I met the champ, Muhammad Ali, in 1973. I met him at Auburn University. He was on campus for a lecture entitled “The Intoxications of Life.”

As a part of our Journalism class, the professor arranged for students to cover Ali’s press conference. It was being held in the same building our class was in, Haley Center. Excitedly, we packed up our belongings and headed downstairs to see the champ.

I have been a Muhammad Ali junkie since 1964, when I was twelve years old and he beat Sonny Liston in Miami. A young potential athlete, I invested my time and attention on athletes who had a social conscience, who wanted to make a difference, who had something to say and who often became controversial if they chose to speak about human rights. Ali had something to say and the boxing ring could not contain him.

He changed his name from Cassius Clay, his given name, to Muhammad Ali, which he said meant, “worthy of all praise most high.” He upset the boxing world by beating the “Big Bad Bear” Sonny Liston. He became a Muslim minister. He declared himself the greatest heavyweight champ of all time, which did not set well with the previous generation. He shook up the world with, “Just take me to jail.” As a conscientious-objector, he refused to serve in the US Army after being suspiciously reclassified 1A. He had originally been disqualified for military service. Ali said that he would not fight the Vietcong, and was stripped of his title.

Ali lectured on college campuses across America. Gave people hope that they could have better lives. He became a different symbol of courage. Eventually the US Supreme Court unanimously reversed a lower court decision and granted Ali his conscientious-objector status. He came back to boxing and lost for the first time to his rival Smoking Joe Frazier, (a fight I saw closed-circuit in Columbus, Georgia). He lost to Ken Norton (saw that one too), who had broken his jaw. Now, he was in Auburn, just a few feet in front of me.

I sat there with my reporter’s pad and pen. I was in heaven.

The champ spoke about the “Intoxications of Life.” Ali talked about humbling himself after his two defeats, which he attributed to his immersion into life’s intoxications; too much money, too many women, long nights, not enough training, and not enough godly living. It seemed a perfect message for those of us from the past year’s football team. We had finished the season 6-6 after two seasons of 9-2 and 10-1. Perhaps we had gotten too full of ourselves as well.

After the press conference, Ali put on a show at my expense in the lobby of the auditorium. The photo captured by university photographer Les King, hangs on a wall in our home. The champ has a playful but serious look on his face as he squares off in perfect boxing form shouting at me, “JOE FRAZIER, JOE FRAZIER.” My hands are up in a defensive pose. My fists are not balled up and I am laughing really hard. I too am wary though. He was incredible fast. I dared not make a false move. Afterward, I was interviewed and asked what it was like to square off with the champ.

Our paths would somewhat cross again 22 years later when I performed the one man play “Ali” in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. I sought out the script and director, then played the champ as a young man who would morph into the older version of himself as he was beginning to struggle with the same Parkinson’s disease that eventually KO’d him. I prepped like an athlete. I researched Parkinson’s, watched film, read magazines, hit the heavy bag, listened to tapes of his voice, studied his walk, and trained… and trained. For the run of that show, to the audience, I was Muhammad Ali.

I still have the robe. Identical to the white one he wore in the ring with his name on the back in big red letters. I still have all the research materials, including the 1971 Life Magazine issue with Ali and Joe Frazier on the cover with photos from the epic fight taken by Frank Sinatra.

In his own words, Muhammad was the greatest boxer of all time. In the play he asks, “Do you know what it’s like to be the best in the world at something? The best in the world?”

He became more than a boxer. To many he was a symbol of hope. Also, in the play he says, “I could knock on anybody’s door in the world and they would invite me in.”

“I shook up the world,” he concluded.

Yes he did.

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4/19/2016

Spring has officially begun and the world around us has brightened up and come to life. If you are looking to liven up your yard, it is easy to attract songbirds and wild birds. Building a landscape with a variety of plants will provide food and shelter will attract birds to your feeders.

