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Since 2005, and over 800 entries, the orginal purpose of this BLOG has never changed. I consider it to be a personal letter from me to my extended family of fans, supporters, and friends. I ALWAYS encourage your emails, comments, suggestions, and questions. Be Blessed! ~Percy

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Remembering Katrina... Looking forward to The Tide rolling again...


Traveling Interstate-10 west from my home in Mobile, AL, to New Orleans and you still find visible signs of the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina. For visitors the relatively new, gleaming span over Biloxi Bay, to the  pine trees along the road, to the shops with customers, the events of five years ago seem like long-ago history. But if you talk to the residents of our area, you discover that Katrina lingers, both in memory and impact. For many, five years is enough time to heal the hurt and rebuild a structure. The lessons of the storm, though, live on.

Living on the Gulf Coast for practically all of my life, we've endured many storms.  Most of us have that tupperware storage container in a home closet full of flashlights, batteries, candles, and other things we need when the time comes.  And it will come again...

We will never forget this day 5-years ago when so many lives were washed away.  Today we remember those who lost their lives, and those that lost everything that they owned.  Not even the multi-million gallons of BP oil can wash away those horrible memories.

Beethoven's Fifth Symphony was a classic, but who remembers his sixth?  "Mona Lisa" was a masterpiece, but who talks about da Vinci's subsequent paintings?  So appreciate the predicament of the 2010 Alabama football team as it is called on for an encore to a blockbuster 2009 season. How can the Crimson Tide improve on perfection? As this very talented but very different team tries to repeat, there's nowhere to go (unless you talk to Auburn fans) but . . . sideways.

A national championship is a tough enough act to follow. Success doesn't get better than 14-0. A second consecutive undefeated season might be unrealistic.  Since 1956, only Nebraska has been a perfect champ for two consecutive seasons (1994-95).  Will tour Crimson Tide match that feat this season?

I would dare not make any predictions considering my many friends supporting their own teams all around the country.

In just 6-days our Tide will roll again.  We will just have to wait and see.

Be Blessed.
~Percy