Coach Dye seems optimistic

[Weegle777 78]

This is a fascinating thread and based on what Ive read here it seems that there is a sizeable contingeny of Auburn fans that believe for Auburn to be considered an elite football school the fans have to conduct themselves similarly to those across the state. Listen, I want Auburn to win as much as the next die-hard Auburn fan does but that pales by comparison to how nuch the players and coaches want to win. It is my opinion that this staff is instilling a championship mentality with this program. I hardly believe for a second that my expectations mean much compared to that and certainly will not contribute toward Auburn being perceived as an elite football program. If we've got to be an over the top arrogant gas bag for that to happen I'll pass but hey...thats just me!

You don't have to be arrogant to believe we will win championships. I think you all are so petrified to be lumped in with the turds, that you refuse to have a championship mentality and expect greatness.

[Weegle777 78]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

weegs you cant seperate between wanting to win, which we all do. And looking at the aspects of the upcoming season and using objectivity to predict what you think is most likely to happen. Worse yet, you are critical of those who can. For the record i have not made a prediction, i dont think we have enough info to know what '12 will be like. I hope you dont gamble, if you put your heart in your wallet both will get broke.

If one of our players read this thread, and saw that our fans said, "You would have to be delusional to think that those guys could have won a NC last season." how do you think he would feel about that? Probably as bad as if he read some of the posts in the game threads saying how terribly they played. No difference in my opinion.

[TheBlueVue 177]

Correction..having a championship mentality doesn't mean quibbling about it on message boards. The strongest confidence is quiet confidence. Talking about it incessantly just looks like an effort to over compensate. Believe me I have no fear of being lumped in with anyone. That, my friend, will never happen!

[Weegle777 78]

Correction..having a championship mentality doesn't mean quibbling about it on message boards. The strongest confidence is quiet confidence. Talking about it incessantly just looks like an effort to over compensate. Believe me I have no fear of being lumped in with anyone. That, my friend, will never happen!

Nobody is trying to overcompensate for anything! You people are going to hear what you want to hear. It is apparent in so many of these posts that the spirit of what I am saying has been lost.

[DyeEraTiger 0]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk. I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Weegle, I think when most make a prediction, whether it's 8-5 or 5-8, it's usually because that's what we truly believe the year will be like--simply a guess. It has absolutely ZILCH to do with how we feel about Auburn. I try to be a realist, and like most people on this board, I don't know what I'm talking about either. I don't think picking a number is selling AU short. I happen to believe that 8-5 would be a decent year, based on our experience level and schedule but different folks have different expectations. This doesn't make me any less loyal to my school. I still believe in our players and coaches. And I, too, believe we can win them all.

[Rednilla 5,397]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Weegs, you're good people. I love your passion. But it's about tempering expectations. Not to high, not too low. That's what my coach always told me. There is a difference between believing that we can win it all and believing that we will win it all. I expect our players to BE champions, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we will always win championships.

Football is not the end all of life. It took some doing for me to figure that out, but...well, I'm reminded of the speech Coach Gaines gave the Permian Panthers in the movie Friday Night Lights. He mentioned that all of his players had heard him talk about being perfect, then went on to describe that to him, perfect means the way you go about your own life, the relationships you develop and the things you do on and off the field.

Auburn is about more than football championships. It's about more than putting men on the moon. It's about more than winning prizes or heading up the most successful computer company in the world. Yes, we do all of those things, but that's who we are, not what we're about. It's realizing that being a winner is about so much more than just winning.

Now, again, I love the spirit of what you're saying. Hopefully, you understand that championships are just too small a thing to live for, and "demanding" championships is a fast track to a life of disappointment even if we win it every year. I don't define my sense of self-worth based on the success of the football team. I expect them to be pushing themselves to be "perfect", and because of who we are, I feel pretty confident that as long as our players are doing that, championships will come, but championships cannot be the endgame. If they are, then we've missed the point.

