CTT: No Excuses

[DKW 86 7,451]

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Tigers make no excuses for missing Atlanta

Saturday, November 26, 2005

It's official. Auburn won't be back to defend its Southeastern Conference championship. LSU took care of that Friday, punching the Bengal Tigers' ticket to the Georgia Dome as the other half of the championship game card by punching out Arkansas.

LSU deserved it, beating Auburn head-to-head, the way championships are supposed to be determined. But if the Razorbacks had found one last piece of Houston Nutt magic, or if LSU had just found some way to lose, then there was Auburn, ready and willing to return to Atlanta, even if it was through the back door.

And while there might be regrets down on The Plain, there will be no excuses. Tommy Tuberville took care of that after the Georgia game, when he was asked about having an outside shot at going back to Atlanta.

``We had our chance and LSU beat us," Tuberville said. ``If we don't go to Atlanta, it's our own fault."

No excuses. That's how you know a team has arrived, when it no longer feels compelled to offer up excuses for losing games. Besides, when you've won 22 of your last 24 games like Auburn has, nobody wants to listen to excuses anyway.

That's not the way it's always been at Auburn. There was a time when Tuberville made excuses, when he talked about injuries and calls and no-calls and plays that could have turned the entire season around.

Now, the attitude is one that says no matter who is out there, you've got to get the job done. Injuries are just opportunities for someone else to step up and make a play, because Tuberville has recruited well enough to know the next guy on the depth chart is good enough to be a starter at a lot of other places.

Why else would Tuberville have the audacity to follow up last year's 13-0 season by saying this team could be even more talented? It's not that there were any players better than Carnell Williams or Ronnie Brown or Jason Campbell or Carlos Rogers. But there were more players who were close enough to that level to step up and make up the difference.

Tuberville has found what all coaches look for, that ability to replace one part with another, make a few adjustments and still find a way to win.

Some people wondered at Tuberville's decision to give his team this week off. All it would take was an LSU loss and Auburn would need to be getting ready for a rematch with Georgia one week from today. Plus, what coach gives his team time off when he could have them out there practicing?

But Auburn knew, deep down, that it had surrendered its SEC crown four weeks ago in the loss at Baton Rouge. Win that game and the Tigers would not have had to count on Alabama or Ole Miss or Arkansas for help to get back to Atlanta.

Not that they wouldn't have accepted the help, had it come. But when it didn't, the news didn't leave anyone wearing Orange and Blue an emotional wreck.

Besides, there is still so much to play for. There is a bowl game, the chance at a 10-win season, and next year.

That's right, next year. Because now is when teams know they have to make a statement to get ranked high enough in the preseason polls to be contenders for the national championship next year.

This year is over. For Auburn, next year begins now.

[vatz22au 142]

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Tigers make no excuses for missing Atlanta

Saturday, November 26, 2005

It's official. Auburn won't be back to defend its Southeastern Conference championship. LSU took care of that Friday, punching the Bengal Tigers' ticket to the Georgia Dome as the other half of the championship game card by punching out Arkansas.

LSU deserved it, beating Auburn head-to-head, the way championships are supposed to be determined. But if the Razorbacks had found one last piece of Houston Nutt magic, or if LSU had just found some way to lose, then there was Auburn, ready and willing to return to Atlanta, even if it was through the back door.

And while there might be regrets down on The Plain, there will be no excuses. Tommy Tuberville took care of that after the Georgia game, when he was asked about having an outside shot at going back to Atlanta.

``We had our chance and LSU beat us," Tuberville said. ``If we don't go to Atlanta, it's our own fault."

No excuses. That's how you know a team has arrived, when it no longer feels compelled to offer up excuses for losing games. Besides, when you've won 22 of your last 24 games like Auburn has, nobody wants to listen to excuses anyway.

That's not the way it's always been at Auburn. There was a time when Tuberville made excuses, when he talked about injuries and calls and no-calls and plays that could have turned the entire season around.

Now, the attitude is one that says no matter who is out there, you've got to get the job done. Injuries are just opportunities for someone else to step up and make a play, because Tuberville has recruited well enough to know the next guy on the depth chart is good enough to be a starter at a lot of other places.

Why else would Tuberville have the audacity to follow up last year's 13-0 season by saying this team could be even more talented? It's not that there were any players better than Carnell Williams or Ronnie Brown or Jason Campbell or Carlos Rogers. But there were more players who were close enough to that level to step up and make up the difference.

Tuberville has found what all coaches look for, that ability to replace one part with another, make a few adjustments and still find a way to win.

