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Tony Jones Columnist

Published Wednesday, September 03, 2008

A smile that draws inspiration

Sports Column by TONY JONES

tony@newnan.com

Former Newnan High soccer player Caroline Cordle has always been a favorite of mine. My appreciation for her and the entire Cordle family began about eight years ago when her brother, Bo, worked here with us as a technical director.

A little over a year ago I was told that Caroline, along with Bailey Hayes of East Coweta and Laura Barber of Newnan, would soon be going through sorority rush at Auburn University.

My wife Tara has been a long-time Auburn University Chi Omega (XO) advisor and doubles as the chapter's local Alumnae President.

We were disappointed when Bailey and Laura landed in another sorority (AXO), but we were as equally thrilled to discover that Caroline had pledged the XO sorority.

Anyone who has ever met Caroline would understand. Her radiant smile is marked with confidence and happiness and is impossible to resist. She's a refreshing reminder of how in this day and age character still counts.

Shortly after arriving at Auburn, Caroline became friends with an incoming XO from Nashville, Tara Fisher. The two are now roommates.

Tara is the daughter of Tennessee Titans' head coach Jeff Fisher. To Tara's credit, she made a name for herself during rush, instead of playing the "don't you know who I am?" power card.

And nothing has changed since. Girls like Bailey and Caroline like her for who she is. She's Tara, who just happens to have a dad who is a National Football League coach.

I have always admired Jeff Fisher from a distance. But meeting his daughter and learning even more about her from her friends made my respect for father and daughter heighten.

My childhood is full of memories of college football and the NFL. I tell kids these days that games weren't televised in the multitude or manner they now are. Southern California, under John Robinson, had an elite program. Some of their bigger games were nationally televised.

Fisher was part of a heralded defensive backfield at USC that included Dennis Smith (Broncos), Joey Browner (Vikings), and Ronnie Lott (49ers).

I get mainly blank looks from the college-age crowd when I mention those names or the likes of a Robinson or Buddy Ryan, men who I imagine inspired Fisher as he came up through the ranks.

Fisher inspired me as a kid. He went all out on every down, whether in the secondary or on special teams. His career has continued to flourish as he's overcome a franchise move, orchestrated "The Music City Miracle", took his team to the Super Bowl, and developed into the longest tenured coach in the NFL.

Tara took several of her friends last Friday to the Georgia Dome to see her dad's team up close as they battled Atlanta in a preseason contest. Caroline was one of the girls that Tara wanted her father to meet.

The girls, who were mistaken by fans as wives of the players, all enjoyed the game from field level. Caroline gave the Titans head coach a huge endorsement. "He was the nicest man. He really went out of his way to make sure we had a great time," said the thankful Newnan graduate.

I would think that the pleasure belonged to coach Fisher. I didn't ask him, but I would guess games at the Georgia Dome are still a little painful. It's the same venue where an underdog Tennessee team came only one yard short against St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Caroline now hopes the group can take in a regular season game. "We all enjoyed rooting for the Titans and I have been converted into a huge Tennessee fan. It would be nice to see them play again."

The coach's daughter didn't have to convert all of her sorority sisters. The XO chapter at Auburn had already included a large contingent of Nashville and nearby Brentwood girls before Tara arrived on the plains.

In fact, my wife and I chaperoned a draft-a-date party for the girls this past spring. All of the girls with the exception of one dressed up in armed services attire. The lone exception was Caitlin Myles. Caitlin went the innovative route and interpreted the "draft" as football, uniquely sporting an old Tennessee Titan Eddie George jersey.

Caitlin was another one of the girls who made the trip to Atlanta last week. "We've made Caitlin a Tennessee fan as well. She loved the feeling of being close to the action," said Tara, who enjoyed taking her friends to a game and introducing them to an atmosphere she has always known, yet still feels fortunate to experience.

Sunday afternoons were once a time to recover at my house. A time to reflect on either an Auburn or University of North Carolina win or loss. But not anymore. Not with Tara, Caroline, and her brother Bo ready to share the upcoming excitement of a brand new season of Tennessee Titan football with us.

The Titans open their regular season on Sunday at home against Jacksonville. Auburn will next host Southern Mississippi on Saturday afternoon. And if any Auburn fan is headed to the game, you might want to keep your eyes on Auburn's HD Jumbotron.

Many in the stadium refer to it as the "Cordle Cam." That same guy, who as a high school student was our technical director, controls what goes up on the Jumbotron. And no matter where Caroline is located in the stadium, a cameraman always finds the girl with the radiant smile.

And on the subject of inspiration, no matter how bad Auburn is playing, that million dollar smile inspires the rest of us.