[Weegle777 78]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Weegs, you're good people. I love your passion. But it's about tempering expectations. Not to high, not too low. That's what my coach always told me. There is a difference between believing that we can win it all and believing that we will win it all. I expect our players to BE champions, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we will always win championships.

Football is not the end all of life. It took some doing for me to figure that out, but...well, I'm reminded of the speech Coach Gaines gave the Permian Panthers in the movie Friday Night Lights. He mentioned that all of his players had heard him talk about being perfect, then went on to describe that to him, perfect means the way you go about your own life, the relationships you develop and the things you do on and off the field.

Auburn is about more than football championships. It's about more than putting men on the moon. It's about more than winning prizes or heading up the most successful computer company in the world. Yes, we do all of those things, but that's who we are, not what we're about. It's realizing that being a winner is about so much more than just winning.

Now, again, I love the spirit of what you're saying. Hopefully, you understand that championships are just too small a thing to live for, and "demanding" championships is a fast track to a life of disappointment even if we win it every year. I don't define my sense of self-worth based on the success of the football team. I expect them to be pushing themselves to be "perfect", and because of who we are, I feel pretty confident that as long as our players are doing that, championships will come, but championships cannot be the endgame. If they are, then we've missed the point.

Now that's a post I can agree with. Well said.

[TigerPaw1 0]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

[alexava 6,973]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

[Weegle777 78]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

That's not what I said.

[Rednilla 5,397]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

That's not what I said.

Weegs, I know that isn't what you said, but it's the way a lot of people would take it. I know the fire that burns inside you for Auburn because it's there in me, too. For a diehard to believe we're going to win it all every season is one thing because a diehard will always believe the very best about his team.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as diehard about Auburn as you and I are, and thus not meeting expectations leads to utter disappointment. That's what I've been trying to say to you: I really love the spirit of what you're saying, but being that gung ho about it just doesn't work for everybody.

[TigerWar 82]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Every Auburn game I watch on television or attend, I fully 'expect' Auburn to win.

However, every preseason I look at our roster and what we have and I make a prediction on the season. Just because I don't predict an undefeated season and national championship every single year doesn't make me any less of an Auburn fan and certainly doesn't bring my love for Auburn into question.

Sell 'your' Tigers short with 8-5 talk? You mean the same Tigers that suffered three of the worst beat downs by their top rivals in their history, collectively last season? I expect us to be vastly improved, but you can't say that people are selling 'your' Tigers short because they're predicting 8-4 to a 9-3 regular season. 

I'm not sure what you guys are smoking seeing that makes you believe that Auburn can compete for a national championship this season.

[Rednilla 5,397]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Every Auburn game I watch on television or attend, I fully 'expect' Auburn to win.

However, every preseason I look at our roster and what we have and I make a prediction on the season. Just because I don't predict an undefeated season and national championship every single year doesn't make me any less of an Auburn fan and certainly doesn't bring my love for Auburn into question.

Sell 'your' Tigers short with 8-5 talk? You mean the same Tigers that suffered three of the worst beat downs by their top rivals in their history, collectively last season? I expect us to be vastly improved, but you can't say that people are selling 'your' Tigers short because they're predicting 8-4 to a 9-3 regular season. 

I'm not sure what you guys are smoking seeing that makes you believe that Auburn can compete for a national championship this season.

Then be sure to turn on the TV this fall. You'll see it then. I'm tired of trying to convince you.

*SIGH* I can't help it. The defensive line is full of veteran studs. There is tons of talent and experience returning to both the linebacking unit and the defensive backfield. The receiving corps has a headliner and perhaps the best tight end in the country to go along with multiple dynamic playmakers ready to break out. The running backs return a 2,000 yard career rusher to go along with four young bucks who were all rated at least four stars out of high school. The offensive line returns three starters and fills the two holes with five star talent that has been focused intently on this coming fall for the year and a half leading up to it. The quarterback is a former USA Today Player of the Year who is so accustomed to winning, last year was the first in which he did not win a championship...ever.

