ICYMI: Auburn Survives K-State

((ht: espn.com))

Okay, so this game was a heck of a lot closer than we...or anyone else thought it would be. And as it turned out, unless you are an Atlanta Falcons fan, this was the best football game on TV Thursday night be a large margin.

Auburn survived a trip to Manhattan, Kansas and a big scare from the Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12, winning a non-conference game 20-14.

And to be totally honest, had K-State kicker Jake Cantele made the 3 Field Goals he attempted during the game, we're having a different conversation.

But he didn't.

The Tigers were shut down running the ball and had to rely on Quarterback Nick Marshall to win the game with his arm.

And Marshall did just that throwing for 231 yards and 2 TD's.

Auburn moves to 3-0 and the heart of their SEC schedule begins next week.

Your highlights from ESPN.com:

Both Driver and Auburn Football Player Very Drunk at Time of Fatal Crash

((ht: ajc.com))

If you want a class about the dangers of drinking heavily and driving, this might be a story to include in your classwork.

A former Auburn football player and another man died in a crash early in the morning of June 29th near LaGrange, Georgia.

The driver, Joseph Davis of Dunwoody, Ga and Philip Lutzenkirchen who was sitting in the backseat of the car and was the aforementioned football player...had blood alcohol levels well above the legal limit toxicology reports stated.

Davis registered a 0.17 and Lutzenkirchen a 0.377.

Mind you according to Georgia law, a 0.08 BAC is enough for you to be considered legally intoxicated.

Two other passengers in the car were injured, but not seriously.

It may never be known why the group decided to go for a drive that late at night after drinking, though there were some reports they were familiar with the area and thought they could get to where they need to be.

But they were drinking and rarely does something like that end well.

For those wondering, Lutzenkirchen was a highly successful Tight End prospect who played a big role in the success of Auburn's 2010 National Championship team. He was briefly on the roster of the St. Louis Rams.

He had graduated, and according to reports was trying to establish a coaching career.

Davis, a University of Georgia student had recently transferred to Athens with the hope of making the baseball team. He was not able to secure a roster spot.

This was a very unfortunate accident that took the life of two men far too early. And it could have been avoided.

Without trying to preach...we hope this will be a lesson, even if it's just for one person, as to why you should not have a lot to drink and then get behind the wheel of a 1-ton car. It almost never ends well...

Bruce Pearl Is Back In SEC, New Auburn Head Coach

Bruce Pearl

Auburn has made the big splash in the coaching carousel hiring Bruce Pearl as the Tigers new head basketball coach.

"I'm humbled and blessed to be back in the game I love." Pearl said.  "I don't know how long it will take, but it's time to rebuild the Auburn basketball program, and bring it to a level of excellence so many of the other teams on campus enjoy."

"From the moment I met Coach Pearl and heard his vision for our basketball program, it was clear he’s the right man at the right time for Auburn," Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said.   "Coach Pearl is a proven winner who will bring energy and excitement to our program. We have raised the bar for Auburn basketball, and I could not be more excited for our student-athletes and our future under Coach Pearl’s leadership. I know he agrees with me — it’s time to win."

Pearl is still serving his three year show cause which expires in August.  In the meantime Pearl won't be able to recruit this summer.

Pearl definitely has a reclamation project at Auburn.  In four years with Tony Barbee as

head coach the Tigers were 48-75 and 18-50 in the SEC.

Here's Pearl discussing the violations with Dan LeBatard
((HT: ESPN))


The three-year show-cause penalty expires on August 23rd.

In 2008, Pearl hosted three recruits, including current Ohio State star Aaron Craft at his home for a cookout – a secondary violation – and then lied about the cookout to the NCAA, turning a secondary violation into a major violation.

One of the larger points of contention was that two of the people on the committee that delivered the show-cause penalty to Pearl, Dave Didion, had to probably approve this idea and hire.

From Joel Erickson's al.com piece:

Dave Didion, who returned to Auburn as assistant athletic director of compliance last year, was the lead investigator on Pearl's case, according to a source, and the school feels that a strong compliance department led by Didion and compliance director Rich McGlynn will be able to guide Pearl well on compliance issues.

