So, what does everyone think of Tennessee now? I still think they are pretty solid.

Remember Bama and Auburn seemed to never be able to win openers against the PAC-10. Of course Wash St in 2006 was our only success against the PAC-10.

Side Note: Eric Berry looked good. Man, that hurts the heart when I think about how he slipped right through our fingers 2 years ago! Oh well, Se La Vie!!

War Eagle!

-B

According to the AP, he tore a ligament in his knee on the opening kickoff. That's right, one 2008 play, and his season is over. At least he'll have this season to redshirt, although it will be disappointing because he was supposed to be something special this year. And we NEED something special this year.

Also mentioned in the article, KB should be back by next week, Swinton hyperextended his knee but should be back by next week, and Montez Billings is questionable with a nagging hamstring injury.

First of all, Alabama fans, congrats on the big win!  Second, it really is ignorant-no matter how you spin it-to talk the type of smack that I heard at 11 o'clock last night this soon. I know that beating Clemson, a top 10 team, is a big deal, but I just have to hit a few points. Let's get started....

1. Don't be a poor winner and tell an Auburn fan to be afraid just yet.

2. We beat Clemson last year.

3. Clemson is an annual choker. They have always underachieved under Tommy Bowden. I am quite sure that the display in the Georgia Dome might have been the beginning of the end for Bowden.

4. Bammers- It really is amazing the things that y'all say.

One thing that I heard was, "we beat a top 10 ten! Who'd yall play? A high school team? And, what was that score?"-Bammer

I was completely dumbfounded. Didn't Auburn beat Clemson in their bowl game? And, didn't ALABAMA LOSE to ULM in their second to last game last year?

The Bammers response was...."THAT'S IN THE PAST"

WTF????? I was dumbfounded!!!! Isn't the premise of all BAMMERS hopes and dreams, found waaaaaaay back burried in the past! Hasn't that been their calling card for 2 decades now?

The irrational Alabama fans will be out in force this morning. They will talk their smack, and most of all, fail to see any logical points raised byother fans. Get ready boys and girls. The Bammers are back, and it's only going to get worse.

My first game perspective-I am hoping our inability to air out any passes was due to first game jitters.......I was glad to see the running game so dominant.

Overall, no surprises, but I want to see the ball thrown successfully. That's gonna hurt recruiting if we cannot get that done. Plus, what the hell did I wait 9 months to see?

On a side note: I apologize to LSU fans for being so rash. I still think you guys lose some, but I would like to amend my prediction to four losses at the most. LSU looked nasty at times.....

Well, it was a decent day of football. ECU got a hold of Va Tech, and Alabama got Clemson. I was thrilled for Alabama until the 1:30 to go mark. And then, I remembered why I loved watching them suffer over the last decade. The suffering may be over, but the streak WILL go on!

War Eagle!!!

.....Another Auburn season opener has ended, and it's a moderately successful one for the Tigers. While the team struggled to throw the ball in the new spread offense, and the secondary had a few issues, Auburn looked like a LOT more solid ballclub, than at this time a year ago.

.....I was resigned to listening to this game on the radio, but unexpectedly, I was able to get the game on ESPN360.com, on the internet, despite warnings that the state of Alabama was blacked out. Surprisingly, AT&T delivered a better picture through the internet, than Charter does through their cable! Sound was pretty abysmal, though, and there's about a half minute delay vs. the radio. I'm glad I have a headphone amp. What follows is a quick grade sheet, before I've had a chance to be influenced by coaches or media reports.

Continue reading this post »

Angry White Man-An Auburn Fan’s Response Category: Sports

I decided to share a few things I looked up with the rest of you guys. This story really happened.  Idid amend my language and added the Jimmy Johns bit to further my point......SO, ENJOY!

3/5/08

Earlier this morning, your's truly was accosted by an unruly and highly unintelligent "Bammer" fan.

 

I would like to, first of all, make apologies to the Alabama fan's that are my DAWGS. This blog is in-Absolutely-no way directed at you guys. I am making a general point. I will do my very best to be classy about the points that I am making.

