Since I was graciously booted off the SEC fan survey for striking up a conversation about Auburn, I guess Ill plead my case in a more appropriate location. We have been criticized for playing "patsy" teams, but be honest, EVERYBODY plays some easy teams at the begining of their season. You guys played a GOOD VT team, and then the Citadel, and Miami (OH), we played a GOOD USC team and then Western Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and MSU. So IMO our schedules so far have been about the same. And it is common knowledge that any SEC team can beat another SEC team any given day. Vandy and MSU both hung with us up until the end of both of those games last season. Sometimes it sounds like no matter who we play, if we beat them they are going to be discounted as a bad team, just because no one wants to give us credit for being a good team. And trust me, I am by no means saying that we should be ranked in the top 10 right now, I am just saying that our team has lots of potential. But I went to an Auburn board once to read some of their posts and 6 out of 10 where bashing Alabama calling them rednecks etc etc, and one was bashing LSU. Yes we bash Alabama, thats what our two teams do, and I dont agree with the extent to which we do it, but it happens and it always will. To me, there arent that many differences between the two schools. But I did find an entire thread on a bama message board with 55 pages of them bashing us, and taking their shots at CTT and his ears. I mean thats just a little irrelavant to the game itself if you ask me. And more than one of you guys replied to my post that we are sticking by our coach and that we love a coach who is doing things that others think is classless. YES, we are! I personally love the man (and Im sure Ill catch flack for saying that). And some of the things he does are questionable to me. Like the cigar thing, I thought that was completely uncalled for, and us getting too big for our britches. BUT on the whole, he has done great things for our program. We love the fact that on any given drive down the field he could pull some trick play, its wonderful, it keeps the game interesting. But more than anything, if we didnt stick by him we would be fairweather/wishywashy fans, and then we'd get cricized for that as well. So basically we cant win for losing. So I just wanted to come back and plead my case for our fans some more. Im a huge fan of message boards because you can usually find some great football conversation on them, if you can get past the occasional thread that gets under your skin. But anyway, I hope you all make the trip up to The Loveliest Village on the Plains on October 26th. Ill show you what classy fans on the Plains are all about, and Ill be sure and keep the rowdy ones I see in check for you, as long as you plan to do the same. WAR EAGLE!!!
Believe me, we know what it feels like "Sometimes it sounds like no matter who we play, if we beat them they are going to be discounted as a bad team, just because no one wants to give us credit for being a good team" We have to put up with Tulane and USL wackos (what have they accomplished lately, or ever?) explaining our SEC championship away as a fluke. My favorite (said in all seriousness) was that we were a mediocre team who backed into a Sugar Bowl win because every team we played over the last half of the season self destructed. Believe me Aubie, we support you as a fellow SEC member over outsiders.
Anyone saying LSU "backed" into the SEC CG is a 3rd rate hack who doesn't know what they are talking about. LSU played their way into the game by beating the other top team in the West, and, with the exception of Miami, looked more impressive than any other team in college football during the last 3 games of the season (Auburn, Tennessee, Illinois). That being said . .before I start this rant, I want everyone to recognize that I am speaking in generalities . .I get along fantastic with almost everyone on this board and enjoy talking football (and the resulting madness) with you . .BUT I am so tired of you guys complaining about Auburn Fans and CTT. First of all, NO school whose fan base rushes to the other end of the stadium to chant Auburn sucks to the fans who are singing their Alma Matter have ANY place to call someone else fans classless. This was not something exageratted, and is not something that a few "bad apples" did. This was well over 1,000 LSU fans screaming "Auburn Sucks" to our crowd. For those of you not familiar, an Alma Matter is a colleges version of the National Anthem. Now obviously, National Patrotism is above and beyond college football. But can you imagine being in South Korea while USA fans are singing the national anthem, and thousands of South Koreans run over to yell "USA SUCKS." Would you defend South Koreans for that (or any country for that matter, not trying to pick on South Korea at all)? So let's give that one up. I have been watching TONS of college football for a long time and have NEVER seen a more blantant display of classlessness than that by a huge (1,000+) group . PERIOD. Are their Auburn idiots who try to start fights . yes . .do they suck . yes . do I wish they would go away . yes . But you would never see the mass taunting that LSU fans took part in last fall. I have been going to LSU games since I was 5 years old and while i have never seen that type of display, I have been for years watching other schools get taunted, heckled and so on for that whole time . even during the 15 years I was cheering for LSU did I think it was a bit excessive. Could some of the behavior that CTT and Auburn fans displayed in the last few visits be caused by this . possibly. SECOND - Tuberville doesn't sit around and let other schools disrespect Auburn. Last year during the Alma Matter, MSU fans rang their cowbells and heckled our fans at Jordan Hare. Tuberville took note of that and made it clear then that there may be retribution. Just as MSU put our band in the upper deck last Thursday, so no one could hear . don't be surprise if the MSU band isn't allowed anywhere near Jordan Hare next year. And you know what . that is ok with me . . As for the "jackass" behavior of CTT - we have gone back and forth about this many times . and I will not rehash. But I believe all of you support Nick Saban. The same man who last year, when a recruit - a high school senior, decommitted from LSU and committed to Texas A&M (I think it was A&M). Saban went to the media and was ALL OVER HIM. Questioned, his character, his parents, etc . and this is not rumor . the article was posted on this board. So are you telling me that Saban stopped recruiting the day before signing? That he stopped trying to get guys like say . Ben Obodamu . to change their committments? Please . of course not. That's what recruiting is all about. I have never seen Tuberville go after a person's character like that . . and for something that happens every day in the world of college recruiting I for one, care what happens on the football field, is the team winning, are the players graduating, and are the players staying out of trouble. If yes, I'm happy, and for that reason I believe Auburn and LSU both have something to be proud of. If you want to hate CTT . fine . but to do so, and truely believe you are doing it in an unbiased way . and that his actions are in no way reflective of your school's treatment to Auburn is a joke. Sorry this took so long . .good luck vs. MSU.
