The Iron Bowl, Pop’s Rules, and the Day I Learned What Love Really Was

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It was the day of the 1971 Iron Bowl. Auburn and Alabama were about to battle it out on the gridiron. This was the first time both teams were undefeated, going into this game. Pop broke his own rules to teach me a simple truth: Real love shows up when your heart is hurting.

Some memories stay with you forever.

For me, one of those memories comes from the 1971 Iron Bowl, the first year Alabama’s coach, Bear Bryant used the wishbone offense.

I was a senior in high school, and both Alabama and Auburn were undefeated.

Pat Sullivan had just won the Heisman Trophy. Auburn fans were full of hope, including me.

But my grandfather, Pop, knew better. However, he wanted me to find out for myself.

Pop’s Special Rules About Drinking

When I was in high school, my parents allowed me to have a drink every now and then, but only under Pop’s supervision. They believed that if I learned responsibility early, I wouldn’t go crazy with it when I turned 21.

They were right. After my 21st birthday, it was about two years before I even bought alcohol.

Pop had two very strict rules about drinking:

✅ Only two drinks a day - No more

✅ If I drink - No driving

Pop took those rules seriously. He lived with structure and discipline, and I respected that. Most of all, I respected him. After all, he was my best friend when I was growing up.

The Game That Broke My Heart

When the 1971 Iron Bowl kicked off, I was excited. But by halftime, the truth was clear.

Alabama was stronger, faster, and completely in control.

The final score was 31–7, and the game felt over long before it ended.

Inside, I was crushed.

A young Auburn fan’s heart can break pretty hard.

Pop saw it.

Normally, he would watch me pour one drink, maybe two, and then stop me. But that day, he didn’t say a word. He let me keep pouring, and he didn’t worry about the rule. He didn’t worry about the drink. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t preach.

Pop knew I was hurting.

He wasn’t supervising my drinking that day

— He was supervising my pain.

Later, when I sobered up, Pop explained himself the way only he could.

He said, “Son, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Bear had those boys playing today. I don’t think any of the pro teams could have beaten him today.”

He kept trying to comfort me, and I finally said:

“Pop! Please! You’re not helping!”

Even now, that moment still makes me smile. It was a mix of heartbreak and love — the kind that sticks with you for life.

Pop’s Real Lesson

The older I get, the more I understand what Pop was really doing that day.

He wasn’t trying to hide the pain.

He wasn’t trying to control the situation.

He wasn’t even trying to teach me about football.

Pop was teaching me about love.

Love is quiet.

Love is steady.

Love shows up when your heart is hurting, even if it can’t fix the problem.

Pop never shouted, never judged, never made me feel small.

He simply stood beside me through a painful moment.

And now, many years later, I realize something:

Pop taught me the values that would one day shape SurfSideSafe.

What This Has to Do With SurfSideSafe

SurfSideSafe wasn’t built from code alone.

It wasn’t built to be a clone of other platforms.

It wasn’t built to chase trends or impress Silicon Valley.

SurfSideSafe was built from real life — and the lessons I learned from people like Pop.

Lessons like:

🔹 Be kind.

🔹 Show up when someone is hurting

🔹 Listen more than you speak

🔹 Protect people, even quietly

🔹 Build trust slowly

🔹 Put people first

On that day in 1971, Pop taught me what love really looks like.

It’s calm.

It’s steady.

It’s patient.

It never tries to show off.

And it never lets someone face pain alone.

That is the same love I built into SurfSideSafe.

A platform where people feel safe.

A place where kindness matters.

A place that stands by you, even on the hard days.

Pop’s lesson didn’t just shape ME

— It helped shape an entire platform.

Conclusion

Every family has stories that stay alive forever.

This one is mine.

The 1971 Iron Bowl broke my heart, but Pop held it together with love, patience, and wisdom. And the values he lived by — values learned on simple days, in simple moments — are now woven into the heart of SurfSideSafe.

Pop didn’t just raise me.

He helped inspire the platform I built.

And that’s why SurfSideSafe is not just another social media site.

It’s a place with a heartbeat.

Join us today, and share some stories like this. SurfSideSafe, and the SurfSideSafe Community will love them.

Just tap the picture of the little girl below.

AND always Remember these two things:

This is SurfSideSafe. If they got it, we got it. And if we ain’t got it, we’ll build it.

AND:

At SurfSideSafe, we are here to make your life much better.