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Tonight marks one of my favorite events of the year and no I'm not talking about opening day for the Auburn baseball team. The event is Daddy-Daughter Date Night. It's an annual event put on by the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department. It's Auburn's equivalent of Oscars night. Girls ranging from age three to thirteen sport new dresses, spend the afternoon getting their hair done (I didn't realize an eight-year old could get what's called an "updoo") and I'm sure some even some buy new jewelry. Meanwhile, dads scramble to find a new tie to wear, set up dinner plans, and a few rent limousines just to show their little girl(s) a good time. By the end of the night those same dads (me included) are promising themselves next year they'll be in a little better shape. Two-straight hours of dancing will do that to you. I've been taking my "baby girl" to Daddy-Daughter Date Night since she was three. She's eight now. Last year, my heart was broken when I couldn't go because the basketball team was playing in Fayetteville, Arkansas and there was simply no way for me to take my daughter Friday night and make it to Fayetteville Saturday. Thankfully, my brother stepped in and played the role of good uncle. The night was saved even though it took him a couple of weeks to actually walk right again. But still, I hated to miss it because these types of nights are limited in number. Each year, I'm a little closer to not being the daddy that is the center of her world. The first year I took her she was just three years old and if there was any dancing to be done I had to hold her the whole time. That has changed. Now, even though she still wants me to hold her for every dance…I can't…if I did I would probably be in traction the next day. That little three-year old is now well over four-feet tall and all knees and elbows. Instead, I'll be dancing with a little girl that is getting closer to being a young woman than a little baby. And I've got to tell you…that's a little tough for this dad to take. More so than ever before, I'll try to soak in every moment that I spend with my little girl tonight. On one of the few nights where it's just her and me…on one of the few nights where she can truly be the center of what is a typically very busy universe. So I'll electric slide, hokey pokey, Macarena, and slow dance for two hours and I will love every minute of it. Tonight I won't have time to stop and think about how tall she's getting and how at the end of the evening I'll be one more Daddy-Daughter Date Night closer to my little Shelby Lou not being so little anymore…and to be honest, that makes me a little sad. I better run now…at least I can get a little stretching in before the first chicken dance of the night. Until next time, War Eagle and so long everybody!
Rod Bramblett In 2006, Rod Bramblett enters his fourth season as the play-by-play voice for Tiger football and men's basketball. In 1998, Rod Bramblett began serving as the host for the Auburn Network's weekly call-in show Tiger Talk. In addition, Bramblett has been the voice of Auburn baseball since 1993. The Valley, Ala. native also serves as co-host on the Auburn Football Preview Show & host on the Auburn Football Review and the Auburn Basketball Review show. An Auburn graduate, Bramblett is Director of Broadcast Services for the Auburn Network, where he is responsible for coordination of the network's affiliate relations and audio production. |
 
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