Shelter is used as an escape from enemies and the weather. A landscape with a variety of trees, varying in height will attract many different types of birds to your yard. High grass is usually a good provider of seeds for birds also. Birdhouses and nest boxes are a great yard accessory you can purchase or make to appeal to birds nesting their young. There are different types nest boxes and houses for purple martins, bluebirds, hawks, owls, flickers, flycatchers and more, so keep in mind what kinds of birds you are trying to attract.

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A hummingbird visiting a feeder.

Different types of bird feeders are used to attract certain bird species too, so a variety will attract different birds. Colorful flowers and any plants with seeds, nuts, berries and flower nectar will supply food to seedeaters and attract insects for the birds that eat insects. A water source is not necessary to attract birds, but a birdbath will help draw birds over to your yard. Raised birdbaths are also good protection for birds from predators, like cats. It is wise to arrange the bird feeders and the birdbath close to draw the birds in. Forest and wildlife specialist Dr. Jim Armstrong explains, “as far as drinking water, it is not a limiting factor for birds because most seed eating birds can get the moisture they need from the seed.” Building a landscape that is appealing to birds will help attract them to your yard and feeders.

Once you have established a landscape that appeals to songbirds and wild birds, it is important to provide a food supply that will keep them coming back. Whether you use bird feeders or just throw seeds into the yard, birds will take full advantage of the food and be sure to check back and see if there is more. You can buy seed for birds at your local supply store in varieties such as sunflower seeds, thistle, corn, millet, and others, depending on what kinds of birds you are feeding. Gold finches like to eat thistle from a tall cylindrical feeder. Hummingbirds are fed a sugar water mixture, or a nectar substitute out of a red flower looking feeder. If you are a fan of woodpeckers, there is a special bird feeder for them. Armstrong says a good treat for woodpeckers is suet, a solid white animal fat. Numerous suet recipes can be found online. Depending on the type of birds you would like to attract, providing food will tempt them into your yard.

When your landscape is inviting with a variety of plants to provide shelter and protection, seeds and other foods and even a bathing area for birds, they will flock to your feeders. To get started on building your birdhouse or nest box for songbirds check out http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0550/ANR-0550.pdf.

 

Article published on Extension Daily at http://news.aces.edu/blog/2016/05/21/attracting-songbirds-and-wildbirds-to-your-feeders/

The Big O is gone.

My friend. My teammate. The man who helped me through the biggest cultural change of my life is gone. James Curtis Owens died today, March 26, 2016. I knew it was coming. We all knew it was coming. But knowing and living beyond it leaves a hurt and pain deep down in my soul.

I first saw the Big O on a Friday night at John Carroll Athletic Field on Montclair Road in Birmingham, Alabama. I was a junior at John Carroll High School, playing my first full year of organized football. We were a small, rag tag, undersized bunch playing about two classifications above our ability and size level. We didn’t win very often.

The opponent was Fairfield High School. They were good. They had a starter named James Owens, who would later sign with Auburn University, becoming the first African American to integrate a major state university in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi… the Deep South. Now, he was warming up across the field from me. A running back, he was tall, lanky and wore a horse collar around his neck. He was about 6’2” and weighed close to 210 pounds. He looked dangerous. Ready to kick some you know what!

Our coach had warned us about him. He’d then gone on to tell the lie that coaches tell outmanned teams when they are about to get slaughtered by a bigger, faster, better team with bigger, faster, better players.

Referring to Owens, our coach said, “Hey! He’s no better than you. He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you do.”

We all knew that was bullshit. Putting his pants on like we did had nothing to do with playing the way we did. This guy was All-State in football and track. He ran the 100 hundred-yard dash and threw the shot-put. He was a monster. I was glad as hell I wasn’t on defense.

It wasn’t pretty. He left carnage on the field. I don’t remember the score but it wasn’t close. After it was over, I watched him walk off the field where he had dominated us. Having integrated Fairfield High School football he was now heading off to be one of the first blacks in the Southeastern Conference.

