I wish Tuberville had a little less class

[PChamp119 96]

"People were expecting it to be a blowout. People were expecting Auburn to show they should be in Miami," Green said. "I think they're right where they belong."

That's what one of the Va Tech players said.

I'm glad CTT has a bunch of class and all, but the bottom line is that his class MIGHT have cost Auburn a bunch of bragging rights. The Alabama game, the Tennessee game (both times, but referring to SECCG here), and Va Tech - Auburn could've won so much more impressively. Tho in the Va Tech game it proved to be better by running the clock out, I think he still should've ran a real offense out there in that 4th quarter (the carnell fumble drive). The following drive, he had to run the ball to run the clock. The last drive he took a knee, which was smart. But it seems Auburn always plays fantastic, gets a huge lead, and then gives up a late score or 2.

If Auburn won 16-0 or 23-0 or 16-6 or somethin like that, no one - like the VT fans and players, would be able to say anything. It just frustrates me when people come up to me or I read articles saying "Auburn blew their chance."

Oh well... all that is important is we are 13-0... undefeated... War Eagle

[rexbo 102]

How dare you question a win, much less a 13-0 season??? You are going to get slammed! I am still realing from the body blows I took when I suggested Tuberville needed a killer instinct against Bama to lock up #2 in the AP Poll...

['82 Tiger 2]

i want CTT to be very successful at AU. i also wish he wasn't so timid at times about scoring points.

he's the head coach and al borges has to follow orders, but it seems odd that you bring a guy in to score points and then in the heat of the battle you yell at him and then later tell him to call off the dogs (tigers).

CTT must have good reasons for his decisions. just doesn't always make sense to us fans. maybe if we knew what CTT based his thoughts on we'd be less critical.

then again this is an internet message board and anything goes at times.

god bless the tigers!

[WarTim 3,293]

That Tuberville.....How dare he go 13-0 with class and dignity.

We have got to get someone in here who can train up thugs and disgrace the University ! ! ! !

[BoJtrueAUman 4]

the style points thing is bulls*it. It shouldn't matter how much you win by and we were never going to get there every week it was something else. They didn't want us there so they kept us out it's that simple. They wanted OU vs USC and that's what they got. We are the National Champions just as much as USC was last year.

[AuNuma1 1]

I see your point PChamp and I partly agree with it. We're not talking about style points nor are we talking about "thugery". I guess we're talking about Tuberville's mentality with a 4th quarter lead.

Tuberville admitted that he told Borges to sit on the ball in the 4th and that's also when VT racked up the majority of their offensive numbers. If Tuberville wanted to make a statement of any kind, he would not have shut down the offense in the 4th. And he did the same thing vs uat and ut in the SEC. Maybe he knew that pounding VT for the entire game would've been a lost cause "statement" wise, who knows but that's what happened and we let them come back on us in the 4th. Which then gives VT and any other "expert" the ammo to say that Auburn got all it deserved.

I wouldn't be too bitter about it. We are 13-0 afterall, no matter what a hokie or a bammar says. The bammars think they're the reason we got left out of the Orange Bowl, so I wouldn't waste too much time with the argument.

[Auburn85 415]

He could have ran up the score on la monroe, citadel, tennessee, arkansas, could have scored a touchdown late against tennessee in sec champ. game, but we knelt down

Shouldn't have given up 14 points to Miss. St, but we had our second and 3rd team in on defense.

I feel it wouldn't had made a difference. We put Georgia in their place, but allwe could do is tie for 2nd for one wee. Then , Stoops gets on the air and starts crying about how Auburn was getting all this publicity, blah, blah, blah

[WarTim 3,293]

We pulled our starters at the half of over 50% of our games.

We could have REALLY "killed" some opponents, but , thankfully we have a Coach who is a far better person than stoopy!

[AuNuma1 1]

Yeah, we could've "killed" a good number of teams, which is what Stoops did on purpose for style points. Tuberville let some teams hang around that shouldn't have. Like it or not, this did some damage to our rankings and popularity in the end. You almost have to kill teams to remove any and all doubt about how good you are...or you won't get the votes like we failed to do.

I'm not saying we should have "killed" teams just to improve our public opinion. I couldn't care less what some AP voter from the left coast thinks about Auburn. Chances are, they know NOTHING about Auburn. But their opinion of us played a part in how our postseason played out. Blame that on the retarded system we are stuck with.

We played and won with class all year long. I couldn't be happier about that. But you can't really say you have no idea why we were left out of the Orange Bowl, to some degree.

[TitanTiger 18,219]

I'm not in favor of running up the score just to rub someone's nose in it. But, if I could change anything about how we handled Bama or VT, it would be that we'd go ahead and drive for that one more TD that I think would have broken their will completely. It's not that I don't believe in pulling your foot off the gas when you've got 'em beat down. But I think that you should be up be more than two scores before that comes into consideration. If we drive down and put another FG or TD on the board against Bama, fans are heading for the exits. Same with VT. Go for the jugular, THEN back off.