Damn, I did it again. One of these days maybe I'll learn that there are some people who just refuse to see the bright side.

[Weegle777 78]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Every Auburn game I watch on television or attend, I fully 'expect' Auburn to win.

However, every preseason I look at our roster and what we have and I make a prediction on the season. Just because I don't predict an undefeated season and national championship every single year doesn't make me any less of an Auburn fan and certainly doesn't bring my love for Auburn into question.

Sell 'your' Tigers short with 8-5 talk? You mean the same Tigers that suffered three of the worst beat downs by their top rivals in their history, collectively last season? I expect us to be vastly improved, but you can't say that people are selling 'your' Tigers short because they're predicting 8-4 to a 9-3 regular season. 

I'm not sure what you guys are smoking seeing that makes you believe that Auburn can compete for a national championship this season.

Then be sure to turn on the TV this fall. You'll see it then. I'm tired of trying to convince you.

Dang right. And Tiger War, I hope you do believe that "your"  :-\  Tigers will win whenever they step on the field. Maybe "your"  :-\  attitude will change when you turn on "your"  :-\  tv this season, like Red said when he replied to "your" :-\  post. War Eagle.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

More times then not, coach Dye knows what he's talking about.

[marshallcotiger 0]

I'm sorry but I will be disappointed if we have the same record as last year. With  xCTT last recruiting class rolling off the roster we have top 10 talent(according to the cruitin sites) and one of the best coaching staffs in the business handling that talent.We will be better in all 3 phases of the game, we will be a year stronger, a year more experienced and have an easier schedule. We return just about every starter from last year and with the exception of RT and maybe TB we should be much improved at every single position from the prior year. There isn't a team on our schedule that can say the same. Yes I know we were blown out a few times last year but that is to be somewhat expected when you take as many true freshman and sophmores on the road for the 1st time like we did last year. If I had the time I could show many times we have been blown out in the last 10 years and then the next year beaten the same team. I could also show a few times in the last 20 years where we went 8-5 or even 5-6 with a few blowout losses and followed those seasons up with an undefeated team the next year. I'm not saying I expect us to go undefeated in 2012 because I don't but I also don't understand how some expect us to have the exact same record with all the previously mentioned factors taken into consideration. Call me a homer or delusional or bammer minded if you will but imo 9-3 or 10-2 should be our final record next season.

[TigerPaw1 0]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

That's not what I said.

Weegs, I know that isn't what you said, but it's the way a lot of people would take it. I know the fire that burns inside you for Auburn because it's there in me, too. For a diehard to believe we're going to win it all every season is one thing because a diehard will always believe the very best about his team.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as diehard about Auburn as you and I are, and thus not meeting expectations leads to utter disappointment. That's what I've been trying to say to you: I really love the spirit of what you're saying, but being that gung ho about it just doesn't work for everybody.

Let me get this straight.... Because I don't believe Auburn is gonna win the national championship this season I am not as diehard? That is absolutely ridiculous. I don't know if you catch just how arrogant and dare I say bammerish you post sounds. Excuse me as I take a moment to rant on this topic that has been bugging me for some time now....

I am absolutely sick of this idea that if a person doesn't think Auburn is ever gonna fail or has ever done anything wrong then they arent a "diehard". I grew up in an Auburn family. One of the first things I learned was to hate Crimson and White and love the Orange and Blue. I can recite the starting lineups to the past 10 or so Auburn football teams. I can tell you who has started on the basketball and baseball teams for the past 5 or so seasons. I have attended Auburn women's basketball, tennis, baseball, men's basketball, and even soccer games over the years. I have not missed an Auburn home game in the past 4 seasons and I have traveled to see my Tigers play at Vandy (that's right I was there when we lost to VANDY), Kentucky, Clemson, and the Georgia Dome. I sat till the very miserable end in that rainy cold loss at home to Kentucky. I braved the storms of the West Virginia game and never left even when it was pouring and I was soaking wet and cold. But I guess because I don't think we aren't going 12-0 I am not as diehard as you and Weegs... Give me a break....

