finalhorn.html

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE>Kent Partridge</TITLE>

</HEAD>

<BODY <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><IMG ALT="Final Horn"ALIGN =CENTER WIDTH=296 HEIGHT=118 BORDER=0 SRC="../pic/finlhorn.gif"> </H1>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER> by Kent Partridge </H2>

<P>My deadline was drawing very near, and since I had intended to give up this space before having an 11th hour change of heart, I had nothing. Nothing but a blank page, or screen, as it were.

<P>Searching for inspiration, I did something I hadn't done when previously struck by this predicament. I strapped on the helmet, tied my red bandana to the handlebars and took a ride on the Royce Union (it's my bicycle, not a railroad).

<P>There was a time when this column was normally written in my head over the course of a six mile jog, followed by a quick shower and an even quicker trip to the keyboard to transfer it from my head to the keyboard. More recently, however, my legs and feet have sent word to my brain that they refuse to be pounded for editorial purposes any longer.

<P>Things change.

<P>Reaching a compromise with my lower extremities, I set off for a nice, long Sunday afternoon ride. Before too long I found myself in the older neighborhoods, cruising through an Auburn which predates South of town developments.

<P>I pedaled my way around an Auburn which predates secondary logos and video scoreboards, corporate villages and attempts to tame the Arboretum with art. The longer I pedaled the more I realized I may be on my way to becoming a crotchety old coot.

<P>Things change.

<P>A lot has changed at Auburn since my first full day on the job Dec. 2, 1989. Whether it's for better or worse is not for me to say, and truthfully, doesn't really matter. All we are ever truly certain of is change brings something different, and for most of us that can't be a good thing.

<P>Still, things change and I believe I'm entitled to resist a little before I eventually take my seat on the "New and Different Express."

<P>While the lifelong Auburn fan in me has had a hard time accepting the Tiger Eyes logo, whether it's on the uniform or high above the stadium floor, the Auburn Athletics employee who toils to help shape perception knows it's not really that big a deal and will turn out to be a good thing over the long haul.

<P>After all, everybody needs a secondary mark.

<P>While the lifelong Auburn fan in me has an even more difficult time with the corporate identity which tastefully adorns the stadium for the first time tonight, the athletic department employee in me desperately needs to continue to cash a paycheck provided not only by successful athletic endeavors, but also by successful business ventures.

<P>The lifelong Auburn fan in me wonders when the game itself stopped being enough? And who decided stadiums and arenas had to resemble Time Square? Do we actually need more to do before and after games than tailgate? Studies, and declining student support, suggests we do.

<P>So don't be too quick to judge the changes in Jordan-Hare, or minor alterations to the uniform. An athletic program which isn't progressive is often going backward, and even lifelong Auburn fans don't want that.

<P>So take your time, think about it, give it a chance. That's what I plan to do. For those of you who are already convinced, give those of us who are a little slower a chance to come around.

<P>My guess is we will.

<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./" TARGET="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> | <A HREF="../" TARGET="_top">PROGRAM INDEX</A> | <A HREF="../../index.html" TARGET="_top">HOME</A></P>

<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>&copy; 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>


</BODY>
</HTML>
	<HTML>

	<HEAD>

	<TITLE>Kent Partridge</TITLE>

	</HEAD>

	<BODY <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">>

	<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><IMG ALT="Final Horn"ALIGN =CENTER WIDTH=296 HEIGHT=118 BORDER=0 SRC="../pic/finlhorn.gif"> </H1>
	<H2 ALIGN=CENTER> by Kent Partridge </H2>

	<P>My deadline was drawing very near, and since I had intended to give up this space before having an 11th hour change of heart, I had nothing. Nothing but a blank page, or screen, as it were.

	<P>Searching for inspiration, I did something I hadn't done when previously struck by this predicament. I strapped on the helmet, tied my red bandana to the handlebars and took a ride on the Royce Union (it's my bicycle, not a railroad).

	<P>There was a time when this column was normally written in my head over the course of a six mile jog, followed by a quick shower and an even quicker trip to the keyboard to transfer it from my head to the keyboard. More recently, however, my legs and feet have sent word to my brain that they refuse to be pounded for editorial purposes any longer.

	<P>Things change.

	<P>Reaching a compromise with my lower extremities, I set off for a nice, long Sunday afternoon ride. Before too long I found myself in the older neighborhoods, cruising through an Auburn which predates South of town developments.

	<P>I pedaled my way around an Auburn which predates secondary logos and video scoreboards, corporate villages and attempts to tame the Arboretum with art. The longer I pedaled the more I realized I may be on my way to becoming a crotchety old coot.

	<P>Things change.

	<P>A lot has changed at Auburn since my first full day on the job Dec. 2, 1989. Whether it's for better or worse is not for me to say, and truthfully, doesn't really matter. All we are ever truly certain of is change brings something different, and for most of us that can't be a good thing.

	<P>Still, things change and I believe I'm entitled to resist a little before I eventually take my seat on the "New and Different Express."

	<P>While the lifelong Auburn fan in me has had a hard time accepting the Tiger Eyes logo, whether it's on the uniform or high above the stadium floor, the Auburn Athletics employee who toils to help shape perception knows it's not really that big a deal and will turn out to be a good thing over the long haul.

	<P>After all, everybody needs a secondary mark.

	<P>While the lifelong Auburn fan in me has an even more difficult time with the corporate identity which tastefully adorns the stadium for the first time tonight, the athletic department employee in me desperately needs to continue to cash a paycheck provided not only by successful athletic endeavors, but also by successful business ventures.

	<P>The lifelong Auburn fan in me wonders when the game itself stopped being enough? And who decided stadiums and arenas had to resemble Time Square? Do we actually need more to do before and after games than tailgate? Studies, and declining student support, suggests we do.

	<P>So don't be too quick to judge the changes in Jordan-Hare, or minor alterations to the uniform. An athletic program which isn't progressive is often going backward, and even lifelong Auburn fans don't want that.

	<P>So take your time, think about it, give it a chance. That's what I plan to do. For those of you who are already convinced, give those of us who are a little slower a chance to come around.

	<P>My guess is we will.

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./" TARGET="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> \| <A HREF="../" TARGET="_top">PROGRAM INDEX</A> \| <A HREF="../../index.html" TARGET="_top">HOME</A></P>

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>© 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>


	</BODY>
	</HTML>