In other news, Nell Fortner's team

[1716 17]

Quote: "The answer to your question "Even taking the large leap that you are correct, what happened to the first five years?" would be the first regular season SEC CHAMPIONSHIP in 20 years in 2009. Oh, I forgot, you said that year was a disappointment too."

So, you think having the top seed in the SEC tournament in 2009 and getting eliminated in the second round, and then having that same team, again a top seed get eliminated in the NCAA second round wasn't a disappointment? I repeat, under Nell Fortner's coaching, our AU Tigers women's basketball team has had one, that's ONE winning SEC season in eight years. That's horrible.

By your own statement the situation with our Women's team is "hurtful" to discuss. When a situation is unpleasant or improper to discuss in public something is not right and it's time for a change.

Now, I said Nell has not recruited a single player that had a scholarship offer to Tennessee, Georgia, LSU or any of the ACC teams that take women's BB seriously. Since you are on personal speaking terms with our players, please copy and paste their written scholarship offers to any of the teams I mentioned.

Alternatively, if you believe our recruiting has been just great, please explain why we are 3-10 in league play this year. According to you the court and bench should be loaded with SEC quality players, so what's the problem?

PS: I have followed and loved this team since before Coach Champi came to Auburn. Now it's been headed downhill and if it takes some people pointing out obvious flaws to effect a change, I'll do it. There are too many that don't want to rock the boat, nevermind that the boat is sinking.

How many more years would you give this coaching staff, and what makes you think they will do better in the future than they did for the past eight years?

I said what you are doing is hurtful to the girls and Auburn. I did not say it is hurtful to discuss. I'll tell you what IS hurtful - the tears that were flowing down the faces of our Lady Tigers as they stood before the Auburn Band and sang War Eagle after the Vandy loss. They fought as hard as they could but the baskets did not fall at the end. You are obviously the expert of all Auburn athletics since you post all over this board. So, good luck to you with all of your second hand expertise. I will continue to support the Lady Tigers with this coach or any other coach as I have as a fan and as a player myself before Nell came to Auburn. Go ahead with your rants - anyone who has posted on this board over 5,000 times and listens to Sports Call every day and sometimes calls (maybe your name is shaddow)- well, no one wants to take this away from you for it is your life. You must have no other life.

P.S. Nell fired her recruiter and brought Carla McGhee back 2 years ago and she is doing an outstanding job in the opinion of those who matter. Not in your opinion, of course.

This will be my last reply to you 'cause as Coach Dye always said "don't get in a spittin contest with a skunk".

[Mikey 16,574]

This will be my last reply to you 'cause as Coach Dye always said "don't get in a spittin contest with a skunk".

I rejoice that this was your last reply to me. If it took inspiration from Coach Dye to get that accomplished, so be it.

[Mikey 16,574]

He's gone because he elected to retire........and I doubt if he would have been fired after bad years, just didn't happen in those days, especially in the "good ole boy" network.......and who is Jay G that he is an expert?

Jay G. Tate is the Montgomery Advertiser's beat writer that covers all Auburn sports. He's been doing that for quite a while. Before he left, Andy Bitter, former Auburn beat writer for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer also expressed his opinion that this would be Nell's last season at Auburn if there wasn't a dramatic turnaround. These guys may not be exactly basketball experts, but they are always around the athletic complex and they find things out. That's their job.

So Bonner got an offer from Georgia? I'll accept your claim. That makes one in eight recruiting classes that got an offer to the schools I named.

If the recruiting has been acceptable, why is the team's SEC record 3-10 this year? Why has there been one winning SEC record in eight years? If recruiting is not the problem then coaching has to be. Myself, I think it's a combo of recruiting that's not on a par with SEC contenders and poor coaching, both in player development and game day situations. That team looks clueless on the court and players are no better as seniors than they were as freshmen. It's time to give somebody else an opportunity to win here. Nell has had her chance and it didn't happen for her.

[warladytigers 172]

You don't get it - you're the skunk buddy boy and your comments pretty much stink! Innuendo and few facts.......

I'm thinking I'll part ways with commenting to you as well. You obviously know everything there is to know about Auburn Women's basketball coaching and recruting....who we recruit, who we make offers to, what goes on in practice, what the game plans are, who had offers from where, I expect you would know what to tell the coaches to do to accomodate injuries, girls leaving the team.......