What happened to just coming on debating Auburn football without insulting each other's fanhood. Let me give you a hint. If someone has signed up and posted on an online message board about Auburn football and spent way too many hours every day keeping up with everything Auburn and discussing it they are probably a diehard whether you like what they have to say or not. If you wanna discuss why you think they will be 12-0 and I think 9-3 than I am all for that. Let's debate the matchups and what Auburn has to offer. But I am sick of this "I am a better Auburn fan because I think everything Auburn does is magical" attitude that somehow means you are bigger fan. To me thats just juvenile (kinda like ranting on a message board  ).

Every season I come up with a record that I think Auburn can reasonably achieve based on who they have coming back and who they play. This year that's 9-3. That is my measuring stick for the season. If we reach that than I believe the team has met the baseline goals of the season and I am happy with the year. If we are under then I am disappointed and know that either some bad breaks got us or we didn't reach our potential. If we achieve more than this then I am absolutely thrilled! I understand if every season you wanna believe we are gonna be champions. That's fine. But that doesn't make you anymore diehard than anyone else and you and weegs and some other posters need to understand that because I am tired of the same few flaunting their fandom in the faces of others. Talk about why we believe these things not challenge how much we love Auburn

Sorry for the rant but I am so fed up with some of this crap. This used to be a place of good debate where people understood that everyone here loves Auburn but have differing opinions. I hope Auburn wins it all. I will cheer for them whether they have gone 0-12 or 12-0. Why? Because I am a diehard for AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

IMO, if we have another 8-5 record in 2012, some people may be talking about placing Gene Chizik on the hot seat.

[DyeEraTiger 0]

IMO, if we have another 8-5 record in 2012, some people may be talking about placing Gene Chizik on the hot seat.

Most certainly they would. Thankfully (or hopefully), those people don't write the kind of checks that give them much persuasion with the decision maker(s).  Amazing how much pressure one more win would take off a fellow.

[Weegle777 78]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

That's not what I said.

Weegs, I know that isn't what you said, but it's the way a lot of people would take it. I know the fire that burns inside you for Auburn because it's there in me, too. For a diehard to believe we're going to win it all every season is one thing because a diehard will always believe the very best about his team.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as diehard about Auburn as you and I are, and thus not meeting expectations leads to utter disappointment. That's what I've been trying to say to you: I really love the spirit of what you're saying, but being that gung ho about it just doesn't work for everybody.

Let me get this straight.... Because I don't believe Auburn is gonna win the national championship this season I am not as diehard? That is absolutely ridiculous. I don't know if you catch just how arrogant and dare I say bammerish you post sounds. Excuse me as I take a moment to rant on this topic that has been bugging me for some time now....

I am absolutely sick of this idea that if a person doesn't think Auburn is ever gonna fail or has ever done anything wrong then they arent a "diehard". I grew up in an Auburn family. One of the first things I learned was to hate Crimson and White and love the Orange and Blue. I can recite the starting lineups to the past 10 or so Auburn football teams. I can tell you who has started on the basketball and baseball teams for the past 5 or so seasons. I have attended Auburn women's basketball, tennis, baseball, men's basketball, and even soccer games over the years. I have not missed an Auburn home game in the past 4 seasons and I have traveled to see my Tigers play at Vandy (that's right I was there when we lost to VANDY), Kentucky, Clemson, and the Georgia Dome. I sat till the very miserable end in that rainy cold loss at home to Kentucky. I braved the storms of the West Virginia game and never left even when it was pouring and I was soaking wet and cold. But I guess because I don't think we aren't going 12-0 I am not as diehard as you and Weegs... Give me a break....

