Seven times. That's how many times Auburn fans will be able to go into Jordan-Hare Stadium this fall to watch the Tigers play football.
Seven days out of 365. That's how many days we have the opportunity to enter the gates of the stadium that each fan longs to enter as soon as the previous season ends.
Seven Saturdays out of 52. That's how many weekends we get the chance to make our small, personal contribution to Auburn's football program by supporting our Tigers, win or lose.
But for two of the first three games this season, there have been fans piling out of the stadium before the clock reads 0:00.
I saw it at Clemson this past weekend, and everyone saw the mass exodus during the fourth quarter against Utah State.
This team took an entire fanbase on their back last season and gave us the most memorable year of Auburn football history, and how do we repay them? By filing out of the stands with our tails between our legs midway through the fourth quarter.
I have never been so embarrassed to be an Auburn student since the 2008 season when we had people booing one of our own players.
Did I want to beat Utah State and cruise to a boring 52-10 victory? Of course, but that didn't happen.
Did I want to give up 600 plus yards to Clemson? No, but it happened.
This isn't 2010. Cam Newton, Nick Fairley, Darvin Adams--all those guys are gone. If you get mad and leave every time we get down by 10 points or more this year, you might as well sell your tickets to scalpers, because it's going to happen.
Our team is super talented and had a lot of stars next to their names coming out of high school, but at the same time, we are so young that games like Saturday's loss are going to happen.
But you know what? Those same players you gave up on so easily are the foundation of our next championship.
The very players that people spent Saturday night dogging on message boards are going to be the guys who get Auburn through this season or get us back to the top in 2012. All of the young guys are only going to get better.
I have been going to Auburn games since I was 1 year old, and one of the first things I learned from my father was that you don't leave Auburn games early.
I was there in '96 when the "Barn" burned, and my mother had to drag me out of the stadium kicking and screaming because I wanted to stay in the stands with my father.
And through all the losses, all the blowouts, the entire 1998 season, I have only left one game early that I can recall.
That one being the 2001 Iron Bowl because my father didn't want me to hear the Alabama fans in the nearby sections sing "Rammer Jammer" after defeating us.
It isn't that hard to support your team to the end no matter what.
Auburn's football team made a dream come true for every single Auburn fan in the world in 2010, but three quarters into the 2011 season, some of those same "fans" elected to head for the exits.
One other thing I have learned from Auburn football is that if you stand by them long enough, eventually they will reward your patience.
The 2008 season was abysmal, but I would do it again every time if it means another 2010.
One of the main things I thought was special about Auburn was that we loved Auburn football because we first loved Auburn University. But so far this season, it's evident we only love Auburn football when we're winning.
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