You know the stories. The legends of men and women faithful to the Auburn Creed. Not just in there the characteristics that make up that old, sacred parchment of George Petrie, but in their accolades as athletes and coaches. We remember names of coaches like Shug, Beard, and Rosen. The names of famous athletes, like Sullivan, Hudson, and Bonner, that have adorned those precious orange and blue jerseys. And of course we all know Bo…I mean who doesn’t. However, few outside our “Auburn Family” get to know the other stories of legends gone by. Let’s be honest, many within the family sometimes are clueless to these legends.

ESPN has been recognized for quite a while for their 30 for 30 series. These documentaries, like the “Pony Express,” “Of Miracles and Men,” and “The Fab Five,” are well-known among sports fans. The worldwide leader in sports takes it one step further with their SEC Network series, SEC Storied. Here, they have produced some great Auburn related programs: “R**l T**e/War Eagle,” “You Don’t Know Bo,” “Miracles on the Plains,” and “Bo, Barkley, and the Big Hurt.” Add one more to that list, not just because it because it covers Auburn, but because it’s a legend worth knowing.

ESPN’s Hannah Storm directs the story of Ambrose “Rowdy” Gaines in the SEC Storied documentary simply called “Rowdy.” Storm takes you on a one-hour trip through the story of Gaines’ life thus far. We follow along from a childhood in Winter Haven, Florida, to the Loveliest Village on the Plains, to the International Olympic stage. His story is one deeply rooted in family – his blood family and his Auburn Family. Storm, as director, does a thorough job of weaving a complex story through its many different themes. As a brief look into one of the settings, many will remember that the United States led a controversial boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow on the heels of the Russian invasion of Moscow. She uses this history piece not to make a political statement, but to drive the heart of the Rowdy story. I’ll let you view for yourself to figure out how. Below I’ll share some favorite moments without spoiling too much, but first a rating. Yes, even though I have my orange and blue glasses on, I maintain this documentary is deserving of an A+, 5 star rating. A creative, emotional, and inspiring tale worthy among the best of SEC Storied and even 30 for 30 series.

Rowdy loves to have fun and exude energy. That comes through in this program and it’s one of my favorite things about it. As a child, college student-athlete, Olympian, and sports media personality, we get to know what makes him tick, not just through stories of the man, but in how he shares it. For the Auburn purest, there are plenty of spotlights on swimming and non-swimming Auburn figures throughout the feature. You will see familiar faces like David Housel, David Marsh, Brett Hawke, Pat Dye, and yes, even Charles Barkley. There are plenty of kind words and stories from other current and former NCAA and Olympic swimming greats. The final thing I would like to share is how all of Gaines’ accomplishments are laid out in a simple but awe inspiring way. Once you look at these some of these stats below, you will be hard pressed to convince me doesn’t belong alongside Bo, Barkley, and the Big Hurt.

1977-1982 NCAA and Club Team Accomplishments

22 time NCAA All American

8 time NCAA champion

14 time SEC champion

1980 world swimmer of the year

4 world records

5 American records

7 SEC records

1980 SEC Athlete of the Year (Beating Herschel Walker)

A quote from this documentary sticks with me. Rowdy was interviewed as his collegiate career came to an end at the NCAA championships of 1982. This quote “Five years and my name with be obscured,” scares the daylights out of me. We can’t allow this to happen, not to Rowdy. Truthfully not just for him, but for all Auburn athletes. One of the things we pride ourselves here on the E2C Network is giving as much exposure as we can to ALL Auburn athletics. Despite our best efforts, we too still fall short of this goal too often.

My hope for you as an Auburn man or woman is that you will strive to never let this Auburn man’s name, let alone every other Auburn family member’s name, be lost to history.

Do yourself a favor and watch “Rowdy,” the SEC Storied documentary. Make sure you get to know Rowdy. But most importantly, let it remind you to get know all of your Auburn Family.

Featured image via ESPN Media