ESPN explains why they're not at Auburn

[au.tiger.96 12]

Looks like our e-mails paid off.

http://espn.go.com/

This is a love letter to the SEC.

Maybe this stuff doesn't need to be said. But my wife is encouraging me to express my feelings more often. Open up. You know, not assume the other party knows how you feel. Verbalize it. So, here goes. The timing is no coincidence.

Amid all the fun and hoopla of a benchmark Saturday of football (seven matchups of top 25 teams, plus Bowden Bowl VIII, which Clemson enters at 26th), a couple of fierce rivalries stand out because they carry extra heft.

This is Showdown Saturday in the SEC, with the focus on two rivalry games that will shape the respective division races and leave the two winners very much in the national title conversation. These games are the most significant of Saturday's huge games because they involve divisional, conference and national title hopes.

For example, the loser of the annual smackdown between LSU and Auburn has never represented the West in the SEC championship game. Never. The winner of the game has won the division four of the past five years. But just winning this guarantees you nothing -- long way to go. Losing it, however, puts you in a two-game hole versus the winning side early in the race. Given LSU's more challenging schedule, the Purple and Gold Tigers need it even more than the Blue and Orange Tigers.

The same principle applies in the East, although Georgia has emerged as such a formidable force in that division that the Vols-Gators winner can't feel too comfortable. Anything but a tie atop the East this year would surprise me.

Kenny Irons ran for 218 yards and scored 1 TD against LSU last year.Tommy Tuberville is always happier facing LSU earlier in the season, before the rival Tigers traditionally get things going. Les Miles' team has been very efficient so far, but LSU typically is much more vulnerable in its September tests than later on. Examples: the scares from Oregon State and Arizona State in recent years.

Can Kenny Irons possibly gash through LSU for a second straight year? Auburn controlled the trenches but bogged down repeatedly in the red zone and, incredibly, John Vaughn missed five field goals. We'll hear about how he has bounced back so strongly from that heartbreak on "College GameDay" this week. Kicking and defense: How can you think anything fancier will decide this one. I've got to stick with my preseason pick of Auburn, 20-16.

Did you know? Urban Meyer can become only the second Florida coach to defeat Tennessee in his first two meetings. The other? Nope, not the former Head Ball Coach. Steve Spurrier was spanked in his first visit to Rocky Top, 45-3. The answer is Galen Hall, now the play caller for JoePa at Penn State.

Did you know, Part 2: Not only did Florida beat top rivals Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State last year but the Gators never trailed in those games, making Meyer the first UF head coach to accomplish that.

Great memories

Of the 10 regular-season SEC games matching top 10 teams, we've had the privilege of watching seven from ringside, reveling in the drama. The Tennessee-Florida wars of 2000-02; Auburn's pounding of the Vols, with big Tiger-lover Sir Charles standing next to us on the sidelines at Neyland Stadium; and LSU's heart-stopping OT triumph at Tuscaloosa last year … those are memories that will last.

This is why I believe an explanation is needed for why GameDay won't be in Auburn for LSU's visit this Saturday.

For 13 seasons, the locations of the GameDay road shows have been editorial decisions based on the college football landscape. The basic principle was to (almost) always come from the site of the "biggest game," or occasionally, "the best story." Several times, we have visited the edge of the radar screen to pay tribute to the Mid American Conference's rise (at Bowling Green), the service academies (Air Force and West Point) or the tradition of the Bayou Classic.

Now, the philosophy has been rethought by upper management. For the first time, the competitive landscape of football programming is a frequent consideration. Serving the needs of ABC's new prime-time package of games is often a priority. The decision on GameDay's site is less a clear-cut "best game" philosophy now and is more complicated, made on a landscape where terms like "synergy" and "branding" live.

Please know this: Lee, Kirk and I have no say in decisions on GameDay's location. But as host of the show for 17 years, I am mainly concerned with the show's specific legacy, not the global college football landscape.

The first two weeks of the season were no-brainers. It made sense to follow Notre Dame to Georgia Tech and sit ringside for the first 1-vs.-2 regular-season game in 10 years last week in Austin. This week, the decision was made to come from the Los Angeles Coliseum, where ABC will be set up.

Executive vice president Norby Williamson asked me to relay his reasoning: Nebraska and USC, both visible programs with storied pasts, are colliding for the first time in 35 years, and this might be one of the few chances to showcase a Pac-10 location, keeping the show regionally balanced.

