we saw dorm rooms, met academic advisers, listened to a panel of football players tell us about Georgia, and finally, at three, we were set free for a couple of hours.
We were directed to the Hilton Garden Inn, located in the North Campus. We checked in and asked where we might get some filling food since the doughnuts were long gone. They sent us to the Mellow Mushroom. It was a pizza and hoagie shop. We ordered a couple of large pizzas and ate giant pretzels while we waited.
“So, what do you think?” I asked.
“I like it. It compares favorably with Michigan and Michigan State,” Jim said.
The other guys agreed, but we wanted to see more of the campus. They had kept us in the football facilities all day. While that was important, there was more to college than football. After we scarfed down a couple of slices of pizza, we walked the North Campus. We quickly figured out that we were not at Michigan or Michigan State. If you liked girls with long hair that was mostly dirty blond and were cute, then Georgia was for you.
We almost missed the 6:15 pickup for our trip to Sanford Stadium. They fed us dinner in the President’s Suite, and then it was time for the game.
This was a big game for both teams. It would go a long way in determining the eventual SEC Champion, and it had National Championship implications. Number 8 Georgia was favored at home over number 13 Alabama. Being in the stands, you could feel the rivalry. It was clear that the Georgia fans anticipated they would win decisively over their hated rival. I admit to getting caught up in all the rabid fever the Georgia followers had at the game. Ninety-two thousand fans can generate a lot of noise. I think anyone would be intimidated to walk in and play them at home.
To their credit, the Alabama Crimson Tide wasn’t fazed. The first quarter was a feeling-out period and ended with a 3–0 lead by the visitors. Three minutes into the second quarter, Georgia tied the game. Georgia had lost the last two meetings and wanted to get one in the win column. The last game they’d played was for the SEC Championship three years ago. The series was among the oldest in football, starting in 1895. Generations of fans on each side had grown up hating the other.
Alabama took the ensuing kickoff and put together an eight-play drive that resulted in a touchdown. Georgia had disaster strike on the next series. Georgia found they had to punt out of the end zone. The punt was blocked, and an Alabama player picked it up at the 1 and scored. Shortly after that, Alabama forced a Georgia turnover and found themselves on the Georgia 45 yard line. On the first play, they went for it and hit a long touchdown pass to go up 24–3. They had scored three times in under four minutes.
At halftime, the crowd convinced themselves that they could get back into the game. But in the second half, Alabama’s defense picked off a pass and ran it in from fifty yards out. Then another turnover gave them the football at the Georgia 38 yard line. It took four plays to score again, making it 38–3. Georgia did manage one touchdown, making the final score 38–10. The Crimson Tide was very much a force in the national race again. All they had to do was take care of their remaining schedule, which wasn’t a gimme in the loaded SEC.
◊◊◊
After the game ended, it was already 11:30. We had a chaperone who offered to take us to a party. I admitted I wasn’t in the mood to hang out with drunken football players after they’d just lost a game. I wished my teammates good luck and walked back to the hotel.
When I reached the lobby, I was surprised to see the woman from last night waiting for me with her mountain of a bodyguard. I didn’t expect I would have to kick his butt in such a public place, but I was on guard. He saw me first and pointed me out. She motioned me over. It was clear I wasn’t her favorite person right now. I decided to get this over with.
“Let’s go somewhere more private to talk,” the woman said.
“I don’t think so.”
I made a significant glance toward the mountain.
“Terry, go wait for me in the car. David and I need to conduct some business,” she said, and her bodyguard just nodded and walked out the front door. “Can we go to your room?”
“Give me your driver’s license,” I said.
“Don’t trust me?” the woman asked.
“Nope.”
She handed it to me, and I took a picture of it and then a picture of her. I sent myself an email with the subject line ‘If I Go Missing.’ I smiled when her name was Natasha. Once I felt a little more secure, I escorted her to my room. We didn’t say anything until the door closed. I, of course, being a Dawson, waited for her to talk first.
“I think I made a serious mistake last night. It would have been cheaper to give all your money back. At first, I wanted to break every bone in your body for what you’ll cost me over the next month, but cooler heads prevailed. Terry pointed out you only got us a one-month ban. What I want is for you to get that lifted,” Natasha said.
“Your customer service leaves a lot to be desired. This might help you rethink how you deal with clients in the future. I can’t imagine the Ritz-Carlton wants you threatening their guests with your muscle.”
“I admit that last night was not my finest moment. Candy’s fairly new, and when she called, crying, I might have overreacted. She’s calmed down and understands why you had to tell her boyfriend. She knew going in that him finding out was a possibility. We tried to take precautions by flying her up from Miami to work the football weekend. While what Candy does on her own time is her business, the male ego won’t get over something like this. She’d like to talk to you, if that’s okay, so she can apologize.”
My confusion as to why Candy would need to apologize must have shown. Natasha helped me out.
“She knows you’re good friends with her ex-boyfriend. She understands it wasn’t easy to tell him.”
“I would hope he’d do the same for me,” I said.
“We need to work out something so I can get back into the Ritz-Carlton. They told me only you can fix this for me. Will you make the call?” she asked.
“No. I don’t see any upside to this.”
“I have to answer to people. They’re not as understanding as I am,” she threatened.
“I think you should leave,” I said.
Natasha smiled and made no move to depart.
“How would you like to spend the night with Candy? She tells me you always admired her but were a perfect gentleman. She admitted that she always wondered what you were like in bed. Candy said if half the stories were true, she’d enjoy it,” Natasha offered.
“What do you net out of the Ritz each month?” I countered.