This is an opinion column.
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It was like Neville Arena and Jordan-Hare Stadium had a baby.
Clumsy in the beginning.
A little funny looking, too.
But, in the end, a majestic soaring, roaring eagle with fangs and claws like a tiger.
They’ll always remember the crowd from Auburn 78, Michigan 65 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena. It was a dream. It was a declaration. It was beautiful and felt like the cultural apex of Auburn’s potential as a regional and national power. The basketball? Let’s be honest. At this point in Auburn’s all-time season, we’ve seen better.
But this is the NCAA Tournament and style points are for people who don’t understand March Madness.
Win and grin.
Survive.
Nothing else matters.
No.1 overall seed Auburn is through the Sweet 16 and on to an Elite 8 matchup with No.2 seed Michigan State.
Sparty coach Tom Izzo is a gangster of a basketball legend, and he showcased his street smarts against upstart Ole Miss in Friday’s first game, but he’s no Bruce Pearl in Atlanta.
Bruce Almighty owns Atlanta in a way that only Nick Saban could fully understand — steal Georgia Tech’s best players and then walk around town like the mayor.
“Bruuuuuuce” echoed through the building before the game and then after it was over, too.
It was the best crowd for a game in the NCAA Tournament I’ve ever witnessed — even better than Butler vs. Duke in Indianapolis. Saturday’s game in the Elite 8 will be a slice of Auburn heaven and Pat Dye will hear it from above.
Auburn earned this advantage, too. The crowd this weekend in Atlanta is why Auburn worked so hard to win the SEC; to dominate every night the toughest conference in the history of college basketball.
It was all for this, and the fans understood the assignment.
War Eagle, they chanted.
Weagle Weagle, they screamed.
Have the hometown Atlanta Hawks ever seen a crowd like that in the history of their franchise?
Nah.
Auburn is different and the fans are proud.
Michigan kept it close in the first half, but the Wolverines had no chance. This one was preordained and scripted. Auburn snapped off a 20-2 run behind its home-crowd advantage and that was that.
“It was just the kids’ will to win,” Pearl said. “They locked down defensively.”
On the offensive end, it was a duo of Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford that did it. First it was Jones, who went to work with a 10-0 skirmish all his own. Then it was Pettiford’s turn, and the freshman put on a show.
The kid is special, and he knows it, too.
Pettiford became an Auburn legend on this night. He finished with 20 points, and his 15 in the second half put the game away.
Those of us paying attention saw it coming.
“He does whatever it takes to win,” Auburn senior Johni Broome said. “If we need a spark, he gives us a spark. He also does a good job of listening to us.”
Because he’s a freshman.
Because, like Pearl said after the game, sometimes Pettiford needs constructive encouragement.
Because “he’s a little [sh*t], you now,” Pearl said.
Pearl was kidding. He loves Pettiford, and recruited him from a very young age.
Auburn’s coach is trying to keep Pettiford grounded. Good luck, coach. He was born to fly.
Pettiford came out early from the halftime locker room and locked in his 3-point shot. Then, before the second half, Pearl motioned to his freshman to take over the game. That’s all Pettiford needed to see.
He channeled the Auburn spirit. He fed off the Auburn energy. The arena boomed with every bucket.
The Sweet 16 was a reflection of Auburn greatness, and the Elite 8 will be like the coronation of a king.
Pearl built this from nothing. He imagined this weekend years ago. This is his time and this is his town and this is his best team.
One more win and Auburn is through to the Final Four. It’s so close. The fangs are sharp and the claws are ready.
BE HEARD
Got a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what’s on your mind. Let your voice be heard. Ask him anything.
Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”
