2 Reps

[auburnatl1 4,876]

I had dinner with 4 buddy’s a month ago.  All big on college football. CXO types, not football guys, but wickedly smart, all went to different schools. 
I got confronted with a weird somewhat liquored up question: who is Auburn? They as a group had 2 directly opposite feelings about AUs rep and  I’ve been thinking out it since. Paraphrasing.

Reputation 1: the boosters run the program, dysfunctional with buyouts and cash, little brother mentality, good ol boys, and the old probation/corruption/Cam stuff.  It went on. Reputation 2: innovative (ie Gus in the early days), high energy (kick6, pearl, fans fans fans), fun, against the odds,  the “anti evil empire” (Bama), “damn cool” - uniform, Eagle flight, ect.  We were something different.

2 totally opposite reps at the same damn time.  Program perceptions to this degree isn’t just about style points - I believe impacts recruiting and other tangibles. A lot.

They werent being anti Auburn, in fact they seemed disappointed with where we were. As one friend put it “it’s like watching someone you know run around in circles naked in the parking lot”. Finally, another said “you’ve got 2 mascots (just let it go) and you’ve got 2 opposite brands. I’d leverage the hell out of the good one. That one companies pay billions to try to achieve”.

That dinner sort of drove me back to posting after many years. But I do think this is a critical time and hire. Could signal more than a new coach. Thoughts?

Edited October 5, 2022 by auburnatl1

[aucom96 1,617]

This is why I think we need a visible AD who makes the hire. The last visible AD we had was Jacobs, and I think that played hard to reputation 1. 

I don't know if it started with the Tot firing or Jetgate, but Auburn has become a whipping boy in the sports media on the subject of boosters. We have to challenge that and we can do that by selling Auburn. (Rep 2) Bruce does that. Having an Olympian on the gym squad does that. We need that leading our AD and we need that selling our football program, not trying to create "The Process Part deux". 

Edited October 5, 2022 by aucom96

[bigbird 60,443]

Everything seems to be aligning. That's why this hire is so important.  

[woodford 3,655]

Good post OP. When it comes to Auburn's reputation, I guess it depends a lot on your age. I'm 31 so I'm Gen Y (millennial) so most my generation knows Auburn as a school that was screwed out of a NC in 2004, they know Cam, Kick 6, etc. 

I think Gen X'ers and Boomers see Auburn more of a little brother that is ran by a corrupt group of a boosters (used to be one dude) that love to cheat. 

Our biggest problem is national sports media and the Alabama propaganda that comes with it. Sports writers seem to not like us because we're everything they hate. Deep South, white, Christian, good ole boys, traditional, etc. So, they take that and turn it into negatives wherever they can.

[aubaseball 2,590]

8 minutes ago, woodford said:

Good post OP. When it comes to Auburn's reputation, I guess it depends a lot on your age. I'm 31 so I'm Gen Y (millennial) so most my generation knows Auburn as a school that was screwed out of a NC in 2004, they know Cam, Kick 6, etc. 

I think Gen X'ers and Boomers see Auburn more of a little brother that is ran by a corrupt group of a boosters (used to be one dude) that love to cheat. 

Our biggest problem is national sports media and the Alabama propaganda that comes with it. Sports writers seem to not like us because we're everything they hate. Deep South, white, Christian, good ole boys, traditional, etc. So, they take that and turn it into negatives wherever they can.

Sorry but agree to disagree.   Auburn has its reputation because it’s one of the most penalized schools in history.   Of course the Cam situation added more fuel to the fire.   Throw in a Head Basketball coach with a no-show-clause and it continues to build the narrative.   
Then the icing on the cake, all the payouts in the last 15 -20 years.   Auburn is the only one that is sabotaging it’s own identity.   You can blame the boosters, AD or whomever you want, but it eventually all comes around to auburn.