Two years later, I would join James and Virgil Pearson, also from Fairfield, and Auburn’s first African American Athlete, Henry Harris, at Auburn University.

As a basketball player, Henry often travelled in different circles. For Virgil and me, James became our Daddy. We nicknamed him “Daddy O.” He was strong like our fathers, but gentle towards us, who had followed him. We not only respected him, everybody, on and off the field and in the athletic complex, held James in high esteem. Integration made things socially awkward but everybody respected James for his quiet, dignified courage. That respect lasted all of his life.

Our special friendship lasted from 1970 until his death. Like close friends we drifted apart throughout the seasons of our lives but we always found each other again because of the love and respect we had for our shared experience.

Henry left Auburn University after his senior basketball season. Virgil left his sophomore year, looking for a different experience. For the next two years on the varsity football team It was just James and me, as athletes of color. For the rest of his life we always relived that experience.

Between us we realized there was no one else in the world who shared that loneliness, that moment in our lives where we carried the pail of integration uphill without much assistance from those who could have helped us along. Those times were about providing for those whom would follow. We knew that. It kept us going.

James kept me grounded. He talked me down many times when, emotionally, I was way over the top. Over time, we embraced our teammates and they embraced us with that special bond that comes from the shared experiences of being teammates and winning games. During the two years when James and I were the two black pioneers on the team, we won 19 games and lost 3. We were a part of something bigger than us.

Throughout the decades that followed we talked a lot about those times. We always circled back to that experience. What had been a painful part of our lives had become, by the 21st century, a memory of achievement, a gift that we gave to all who followed at our university, not just the black athletes. We also grew to love our teammates and they loved us back. Today we are teammates for life. It ‘s more than a slogan. We live it.

James is an Auburn University icon. He doesn’t need for me to tell everyone about his contributions. Look around the university and you will see his accomplishments in the faces of the young men on the football team, the basketball team, the track team, the baseball team and in the faces of the young women on the softball team, the basketball team and all the other sports that did not exist before integration.

He will always be remembered for what he gave to Auburn University, the state of Alabama and college football. I will always remember him as my friend.

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The Infamous Stringdusters at the Exit/In in Nashville.

3/19/2016

In Nashville, the music and fun never stop. After spending the evening before playing in St. Louis, the Infamous Stringdusters made their way to the city where it all began for them on Thursday. A mixed crowd of concert-goers in their 20’s to 50’s generously dressed in green entered the Exit/In for a night of jamgrass. The smaller, intimate venue holds about 500 people max with an open floor area, limited seating upstairs, and a bar area on the main floor.

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Nicki Bluhm singing.

At 8 p.m. sharp the opener, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, took the stage. The band hails from the bay area and has a California sound born of country, folk, rock, soul, and psychedelia. The band consists of Nicki Bluhm (singer), Deren Ney (lead guitar), Steve Adams (bass guitar), Dave Mulligan (rhythm guitar), and Mike Curry (drums). On stage, Nicki and the Gramblers played several songs from their latest album “Loved While Lost” which was released in April 2015. The band covered “Piece of my heart”, by Janis Joplin, and the audience couldn’t help but sing and dance along to the classic. After getting the crowd moving, they played one more song, then left the stage after their 45 minute set.

During the break between bands, the audience mingled in excitement for the next set and prepped for the show with fresh drinks. The Infamous Stringdusters sound engineer Drew Becker ran around the stage setting up stands, connecting cords, and testing the microphones while tour manager Katrina Hennigar set up fans, taped the set lists down at each stand, and got the band’s drinks ready before the set.

Around 9:15 the Infamous Stringdusters came out on stage, all of them in button-down shirts. Looking at the stage you see Andy Falco (guitar) stands the farthest left, then Travis Book (bass), Jeremy Garrett (violin), Andy Hall (dobro), and Chris Pandolfi (banjo), all of them in position, tuning their instruments while the audience welcomed them with cheer.

