After a week to reflect (more like recover) from my whirlwind trip to Atlanta, I’m finally ready to pull out the keyboard again.  Since it is the most recent significant-yet-not-really event on my mind, we’ll roll with it.

I would have liked to see the game in New Orleans, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen. Still, I suppose there is a special aspect to this year’s game, seeing as how it’s the only one to be played outside the state of Louisiana.

Atlanta is an interesting city.  This was the first time that I spent memorable time in town, and I came away with good feelings, though slightly tempered by the massive amounts of panhandlers.  I do give them credit for knowing lots of gullible tourists were in town.  Hint, though – when begging it is NOT a good idea to ask me what school I support, especially when I’m sporting shirts and hats that read “WEST VIRGINIA”.

Overall, the city was nice.  We stayed in the heart of downtown at one of the “official” WVU hotels, which was quite close to a MARTA station.  After using MARTA for several trips around town, I would definitely want to stay at a hotel somewhere along the line.  Only one place I went to during the trip did not reside on the MARTA, and even to go there I was able to meet a friend who stayed at a hotel along the line and bum a ride.  The airport is also connected to the MARTA, so if I were to do the trip all over again I would fly into Hartsfield and ride the MARTA to my hotel, completely bypassing a car.  No big deal for me since I usually carry only one bag.

We saw several attractions downtown during our stay, but I’ll just hit the highlights.  My folks said it before, and I will echo it – no trip to Atlanta is complete with eating at The Varsity.  In basic form it is just a hot dog place, but the food is great and the atmosphere is terrific.  We went to the Underground, but I was less than impressed.  I suppose from the hype I was expecting more.  Finally, we did a stop at the World of Coca-cola Museum.  While it seems kinda weird to pay Coke nine bucks to view their memorabilia, it was worth it for the tasting room.  Fountain upon fountain of Coke products there for the taking – good for making one helluva burp.  Be warned, though, the international room can be a bit surprising.  I liked China’s apple soda and someone else’s watermelon soda, but the ginger root beer left a bit to be desired.  And there is some kind of bitter Italian soda that will make you wish you just drank Drano.

I don’t think there are enough good things that can be said about the game.  Big win, big BIG win.  Just being there amid all those Bulldawgs, listening to their garbage, saying we never had a prayer, we couldn’t match up with a REAL team….blah blah blah.  Slaton ran wild.  Pat ran and passed with efficiency.  Brady executed the fake of his life.  Rod called a great game. The defense, er, well….the defense didn’t get injured.  They did force key fumbles, though.  That makes up for their getting carved like Thanksgiving turkey.  I got chills down the spine when the Pride did the Expanding Circle drill and made the state on the Sugar Bowl field.  And of course, singing Country Roads with 20,000 jubilant Mountaineers.

Great times all around.