Finebaum article

[BAMMERPERRY 0]

Party's over for Auburn, Tuberville

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Over the last few years, particularly when things have gone sour, Tommy Tuberville has reached deep into his bag of magic tricks and played the Jetgate card. In other words, the Auburn administration and trustees cost me a great recruiting class during the turmoil and we are paying for their sins now.

You heard this again in September when Auburn started the 2007 season like a drunken frat boy on the last night of Mardi Gras, stumbling to a disastrous 1-2 start.

Now the results from the 2008 recruiting class are in and Alabama's Nick Saban has soundly beaten Tuberville to a bloody pulp. What's interesting is even Tuberville could see this historic beatdown coming. It's been in the making since Saban arrived on the tarmac and was given the Elvis treatment.

What did Tubby do at the apex of recruiting? He went duck (or job) hunting in Arkansas.

Auburn fans can shrug this off. Tuberville can say it's no big deal -- repeating early and often as he did this week that it doesn't matter what the Internet recruiting rankings proclaim. Auburn evaluates players and bases its scholarship offers on what its coaches think, not some guy who sells recruiting subscriptions out of the trunk of his car. Try again, Tommy.

Alabama's second-year head coach didn't impress many folks this year on the field. However, Saban has given Tide fans fervent hope for the future with an out-of-this-world recruiting class.

Can Tuberville deal with that? Has Tuberville's act finally spun out of control? Can one hear the fat lady warming up in the not-too-distant future?

Sometimes, the thin line between perception and reality can easily get skewed. However, this week, there was no confusion on how well Alabama did and how bad Auburn looked.

Auburn was an afterthought for most of the top players. Julio Jones toiled between Alabama and Oklahoma. Jerrell Harris, the state's top linebacker, picked Alabama over Southern Cal. Harris said Wednesday that Auburn was tied for fourth with Tennessee -- behind Clemson. How embarrassing.

Simultaneously, Auburn was losing players to South Florida and Ole Miss. What does that say about the current state of the program?

It would appear that Tuberville can do little or nothing to stop the Saban Express, or even slow it down. Unless Saban burns out or self-destructs, what we saw Wednesday will probably be repeated again next year.

In spite of winning six in a row over Alabama, Auburn just doesn't seem to be the "it" school anymore. Tuberville's sales pitch has seemingly grown tired and stale.

However, before Tuberville is completely counted out -- a dangerous mistake many have often made -- remember that some of the cards still reside in his hands.

If Auburn can go to its favorite SEC stadium in November and beat Alabama again, the numbers for Tubs vs. Saban will move to 5-2; that is important and compelling. But the question remains: Will it really change the recruiting landscape next February?

Tuberville has made some moves that could help him down the road, namely going to Tony Franklin for a more recruit-friendly offense. However, it will take more than that to stop Saban.

What has propelled Auburn mostly over the past eight years has been confusion and turmoil on the Alabama side.

When you factor in the Shakespearean tragedy of Mike DuBose followed by stiff NCAA sanctions, the two years and done for Dennis Franchione, the five-month flameout of Mike Price and the four tumultuous years of Mike Shula, is there any wonder why Auburn has won seven of the past eight?

But that game is over now. Alabama has a new CEO, and while Saban has looked shaky at times, he proved this week he will be a titanic force in the state and around this part of the country.

So what's Tuberville to do? Or at $3 million a year (and a $6 million buyout), perhaps the better question is: Does he even care?

For Auburn fans, that might the biggest concern of all.

Contact Paul Finebaum at:

finebaumnet@yahoo.com

http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/pf....xml&coll=3

[OldNewby 27]

Paul Finebaum is not only a waste of bandwidth, but of good oxygen and time.

[auwallace 6]

bama is out of excuses as well. no longer can you complain about probation, lack of talent, mike shula, etc. when you fail this year, like you have in the recent past, don't make up excuses. I'm also really sick of finebaum acting like college football is life and death, it may be like that to the bammers, but the rest of us have other concerns in life. This is supposed to be fun and he always spins it in a over dramatic fasion that puts grey's anatomy to shame.

