Finebaum Article

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An instant replay of first half

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

When the SEC Media Days ended two and a half months ago, LSU and Georgia were the top picks to win the league as well as have legitimate shots at competing for the national championship.

Phillip Fulmer was a big story for not showing up. Even though several members of his football team appeared, they were given no chance of even winning their division. Everybody patted Tommy Tuberville on the back and wished him well just in case this was his final appearance, and Sylvester Croom was feted as if he were the next Bear Bryant.

That was then. This is now.

At the halfway point of the most unpredictable SEC races in recent history, here are a few quick observations.

-- Best team: Auburn ... OK, the media missed this pick by a year. Some people speculated that Auburn might react better being under the radar screen as opposed in the spotlight. But this is ridiculous.

-- Coach of the Year: Tommy Tuberville ... Assuming this trend continues and Tuberville is a finalist for the Paul Bryant Award, do you think he could catch a ride to the ceremony on Bobby Lowder's plane and have Earlon McWhorter and Byron Franklin joining him on stage (they were two AU trustees who flew to Louisville last year to hire Bobby Petrino)? Perhaps, when he returns to campus, William Walker and David Housel (the other two on the plane) can welcome him at the airport.

-- Worst Coach of the Year: Rich Brooks ... Just when you're about to cease voting and hand the award to David Cutcliffe (he comes up with an upset at South Carolina) or Mike Shula (he has held a team together through bad luck and won a critical SEC road game, although his four wins come against teams with a combined record of 8-15), along comes Kentucky's bumbling Brooks. It's a good thing the balloting for this award ceased while Vanderbilt was ahead of Rutgers by 24 or Bobby Johnson might have overtaken Brooks.

-- Game of the Year (so far): Tennessee 19, Georgia 14 ... It's hard to imagine a game having more drama than Florida-Tennessee coming down to the wire and being decided by yet another boneheaded SEC referee's call. However, it would be hard to top this one for pure excitement and significance.

-- Game of the Year (to come): Although it has lost a little luster, the place to be in college football on Nov. 13 will be at Jordan-Hare Stadium when Georgia meets Auburn.

-- Game to Forget: Kentucky at Mississippi State on Oct. 30 ... Too bad they can't push this one back one night because it would be appropriate on Halloween since it might pit two of the most ghoulish teams in SEC history. Yes, tickets are still available.

-- Most Valuable Player: Jason Campbell ... An unlikely choice, but who has meant more to his team so far in the big games (two wins over top 10 opponents)? Of course, it doesn't hurt to have the Brown-Williams law firm in the backfield and the most valuable assistant coach in the SEC this year, Al Borges, on your side.

[vatz22au 142]

Nice article....I like the good attention Campbell is receiving.

[Shug2003 1]

Yep, it's a nice article, but on his show today, he was saying "Go Hogs." He was making fun of Tuberville and saying it would be nice when things got back to NORMAL, implying that Bammer was on top again and everybody was happy. What a SCUMBAG! It's too bad that this little bald man influences so many opinions about our school and doesn't have a shred of objectivity or neutrality in him. I always thought media people were supposed to be unbiased and fair. NOT HIM! I really wish they would fire him and all Auburn people would be better off. WDE!

[swensks 0]

Yep, it's a nice article, but on his show today, he was saying "Go Hogs." He was making fun of Tuberville and saying it would be nice when things got back to NORMAL, implying that Bammer was on top again and everybody was happy. What a SCUMBAG! It's too bad that this little bald man influences so many opinions about our school and doesn't have a shred of objectivity or neutrality in him. I always thought media people were supposed to be unbiased and fair. NOT HIM! I really wish they would fire him and all Auburn people would be better off. WDE!

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I don't mind Finebaum being in a "position of power." What power does he really have? Power over people that live within a radio earshot of B'ham and have an IQ that's sub 100? Who gives a hoot if they don't like Auburn. We've got a tight family of fans and if they want to be haters, let them.