Didion also signed off on Auburn's pursuit of Pearl, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

The HQ will give Auburn this... they'll certainly win the press conference...

Now, just how much patience will AD Jay Jacobs have with this rebuilding process...

And Bruce Pearl was excited when he hit the ground...
((HT: Vine via gray_lane))

Auburn Considers Giving Themselves More National Championships

((ht: auburn.247sports.com))

Hey, National Championships for everybody!

According to a report, Auburn University is the latest in a line of college football schools who are or have decreed themselves national champions…multiple times.

Confused? Yeah, so are we.

The Tigers are trying to decide if on opening day, August 30th, if they should raise national championship banners for 7 different squads. All of whom in school officials eyes, have a claim for the titles.

Most of the titles they want to lay claim to happened in the early 1900's, or for you young ins', before the BCS existed.

However, they also want to claim the 2004 title, even though that years undefeated squad didn't make the BCS title game. The logic, USC is apparently claiming it too.

Still confused. Yeah. This makes little to no sense. For their part, Auburn cites Texas A&M claiming titles in 1919 and 1927 after they moved to the SEC in 2012. USC is claiming 1939 and 2004.

If you are still confused, read this story from Auburn Undercover RIGHT HERE

---Sigh---

We really don't understand the logic here. Sure, we realize the whole "College Football Champion" thing has been hotly debated, misunderstood and argued for generations, but how can you legitimately claim something you aren't recognized by the governing body as winning?

It's kind of like in the TV News world saying "____ network had an exclusive interview with the president". Yeah, you were the only ones who talked to him, at that time.

So to Auburn, and any other school that feels so insecurely about themselves that they feel compelled to bestow an honor they didn't earn to….themselves, we say…

Well okay, actually we just laugh….

The End Of An Era, The Beginning Of An Era...

I'll admit it...

I was walking around in 70-plus degree weather yesterday...

All day...

I have seen all the different photos on social media from all of my friends and fellow media describing something going on in most of the country, but I'm going to have to say that I have no immediate recollection of what you're talking about. I remember walking through some jet ways in Minneapolis where I felt like I was walking through that beer commercial where the spelunker is trying to save the very meal his bartenders are trying to serve by bringing the glass bottle they just carved out of the nearest, ultra-convenient mountain side with an ice pick...

And, I dropped to my knees in profound thanks when I got into the concourse where the heat was working...

I'll admit it again...

I'm a very poor responder to cold... and the epic cold the east is taking care of for me can be sent on its way, thank you, by the time I return...

I had a football game to watch...

As someone who was a victim of the "Wide Right" and "Wide Left" eras at my alma mater where your time is marked by missed field goals at the most key moment against your hated rival- and you can recite the kickers who missed them and the direction the missed kicks missed- all of this talk about shoo-in national titles came across my ears with all the smoothness of a 7-year-old kid playing the cello for the first time- because his grandmother thought it would be a good idea...

The chalk across the chalkboard feeling when the kaolin fails to do its job because it isn't pointed enough to create the quadratic equation for Geometry class...???

That feeling...

And as the point spread against an "underdog" Auburn team climbed from 8 to 10 or 10-and-a-half points (depending on the independent businessman you follow for such advice), your hands go straight into "earmuffs" mode the closer you got to kickoff. Sure, the younger generation attached to the current Heisman Trophy winner came into the Arroyo Seco with entirely too much confidence. But they will understand, some day, not necessarily this one- that when you're given all the information and get to study from all angles that nothing is as easy as it's made to look...

I'll say this without qualification...

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is crazy...

And I don't mean that in a bad way at all...

He's the guy who works in his basement at all hours trying to figure out how to make time travel economical for the middle-class family of four. He'll be more than happy to figure out a way to make your sedan run on something that smells like cooking grease, but gets 427,000-miles per gallon. And, if there's a bomb set to go off attached to your ankle, and all he has is a plastic six-pack holder and a to-go bag from In-n-Out Burger...

He'll figure something out...

Defensive Coordinator Ellis Johnson isn't too far behind Malzahn, either... he just needs to figure out the cooking grease equations his boss has on the whiteboard...

