By Shane from Centerpoint

Here we are, trapped in that sports void that comes around this time each year. After the recruiting season is over and the last spring game played, there is nothing left but gridiron predictions for the next season. During the next one hundred and some-odd days football fanatics can do nothing but wait for the opening kick-off. In light of the fact that we have only time to kill, I have several opinions and questions that I will throw out for consumption and debate:

1. Nick Saban sent a strong message to future Crimson Tide players when he demonstrated through (record setting) wide receiver D.J. Hall that – no matter how talented a player may be – his attitude sets the altitude to which he rises. D.J.’s disposition may have cost him millions of dollars in NFL money.

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2. Tommy Tuberville has no one to blame but himself for getting trounced in recruiting this year. How could he expect young men to sign with Auburn when he was trying to leave?

3. When is former Auburn head football coach Pat Dye going to go away and leave the current coach (whoever that may be) alone and let him do his job? I’m of the opinion that Dye has his fingerprints all over this Tony Franklin “spread” offense.

4. I hear Florida coach Urban Meyer is one nasty son-of-a-gun. Rumors abound of his exploits concerning recruiting and a few other non-football related issues. Will Meyer’s arrogance eventually turn Florida fans against him if he doesn’t win “big” consistently?

5. The new “Saban Rule” on recruiting is nothing but a cop-out by the NCAA designed to appease the lazy coaches, who whine the loudest. Truthfully, they simply aren’t committed to the institution they work for enough to actually earn their paycheck. Thanks Tommy.

6. Has the “era of the thug” finally come to an end? Recent moves by the NFL indicate that character and class carry as much weight as athletic ability when teams consider the draft status potential of a player. Will college football follow suit?

7. LSU head coach Les Miles is in uncharted waters. Next season he’ll have to face the treacherous SEC with his own players. Miles will no longer be able to rely on the talent Nick Saban left behind. I’ll bet those crazy LSU fans are going to miss the new Nebraska head coach and I honestly believe that Les Miles hates the fact that he’s not in Ann Arbor.

8. Is Mark Richt going to continue the current Georgia trend and let his Bulldogs get tagged early by some average opponent? He seems to ruin a potential national championship run every year with an early choke.

9. If Kentucky coach Rich Brooks and his staff were at a school like Florida or LSU they would compete for championships early and often. They are that good.

10. After another frustrating season as the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, Steve Spurrier will begin to start thinking about finishing his career at a real football school. Can you blame him?

11. Alabama is going to surprise future opponents this year by taking Clemson out to the woodshed in the season opener. In fact they will win at least 9 games in the regular season, with a very good probability of adding a 10th win in a bowl game. Possible losses may come to: Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, and Clemson. As I stated above the Clemson thing is a done deal. The other team I think the Tide will beat is Auburn.

12. Speaking of Auburn, they will face some difficulties this year due to a lack of continuity and consistency—mainly because both coordinators are brand new. I think Auburn will lose 5 regular season games and finish the season strong with a bowl victory to reach 8 wins.
You can reach Shane via email at shanesez@gmail.com

35 thoughts on “Some things to ponder”

  1. Your journalism skills are improving Shane. This article is only 75% B.S. Im sure that if you apply yourself you may one day make it to 50% B.S. mark. But I guess that is just wishful thinking on my part. Who knows, Yall could potentially win 9 games, maybe 10. but I believe that would be a stretch. 8-9 wins would be a little more realistic. Again you have it back asswards. Looking at the schedules I believe that Auburn could possibly win 9 games at least. Probably 10 with a bowl win, with a little luck 11. There is no way Bama beats Auburn this year, maybe next. Till then keep on dreaming, they say it builds character. (something the tide desperately needs)

  2. Truthfully, it crushes my spirit to say this, but I look for Alabama Polytechnic Institute to take the west this up and coming season.

    Naturally, it’ll be a close race, but I think they have just enough talent to lead them past other western powerhouses such as LSU, Arkansas, and Alabama.

