An unwritten rule in Tuscaloosa is to never utter the words, "Punt, 'Bama, Punt." It was the 1972 Iron Bowl. The Tide, really the better team in the game, held a 16-3 edge before two punts were blocked by Bill Newton. Both were run back for touchdowns by Langner. Auburn won the game 17-16.

"For us to win in the last four minutes of the game, being behind, just mesmerized the crowd," Langner said.

It is perhaps the most famous moment in Auburn-Alabama history, at least for Auburn fans. In those days, the Crimson Tide dominated the Tigers. After that particular Iron Bowl, Alabama ran off nine straight wins against Auburn. But the Tigers will always have "Punt, 'Bama, Punt."

The hero of that game has lived in a city dominated by Alabama fans for ten years now. He calls it, "a wonderful place to live." Usually, Langner has no trouble selling cars to the Tide fans, but on occasion, a real diehard will seek help from a different employee. Just last week, Langner was wearing something that had the Auburn logo on it. It led to some trouble as Langner approached a customer.

"I kind of was getting involved in the deal, and the guy let me know that he was an Alabama fan and he wasn't interested in buying a car from me," Langner said. "So I have to be careful about that."

But most fans, no matter which team they root for, respect Langner and love meeting anyone who was involved in one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Langner loves the interaction too.

"To be remembered for something is something you can't buy or, you know, you don't realize how important that is to me to be remembered 33 years after a football game," he said. "That's huge. Can't anybody tell you what I did in those other 45 football games, but I can tell you they remember what I did in that Alabama-Auburn game."

They sure do. And they remember where they were when it happened and what they were doing when Auburn came back to win.

"I think I can say that there was thousands of people that have come up to me over the years and talked about it," he said. "They really have, and I wish I had made a book, or wrote down a notebook or something of all the people that came up and said what they were doing when it happened."

That book would probably be a best-seller by now. One guy told Langner he was hunting in a field during that game, and as he celebrated, he threw his gun (not so smart). The gun hit his car, fired, and shattered his windshield.

But that story doesn't compare to what a young woman told Langner a few years ago when he was in New Orleans.

"She came up to me and said, 'You know what?'" he began. "And I was with my friends. There was like four or five of us. We were down there for a convention. And she said, 'You know, you're the reason I'm here.' And I go, 'Here we go.' She says, 'My mom and dad were at that game that day, and I was conceived that day.'"

Who knew running back a couple of blocked punts could lead to something like that?

This car dealership we were in today is owned by, as Langner describes him, "the biggest Alabama fan that's ever walked."

That would be Charles Townsend. This guy bleeds crimson as much as anyone around. Townsend better hope his Tide pull it out this weekend, so he can have bragging rights on his Finance Manager.

"If Auburn wins," Langner said, "he's gonna walk past that door right there, he comes in every morning at nine o'clock, and he's gonna walk past that door and say, 'War Eagle!'"

There was a great vibe inside the dealership as the Iron Bowl gets closer and closer. Most of the employees, like Brandon Wates, are 'Bama fans. So naturally, there is some trash talk between Langner and his friends.

"Usually about three times a year I make him cry," Langner said about Wates.

At least some people at the dealership are guaranteed to be happy after Saturday's game. That's refreshing, considering both Alabama and Auburn lost last weekend.

"The bad part about that is: now alabama thinks they're gonna beat us," Langner said.

"I think we've got a good chance," Wates chimed in.

"Did you think that two weeks ago?" Langner asked.

"No I didn't," Wates responded. "But now I do."

"Do you want to take the three points and bet on the game?"

Wates put a stop to that: "Oh no!"

David Langner may not be playing much of role in Saturday's outcome, but his role in the Iron Bowl has a place in history. Very few games can make people heros, but the Iron Bowl is one of those games.

"If you block two punts in the Mississippi State game and score two touchdowns," Langner said, "you'll have to remind people."

Nobody in this state needs to be reminded of the 1972 Iron Bowl.