Memorial Day: A Reminder of the Real Heroes Who Fought for the Real Colors

Every college I can think of has had its share of men and women who left the schools, the teams, the bands, the faculty and the classrooms to answer our nation's highest calling. 

Every school has had members who have paid the ultimate price for answering that call.

This Memorial Day, I ask you to remember those men and women who have done what the rest of us have not, gave their lives so present and future classmates wouldn't have to.

For those of you who put yourselves in harm's way for us and came home, thank you for your service, your courage and your sacrifice.

We enjoy our football seasons, our tailgating and our game days because so many will never have the opportunity to do it again.

Such things transcend all rivalries.  Today, I bow my head and tip my hat to every Auburn Tiger, Tennessee Vol, Florida Gator and every other school along with my own beloved members of the "Bama Nation" who paid that price for us all.

At 51, I was barely too young for Vietnam and too old for the future conflicts that arose.  I am the first male in my family's line never to go to war or wear the uniform.  I can not imagine what those people went through for us all, but when I hug my son and kiss my wife, I know all to well what they left behind to do it.

For all the Bleacher Creatures who still follow your teams from above, we salute you, we revere you, and you are never far from our thoughts.  But this is your day today, when we as a nation focus our attention on you and salute you as one.

Thank you for your sacrifice for all of us, we enjoy what we do today because of those sacrifices.  The smile on every face on both sides of stadium come from those sacrifices.  Your life was not in vain and I pray that it never will be.

We will never forget that the colors that meant the most to you were not Crimson or Orange, but Red, White, and Blue.  You remind us today what is really important.