    I highly doubt we’ll win 9 games next season. In fact, I don’t see us finishing any where above the 7 win marker. We will gradually progress in the next 2-3 seasons, but we still lack the overall talent to win more than one or two big games per season. Not to mention we have an overly paranoid and schizophrenic quarterback who’ll continue to make matters worse by adding onto our loss column.

    Truthfully, I don’t think we’ll win the Iron Bowl next season; however, on the other hand, it’s very possible that we could. Considering the last two losses have came courtesy of crucial turnovers on our behalf (Parker fumbling the ball twice in 06, setting up two easy touchdowns for API and in 2007 DJ Hall’s bobbled drop in the endzone and the “late hit” giving API the go-ahead touchdown on 4th down.) But, API and UA are the exact opposite of each other: we start off the season strong, and finish on a low note, they start off weak and finish on a strong note.

    It could potentially be the case this season, but I refuse to have high expectations going into this season knowing we still lack the proper talent to win big.

  3. UAT is a “western powerhouse?” I think you need to win more than 50% of your games before you can begin to claim that title. Maybe even put an end to that two-game skid as Miss. State.

  4. Kevin, I’m not sure if college mathematics ties in with the world renowned sociology department down at the second rate cow college of Opelika, but last I recall, technically Alabama has won more than 50% of their games in two of the last three seasons. I just wanted to confirm that fact with you, just in case you did in fact receive a degree for little or absolutely no work at all in sociology, mathematics, and rodeo show production.

    And before you open that corroded mouth of yours anymore, you may wanna worry more about preventing Mississippi State from compiling a two game streak over your beloved Opelika Tech Barnies next season than worry about what Alabama is going to do. Oh, and here’s a friendly forewarning for you: be on the lookout for Louisiana-Monroe next season. Seeing as how you played us down to the wire a week after that humiliating loss at the hands of ULM. You wouldn’t want those guys to tear through your trailer parks and cow pastures like a rabid tornado the way they simply ran completely over the Alabama football team last year, especially after all the unnecessary nonsense you’ve blabbed since that loss.

  5. I’m overwhelmed by the fact that the Mississippi State and Aubarn University rivalry isn’t as any more intense than it actually is seeing how it’s two cow schools going at each other battling for the “The most superior cow school of the south”. Perhaps we should refer to this game as the “Cow Bowl.”

  6. ^^^
    And Chick-Fil-A could be their official sponsor.

    Look out, ‘Bama, ‘Bama Tech has a new arch-nemesis!!

  7. Shame,
    If nick satan was at any other school but AUBURN WEST he could win a National Title. He and his former staff (Muschamp & Fisher) are that good.

    Why do you goobers throw your athletes under the bus year in and year out? DJ is no good. Simion Castille is no good. JP Wilson is no good. Put in JP, Brody is no good. McLeroy is the man. Jimmy Barnes is the man.

    Shame, you need to listen a little closer to the criticism of you own fans about football, basketball and any other sport that are failures. You and your fellow fanatics have no patience. bama seems to be heading in the right direction and one year they will be on even keel with AUBURN. Like Falkenberry said Thursday, AUBURN is not going away. The seventies were a long time ago.

    SCK

  8. 007 …….Those two COW colleges have flat out spanked that tail as of late. But hey what do the facts have to do with anything huh?

  9. Shane, you make no sense, 2 new brand coordinators are going to cause Auburn difficulties, and how long have UAT’s coordinators been on campus? Will Saban give them the control to do their job? I think I heard Saban say at the press conference that one person will not oversee the offense. Sounds like he has alot of confidence in his “brand new” OC.

  10. Shane-

    So, Auburn is going to struggle because they lack consistency and they have 2 new coordinators? However, Bammer is going to win 9 or 10? Is that because of all the consistency Bammer had last year and the fact that they have a new coordinator?

    As for Auburn, I expect them to have much more consistency on offense (can’t be worse that the last 2 years) and the defense will be the same as long as Tubby is at the helm.

    As for Bammer, I don’t see how they will be much better than last year with JPW still at QB.

    Christopherson-

    Thank you. It does my heart good to see a Bammer dispute the fact that they have been better than .500 the last 3 years. What a joke!!!