As for the call in show - my experience has been that for the most part Bill Cameron and crew know little to nothing about the team.......in '08-'09 when we won the SEC I heard them talking about the team - they didn't know who was on it so spare me talk about that show. It's good for football gossip and experts like you.

IMO - Coach Fortner gets a minumun of one more year - that gets Coach McGhee another class of top recruits.......I know you won't agree and I don't care. I'm not sure you are the supporter you say you are....I watched the team (players and coaches) go into the locker room after the Vandy game - seems to me like the team knew what they were doing that game. No need to quibble about each game.....the ball bounces different each time.

As much as I like winning (and I was a high school athlete and coached softball, basketball and track) - in the end it's a game and even though you don't like it - if the end result is that we have outstanding ladies who graduate, represent themselves and AU with honor - regardless of the record I'll be positive about the program and you can be negative all you want - we don't need that type of publicity!

WAR EAGLE - GO LADY TIGERS AND STAFF!

[autigeremt 6,597]

Ok, ok.....I knew this would come sooner than later. I'm glad to see some interest sparked but if programs do not succeed and show growth it becomes an issue at any major athletic program. I love Nell and have defended her for the last few years (Mikey and I have been down this road before) and I know she's a great ambassador for AU. I also know that the job of AD is to insure that both graduation rates AND winning go hand in hand. I don't know what will happen following this season, but as someone who has followed this program closely over the last six years I feel that the level of play on the floor hasn't sustained itself and could lead to a turnover in coaching. I support them one way or the other. I just want to see them win AND graduate.

[Mikey 16,574]

As for the call in show - my experience has been that for the most part Bill Cameron and crew know little to nothing about the team.......in '08-'09 when we won the SEC I heard them talking about the team - they didn't know who was on it so spare me talk about that show. It's good for football gossip and experts like you.

My lone reference to the call in show was that people are calling in and complaining about Nell's program. By your own admission, women's BB isn't a mainstream topic for that show. It follows that if folks are calling in there and complaining, a LOT of AU people are seeing a serious problem.

As much as I like winning (and I was a high school athlete and coached softball, basketball and track) - in the end it's a game and even though you don't like it - if the end result is that we have outstanding ladies who graduate, represent themselves and AU with honor - regardless of the record I'll be positive about the program and you can be negative all you want - we don't need that type of publicity!

WAR EAGLE - GO LADY TIGERS AND STAFF!

Exactly as I said: "Be nice girls, don't rock the boat, beat bammer every now and then and that's all you have to do. SEC championships? Who cares!"

If enough Auburn people have your attitude, and I fear many do, we'd better learn to like finishing with losing records and winning about a fourth of the SEC games. We have a coach getting paid well into the six figures and that much is being paid to run a clean program AND compete for championships. It looks like Coach Fortner is only capable of producing half of that. The winning part eludes her.

Quoting warladytigers one more time:

I watched the team (players and coaches) go into the locker room after the Vandy game...

You watched that, and you don't think they deserve a coach that can give them a chance to win? I think they do deserve such a coach.

[warladytigers 172]

Apparently you were at the game but not paying attention. The coaches had them in a position to win the game - the girls didn't make the shots in the final minutes....Nell couldn't make the shots for them.

[warladytigers 172]

Mikey,

You probably aren't interested, since you said you do your own reasearch, but thought others might be since you recently implied that SEC and ACC schools weren't intrested in or making offers to anyone that AU signed.....I don't have time to do any more today and you may have to copy/paste the links into another browswer to see the pages but that shouldn't be a problem for you since this is how you indicated that you get your information. (which is not correct)

Alli Smalley - http://auburn.scout.com/2/570001.html

Peyton Davis - http://www.al.com/hsbasketball/birminghamnews/girls.ssf?/base/sports/1245226519317420.xml&coll=2

Jassany Williams - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/story/_/id/4534400/lady-tigers-sway-jassany-williams

Blanche Alverson - http://www.pennstatehoops.com/recruiting/women/showRecruits.php?recruitYear=2009 – no one wanted her – really?

Hassina Muhammad - http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/02/hasina-muhammad-chooses-auburn-over-memphis/

Camille Glymph - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/73081/camille-glymph

Tyrese - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/news/_/id/66727/tyrese-tanner (see bottom of the page for schools that recruited her)

Courtney - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/prospects/_/class/2010/sortby/school

[warladytigers 172]

Not sure what you mean about "be nice girls" - are you implying that the girls should be causing trouble?

