keesler

13 hours ago, AU9377 said:

It doesn't have to be that way.  An anti-trust exemption and all the plaintiffs can go pound sand.  Poof their causes of action disappear into thin air.

There is no anti-trust exemption and wasn’t one in effect when this class-action lawsuit was filed.  The ncaa and college administrators are currently working on settlement terms so that this lawsuit doesn’t make it to the Jan ‘25 court date.  The settlement will be in excess of $4billion and it will be paid from the NCAA and member schools pockets.  In other words, SEC schools will be footing part of this tab to pay former athletes.  
 

Going forward it doesn’t have to be this way. But no one, more specifically Congress has even made an effort to pass legislation that would exempt college athletics from antitrust laws.

3 hours ago, WillMunny said:

I wonder how many "no" responses the UK AD must get before he calls Bruce.  Hopefully a lot, but even UK publications are calling for Bruce to be seriously considered.

I think Bruce would be crazy to turn it down if offered.  He's definitely a championship coach, but with no championships.  And he could recruit the guards to UK that he hasn't been able to recruit to AU.

I have a bad feeling about this...

UK isn’t trading one 65 yr old coach for another 65 yr old coach, especially after neither one has been able to advance out of the 1st weekend of the tourney in the last 5 yrs.  UK wanted Cal canned for doing no better than he has in postseason games. 

12 hours ago, AUGoo said:

It's going to be impressive to watch the staffs in the AD's explode with people to recruit all three areas of interest.  How one coach is gonna have the time and ability to recruit HS, portal, and his own team, in addition to actually coaching, will be a super human feat.

It wasn’t manageable for Hugh last season, he admitted on a few occasions.  He said the portal windows need to change immediately.  
 

How is a HC supposed to finish the regular season vs their main rival, wrap up high school recruiting for the early signing day in December, evaluate and recruit the portal and prep for a bowl game?  It’s a dizzying process. 

7 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

Does he “deserve” an interview? Based on what? His entire basketball life has been under his father’s tutelage. A career 32.6% FT shooter, Bruce still played him 11 minutes a game as a senior. Not a strong rebounder or scorer. He sold medical devices until his father hired him. I’ve got nothing against him. Maybe he could develop into a good coach but the way to do that is to seek out small time head coaching jobs like his Dad did and prove himself. Bruce put in 9 years in division II. Then 4 years at Milwaukee. Still, Auburn didn’t hire him based on his first 15 years as a HC. We hired him because he succeeded at Tennessee. I’ve got no problem with interviewing or hiring Steven— after he gets out on his own and proves himself. Until then, he shouldn’t be seen as a serious candidate.

I’m just saying give CSP an interview as a possible candidate and weigh the pros and cons from there. I believe he has earned an interview based on the job he has done for the program.  

Different people believe differently.  But it takes time to build relationships and players these days are impatient, they want instant gratification, they call the shots or they bolt.  It’s become a difficult balancing act for any coach to actually build something, implement his system and pray the players stay long enough to get the desired results on the field.  

Its long overdue.  It doesn’t matter so much to me that it’ll be better, Neville has served Auburn well and continues to do so.  Neville stands toe to toe with any arena in energy, electric atmosphere and intimidation factor. 

6 hours ago, ScotsAU said:

I think there are too many hypotheticals to answer the OP. Maybe Bruce coaches for longer than that. What if SP strikes out on his own before Bruce retires? He may have already established himself as a solid head coach (or failed as one) by then. When the time does come, assuming he hasn’t flopped at another school as a head coach, I think he should get a look. And I think I’ll leave it at that. I don’t think he should be shoved to the top of the list because he’s a Pearl or because he coaches with Bruce. But he’s done enough for Auburn in his own right that, as of now, I’d say he deserves a look. 

He deserves consideration and an interview, nothing more.  Bruce has earned his place and his salary level, he has not earned the right to name his successor.  

36 minutes ago, cole256 said:

Some guys step up some guys fold.....I never in a million years would think Nelson would play like that in a big time game in crunch time. Gotta love sports

That kid took the led role tonight and put the team on his back.  His coaches were smart and had him with a good matchup man and he produced.  I hate to say it but Bama found some grit and some defense these last two games. 

Nate Oats is a straight up jackass, he’s also a pretty dang good coach.  Same can be said for the leprechaun that just retired over there.

3 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

I don’t personally go out my way to blame the AD for any failures in bball, but I think stepping back and letting Bruce operate is the best thing they seem able to do. If the expected leap in recruiting occurs once we sign with Nike (and hopefully get the bball facility going), then that will whittle down a very large set of the excuses for our failures

Whittling down the very large set of excuses is a little hard.  Some programs are winners and others make excuses.  Often times, programs just are what they are and fans have to accept them for what they are and quit making comparisons to other programs.  
 

Grab the few successes when they come our way try to find satisfaction where we can. 

47 minutes ago, Eagle-2 said:

The ejection was warranted. There was nothing pertaining to being part of the game that he did. If he had caught the guy with an elbow on a rebound, or in the paint is one thing. No excuse for throwing an elbow at a guy who is simply running down the court next to you. It was selfish, and stupid. If the uniforms were reversed everyone on here would be agreeing with the call. 

