My 5am Rebuttal

I hate it when someone makes a comment that gets under my skin, but my mind goes blank and I have nothing to say.  No insightful rebuttal, no quick witted remark, nothing.

Saturday night in Nashville Grant and I went out to a very nice restaurant that came highly recommended from our hotel.  The restaurant provided a free shuttle and since it was cold and raining, we were sold.

While we waited in the bar for our table we were positioned a few feet away from a private room where a group of 10 or so were having dinner.  It was a lively group and with an open doorway it was easy to hear they were talking about SEC football.

Not long after we had been there a lady walks out of this private party headed to the restroom and she has to pass right by us.  She stops and asks if we know who won the Heisman.  (of course we know!) Cam Newton.

"What!", she exclaims.  Racing back into her room she announces, "He won.  Newton actually won the Heisman." Coming by us again back on her path to the bathroom, she semi-muttled under her breath, but clearly loud enough for us to hear, "Well, in three years they'll have to take it from him."

And nothing.  With no insightful rebuttal and no quick witted remark I just sat there in silence.  But my blood began to boil.  Taking it personal that she would say such a thing about one of our own from the Auburn family it was all I could do to sit there when she passed back by returning to her table.  But I still had nothing to say.

While we sat there waiting on our table we listened to this group debate and discuss various teams in the SEC.

And then it hit me.  And I turned to Grant and asked, "Do you think we would be as forgiving of all the stuff surrounding Cam if we weren't Auburn fans?"

His immediate answer was no.  But then he thought a minute and with a sigh he said this, "You know, I would like to think we would be.  I would like to think we would believe him even if he wasn't playing at Auburn."  His response hit me in my core.  And I hope I will remember this night the next time something happens to a player that isn't playing on my team.

But back to my void of response for a minute.  This lady really got under my skin.  And at 5am on Sunday morning it hit me.  I had a rebuttal.

"Excuse me ma'm.  I couldn't help but overhear your comment.  And I have a question for you.  I'm sure you are aware that both the NCAA and the FBI have investigated into this matter with Cam Newton.  And I'm curious.  What do you know that they don't?"

Yes!