Some people wondered at Tuberville's decision to give his team this week off. All it would take was an LSU loss and Auburn would need to be getting ready for a rematch with Georgia one week from today. Plus, what coach gives his team time off when he could have them out there practicing?

But Auburn knew, deep down, that it had surrendered its SEC crown four weeks ago in the loss at Baton Rouge. Win that game and the Tigers would not have had to count on Alabama or Ole Miss or Arkansas for help to get back to Atlanta.

Not that they wouldn't have accepted the help, had it come. But when it didn't, the news didn't leave anyone wearing Orange and Blue an emotional wreck.

Besides, there is still so much to play for. There is a bowl game, the chance at a 10-win season, and next year.

That's right, next year. Because now is when teams know they have to make a statement to get ranked high enough in the preseason polls to be contenders for the national championship next year.

This year is over. For Auburn, next year begins now.

201487[/snapback]

I agree with tubby's comments totally.

[Raven_tiger 5]

Tommy may have finally won me over...

No excuses. That's how you know a team has arrived, when it no longer feels compelled to offer up excuses for losing games. Besides, when you've won 22 of your last 24 games like Auburn has, nobody wants to listen to excuses anyway.

That's not the way it's always been at Auburn. There was a time when Tuberville made excuses, when he talked about injuries and calls and no-calls and plays that could have turned the entire season around.

[texaubie 0]

Tommy may have finally won me over...

No excuses. That's how you know a team has arrived, when it no longer feels compelled to offer up excuses for losing games. Besides, when you've won 22 of your last 24 games like Auburn has, nobody wants to listen to excuses anyway.

That's not the way it's always been at Auburn. There was a time when Tuberville made excuses, when he talked about injuries and calls and no-calls and plays that could have turned the entire season around.

201513[/snapback]

Raven, I had to read that twice to make sure that was really you.

[AUloggerhead 2,255]

No excuses. I said before the season started that the AU-LSU winner would be going to Atlanta. These two teams are the best of the West and will likely be the next couple of years too. LSU was pushed to the brink in 3 games this year (AU, uat & Arky- er, I mean UA) but managed to win all 3. They earned their spot in the SECCG.

AU is in a good position -- to build upon this season for next year. Recruiting couldn't be better after winning the Amen Corner. They still need to win the bowl game but they also need to play some of the younger guys to get them experience. The offense needs to be gelled starting the first game next season. WDE

[jared52 4,354]

I read that in the paper today and I just got all warm and fuzzy.

No excuses, I love it.

[aucanucktiger 1,798]

The part about having to make sure we finish strong so we're high in next year's pre-season poll is not a guaranteed line of reasoning. Before ANYBODY has played game 1 in 2006 (like every other season) some goober sports writers will look into their crystal balls and...without ANY team proving it on the field...pick who gets to start @ #1 or #15. Number One gets to lose a game and still climb back into the race by the end of the year. #15 loses...especially in the SEC... and doesn't have a prayer of overcoming, well, let's say for example, Oklahoma and USC. How many times have we seen "young teams that didn't actually beat anybody impressive, but sure scared a lot of teams" get ranked in the pre-season top 5? Um, like Tennessee this year.

Why are more people not royally pissed off at the obsurdity of not having the previous season's FINAL poll be the next season's pre-season poll? If teams finishing high in the polls graduated QBs, RBs, etc. and aren't supposed to be as strong...on paper... lets see on the field that they don't any longer deserve the high ranking they EARNED the year before...ON THE FIELD.

[Draven 0]

The part about having to make sure we finish strong so we're high in next year's pre-season poll is not a guaranteed line of reasoning. Before ANYBODY has played game 1 in 2006 (like every other season) some goober sports writers will look into their crystal balls and...without ANY team proving it on the field...pick who gets to start @ #1 or #15. Number One gets to lose a game and still climb back into the race by the end of the year. #15 loses...especially in the SEC... and doesn't have a prayer of overcoming, well, let's say for example, Oklahoma and USC. How many times have we seen "young teams that didn't actually beat anybody impressive, but sure scared a lot of teams" get ranked in the pre-season top 5? Um, like Tennessee this year.

Why are more people not royally pissed off at the obsurdity of not having the previous season's FINAL poll be the next season's pre-season poll? If teams finishing high in the polls graduated QBs, RBs, etc. and aren't supposed to be as strong...on paper... lets see on the field that they don't any longer deserve the high ranking they EARNED the year before...ON THE FIELD.

201583[/snapback]

First off I couldn't agree more with CTT.

aucanucktiger, what your talking about would make to much sense. They want a media darling to hype for the title game from day one. Which is why ND will be either #1 or 2 going into next season i would put money on it.