To all my family members in the AU Family...

[jaydubb121 22]

Why don't all of you that are whining and bitching about how our "pitiful" defense is going to hurt us in the polls wait until you actually see the beloved polls before you start your whining and bitching. That's all I'm tired of. Seeing people Bitching about things that COULD happen is not why I frequent the board. If I wanted to hear that I could just listen to my wife.

[edgecy 3]

People that are satisfied with just an SEC title are kidding themselves.

I don't let polls dominate my way of thinking, but I do care about the polls because it is the only way we can go to the MNC, and oh how sweet it would be to see Auburn winning a title, mythical or not. It is obvious everything else about the BCS do not like Auburn, if I remember correctly Harris Poll has us ranked pretty low and all.

My point is that, Auburn, as a program, is now on the national level, and we should always look to compete higher than SEC title. 2004 showed us that SEC title is no longer our ceiling. Now, in 2006, having beat LSU, we can expand our goal: SEC + MNC. We know that as long as we keep on winning, SEC title game is ours, but MNC is a different beast, it is a beauty pageant, and that's why some of us here would like us to look beautiful while also piling up the W's.

Now, if you would excuse me, I am going to be the biggest WSU and Iowa fan in the South today..

[Raven_tiger 5]

David, let me ask you a serious question. If I or someone else who is not a mod or adm would have made a post like that would it still be in the football forum or would you send it to the woodshed? IMHO the post belongs in the woodshed.

You want me to answer that???

[kingfish 73]

I'm not an Auburn man because of any poll out there nor am I an Auburn fan for the payoff of one day winning a MNC. Bama could win the rest of them for the remainder of my existence and it wouldn't change my allegiance one bit.

We still have a lot of quality opponents remaining and spending one second concerned about what any voter has to say does no true Auburn fan any good. If your main concern is a poll than maybe Auburn Football isn't your thing.

Who here is only a fan based on where the football team ends up in the National polls?

You display great wisdom and maturity in your comments for which I thank you.

[CarolinaTiger 0]

david:

in 2004, who was the best team in the nation?

a few possible answers:

1) USC

2) Auburn

3) don't know...

in 2004, who was the best team in the SEC?

1 plausible answer:

Auburn.

the difference being, one was settled on the field, the other determined by opinion.

not unlike our own opinions about 2004, when we do win the MNC, there will still be people out there who feel their team was better.

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

So far I think I actually count ONE poster questioning CTT. I think almost everyone is very happy with the Offensive production.

That would be me...I will keep `questioning' it when Tub's 'going into a shell' (going conservative)almost cost them the game REPEATEDLY....If AU had a more decisive score in the Sugar Bowl there would've been an NC in Auburn THOSE are the facts!

I heard voters with my own earts state that squeking by in games loses votes as does playing `not to lose'.

Sorry but those are the facts on how people think nationally....

I'm not gonna brownnose Tuby when there are obvious MAJOR lingering issues that almost got the boys HUMILIATED!

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

david:

in 2004, who was the best team in the nation?

a few possible answers:

1) USC

2) Auburn

3) don't know...

in 2004, who was the best team in the SEC?

1 plausible answer:

Auburn.

the difference being, one was settled on the field, the other determined by opinion.

not unlike our own opinions about 2004, when we do win the MNC, there will still be people out there who feel their team was better.

Most around the country know Auburn belonged in the title game. They DO NOT think Auburn should've been NC with the Unimpressive victory/squeeking in the Sugar Bowl.

[Hinklbt 0]

I think a MNC should be "a" goal not "the" goal of each season. We should play for a West Championship then the SEC title. The only two championships that are decided on the field not by what some yahoo in the Midwest thinks about our team. If a MNC birth comes with winning the SEC then I'll be the first in line to buy a ticket and support my Tigers, but if it doesn't who can say we weren't successful.

I consider a great season being an Auburn Tiger, no matter win or lose!

[TexasTiger 13,000]

So far I think I actually count ONE poster questioning CTT. I think almost everyone is very happy with the Offensive production.

That would be me...I will keep `questioning' it when Tub's 'going into a shell' (going conservative)almost cost them the game REPEATEDLY....If AU had a more decisive score in the Sugar Bowl there would've been an NC in Auburn THOSE are the facts!

I heard voters with my own earts state that squeking by in games loses votes as does playing `not to lose'.

Sorry but those are the facts on how people think nationally....

I'm not gonna brownnose Tuby when there are obvious MAJOR lingering issues that almost got the boys HUMILIATED!

YOU ARE ONE ANNOYING DUDE!

[otterinbham 0]

Well, when the season is over, we will realize that we put away an ascendant South Carolina team with a stud quarterback.

One thing I noticed during that game is that the sheer speed of the quarterback prevent at least 7-8 sacks. And most of those were coverage sacks where the secondary was just denying him targets.

