My Thoughts From the Stadium (Tennessee)

[AUsince72 11,084]

1 hour ago, AidiAU said:

We weren't there for this game and won't be at anymore for the remainder of the season - NOT because I have given up on our team, but because of my due date and the heat.  

 

 

[alexava 6,973]

1 hour ago, AidiAU said:

We weren't there for this game and won't be at anymore for the remainder of the season - NOT because I have given up on our team, but because of my due date and the heat.  

It disgusts me that people booed when Stidham fumbled. No idea that happened until I read your post. I'm not saying we need to throw glitter on the field and think everything is okay when something like that happens, but just keep your mouth shut. Booing will not help him or our team play better. 

 

The most embarrassing moments being an Auburn fan was in 2013.  Pregame announcement of starting lineup. Jake Holland booed by the student section. We have our share of a**holes. 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

3 hours ago, chimes said:

 

- Stidham is an engaged 22 year old

college graduate. He is a grown man. Can we please stop referring to every single person wearing an Auburn uniform as a “kid”. I have kids- they wear diapers.

I was  getting my attitude adjusted at 22 when I made on the job mistakes.

Besides it is not like he began playing qb last year. He has likely been a qb since he was 12 years old.

[ChltteTiger 649]

5 hours ago, abw0004 said:

Good morning all,

I hope this finds you in better spirits than Saturday evening or Sunday.  For me, I am still feeling the pain from Saturday, literally.  For whatever reason whenever it gets cooler outside, I always think, "I won't get sunburned.  It's too cold for that."  Well here we are.  I got roasted and you can tell exactly what I wore to the game.  Will I ever learn?  I sure hope so but I have a feeling this will happen again.  Luckily my work attire cover up most of it!

Tennessee Fans:  Their fans were actually really well behaved.  Very pleasant to be around and very respectful.  Even when the win was clinched, they were supporting their team but still pleasant to be around.  I would venture out to say they were the best fan base so far this season in our stadium.  I had the same experience going to the 2013 Tennessee game.  They also showed out in force.  It was relatively easy to spot their color orange and it felt like they owned the entire away side upper deck.

Auburn fans:  For a while it seemed like almost no one would show up.  At the very last second everyone showed up, which was nice.  I could not tell how the striping of the stadium turned out so someone watching on the TV could please enlighten me.

Tennessee Marching Band:  I have always enjoyed watching Tennessee's band.  They do a good job in their performance and played very "cleanly."  In their stadium, Tennessee's band will face the opposing team's band and play their fight song out of respect and I admired that.  Their style of play is different from Auburn's, but not the high step that you saw with Alabama State's.

Auburn Marching Band:  Auburn as always did a fantastic job in their performance.  Saturday they did something different.  Their whole show was dedicated to Bruce Pearl's AUT Live Cancer.  While the band played, there were videos of Bruce talking as well as Auburn cancer survivors.  Auburn also wore pink capes.  It really was a special performance and I hope there is a YouTube video of it for all of you to see.  Really heartwarming.  And at the end, Bruce came on the field accompanied by the 2007 Tennessee basketball player that inspired Bruce Pearl's whole campaign.  That really was nice to see, and of course both Auburn and Tennessee fans were cheering.

Disappointing:  Aside from the obvious loss, the one thing that irked me was our fans were booing when Stidham fumbled.  I know the outcome of the play was not ideal, but those that booed need to remember you were booing a kid essentially.  Think about that.  These are just 18-21 kids out there.  Not what I wanted to hear.

Special Teams:  My advice to Gus might be to stop asking Anders to kick anything over 50 yards for now.  He isn't making them and it is ruining his confidence.  He has all of the talent in the world, but he is only a redshirt freshmen.  It was not ideal for us to walk in and expect Anders to pick up right where redhshirt senior Daniel left off.  Let him ramp up to it.  He will get there.  Siposs continues to impress as well.  I said this in another thread but I would be 100% okay if we only recruited former Australian rugby players from now on.

Overall Play:  I am not going to harp on the play calling on either side of the ball as we have 50+ threads created already after the game.  Some even going as far to brag about not watching another Auburn game for a few years (congratulations?).  I honestly do not know what a possible fix may be and many are calling for Gus to be fired.  One thing to think about, if you get your wish and he is fired, are you prepared to lose Steele, Gardner, and Williams?  Remember most new coaches clear house and want to bring in their own guys.  So that means all of the coaches we do like are most likely gone.

