The John Needham Commentary

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http://webpages.charter.net/jcneedham/secc2004.mp3

The 2004 SEC Championship Game

I am dedicating this commentary to my Daddy, Charles C. Needham, Auburn Alumni, Class of 51’. I love ya, Daddy. I miss ya.

War Eagle to the Great Auburn Nation! My name is John Needham and these are my commentaries! The SEC Championship Game 2004!

First, I would like to offer some comments on our recent victory against our In-Laws, the BCS and then talk about the Battle of the SEC.

Eleven and OHHHH, Eleven and OHHHHHHHH! How many of you thought about Jim Fyffe as the last few seconds ticked off the clock of this year’s Iron Bowl? I did. In 1993, I was a student at Auburn jumping up and down with the other 30,000 the in student section as we had just defeated Alabama 22-14 and completed the season undefeated in the SEC. Singing “WHOOP, THERE IT IS, WHOOP, THERE IT IS”! Who remembers that? I remember when I purchased the Alabama review tape from the Auburn Network and hearing Jim Fyffe utter those immortal words, “Eleven and OHHH…Eleven and OHHHHH!” Even though, I watched the game on television, I could hear the band strike up the song “Hard Fighting Soldier” and listening to our people sing to it! This one is for you, Jim. War Eagle, you hard fighting soldier!

Hey! Who remembers the two poor kids who happened to jump into NO MANS LAND, after the game? The little grassy noel; you know the area between the hedge row and the area in front of the lower deck. There were two guys whom had jumped out from the student section on to the grassy noel. I remember the cops handcuffed them and then dragged them to mid-field. The cops wanted everyone in the stadium to know that if anyone crossed into NO MANS LAND a similar FATE would be in store for them as well. I wonder what must have been going through their minds as they laid there looking at each other. I wonder what they must be thinking now. 2004. I know what they were not thinking! To Hell with rushing on the field! This is Bryant Denny Stadium. Maybe the Pachyderms have sharp shooters on the roof! By God I might not survive getting off the field! HAAAHAAAA!

Now, a few words on the BCS. First, I don’t understand it and because I don’t understand it, I’m not in favor of it. I believe in a play-off system. I say take the 10 best teams, lock’em in a stadium and LET THEM FIGHT IT OUT! LAST TEAM STANDING WINS! For me, trying to understand the BCS is like what happens when my wife asks me to do something when I am involved in another activity. I could be looking right at her but it’s like she’s speaking a foreign language and the words…just go in one ear and out the other! I think if we win BIG against Tennessee and Oklahoma/USC looses, then Auburn will play for the National Championship; Otherwise, we will be heading towards New Orleans and take on Utah or Miami in the Nokia Sugar Bowl. The current system has taken some of the luster away from Auburn’s Eleven and OHHH season and I believe if you asked Tommy Tuberville, he would agree with me. Do I think Auburn should be given an opportunity to play for the National Championship? Yes, I do! Do I think Auburn will be given an opportunity to play for the National Championship, under the current system? No, I don’t. Why? Two Words: Alabama’s Defense. I mentioned in my last commentary that “We may not burn Tuscaloosa down but we will walk away Eleven and OHHHH!” Well, I was right, but Alabama got what it wanted to. They got to stick a red-hot poker in Auburn’s eye. I believe Alabama’s defense holding Auburn scoreless in the first half did more to hurt Auburn than any other reason I have heard. The sports writers were looking for any reason not to vote Auburn Number 2 and they got their wish. So, in my opinion credit Alabama, forget about strength of schedule, for ruining our chances at a run at the 30,000 glass trophy.

Now, It’s time to talk about the Battle of the SEC!

Give your 2004 Auburn Tigers at hand. They have taken everything the conference had to offer and what did they do. The Auburn Tigers took the conference by the throat and told it what they wanted. The Tigers have gone through the conference like at hot knife through Parkay.

What got Auburn to this point? Attitude, thrust and the belief in one’s own abilities to get the job done: A never quit desire. Desire is something you cannot train a person to have. That person has got to want it!

Four dramatic plays got Auburn to this point. Looking back at the 2004 Hurricane game with LSU, three of the four plays occurred in that game alone! LSU missed a PTA in the 1st quarter and in the fourth quarter, Auburn down 9 to 3, a miracle came when Jason Campbell hit Courtney Taylor on a 14 yard pass on 4th down and 12 to go. That play set Auburn up for its only touchdown of the game; a pass play from Campbell to Taylor. Disaster nearly struck when Auburn missed the PTA on the following play but was allowed a second chance by a personal foul penalty called on LSU. Auburn went on to win the Hurricane Game by a score of 10-9.

The LSU game set the standard for the rest of the season. At this point everyone in the Auburn Family and anyone who calls himself a fan of college football circled OCTOBER 2, 2004 on their calendars: The Battle of Knoxville, Auburn vs Tennessee. Before the days of divisional play Auburn and Tennessee would play each other in the third week. After the league went to divisional play Auburn struggled against Tennessee. If Auburn could beat the VOLUNTEERS in their house at night in front of a nationally televised game on ESPN prime time, Auburn’s schedule would potentially put Auburn by the time it arrived at AMEN CORNER: 9-0 and play in a BCS game on New Years Day 2005.

Of course no one in the Auburn Nation wanted to say it at the time, but if Auburn could beat Tennessee; Auburn, potentially could go 11-0. But no one wanted to come out and say anything, fearing it would JIX the Tigers. October 2, 2004 came. When it was all said in done, Auburn had won the day by a score of 34-10. Auburn just humiliated the Volunteers with an offensive explosion led by Jason Campbell, complimented by a superior NO NAME defense.

At this time everyone in the county fell in love with this SEA BISCUIT. ESPN was especially good with handing out the love for Auburn. Not only did the Auburn Nation start thinking about going Eleven and OHHH but we the Auburn Family started to set our goals higher: The National Championship!

We nearly saw those dreams completely implode in the game against our IN-LAWS. The fourth and last play occurred in our game against Alabama. If it wasn’t for a 51 yard pass play from Campbell to Taylor in the 3rd quarter, which kicked started Auburn’s offense, the Auburn Family would be looking to make reservations in Orlando, FL.

So, here we are. It’s the 2004 SEC Championship game. It’s Auburn and Tennessee. Again as we found ourselves against Alabama, WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT LOOSE FOCUS ON OUR GOAL: an SEC Title. This is not the time to think about the BCS. We have got a ball game to play. It’s time to take care of business. Tennessee is a good football team. They have struggled this season but when they needed a win. They got it. Tennessee is dangerous and even according to their players, for example Kevin Barnett, they felt even after the October 2 game that Tennessee was the better team.

I got news for the VOLUNTEERS. Auburn is going show Tennessee what REAL HUMILATION means come Saturday.

In conclusion, I would like to say this: our 2004 Auburn Tigers have taken us THE AUBURN FAMILY on a special trip this year. These kids have left it all on the football field because they believed in each other. Now, I ask you, the Auburn Family and the Auburn Nation for one more effort. Support these kids come Saturday, they need us to help them when they need noise or a good prayer and if you do, our 2004 Auburn Tigers will be THELVE AND OHHHHHHHH!

War Eagle, War Eagle Forever and Beat Tennessee!