SZVETITZ COLUMN: Fans out in force to support Chizik

Click here for a photo slideshow of Sunday’s Fan Day festivities.

Even the ice cream man in the music-making van came out to see Gene Chizik and his 2009 Auburn football team for Fan Day at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Push-Up Pop pusher joined the 4,500 other fans Sunday to get autographs and photos, while paying their respects to the Tigers’ head man and his charges.

And it didn’t cost anything.

Just a gallon of sweat. And $2.99 for that frozen treat if you so desired.

But it was worth every drop — to hear the Auburn faithful tell it.

And they did. Over and over again. To Chizik. To the players. To administrators and officials. Even to a newspaper man sitting by the free bags of Golden Flake dill chips.

It was an honor to be there, they said. An honor to shake hands with the coach. An honor to speak with him. The chips were just a bonus — two and three bags at a time.

What a far cry from Dec. 13, 2008, when Chizik was first announced as the man to replace Tommy Tuberville.

You remember. Just YouTube “Auburn + Heckle + Airport” in case you forgot.

Did you ever think that now, eight months later, fans would line up hours in advance in the 90-degree-plus heat just to get a plastic helmet signed by Chizik?

My, how things change. And Sunday proved just how much.

“I don’t think that one guy should speak for an entire fan base,” said Auburn University sophomore Logan Rush, referring to the video of a disgruntled fan booing AU athletic director Jay Jacobs and his team of “advisors” when they landed at the Auburn/Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport the day Chizik was hired. “Auburn fans aren’t like that guy at the airport. They’re not like what ESPN showed.

“I’m really excited that there’s this much support behind him,” Rush continued, looking around the line that stretched at least 100 yards in front of him to the entrance of Gate 11 and behind him all the way up to Plainsman Park. “I think he’s the right coach for the job.”

Rush then recited Chizik’s resume and how much success he had as a defensive coordinator at Auburn and Texas, with everyone in earshot nodding in agreement, waiting for him to take a breath so they could jump in and finish the bullet points.

Chizik’s bio is well-known by every Auburn fan. They do their homework, you know.

They know the good. They know the bad. And they’re ready to defend Chizik and cast off the “haters” at the very whiff of doubt.

But most of all, they’re ready to see what his team looks like and how it will compete.

“I don’t know if I’m more excited or anxious for the season to start,” Auburn senior William Canfield said. “I’m just ready. I’ve been an Auburn fan my whole life, and I’ve never felt like this before a season. There’s something new this year about Auburn football.”

Hence the big turnout.

Something Chizik knew was coming.

“I did. I really did, because these are the greatest fans in the county,” he said. “These guys come out for any event that’s Auburn football related. They did the same thing in the spring. We were expecting a very large crowd.

“I think everybody’s excited. We’re getting closer to football season and with that comes an excitement. And I can see it and feel it when you do events like these and even when I go and talk at different events, you can see it and feel it.”

And no matter how far they traveled, or how much stuff they brought for Chizik to sign (hats, shirts, posters, media guides, helmets) or take pictures with (moms, dads, grandparents, sleeping babies, dogs), there was a consistent theme running through the autograph line.

“I’m here to show my support for Coach Chizik,” said Tammy Johnson, who was first in line outside of Jordan-Hare on Sunday afternoon. “I think it’s going to be good for Auburn.”

Johnson and her family, who live in Opelika, arrived at 11 a.m., 45 minutes before anyone else was there and three hours before the 2 p.m. start time.

It was a birthday present to herself as well, as she turned 36 on Saturday.

“I’m celebrating,” Johnson said, with her husband, Todd, daughter, Brittany, and son, Hunter, all in line together.

Celebrating with Chizik. Now that’s a party.

And while Johnson only had to drive a few miles, some fans drove hours from surrounding states just to “stand in the heat and sweat with everybody else” like the couple from Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

And to them it was worth it.

And to Chizik it was appreciated.

“You’ve got people who waited in line for three hours,” Chizik said after the two-hour event in a banquet room down in the belly of the stadium while his players ate dinner. “You’ve got people that drove from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi — these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head — north Alabama, Huntsville and even farther north. You’ve got guys who drove here hours for today to be able to get autographs from our players and from myself. And that is so hugely appreciated, not just by me, but that bunch over there that’s eating right now. They really appreciate it, too.”

The next time this many fans will be this close to Chizik will be at the first game Sept. 5 vs. Louisiana Tech.

They’ll fill the stands in support, just like they filled the concourses Sunday afternoon. Anxious and excited.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.