The band opened with an upbeat “Once You’re Gone” then played “Light and Love” and “Rivers Run Cold” both high energy songs with sections of full-on jamming. During the jams, as each instrument is highlighted, the other members of the band circle around, feeding into the energy. Next up was the ‘Dusters fun, classic “Get it While you Can” which got the crowd singing along, “I like your biscuits in my gravy ma’am, before the stores are closed get it while you can.” After the crowd settled, Book talked about the band’s latest album “Ladies and Gentlemen” which was released in early February and features different female vocalists on each song. He introduced a guest singer, Lindsey Lou and claimed that the only reason she wasn’t on the album was because they didn’t know her yet. In a flowing white blouse, high-waist bellbottoms, and with naturally curly long brown hair Lou joined for one song, singing “Old Whiskey Bottle” off the ‘Dusters album.  Next the guys played their cover of U2’s “In God’s Country”, then Falco sang “Peace of Mind” which went into the “Cissy Strut” then back to the end of “Peace.” The audience was full of energy and when the following song, “Sirens” –a fast paced instrumental- was performed no one could resist moving to the music and occasionally shouting out in excitement. Book sang “All the Same” next, then invited Nicki Bluhm onto the stage. She appeared in a long sleek green dress, perfect for the holiday, and a long beaded necklace. She sang “Run to Heaven” a gritty country-bluegrass song from their new album. The first set ended with the band and Bluhm covering Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love.” The bluegrass flare added to the classic was fun for the crowd to singalong and move to the strong banjo sounds. When the song finished around 10:15 p.m., Book announced they would be taking a short break and coming back out for a second set.

The break was good for moving, stretching and refueling the crowd and lasted about 25 minutes. The boys came back out starting strong with “Big River” then “Old Chuck Hen.” Garrett announced his two sisters were at the show and dedicated “Night on the River” to them. They jammed out to that song and continued with “Well Well.” Bluhm rejoined the band for three more songs, “Listen” and “See How Far” from the album and an “Amarillo” cover. Book dedicated “The Places I’ve Been” to his wife, who was in the audience. They kept pickin’ and the audience kept moving to “Space”, “Highwayman”, and “Blackrock.” Next they unplugged and performed the soulful “Let it Go” acoustic. “Seventeen cents” another fun song followed, then a last jam to “Rain.” For the last song, the ‘Dusters, Bluhm and the Gramblers all took stage and performed “Little Too Late.” The crowd went wild as the musicians bowed and left stage chanting, “once more song!” The ‘Dusters reappeared with Bluhm and they played “Not Fade Away” for the finale.

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Nicki Bluhm performing with the Stringdusters.

The night in Nashville was a high-energy, positive, and fun experience. After personally seeing the ‘Dusters about a dozen times, their shows just keep getting better. If you want to go see an extremely talented, high energy band, go see the Infamous Stringdusters.

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3/9/2016

With over 77,000 rivers and streams and an average rainfall of 55 inches per year, Alabama is a state blessed with natural water resources. Catching and reusing water is an ancient technology that has current value to save energy, money and conserve an important natural resource.

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A large rain barrel, for farm use.

If interested in collecting rainwater, first you must decide if you want to collect on a small or large scale. For personal collection, you can use something as simple as a rain barrel. Wood, metal, or plastic are all good containers for rainwater collection, as long as they do not have residues of harmful chemicals. It is wise to use a dark container, or paint the container dark to discourage algae growth. The container used for collecting should be covered, with a screen protection at the opening to keep mosquitos out and minimize leaves or other materials from entering. For larger scale collection, cistern systems are recommended. In 2010, Birmingham-Southern College installed a 15,000 gallon cistern that captures rainwater off of the roof and uses it for landscape irrigation. According to bsc.edu this practice is saving 50,000 gallons of water per year.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System hosts residential rain barrel workshops each year to demonstrate construction, placement and uses of rainwater harvesting systems. Harvested rainwater can be used for household chores like watering lawns/gardens, irrigation in the yard, flushing toilets, and washing cars. Be sure to check with local plumbing codes and ordinances if you are interested in using rainwater inside your home.