    Second, do you not find it funny that you talk about Auburn possibly losing 2 in a row to MSU when that is exactly what Bammer has done? Maybe you and Bammer should worry more about preventing #3!!!

    007-

    I’m overwhelmed by the fact that Bammers still run their @#$% suckers!!!

  11. Shame,

    I heard that your brother is having YOU removed from his BUTT.

    Brother Chette will be praying for Lance and I will too.

    SCK

  12. SOME TRUER THINGS TO PONDER!
    1. Lou Saban, sorry, I mean Nick, is so well respected in the NFL that he can cost his own (Bama) players millions of dollars. I’m sure he made a few calls to let the teams know all about D.J.’s character. Problem is no one in the NFL returned his call. Another Shane excuse for Bama’a futile program not getting anyone drafted.
    2. Tommy Tuberville has no one to blame but MEDIA HYPE for percieved bad recruiting this year. How could he expect young men to sign with Auburn when THE MEDIA AND THE BAMA BLOGGERS SAID HE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE?
    3.Former head coach Pat Dye has a stronger finger on the pulse of Auburn football than any of the last 5 Bama coaches ever had ON BAMA FOOTBAL. Tony Franklin is a BRILLIANT CHOICE by the current head coach (Tommy Tuberville)especially if you compare his offense to the current Tide “Dead” Offense. Oh that’s right, this brilliant recruting class is going to win 9 games this year for the Tide.
    4. I hear BAMA coach NICK SABAN is one nasty son-of-a-gun. Rumors abound of his exploits concerning recruiting and a few other non-football related issues. Will SABAN’S arrogance eventually turn BAMA fans against him if he doesn’t win “big” consistently?
    5. The new “Saban Rule” on recruiting is right on! Truthfully, SABAN ISN’T committed to the institution he IS OVERPAID BY! He’ll NEVER earn HIS paycheck. Thanks Tommy.
    6. Has the “era of the thug” finally come to an end? Recent moves by the NFL indicate that character and class carry as much weight as athletic ability when teams consider the draft status potential of a player. Will ALABAMA FOOTBALL and ALABAMA JR. COLLEGE IN HOOVER ever follow suit?
    7. LSU head coach Les Miles is in uncharted waters. Next season he’ll have to face the treacherous SEC with his own players. Miles will no longer be able to rely on the talent HE DEVELOPED AFTER Nick Saban SCREWED LSU. I’ll bet those crazy LSU fans are going to miss the new Nebraska head coach and I honestly believe that Les Miles hates the fact that he’s not in Ann Arbor EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT HE WILL GET TO WHIP UP ON SABAN UNTIL HE AND TUBBY RUN NICKIE POO OFF IN A COUPLE OF YEARS!
    8. Is NICK SABAN going to continue the current BAMA trend and let his CRIMSON TIDE get tagged early by some BELOW average opponent LIKE LA MONROE and MISSISSIPPI STATE? He seems to ruin a potential WINNING SEASON every year with an early, MIDDLE AND LATE SEASON choke.
    9. If Kentucky coach Rich Brooks and his staff were at a school like Florida or LSU they would compete for championships early and often. They are that good. DAMN, WE SHOULD HAVE HIRED THEM!
    10. After another frustrating season as the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, Steve Spurrier will begin to start thinking about finishing his career at a real football school. Can you blame him? DAMN, WE SHOULD HAVE HIRED HIM! OH YEA, WE TRIED. I FORGOT HE WAS ONE OF THE OTHER GUYS THAT TURNED US DOWN.
    11. Alabama is going to surprise future LESSER opponents this year by taking LA MONROE out to the woodshed. In the season opener, IT’S GONNA GET UGLY FOR THE TIDE. In fact they will win at least 5 games AGAIN in the regular season, with a very good probability of adding a SIXTH win AND BACKING INTO ANOTHER bowl game. PROBABLE losses WILL come AT THE HANDS OF: Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, and Clemson AND PRBABLY 4 OR 5 OTHER GAMES. As I stated above the Clemson GAME is a done deal. The other team I think the Tide will beat is WHOM EVER THEY PLAY AT THE SPRING GAME. HEY FELLOW BAMMERS, LETS MAKE SURE WE FILL UP THE STADIUM. THATS ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS BEING LISTED AS THE TOP RECRUITING CLASS BY 3 OUT OF 10 MAGAZINES THAT RELY ON OVER ZEALOUS, UNDERACHIEVING FANS LIKE US TO BUY THE MAGAZINES. SEEMS TO WORK FOR THE CAPSTONE REPORT!
    12. Speaking of Auburn, they will face some difficulties this year due to a lack of continuity and consistency—mainly because both coordinators are brand new EVEN THOUGH TUBBY HAS THE 2nd LONGEST TENURE IN THE SEC AND NOT JUMPED FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL AND LEAGUE TO LEAGUE. I HOPE TO GOD ALMIGHTY (AND BEAR) THAT Auburn will lose 5 regular season games EVEN THOUGH I DOUBT IT, HELL THEY’LL PROBABLY GO UNDEFEATED AGAIN and finish the season strong with aN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP AND bowl victory to reach 13 AND 0 THEN NOT GET IN THE BCS NC GAME AGAIN. THAT WAS THE BEST FEELING I’VE HAD SINCE GENE STALLING WON A NC FOR BAMA EVEN THOUGH HE DID IT WITH ONE OF THE LAMEST, PATHETIC, HORRID OFFENSES IN THE HISTORY OF THE NCAA. IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE IN FOR ANOTHER LOOOOONG SEASON. AT LEAST I’VE GOT TIME TO START MAKING EXCUSES EARLY!