[AUman43 5]

What hasn't been discussed much, and needs to be, is HOW Satan got all these recruits. Some troubling statements came out of Gadsden about Auburn being a "lilly white" school and black athletes not feeling "at home" there as well as a coach in the Mobile area saying publicly that Auburn's coaches got "outworked" by the Bammers. I have a gut feeling that the NEGATIVE recruiting by the Bammers has begun again with a fervor as it was during the Bryant years and we MUST address them. Tubs has been well k nown for his "laid back" approach to recruiting and late in-home visits. Maybe it's time to be as aggressive as the bammers and beat them at their own game instead of "soft selling" our program. IF trash talking and negative lies and inuendo are a part of Satan's approach then Tubs better counter it and fast. This thing can take on a life of it's own..........if left unaddressed. Look for rumors of an Auburn probation to follow soon..

[aubiescottie 1]

bama is out of excuses as well. no longer can you complain about probation, lack of talent, mike shula, etc. when you fail this year, like you have in the recent past, don't make up excuses. I'm also really sick of finebaum acting like college football is life and death, it may be like that to the bammers, but the rest of us have other concerns in life. This is supposed to be fun and he always spins it in a over dramatic fasion that puts grey's anatomy to shame.

Now don't take this the wrong way because I am in no way calling you out and this is more of an indictment of the board in general, but it irks me when people come on here and say they have better things to worry about and calling out others for acting like football is life and death. I have news for everyone, we are ALL on this board, and Auburn football clearly resides very close to the top of our list of priorities. Especially if we are on here in February.

I just don't think its a legitimate arguement for anyone to complain that someone else on this board is taking college football too seriously, or complain that people, like Finebaum in this particular case, are taking college football too seriously. I don't think we should criticize the writers for just doing their job. If we want to complain about their opinions, go ahead and give them the business!

[auwallace 6]

bama is out of excuses as well. no longer can you complain about probation, lack of talent, mike shula, etc. when you fail this year, like you have in the recent past, don't make up excuses. I'm also really sick of finebaum acting like college football is life and death, it may be like that to the bammers, but the rest of us have other concerns in life. This is supposed to be fun and he always spins it in a over dramatic fasion that puts grey's anatomy to shame.

Now don't take this the wrong way because I am in no way calling you out and this is more of an indictment of the board in general, but it irks me when people come on here and say they have better things to worry about and calling out others for acting like football is life and death. I have news for everyone, we are ALL on this board, and Auburn football clearly resides very close to the top of our list of priorities. Especially if we are on here in February.

I just don't think its a legitimate arguement for anyone to complain that someone else on this board is taking college football too seriously, or complain that people, like Finebaum in this particular case, are taking college football too seriously. I don't think we should criticize the writers for just doing their job. If we want to complain about their opinions, go ahead and give them the business!

i love auburn and post on this board because i enjoy it. if auburn were to go 6-6 every year i'd still love auburn and i'd still post on this board. i post on various other boards that are of interest to me. Football is not religion, it is entertainment, finebaum spins everything as if the world is gonna cease to turn if what he writes about comes true. As far as not criticizing finebaum for doing his job, that's what you're supposed to do with writers of his kind. His job is his opinion, when has he ever simply reported the truth and let it ride?

[AU alum 2]

bama is out of excuses as well. no longer can you complain about probation, lack of talent, mike shula, etc. when you fail this year, like you have in the recent past, don't make up excuses. I'm also really sick of finebaum acting like college football is life and death, it may be like that to the bammers, but the rest of us have other concerns in life. This is supposed to be fun and he always spins it in a over dramatic fasion that puts grey's anatomy to shame.

Now don't take this the wrong way because I am in no way calling you out and this is more of an indictment of the board in general, but it irks me when people come on here and say they have better things to worry about and calling out others for acting like football is life and death. I have news for everyone, we are ALL on this board, and Auburn football clearly resides very close to the top of our list of priorities. Especially if we are on here in February.

I just don't think its a legitimate arguement for anyone to complain that someone else on this board is taking college football too seriously, or complain that people, like Finebaum in this particular case, are taking college football too seriously. I don't think we should criticize the writers for just doing their job. If we want to complain about their opinions, go ahead and give them the business!

I think you are being kind when you call Finebaum a writer and a person. My description of him would be much less.