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Small scale rain barrels.

Collecting rainwater saves money and energy. The collector will save money by using the free resource instead of treated water. “Why not take advantage of what’s free and falling from the sky,” said Alabama Extension specialist Dr. Eve Brantley. “Collect it and hold it until you need to use it rather than constantly using water that has been treated. It saves energy, it saves money, and it’s a good use of water resources,” she said. Although Alabama has plentiful water resources droughts occur about every 12 years. It is smart to practices water collection and conservation so it becomes a habit. It is anticipated that climate variability will result in more frequent and/or more extreme droughts. It is smart to practice water collection and conservation so it becomes a habit.Don’t hesitate to start collecting rainwater now.

You can read into how to collect rainwater at aces.edu or contact your local Alabama Cooperative Extension agent. If you are a homeowner interested in an attractive, low-maintenance, and sustainable home landscape check out the Alabama Smart Yards app on your mobile phone.

 

Article published on Extension Daily at http://news.aces.edu/blog/2016/05/09/benefits-of-collecting-rainwater/

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Laura Nall & her little sister at an Auburn football game.

3/1/2016

The Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP) is a curriculum-based, after school mentor program which pairs young women from Auburn University and young women from Auburn Junior High School. “Through YWLP, the mentors and mentees (also referred to as Big and Little Sisters) will develop leadership and relationship skills that are vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This program provides an opportunity for teen girls to become more educated and aware of their personal values and goals,” according to the website.

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Emily Hedrick & her little sister posing with their painted pumpkins for Halloween.

YWLP came to Auburn in 2010 and is modeled after the University of Virginia YWLP which was founded in 1997. YWLP is a nationwide organization dedicated to facilitating the empowerment and autonomy of young school girls. It provides both one-on-one mentoring and structured group activities. Each week bigs attend a one hour human development and family science class about adolescence taught by Dr. Donna Sollie then have an hour meeting with their small group of other bigs. Bigs and littles are paired up at the beginning of the fall semester based on compatibility, after a “speed date.”  Every week there is an on-site meeting at AJHS where small groups of about six pairs meet. Here the group goes over a lesson, connects the lesson with real-world situations and have fun playing games.  Beyond the class and on-site meeting, pairs are required to spend one hour of one-on-one time each week. “My little sister and I went to an Auburn football game in the fall, and that is definitely my favorite thing we've done together,” said Laura Nall, a big in YWLP.

 

YWLP is beneficial to both bigs and littles. For bigs, you are not only teaching important lessons and skills, but also learning them on the way. Lydia Purcell, a YWLP big sister says, “I have learned how to be more understanding and how to thoroughly listen. Being in a place of leadership like that is intimidating but rewarding.” The mentor program exposes bigs to leadership and friendship roles, the importance of daily choices, knowledge and acceptance of others different from themselves, and a way to give back to the community while still learning and earning college credit!

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Lydia Purcell & her little sister on an ice cream outing.

YWLP is open to all female students at Auburn University interested in impacting a life and furthering their leadership experience. YWLP is a two-semester commitment from August to May. The fall semester counts as three credits and the spring semester counts for two. “YWLP is an incredibly rewarding and character-shaping experience, but it can also be challenging. If you want to broaden and deepen your perspectives, develop meaningful relationships with your peers, and have the opportunity to positively impact a younger girl's life then this is the program for you!” said Megan Swanson, a current YWLP big sister. Applications are now being accepted for the 2016-2017 school year. Applications are due by April 8 and can be found online at http://goo.gl/forms/khN0a6o5mr .  If you have any questions, please contact The Women’s Resource Center 334-844-4399 or email graduate assistant Lindsey Henson at lnh0010@auburn.edu.