In the first half of this title game, Malzahn ran his game that got Auburn to the last game of the year. It included a pass down the seam to a tall receiver that you had to go deep into the stat book to ask yourself who he was and did he, in fact, exist before Monday night. To even find who Melvin Ray exactly was, you had to know exactly where North Florida Christian School was and that Casey Weldon was his high school coach (Yes, the FSU Casey Weldon, but hang on to your conspiracy theories- for now).

Ray had caught only four other passes the entire season and his 6-3 height advantage was used mainly on special teams...

Until he was so blatantly ignored travelling down the seam, that it was 14-3...
((HT: ESPN))


Johnson dialed up 30 days worth of coverages that freaked out Jameis Winston and kept him in the pocket- and also kept the Seminoles from running their offense quickly enough to tire a defense that had given up yards all year...

They, simply, weren't doing it...

But football is all about adjustments... and you can talk about the fake punt Jimbo Fisher called being absolutely huge to keep his team from getting blown out of the gym...

It was...

And you can talk about how FSU pushed everything offensive from the tackle box (where Auburn likes to make it's three and four-yard gains all night if you let them) to the edges where their superior pursuit speed gave it more of a shooting gallery look going from side-to-side and gaining little yardage in the second half...

It did...

But it took a kickoff return by Levonte Whitfield...


And a 50-yard pass that set up the winning score as part of a 21-point fourth quarter to turn Auburn's last chance with the football into something that looked like a failed attempt at a Cal-Stanford play to chase one more miracle...

It took an entire half for Winston to find Kelvin Benjamin as a receiver and, doing the math, Devonta Freeman only got to run the ball 11 times in the entire game.

"Fortunate" is a word I would use as an alum to determine what happened at the Rose Bowl for Florida State fans. And with Tre Mason, Nic Marshall, and a lot of people returning, I look at Auburn to do some strong things next season...

Even if, with this new playoff system, the arguing will only escalate since more teams will be left out of the loop when you even get to choose more to be involved in a four-team playoff...

A few non-game points to close:

The Rose Bowl has no concept how to deal with incoming crowds...

The sign to your right was a microcosm of the day... they actually use it to keep some kind of control from the moment the gates allow you into the stadium proper and attempt to get to your seat. And, this "crown control" actually kept a lot of people from missing a lot of the pre-game activity on the field.

Do not misunderstand... the Rose Bowl is a gorgeous venue for football...

They just need a lot of Ess-E-Cee ushers and state troopers to get you in and out in the fashion with which the rest of the world is accustomed...

Translation: "A timely fashion..."

And, the other note...

The beauty of coming to Southern California is getting to sample some of the best food ever...

The unifier of all faiths from the Rose Bowl...
In-n-Out Burger...

This was our besieged and overrun In-n-Out across the freeway from our hotel in Universal City. They didn't think that there would be a big crowd, so they were understaffed...

Woefully so... but you notice that there are fans from both teams there- and the crew that keeps the Florida State appaloosa, Renegade, happy for his cross-country ride back to Tallahassee.

One FSU fan, obviously, dialed up on liquid courage wanted to know if there were any "National Championship winners" in the building. And yelling this question made him the envy of none...

A Seminoles fan waiting to place his own order in front of him turned and requested that he stay classy about the win...

"You don't want us compared to those 'Canes, do you?"

Eastern rivalries are never far from anyone, anywhere...
And that's football for you...

Enjoy the off-season people, National Signing Day is only a month or so away...
And it starts all over again...

The Seminoles Will Be Unconquered

Gus Malzahn and Jimbo Fisher

I see Brother Phil and Brother Jon have added their take to Monday’s BCS National Championship Game so I feel compelled to add my take.

My day job requires me to stay in tune with college football particularly with the ACC and the SEC each week so I’ve seen Auburn and Florida State on a regular basis.

To say Auburn got to the BCS National Championship Game strictly on luck is disrespect to what the Tigers accomplished this season.

