'That one-on-one connection you get' - Tales from Fan Day

11_Auburn211_Auburn2

AUBURN, Ala. – If you were on Auburn's campus Saturday, you probably saw the line of people that began by the indoor practice facility, snaked around Watson Field House, past Beard-Eaves Coliseum and went all the way over to the campus rec center.
 
No, school wasn't back in session. It was Fan Day.
 

(8/11/2018) 2018 Fan Day


 











It's become an annual tradition at Auburn. It's a chance for the fans to meet the student-athletes, get an autograph or a picture with them and feel a connection on a more personal level. So they begin arriving as early as 8 a.m. and wait seven hours or more just for the opportunity to see and interact with the same players they watch on the field every Saturday.
 
Some drive hours to be there. Others come back year after year.
 
"I enjoy it," senior linebacker Darrell Williams said. "I enjoy seeing the fans, especially seeing people that you see every Fan Day and getting those connections with them. Those are the memories you remember from Fan Day."
 



Keith Jex arrived around 9 a.m. Every year, he and members of his family try to be first in line for Fan Day. But even that early, there were still fans ahead of him. "8 o'clock is pretty early," he said. However, first in line or not, they spent the majority of their Saturday waiting in line to meet the players and get their autograph.
 
"I just love the atmosphere here at Auburn," Jex said. "The people here, the players. We just love to be here, and we want to be first in line so we can get up here and get autographs."
 
This year, Jex brought with him a hand-carved wooden eagle that he says took 30 hours to make. He brought it to get it signed by the players, specifically Jarrett Stidham. So when the lines separated into offense, defense, head coach, seniors and quarterbacks, he opted for the latter group.
 
Why Stidham, other than the fact that he's the starting quarterback?
 
"Just the way he handles himself," Jex said. "Just the player that he is. You know he works hard. He's got to to be able to do what he does. That's the inspiring part."
 


 
Craig and Kristen Cauble drove two hours from outside the Birmingham area to be at Fan Day. The last time the two were on campus, they attended a game and Kristen was pregnant with a little girl. On Saturday, that girl – now six-month old Krisley – made her first trip to Auburn.
 
"It's neat," Kristen said. "To go and to meet Gus Malzahn and then coming to see all the players, it's really neat. And then [Krisley] getting to meet all the players is just incredible."
 
Like so many others, Craig and Kristen only know Malzahn and the Auburn players from watching them on the TV or being at a game. They've never seen them up close or had a conversation with them until Saturday. While getting autographs, Malzahn even asked the couple about their daughter and how she slept on the trip down.
 
Malzahn should know. He has two daughters and recently had his first grandchild.   
 
"It's just that one-on-one connection that you get," Kristen said. "Before, it's just that coach on TV. Knowing that we got to talk to them and then we get to see them play – cheering them on has a different meaning."
 
"To meet these guys face to face and then see them on Saturday out there on the field, it's exciting," added Craig. "It gets us excited for the season."
 


 
Daniel Lewis came to Fan Day game ready. The season might be three weeks away, but there was Lewis – painted face, crazy wig and wearing his Auburn jersey.
 
It's a tradition he started doing about 10 years ago that earned him the nickname, "Silly Tigers." Now it's gotten to the point to where it doesn't matter if he's at the game or home watching on TV, he's painting up. That's not to mention the thousands of dollars of Auburn tattoos he has.
 
Fan Day, though, is about more than just the autographs for Lewis.
 
"I do it because (the players) come out here and they work hard every day," Lewis said. "I want them to know that there are people out there that respect what they do and that we cherish everything that they put their time in for. These guys work hard to go out there and play for Auburn University. They need to know that the fans truly care."
 
In three weeks, Lewis will be painted up at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to watch his Tigers battle Washington in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.
 
"My tickets hit the mail yesterday," Lewis said. "I'm ready. I'll be in Atlanta. And then I'll be here to watch Alabama State. It's going to be fun. It's going to be a great year. We've got some mad talent, and I'm excited about what's going to happen.
 
"I love when ESPN gives us bad raps. The more they talk about us negatively, the better we come out and play. So I'm ready. I'll be in gear Sept. 1 in Atlanta."
 
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greg_ostendorf