SEC Coaches Are Stayin' Alive

I like the halo over Mark Richt's head. If Georgia ever fires him, they're all going to hell!

Reply

.....Just one nit to pick: it should have been Croom setting the guy Bama passed him over for, on fire. And Croom drove the final nail in that coffin, too.

.....OK, two nits. Way too much Bee Gees in the media this week.

.....I'm assuming everyone's heard the Coach O song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63PnSDrGHRw

Reply

Acid Reign: That was pretty funny. I realized that I had never heard 'O' speak, so I listened to his Hummer commercial real quick and then got the joke. I love Cajuns! We Auburn folk need a 'Tubby' song...

Reply

.....In case Auburn fans weren't aware, the Mobile and Huntsville papers are reporting that Tray Blackmon is back in school at Auburn.

Reply

Acid, that's good news. I hope he takes care of business so he can play ball.

War Eagle!

Reply

.....And word is that Blackmon will be moved to middle linebacker. Sounds like more leeway for him to wreak havoc!

Reply

Here's hoping Auburn wreaks lots of havoc! It's way too long till football season. I need a football fix!

It has been 2000 days since Alabama beat Auburn. I read that somewhere, so I hope it's correct.

War Eagle!

Reply

.....Ow. That brings up some BAD memories, Carmen! Still, it's the sort of puzzle I like! I never though I'd be having to Google up "2001 alabama 31 auburn 7." Ouch.

.....Without actually clicking up any stories, it seems that our fateful tank job appears to have happened on Nov. 18 that year. And so, 30 days have November... We'll estimate that it was 12 days till the end of November, and 43 days till the end of 2001. We can aggregate 2002 through 2006, adding a day for leap year to [5 * 365] + 1. Adding the 43, this works out to 1869 days, as of New Year's Day, 2007. Adding up the days so far this year (31+28+31+30+19) gives us 139 more days. Adding it all us gives us: 2008 days since the "debacle in Jordan Hare." Give or take a day, considering my lousy math. I was ready to get rid of Mazzone's dink 'n' dunk after the first Tuberville spring game. I wasn't so sure Lovette deserved firing, but you sure can't argue with the sub-20-point defensive points-against average, since!

.....While my son and I were pounding tennis balls at each other this afternoon on West Oxmoor (got burnt up not thinking of sunblock), instead of our usual trash talk, we hammered out one of those one of those traditional B'ham News-style, meaningless Iron Bowl Week, position-by-position comparisons. What we came up with was:

.....Defensive Line: Huge, huge advantage: Auburn.
Wallace Gilberry is a proven player for the Tide, though more of a run-stopper than a pass rusher. Other than that, who do they have? I think a walk-on center started at nose guard. This is compared to Auburn's deep, deep unit anchored by Quinton Groves.

.....Linebackers: Slight advantage: Auburn.
Both units are mostly green, but AU has better depth, and got a huge bump with Blackmon returning to school.

.....Secondary: Slight advantage: Alabama.
Auburn, having lost David Irons to the NFL, has no proven "shut-down" corner. With Saban coaching him, Simeon Castille might well be an All-American next year. Again, though, I think Auburn has better depth.

.....Special Teams: Advantage: Alabama.
Auburn takes a huge blow, losing possibly the best school kicking trio in history, to graduation. The kicking I saw at Auburn's A-day was abysmal. We do have Tristan Davis and Brad Lester back, or this would be an even worse deficit! Bama boasts veteran kickers and return-men, with depth.

.....Offensive Line: Slight Advantage: Auburn.
Alabama has had a problem unit for several years, and they're going to have to show me against SEC lines before I revise that opinion! Yeah, they appeared to be greatly improved this spring under a well-respected line coach, but consider who they were blocking... Auburn's much-maligned new starters fared surprisingly well against a stout front seven, late. I'm giving the edge to the Tigers on talent and depth...

.....Tight Ends: Slight advantage: Auburn.
Both school's units are impressive, and have depth, but the tackle-like, bone-crunching blocks of Cole Bennett put Auburn over the top.

.....Wide Receivers: Huge advantage: Alabama.
A 5-6 deep depth chart of speed burners headlined by D. J. Hall, against Auburn's walk-on number one [Rod Smith] and a lot of questions, well... It's Auburn who needs to show me on the field, on this issue.

.....Fullback: Advantage: Auburn.
Frankly, I didn't see either team run much two-back formations this spring. Bama loses the outstanding McCain and Castille, Auburn returns the versatile and solid Carl Stewart, who appears to be primed for a big year. Both teams must work on depth here!

.....Tailback: Advantage: Auburn.
Jimmy Johns and a cast of less experienced guys did pretty well this spring for Bama. Auburn lost "Mr. Big Time," Kenny Irons, but there is a lot of quality depth coming back. A depth chart of Lester, Tate, Fannin, and Davis; with "no. 2 in the country RB recruit" Enrique Davis coming in, means AU is loaded here, and the envy of most teams in the country at running back!

.....Quarterback: Advantage: Even.
I've done the Cox vs. Wilson comparison before, and I stand by it. Were I coordinating an offense, I'd take Cox's accuracy over Wilson's superior athleticism every time. Also, Cox is working his 4th year with Al Borges. The Applewhite offense is new in T-Town. Having given Cox the nod as the better guy, I still did not see a SEC-capable backup in the Auburn camp this year. That's a precarious position to be in, with a green offensive line! Meanwhile, in Tuscaloosa, Bama's Barnes looks like a star in the making.

