RANKING THE COACHES:

I try to avoid talking about Auburn fans. It only encourages them; however, sometimes you just have to look at what they say to understand their problems. In a recent colum, Sam on the Finebaum website ranked the coaches in this state over the last 25-years. Click the link above to read his list and compare it to mine. Submit your own list HERE.
Here’s my look at the coaches in Alabama over the last 25-years. I’ve tried to format it similar to Sam in case you wanted to compare.
9. Mike Dubose (24-23 4 Seasons)Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Sam gets this right. Dubose was caused by the hubris of Alabama fans who insisted on naming this clown as Stallings successor.
8. Mike Shula (26-23 4 Seasons) Shula was incompetent. But he wasn’t as incompetent as Mike Dubose.


7. Bill Curry (26-10 3 Seasons) Curry was a self-righteous jackass. Wait, I shouldn’t insult jackasses by comparing them to Bill Curry. Curry was insufferable as coach, but even this clown was able to win an SEC crown and get a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Another fact, Curry was 3-0 against Joe Paterno.


6. Terry Bowden (49-20-1 6 Seasons) Bowden’s tenure ended at Auburn because he wouldn’t play ball the way parties within Auburn’s family wanted him to. Bowden was a coach who had good success at Samford, and turned Auburn around dramatically. He was a very good coach, but his recruiting was suspect. Perhaps that was because he refused to cheat?
5. Ray Perkins (32-15-1 4 Seasons) Perkins did some good things while at Alabama. But his horrible personality hid it from most fans. Perkins was an excellent recruiter, and understood the game of football. He made a horrible decision to move back to the NFL. He still regrets that choice.
4. Dennis Franchione (17-8 2 Seasons) Franchione was the brightest football mind out of any hires by Alabama or Auburn in the last quarter century. He was in control of the game plan and wanted to be in control of the football program. Unfortunately, details have emerged which showcase, Franchione didn’t betray Alabama by leaving, he was betrayed by the University administration. Franchione should be ranked higher, but he isn’t because he wasn’t allowed to stay at Alabama long enough.
3. Tommy Tuberville (71-29 8 Seasons) Tuberville was almost run out of town because he was inconsistent. He has a tendency to get whipped by big rivals. That hasn’t changed (see Georgia last season), but what did save Tuberville’s job was Alabama’s probation. Of course, how long will it be before Auburn fans turn on Tuberville? 60 minutes, to borrow a quote from a coach on up the list. Tuberville is essentially Auburn’s Bill Curry. He talks a good game, and as Curry (and Dubose proved) any fool can win the SEC. But Tuberville has yet to really face an Alabama team not coached by inept bunglers, or hampered by penalties. His stock will plummet with Auburn fans in the coming years. And besides, who thinks Auburn won’t land on probation again, and soon? They still have more NCAA probations than conference titles.
2. Gene Stallings (70-16-1 7 Seasons) Stallings was the only coach out of this list to win a national championship. He also made a habit of beating big rivals early in his tenure. Stallings ranks high because he achieved success that other coaches just haven’t been able to duplicate.
1. Pat Dye (99-39-4 12 Seasons) Sam’s list is correct here. Dye was the best coach in the state over the last quarter century. He won multiple SEC crowns, and resurrected a dead football program.
Of course, there real nugget in this list isn’t what Sam thinks about coaches. If you read his column you’ll see that he shows the his true colors—Sam shows why he is a bad reflection of Auburn fans with cracks on Alabama’s 12 national title claim. Notice how in his column instead of just praising a truly great treasure for Auburn (Pat Dye), he has to make a shot at Alabama. That is why so many Auburn fans are pathetic—they continue to live in the shadow of Alabama, when over the last 25-years they have so much of which to be proud. Even with success, you can’t take the loser out of many Auburn fans. And that’s sad.