Chuck, without getting into too much detail over the Mcdaniel story, let's just say that there was more to the story than a decommit. The guy did sign with A&M (take that how you wish), and the rumor was that after signing day he was feeling mighty green. Now let's assume this did happen and you're Nick Saban. Obviously pissed off because someone "bought" one of your biggest recruits at the last minute, without relaying the story, you make a veiled reference to make a point to a certain group of people. Im sure RC Slocum, Archie Mcdaniel, and those close to both programs took that comment A LOT differently than you and I did.
Of course there is more to it. And I don't fault Saban for it . . But as there is more to this story, there is more to everything that happens with the coaches. But if you only take the one part that you read in the paper (which is written to envoke emotion) it changes things . . I've given full explanations to CTT actions in the past - but that doesn't change the LSU Faithful opinion . . I've said it once and will say it again . .as long as the questionable actions that CTT and his players do are in response to disrespectful actions committed towards the Auburn family (and the stomping on the eye and the fake field goal are primary examples of this) . i will continue to appreciate him for standing up for all of us, with no concern about what his rivals (and some Auburn fans think). His players love him, and he is an outstanding recruiter who is doing it clean . .
That isnt the opinion of all AU fans I know several who are very unhappy with Tuberville. Two of them who tailgated with us before last years game stated that AU fans were tired of Tubberville's crap, and if he wasnt winning then they definetely werent going to put up with it. This was before the game mind you. They also stated that if he were to lose to Bama this year, he was gone. I know several large boosters, who are close friends with Pat Dye as well as Terry Bowden, who are also not happy with Tuberville. These are older AU fans, so Tubberville's image, and the image of his program obviously clashes.
Nobody kicked you off AuMorgan nobody kicked you off the other Thread we just wanted to have this convo somewhere else that was ment to be a Poll not a Chat. ITS SO LOUD YOUR DEAF
I'm kind of replying in reference to Chuck's poll on the other thread but will try to leave that one for its intended purpose. I think its interesting to note that one of AU's most level-headed posters over here really can't stand us (and has told us so). I'm hoping that this rivalry doesn't get uglier than it has, but recent history and future revenge type attitudes (from both sides) may escalate things. I've always separated AU fans from its coach and have never called the fans "classless," although I recognize others have. I think this is probably from personal experience (such as Deaf's). The only negative exposure I've had is to Gator fans, so naturally I think they're the worst. The point is that this AU-LSU rivalry is heated by fans in a way that goes beyond isolated personal incidents. As far as Tubby being a great recruit, I don't think it's very difficult to recruit AU. In the SEC: Fla, TN, Bama, LSU, AU, Georgia will always be able to sell themselves with facilities, tradition, campus life, etc. Ole Miss, Ark, South Carolina are a step behind. Kent, Vandy, and MSU would seem to be very hard to recruit. Jackie must be cheating to get the players he does (as everyone claims). Everyone's biggest beef with Tubby, including some within the AU family, is that he's like the "win at all cost no matter how you get there" little league coach. Even if he's doing things right behind the scenes, his actions seem intended to give himself exposure and set bad examples for the young adults he coaches. In the real world, if you react to the past by intentionally embarassing your colleagues, you may earn a reputation that will be impossible to recover from. An "eye for an eye" is how some little league coaches teach, and I don't think it's right. I don't in Tubby's case either. With the way he's going, Auburn's reputation will be comingled with Tubby and will cause many other SEC schools to despise AU. It appears that LSU, MSU, Bama, Ole Miss already do from the West. Does Ark? If that's the way the AU faithful want it, I guess it's fine with me.