[warladytigers 172]

Mikey,

Regarding this comment you made on the MA blog - "If you'd like to see Auburn sign ONE, just ONE recruit that has a real offer from Tennessee, Georgia, LSU or some of the ACC teams, then we need to look for better leadership. In eight years, Nell Fortner has never signed a single recruit that fits the above description." - perhaps you should go back and correct what you said since it's wrong.

[Mikey 16,574]

Having little else to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon, I took a look at the ESPN HoopGurlz recruiting site, 2012 version.

Auburn has signed one of the top 100 players, at #77. Our SEC competition:

Texas A & M, 6

Tennessee, 3

South Carolina, 3

Florida, 2

Vandy, 2

Georgia, 2

Like Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State and Kentucky have one each.

The top two Alabama players, and only ones listed from Alabama are headed to Tennessee and Baylor. Georgia, a state from which we have recruited heavily in the past, has seven players in the top 100. None are headed to Auburn.

Moving to team rankings there, our 2012 team ranks 30th in the nation which doesn't seem bad until you see that that's also 8th in the SEC. Eighth in the SEC is not so hot. The 2011 recruits (this year's freshmen) weren't ranked in the top 30. The 2010 class, this year's sophomores, were ranked #20 but that equaled seventh in the SEC.

link

In short, the teams we have to beat in order to compete for a conference championship are out recruiting us. If we can't out-coach them on the court, we have to out recruit them. It appears we are capable of neither.

[Mikey 16,574]

Mikey,

Regarding this comment you made on the MA blog - "If you'd like to see Auburn sign ONE, just ONE recruit that has a real offer from Tennessee, Georgia, LSU or some of the ACC teams, then we need to look for better leadership. In eight years, Nell Fortner has never signed a single recruit that fits the above description." - perhaps you should go back and correct what you said since it's wrong.

It MAY be wrong because you claim Bonner had an offer from Georgia all those years ago. That's not how I remember it, but pointing to only one player in eight years seems to prove my point that our recruiting is not competitive with other SEC teams. Also, please check my previous post concerning our recruiting.

[warladytigers 172]

I don't claim it - it's true. I guess Jay Tate saying it would make it correct. Whatyou said was that no other SEC or ACC schools wefe recruiting who we recruited and signed.......that would be incorrect.

[warladytigers 172]

Having little else to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon, I took a look at the ESPN HoopGurlz recruiting site, 2012 version.

Auburn has signed one of the top 100 players, at #77. Our SEC competition:

Texas A & M, 6

Tennessee, 3

South Carolina, 3

Florida, 2

Vandy, 2

Georgia, 2

Like Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State and Kentucky have one each.

The top two Alabama players, and only ones listed from Alabama are headed to Tennessee and Baylor. Georgia, a state from which we have recruited heavily in the past, has seven players in the top 100. None are headed to Auburn.

Moving to team rankings there, our 2012 team ranks 30th in the nation which doesn't seem bad until you see that that's also 8th in the SEC. Eighth in the SEC is not so hot. The 2011 recruits (this year's freshmen) weren't ranked in the top 30. The 2010 class, this year's sophomores, were ranked #20 but that equaled seventh in the SEC.

link

In short, the teams we have to beat in order to compete for a conference championship are out recruiting us. If we can't out-coach them on the court, we have to out recruit them. It appears we are capable of neither.

[Mikey 16,574]

I don't claim it - it's true. I guess Jay Tate saying it would make it correct. Whatyou said was that no other SEC or ACC schools wefe recruiting who we recruited and signed.......that would be incorrect.

That is certainly NOT what I said. Go back to your post of 4:03 pm and read your own post. You quoted me there. Read it and see if you can tell a big difference between what I actually said and what you are now claiming I said.

PS: I will submit that I intended to say "ACC contenders" rather than "ACC teams".

[1716 17]

Ok, ok.....I knew this would come sooner than later. I'm glad to see some interest sparked but if programs do not succeed and show growth it becomes an issue at any major athletic program. I love Nell and have defended her for the last few years (Mikey and I have been down this road before) and I know she's a great ambassador for AU. I also know that the job of AD is to insure that both graduation rates AND winning go hand in hand. I don't know what will happen following this season, but as someone who has followed this program closely over the last six years I feel that the level of play on the floor hasn't sustained itself and could lead to a turnover in coaching. I support them one way or the other. I just want to see them win AND graduate.