[quietfan 233]

Doesn't really matter, ranking-wise...

No one was going to drop USC or OU from #1-#2 unless they lost a game, regardless of how much we might run up the scores.

And if Auburn starts the season at #1 or #2 sometime in the future, we'll stay there until we lose. Human voters (Sportwriters/Coachs) are too proud, for the most part (i.e., the majority of the votes) to admit any mistakes once they've put a team at #1 or #2.

Matters very much, character-wise...

And I am very proud and happy with the integrity and class CTT inspires in his program and players. I don't think he should change a thing. If he keeps doing what he's been doing, we'll start showing up in the Top 5 regularly and get our share of championships.

[Aubie7 0]

The bottom line is this: We did not play for the MNC for several reasons, one of the main ones being that we did not blow people out. Plain and simple. until we do this, game after game, year after year, Auburn will not get the hype they need. Class? Yes it counts for something. I am glad we are showing some and graduating players. You can still have class and beat the ever living poop out of someone. Just look at Tom Osborne at Nebraska. His teams would run up 40, 50, or more on you and their band would play YOUR fight song as you went on/off the field. Ou hard fought win did nothing to impress the voters. I am glad we won, but yes, it should have been more; much more. Now we are all worried about how we looked, sour about not getting a share of the title, and really not enjoying the 13-0 season. If anyone says that it doesn't matter, they are lying. We all wanted one thing since the LSWho game: a National Title, either BCS or AP. The reason we don' t have it?... letting up on people.

[WarEagleFL 0]

our biggest complaint this year is our coach having too much class.. thats a great thing!

war eagle

[AUesquire 1]

Sorry, but Quiet hit the nail on the head. USC and OU were NEVER going to be knocked from their perch until they lost. We got 3 first place votes in the end to what...60 plus for USC? Look at USC's results during the season. Got slapped around by Va. Tech for almost 3 quarters before a horrific call turned the tide in their favor. They got smoked for a half and had to score late to beat a 4-7 Stanford team. They floundered around to a highly unimpressive win against Oregon State. They held on for dear life against a 6-5 UCLA.

And what does the cover of Sports Illustrated say?

TROJANS ROLL INTO NATIONAL TITLE GAME.

And don't get me started on OU's schedule and results. This didn't become an issue until after we dominated the number 5 team in the country and the "experts" said, "Well, they still haven't done enough. Let's see what they do against..."

I do agree we shut it down too early in the Va. Tech game and needed to open it up a little more to put the game away. Not for purposes of impressing voters or anyone else, but to really put the Hokies away and not make it tight at the end.

[TitanTiger 18,219]

I disagree. USC wasn't going anywhere. But I think after we moved into a tie with OU (and actually ahead in one poll) for second, if we put the hammer down a little more on Bama and UT, we would have overtaken them in the BCS. It's all water under the bridge and we won those games anyway so screw them, but I do think it would have made a difference.

[WarTim 3,293]

We were "left out" of the BCS because USC & ok were ranked 1 & 2 and did not lose.

We were going to be left out even if we had hung 100plus on the Citadel.

That is it. Any thing else is simply stupid.

My 2 cents...Please, keep the change.

[channonc 466]

We were "left out" of the BCS because USC & ok were ranked 1 & 2 and did not lose.

We were going to be left out even if we had hung 100plus on the Citadel.

That is it. Any thing else is simply stupid.

My 2 cents...Please, keep the change.

136933[/snapback]

I agree. But I still wish we would have hung more on VT. But you're right, it wouldn't have mattered much.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Please. Give me class and character any day over a coach named Stoops or Bowden (pick one, they are interchangeable). We could have hung 100 on every opponent we played and it would not have been enough this year because sportwrites are egomaniacs. So better to do what we did with class and dignity than ruin our reputation and the rep of our coach by slamming teams when it serves no purpose.

Plus, to me it is better when the other team KNOWS we took it easy on them...

[Aubie7 0]

I disagree.  USC wasn't going anywhere.  But I think after we moved into a tie with OU (and actually ahead in one poll) for second, if we put the hammer down a little more on Bama and UT, we would have overtaken them in the BCS.  It's all water under the bridge and we won those games anyway so screw them, but I do think it would have made a difference.

136932[/snapback]

Yes, if we had poured it on UAT, UT, and VT, we WOULD have been #2 and at least played USuCks for the BSC title. If nothing else, we would have won the AP title. As is, we are not even going to win the Opelika High School student title.

[WarTim 3,293]

I disagree.  USC wasn't going anywhere.  But I think after we moved into a tie with OU (and actually ahead in one poll) for second, if we put the hammer down a little more on Bama and UT, we would have overtaken them in the BCS.  It's all water under the bridge and we won those games anyway so screw them, but I do think it would have made a difference.

136932[/snapback]

Yes, if we had poured it on UAT, UT, and VT, we WOULD have been #2 and at least played USuCks for the BSC title. If nothing else, we would have won the AP title. As is, we are not even going to win the Opelika High School student title.