First of all-I love football, and most of all, I love Auburn football. I was born in Auburn in 1978, and I even attended the school for some time. I am a fan, and as a fan I am, in all reality, not a factor in how my school does in: season games, off the field problems, and in recruiting. I admit that I will talk smack from time to time, but I do it in a non-threatening manner-because I know how it feels to be teased. ESPECIALLY about something that I have NO control over. That being said, let us move forward to the point.

I was having a friendly conversation with an employee of mine, and our conversation was abruptly ended by the start of a rant that is in all reality one of the more "Classless" rants made by a "Bammer" in history....I have edited and shortened the dialogue, but I found it necessary to convey my experience in this form....

Enjoy.....

Employee: Did you see the two relatives that got into a fight over Obama and Clinton?
BW: No, what happened?
Employee: One of them stabbed the other, and they are both in jail!
BW: That's funny....Where'd that happen?
Employee: In Texas
BW: Liberals in Texas....Don't mess with folks in Texas.....Speaking of which, did you hear about the Oklahoma fan(I thought at the time I had the story right) that was castrated by UT fans at a bar?
Victoria: No
BW: Yeah damn....And people say that Bama/Auburn rivalry is bad...
Employee: Auburn...who cares...Go Gators!!
BW: Hahaha. Keep joking. They (Auburn) have the best record in the SEC over the last decade>>>>INTERUPTION
AceholeBammer: Last decade!! try the last 20 or 30 years! How many Championships do yall have? One? Weren't yall Alabama Poly back then?
BW: Yeah, but if get all technical Bama has 6....
AB: We got twelve man! Go count 'em again. You're just mad cause the only thing that Auburn is good for is Soy Bean Research and Pig Impregnation!!!(Yes, he said that)
BW: It's people like you who make football no fun
AB:Yeah what about that JUNIOR COLLEGE LEVEL team Tubby recruited? Yall gonna lose a lot sooner than you think to us! Damn, he couldn't give away scholarships! herherherherher....
BW: Bama will be on probation within 3 years....I guarantee
AB: Whatever...I went to Bama and Auburn. You can tell I didn't like that "Cow"College...Son, I am a lot older than you(he was like 41 and when he called me son---- it was my inward breaking point)
BW:That's great I am thirty and NOT a BOY or your SON.
AB: Hope you didn't spit in my coffee
BW: No sir, I have more class then that. If I had been a Bammer, that's a different story.....

FIN

As you can see, I had a bad morning. The guy was obviously a jerk and out to prove it. After our little tussle, I decided to put some things in print. You know, to sort of rebuttal the guy....

Since 2000: Auburn is the winningest team in the SEC 75-27 overall, but---> (49-17) in SEC
LSU 81-19 (49-18)
Florida 74-28 (47-18)
Tennessee 71-30 (44-23)
Georgia 80-23 (47-20)
Alabama 53-46 (30-34)

Wait! There must be a discrepency!!
 30 times in my lifetime Bama and Auburn have squared off....Auburn has edge 16-14 including 7 out of last 8.

Since 1980 Auburn has 5 SEC titles.....Bama 4....But, if you go back two years thats makes 6 for them, and you have to omit 92's because it was a freakin home game played at Legion Field...Statistical purposes led me to round off at 1980....

In last 27 seasons, Auburn has 2 undefeated campaigns to Bama's 1

Auburn has 14 1st round draft picks
Bama-15

Since '02 Auburn's recruiting classes weighed in on an average of 12th best

Bama's average is 19th...That's with the PROBATION.....So, why should I care once Saban gets his players in?

Lastly. Since the implementation of the BCS, Auburn has one BCS win to Bama's nada!!

I will concede Bama's 1992 Title...

I digress....But, can you see what I am saying? Neither school has wowed the world over the last 27 years. But, if we are going to argue logistics....You have to deal with what I have written. We are not just a "Cow" College. WE have been just as big a part of the landscape of College Football as Alabama, IF NOT MORE. I didn't look it up, but Tub's record versus top 10 is ridiculous. And we can also weigh in on players arrested. Auburn had one last year(didn't pay a parking ticket)

Bama had 9. Plus the whole Jimmy Johns sellin COKE in the parking lot.