[TexasTiger 13,000]

Well, when the season is over, we will realize that we put away an ascendant South Carolina team with a stud quarterback.

One thing I noticed during that game is that the sheer speed of the quarterback prevent at least 7-8 sacks. And most of those were coverage sacks where the secondary was just denying him targets.

Right. He had a rare ability to turn an almost certain sack into a first down.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

So far I think I actually count ONE poster questioning CTT. I think almost everyone is very happy with the Offensive production.

That would be me...I will keep `questioning' it when Tub's 'going into a shell' (going conservative)almost cost them the game REPEATEDLY....If AU had a more decisive score in the Sugar Bowl there would've been an NC in Auburn THOSE are the facts!

I heard voters with my own earts state that squeking by in games loses votes as does playing `not to lose'.

Sorry but those are the facts on how people think nationally....

I'm not gonna brownnose Tuby when there are obvious MAJOR lingering issues that almost got the boys HUMILIATED!

YOU ARE ONE ANNOYING DUDE!

He is a victem, surrounded by Okies does that to people, you should know that Textiger lol.

I'm just kidding around with ya Doug btw.

[SKCAUB 0]

I think some are still not getting my point. If you want your team to get to the final level, then you have to play by the rules that we agreed to. I would be the absolute first to want a playoff. Hope we get it soon.

But until then, if you really want your team to do better than just being an also ran, you have to admit that the polls do play SOME part in getting to the big dance.

I didnt say I liked it or you had to like it. It just is what it is right now. This is the situation as it now stands. The rules we decided to play by.

Oh yeah, I hope we put every poll in the trash can tommorow morning. I dislike them badly and think they all are more than likely biased. But still, if you want to get into the BCS, you gotta play by the BCS rules. Bottomline is bottomline.

I guess my point is, I don't care about the polls any more because they are full of BALONEY! I now go to and watch the games, for the sake of the games! And I am much happier, NOT watching game day and most of the other talking idiots. Try it...you'll like it. I'm so at peace just having a good time watching AUBURN FOOTBALL!

[AuNuma1 1]

I dont care if you dont watch the polls, THE COACHES DO!

I'm glad this doesn't include Tuberville.

A day after his team escaped with a last-minute victory in South Carolina, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville testily rejected any suggestion that the 24-17 win didn't contain enough "style points" to impress pollsters.

"It's about winning games," he said. "I could care less what they think, to be honest with you. We're not going to get the respect anyway, for some reason. We're going to earn it. We're going to keep playing like we're playing and worry about ourselves."

Mobile Register

Keep worrying about the polls people...Auburn fans will continue to watch their team win. 5-0!

And now that I think about it, that CTT quote is eerily similar to the one I posted on page 3 of this thread, before this article even came out:

I couldn't care less how Auburn is viewed by people that vote in polls. Auburn will never be a media darling like the ND's and USC's so screw it. If Auburn wins games, I'm happy and that's all you can hope for as a fan. Until all the subjectiveness is removed from the game and the players and coaches are the ones that determine the success of their team, I couldn't give a rat's ass about voters and polls.

[tiger88 934]

Okay, I quit reading after the 2nd page but here's my $.02.

What a joke. Is there a board of any sort, anywhere that isn't full of drama queens?

It's college football people. Get over it. We may lose soon and all this would be a total waste of thought, which it really already is.

So what if we get screwed in the polls again? I can live with it. There is so much football left to play it is a joke that we are sitting here worried (at least some of us) about getting screwed if we go undefeated. We may lose one or two or who knows. Why stress yourself now worrying about hypotheticals?

We beat a good usc team on the road. If you can't be happy with that because of some crap involving the polls then you have issues.

[Aubie16 1]

Okay, I quit reading after the 2nd page but here's my $.02.

What a joke. Is there a board of any sort, anywhere that isn't full of drama queens?

It's college football people. Get over it. We may lose soon and all this would be a total waste of thought, which it really already is.

So what if we get screwed in the polls again? I can live with it. There is so much football left to play it is a joke that we are sitting here worried (at least some of us) about getting screwed if we go undefeated. We may lose one or two or who knows. Why stress yourself now worrying about hypotheticals?

We beat a good usc team on the road. If you can't be happy with that because of some crap involving the polls then you have issues.

Thats what I've been thinking all along. Just because we don't care about the polls and I'm happy with a 13-0 SEC Championship season does not mean I don't want to see Auburn at the top, or am not prepared to 'pay the price' or anything of that sort. I don't care about the polls, I care about winning games on the football field.

Some of my friends talked about walking out of the SEC championship game or walking out of the Sugar Bowl a little disapointed because they knew we weren't going to win it all. I couldn't believe it. I was as happy as I could be after those games, I knew we were 13-0 and no team could prove they were better than us. If that happens again this year, I'll once again be happy as can be.