Bright spot:  If nothing else, just remember we have a lot of young players on that field.  Two in particular I am thrilled about are Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz.  They are going to be so good moving forward.  On top of this it seems like our recruits are rallying behind Auburn and come out to say they are going nowhere.  We DO have many things to look forward to.

You know I was asked if I would keep going to the rest of the games and that is an easy answer for me.  ABSOLUTELY.  Why?  You need to remember Auburn is so much more than a football game.  Going to that campus and being surrounded with people that love the same university as you is truly special.  Seeing a little girl in her Auburn cheerleader outfit that she is so proud of, or the little boy in his Auburn helmet just a little too big to where he has to cock his head back to see is one of the best things to watch.  Win or lose, life keeps moving on.  This took me a long time to figure out, but it is just a game that a bunch of kids are playing.  You wake up the next day and your kids are still there.  Your house is still there.  There is still another Auburn game to look forward to (and basketball too!).  So while many of you may not look forward to the next game, I am.  I can't wait.  I am proud to be an Auburn Tiger and cannot wait to see each and every one of you at the next game.  Oh, by the way...  

Good for you...

[wde1968 262]

Don't boo? Seriously I am glad that isn't everyone's attitude. Did everyone get a trophy?

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

3 hours ago, AidiAU said:

It disgusts me that people booed when Stidham fumbled. No idea that happened until I read your post. I'm not saying we need to throw glitter on the field and think everything is okay when something like that happens, but just keep your mouth shut. Booing will not help him or our team play better. 

 

Want people to stop booing?  Then the administration needs to stop asking for $130 per ticket to a game like that.  Sorry, but I have zero fault for people booing when they are being asked $500+ just for tickets to take a family of four to a college football game.  You don't get to have your cake and eat it too.

A lot of players on our team have designs on playing in the NFL. If they can't handle that little bit of booing, then they'll certainly crumble in a place like New York or Philadelphia.  Mental toughness needs to be taught by the coaches.  It's not incumbent upon the fans to baby these guys.

[AidiAU 1,270]

12 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

Want people to stop booing?  Then the administration needs to stop asking for $130 per ticket to a game like that.  Sorry, but I have zero fault for people booing when they are being asked $500+ just for tickets to take a family of four to a college football game.  You don't get to have your cake and eat it too.

A lot of players on our team have designs on playing in the NFL. If they can't handle that little bit of booing, then they'll certainly crumble in a place like New York or Philadelphia.  Mental toughness needs to be taught by the coaches.  It's not incumbent upon the fans to baby these guys.

If the booing is over the price of tickets then going to the game and booing isn't going to change that. Just don't go to the game. I don't think people not booing is babying a football team. My goodness. Hell, since booing makes the team mentally why do we cheer when they run out of the tunnel? Let's start our booing then like we do for the visiting team. :insert yellow font and an eye roll:

14 minutes ago, wde1968 said:

Don't boo? Seriously I am glad that isn't everyone's attitude. Did everyone get a trophy?

Um no. Participation trophies are a joke. Just because I choose not to boo people doesn't mean that everyone gets a pat on the back when they screw up. I'm all about some butt chewings on the sideline. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

3 minutes ago, AidiAU said:

If the booing is over the price of tickets then going to the game and booing isn't going to change that. Just don't go to the game. I don't think people not booing is babying a football team. My goodness. Hell, since booing makes the team mentally why do we cheer when they run out of the tunnel? Let's start our booing then like we do for the visiting team. :insert yellow font and an eye roll:

You missed the entire point.  I'm not saying people are booing the price of tickets.  I'm saying don't be surprised when the consumer is unhappy with the product they are paying for and voices their displeasure.  It's not a one-way street that we only cheer when things are well and shut up otherwise.  Whether we like it or not, this is a giant business.  About time people started treating as such.

[abw0004 10,125]

46 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

You missed the entire point.  I'm not saying people are booing the price of tickets.  I'm saying don't be surprised when the consumer is unhappy with the product they are paying for and voices their displeasure.  It's not a one-way street that we only cheer when things are well and shut up otherwise.  Whether we like it or not, this is a giant business.  About time people started treating as such.