What happened to just coming on debating Auburn football without insulting each other's fanhood. Let me give you a hint. If someone has signed up and posted on an online message board about Auburn football and spent way too many hours every day keeping up with everything Auburn and discussing it they are probably a diehard whether you like what they have to say or not. If you wanna discuss why you think they will be 12-0 and I think 9-3 than I am all for that. Let's debate the matchups and what Auburn has to offer. But I am sick of this "I am a better Auburn fan because I think everything Auburn does is magical" attitude that somehow means you are bigger fan. To me thats just juvenile (kinda like ranting on a message board  ).

Every season I come up with a record that I think Auburn can reasonably achieve based on who they have coming back and who they play. This year that's 9-3. That is my measuring stick for the season. If we reach that than I believe the team has met the baseline goals of the season and I am happy with the year. If we are under then I am disappointed and know that either some bad breaks got us or we didn't reach our potential. If we achieve more than this then I am absolutely thrilled! I understand if every season you wanna believe we are gonna be champions. That's fine. But that doesn't make you anymore diehard than anyone else and you and weegs and some other posters need to understand that because I am tired of the same few flaunting their fandom in the faces of others. Talk about why we believe these things not challenge how much we love Auburn

Sorry for the rant but I am so fed up with some of this crap. This used to be a place of good debate where people understood that everyone here loves Auburn but have differing opinions. I hope Auburn wins it all. I will cheer for them whether they have gone 0-12 or 12-0. Why? Because I am a diehard for AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

Nobody is saying that you aren't as diehard as any of the rest of us. I realize that I think differently than a large majority of you. And I shouldn't be trying to convince you guys that you should believe as I do. Sorry if you guys missed what I was trying to get across. Like someone else said, we all pull for the same team.

[TigerPaw1 0]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

That's not what I said.

Weegs, I know that isn't what you said, but it's the way a lot of people would take it. I know the fire that burns inside you for Auburn because it's there in me, too. For a diehard to believe we're going to win it all every season is one thing because a diehard will always believe the very best about his team.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as diehard about Auburn as you and I are, and thus not meeting expectations leads to utter disappointment. That's what I've been trying to say to you: I really love the spirit of what you're saying, but being that gung ho about it just doesn't work for everybody.

Let me get this straight.... Because I don't believe Auburn is gonna win the national championship this season I am not as diehard? That is absolutely ridiculous. I don't know if you catch just how arrogant and dare I say bammerish you post sounds. Excuse me as I take a moment to rant on this topic that has been bugging me for some time now....

I am absolutely sick of this idea that if a person doesn't think Auburn is ever gonna fail or has ever done anything wrong then they arent a "diehard". I grew up in an Auburn family. One of the first things I learned was to hate Crimson and White and love the Orange and Blue. I can recite the starting lineups to the past 10 or so Auburn football teams. I can tell you who has started on the basketball and baseball teams for the past 5 or so seasons. I have attended Auburn women's basketball, tennis, baseball, men's basketball, and even soccer games over the years. I have not missed an Auburn home game in the past 4 seasons and I have traveled to see my Tigers play at Vandy (that's right I was there when we lost to VANDY), Kentucky, Clemson, and the Georgia Dome. I sat till the very miserable end in that rainy cold loss at home to Kentucky. I braved the storms of the West Virginia game and never left even when it was pouring and I was soaking wet and cold. But I guess because I don't think we aren't going 12-0 I am not as diehard as you and Weegs... Give me a break....

What happened to just coming on debating Auburn football without insulting each other's fanhood. Let me give you a hint. If someone has signed up and posted on an online message board about Auburn football and spent way too many hours every day keeping up with everything Auburn and discussing it they are probably a diehard whether you like what they have to say or not. If you wanna discuss why you think they will be 12-0 and I think 9-3 than I am all for that. Let's debate the matchups and what Auburn has to offer. But I am sick of this "I am a better Auburn fan because I think everything Auburn does is magical" attitude that somehow means you are bigger fan. To me thats just juvenile (kinda like ranting on a message board  ).

