AU_Canoe

The Righteous Gemstones are applicable to so many of life's scenarios.

There are probably a lot of Saban-wannabes out there. I can't blame them, he is successful. However, the recipe can turn out a lot of bad actors though.

It seems like some programs have been testing the water "For Cause contract termination", i.e., Kansas and Tennessee...maybe others, and seeing if it sticks.

This is a great start for AU's new president. Welcome!

This is like Real Housewives of.... stuff.

With all the coaches quitting and players transferring, if Harsin gets fired, hope he turns off the lights.

Trying to be empathetic but sometimes a big change like a new job, a move, etc. can exacerbate or inflame other stressors that have been simmering under the surface from an ill relative, a romantic interest that doesn't want to move, background/drug check, issues with mental health, etc. etc. The list can be endless and people can be complex. It's most likely not as simple as he was fine in Seattle. Something he and maybe Harsin know and I respect his privacy, even though his privacy has been spread all over the internet and the court of public opinion. The situation is odd and I think most interviewers try to discern these nuances during the interview process; however, interviews are not perfect and people sometimes do not equate to their polished introduction. Plus, there are some things a person can't legally ask during an "official" interview. Because of the type of business, it's still a questionable look for Davis, Harsin, and AU.

I am not saying it occurred at AU and I didn't realize this was even a "thing" until recently but "highly suggested support hires" appear to be a nuance with certain HC vacancies. I am unsure if that is the result of typical micromanagement and control from AD leadership/donors/politicians, i.e., a program's culture, or if circumstances justify instilling a framework for a new coach as a way to get a program up and running quickly and allow for breathing room for the coach to instill future adjustments. Could be both. I feel pretty confident all of this coaching transition is fuel for rivals to fan the flames of instability with recruits. I would probably do the same thing if I worked in such a cut-throat biz. Maybe recruits are more willing to try AU during these times vs. a player years ago. Heck, if they don't like it they can portal-bolt. "Try before you buy."

Don't forget the Bucees! I have only been to one and it's an adventure in itself. I do admit the brisket sammy is pretty darn good.

Each time I have stepped on campus there is change; however, I am grateful for the transformation as AU continues to become a world class destination. Can you imagine some of the on-campus and off-campus death traps still being around? The education experience has advanced tremendously in the past decade-two with a focus on student experience. Back in the day, I remember one of my professors had to use a flashlight to read his notes in Parker Hall because it was such a dungeon. Also, one of my friends was burned because he backed up against a steam pipe while waiting for a class in the Coliseum. How times have changed! I do admit so much has changed I had to utilize navigation on campus last year. Who would have ever thought!? Sightlines definitely have changed.

From my own experience, Dr. Roberts has done an outstanding job expanding the College of Engineering in reputation, funding, and resources. He is a good politician, smart, respected, student friendly, and loves Auburn. To me, he mirrors Dr. Gogue in some ways. All qualities that is needed in a good President. I wish him the best in leading our beloved institution.

On average, fanbases have the same spectrum of personalities. Growing up Auburn and undergrad, in my naivety I thought we hosted many unique fan challenges; however, attending graduate school at a couple of other SEC institutions I had an "ah-ha" moment when I realized there are similar fan murmurs among each fan base. Some fan bases have unique timeline nuances but at the 30,000 ft-level you could probably categorize fans into personality groups and it holds whether it's UGA, AU, Tenn, UA, OU, LSU, etc. etc. In a nutshell, JABA, etc. occurs at other institutions and we could easily sit back and come up with head scratching moments from each SEC institution. This ebb and flow is not unique to Auburn. I have no doubt Tenn could give us a run with some of their recent crazy. In reflection, I have found various team fan forums actually exhibit more animosity toward fellow forum members vs. players, rivals, coaches, etc. AUFamily actually does a good job with culture and monitoring because there are times I was disappointed, i.e., UGA fan forum, on how members communicated with each other. Saying it was vicious would be an understatement and probably ventures into some type of mental illness. However, these individuals are not unique to just UGA but unfortunately it's part of online interaction, if not monitored. Maybe fans have changed over the years or maybe it's because you can't sneeze without it being on the internet for all to see. The notion of challenging fan feedback ventures beyond AU, SEC, NCAA and encompasses the entire sports industry, i.e., NFL, NBA, etc. It's not contained within a singular business bubble. I can appreciate the Mama Bear reaction from Nix's family but if he chooses to stay in college and professional sports, the critical judgement doesn't stop once you leave AU. Hopefully, this is something high school athletes are made aware of. It's a tough world out there when you are on public display in an industry that is based on passionate fans. You can spin this to be uniquely Auburn, but outside the AU bubble, each team has the same fan personalities...unfortunately/fortunately.