  13. Shane do not worry about Miles. He has plenty of good players even if he had to ditch RP. I predict LSU will win the SEC again this year.

  14. Shane: Since returning to Alabama after an absence of 4 yrs., I find that you are much more polished and realistic. I remember the days when each fall, you predicted Bama to go 12-0. I actually enjoy listening to your call to Finebaum, and I really thought I would never see that day.

  15. Ah, chistopherson — your bitterness is understood, given the obvious inferiority and continued frustration inherent in being a UAT fan.

    As for La-Monroe, we are not staying awake at night worrying about it. I doubt that we will have critical suspended players returning at half-time after their suspensions are mysteriously cut in half, attempting to save us from the ignominity of losing to a (what conference ARE they in again?) lame opponent.

    No, instead, we will laugh hysterically as your team goes down in flames to Clemson to start the season. And at all the continuing futility you will experience as you struggle to reach .500 again in 2008.

    Sucks to be you. Hate it for you, bro. Try to find the will to carry on with your hopeless existence.

  16. Christopherson

    Two of the last three years bama has played .500 football. 6 wins in ’06, 7 wins in ’07. 7 losses in ’06, 6 losses in ’07. That’s 13-13, or .500. Math, another thing Auburn does better than SPUAT.

  17. I love how You tell it like it is Shane, I so enjoy your calls to The Finebaum show, Keep up the good work.. ROLL TIDE!

  18. Shane,
    Your tiring and boring bias labels you as a dumb-ass. However, you would really have to get smarter to qualify as a dumb-ass.

  19. shane the inbred continues his love affair

    with the auburn tigers. the best part of you rolled down your diddys pants leg son. keep that ice coming retard

  20. Watch out everybody, the #1 QB in the nation committed to satan this morning. Four years of hearing that Star Jackson is no good will be fun. Tell us how great he is Shame.

  21. dj hall wasn’t drafted because he was a
    average player.tubbs will take his recruits and beat satan with his. inbred
    shane you always blame auburn for all of
    ua@t’s troubles.i guess you believe ua@t
    is still on probation.the last 5 years
    of recruiting on rivals has been very good. 20,18,15,10,1 if satan can;t win but
    7 games he should be fired.they will always be thugs in college if ua@t has a
    team.miles is a very good coach,richt and
    his ga bulldogs will lose at least 3 games in 08. ua@t will lose 5 games. auburn will win 13 games and play for bcs
    championship.this is for the retard shane

  22. Alabama fans are all saying that LSU will lose a couple of extra games this year now that Perilloux has been kicked off the team and they will have to play with a redshirt freshman or inexperienced QB. Well my question is who will be Alabama’s QB in 2009? Star Jackson, who will be either a redshirt freshman or inexperienced (unless JPW gets hurt or benched this year)? Does that mean Alabama fans will be consistent and admit that they will lose a couple of extra games in 2009, meaning that it might take at least 4 years before Saban might start earning his salary? Will they be that patient?