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2/23/2016

Growing grapes in Alabama has been practiced since the state was first settled, but has only been successful in certain areas for dedicated growers. To produce quality grapes one must learn about their area, the grape varieties to grow, perfect the setup and devote plenty of attention to the grapevine.

Muscadines are a type of grape that grows well almost everywhere in Alabama. They are native to the Southeast and are used for fresh consumption, juices and wines. Muscadines thrive because they are resistant to a key grape killer, Pierce’s Disease (PD). PD is caused by a bacterium carried by an insect that feeds  on infected  vegetation, acquires the bacterium and can inject it into the sap of the grapevine. The bacterium multiplies and clogs the xylem vessels of the vine  so water and nutrient  transportation to plant organs is being limited. Consecutively, over time the plant fails to receive nutrients and dies.

Cultivars resulting from crosses between American species or between  French and American species are known as hybrid bunch grapes. Elina Coneva, Extension Specialist for Alabama Cooperative Extension explains, “American species produce an inferior quality fruit, but can be resistant or tolerant to PD. Because of this quality they are used in crosses with French cultivars that possess high fruit quality, but are susceptible to diseases including PD which is the major factor preventing French or European grape production in the Southeast.” Eleven PD  resistant or tolerant hybrid bunch grapes including  ‘Black Spanish’, ‘Blanc du Bois’, ‘Champanel’, ‘Chardonel’, ‘Conquistador’, ‘Cynthiana’, ‘Favorite’, ‘Lake Emerald’, ‘Seyval Blanc’, ‘Stover’, and ‘Villard Blanc’ have been recently tested in Alabama recently:. Top three performing hybrid bunch grape cultivars in north Alabama conditions are ‘Black Spanish’, ‘Cynthiana’, and ‘Villard Blanc’. Regionally produced hybrid bunch grapes yield wine, juice, and jams. According to North Alabama Horticulture Research Director Arnold Caylor, ‘Black Spanish’ is processed to wine, whereas ‘Conquistador’ is used for juice or jam. Hybrid bunch grapes are susceptible to foliar disease and are attacked by several insect pests so it is important to use pesticides when growing grapes in Alabama.

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Mature bunch grapes growing along their trellis system.

Progress continues to be made in Alabama toward growing grapevines resistant or tolerant to PD. Currently, Coneva is testing PD resistant French grapes developed by  the grape breeding program at U.C. Davis in California. Based on their upright growing habit these vines are trainedin a vertical shoot positioning system, which also facilitates more efficient  pest control, while concentrating the crop load within a compact fruiting zone. French grape selections are showing promise for Alabama environment and for the first time can provide an opportunity for cultivating high-value French grapes in Alabama and the Southeast.

Learn about the area, choose your type of grape, then set up to plant. The site should be in full sunlight most or all day. If planning to grow several vines, it is best to have straight rows for level land and contour rows for hilly terrain. “The spacing between rows will depend on the vigor of the cultivar of the grape that you are growing,” said Caylor.  Make every effort to establish a permanent sod between rows to reduce soil erosion. Use a trellis system to train the vines horizontally, managing a dense canopy by dividing it, allowing more sunlight to reach the fruit renewal zone. Prepare a large hole for the entire root system; set the plant at the correct level, fill the hole with topsoil, firm it, water liberally and do not add fertilizer. Hand weeding and hoeing is necessary as there are not many choices for herbicides for the first year of growth. Pruning should be done while vines are dormant.  Summer  hedging can help maintain the vine canopy and ease vineyard operations .

February is the best time to plant grapevines. If you are interested in learning more about growing grapes check out The Southeastern Fruit Consortium http://www.smallfruits.org/BunchGrapes/index.htm or contact your local Alabama Cooperative Extension Specialist for information and tools to get your grapevine started at http://www.aces.edu/main/.