I think it is more of the timing of the booing really.  For example, the missed 4th down conversion or the three and out would have been more appropriate than making it obvious a specific player is getting booed.  Those examples I gave no one booed at those, only at Stidham.  So in essence the booing was specific to a player, and not the distaste of the program.  It also tells recruits at the game "We are not afraid to boo you too showing we do not support you."

[ChltteTiger 649]

6 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I think it is more of the timing of the booing really.  For example, the missed 4th down conversion or the three and out would have been more appropriate than making it obvious a specific player is getting booed.  Those examples I gave no one booed at those, only at Stidham.  So in essence the booing was specific to a player, and not the distaste of the program.  It also tells recruits at the game "We are not afraid to boo you too showing we do not support you."

Sounds to me like the fans have been supportive of Stidham until it became obvious week after week after week he has no business being our QB1.Which is on the coaches but still..

[abw0004 10,125]

2 minutes ago, ChltteTiger said:

Sounds to me like the fans have been supportive of Stidham until it became obvious week after week after week he has no business being our QB1.Which is on the coaches but still..

Maybe not, but that wouldn't be a reason to boo him just like it wasn't a reason to boo Jeremy Johnson.  It isn't like Stidham wanted to have any turnover in that game.  Stidham isn't an NFL player getting paid to be out there.  Just a college student.

[johnnyAU 3,634]

4 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

No, he deserves praise for throwing his beat up body in 100% to try and secure that fumble.  Whitlow's effort has been palpable all year.  He deserves to be RB1.  Big Whitlow fan now!

Yep. And Schwart's effort on the interception where he made sure to tackle the WR, or it might have been a pick 6.

[AUsince72 11,084]

15 minutes ago, johnnyAU said:

Yep. And Schwart's effort on the interception where he made sure to tackle the WR, or it might have been a pick 6.

I know dangit.  Guess in the off-season they'll move him to DB. 🤣

[AUsince72 11,084]

Just to speak to the booing....

I understand the concept of these are college kids, etc.  I certainly wouldn't want to see my child beeing boo'd for anything beyond a Halloween treat.

However, booing is also the only way fans can voice their displeasure at the coach that the ire and angst is actually pointed too.

I know there were knuckleheads literally booing AT Stidham.  I'm not naive...  However, the booing is also the way the fans have of letting the idiot-stick coaches (who ARE paid millions of bucks) know their displeasure that certain things are going on, or certain players are still on the field when they should be watching some series from the sidelines, etc.

Cheering and Booing are all part of it.  These players, even as you might call them "kids" get it too.  Heck it's the players who have even started calling decisions they're making while playing "business decisions".

There are certainly stupid times to boo or circumstances of poor sportsmanship to boo but I'm sorry, booing after that fumble, after watching the previous ineptitude for 3-4 weeks in a row is to be expected and not unwarranted.  Again, think of them as booing Gus & Chip because honestly, that's what's going on.

Just my 2¢.

[johnnyAU 3,634]

32 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

Just to speak to the booing....

I understand the concept of these are college kids, etc.  I certainly wouldn't want to see my child beeing boo'd for anything beyond a Halloween treat.

However, booing is also the only way fans can voice their displeasure at the coach that the ire and angst is actually pointed too.

I know there were knuckleheads literally booing AT Stidham.  I'm not naive...  However, the booing is also the way the fans have of letting the idiot-stick coaches (who ARE paid millions of bucks) know their displeasure that certain things are going on, or certain players are still on the field when they should be watching some series from the sidelines, etc.

Cheering and Booing are all part of it.  These players, even as you might call them "kids" get it too.  Heck it's the players who have even started calling decisions they're making while playing "business decisions".

There are certainly stupid times to boo or circumstances of poor sportsmanship to boo but I'm sorry, booing after that fumble, after watching the previous ineptitude for 3-4 weeks in a row is to be expected and not unwarranted.  Again, think of them as booing Gus & Chip because honestly, that's what's going on.

Just my 2¢.

I dang near boo'ed when I saw the Cox Cat spinning HB play at home vs Clemson a couple of years ago. Had nothing to do with Chandler.

[NoALtiger 3,867]

I don’t mind a little booing when it’s deserved but that’s just me. We were all brought up different I guess but my Dad would laugh at the need to coddle a 22 year old man who will be married this time next year and has aspirations of a pro career. I would also submit that much of the booing is directed at the coaching and the crap the bed job performance they’ve thus far exhibited.