Nashville's Sommet Center, Jeff Lebo's salvation ... or doom. One or the other.
Tourney talk. Fields of Donahue takes a useful look at the upcoming men’s SEC Tournament and the road Auburn might have to travel. And as it turns out, less might be more in terms of Auburn’s place in the league standings:
Auburn might be better off finishing #5 in the West as opposed to #4. Right now, Alabama and Auburn sit at identical 4-8 SEC records. If Auburn finishes #4, they open with the East’s #5 (likely South Carolina) but then must turn around and play East #1 Kentucky the next day. If Auburn finishes #5, they will have a slightly tougher first game against the East’s #4 team (likely Florida), but would then draw the West #1, Mississippi State or Arkansas, in round two.
The Tigers can’t tank just yet–there’s still an outside shot at the No. 3 slot, which would even better (East 6 followed by East 2). And, yeah, they can’t really tank at all with even one loss potentially playing a huge role in the chase for an NIT bid. But if Alabama wants to go on a winning streak and relegate Auburn to the West fifth seed? I’m not going to complain.
Of course, everything may change after the Tigers take the court tonight against Ole Miss, the team that currently holds that No. 3 slot. A win in Oxford might make Auburn’s shift up to that position actually feasible. Too bad the Rebels’ decisive win in Auburn–along with their likely desperation after dropping five of six and slipping out of even the kindest bracket projections–makes its seem kind of unlikely. We’ll see.
Notes from the beat. It didn’t make any of the other write-ups that I saw, so it was interesting to read this revealing quote from Chizik in Luke Brietzke’s complete transcript of his recent presser:
(Chizik has signed a lot of former high-school quarterbacks. Is that something he tries to do?)
I do. I like quarterbacks. I like guys that are very athletic that bring a knowledge of the game right now. That’s whether he’s on offense or defense. Sometimes they have a different way of seeing the game simply because of what they were doing in high school. That could be for a defensive back, a wideout, can be a tailback. I’ve recruited them as corners, safeties and linebackers as well. I think, again, when they’ve done that in high school they have a great feel for the game for maybe a different perspective than other guys have had.
I’d kind of assumed that the position coaches were the guys responsible for bringing in their respective QB-to-Other projects, but apparently this is a directive straight from the Chiznick. When you consider how many players we’re talking about here–Donate Aycock, Travante Stallworth, Emory Blake, Trovon Reed, Ryan White, Ryan Smith, maybe someone else I’ve forgotten–Auburn’s got a lot invested in this strategy. Here’s hoping it comes up aces.
Brietzke’s also continuing his countdown of 10 “under the radar” players for spring with Craig Sanders, Rollison and Moseley, and Phillip Lutzenkirchen. Lutz’s write-up is particularly worth a read; did anyone else know Taylor was taking potshots at Lutz’s fitness?
Elsewhere, Eric Smith has filed a predictable countersuit in the case that won’t go away, and Jay Tate looks at the uphill climb for Kodi Burns this season.
BlAUgosphere. Check out the find from Jay at Track’Em:
Despite Jay’s ambivalence and the admittedly iffy-looking results from the above experiment, I remain pro-orange jerseys … provided that first they have some blue on the sleeves, and second, that rather than using them as a motivational gimmick for a big game they’re used as a fun change-of-pace vs. the Furmans or Ball States of the world.
Elsewhere, PPL previews weekend baseball opponents Boston College and Missouri.
WBE Book Club. Like a lot of guys I know, myself included, Will Heath received Bill Simmons’ Book of Basketball for Christmas, and his (positive) review is worth a read:
I discovered Simmons’ writing while I was in college (when he first began appearing regularly on espn.com’s Page 2) and have read everything he’s written ever since. Frankly, Simmons represented everything I ever wanted to be as a writer: he didn’t care about showing his biases, wrote with no attention whatsoever to length and always (ALWAYS) wrote what he wanted to write about. I even find his constant squabbling with his employer endearing; there’s something almost noble about the back-and-forth between ESPN and its most popular writer. I even plopped down $10 for “Now I Can Die in Peace,” even though I despise the Red Sox.
Still, anyone who reads him regularly knows that his destiny as a writer was this book. An unabashed NBA fan since his childhood, Simmons is one of the few writers who can make you care about things you didn’t before you started reading him. At least that’s the way it’s been for me: I’ve always liked basketball but lacked the energy for the pros … until I started reading Simmons regularly. Quite simply, through the power of his writing he made me interested in the NBA. It sounds ridiculous, I know. But that’s the truth.
I couldn’t bring myself to buy his first book–Simmons’ Sox columns rank only behind his beyond-obnoxious Vegas columns in terms of his work I’d rather avoid–but I’m also a fairly devoted Simmons fan who found his understanding of the NBA so enriched by his work that he wound up paying attention to a league he’d abandoned when the Hawks traded away Dominique Wilkins. I agree that this was the book Simmons was born to write, and I’m not going to pretend I didn’t devour all 700-some-odd pages in a matter of days. Simmons has always been immensely, even joyously readable at his best, and The Book of Basketball is no exception.
