A funny thing happened to Cole Tracy on his way to the NFL. OK, granted, he's not there. Not yet. But for THIS moment, Tracy is getting a lot of pro football attention after Saturday's LSU 22-21 win over #8 Auburn.
Every kicker dreams of scoring the game winner in the final seconds. This senior transfer from tiny Assumption College in Massachusetts took that dream into reality; like it was just another day at the football office. With just a couple of seconds on the clock, and about 80,000 unfriendlies screaming their War Eagle heads off, Cole Tracy nailed a 43 yard field goal, splitting the uprights right down the middle of the Auburn plains. It was a one point win that catapulted LSU to #6 in the nation, AND the ONLY time in LSU football history that a winning kick was made with no time on the clock in regulation. Look it up.
Needless to say, Cole Tracy's popularity has increased; along with the awareness of his alma mater, Assumption College. So appreciative of his transfer, dozens of Tiger fans have sent donations to the small college. The current donation total so far is around $6,000. Expect that amount to go higher; as will Cole's stock as a future pro.
Many LSU fans already know about Tracy's success so far this season on the field. What most DON'T know is the way he thinks and expresses himself. So here's a quick look-see at how grounded he is (as long as it's a good snap). Cool under pressure. Cool at a press conference.
One final news item: Immediately following the game, there was a unofficial report of small earthquake centered at Newbury Park, California; Cole Tracy's hometown. The circumstances were similar to an occurrence at the end of another LSU-Auburn game. Granted, it was not quite the magnitude of the famous Earthquake Game, where LSU beat #4 ranked Auburn 7-6 thirty years ago in 1988 at Tiger Stadium. In that game, QB Tommy Hodson threw an 11 yard strike to Eddie Fuller in the back of the end zone on 4th down with 2 minutes on the clock. LSU fans jumped up and down so intensely after that score, the vibrations registered as an earthquake by an LSU seismograph in the Geoscience Complex. (I know-I was there in the north end zone. And I broke my Walkman by jumping so high it crashed to the concrete under my feet.)
The location of this year's event was over 1,800 miles away from Tiger Stadium, but the jumping, running and screaming by Cole's family and friends northwest of Los Angeles was just as enthusiastic--on a smaller Richter Scale. Still, it was yet another Auburn game where LSU sneaked out with a last second upset win. And one where another LSU hero was born.