Yeah, I was too. I actually won a house in Hartselle on a bet with the third shift HR guy at GE at that time. He was a loud mouthed, dumbass awbarn fan and was running his mouth about how bad Miami was going to beat Bama. We were in the break room one night and he had found out I was going to the game. He was making a big show of how bad Bama was going to get beat and said "I'm so sure Bama will lose and lose badly that I'll bet my house against $100." I jumped up, walked over to that arrogant sunofvabitch and asked him, "If Bama wins, I get your house and if they lose, I pay you $100?"
He laughed out loud and said "exactly." I shook his hand and sat back down while he continued talking loudly, this time about how he would spend my $100.
Didn't have a cell phone in 1993 so I called him at half time on a pay phone and his wife answered. I asked if I could speak to Herman and she said, "just a minute." When he got to the phone I asked, "Enjoying the game Herman?" He didn't say a word but hung up the phone.
I called again after the game and his wife answered again. I asked to speak with Herman and she asked, "who is this?" I told her and mentioned that Herman and I worked together. After a pause, she said, "he doesn't want to talk to you." I told her that I would give them the rest of the month to move out. She asked what I was talking about and I told her about the bet Herman and I had made. As she slammed the phone down I heard her say "damn you Herman...."
I was off the first couple of days after the game and found out when I got back Herman hadn't been in all week either. I tried sending him a couple of private email but never got a reply. I finally sent one to the plant wide email list of about 1300 people. In the email, addressed to Herman but CC'd to everyone else, I reminded him of the bet we made, the witnesses to the bet and our handshake to seal the deal. I told him I was in no hurry to obtain the property and would give him to the last day of the month to move out. I also mentioned in a PS to the message that if anyone saw Herman, to please let him know I was trying to get in touch with him.
I got several dozen replies, all but one laughing with me and thanking me for putting the arrogant bastard on the hot seat. That one was from the secretary of the plant manager and informing me that he wanted to see me at 6 a.m. the next morning. Since I worked third shift I was there anyway and made the appointment, wondering what was going to happen. The plant manager, a Kentucky fan, laughed when I came in his office. After rehearsing the details of the bet again he asked, "you don't really expect him to honor his bet do you?" I replied, "no, I never thought he would but I'm going to rub it in until he quits or pays up." He said, "Herman has requested a shift change to second shift and I have granted it so you won't see him very much if at all from now on." He asked me to not use the company email for personal use unless "Herman actually pays up!"
I never saw Herman again. The bastard made sure to dodge me and left the Decatur plant within a few weeks. His son, a better than average RB at Hartselle, went to awbarn on a football scholarship but never amounted to much.
That game has a lot of good memories for me.