  23. It’s time to give the bammers a little history lesson on their beloved coach Little Nicky, who I affectionately refer to as LN. I know you all want to proudly boast of LN’s championship record prior to his arrival at bammer, but let’s take a brief examination of those championships. In 2001, LN backs into the SEC championship game WITH A 5-3 SEC RECORD.

  24. It’s time to give the bammers a little history lesson on their beloved coach Little Nicky, who I affectionately refer to as LN. I know you all want to proudly boast of LN’s championship record prior to his arrival at bammer, but let’s take a brief examination of those championships. In 2001, LN backs into the SEC championship game WITH A 5-3 SEC RECORD. Arkansas in 2002 is the only other team that has accomplished that amazing feat of mediocrity and luck. Additionally, LN lost to powerhouse Ole Miss at home by double digits that year, and to Fla. at home by a razor thin margin of 44-15. LN then catches a TN team that is looking ahead to the Nat. Champ. game, and steals a win for the SEC title. On the other hand, Tuberville has matched or bettered LN’s 5-3 “championship record” in SEC play in 8 of his 9 years at Auburn. In fact, Tubs went 7-1 in 2005, losing only to LSU in BR in double ot, and still couldn’t make it to the SEC champ. game. You bammers might remember that 05 AU team. I’m sure Brode Croyle does.

    As to 2003, the power of the rabbit’s foot, 4 leaf clover, and horse shoe above the door has never been harder at work. First, LN loses at home, at midseason, by double digits, to an 8-5 Ron Zook coached FL team. Then, despite the fact that USC is ranked 1st in both human polls, LN leap frogs USC because the computers went haywire over HAWAII LOSING TO BOISE STATE. Who does LN then draw as an opponent in the BCS game? An exposed OU team that couldn’t even win its own conference, and was limping off of a 35-7 prison yard punking at the hands of mighty powerhouse Kansas State. Oh yeah, LN also got to play the game in the neutral confines of the Louisiana Superdome.

    In contrast, Tubs goes 12-0 through an SEC schedule in 2004, winning so dominantly that there was only one game that entire year that wasn’t decided by the end of the 3rd quarter. (No bammers, I’m not taliking about Spencer Penningtons’ hail mary miracle with 3 minutes left to bring it w/in 8 pts in front of a half empty Tuberville-Denny stadium). Despite this extraordinary feat, Tubs doesn’t get into the BCS game solely because USC and OU started the season 1 & 2, and the pollsters refused to change without a loss by one of them. (Despite what the ESPN talking heads said about non-conf games, it wouldn’t have mattered if AU would have beaten the NE Patriots that year, they wouldn’t have jumped OU or USC). Can anyone seriously examine the on field performance of 2003 LSU and 2004 Auburn and say LSU was better simply because a bunch of fat a$$ sportswrtiters and Bob Stoops’ brother cast votes that allowed LSU to play in the BCS game and not AU?

    In closing, let me ask each of you bammers to look in the mirror and honestly answer this question before you dismiss my comments as anything from sour grapes to outright heresy: When LN was hositing those trophies in 01 and 03, weren’t each of you saying the exact same thing about him as I have said above? Roll Louisiana Monroe, Roll, and Fear the Pointer Finger.

  25. Shane, I generally like and most often agree with your comments on Alabama football. However, you and all others trying to rationalize using political correctness as to why #22 did not get drafted into the NFL need to be REAL. I suppose that character issues may drop someone a few positions in the draft like it did Warren Sapp for smoking weed right before he KNEW he would be tested. He has retired as a repeat pro-bowler. Darren McFaddon (sp) supposedly had issues that had NFL teams a little concerned about his “character”. Where did he get picked in the draft? 4th wasn’t it?

