Merry Christmas all you Sugar Less Auburn Fans

I was looking through some of my high school stuff the other day and saw something that disturbed me. It was the Christmas version of our school newspaper, the "Jacket Racket". In the dedication section there was a post from me. "Merry Christmas all you Sugar-less Auburn fans." WTF you say? Let me explain.

November 1985, found me a Senior in High School. And an Alabama Fan. It's true, I won't deny it. I grew up surrounded by Bama fans. My Grandfather, my Father, and most of all of my relatives were Alabama fans. Only my Aunt and Uncle (and their kids) were Auburn fans. My cousin Paul was a Freshman going to Auburn University that year. Alabama was coming into the Iron Bowl that year at 7-2-1 and Auburn was 8-2 and #7 in the land. Bo Jackson was tearing up the field for Auburn and would eventually win the Heisman Trophy that year. I was in the middle of trying to determine the college I would attend (My preferences were MIT, GA Tech, and then somewhere in state), and my cousin had a spare student ticket for the Iron Bowl that year.

What a game that was! Back and forth the score went until the final seconds Van Tiffen kicked the game winner into the Auburn Student section to give Alabama the win 25-23. I thought that I would get killed that day as I yelled and screamed and then realized that I was in the wrong student section. Fortunately I lived.

I went on to post my hateful message, thinking nothing of it. I wasn't planning on going to school there or anything...

Then life happened. MIT didn't want me. Georgia Tech would take me, but it was way too expensive being out of state. The big U recruited me, but it too was out of state and although I love Miami (the city not the University) I just couldn't afford to go. Troy State (then, now just Troy University) offered me a full boat, but me being a pretentious prick couldn't see going there at all. That left Alabama or Auburn. Easy decision right?

I went to Tuscaloosa for a weekend retreat for potential freshmen. It was a lot of fun with the people who were there with me. But the campus as a whole seemed alien and hostile. In fact, more than once I was treated poorly and that really left me feeling like I didn't belong. I was told, quite frankly, that if I wasn't part of the Greek system then I shouldn't bother attending. Hell for that kind of money, I could have went to Miami.

Auburn at least had a strong Engineering program. I held down my bile and went for a similar weekend visit.

And found a home.

For those that have experienced Auburn, you understand what I mean without having to explain it. For those that haven't, its like being surrounded by your family. It's comfortable and comforting. It's like finding the woman that you intend to spend the rest of your life with. It's like holding your new born child. It's like gorging on Thanksgiving turkey and fading to sleep while the game plays in the background.

The people I met that weekend made me feel so at home that I made my decision to go to school there that weekend. I've never regretted that decision.

Now with 3 children, I try to carry them to at least one game a year (depending on finances). They all would love to go to school there, but they won't because its now out of state for me. Regardless, they'll always call Auburn home as well.

And since then i"ve been all Auburn all the time. Tonight during the SEC championship game I had a moment of redemption. Auburn kicked ass and is heading to the National Championship game.

So i just have to say. Merry Christmas all you sugarless Auburn Fans. Beat Oregon!

I have to admit, i can't stop crying. War Dam... er Cam.. Eagle...

SEC's Most Obnoxious Fans

A buddy Benji recently sent me the link to Mark Bradley's blog at the AJC about the SEC's most obnoxious fans. In in Bradley makes a case for whom among us is the most obnoxious ranked best to worst. Obviously, since Benji is a LSU fan, he thought that this would get under my skin (it did) as Bradley selected my Auburn Tigers as the most obnoxious fans. Before I get into explaining just what I think of Bradley, let's examine his supposition.

Bradley states:

1. Auburn (No. 2 in 2008, No. 6 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Because Tiger fans still worship at the tainted feet of Pat Dye. Because they run off coaches on a whim. Because they’ve grown as arrogant as Alabama backers without one-tenth the justification. Because they’re still whining over the national championship they didn’t win in 2004. Because the world’s worst fan — the Montgomery banker Bobby Lowder — is an Auburn man. And because I would pay money (though not a lot) to see Bobby Lowder in jean shorts.