 

It was a negative distraction for the staff and fellow players during a sudden death game that was selfish on his part.  But like someone already mentioned, it appeared our guys just didn’t want it enough, almost like they won a relatively meaningless conference championship and turned out the lights on the rest of the season.  Just a shame all the way around.  

12 hours ago, KansasTiger said:

I'd hope that can be the case. I'd believe it more if I didn't believe CBM to be the instigator in a majority of the altercations that he is in. I can't prove that cause I can't see him every minute of the game. But there's a reason he's the center of drama every single game despite who we are playing. It's not just a case of a kid needing to learn to cool his emotions when in a heated situation, he's the one making the situation heated and then taking it too far. That's a mentality, not a reaction.

Sounds like thats a culture mentality when an individual is the instigator.  Its a distraction for the team and the staff and hurts the mission of the team.

Does anyone else find it odd that there’s been no statement made by an Auburn representative?

2 hours ago, SumterAubie said:

 

Nor do we need Johnson impersonating Jordan with the tomahawk slam launched from the free point line. Williams need to that thinking down also.

Seems like some of that showboating could be nipped in the bud by a coach in someone’s ear.  But I’m sure with NIL and the portal kids have to be handled with a marshmallow gun relative to any kind of discipline.

Great to hear.

Some guys can’t leave the drama behind. Jeez 

1 hour ago, TigerOne said:

Just hope there is not some internal problems that are impacting the team chemistry. During the win streak it was beautiful one team mentality. Then the climb up the rankings seemed to create  a different team. Maybe the coming big fall in the poll will wake everyone up.

Apparently a couple of discipline issues forced lineup changes.  Violation of team rules never come at a good time in the active season.

15 minutes ago, ScotsAU said:

What bugs me is that it isn’t even accurate if Im understanding it correctly. Kirby Smart’s first class was ranked 3rd. Ryan Day’s was 5th. 

Shhhhh……

Don’t bring the freezer burn.

Just now, Hank2020 said:

That could definitely be true. I know he left his brother to go immediately back to NFL.

Yeh, I’m not sure why Freeze is seemingly in a holding pattern relative to Kiffin?  But I’m sure CHF has a great plan for the future.  

3 hours ago, Hank2020 said:

Kiffin has never been an NFL DC after a long time at that side (his whole career outside of 1st), plus has many inside connections through his father. NFL DC not a likely scenario.

It doesn’t look like Kiffin wants to get into the rat race of college coaching and prefers the NFL no matter what.  I mean he can stay where he’s at if he’s satisfied there.

The AU PR Department are working hard folks.  

2 hours ago, Ekingau34 said:

Thats like saying lets throw out Gus’ losing seasons and he was elite. I’m just saying I don’t understand why he gets the love he gets. One appearance in 12 years with ND in the NC game, with all he had to work with isn’t elite. Just my opinion. Obviously, others disagree because he seems to always be mentioned.

Brian Kelly ain’t too shabby.  Now will the swamp people at LSU live with his career average W/L record for much longer?  Hell NO!

LSU had 3 consecutive HC’s win NC’s, they will expect Kelly to bring a NC trophy to the Bayou or he’ll be fired.  LSU expects to compete for championships and 10 win seasons won’t be tolerated much longer. 

39 minutes ago, tigeraddikt said:

Thanks for that contribution. Compared to the pre-Pearl era? Absolutely. Compared to what it could/should be now…debatable. I simply wanted to start a speculative discussion regarding where AU might turn for the next HC. It was more in-line with Saban’s recent retirement rather than this week’s relatively poor road performances by the men’s team. Pearl has not make the tourney every year. He sacrificed 2020, but wouldn’t have made it even if he and the department hadn’t self-declared post-season ineligibility. I am thrilled at the turnaround BP has ushered for AU men’s hoops, and I enjoy watching each 20+ win season unfold. However, to hold him above reproach or criticism, or to turn a blind eye to the fact that many performances (road and post-season) leave MUCH to be desired, is what is ludicrous.

I'm not wishing BP gone, just wondering about his eventual replacement.

I understand your point and I still think this current AU product is phenomenally better than anything prior to Pearl. He built this thing, he brings the hype and he is by far the best ambassador for AU sports, over any other AU coach we’ve had in a very long time.  

Bruce single handily brought fan attention, passion and dedication to basketball.  He’s got plenty of years left in the tank and with unlimited & unrestricted NIL/portal, and the $$ he makes for the Auburn brand, he is the best fans can hope for.  JMHO. 

1 hour ago, TigerOne said:

Signs of off the court issues. Poor attitude,  effort , even Coach Pearls post game comments seemed to have a strange tone. Maybe reading more into than it is but seems something has changed.

I imagine it’s rough off the court right now with a couple of players getting held out for “violation of team rules” which forced the coaches to shift the game plan and lineup.  Then we saw with our own eyes the loafing, lazy and poor effort on the court vs msu. Then we hear the after-game locker room language ummm colorful.  Bruce is again faced with managing attitudes and reigning in his players to get them focused and heading in the same direction.

Ego’s and attitudes have no place on this team, and it’s sad but a coach has to walk on egg shells with players these days due to the portal/NIL environment.  I don’t envy these +$5MM/yr coaches and the road blocks placed on them relative to fan expectations.  Its a tough job.