    #22 was not drafted due to the fact that he played the game as if he were Randy Moss as opposed to playing the game like he wanted to be like Jerry Rice. He is not fast enough to play the way he tried to play. I actually saw him drop a pass in the end zone in Tuscaloosa because he jumped away from the ball (apparently on purpose) to reach out with one hand trying to make a HIGHLIGHT film catch (like Tyrone Prothro). #22 runs poor routes or none at all. He failed to really try hard to make good downfield blocks. This is not a switch that can be flipped on and off at will. It takes a lot of time and effort in both practice and the off-season. I’m sure you have seen the stories about how hard Jerry Rice worked out and trained (not “trains” on co-eds).

    The timing was right for him to have the opportunity to break the record at UA for receiving yards. Statistic are for the losers. He played for 4 years during a period where Alabama has thrown the ball significantly more than in any time since Homer Smith was the OC. Had Tyrone Prothro not gotten hurt like he did, #22 may have never become such a legend in his own mind. I know a few of you are holding out hope that he makes the Giants and catches a few balls & goes out to party with Jeremy Shockey. Then, you can post about how you knew it all along & I am wrong. I wish him no harm. I hope he has enough ability, heart, and desire to become a contributor on Sundays.

    I will finish with one word of advice for the FANTASY football freaks. Don’t plan on #22 being your “go-to-receiver” next season in the Big Apple.

  26. After reading all the above posted comments I am now convinced that the BARNEYS may well have the best offense in class 4A and below in the State of Alabama next season. They call it the “spead” offense because all the AUBIE BARNEYS have such a crush on Ol’ Saint Nick they want to spread their legs for him so that he doesn’t hurt ’em too bad when he just takes it. RTR!!!!!!!!!!!!

  27. <>

    Leave it to Shane-for-brains, columnist extraordinaire to contradict himself from one sentence to the next. Is this what passes for intelligence among Bammers?

  28. duk, your comment makes about as much sense as hiring Mike Dubose and Mike Shula to be head coach of D-1 SEC team. You must be the same bammer that relieved his anger after the painful Arkansas loss by shooting his son. Congratulations on your early release from prison. Go back to your trailer, pop open a milwuakee’s best, toss some spam on the grill, straighten up the velvet painting of Earnhardt above the tv, and try to think of a coherent sentence before posting another comment in response to the ice boy’s column.

  29. “LSU head coach Les Miles is in uncharted waters. Next season he’ll have to face the treacherous SEC with his own players. Miles will no longer be able to rely on the talent Nick Saban left behind. I’ll bet those crazy LSU fans are going to miss the new Nebraska head coach and I honestly believe that Les Miles hates the fact that he’s not in Ann Arbor.”

    Shane, how many years in a row are you going to predict Miles will fall on his face? Just because you keep repeating yourself doesn’t make it true. How many years in a row has LSU sent an exorbitant amount of players to the NFL and remained far superior to Bama? How come Saban couldn’t coach his own recruits into the type of NFL draft classes that Miles has produced? You believe Les wishes he was in Ann Arbor? I am gonna assume you are kidding. I believe (and think most Bama fans will start catching on) that Saban will use a player within the confines of his process to make him look better and when that doesn’t work or stops working he will drop said player on the side of the road so to speak (ala Justin Vincent…) How many times did Bear brag about his #1 recruiting classes? I understand the concept of school spirit (even though you have probably never stepped foot in a classroom at UAT) and know you are starved for something to be proud of but generally bragging is reserved for those who have success. Geaux Tigers!

  30. Happy Mothers Day to all my AUBURN & LSU friends. Oh, and my Vols fans too. Mr. Fulmer your the greatest. For the bama fans, just admit that we will never be in the top tier anymore and all the SEC fans will quit laughing and pointing at us.

    Love,
    Shame

  31. This my the most ingnorant thing I’ve ever read. Another Bammer with delusions a grandeur.

    Shouldn’t you be impregnating your sister, you hilljack Crimson Neck?

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