Sure Ricardo Louis was in the right place at the right time when the ball deflected off Georgia’s Josh Harvey-Clemons’ shoulder pad and into his arms for the game winning touchdown.

And then Chris Davis takes an Alabama missed field goal the length of the field on the final play to win the Iron Bowl with each providing Auburn radio play-by-play voice Rod Bramblett the greatest resume reel in the business.

The point is Auburn put themselves in a position to win those games with in my mind the best running game in college football and an offensive line that has done a hell of a job run blocking.

When the season began you knew Florida State was loaded with talent and speed.  The wild card was whether redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston would live up to the hype.

Well leading the Seminoles to a 13-0 record, an ACC title and winning the Heisman Trophy means yes he did, and then some.

You thought Florida State would have been challenged by Clemson at Death Valley.  The Seminoles whooped the Tigers 51-14.

That sums up Florida State’s season, the Seminoles play at a much higher level than there opponents.

Yet I agree with Brother Jon that this will be a much closer game because of Auburn’s ability to run the ball, they’re the best in the nation at it.

Back on September 28^th Florida State defeated Boston College 48-34 in what was the Seminoles closest game. 

Andre Williams rushed for 159 yards and the Eagles as a team rushed for 210 yards, the most Florida State gave up all year.

B.C. ended up 13^th in the country rushing and Andre Williams enjoyed an over 2,000 yard season and led the nation in rushing.

Tre Mason and Nick Marshall will be the best backs Florida State has faced since the Boston College game.

That will keep the game close.

What is going to put Florida State over the top will be Jameis Winston’s ability to make plays.  He’s that good.

If you’re a Florida State fan though, you won’t be comfortable until the game is over but the Crystal Ball will return to Tallahassee.

ICYMI: Famous Jameis is Your Heisman Trophy Winner (Now What Happens?)

We were watching this on TV last night at a Christmas Party and found the reaction very interesting.

To the surprise of few, but gasps of many not plugged into the sports world, Florida State redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston won the 2014 Heisman Trophy.

The win by the 19-year old makes him the youngest winner in the history of the award. And while it wasn't unanimous, it was pretty close.

But it didn't come without questions either.

While it was pretty clear Winston was the best player off the field (he had amazing stats on the #1 team in the land), it's the off-field issue that raised the eyebrows.

Yes, he was exonerated on allegations he participated in the rape of a FSU coed in late 2012. But questions still remain. The victims attorney is emphatic there was a cover-up and evidence of Winston's participation was destroyed.

But it will likely never be proven.

In defense of the young Alabama native, it's very hard to shake allegations when they come forward. And the fact he admitted a relationship of some sorts with the victim makes it all the more awkward.

As someone on Sports talk radio said shortly after he was cleared, either he did something wrong or he didn't, but the truth probably lies somewhere in between.

We may never know.

Nor should it take away from the amazing season the young man had on the field. The leadership skills alone Winston showed should be enough to get him on everyone's best player list. And throwing for 38 touchdowns for a team who was rarely if at all challenged in a major conference, makes what he did that much more impressive.

Winston, coach Jimbo Fisher and his Seminoles have one more hurdle to clear this season, and that's a date in the BCS Championship game with the Cinderella Auburn Tigers. It's a game FSU is favored in, and a game that if he wins, will seal the greatness of Famous Jameis in college football lore forever.

Your Awards Ceremony from ESPN:

Miracle At Jordan Hare 2, Auburn Wins The Iron Bowl Over Alabama

How can you top Auburn's hail mary win over Georgia two weeks ago?

Running back a missed field goal the entire length of the field on the last play of the game against Alabama. Officially Chris Davis ran the missed field goal attempt 100 yards but who cares, that run defeated the Crimson Tide.

Watch and if your a Auburn Tiger fan, enjoy.


That gets a colossal "War Eagle!"

Chris Davis' run is etched in the great chapters of the "Iron Bowl."

Here's how the voice of the Auburn Tigers Rod Bramblett call the final play.  It's a classic.



With Auburn's last two football games Bramblett will have the best resume reel in the history of radio.

Auburn Celebrates PGA Title The Only Way They Know...