[aubiescottie 1]

bama is out of excuses as well. no longer can you complain about probation, lack of talent, mike shula, etc. when you fail this year, like you have in the recent past, don't make up excuses. I'm also really sick of finebaum acting like college football is life and death, it may be like that to the bammers, but the rest of us have other concerns in life. This is supposed to be fun and he always spins it in a over dramatic fasion that puts grey's anatomy to shame.

Now don't take this the wrong way because I am in no way calling you out and this is more of an indictment of the board in general, but it irks me when people come on here and say they have better things to worry about and calling out others for acting like football is life and death. I have news for everyone, we are ALL on this board, and Auburn football clearly resides very close to the top of our list of priorities. Especially if we are on here in February.

I just don't think its a legitimate arguement for anyone to complain that someone else on this board is taking college football too seriously, or complain that people, like Finebaum in this particular case, are taking college football too seriously. I don't think we should criticize the writers for just doing their job. If we want to complain about their opinions, go ahead and give them the business!

I think you are being kind when you call Finebaum a writer and a person. My description of him would be much less.

LOL, fair enough, I probably did go too far when I called him a person.

[quietfan 233]

Hey! Our trusty BP re-writing staff is letting us down!!

[AUChizad 0]

Another offseason blossoming, another proclamation that "Bama is back...for real this time...Auburn's goose is really cooked this time" from a Bamerham sports writer.

Riiight, just like two years ago when it was on the cover of Sports Illustrated after you beat Florida once.

Just like last year when you hired Saban, whose midas touch would lead you to a NC the year immediately following.

So now it's the "Recruiting National Championship" that serves as the justification for the End of Days for Auburn, and yes that inevitable catch phrase that warrants a studio audience's coy laughter and applause, "Bama's Back!"

[WarTim 3,457]

Reply to uatperry? Sure...

SIX...and seven is on the way. You know it and so does everyone else. You are welcome!

WDE!

[AuburnChopper1 0]

Another offseason blossoming, another proclamation that "Bama is back...for real this time...Auburn's goose is really cooked this time" from a Bamerham sports writer.

Riiight, just like two years ago when it was on the cover of Sports Illustrated after you beat Florida once.

Just like last year when you hired Saban, whose midas touch would lead you to a NC the year immediately following.

So now it's the "Recruiting National Championship" that serves as the justification for the End of Days for Auburn, and yes that inevitable catch phrase that warrants a studio audience's coy laughter and applause, "Bama's Back!"

Exactly!!! I think this is all pretty awesome. Somehow they forgot that we've already got that type of talent on the field. They're here already! They're winning...already. They've made it into school....already! They've beaten Saban....already! They've won a bowl game against a GOOD team....already. They've beaten Alabama SIX times....already!

There are kids starting school this year that will have never seen a bammer win vs. Auburn, and somehow bammers think this ONE class means anything!?!?!?!

Ohhhhhhh reality...it's going to suck for our crimson clad friends!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!

[AuburnChopper1 0]

Additionally...

To Bammers -

You want to know why you've gotten the reputation to be an impossible "fix", or school to work for? It's because of the VERY thing you all are doing RIGHT NOW! Basing, then affixing impossible expectations on people that just won't be able to deliever yet before ANYTHING is proven or handled on the field. Then, the second they fail, in ANY degree, or fashion, you'll be all over your own supposed "saviors" like stink on Shi*!

You've had these type recruits and expectations before, and you've flopped miserably EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Have a nice offseason dreaming about the "mabyes" and "who knows" though!

We really do not expect any different from hopeless, mindless waterheads.

War Eagle...

Signed,

Auburn,

Beaters of the Crimson Ass for Six Years and counting. (This means it's current...still happening...nothing's changed it yet....)

*wink*

[boyjeddah 1]

wow, awesome article by Finebaum. Not because it's true or anything but I do believe that any bad publicity with AU can further help Bama in recruiting...

I dont think it's a huge effect but it's a good nudge..

[MDM4AU 336]

Is there an echo in here?

[AUChizad 0]

wow, awesome article by Finebaum. Not because it's true or anything but I do believe that any bad publicity with AU can further help Bama in recruiting...

I dont think it's a huge effect but it's a good nudge..

Are you surprised that he wrote an article with that sole intention?

[AFTiger 282]

Why is it that buttholes like BP can put his crap on this board but none of the bammer boards will allow anything remotely critical of it?