I assume you have noticed that next year's recruiting class has a quality point guard and a true post player. We have suffered this year at these two positions. There are multiple reasons this has happened but as a supporter I know you are aware of the situation with Morgan Toles being declared medically ineligible by Auburn. We have 2 post players who haven't played much this year. Peyton Davis was on the bench for almost 3 weeks after suffering her concussion and just does not seem back into the flow. We really needed her to step up at the post this year after she improved during the season last year. I still believe she will be a good player. Then there is P.J. at 6'8" who has an extreme case of stage fright although she is lights out during practice. Just think if we could morph Jet's desire and willpower and put it into P.J.'s body? Chantell is really a big forward who has had to play post all year with mixed results. We have more 2 guards and forwards than anything, so I think that adding Clay at point and Taylor at post will definitely be a positive move. We should be able to leave our shooters in their true positions next year if every thing works out. You know what I mean - for example, Camille having to run point and Blanche having to play high post. Courtney has been injured twice this year and it seems like she should be eligible for a medical redshirt but I don't know any specifics or if that is even an option. Anyway, from one fan to another, thanks for being a supporter of the program and hoping for the best for everyone involved. And, thanks for not being a pessimistic hater.

[warladytigers 172]

I believe that the class coming in next Fall is #30.

Since JuCo players don't really count in the class rankings, are you telling me that Hassina Muhammad, #16 guard in the country and #66 overall in the country was supposed to give us a top 25 recruiting class? That was all we needed at recruiting time - no one knew that MoTo would have a concussion and be lost...have you taken any of that into account while you are bashing the staff? Give me a break - we don't have an expereinced floor general........

Texas A&M is coming off of a National Championship. And if you think anyone in the SEC is a better recruiter than Pat Summit I'd like to know who it is...so both of their large numbers is not suprising. A&M having six means they lost alot of players......pretty large class don't you think - if they have to rely on freshman for a couple of years they won't look so good will they?

2010 class - 3 top 100 players - are you complaining about that? We have sophomores getting considerable playing time - last year as freshman not so much. So while we would like to think they should be up to speed, this is the year they are gaining experience. Additionally, we are playing a new defense this year, which when it's good - has been great. The ladies have just had some trouble sustaining it for an entire game.

2012 - the top 100 player fills the specific need we have - point guard. Nariah Taylor is #15 at her position - post......while I won't argue with the stats I won't agree that it means we haven't recruited well and for the specific needs of the team.

I believe that Alabama had a top 10 team - how's that working for them? I just don't think that looking only at a team tells the whole story and that looking at indivuals and their role on the team are more important.

[Mikey 16,574]

Mikey,

You probably aren't interested, since you said you do your own reasearch, but thought others might be since you recently implied that SEC and ACC schools weren't intrested in or making offers to anyone that AU signed.....I don't have time to do any more today and you may have to copy/paste the links into another browswer to see the pages but that shouldn't be a problem for you since this is how you indicated that you get your information. (which is not correct)

Alli Smalley - http://auburn.scout.com/2/570001.html

Peyton Davis - http://www.al.com/hsbasketball/birminghamnews/girls.ssf?/base/sports/1245226519317420.xml&coll=2

Jassany Williams - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/story/_/id/4534400/lady-tigers-sway-jassany-williams

Blanche Alverson - http://www.pennstatehoops.com/recruiting/women/showRecruits.php?recruitYear=2009 – no one wanted her – really?

Hassina Muhammad - http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/02/hasina-muhammad-chooses-auburn-over-memphis/

Camille Glymph - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/73081/camille-glymph

Tyrese - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/news/_/id/66727/tyrese-tanner (see bottom of the page for schools that recruited her)

Courtney - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/prospects/_/class/2010/sortby/school

Nice list. I see a bunch of our players that chose Auburn over Memphis, Florida, Alabama and so forth. You're proving my point. We aren't beating out the Tennessees and Dukes of the world for prospects and those are who you have to beat out to compete with them.

[1716 17]

Mikey,

You probably aren't interested, since you said you do your own reasearch, but thought others might be since you recently implied that SEC and ACC schools weren't intrested in or making offers to anyone that AU signed.....I don't have time to do any more today and you may have to copy/paste the links into another browswer to see the pages but that shouldn't be a problem for you since this is how you indicated that you get your information. (which is not correct)

Alli Smalley - http://auburn.scout.com/2/570001.html

Peyton Davis - http://www.al.com/hsbasketball/birminghamnews/girls.ssf?/base/sports/1245226519317420.xml&coll=2

Jassany Williams - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/story/_/id/4534400/lady-tigers-sway-jassany-williams

Blanche Alverson - http://www.pennstatehoops.com/recruiting/women/showRecruits.php?recruitYear=2009 – no one wanted her – really?