I remember chatting with a couple of friends who worked at WVU athletics when Holg. was a coach there. He seemed to live a pretty hard lifestyle. They often stated that he was not pleasant to be around and always seemed miserable. The running joke at WVU Athletics was his presence had a 100% chance of upsetting babies.

Some kids are really never taught how to deal with loss or rejection and usually a more primal emotion, like anger, emerges. It's sad that he decided to figuratively slash everyone's tires on the way out the door because of a fragile ego. I respect that character and discipline are important in the locker room. I wish him luck.

A solid "B" is justified for this cycle. Against our SEC peers we are middle pack, which is definitely better than our position on Monday. With the new Football Performance Center opening summer 2022, I would imagine the recruiting expectations will be much higher moving forward. Should be fun and interesting seeing what Harsin and company can do with top notch facilities and provide clarity on whether coaching is excelling or underperforming. The portal throws a wrinkle in an already questionable recruiting rating system and industry; however, there is no doubt we have to increase our future talent and depth if we are expected to compete for NC.

Having players leave probably will help not hurt Harsin's recruiting pitch this week. Come to AU there are immediate openings and huge opportunities for playing time.

I have a hard time picturing Harsin doing these things but maybe he has that side of him.

This caused me to experience all three: grimace, cringe, and clinch. He looks like that hip was about to go.

I can imagine this was a tough decision for Bo based on challenging conversations with his family and coaching. Growing up bleeding Orange and Blue it's tough to see anything beyond AU; however, over time the decision became grounded in common sense. I believe Bo doesn't have enough time left to go through a Harsin rebuild while proving himself to the next level. I wish him the best and for giving his all.

If anything, I wouldn't mind seeing UAB's new stadium. I will have to do a little homework on the area's logistics. Curious to know the entertainment being offered to the teams. Back in the day, I think it used to be Vulcan and the Civil Rights Museum. I will not miss the Legion Field experience. I can only imagine what that is costing the city/county for maintenance.

If I was a coach that had any doubt in myself I wouldn't come to Auburn. AU has to be one of the toughest jobs out there for the many reasons stated in this thread, i.e., internal dynamics, expectations, competition, etc. Hopefully, AU's HC job posting stated "hard headed with a strong constitution". Whenever Saban retires or becomes some type of consultant or executive AD for UA... so the "process" can continue, I would imagine the crown for the toughest job in America will be transferred across the state, i.e., internal dynamics, expectations, competition, etc.

I think it's fun gossip but AU hiring him isn't reality. Mullen didn't even finish out the season, Coach O did, and even MU's HC was throwing shade his way. The best thing Mullen can do for his reputation is tincture of time and reset on his ego...if he is capable. Mullen needs to go to Saban's Shop for Rejected Coaches for rehab.

I agree, makes no sense on multiple fronts including exposure. If I was an NFL scout, Bo playing for his dad again would raise a question on whether he is capable of playing for anyone else but his dad. To a scout, possibly a red flag on his ability to progress from High School to College and then to Pro.

With all the coaching changes at top tiered schools, getting a splashy assistant hired is probably like the rush and tug-of-war at Wal-Mart's Black Friday sale. I would imagine Harsin already has someone lined up and is not kicking the can. Due to this year's carousel, the quality candidate pool will be close to nil soon. Seems obvious.

AU probably spends more on buyouts as they do on full time coaches. Seems like the divide between High School, College, and Professional are notable with some coaches able to traverse successfully between the silos while others fall flat. The same with players. With Harsin being a QB coach I don't see him hiring someone for an interim QB need, i.e., Bo and Patrick. JABA can be entertainment worthy of popcorn but I don't see Harsin giving the reigns to a coach that is not tested in the college ranks, especially with an offense that needs a lot of help.