But I disagree that with Will that we can’t gripe about the endless pop culture references and frat humor. Like I (we) said, this book was his magnum opus, his one real chance to write something that transcended the “Bill Simmons” brand and became something that wasn’t just a blast to read but that said something, something important about the league and sport he loves. In the chapters about growing up a Boston fan and the son of a Boston fan during the Bird days, he starts to get there, but it dissolves in page after page featuring shout-outs to porn stars and ’80s comedies. Sorry, but I don’t imagine the definitive book on NBA history filtering Tim Duncan’s astounding career through the lens of Harrison Ford.
So I liked it. I’d recommend anyone with a passing interest in the NBA or a love of Simmons’ work to give it a read. But it disappointed me. Simmons takes plenty of jabs at players who could do one or two things well but never took themselves to that extra level that might yield a championship; I feel like his book was him becoming the exact same kind-of shoulda-been as a writer.
Etc. The bookies join the punditry in setting up the Tide as next season’s national title favorite; I’m delighted, as you’d expect … Ben Tate talks to the AUfficial site about preparing for the draft, though aside from his happiness with Gene Chizik and his senior year he doesn’t say anything terribly revealing, unfortunately … Daren Bates’ linebacker cousin might come to Auburn if he can snag an offer.
Re: UGA-AU, 1980 – Coach Barfield’s last home game. Walking the sidelines with him was a young Tommy Bowden, newly hired running back coach. On the squad as the backup QB was Joe Sullivan, younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan….
…and attending the game in the student section that day was your humble correspondent with the future Mrs. Sullivan013 on his arm (and looking fine!) on their first formal date after meeting at a party on Halloween (at a frat that I wasn’t a member of – I went as a “Wild and Crazy Guy” from SNL, she as a Playboy bunny).
I still have that bright orange “AU” tie I wore somewhere.
Even with the pleasant memories of the game and a new (and subsequently life-long) romance,… those jerseys were the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
Sullivan013
My God that punter took about ten minutes to actually kick the ball
Jerry, I remain pro-orange jerseys, too, if, and only if, it can be conclusively demonstrated that they cure cancer. Otherwise, Auburn should wear any color of jersey it likes as long as it is the traditional navy blue or white (I thought white jerseys at home against Vandy for the tribute to the 1957 team was cool).
I was at the UGA game in 1978 when Auburn warmed up in blue and took the field for kickoff in orange. They tied heavily favored UGA 22-22 in a game they should have won. But it was a sartorial loss in a blowout.
LOL Larry Munson never ceases to amaze me. Try playing the clip and minimize the window and try to figure out what the hell is going on by listening to him.
“Got kind of a high snap….. it’s blocked….. BLOCKED…………………….. and its… picking up now… DRIVING down in there in the corner………………. Gilbert going in the corner for a touchdown!!”… “The Dawgs have blocked a punt 43 yards!!”
… What corner?… And yeah the punter took at least seven steps there. And didn’t make up for it on the “tackle” either.
As far as orange uniforms go, I’m not some crazy purist who’s going to say “no” no matter what. But they would have to look good. They’d have to be a dark orange, like as dark as the regular Under Armor navy’s — we’re not about to go out there in some bright orange stuff — but it would also still have to be orange. So if they can make an orange dark, but still be orange and not brown or something, then it might actually look good, and then it’d be cool.
And I’m planning on going out and getting Simmons’ book one day. I just haven’t done it yet. I think the NBA is actually my second favorite thing to watch, well behind college football but ahead of the NFL, even though that feels weird to say out loud. The NBA is the home of the only professional team I have ever loved in any sport — the Cavaliers, strangely. (And it’s not just some bandwagon jumping. Seven years ago when I was 11 or 12 and I had never cared for the NBA or basketball at all, I remember me and my dad watched LeBron’s rookie debut against Sacramento, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. It’s like I kind of “followed” him into the NBA, and he’s been my guy and Cleveland’s been my team ever since.)
Agreed that the bright orange is a disaster. I’m pro-orange, but I should specify it’s with a lot of conditions: the right (dark) shade of orange, enough blue that we don’t look like freaking Texas, only for use in an otherwise boring game. Anything else, and I’m out.
AO, the Hawks are my team, but if they don’t make it I’m throwing my support behind the Cavs 100 percent. The good people of Cleveland have suffered enough. Lebron leaving without a title would be sports cruelty beyond cruelty.
Actually, a burnt orange is supposed to be the color. I’ve had about enough of the ‘hunter orange’. Don’t really know how that got started.
Best SEC story going these days: Admiral Ackbar could become the Mississippi mascot:
http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/24/admiral-ackbar-mississippi-university-mascot/
Puhlease………..no orange. “kick ‘em in the butt big orange?”
NO WAY
Aw, Amorak, you’re disappointing me; I linked to that story last Friday.
Well I am a crazy purist and I don’t want to see Auburn’s uniforms change – especially orange jerseys.
Auburn has one of those timeless uniforms that, as long as it’s made to fit the player in the contemporary manner, will always look great.
But truth be told my biggest fear is that once we start tinkering with the uniform, someone in the AD eventually gets the bright idea to put that horrendous ‘tiger eyes’ logo on the helmet in place of the interlocking AU.