The SEC should feature a lot more big ones in the coming months.

This is important: Williamson said fans still can expect to see GameDay return to the SEC or to Notre Dame for games televised on CBS and NBC. That's a relief to me. LSU's visits to Florida and Tennessee loom large, as does Auburn's trip to the Swamp. Georgia versus the winner of the Vols-Gators clash will be huge.

Any of those games could carry national title weight.

So, who knows? I am hopeful. But just in case we don't make it there quite as often, I would truly miss broadcasting from Gainesville, Knoxville, Athens, Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Baton Rouge and Columbia. SEC campuses have consistently provided the most passionate, colorful and, uh … "spirit"-ed backdrops for the show.

Hands down. No other conference is close.

Even if we don't visit you as much, please don't stop visiting us Saturday mornings. We will continue to give teams from America's strongest football conference, and the Fighting Irish, their due any way we can.

[saltyone 0]

So, how does that make you feel? I'm starting to think it's just damage control. Hell, we watch more college football than yankees and the west coast trash. They should cater to us.

[au.tiger.96 12]

I agree. I say we bugged the crap out of this guy.

Norby.Williamson@espn3.com

[SCWarEagle 4]

Dear ESPN,

Kiss my a$$.

Love,

Auburn

[AuNuma1 1]

I don't understand why we care so much. We're not the ones missing out on the real football. It sounds like that's Disney/ABC/ESPN's problem. Screw 'em.

[fearthetiger03 0]

Williamson said fans still can expect to see GameDay return to the SEC or to Notre Dame for games televised on CBS and NBC. That's a relief to me. LSU's visits to Florida and Tennessee loom large, as does Auburn's trip to the Swamp.

Hmmm ESPN.... SEC or ND? I wonder where they'll end up with ND being the chosen ones this year.

Did anybody else know we had a game in the swamp this year???? This guy has no clue what the hell he is talking about.....

[CircleDrill 178]

My BS Meter is going insane right now.

....where words like "synergy" and "branding" live.... Thank you for using dictionary.com to try to make your letter sound "sophisticated." Yeah, we have dictionary.com in Auburn too, and your comments make absolutely no sense. You idiots think there will be more synergy at USC and Nebraska than there will at TIGER BOWL 2006????? There was more spirit TONIGHT AT THE TOOMERS CORNER PEP RALLY AT 6PM than there will be at your sucky PAC 1+9 game tomorrow.

Complete idiots.

I went with the AU band to USC in 2002. The stadium and surrounding areas were totally barren of fans until about 45 minutes before the game. Not even close to the SEC synergy every single Saturday.

Total IDIOTS.

[AUHansel 0]

My BS Meter is going insane right now.

....where words like "synergy" and "branding" live.... Thank you for using dictionary.com to try to make your letter sound "sophisticated." Yeah, we have dictionary.com in Auburn too, and your comments make absolutely no sense. You idiots think there will be more synergy at USC and Nebraska than there will at TIGER BOWL 2006????? There was more spirit TONIGHT AT THE TOOMERS CORNER PEP RALLY AT 6PM than there will be at your sucky PAC 1+9 game tomorrow.

Complete idiots.

I went with the AU band to USC in 2002. The stadium and surrounding areas were totally barren of fans until about 45 minutes before the game. Not even close to the SEC synergy every single Saturday.

Total IDIOTS.

they are writers. They do it for a living. Don't sell them that short

[johnwegl 11]

Here's a reason to care. When you get "game day" that just brings more attention to your match up and then teams. Considering the thought that the SEC would be left out again because most teams comes from smaller markets (see atricle in another theard), you need as much attention to give the guys a chance to prove themselves IF they make it undefeated (including LSU). Look, there's problems with tv creating "championship" matches up and it's only getting worse.

We need a playoff system OR College football as a whole needs to take back the game from the network, even if this means less games on tv.

[TigerProphet 1]

So, how does that make you feel? I'm starting to think it's just damage control. Hell, we watch more college football than yankees and the west coast trash. They should cater to us.

I agree Saltyone! Looks like they are coverin' their posteriors to me. BTW, I love your EGA. Semper Fi!

http://stelpflug1064.org

[TigerOne 1,147]

hey espn, how much synergy is at the Coliseum right now at 8:00 am? Maybe 100 people mostly

Nebraska fans. At Auburn right now there are 30,000 fans and growing. We could care less if you never come back.