.....End result: more positives for Auburn than Bama. Other than QB, defensive line is probably the most key area to building a team, and the hardest talent to recruit. Nick Saban never had a starting defensive line like this at LSU, and with no Chad Lavalais to wipe out three blockers this fall, I think Bama will have problems. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out!

.....War Eagle!

Reply

I didn't mean to remind you of Black Saturday. Ouch. I guess I got the information a week or so late.

You're lucky to have your son nearby. I hope to go down to the Plains for a week-end soon to spend time with my son. I always look forward to a visit to Auburn as well as seeing my son.

I agree that we have some advantage over Bama this year. Hopefully, Brandon Cox will have a Jason Campbell type senior year. A lot depends on him, in my opinion.

Special teams are worrisome, but who knows what will happen before season. CTT seems to be flying under the radar right now, and that is usually a good omen for us.

Even with a good team and a good coach, we still need a big ole dose of good luck to go along with them. Keeping our team members healthy and out of trouble is vital. It will be an interesting season, and I may need nerve pills for the Iron Bowl and the LSU game, among others.LOL.

War Eagle!

Reply

OH CARMEN I am glad you LIKE FOOTBALL you will need Morphine or Darvaset to help you sleep after The 2007 IRON BOWL !!!!!!!!! HAVE A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!

Steve

Reply

Bleed, I just get a little nervous DURING the Iron Bowl. I have slept VERY WELL the LAST FIVE YEARS after it was over. I don't expect to lose any sleep after the 2007 version either. Now you have a great day.

War Eagle!

Reply

.....I think it's clear that the Bleeder didn't watch UA's a-day game. Frankly, both Alabama and Auburn have a LOT of improving to do before teams like LSU and Georgia come up on the schedule.

.....We'll stock up on aspirin when Alabama shows us a defensive line! Right now, the Iron Bowl doesn't look as tough as any of Auburn's four road trips...

Reply

A football fan should not boast about his team until they can beat Mississippi State at home.

Our rivalry with LSU has gotten interesting. It's always a good game and I think many of the fans on both sides have come to a mutual respect. I look forward to the game, although since it's at Tiger Stadium... Anyway, it is our best rivalry now, IMO.

I like our traditional rivalry with Georgia too, but since I have several favorite relatives that went to school there, I have to hold it down a little bit for that game.

Reply

I posted a comment here. Where did it go?
Gist:
A football fan should not boast about his team until they can beat Mississippi State at home.

I think LSU is our best rivalry now, although Georgia is a good one as well. Don't remember the rest, but I'm sure it was brilliant and enlightening.

Reply

.....Bama was throwing alum Croom a bone, or so they say. Kept his job secure for another year, to be sure!

.....Fanhouse is weird on comments. I've found the most reliable way to post is to pretend to be a newcomer each time. Yeah, I know, that's a pain. I think they don't like Firefox. You type it up, edit, then click "submit," then shut down Firefox, fire up AOL, sign on, and wait for the email, and click the "activate" link.

.....Anyone else pissed about AOL adding the "see what's new on AOL.com" spam to their emails? I'm now using my bellsouth.net email for work stuff more and more, and I'm tagging the bottom of my AOL email with: "Want spam in your sent emails?" which segues into AOL's spam line. A little negative viral marketing idea, mostly. I think it's ridiculous, since I'm still paying for AOL "bring your own."

Reply

I see my first post has arrived. Where did the brilliance and enlightenment go?

I don't use AOL email, but if you are pissed then I am too.

Your comment that Bama threw Croom a bone was hilarious.

Reply

Well That was a deep cut CARMEN But it is the TRUTH !!!! My opinion that was the game that cost Mr. Shula his job I think that was the only SEC game that Miss State won. That was a smack in the face to be 1st and goal on the 3 yard line and can't score on Miss State. Oh Well we all have a goof up. I am hoping for a great IRON BOWL. Maybe you will have trouble sleeping this year. I am going to the beach a few days maybe I can find a computer to read your comment about BAMA
Have a Great Day !!!
Steve

Reply

Use sunscreen.

Reply

.....Steve, do use sunscreen. I recommend Bullfrog. Even soap in the shower won't really get it off. Some good coffee and morning sand castles on the beach is one of the greatest thrills in the world for me...

.....Not to hijack a thread... Well... yes. I'm going to hijack a thread. I was just leaving Auburn to get on with the business of making a living, when this titan showed up. The following article is not a football one, but rather, baseball, which I suppose is seasonal. The Braves are slipping. They lost one of their best pitchers this week, and the Mets are pulling away. But... someone outside Alabama remembers Bo!

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/124608.html

Reply

Acid, thanks for the link. Reading it gave me goosebumps. I've always been a huge fan of Bo. I don't watch major league baseball much anymore, since the Braves so obviously threw the World Series to the Yankees in whatever year that was. Took the magic right off of it, especially since I was a Braves fan. I used to go to Atlanta to watch them play several times a season, but I haven't been back since that happened.

I doubt Steve went to the beach for the sand castles. Just a guess.

Reply