 

Article published on Extension Daily at http://news.aces.edu/blog/2016/04/07/growing-grapes-alabama/

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2/9/2016

The second annual Alabama Oyster Social was held January 29 at the Alabama Farmers Pavilion at Auburn University. The social is a nonprofit event held to promote the importance of Mariculture in Alabama as well as raise money for the Auburn University Department of Fisheries and Aquatics.

The Auburn Shellfish Laboratory in Dauphin Island focuses on the research, education, and training for farming quality oysters in a sustainable way and is led by Dr. Bill Walton. In 2011, Auburn University found an opportunity to lease 60 acres of oyster rights from a family. There would be a research area for Auburn and area for Alabama oyster farmers for five years. “The intent of it was to help jumpstart the industry to provide a zone that was permitted for this where you have your neighbors to cooperate with and keep an eye on things,” said Walton. By 2013 the park had been filled with about 17 farmers who had gone through the Auburn training and were using the waters. Because of the growth, Auburn began talking about extending the lease contract for 10 years and after contacting the family everything seemed to be moving forward.

The first Alabama Oyster Social was held in January 2015 and raised $8,000 to give to the university. “In a town where there’s usually something going on there is not a whole lot to do in January. So it’s a good time to get people together and party for a purpose,” said Chef David Bancroft, host of the event. With the success of the first social, they were eager to plan for the next year. Then around May of 2015, Auburn learned that the lease was denied renewal and that no one would get the oyster rights. It was upsetting but they would be able to find water and get the permits for a new farm. “The first thing we’re trying to solve here is what do we do with all these farmers that have businesses that depend on their oysters in the water and their gear in the water, they need another area,” said Walton. The contract ends this summer and everything must be out. Auburn has sighted two areas and are in the permitting process for both, they hope to come out stronger and arrange two farms with longer lease contracts. The current farmers will have an opportunity to move to either of the parks, but it will be an expensive and time-consuming move to get their equipment out of the water and relocated to the new park. Auburn hopes to help offset costs for these farmers.

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Photo // Guests trying oyster samples at the Auburn Oyster Social.

Bancroft contacted an all-star team of 16 chefs from around the South that are supporters and users of local seafood to come and partake in the second social. After talking with Walton and learning about the denied renewal, the chefs came up with an ambitious goal of $100,000 to raise through ticket sales and donations. Ten days before the social, general admission and VIP tickets had sold out. At the social on Friday night a crowd of about 300 people sampled oysters and other specialty dishes, listened to live music, and socialized. Towards the end of the evening, Bancroft presented Walton with a check for $25,000 for the AU Shellfish Lab. Bancroft said he intends to reach the $100,000 goal by the end of 2016.

To learn more about the Auburn University program please visit http://sfaas.auburn.edu/ and if you would like to make a donation to the Alabama Oyster Social you may do so at http://www.alabamaoystersocial.com.

One yard. A big giant step. One yard and your life changes. One yard from glory.

Former ballplayers have the best stories. The good talkers can take an incident from a game many years ago and make it the centerpiece of speeches that they give long after they have finished playing. The “formers,” can be funny, heart wrenching, give inside looks at the teams in their respective eras, inside look at great stars. Randy Campbell is good at it.

Randy is one of the good guys. Today he is a financial advisor in his business Campbell Wealth Management. We serve on the Auburn University Foundation Board together. Imagine that two former football players. We made the transition.

I didn’t know Randy well before he came on the board a year ago. We played in different decades at Auburn. I knew of him. He played quarterback in the 1980s, on some great Auburn teams. He is a great speaker. Randy jokes he was famous for handing off to all-everything runner Bo Jackson. There is some truth to that. Bo was the truth so why not?

Still, Randy was no slouch. He is well remembered. He was 20-4 as a starting quarterback. In the 1983 Tangerine Bowl, he became the answer to a TV trivia question. “The 1983 Tangerine Bowl featured two Heisman Trophy winners, Bo Jackson and Doug Flutie. Who was the MVP?” The answer, Randy Campbell!

Back to Randy’s story. He relishes telling it. It’s like the secret only he thought of.