College Gameday has become a victim of corporate greed and stupidity.

[johnwegl 11]

Here's a question, say ESPN Gameday comes to an Auburn game in the near future (i know...try not to laugh to hard), but let's say it happens. What type of greating would they get?

[TigerProphet 1]

Here's a question, say ESPN Gameday comes to an Auburn game in the near future (i know...try not to laugh to hard), but let's say it happens. What type of greating would they get?

I would hope it would be a very cool greeting. That is what they so richly deserve. I am sure though that a lot of AU fans would show up, just because.....

As for myself, I refuse to watch any of the GameDay coverage. I will watch any SEC games that ESPN carries, but no more than that.

[johnwegl 11]

I would love to see signs in the background making remarks about this whole situation. That would probably be the last time we see them....but oh well

[AUloggerhead 2,238]

Here's my e-mail to espn:

“Dear John” Fowler,

Just read your Love Letter to SEC fans and decided I must write back. Consider this a Dear John letter to ESPN. Your explanation of “synergy & branding” being reasons for not locating Gameday at Auburn this Saturday was nothing short of pathetic. That was the last straw. Drop the pretense of objective sports journalists re cfb, and acknowledge you're really just pimps for SC, Ohio State & Notre Dame. We true cfb fans would respect you more. Buh-bye. Hello Fox Sports.

[Raven_tiger 5]

Serving the needs of ABC's new prime-time package of games is often a priority.

It is now the over-riding priority. Synergy...

[TigerProphet 1]

Here's my e-mail to espn:

“Dear John” Fowler,

Just read your Love Letter to SEC fans and decided I must write back. Consider this a Dear John letter to ESPN. Your explanation of “synergy & branding” being reasons for not locating Gameday at Auburn this Saturday was nothing short of pathetic. That was the last straw. Drop the pretense of objective sports journalists re cfb, and acknowledge you're really just pimps for SC, Ohio State & Notre Dame. We true cfb fans would respect you more. Buh-bye. Hello Fox Sports.

We do need to watch a GameDay so we can get list of sponsors. Then email each sponsor a CC of our ESPN emails. Believe me if the sponsors get enough flack from SEC fans, changes will be made. I remember that much from business classes.

[WAR EAGLE!!! 0]

You guys are getting carried away. I agree that ESPN pimps out certain objectives...you know what, it's their business, let them do what they will. It is obvious that the letters from the SEC faithful did some good or they would not have put out this press release. I think the lresponse is BS too, but you guys responding to this letter in a negative fashion makes people look petty. Some of you guys are starting to sound like a bunch of whiney babies...

If you don't want to watch, fine...I am going to and that doesn't make me any less of an Auburn or SEC fan than the rest of you guys...

I'm out of here...going to drink beer now and watch football...

WAR EAGLE!!!!!!

[TigerProphet 1]

You guys are getting carried away. I agree that ESPN pimps out certain objectives...you know what, it's their business, let them do what they will. It is obvious that the letters from the SEC faithful did some good or they would not have put out this press release. I think the lresponse is BS too, but you guys responding to this letter in a negative fashion makes people look petty. Some of you guys are starting to sound like a bunch of whiney babies...

If you don't want to watch, fine...I am going to and that doesn't make me any less of an Auburn or SEC fan than the rest of you guys...

I'm out of here...going to drink beer now and watch football...

WAR EAGLE!!!!!!

It is a free country, do what you want. But don't call us petty and whiney babies just because we don't like the status quo. How do you think change has happened over the years? Not by sitting by and doing nothing, that is for sure.

[bojack34 2]

shows how ignorant he is. he mentioned auburn traveling to the swamp this year.last time i checked we play at home.

[CarolinaTiger 0]

someone earlier asked why we cared.

perhaps the only reason i would care would be to avoid another '2004' snubbing.

OK/USC was preordained, in large part by these folks.

gotta keep the fire to 'em, IMO

[Ranger12 46]

Some of you guys are starting to sound like a bunch of whiney babies...

You are talking to members of the AU family. If you don't agree with them, that is fine, but stay away from remarks like that. I have zero patience and tolerance for playground bs behind the anonymity of a keyboard. Either treat each other with respect or don't post.

[SCWarEagle 4]

Ranger leads the way. War Damn Eagle!