INGLEWOOD, Calif. — People could feel the energy in Hartsfield-Jackson early Monday morning, as Georgia fans boarded flights heading to the West Coast.
Barks, high-fives and cheers filled the bustling hallways as people waited in security lines, exchanging guesses on what the final score would be.
Ted Fouriezos’ prediction: 34-21 with Georgia taking home a back-to-back championship.
He sported a small white sign on his chest as he walked into the airport just after 7 a.m. The sharpie-drawn words read, “My son taking his dad to see the dogs.”
Ted told 11Alive’s Molly Oak his son, Nick, and his daughter went to the championship last year. This time, it was Ted’s turn.
“Well, I was at the game in 1981, Jan. 1, haven’t been able to go back,” said the long-time fan.
“There was a moment where I was like ‘you know I went last year, I spent a lot, a lot of money on the tickets last year’, and I was thinking about not going. And he texted me, hey these tickets are going pretty cheap,” said Nick, his arm around his dad.
“And I told him,” Ted interjected, “it’s been 41 years since I got to go back, he doesn’t know when the next time may be.”
Living for the moment is something the Fouriezos all too well.
“He deserves it,” said Nick. “He’s had a few rough years here with his health, but he’s here, he’s raring to go, and cheer on the dawgs.”
Ted explained he was diagnosed with Leukemia and needed a stem cell transplant.
“There have been years where I didn’t know if he was going to be here to see it with me. And heck we didn’t know if we were even going to get to see the Dawgs play in a national championship,” said Nick. “Last year was a blessing. To see them come back and do it again—look we don’t take it for granted.”
Ted started tearing up as he listened to his son speak.
“I’m just real thrilled, real thrilled to see the Dawgs,” said Ted, his eyes showing the smile hidden behind his mask. “I’ve been a fan all my life. Just awesome to go to a second game—second national championship.”
This time, he’ll have his son by his side.
“Go Dawgs!” Ted said with a shout, as he waived goodbye.