The Auburn Family versus the Crimson Empire- A juxtaposition
By Shane from Centerpoint
I have information coming from a usually reliable source telling me that the Auburn football program is well on its way back to national prominence. That same source also tells me that head coach Gene Chizik believes that his team is loaded with enough talent (right now) to compete with the best. The Tiger fan base has been on cloud nine since their first top-five recruiting class signed on. And, thanks to Trooper Taylor, Auburn appears ready to improve this class over the last one by leaps and bounds.
My correspondent over on the western front tells me that all is well with the Crimson Tide. All facets of the program are running in high order. Nick Saban has his young team focused. His patented “process” for the 2010 campaign is well under way. The Tide fan base is riding high and carries the confidence that winning a championship brings. Don’t forget, Coach Saban reeled in another top-ranked class as well.
Auburn’s Chizik made a couple of brilliant hires from a recruiting standpoint. Team Trooper and Luper are (by far) Auburn’s best weapons. As long as they stay, Auburn will continue to bring in its share of the best talent America has to offer.
Meanwhile, it has to help Bama’s assistants immensely to know that Nick Saban – probably the best closer in the business – is going to come in when things get down to the wire and seal the deal. The truly amazing part about Saban is his consistent ability to stack his teams with layers of superior players.
Auburn fans in general are the same as they ever were. They spend the off-season defending their Tigers’ honor on the Internet and airwaves. Even after being jerked around by the institution’s power–brokers for years and a running–through a carousel of different coaches – they remain some of the most loyal and faithful football fans on the face of the earth.
Did anybody bedsides me notice that Alabama fans have almost taken the national crown “for granted” right alongside Nick Saban and his team? Most Crimson Tide fans completely understand what it means to be a champion. They also understand all the nuances involved with being a fan of the best program in the country.
Auburn is a team searching for its true identity on the national front. It is rapidly rebuilding under Coach Chizik’s watchful eye. Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s offensive schemes took the nation by storm, giving Auburn the reputation of being a scoring machine — but the defense (traditionally stout) lacked in basic fundamentals – like tackling. Chizik must define his team’s personality in year-two if he wants long-term success.
It may sound like an agonizing reappraisal to Crimson Tide opponents, but everything Alabama has done goes back to the original mission statement Saban laid out when he arrived at the Capstone. Alabama has become that team nobody wants to play. They are relentless, very physical, and use both assets to enforce a team attitude that dominates the competition for sixty minutes.
Questions to ponder:
Does the War Eagle clan have the patience to allow Chizik time (minimum 3yrs.) to rebuild the program? Tuberville left the system in shambles. How will Auburn fans handle losing a third game in a row to Alabama? Can Auburn coaches and players stay focused on improving their program without measuring themselves against their cross-state rival that is currently enjoying one of the greatest periods in its storied history?
Will Nick Saban lead Alabama to a third (record–setting) undefeated regular season in a row? Can the Crimson Tide maintain the edge that’s taken them to 26 wins in the last 28 games? Can Alabama impose the same will on opponents that enabled them to win the SEC title and the national crown in 2009?
One thing is as certain as the sunrise: September’s coming and all the answers will start rolling in by then.
Shane writes a weekly column for the Call News and the Capstone Report.
And AUROX that is refreshingly honest. If there is one thing that annoys me about Alabama, Auburn and every school’s fans in the SEC is the inability to admit that college and even now high school sports lost its virginity long ago.
Cappy…..you know, Saban is probably the best thing that’s happened to Auburn football in quite a while. Auburn has got a “win at all costs” attitude like I haven’t seen in many years, because of saban. I’ve always complained that Auburn lost that attitude when they became more concerned with being “classy” than winning ball games. There’s nothing classy about losing.
For that, I thank saban for lighting the fire under Auburn’s ass again!
if bama was down i would not want bama to cheat like au fans want au to cheat
“Classy” is one of those terms that is used so much it makes me want to puke. When I want to succeed at something, I don’t read Miss Manners…I read Machiavelli.
cam after deciding to go to miss st – got a financial offer from au – then went to miss st and tn to get their financial offer….the cam nut did not fall very far from the nut tree… look it up
That 36-0 alarm clock awoke Auburn from it’s stupor!
Amen to your last post, cappy.
the national championship for bama fans means ooming businesses,raises, promotions hottest women, wives get in best shape of their lives,and much more…everything u touch turns to gold.
bama fans win in two thousand and ten.
Wrong AUROX. If the 36-0 had shocked the Barn awake, they would have hired someone besides a paltry 2 million dollar 5-19 head coach. The prognosis that he may actually be a quality hire is nothing more than blind luck. And insisting that at this point he already is, is pure fantasy. Regardless of whether he becomes as successful as Jordan, Dye and Tuberville and whether he wins an Iron Bowl or 2; I will put my weeks earnings against yours that Abarn does not win a national championship while Saban is at Bama or before 2050 for that matter. Your best shot was with your best ever coach while we were on scholly limitations, and you blew it. You guys are really setting yourselves up for a horrible heartbreak by forcasting Cheezy as the second coming of Knute, Ara, Darrell, Bud, Bear, Steve and Tom. It aint happening. RTR!
b
when u pay the players an avg salary of 15k a yr it doesn’t matter who the coach is
So Newton (Mr. 5 Star) impressed the folks from auburn with his stellar season at Blinn Community college in Texas. Big deal.
