I’m sure weather is a hot topic for many of us today, figuratively speaking. A&J has a lot of readership through the midwest, and I hope everyone is safe and well after yesterday’s storms. Today’s classic cartoon is from November, 2009, and relates to the season. Did you see that Auburn-Georgia football game Saturday afternoon? Even if you didn’t, there’s a good chance you heard about, whether you’re a sports fan or not. I’m not going into the details, because if you’re interested, you know, and if you’re not, you’re not. (Auburn won!) What I do have for you is a bit of trivia for those in the southeast. Others are excused. The Auburn-Georgia game is one of the oldest rivalries in college football, having been played every year since 1892 except for three years when it was interrupted by world war. Here’s the trivia part: for almost 40 years, until 1958, it was played every year at Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Georgia. In the state of Georgia but much closer geographically to Auburn, Columbus was considered a neutral site. There aren’t many of the electrifying “neutral site” rivalries remaining. Ticket sales usually were split between the competing schools, and at any given moment half the stadium would be going crazy. I suppose there’s something to be said for the home-and-home format, coming back to the ol’ alma mater and all that, but I miss the excitement of the old days. I know that, as trivia goes, this isn’t much to most of you, but I’m always surprised how many Auburn and Georgia fans have forgotten the Memorial Stadium era.

By the way, book sales are back!