Vintage Auburn From the Attic, Part One

My parent's attic is a veritable treasure trove of vintage Auburn University treasures. 

For example, here is my brother Robb's 1986 Iron Bowl t-shirt.

Much love to this shirt. 

Much love to Jim Fyffe who immortalized the phrase 'Tillman, Tillman, Tillman.'

Much love to Robbie for taking an ink pen to it. 

One of these days I'll gain permission to tell you how Joey and Robbie, and their miscreant friends,  celebrated. That is, after I gain the assurance that any statute of limitations for punishment of crimes has expired. 

I can assure you, dear reader, that no drugs or alcohol were involved but a few bottles of spray paint may have been. 

And then there are the Tiger Rags T-Shirts. I haven't purchased a Tiger Rags shirt in years but it used to be the first order of business when my feet touched Auburn soil. 

Remember, Auburn people? You'd have to buy yourself a shirt plus whatever friends back home had poneyed up enough money for one. 

Here is another thing I loved about Tiger Rags t-shirts: They taught me to be a good fan. Here's why:  they weren't open on Sunday. So, you had to decide before the game whether you wanted a constant reminder of the game. If you lost you were stuck with a t-shirt that you still had to wear. There were no fair weather fans at our house. 

And finally, for today anyway, the beauty that is this piece of 1982 Iron Bowl memorabilia. 

Pass Bama Pass, indeed.

Ya know...my minions just have no idea. 

I told James, the nine year old, about our family's* trip to the 1982 Iron Bowl and how crazy everyone went when we won. He just couldn't wrap his mind around why we would be that excited to beat Bama. 

In his mind, Auburn has always been better than Alabama. See, he was born at the beginning of Auburn's streak against Alabama. 

And yes, he wore the t-shirt that said:

"How's it feel to lose the Iron Bowl? I don't know."

But only around other Auburn people I promise! And yes, I do feel like it's terrible karma to do things like this - in fact it's probably my fault that we lost in 2008.

But...

It's not my fault that certain things got spray painted after the 1986 win. Sadly, I was too young for those shenanigans too. 

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*When I say 'our' here I really mean 'their.' I was deemed too young to go. This used to bother me and then I had kids and now I'm amazed they ever took me anywhere.