First off, no one under the age of 30 would even remember Pay Dye, or Bo Jackson for that matter. A true Auburn fan would be quick to remind you that although Dye was a good coach for his time, that we truly didn't enjoy success until this past decade with Tubberville. Although a lot of fans wanted Tubberville gone, it was more for the off field environment than the on field. Also for the record, no true Auburn fan likes Lowder (I was happy to see that his bank went bankrupt during the financial crisis maybe getting him out of the picture for good). But as much as I can state these things, they aren't facts, they are opinion. So let's focus on what Mr. Bradley purports to be factual information - "they run off coaches on a whim."

Truth is that Auburn has one of the most stable head coaching positions in the league, tied with Georgia and South Carlina with the least turn over in the past 10 years with Florida being the most stable over 20 years. Taking a look at all of the schools in conference there are some surprising information.


School/Coaches Since 2000*/Coaches Since 1990*
1.  Auburn    2 - (Tubberville, Chizick)    4 - (Dye, Bowden, Tubberville, Chizick)
1.  Georgia    2 - (Donnan, Richt)    4 - (Dooley, Goff, Donnan, Richt)
1.  South Carolina    2 – (Holtz, Spurrier)    4 – (Woods, Scott, Holtz, Spurrier)
4.  Florida    3 – (Spurrier, Zook, Meyer)    3 – (Spurrier, Zook, Meyer) **
5.  LSU    2 – (Saban, Miles)    5 – (Archer, Hallman, DiNardo, Saban, Miles)
6.  Mississippi State    3 – (Sherrill, Croom, Mullen)    4 – (Felker, Sherrill, Croom, Mullen)
6.  Tennessee    3 – (Fulmer, Kiffin, Dooley)    4 – (Majors, Fulmer, Kiffin, Dooley)
8.  Arkansas    3 – (Ford, Nutt, Petrino)    5 – (Crowe, Kines, Ford, Nutt, Petrino)
9.  Ole Miss    3 – (Cutcliff, Ogeron, Nutt)    6 – (Brewer, Dunn, Tubberville, Cutcliff, Ogeron, Nutt)
9.  Vanderbilt    3 – (Widenhofer, Johnson, Caldwell)    6 – (Brown, DiNardo, Dowhower, Widenhoffer, Johnson, Caldwell)
11.  Alabama    4 – (DuBose, Franchione, Shula, Saban)    5 – (Stallings, DuBose, Franchione, Shula, Saban)
11.  Kentucky    4 – (Mumme, Moriss, Brooks, Phillips)    5 – (Curry, Mumme, Moriss, Brooks, Phillips)
*Does not include interim coaches
**Most stable program in 20 years

So now I wonder just what Mr. Bradley thought he was doing.  I guess its true that most of us bloggers aren't real reporters, just some opinionated buffoon slapping words on a page to get some attention.  I know I do that, so I guess Bradley is no different.  However, I would expect that with the AJC backing his writing up, that he would at least look at some facts before spouting his poor opinion.  I guess newspapers will do whatever they can do to help their medium survive.  I guess they'll wake soon enough to realize that newspapers are dead. 

I did find it funny to read the comments on his blog.  Seems most people think that he must never have been to an SEC game at all (at least he didn't experience the true hospitality that is offered via tail-gating and in the stands seating).  I remember the Kansas State game a few years ago when after the game as we were walking to Toomers Corner I overheard some Auburn fans congratulating the State fans on a game well played (we only won in the final minutes of the game).  The State fans were shocked at that and said so.  The Auburn fan simply said, "Southern hospitality, hope you guys make it back safe home."

So now I truly don't care what Mark Bradley has to say but surely won't be reading him any more.  Oh, and cancel my subscription to the AJC.  What?  I don't have one?  Oh, right!

And Benji....  Where are we watching the Auburn-LSU game at this year?