Every season I come up with a record that I think Auburn can reasonably achieve based on who they have coming back and who they play. This year that's 9-3. That is my measuring stick for the season. If we reach that than I believe the team has met the baseline goals of the season and I am happy with the year. If we are under then I am disappointed and know that either some bad breaks got us or we didn't reach our potential. If we achieve more than this then I am absolutely thrilled! I understand if every season you wanna believe we are gonna be champions. That's fine. But that doesn't make you anymore diehard than anyone else and you and weegs and some other posters need to understand that because I am tired of the same few flaunting their fandom in the faces of others. Talk about why we believe these things not challenge how much we love Auburn

Sorry for the rant but I am so fed up with some of this crap. This used to be a place of good debate where people understood that everyone here loves Auburn but have differing opinions. I hope Auburn wins it all. I will cheer for them whether they have gone 0-12 or 12-0. Why? Because I am a diehard for AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

Nobody is saying that you aren't as diehard as any of the rest of us. I realize that I think differently than a large majority of you. And I shouldn't be trying to convince you guys that you should believe as I do. Sorry if you guys missed what I was trying to get across. Like someone else said, we all pull for the same team.

Sorry if that came out kinda harsh but red's post seemed to insinuate that and as you can tell it kinda irked me . I think we can both agree tho that we want Auburn to win every game and the team we will see this year will be a lot of fun to watch! War Eagle!

[AuburnNTexas 7,192]

Every season I set two levels of expectations. One level is guided by my heart and this level is where we surprise everybody and win it all. The second level I try and be more grounded (Can't completely keep my heart out of it as I am an Auburn man) and I try to be honest and set a range of expectations.

With coach Dye saying we will be better than last year and that it may or may not show up in the W side of the ledger it helps me adjust my range.

If we beat Clemson then range can be 0-3 Losses > LSU is always Tough, we beat them my vote is 0 losses. We loose to them we will have 3 more tough games Ark, Bama, and  UGA could loose two of them or none of them.

If we loose to Clemson with a young team we could loose 1-4 more games.

Worse case we loose 5 games all close Best we don't loose any. IMHO we loose 1-3 games this year.  

The game that worries me is LSU less on whether we win it or loose it but in how healthy we are after the game. I am worried that we don't have enough depth to loose a few players for two or three games after playing LSU. By the way I think LSU may have same fears about playing us.

In the past there have been some epic batttles between LSU and Auburn that hurt both teams long run because of how physical the game was

[rollsroyce5 0]

I long for the day when all Auburn fans actually get rid of the "little sister" attitude and start believing that we should win the National Championship every year. Auburn is an ELITE school and belongs in the talk with the other elite schools.

Don't fret, my friend. Those days are coming, starting with next year throughout the remainder of CGC's tenure!

[Rednilla 5,397]

I just hate it when people, Auburn fans at that, sell my Tigers short with this 8-5 talk.  I have supreme confidence in these guys and believe that every time they step on the field that they will win. If they don't, so be it. It doesn't change my loyalty to Auburn and nothing ever will change my loyalty to Auburn. Most people absolutely chastise others for talking about how bad we are when we lose, but turn around and say that these kids aren't good enough to win it all. Seems hypocritical to me.

Well I weegs I better not see you getting mad at any Auburn fan for being upset about a loss because according to you we should expect to win every game every year and if we don't thats a disappointment. Look I get the idea of being confident in our Tigers. On gameday you can't convince me we aren't going to win. However I think it is unhealthy for a fanbase to every season say "We are going undefeated and you can't stop us!" Look at what that mindset produces in the fanbase up north.