This is the SEC. Huge difference there.
Auburn has recruited something like 12 quarterbacks in the last 3 years. And they still dont have a proven winner. Of course that is Auburn isnt it.
Recruiting 5 star players they dont need and over looking the trenches.
Of course auburn needed a 5 star back this season, and he will look mighty fine running behind that 1 star offensive line.
And oh yeah. Back to Newton.
The guy swiped a laptop. Thats pretty classless. I know those 5 stars looked good on AUs recruiting rankings and that
it gave Aubur a fine looking class on paper. But that is where Auburn always messes up. They always grab the flash in the pan that has the strings attached.
Usually it is academics, but it seems every time Auburn lands the big fish, he gets away.
I expect nothing different this time either. In 4 years this class will mostly be gone and not made a real dent in the SEC.
I guess what I am trying to say is, It does not matte if a family of underacheivers watch each other’s back and support each other. They are still underachievers.
WDL!!!
(War Damn Lemmings!)
the family crap is a talking point – au is a family though – a mafia family
“So Newton (Mr. 5 Star) impressed the folks from auburn with his stellar season at Blinn Community college in Texas. Big deal.
This is the SEC. Huge difference there.”
And highly touted QBs get recruited based on their stellar performances in HIGH SCHOOL every year.
What’s your point?
tmc, did you seriously just say a “1 star offensive line?” Do you know what school had the highest rated offensive line recruiting class in the country last year? Auburn. Do you know who’s returning 4 out of 5 starters this year? Auburn. Gee, who will fill in that 5th spot?? Shon Coleman?? Eric Mack?? Rozell Gayden?? Maybe one of the other 4 O-linemen on the roster with significant playing time??
Damn, the truth hurts.
julio……If the idiot cares to do a little research, he will see that the core group of seniors (minus Chaz Ramsey) were ranked as the #1 class accrding to rivals when they were recruited in 07. So, if your going to go by the star system , they are supposed to be the best.
To crack on our O-line is brick wall stupid. It will be the strongest point of the team next year.
Maybe they can get cheap-shot Pugh to coach the chop-block dipsy doo line.
I, for one, could not honestly tell you if Auburn had a 1 star or 5 star on the offensive line. Hell, I didn’t even know who Trooper Taylor was till someone explained he is an Auburn coach or associated with Auburn in some way. I didn’t know what was happening at Auburn till I came on this site. If I want Auburn news, I would get the sugar coated propaganda they sell on the Aubies site. As it is, when I come to this site, I want to know what is going on with Bama. Is anyone else here sick of hearing about Auburn? I mean, what is there to talk about? Its not like they’ve done anything spectacular. I want to hear stories about the current and defending National Champions, not some second rate program.
Well 13 the news on bama is all good, typical off season stuff. Not as many guys getting in trouble as in Shula’s stay. Nothing really going on as fun as making fun of Trooper and Luper riding around in the pooper scooper. Bottom line, if Bama can stay healthy in 2010 they’ll have a great season, and further train some great players. I did find out that D.J. Fluker is probably going to start. One of his O-line coaches in high school is a friend of mine. He’s a really nice and polite young man as well, and damn big too. The process is working well for him, he’s dropped some baby fat and packed on some muscle, and picked up some speed too. Do I think Bama will go undefeated in 2010? I don’t know, but it will be hard to do. Focusing for that long is hard. I do know that Bama will win 13 more NC’s before Auburn cracks the top 2 at the end of any given season.
in the other sites the oline was rated mediocre ……coleman – poor work ethic and under 300# and 6’7″….rollisons dad taking the money and running – more of that to come….and take out poor passer newton and u get a load of quanity no quality….au football is a sham
CRIMINAL HAMMAH IS A INBRED RETARD.
nope – mom is english , dad – was irish…nope very high iq…u just can’t handle the truth..au fball is a scam – see the light u stupid ignorant slut…
nope – no convictions…crimson as in the alabama crimson tide – the greatest football program in world history
INBRED RETARDED IS HAVING YOUR OPEN GAME BEFORE THE LAST REGULAR SEASON GAME.
Yeah, I can see where that really hurt us. (Not). That off week was criticals and almost won the Iron Bowl.
CRIMINAL HAMMAH BRUSH YOUR TOOTH TODAY. THE MEMPHIS POLICE ARE GOING TO OPEN THE LOGAN YOUNG MURDER CASE BACK UP.