It's like that saying about the Auburn family...if you've never experienced it, you don't understand. I feel the same way about this. We know. That is the bottom line.

[kingfish 73]

Thank goodness reason and common sense still is evidenced on this board and in this thread in particular. Enjoy the games and stop putting so much emphasis on the polls. It is great to be an Auburn Tiger ... no other team in the country can say that ... figure the odds ... as one signature quotes, "Alabama by birth, but Auburn by the grace of God."

[AUesquire 1]

If you take David's assertions to mean you are any less loyal to this University or this program, you've got rocks between the ears. And if you truly would abandon this University and this program after a bad loss or bad season, then you don't need to be here anyway. Sorry, but I just don't believe those that go out of thier way to tell us all how the polls don't matter and that they don't pay attention to them. If you really believe what you're saying, then you miss not only David's point, but also what Coach Tommy Tuberville has been working so hard to accomplish. Here's why:

If you think that CTT and every other coach in this program and every coach on every team that has any chance at being a player on the national scene, DOESN'T pay attention to the polls, see above reference to "Rocks between the ears". People, it's WHAT THEY PLAY FOR. It's why the coaches spend countless hours away from their familes on the recruiting trail trying to land the best possible athletes they can bring into this program. It's why they hire the best possible coaches they can to get these kids ready. It's why they spend millions to supply these kids and coaches with the best possible facilities to train and play in. It's why we have one of the highest paid coaching staffs in the country. It's why Tommy Tuberville said, "We WILL win a national championship" and why he fought so hard in the media in 2004 to get us the respect we deserved and why he took on the goliath, ESPN, last year concerning their bias.

Do you not also realize that Tommy Tuberville's football program is the goose that laid the golden egg? I've seen it estimated that the football program generates between $55 and $60 million each year and guess what? It pretty much supports the rest of our entire athletic program at Auburn University. Do you have a clue as to what a MNC would mean to this University? Make no mistake, CTT and his staff and this administration are doing all the things above to try and win a national championship and as David said, to get there you MUST pay attention to the polls. But, having said all that, believe it or not, this rant and David's rant are not solely about the polls. It's about:

1. For all the reasons listed above and several more, Auburn University wants to win a National Championship.

2. The only way to get there is first, win all of your games or lose 1 at the most coupled with the second issue, getting all the love you can get from the pollsters.

3. This team was 4-0 going into last Thursday night and considered a player for the national title. They were the only game in town and that was a perfect opportunity to showcase the program and prove they were deserving of the ranking. Yes, they won a game on the road in the SEC. Yes, I and everyone else that calls themselves, "An Auburn man or woman" is happy to get it. But look back on the quotes from the players and coaches going into that game. They stated emphatically that they were going in to Columbia to show the nation that they belonged. They pay attention to the polls.

4. Auburn University is 5-0 and still in contention for a national championship; however, Thursday's game pointed out some serious deficiencies in their preperation or game planning or adjustmets or all of the above. IT'S OKAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND IT'S OKAY TO BE CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT.

Thursday, our defensive effort from a coaching standpoint left something to be desired. That's being kind. There were lots of people on this board who didn't make it to the game, including myself. I, like many others on this board, are very passionate about Auburn Football and I pulled a Spurrier several times during the game by abusing my favorite Auburn baseball cap and speaking in tongues about rushing 3 men. I ranted on the game thread, as did numerous others others about the same thing. That's okay. We were discussing football while our favorite team was playing, not singing Koom-Ba-Ya. No one wants to fire anyone on our coaching staff or rent their plane to anyone on our BOT. But many of us DO understand that as long as we are in the hunt, we need to take advantage of opportunities like Thursday night and impress those who vote. Again, our players understand it...they said so.

Look, I will be, and I would hope that everyone of you will still be just as loyal to Auburn as we've always been if we lose this weekend or the next weekend or the next or the next...As some have alluded to, if we lost to Bama 10 straight times, I'm still going to support the team. (Trust me, I've already gone through that) But part of what David is saying is that we as fans, have an opportunity to be a part of something special as long as this team keeps winning. If they lose this week, then so be it. But until then, the polls do matter and our players, coaches and administration are continuing to work their collective arses off to keep the dream of a MNC alive. Yes, we won. And thankfully, USC, WVU, Michigan and the rest haven't done anything to separate themselves form the pack. But, it's okay to feel like we could have missed a golden opportunity.

[channonc 466]

David, I couldn't have said it better.

War Eagle!!

and to steal a line from War Tim... ONE AT A TIME!

[Auburn alum 0]

DKW, this is a great board, and a place for Auburn people to voice thoughts, but you really have to gain some perspective. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and respect your loyalty to Auburn, do you have too much time on your hands? Refocus your energy and passion to things you can control, and the polls are not one of them.