Of course the coaches expect to win and we as fans WANT to win every game and a championship every season. Everyone on this site believes Auburn is an elite program and should be in the hunt ever year. But I also love Auburn more than just for its football (and I know you do too) and I don't want to put unfair expectations on these guys shoulders. I expect a 9 win season. The reason being we are still fairly young with little game experience at key positions. Add that to the fact that half of the schools on our schedule recruit as well as we do and you see a tough road ahead. But I fully expect them to compete at their highest level each and ever game and give whomever they are playing all they got. If they do that I will be happy.

I hope at the end of the year you can come on here and rub into all our faces that Auburn won the title and we are fools for not expecting it. That will be the loveliest tasting crow I have ever eaten.

That's not what I said.

Weegs, I know that isn't what you said, but it's the way a lot of people would take it. I know the fire that burns inside you for Auburn because it's there in me, too. For a diehard to believe we're going to win it all every season is one thing because a diehard will always believe the very best about his team.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as diehard about Auburn as you and I are, and thus not meeting expectations leads to utter disappointment. That's what I've been trying to say to you: I really love the spirit of what you're saying, but being that gung ho about it just doesn't work for everybody.

Let me get this straight.... Because I don't believe Auburn is gonna win the national championship this season I am not as diehard? That is absolutely ridiculous. I don't know if you catch just how arrogant and dare I say bammerish you post sounds. Excuse me as I take a moment to rant on this topic that has been bugging me for some time now....

I am absolutely sick of this idea that if a person doesn't think Auburn is ever gonna fail or has ever done anything wrong then they arent a "diehard". I grew up in an Auburn family. One of the first things I learned was to hate Crimson and White and love the Orange and Blue. I can recite the starting lineups to the past 10 or so Auburn football teams. I can tell you who has started on the basketball and baseball teams for the past 5 or so seasons. I have attended Auburn women's basketball, tennis, baseball, men's basketball, and even soccer games over the years. I have not missed an Auburn home game in the past 4 seasons and I have traveled to see my Tigers play at Vandy (that's right I was there when we lost to VANDY), Kentucky, Clemson, and the Georgia Dome. I sat till the very miserable end in that rainy cold loss at home to Kentucky. I braved the storms of the West Virginia game and never left even when it was pouring and I was soaking wet and cold. But I guess because I don't think we aren't going 12-0 I am not as diehard as you and Weegs... Give me a break....

What happened to just coming on debating Auburn football without insulting each other's fanhood. Let me give you a hint. If someone has signed up and posted on an online message board about Auburn football and spent way too many hours every day keeping up with everything Auburn and discussing it they are probably a diehard whether you like what they have to say or not. If you wanna discuss why you think they will be 12-0 and I think 9-3 than I am all for that. Let's debate the matchups and what Auburn has to offer. But I am sick of this "I am a better Auburn fan because I think everything Auburn does is magical" attitude that somehow means you are bigger fan. To me thats just juvenile (kinda like ranting on a message board  ).

Every season I come up with a record that I think Auburn can reasonably achieve based on who they have coming back and who they play. This year that's 9-3. That is my measuring stick for the season. If we reach that than I believe the team has met the baseline goals of the season and I am happy with the year. If we are under then I am disappointed and know that either some bad breaks got us or we didn't reach our potential. If we achieve more than this then I am absolutely thrilled! I understand if every season you wanna believe we are gonna be champions. That's fine. But that doesn't make you anymore diehard than anyone else and you and weegs and some other posters need to understand that because I am tired of the same few flaunting their fandom in the faces of others. Talk about why we believe these things not challenge how much we love Auburn

Sorry for the rant but I am so fed up with some of this crap. This used to be a place of good debate where people understood that everyone here loves Auburn but have differing opinions. I hope Auburn wins it all. I will cheer for them whether they have gone 0-12 or 12-0. Why? Because I am a diehard for AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

Oh good grief, no one is questioning your fanhood. My point is that if you don't have that diehard mentality, then weathering the bad seasons will destroy the loyalty if you are, indeed, expecting national championships every season. That's all. No more, no less.

[bigbird 60,580]

Little pink tutus go well with my yellow feathers.