((HT: Brandon Marcello))

Okay, so Jason Dufner wins the PGA Championship in Rochester, New York- which lends itself to the proper celebrations in and around campus...


And Bo Jackson's daughter, Morgan, Vining her dad when Dufner sank the putt on 18...


And the appropriate Twitter celebrations

@CoachGusMalzahn watching @JasonDufner trophy presentation at PGA Champ #WarEagle

Former Auburn Hoops Player Indicted For Point Shaving

((HT: WSFA-TV))

Kyievarez "Varez" Ward is alleged to "have conspired with others to bribe or solicit one or more individuals to influence a sporting contest, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371."

Translation: Two counts of point-shaving while he was playing for Auburn...

Ward and teammate Chris Denson, were suspended before the February 25th, 2012 home game against the Arkansas Razorbacks after allegations of poor play involving point-shaving.

Denson was questioned and was cleared.

Auburn University Athletics issued a statement shortly after Ward's suspension:

"Auburn officials were made aware of a rumor regarding an allegation two weeks ago and immediately reported it to the FBI, the NCAA and the SEC. Because of the nature of the allegation, Auburn is not in a position to make any further comment on the situation."

Of course not...

Ward attended Montgomery-Jefferson Davis High School and is no longer enrolled at Auburn.
Here's what Tony Barbee saw in Ward from his time at Texas...


Read more from al.com's Brendan Kirby hyah as he looks inside the indictment that was unsealed this week...

The Beginning Of The End: Toomer's Oaks Coming Down

((HT: Alabamas13.com/WVTM))

And the Loveliest Village will continue to remember Harvey Updyke for what is going on this morning...
Crews are beginning the removal of the Oaks at Toomer's Corner...
Evidence Below...
WVTM-TV: News, Weather, and Sports for Birmingham, AL

Security was hanging out around the trees all night so there would be no last-minute rolling to hamper the removal that started this morning...

The limb removal is today while the trunks will remain until the end of football season when the university and city of Auburn will start the renovation project at the Corner. The crew is trying to make as few cuts on the trees as possible since the limbs are being turned into mementos of some sort...

The Auburn community is seeing this as a sad day and nothing more... short of disgusting fanaticism that caused an act that never should have gone down in the first place...

More when we know more...

Toomer's Oaks: A Week Before The End

Admittedly, I have had inside information on this the whole time... but, at the same time, I understand what all this means...

It starts with a phone call...
((HT: Paul Finebaum Radio Network))


And ends with either an Irish wake or a funeral- depending on your perspective... and there are those on the Plains that probably feel both and will feel both after the Auburn spring football game next Saturday...

It is being presented (saying "promoted" doesn't feel entirely appropriate) as "One Last Roll" where you can buy officially wrapped toilet paper and other memorabilia. The proceeds are going to a fund that support the Auburn University Alumni Scholarship fund and the Auburn Downtown

Merchants for various activities.

It's reverence and understanding that a rivalry has its fringe elements that will always hate (and I

Toomer's Corner From The Drugstore

use that word in its most literal form)- for whatever illogical reason. And, in talking with TBH, she was at a profound loss trying to come up with the proper words to describe the act that Harvey Updyke perpetrated on 150-year old oaks that are just as much a part of the fabric of her university as Nova, Momma Goldberg's, Guthrie's, Beard-Eaves, Sportsman's Park, Shug Jordan, Pat Dye, the three Heisman winners, and "Punt, Bama, Punt."

She tried to use unconscionable, unfathomable, evil, and sociopathic. But most sociopaths feel theirs is a level of superior intelligence over the people they have exerted some kind of control.

And, in some other peoples view, it takes a real man to take out his unfounded frustrations in a rivalry on trees. The reason that Updyke pleaded out was that the trial would still be going on at the date of the spring game- and it would be even more of a firestorm if every act was going on simultaneously than instead of getting out of the way as Updyke's attorney did.

The Never To Yield Foundation has been getting inundated with angry Auburn fans once they found out that the four-letter is coming to cover the last roll. They're not there for the spring game... just the rolling of the oaks. All of the supporters would like to treat the lucky crew they send with the same amount of respect they feel they got in the latest Selena Roberts/Shaun Assael stories.