Auburn also had the distinction of being the number one team in the nation with active players that have already graduated. Auburn graduates ideal citizens(Almost 70%). Bama, well they try.... Go to Google and look this up: Former University of Alabama player arrested for intentionally spreading AIDS....

We are just fans, but a fan has to put his foot down sometime....

We aren't just a "COW" College. We are the school Bama's paying a guy 4 million a year to beat....


War Eagle!!!

I'M OUT!!!

-B

It seems that every year in the Southeastern Conference there is a team that doesn't quite live up to their potential. Actually, that is an understatement. Let's say that every year there is a team that totally screws the pooch in the SEC. In 2000, the Tide started the season ranked 3rd in the country. They lost early and never ever recovered ending up at a stellar 3-8.

In 2001, the Auburn Tigers were the team. The Tigers looked awesome at times, and at other times looked dismal. Wins against the top-ranked Gators and a gutsy win at Georgia were squandered by a season ending injury to Cadillac Williams in the first quarter against Alabama. Auburn didn't recover from that injury and what looked like a promising season ended very badly with 3 straight losses. 8-5 You're welcome LSU!

In 2003, Auburn was the canine screwer again. A national championship caliber team lost 2 to start the season and never fully recovered. They ended up 8-5. Again, you're welcome LSU!

In 2006, Georgia took home the Gold of teams that lost when they shouldn't have. Along with an Auburn team that lost heavily AT HOME to Georgia and Arkansas.

In 2007, South Carolina took top honors by losing their last five games......

So, who is this years Dud? If I was a betting man, I'd go with Georgia because I don't think they have it in them to weather their harsh schedule.

But, I am not a betting man. I am a man that has sat quietly (until now) and watched Les Miles get away with some of the most BONEHEADED calls in the history of the game. If you look back, LSU hasn't actually beaten Auburn on the field since 2003. It has taken some seriously messed up divine intervention to grant them the successes that they have had. So, that being said, LSU is my team to squander opportunities and to totally screw the pooch this year.

They will start off 3-0 before playing Auburn, but that's where it will get interesting. LSU will lose handily to Auburn. Then, a Miss State team with a grudge will upset them. State is returning nine on a good defense. They will then get bamboozled by Florida.

The next week against South Carolina will be about the same outcome as with Miss State. Georgia will utterly embarrass Les Miles at home and increase the already uncontrollable heat on him. Then, two weeks later, Nick Saban will have a hand at his former school's demise.

By the time the next week comes around, things will be out of control. Miles will be the first guy to win a national championship and be in this type predicament. Ole Miss and Houston Nutt will be calling. Nutt has a good football team and things will get ugly when the final kneel down is made. LSU will beat Arkansas the next week in a feeble attempt at getting a bowl game, but they won't get it.

My prediction: LSU 6-6.

Thus goes the tyrant and that incredibly whimsical pony he road in on......

War Eagle

We are rounding the corner folks. It seems like I spend almost my entire work day ingesting anything Auburn in preparation for this season. I came across this online yesterday. Most of you have prob already seen it, but for someone who wasn't alive in 1972 this is as close as I can get:

http://www.theamazinsmovie.com/doc.html

Also, I've sort of started my own tradition the last few years as AU football gets closer. I know everyone has seen these articles, but I like to reread 'em right before each season. Gets me fired up for home games and makes you appreciate how great it really is to be an Auburn Tiger:

http://www.wardamntailgate.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=125

http://www.coloradotigers.com/concourse/quotes_syracuse.htm

Just a few more weeks. WAR EAGLE!!!

Greetings, fellow Auburn fans!

The season is a mere 23 days away, and if you're like me, you wish you could go into hibernation for those 23 days and wake up on the morning of August 30 ready to watch College Gameday and a slate of college football action. Who cares if it's Ball State vs. Eastern Michigan! We just want some college football action and can't wait.

Anyways, one of the things that has most Auburn fans boiling over with excitement is the installation of Tony Franklin's new offense. We all got tired of the swift downfall of the "Gulf Coast Offense" as it was called, and needed a change. Three yards and a cloud of dust just doesn't cut it anymore in football.