Hassina Muhammad - http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/aug/02/hasina-muhammad-chooses-auburn-over-memphis/

Camille Glymph - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/73081/camille-glymph

Tyrese - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/news/_/id/66727/tyrese-tanner (see bottom of the page for schools that recruited her)

Courtney - http://espn.go.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/prospects/_/class/2010/sortby/school

Thanks for these posts. I was thinking Blanche did have the offer from Duke among all the others she narrowed it down to. Hasina's recruitment got so crazy but she was able to narrow it down to LSU, Kentucky, Auburn, and Memphis only because it was close to home. She chose Auburn and signed early.

Blanche Alverson

Buford HS (Buford , GA)

Arkansas, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Virginia, Va Tech

6' 3"

PF

[Mikey 16,574]

Quote: "Blanche Alverson

Buford HS (Buford , GA)

Arkansas, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Virginia, Va Tech"

This is from a Penn State site and may well list "schools of interest". I don't think those represent true scholarship offers. The ESPN site doesn't go back that far with individual players, at least not anything a non-member can access.

Now really, if we have to struggle to identify a single player or two over the last eight years that had an offer from an SEC or ACC contender, isn't that struggle itself an indication of where our recruiting has been?

[warladytigers 172]

Just like others here- I'm done talking to you, Mikey, and will direct comments to people who actually know what they are talking about. You like to put out comments that are untrue and when confronted with ANY type of info to the contrary you suggest that it isn't true or not what you said. I'm sorry you are a fan - you are the type of fan who likes a winning team, knows better than all of the coaches, etc.....maybge you should be a coach. If I were inclined, I imagine that I could find stats that would look like they support my comments - no gonna waste it on you. You call our incoming class and those we are recruiint a wish list - if they have signed it isn't a wish and I'm pretty sure that other AU coaches have wish lists - as you call them. I'm very sure that Jay will make a decision that is best for AU and our student athletes and I'm pretty sure that you won't be a factor in his decision.

[1716 17]

Just like others here- I'm done talking to you, Mikey, and will direct comments to people who actually know what they are talking about. You like to put out comments that are untrue and when confronted with ANY type of info to the contrary you suggest that it isn't true or not what you said. I'm sorry you are a fan - you are the type of fan who likes a winning team, knows better than all of the coaches, etc.....maybge you should be a coach. If I were inclined, I imagine that I could find stats that would look like they support my comments - no gonna waste it on you. You call our incoming class and those we are recruiint a wish list - if they have signed it isn't a wish and I'm pretty sure that other AU coaches have wish lists - as you call them. I'm very sure that Jay will make a decision that is best for AU and our student athletes and I'm pretty sure that you won't be a factor in his decision.

Thanks again for the quickly found list of some of our player's recruitment offers. This short list is very helpful but I agree that you should not waste your time on the fire ranger. What is that illness called when someone starts a fire on purpose just so they can stand back and watch it burn and feel all powerful? Anyway, stay away from the flames.

[Mikey 16,574]

Well, now that that's all settled, we suffered another loss today, 57-41 at LSU. That brings the record to 3-11 SEC, 11-16 overall.

The good news is that there are only two games left and they are against the leagues' other bottom-feeders, Ole Miss and UAT. Both are at home so there's a reasonable chance we'll win one or both.

Any of you faithful readers that haven't attended a game in recent years need to take this opportunity to see what the fuss is all about. See if the seniors on this team look any better or more polished than the freshmen or sophomores. Take a good look at the overall play of a team that should be a mature team with a coaching staff in its eighth year, and see if this is the finished product that you'd like to see representing Auburn.

"When in doubt, check it out." While you're there the museum part of the Auburn arena has some great features about past Auburn greats. Go a little early and peruse the attractions. If you haven't already seen it, that alone is worth the trip.

[WarTiger 3,901]

A wise person once told me - Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. - I had forgotten that.....good bye Mikey......

I imagine Mikey feels the same way about you. Knock off the name calling and personal attacks. It won't be tolerated here.

[PigskinPat 2,575]

A wise person once told me - Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. - I had forgotten that.....good bye Mikey......

So...now you're through talking to Mikey instead of the last time you said you were through talking with Mikey?