So, what are the folks at NYT saying in return: take the high road...

Rolling the trees for the final time on April 20 is about Auburn and Auburn alone. It’s not about Harvey Updyke and his insufficient justice. It’s not about the latest shot fired in a rivalry. It’s not about sycophantic radio callers or braying hosts who encourage them. It’s not about Selena Roberts or ESPN or any of the other media minions.

That Saturday is about the Auburn Family and honoring our cherished traditions.  It’s a chance for us to say farewell to the trees which meant so much to generations of Auburn fans and to celebrate our future together.  Ever to conquer. Never to yield.

It’s about us.  Don’t let anyone or anything detract from that.

Be gracious to ESPN reporters.  Show them what Auburn hospitality is all about, even though we all may feel slighted by the attacks we’ve suffered.

So, we'll see if that ends up the case... I still think that some drunken clown will treat the reporter (my guess, Tom Rinaldi, so he can incorporate children, puppies, and crying- sometimes all at once in his post-rolling opus) much like some Rutgers kid did John Barr and his videographer...

((HT: ESPN))


But for what Updyke did, in not only crossing the line of being an Alabama fanatic but pole vaulting way-the-hell over it, he soured part of the history of the Ess-E-Cee.

Each school has it's own traditions...

If Georgia had found UGA murdered by a Florida fan, if someone had chased after Smokey in Knoxville and ended his life, poisoned Mike The Tiger's food at LSU... that's about as close as the Auburn community feels what went down. And it something that can't be erased, taken back, or made good in any way... ever...

And while the Oaks were rolled for 76 years, generations of fans in the conference will have no idea about the history of the trees- except for the ending... a brutal, disgusting, classless act that has a bit of irony now...

The irony of Toomer's Oaks- still blooming

Because of all the horticultural steroids and treatment the Oaks have been given, they still bloom even as they are dying.

So, there are those who look at the trees and feel that moment of "Hey, wait... look at that... maybe..."

And, then, the wake-up call that it's time for them to go.

All the history of celebrating countless important victories for the school- regardless of sport- will have to be partied about in an entirely different manner to be determined, agreed to, endorsed, and participated in with all the zeal of the past with a gaping hole to fill both on a four-way stop in the heart of downtown and in the hearts of thousands of alums and fans across the southeast.

TBH admits that the next time she goes to the corner it will be weird since the Oaks will be removed and something else will be in their place- probably, a plaque, a monument, or another inanimate object that's non-Spike80DF-able...

And I get it... completely... she and her family (blood or otherwise) have regaled me of countless stories about rolling trees and I have seen, in my time, the watering of the TP so the trees can be trees again.

Will fandom and fanaticism turn a corner because of the removal...???
Doubt it...

But you'd like to think someone might think a few times before doing something as astronomically stupid as dropping a pesticide deep enough into the ground to have people concerned about the water table...

Here's to Auburn celebrating like the Whos on Christmas morning on the 20th... and everyone else being respectful... even if it is just for one day...

DEVELOPING: Former Auburn DB McNeil Gets 3 Years In Jail

Former Auburn defensive back Mike McNeil has received a split sentence for first-degree robbery.

Lee County (AL) Circuit Judge Christopher Hughes accepted McNeil's plea deal just as he was set to go to trial. McNeil is now required to serve at least three years in the Lee County Jail plus serve an additional three years of probation upon his release. He has also been ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

McNeil and three teammates from the Tigers' 2010 national championship team- Antonio Goodwin, Dakota Mosley, and Shaun Kitchens- were charged with armed robbery and dismissed from the team in March 2011. Goodwin is serving a 15-year sentence while Dakota Mosley and Shaun Kitchens are awaiting trial.

McNeil was originally indicted on five counts of first-degree robbery, one count of first-degree burglary and one count of third-degree theft of property from the break-in.

“The totality of the circumstances make this the best deal,” McNeil's attorney, Ben Hand said.

More when we know more...