It’s a slippery slope gents, and once the tweaking starts it’s only a matter of time before you end up with the ‘one arm of a different color’ or the ‘pineapple stitching on the shoulders’ (see UF 2010), or the Oregon ‘steel plate’ look.
No thanks!
That would be UF 2009. My flux capacitor must be acting up again.
Sorry, WBE. I missed that one. Forgive me.
Alex P –
Thankfully, we’re supplied by Under Armor. Nike forces crazy uniforms on those teams you mentioned — Under Armor would never try anything like turning a football team into its own billboard.
But if the university asked them, I’m sure they’d make some nice orange jerseys for us. They’ve made sharp-looking alternates for South Carolina, Maryland, and Texas Tech.
Look again at the clip of the team coming out of the tunnel. Several of the players in orange jerseys didn’t even have the white stripes on the sleeves or have the white “TV” numbers on their shoulders. It looks like those guys were wearing practice jerseys or something. Says something about our half-ass coaching staff then…
That said, I vote blue or white – no exceptions!
Those orange jerseys look ridiculous! Let UT or Florida experiment with that Halloween crap. You can’t beat the standard navy and burnt orange.
Also, who says we can’t finish first in the West? It’s possible. Ark and MSU don’t play each other again and they’re both only 3 games ahead of Auburn. If we sweep and some other games break right, we could finish 1st or 2nd in the West.
Those plain orange ones were “tear away” jerseys that were banned by ncaa some time ago. Only backs and ends wore them
I’m sorry AubOrange I disagree with your assessment of Munson. He is in the top 2 I have heard in my lifetime announce games on radio (Fyffe being the other). I grew up 15 miles from Athens and all I could get on a Saturday was “Dogs football on the radio. Larry painted a picture of the game that was matched by few IMHO. Even though an Auburn fan and later graduate, I respected his work. He was/is a Homer, yea, but so was Fyffe.
Well regardless of how one might like his voice, or his representation of all things UGA, you can’t say that you know exactly what is going on when you listen to him. It’s just like listening to a fan talking about the game on the radio. He brings nothing to the table. That’s my criticism of him.
Here’s the thing about Larry Munson. The guy literally comes from a time before television. Or at least, before football was televised. So his idea of what a play-by-play announcer sounds like is different from what we think, and there’s a real good reason for it.
Here’s the thing. When we listen to games now-a-days when we’re in the car or whatever and can’t get to a TV, what do we do when we listen? We picture that TV in front of us. Maybe not directly in front of us, but inside our heads we’re watching it on TV, from that same press box camera angle. The problem that I, and so many others, have with Munson is that he doesn’t paint that picture. Before each snap we want to hear where the receivers are, who’s in the slot, which hash is it on, what is the defense showing, and even what side of the quarterback the runningback is on when they’re in the shotgun.
Munson doesn’t tell us that, because he doesn’t feel the need. He just tells us results. He’s like a news reporter rather than an announcer. And on top of that he’s gone so far over the line so many times it’s hilarious.
I mean you can enjoy what he’s saying and how he’s saying and you can even say that with his voice he captures the aura inside the stadium when UGA is on the field. That’s cool.
But that means you’re listening to the Larry Munson Show, instead of a football game. That’s why I’ve got no love for him. I’d rather hear football, thanks.
Well, we were up by 12 on Ole Miss with 11 minutes to go. I thought, “It’s a trap!” and sure enough, we lost by 10.
screw those orange jerseys forever! although the irony of that pregame stunt is sorta funny. esp considering how much crap i talked to my UGA fan friends.
I agree with AubOrange on Munson. I never had a problem with his homerism (is this a word?) but his discription of events was so lacking.
Most professionals can give you every relavent detail you need. Down distance, hash, the formation, who goes in motion and in which direction, which way the ball goes (left,right, middle), who makes the tackle.
Munson’s typical call was something like this: “We’re on our own 35. We snap it. We run it. They tackle us on the 38 for a gain of 3. .. Whadaya got Lauren?”
You were lucky if he knew the names of a single opposing player other than the QB.
However, the Dog fans love him and I guess that’s all that matters.
The mutts will hate to hear this though: The best football radio anouncer in the game is Wes Durham of GA Tech and the Falcons. Just the right amount of southern accent and 100% professional. And MAN! What a set of golden pipes!
Don’t understand what could be so repellent as to the team wearing orange jerseys, specifically the shade of orange. All the t-shirts the fans wear in the stadium is the same orange and looks fine, so why try and get it “just right”? Hell, orange is mentioned first in the fight song and its barely on the uniforms (I’m aware its done that way for purely rhyming means). It’s not that big of a deal but some of y’all…
Auburn fan 1: So I heard the team will be playing in orange jerseys today.
Auburn fan 2: WHAT?! NO! THAT’S RIDICULOUS! THEY MUST BE STOPPED! (runs off screaming in the distance)
Auburn fan 1: …Dibs on his beer.
I believe Pat Dye said it best some years ago: “The Auburn I remember was pretty damn tough in blue jerseys.”
Stevie E back in the SEC!
http://blog.al.com/press-register-sports/2010/02/former_auburn_assistant_steve.html