Fielder's Choice
Last week, when the temperatures reached the teens, I was having a conversation with a gentleman about cold weather.
He started talking about the coldest weather he ever experienced.
Then I shared mine. It was the 1982 Liberty Bowl, Alabama versus Illinois and Bear Bryant’s last game as coach of the Crimson Tide.
I layered up and layered up more. It didn’t matter.
I had several cups of coffee, even spilling one on myself. It didn’t matter.
We’ve all used the phrase, “almost froze to death.” I think I was close that night.
Bill Nowlin, one of my good friends from Hamilton, Ala., was one of the ones in our group that night in Memphis, Tenn. Bill passed away last year at the age of 72.
I had not gotten to see Bill a lot the past 30 years, but he always reminded me of our trip to the frigid Liberty Bowl. We relived the memories, and he’d always laugh a lot while telling the story of me waving a tiny U.S. Flag given away at the game and spilling that hot coffee on myself.
Bill and I were both big Bama fans he much more than me. And, of course, Bear Bryant was a hero.
I still have my game program from the 1982 Liberty Bowl. It was played on December 29. We had a great time, despite the weather.
Alabama won the game 2115. Bryant’s retirement made the Liberty Bowl one of the most covered games of the season. It was the Tide’s 24th consecutive bowl game.
Bryant died less than four weeks later, on January 26, 1983.
Football has certainly been colder elsewhere, even in recent days.
I watched parts of the Buffalo Bills versus New England Patriots NFL Wildcard Weekend Game Saturday, Jan. 15. It reached 2 degrees with wind gusts of 13 miles per hour.
I still have a hard time understanding how quarterbacks can throw and receivers can catch wearing gloves.
Overnight that same night, into Sunday morning, Jan. 16, Holly Springs received snow, about 4 inches worth.
It was my kind of snow a beautiful one that stuck on the ground but rapidly went away, too, thanks to temps warming up that afternoon.
I enjoyed getting out that Sunday afternoon and riding around town.
I particularly enjoyed my brief visit with Sister Julene Stromberg, who was highlighted on the front page of last week’s South Reporter. She was out shoveling snow off the sidewalk on East Van Dorn Avenue.
“You need to be careful out here,” I told her as I snapped her picture.
“I will,” she said with a smile. “You know, a lot of people walk on this sidewalk.” I saw utility workers, police officers and others on duty despite the bad weather. For those people who serve our communities well in difficult situations, I am thankful.
I was having another conversation about cold weather last week.
“Maybe these really cold temperatures in January mean it will start warming up in February or early March,” I said.
As long as I don’t experience as much cold as I did at that 1982 Liberty Bowl, I will be happy.