McNeil Trial Date Set, Gets No New Attorney

((HT: WRBL-TV, WLTZ-TV, WTVM-TV Columbus))

Mike McNeil, courtesy Auburn Police Department

A Lee County, Alabama judge has denied Mike McNeil's request for a new attorney, just days before his scheduled trial for armed robbery back in 2011.

The former Auburn University safety appeared before Judge Chris Hughes in day two of a status hearing.

During day one of his hearing yesterday, McNeil's attorney, Ben Hand, told the court he received a letter from McNeil earlier in the week informing him that McNeil was no longer needing him as his attorney. Hand, then, wanted to file a motion of withdrawal.

McNeil told the court he felt, "uncomfortable" in the correspondence, having Hand represent him. But Judge Hughes denied the request by McNeil.

"As long as the judge says I am on the case, I will do everything I can to defend my client," added Hand after the decision was sent down bu Judge Hughes.

Judge Hughes told McNeil that his trial will begin as scheduled on Monday.

McNeil's defense also made a motion for a change of venue- which Hughes will rule on next week.
Here's discussion a little behind the update by Bruce Feldman and Allie LaForce...
((HT: CBS Sports Network))

Are the Auburn Gates Beginning To Open? ESPN Confirms Part of Wednesday's Story

((ht: espn.com))

So, most football fans south of the Ohio have been caught up in the implications swirling after a scathing report claimed all kinds of improprieties surrounding the Auburn Tigers football team.

The report on a "new" website, run by a former New York Times reporter and Auburn alum quoted multiple football players accusing the school of paying players, fixing grades and essentially institutional racism.

We voiced our thoughts on that story by Serena Roberts on Roopstigo.com earlier today.


You can read the original story by Roberts, RIGHT HERE

There were many accusations in Roberts story, including that the school protected multiple players who failed drug tests before the 2010 National Championship game.

And today (Friday) comes a follow up story by ESPN's "Outside the Lines" explaining how the school kept drug tests confidential and was fully aware of multiple players using synthetic marijuana and did nothing about it.

You can read that story RIGHT HERE\

And yes, we'll direct this paragraph to brother Jon. While the ESPN.com story does not validate the entire Serena Roberts story, it confirms a portion of it.

And Auburn AD Jay Jacobs confirmed it. (The marijuana part)

So, the takeaway from this is simple: Auburn played the 2010 Championship Game with players that arguably shouldn't have been eligible. Yet they were.

By no means are we implying Auburn is the only school that looked around the "Synthetic Marijuana" issue. There were reports that same year that Georgia looked away from then star tailback Isiah Crowell's positive result for the same drug the week before the Georgia/Florida game.

Here's our initial story RIGHT HERE

We had been told that Crowell was the player in question, but nobody would at the time confirm it. Crowell and 2 other players were suspended the following week...vs. New Mexico State.

You can read that story RIGHT HERE

Our point here is this: There have been some questions about the Selena Roberts report. Several have said she "Has a vendetta" "She's looking for revenge". And maybe that is a factor in her reporting, which focuses around former Auburn Safety Mike McNeil. But as time passes, confirmation of the story is beginning to surface.

If the drug test/abuse allegations are true, than what other parts are? Yeah, sure, most in the SEC world are saying "So what, everybody does stuff like this". And they may be right. But Auburn is again in the spotlight for it.

Expect an NCAA Investigation for what that is worth (another). And expect it to probably not get anywhere.

But we've said all along, "Where there's smoke, there is fire" and it sure sounds like that's beginning to hold very, very true.

DEVELOPING: Updyke Takes Plea Deal

((HT: WSFA-TV))

A month before the Auburn University spring game and the last time that the community will be able to roll Toomer's Oaks before their removal, Harvey Updyke has taken a plea deal in the poisoning of the trees with Spike 80-DF.

As a result, Updyke will be sentenced to three years in jail- entering a plea of guilty to Criminal Damage to an Agriculture Facility, a class C felony, but he should remain in jail for a period at least six months.

After his release, Updyke will be under supervised probation for five years, he will be required to stick to a 7PM curfew, and he can't attend any college sporting event. He is also banned from going to anything "Auburn"- not that they would let him into anything in the first place...