136955[/snapback]

No, we would NOT have jumped ok. There is simply NO WAY we could have. EVERY

poll shows that there was NO WAY we could have made it to second in EITHER poll.

Those are the FACTS...let it go.....

[CCTAU 2,379]

I disagree.  USC wasn't going anywhere.  But I think after we moved into a tie with OU (and actually ahead in one poll) for second, if we put the hammer down a little more on Bama and UT, we would have overtaken them in the BCS.  It's all water under the bridge and we won those games anyway so screw them, but I do think it would have made a difference.

136932[/snapback]

Yes, if we had poured it on UAT, UT, and VT, we WOULD have been #2 and at least played USuCks for the BSC title. If nothing else, we would have won the AP title. As is, we are not even going to win the Opelika High School student title.

136955[/snapback]

No, we would NOT have jumped ok. There is simply NO WAY we could have. EVERY

poll shows that there was NO WAY we could have made it to second in EITHER poll.

Those are the FACTS...let it go.....

136957[/snapback]

Yes those are the facts as you see them, usually orange and blind..sorry, blue.

We had a chance with a two game roll over bammer an UT. The voters were teetering on the edge and we did nothing to push them over. Your assessment of "no way" just proves that you are comfortable with our season. I, and many others, will always ponder the what if scenario. They always say give it your all the first time cause you don't get a second chance, and I would say that the players gave their all but their coach stopped one short and has created a what if scenario for the rest of his carreer. If this is not true, then why are we all discussing it.........

[AuNuma1 1]

Yeah, I think there might have been a chance of Auburn jumping OU towards the end of the season. For example, read Neal McReady's thinking for voting USC #1, after having Auburn #1 for a long time. He said USC made it easy for him to decide. They pounded OU like there was no tomorrow. They removed all doubt while Auburn let VT come from behind to only win by 3.

And we're not talking "classless blowouts" for style points here. We're talking about the fact that Auburn's offense completely pulled the plug on itself (not because of other teams, bammars) in the 4th quarter in several games where we should have kept dishing it out. We didn't remove doubt about our ability to control big time games. The last three games of the season were won but they fell in the category of "held on to win" types. When you're on the verge of making a statement that you belong in the title game, I just don't understand the mentality that we took to sit on the ball. Could it have been fear of injury or something?

[rolltoomer 0]

Did Neal McReady know that we threw ONE pass the last 18+ minutes of the VT game, I wonder?

There was too much romance and charm about "two Heisman winners, with more Heisman finalists, wire-to-wire, the greatest matchup ever, yadda, yadda, . .".

The writers fell in love with their own stuff.

No way Auburn gets into the Orange without a loss by USC/OU.

[PChamp119 96]

When I wrote this post, I did not mean for it to intend that we did not get into the NC because of it and that we may have jumped OU. It's just the fact that had we kept our offense on the field and won by another TD or 2 (not run up the score - just score more in the last few games), that at least we would not have to hear over and over again, "Auburn blew their chance by winning a close game." Auburn was in a close game with Bama for 1 half them raped them. Auburn was killing UT, let them back in it - then when they had to, ripped them apart. Auburn controlled VT, then let them back in it late. If they put the dagger in a little bit further - the teams will put in their backups while we have our 2nd team defense on the field. They don't get late points and we have a few more on offense. Then everyone would be like, "what more could Auburn do? They easily defeated every team they faced, while Oklahoma and USC struggled during the season and are there just because they are #1 and #2." All this "Auburn struggled in the last 3 games is BS because they never struggled. They score when they have to and did what it took to win the game.

[Aubie7 0]

I disagree.  USC wasn't going anywhere.  But I think after we moved into a tie with OU (and actually ahead in one poll) for second, if we put the hammer down a little more on Bama and UT, we would have overtaken them in the BCS.  It's all water under the bridge and we won those games anyway so screw them, but I do think it would have made a difference.

136932[/snapback]

Yes, if we had poured it on UAT, UT, and VT, we WOULD have been #2 and at least played USuCks for the BSC title. If nothing else, we would have won the AP title. As is, we are not even going to win the Opelika High School student title.

136955[/snapback]

No, we would NOT have jumped ok. There is simply NO WAY we could have. EVERY

poll shows that there was NO WAY we could have made it to second in EITHER poll.

"

Those are the FACTS...let it go.....

136957[/snapback]

Yes those are the facts as you see them, usually orange and blind..sorry, blue.

We had a chance with a two game roll over bammer an UT. The voters were teetering on the edge and we did nothing to push them over. Your assessment of "no way" just proves that you are comfortable with our season. I, and many others, will always ponder the what if scenario. They always say give it your all the first time cause you don't get a second chance, and I would say that the players gave their all but their coach stopped one short and has created a what if scenario for the rest of his carreer. If this is not true, then why are we all discussing it.........

136960[/snapback]

"You are so right Carl."