Parade Day

A few weeks ago the city of Columbia held a parade for the NCAA Men's Baseball Champions. Usually I wouldn't be interested in attending...it wasn't after all the Auburn Tigers victory that the city would be celebrating...however, we watch ALOT of baseball in our house and during college baseball season if the Gamecocks are playing on TV then our television is on the game as well as the stereo in the living room. They also said this would be a ticker tape parade which I thought would be a unique experience, so Ruth Ann and I met the Clark family and headed down town for the parade...p.s. there was no ticker tape...boo.

Grammy works downtown so she met us too...



Ruth Ann wasn't all smiles while we were at the parade...I think she was hoping to see the Auburn Tigers too...you can see the disappointment in her eyes!



I had expected there to be a big crowd, but it was surprisingly easy to find front street seats!



Mason tested out the parade route...



All the while, Roper observed things from his stroller...



Then the action got started...for some reason they decided to put the major players of the parade first...Coach Tanner, Cocky, trophy, and then the baseball team. Then the parade was filled with other people I didn't know, so we left early...but here are the highlights...

Coach Tanner and family...



Cocky...whom Ruth Ann has yet to meet only because she has yet to meet Aubie...and because Cocky got a little scrappy with me a few years ago at a baseball game and I'm still harboring some ill feelings...another story for another time...



The long awaited NCAA Championship trophy...



These are the players I'm familiar with...

The Catcher...I'm not sure of his name, but I know he's the catcher because he gets LOTS of face time in front of the TV camera.



Jackie Brown, Jr....outfielder...just a great player, so he too got lots of face time on TV.



And Whit Merrifield. I think he's an outfielder too, but he's not on here because of his ability...even though he did hit the ball that drove in the winning run...nope, I just think he's a cutie...along with all the other females (young and old) who are forced to watch the baseball games. Call me a Puma or a Cougar (I don't think 32 yrs old classifies me as a Cougar) but I think this is a very cute young man. A friend of my mom's wanted a picture of him for her daughter. We got his attention by yelling his name and then he started waving to Ruth Ann...very nice young man, but maybe a little too old for consideration for my baby girl...



There were several different and Carolina Unique vehicles in the parade...something for a variety of driving tastes or needs...







And here's the #1 reason why I don't think I'll ever be a true Gamecock fan...



My deep deep fear of chickens...and really all birds for that matter...will always prevent me from being a Gamecock fan...sorry Gamecock friends, I just can't get behind a team whose mascot scares the be-jesus out of me...I'll stick with my predators...the Auburn Tigers!