So in comes Tony Franklin to spread the field and rack up the yards. Everything is going to be great, right? Well, I'd like to look closer at the numbers. Everytime someone brings up Franklin's offense, he points out that our average yardage per game was 327.8 and we amassed 423 yards against Clemson. Almost 100 yards more! The thing that I think too many fans (and analysts, to be honest) believe is that Franklin's system will naturally rack up more yards because it runs more plays. So what I've done is created a table that shows our yardage per game and also our yardage per play. I broke it down by game for extra analysis:

 

OPPONENT        # PLAYS         TOTAL YDS       YDS/PLAY

Kansas St.      67              291             4.34
South Fla.      70              290             4.14
Miss. St.       68              323             4.75
N.M. St.        71              422             5.94
Florida         70              326             4.66
Vanderbilt      57              404             7.09
Arkansas        76              290             3.82
LSU             63              296             4.70
Ole Miss        74              420             5.68
Tenn. Tech      65              374             5.75
Georgia         65              216             3.32
Alabama         63              282             4.48

Overall         67.42           327.83          4.86

Clemson         90              423             4.70

 

Oh no! Al Borges' offense actually gained more yards per play than Franklin's! Now, I want to explain the reasoning and what all this data means.

1. First of all, it must be said that Franklin's offense was installed in just a few practices before the Chick-fil-A Bowl, and we still averaged 4.70 yards per play, against a talented defense like Clemson's no less.
2. Franklin's offense at Troy averaged 5.55 yards per play. That is a ton of yards per play, but we also must consider the level of defense Troy played. The Sun Belt is definitely no SEC. However, Troy faced two SEC defenses last season in Arkansas and Georgia, and averaged 4.7 and 5.8 per play, respectively. They also played a Big 12 opponent in Oklahoma State and gained 5.8 yards per play. So their games against Georgia and Oklahoma State actually helped their total yards per play average.
3. Borges' offensive numbers were buoyed by games against New Mexico State, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and Tennessee Tech. In every other game they underperformed the season average on yards per play.

So what to make of all this? In my opinion, Franklin won't be the great savior of Auburn football like some believe he will, and Borges wasn't as bad as he sometimes gets painted. Another factor to consider in Borges' offensive ineptitude these last two years is Brandon Cox. I love the guy, but he was a poor quarterback at racking up yards. He did great in leading late drives against Arkansas and Florida (and even Mississippi State to some respects) but I'm glad he's not our quarterback anymore. Regardless, I can't wait for football to start!

Thoughts?

I know that SI normally gets it wrong, but i must say they didn't make too much of an error this year. The rankings came out for SI and Auburn is ranked 7th overall. #1 in the SEC West going against Georgia for the SEC Champ. They think Georgia will win, but I think that their time has come up. Its WDE time and I can't wait for this show to get on the road!

From out here in Sunny San Diego,

WDE!!!

Jay recommended reading Tony Franklin's interview with Tony Barnhardt. I agree that it's a good read, but if you scroll down into the comment section of the story, you will see vast amount of Dawgs dissing Auburn.

Well, first off, on paper Georgia looks tough. But, what most of the "Puppy Nation" does not realize is that being voted number one before a down is played does not VALIDATE their program. Winning on the field  is what makes you number one. Besides LSU and Alabama, I cannot think of a fan base that has let their mild successes on the football field distort their expectations of an upcoming football season as that of the UGA's. 

The attacks on Auburn's offense are just way too premature. I read one comment that said that a good SEC defense can stop the spread. But, the best defense in the SEC is Auburn's....So, wherein lies their logic? Georgia is not known for having stellar defense! Except 2001-2003 Or, for winning without using "Circus" theatrics(Florida and Auburn games last year) So, what propels this team to number one? Knoshown Moreno? Caled King? I doubt it.  Their road schedule is as brutal as they come!!! They will not have the benefit of using those theatrics against Auburn, and believe me payback is coming.

I gave them the nod against Auburn in my preseason predictions, but I think I am going to retract that. I have looked at Georgia and Auburn closely. We have the better defense, and if the offense is as good as I think it will be, I think Georgia will(like every other year) just sit around and dream about what might have been. While Auburn steals their thunder......Again

28 Days to go, and I already hate people from Athens a little more, but don't fear them College Football World.......

They are all bark and NO BITE!!

War Eagle