COLD CASE FILES HAD A SHOW ABOUT THE MURDER OF LOGAN YOUNG MONDAY NIGHT.OLE MAL AND WHO EVER HE HIRED TO KILL YOUNG SHOULD BE WORRIED.PAYING PLAYERS,BUYING HOMES FOR PLAYERS MAMMIES IS ONE THING BUT MURDER.
Comparing Newton to Kodi Burns is not very fair at all. Anyone with half a brain can watch Newton’s throwing motion and mechanics and tell that he is a better passer than Burns. I said for 3 years that Burns was not a good QB and was never the solution.
As far as breaking in new QBs, Bama broke in McElroy and was just fine. McElroy is not a great QB, but plays smart and does not get you beat. As a matter of fact, I would go as far to say that he and John Parker Wilson are probably the two worst QBs to ever QB an SEC title game. But hey, it works for Bama.
As far as Chizik being a paltry “5-19″ coach, I wouldn’t trade Gene Chizik for 10 Nick Sabans and 10 national championships because Chizik is a nice person who treats people with respect, while Saban, although a great football coach, is an asshole. Can Chizik do great things at Auburn? You damn right he can.
WAR DAMN EAGLE
ball u stupid ignorant slut – u lost and u lost last 6 of 7 …maybe u should think of what the open date is supposed to be about
the crimnson hammah has never had a cavity – so apparently brushing teeth once a week and twice on sundays is sufficient…
chiz is nothing but a broker for the dye booster salary paying machine…fact
absolutely not – no one can do great things at au – that place is cursed…and if anyone had any sense the would get every aints bag available
did not see the logan young deal but in any murder conspiracy all should expose all and then get the death penatly
true champions do not delight in a 3-5 sec record
jpw and gm are great college qb’s
cam newton will get whacked out of iron bowl the 4th play from scrimmage
Hammah…….take your crystal ball and shove it up your ass, you stupid son of a bitch.
nope – my dad was not a bitch…and i don’t use a crystal ball… i watch film and break it down.
XIII:
It’s back to business in T-Town, and there ante a god damn thing that anyone can do about it.
You might as well get use to it.
It is, what it is.
If any of you Auburn Basement-Dwellers are still in dinial; ask a Texas Fan who won the National Championship.
We all now have one thing in common.
None of us will become relevent until September.
I would suggest that everyone get’s their lazy-ass to work.
We are not satisfied with just 13 National Championships.
Tomorrow is another day.
As I read the above ….I realized something…. That is 20 seconds of my life I will never ger back.
Hammah……..nevermind.
Well, Auburn is not satisfied with an 8-5 record. If you recall, Auburn was the third most winningest program in the country from 2000-2009. Auburn was at its best when Gene Chizik was running the defense. Now, he is the head man and we are headed back in the right direction.
WAR DAMN EAGLE
how many yrs of heartache wasted on the au football scam – u will never get back…
ABSOLUTELY NOT – BARN WAS A PROBATION MIRAGE ….LOOK AT THE 90S WHEN BAMA NOT ON PROBATION – BAMA 5 OF 8 SEC WEST TITLES BARN 1 ,,,,BAMA NOT PROBATION DAMAGED IN THE 00S – 2 OF 2 SEC WEST TITLES …BARN A ZERO AND BACK TO BACK WHAT 3 5 SEC RECORD AT BEST….OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THE LIGHT AU FBALL IS A SCAM
You forget, crimson hammah, that Auburn was on probation in the 90s. You can’t “have” your cake and “eat” it too. If Bama can use probation as an excuse for struggles in the 00′s, we can use it for the 90s. Auburn would have won two more western division titles in 93 and 94 if not for probation. Bammer and Florida played for the SEC in 93. Auburn beat them both that season.
As for the 00′s, Auburn did win two western division titles. In 2000, and in 2004, when we won the SEC and went 13-0. Get it straight now…
I GOTIT RIGHT.. MY FACTS CONCERNING AU WERE WHEN BAMA WAS NOT DAMAGED BY PROBATION …1 SEC WEST FOR AU 92-99 08-09…
UR FACTS ARE WRONG….BAMA WON 94 IB AND WAS UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE…AU TIED GA AND LOST TO BAMA….BAMA 7-3 VS AU IN 90S INCLUDING SCISSUM FIASCO …DOMINATON STEPS UP ….BAMA VS AU IN THE 70S 8-2 INCLUDING PUNT BAMA PUNT FIASCO
AU FOOTBALL IS VERY MUCH A SCAM
YO! Since we’re chatting about the team from the Village, I’ll make a prediction concerning the 2010 season. AU will go 8-4. 3 home losses & 1 road loss. Home losses will be to Clemson, South Carolina & Arkansas. The road-kill happens in Tuscaloosa. That’s the way I see it as of now, but I might change my mind between now & June 1.
ABSOLUTELY NOT 3-5 IN SEC AND LOSSES TO WV AND CLEMSON 5-7 AT BEST