[AU alum 2]

In my opinion, this is a much better article. Not surprising, since I think Finebaum is an ass.

"AUBURN RECRUITING: Tigers fill needs, tout solid class contrary to criticism

By Jay G. Tate

AUBURN -- Let's start here: Auburn's 2008 crop of football signees wasn't its best.

Coach Tommy Tuberville won't tell you that. He's a football coach, one who cares deeply about his program's image and his own, meaning optimism always is the default setting.

So it's no surprise that he stood tall on Wednesday saying it had been an "excellent year" for the Tigers' recruiting efforts. He insisted that his newest players "can help win championships and can be a great group and the end of their fourth or fifth year."

That sounded so odd at the time.

Tuberville had The Worst Signing Day of his Auburn career last week. Seven coveted recruits made their final decisions on Wednesday morning.

All seven chose other schools. Defensive end Robert Quinn signed with North Carolina, defensive end Marcel Dareus signed with Alabama along with linebacker Jerrell Harris, defensive end Robert Quinn signed with North Carolina, cornerback George Baker signed with South Florida and wideout Jarmon Fortson signed with Florida State.

The most serious loss came from Virginia, where prep-school tailback Enrique Davis decided to play ball at Ole Miss. The former Panama City, Fla., star signed with Auburn in 2007, didn't qualify, headed for Hargrave Military Academy, re-affirmed his commitment to Auburn and seemed giddy about playing for the Tigers.

A month ago, Davis de-committed. He said offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's spread offense wasn't tailback-friendly and Davis ultimately chose a school that promised him a chance to be the main offensive attraction.

"We changed our offensive style and I think that was the main thing," Tuberville said.

The Signing Day drama seemed to take on a life of its own Wednesday afternoon. Radio shows and internet message boards became fertile grounds for anti-Tuberville rhetoric, some fans going so far as to question the coaching staff's overall recruiting ability.

That's when things changed for me. The criticism wasn't logical. The Tigers signed an outstanding class last year that included a franchise kicker (Wes Byrum), a ready-to-play rush end (Antoine Carter), three ready-to-play offensive linemen (Chaz Ramsey, Ryan Pugh and Lee Ziemba), a ready-to-play safety (Mike McNeil) and a quarterback (Kodi Burns) whom many believe will thrive in Franklin's new system.

These guys can't recruit?

The 2008 class has star power. Defensive end Raven Gray would have been a nationally coveted prospect had he not told every other school that Auburn was his only choice. The same goes for offensive lineman Jermaine Johnson.

Auburn needed serious help at cornerback. Tuberville signed four and he believes at least two will play next season.

Auburn needed serious help at quarterback. Tuberville signed Franklin's favorite prospect, Chris Todd, and another dual-threat player in Deron Furr. Both already have enrolled.

Auburn needed serious help at wideout. Franklin wanted speed, so Tuberville signed four including two (Philip Pierre-Louis and Harry Adams) who were considered among the nation's fastest wideouts.

Auburn always hoards linemen and this year was no exception. Ends Jomarcus Savage, Andre Wadley and Cameron Henderson were high on Tuberville's list from the beginning. Gray was high on everyone's list. The Tigers' haul made sense. It's not an elite collection of ranked prospects, but this is a group that fits Auburn's needs. Many of these kids have been committed for months. Tuberville knew the kids he wanted and they knew where they wanted to be.

So why was there so much hate last week? Alabama's top-rated class, loaded with kids from Alabama, affected public perception in this state. There is a sense that Nick Saban has reclaimed Alabama from a recruiting perspective and that Auburn would suffer as a result.

Trends aren't trends until they last a few years.

Tuberville has shown the ability to thrive with hype-free prospects. The 2004 season, considered the best in school history, was prefaced by a recruiting class that was panned universally.

College football ultimately is about winning.

Until Tuberville stops doing that, harsh criticism of his recruiting ability seems odd. And undeserved."

[AUChizad 0]

Trends aren't trends until they last a few years.

Kind of like the last six years.

[BAMMERPERRY 0]

Do you think if I upped my bathing schedule to twice a month I'd be able to detangle my butthairs easier? Or maybe if I used some conditioner back there?

Frickin' hurts when I hafta drop a deuce.