He is also under a media gag order...
And that will be interesting as to whether or not he'll stick to that one...

Restitution costs have not yet been determined, Lee County (AL) District Attorney Robbie Treese said at a press conference. But he added that whatever the cost is, it will be doubled under the Alabama Farm Animal, Crop and Research Facilities Protection Act.

Kinda like an anti-trust case...

"We have a significant number of violent felonies awaiting trial in Lee County," DA Treese said, "and I could not in good conscience justify financing a three week trial merely to arrive at no better a resolution."

Here's the phone call that started it all...
((HT: PFRN))


Here's the latest from Montgomery...
((HT: WSFA-TV))
WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

More when we know more...

Cam Newton's Brain "Gets Stuck In Traffic..."

This is what happens sometimes when you host your own charity fundraiser and you get asked questions on the fly...

Cam Newton (or, "Cameron Jerrell Newton" as his mother identified him since he was stuck in traffic and late for his own fundraiser) was asked by the highly-partisan Auburn crowd whether or not he could sing the Auburn fight song for the crowd in attendance...

The running gag was that anything got (or was) "stuck in traffic" when something went wrong on the evening...

You can guess what happened...

Or, you can watch above...

After it was over, Cam admitted that his brain got stuck in traffic...

Although, for the record, the Cam Newton Foundation looks like it will be doing some good things for youth who should be staying in shape and want to make a point to, possibly, even play athletically at the same time in their high school years...

Miss Jackie, Cam's mother, should keep it on the straight and narrow...

OSG High: Dell McGee Heading To Auburn

And, now, it's time of the year for college staffs to add to their groups...

One day after Jeff Herron is leaving Camden County (GA) High for Prince Avenue Christian (Bogart, GA), another prime Georgia high school job is now open.

Antonio (Dell) McGee is leaving Carver-Columbus to join the support staff at Auburn- his alma mater- where he was a standout during his playing days. In nine years as head coach, McGee went 88-19 with a state title in 2007 when his Columbia Blue went 15-0.

Ask anyone and McGee is widely regarded as a respected coach and man. After graduating from Kendrick-Columbus (GA) High, he went to Auburn where he was considered to be one of the team's best cover corners by the time he graduated in 1996. He bounced around the NFL, Arena Football League, and the XFL before retiring to be a coach.

Universal kudos are circulating for the Gus Malzahn hire...

Here's an interview PrimeTimeGridironTV did with McGee in the 2011 season

Auburn Student Hits 4 Shots in 24 Sec's for Tuition Money

((ht: thebiglead.com))

Hmmmm....after you see this video, you might wonder why Auburn coach Tony Barbee doesn't sign this kid up. After all, Barbee's Tigers are a robust 9-15 on the season with little hope of any post-season action.

Check out the routine this kid goes through for the money. A layup, a free-throw, 3-pointer and a half-court shot at the buzzer for the money.

Trust us when we say this; "It ain't easy to that".

Thanks Auburn Athletics for the video:

DEVELOPING: Updyke Bond Revoked

((HT: OANow.com/Taylor))

At his bond hearing this morning in Opelika, Alabama Circuit Judge Jacob A. Walker III revoked Harvey Updyke’s bond due to an outstanding arrest warrant in Louisiana (pictured right, thanks WTVM-TV)

District attorneys asked for the bond to be revoked on an incident that happened in Hammond, Louisiana back in September with a Lowe's store employee over the lawn mower that Updyke wanted to return. He was charged with assault after being initially charged with "making terroristic threats." Updyke, also apparently, failed to appear for a court appearance in November for the charge.

Here was the report from the lawnmower incident...
((HT: ESPN))


Updyke will remain in the Lee County (AL) Detention Facility until his trial starts on April 8 or until a motion for his release is granted. Updyke is charged with in the Toomer's poisoning case:

Two counts of first-degree criminal mischief,
Two counts of desecrating a venerated object and,
Two counts of unlawful damage, vandalism or theft of property from a farm animal or crop facility

The defense for Updyke also is asking for a change of venue for jury pool selection and court administration...

None of that is a surprise to the HQ...