Fall break of my fourth-year, a group of friends and I drove to Oakley’s Farm in Spotsylvania County for the first Haymaker Music Festival. We camped out, listened to music, drank Beast Light, and ate a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches.

Bruce Hornsby and Steve Kimock were at the top of the bill Saturday night. Their opening act was a group no one in the crowd had heard of called Robert Randolph & the Family Band.

Just as the sun was setting, a young man sauntered onstage wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey and a fedora. He sat down in front of a pedal steel and unleashed his high energy blend of soul, gospel, and blues.

I have loved Robert Randolph ever since.
A lot of words come to mind when thinking about Robert such as virtuoso, filthy, blessed by God…splits the uprights?

That’s right folks, Robert Randolph will be making his placekicking debut this weekend. Only difference is that this Robert Randolph is 5’10’’ 160 lbs from Naples, FL and will not be blazing Charlottesville Pavilion on Halloween (although, I do find the prominent role feet play in both RR’s lives a bit odd).

It was announced last night that everyone’s favorite Deutschlander, Yannick Reyering, will not play tomorrow, which means that the freshman with a name people will never associate with him first could be the deciding factor in the 113th contesting of the Oldest Rivarly in the South.