Here goes.

It’s the 1984 version of the Iron Bowl rivalry game Auburn vs Alabama. It’s a game that Bo will make famous with his “Bo Over the Top” leap at the goal line to give Auburn the victory over Alabama 23-22.

Randy tells the story.

“It’s third down, we’re threatening to score. I throw a swing pass out to Bo. Bo takes it down to the one-yard line. He almost scored. He came up a yard short. Of course he then goes over the top on the next play for the winning touchdown.”

I’m waiting for the punch line. Randy wears his “I’ve got a secret” look on his face.

“If he had scored on the swing pass, instead of “Bo Over the Top,” the headline could have read, “Campbell throws the winning TD in victory over Alabama.” Instead Bo was close, so close, tackled at the one-yard line. Man, I was one yard from glory.”

He looks me in the eye. I grin. It’s a great story. Crowd pleaser. Crowds like self-deprecating humor, especially from athletes who have been at the top of the food chain.

Sports is full of close, almost, damn near, shoulda, woulda, coulda, one play here, one play there type moments. If only such and such, stays safely locked in our memories many years later.

One yard from Glory!

I’ve embellished Randy wanting to be the hero. He is a pretty humble guy. All winning team oriented athletes will tell you, what mattered is that their team won far more than they lost. The team is what counts.

Randy says that. But like many of us “formers” he likes to have fun with his stories.

He says, “I told that story to Bo. I said, ‘Man, if you hadn’t gotten tackled on the one-yard line, the headline would have been “Campbell Tosses Winning TD” instead of Bo Over the Top.’ He wasn’t amused.”

Randy repeated, “Campbell to Jackson for the winning TD.”

He smiled.

The news of death travels at Internet speed. I found out about my friend “Wash” while trolling along on Facebook. He’d died that morning.

“Book” was the type of guy you didn’t envision dying. Not suddenly. Not of pneumonia.

There is no single descriptor for “Booker.” Just like his many different friends called him by the many variations of his name he was a character, one with deeply held convictions of righteousness and caring for those with less than.

“Try and do as much right as you can in the world,” was one of his quotes on a You Tube interview you should see. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nguzYcltZOk).

He tried. He was a child protester in the Birmingham Civil Rights movement at age 14. At 18, he did his duty in Vietnam. He was a foot soldier all of his adult life for human rights. He was a political activist and an agitator. Man, he’d agitate the heck out of you. He liked getting up under your skin.

We traveled in different circles. Me, in the upscale world of shirts and ties, “Book” in his overalls, white T-shirt and a hat sitting astride his head, grinning. Always grinning.

Our common ground was a heart for humanity, a love of poetry and drama and bicycles. Poetry and drama unites the unlikeliest of humans. Joins us through the power of words. Joins us through our mutual humanity. We shared that. Our love for humanity expressed in the words of writers, actors, poets, on stage, in church, and on the street.

Bicycles. We would ride up and down the hills near Shades Crest Road when I lived in Hoover, Al. On those rides we debated our mutual humanity and how best to serve others. We always agreed on the expected outcome. Getting there would sometimes lead us down different paths.

The last time I heard from my friend was through a mutual friend, Judge Mike Graffeo. They both live in Birmingham. I was in Los Angeles. It was a call I couldn’t answer for whatever reason of importance at that time. Mike left the message he was with Booker and they were giving me a call. But they would be gone in a few minutes.

On his You Tube interview, Booker leaves us all a message.

“ If you truly believe that every human being is important. …that the greatest thing on earth is another human being and that the greatest thing on earth is our collective mind.

…And if we could ever tap into that, ever just realize that the only things holding us back is us.

…If we could pursue peace like we pursue war. We would already have cured cancer and be a thousand years ahead of where we are now.

Try and do as much right and as much good as you can. Try to spread as much love and joy and peace in the world as you can.”

The words of Washington Booker III, born January 20, 1949, died January 20, 2016.

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