John Copeland, an anchor on the Alabama 1992 National Championship team is quickly becoming a hero to the Bama Nation yet again.

In a recent interview, where the topic of top linebacker Reuben Foster’s sudden flip to Auburn was discussed, Copeland was very candid about the dirtiness of Auburn recruiting.

John Copeland simply orated what every Bama fan who has watched Auburn through the years knows. Some highlights:

“Coach Saban has proven himself to be a man of high character and integrity. He has certain lines he won’t cross, willingly.” He then goes on to talk about governing things that happen in totality in the recruiting process. Then he contrasts the subject with this statement:

“In Auburn, it’s totally different. In Auburn, the head coach is not running that program. There are about four or five different guys in place that’s running the program.”

Copeland is quickly cut off by the show’s host Aaron Suttles, asking “What does that have to do with Reuben Foster?” to which Copeland quickly replied:

“Because Reuben was paid more (by Auburn) than Alabama was willing to pay him. We got boosters out there that weren’t willing to pay Reuben Foster and boosters willing to pay him in Auburn.”

Suttles then retorts that Alabama wouldn’t give up recruiting a five star prospect like Foster.

Copeland immediately rejects the thought:

“It don’t matter whether they give up or not (on Foster). What are you talking about? The money is in the briefcase.”

Suttles then says “Kids switch all the time. They switch a day before signing day, they switch a month before signing day…”

Copeland then cuts him off with this retort:

“Reuben Foster was from LaGrange, Georgia where he became the number two recruit in the country, then went down to Auburn…for no apparent reason other than his coach left, committed to Alabama his junior year, and out of the blue, now he’s committed to Auburn? Are you serious? Come on.”

What does it mean? Who knows. Why did a top prospect move from his home in LaGrange to attend Auburn High School, out of the blue, with no other apparent ties to the city, where he would be teammates with the sons of Auburn coaches Curtis Luper and Trooper Taylor, where he would be guaranteed to be around the two men and the program they work for? Is there truth to the rumor of a job made available to Foster’s mother for the move to happen? And if so, what are the legalities involved? Time will tell.

If nothing else, a person who would know much more than the common fan or blogger is saying the same things so many have said about Auburn, further alleging the dirty recruiting practices taking place in Lee County. And if it’s true, how long before the game of recruiting roulette backfires? It’s just a matter of time before it all comes crashing down.

Tick, tick, tick…


(Follow me on Twitter for capstonereport.com news, commentary and smack.)

68 thoughts on “Bama great calls Auburn out for paying Reuben Foster”

  1. So John has no evidence. He is just speculating that recruits change their mind only because money has changed hands.

    OK

    So …John ….how is the Foster situation any different than the Yeldon situation? ….that’s what I thought ..it’s not. It’s just that your arrogance has distorted your thought processes. Typical Bammer.

    Did it ever occur to you that Foster goes to school with a bunch of kids that favor AU? …Of course it didn’t.

    Is it possible that Foster fooled the almighty Nick $aban kinda like the stunt that $aban/and the Bammers giggled about during the Yeldon episode last year? ….it’s possible. Get over it you typical Bammer sore loser.

    1. You asked how it’s different from Yeldon’s situation but let’s think about it for a moment.

      First, Yeldon was from Alabama. His high school was near Mobile, so he was far but about equidistant from Auburn and Alabama.

      Foster is from Georgia. His family decided while he was a verbal commit to Alabama to move to the town of Auburn, Alabama, from Georgia, during the summer of his senior year? That alone is at least worth thinking about, but particularly it’s different from Yeldon because Yeldon didn’t move to Auburn, Alabama or Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

      Also, Yeldon switched in December, right before Alabama won its 2nd national title in 3 years, and perhaps more importantly, right after Auburn’s very good offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, announced he was leaving to coach at another school. I think Malzahn’s move from Auburn stands alone compared to Foster’s recruitment.

      Foster flipped in the middle of the summer, notably after the team he was committed to won a national title and sent more players of his skill type and position to the NFL as first-round picks than any other team, including the team he switched to, Auburn. It was the opposite direction for Yeldon in terms of NFL draft rates at his particular position.

      Remember, Yeldon plays a position that is the cornerstone of Alabama’s model of success, especially recently. Yes, defense is critical, and Auburn uses RB’s often as well, but 2 Heisman contenders and 1 Heisman winner in 3 years at the position (both first-round NFL draft picks) at Alabama is, if nothing else, worth noting how Yeldon’s commitment is different from Foster’s. We knew Trent Richardson would leave early and Eddie Lacy will likely do the same thing, which means the position and also the timing of Yeldon’s enrollment to coincide with Lacy’s departure gave Yeldon the opportunity as starting tailback for the following year, not to mention Alabama’s other tailbacks Dee Hart and 2012 commit Justin Taylor were uncertain due to ACL injuries at the time Yeldon committed.

      Compared to Foster’s timing and position, it’s simply a different picture. Yes, Foster is the kind of talent Alabama thrives on at his position and he would get immediate exposure, but it is also a deep stack at Alabama for 2012-13, versus an immediate use if not need at Auburn, again, especially when compared with the position need played by Yeldon as tailback.

      Yeldon’s commitment made sense, even if the switch to a rival school might not have.

      But Foster’s commitment and switch simply don’t make nearly as much sense compared to the circumstances involved in Yeldon’s switch, particularly the move from where he grew up in Georgia to Auburn, Alabama right before he begins his senior year of high school and where Auburn’s coaches have unlimited access to talk to him under NCAA rules because 2 of their coaches have kids at the same high school Foster switched to. Yeldon didn’t do that, so it makes his recruitment different that way as well.

      1. Also I think it’s worth mentioning Yeldon announced his commitment the day before the dead period of recruiting began, meaning for the next 2.5 months Auburn (or anyone else) wouldn’t be able to contact him to try to switch his commitment.
        Alabama won’t switch Foster, but Yeldon may have made his decision months earlier and decided to announce it at a strategically intelligent time for his own sake. I don’t know what strategic advantage there is to announcing a commitment switch in the middle of summer, 7 months before signing day, but personally I think it’s better than speculating all summer long, and the kid would have faced some ridicule until he switched regardless due to being an Alabama commit who moved to the city of Auburn. For Foster’s sake, I’m glad it’s over with.

  2. I don’t like to speculate before having more credible information, which we may never get, but money does seem to be the only thing that makes sense to me.

    Take away the names “Auburn” and “Alabama” and look at it this way; One of the top recruits in the nation is being sent offers from California to New York, but commits verbally to a national championship team. This team has won 2 titles in 3 years and was one game away from winning a third in four years. Their coach is known for sending players, particularly those who play his position, to the NFL and often a first-round pick. He likes the school, the city, and the potential for a future in the NFL making money. He decides he wants to go there badly enough to tell everyone. It’s not a bad decision by any means.

    I don’t care if that team was Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida State, Notre Dame, or Southern California, it’s a good decision.

    But what I can’t come to any conclusion about other than money is how that player would switch from that particular team to a team that simply doesn’t have the same track record for his short-term and long-term goals, especially a rival, and particularly after moving in the summer of his senior year of high school; Think about that part for a minute and what could be so important to move your son for his senior year of high school to a whole new state from where he has spent the entire 17 years of his life. I don’t understand what possible opportunity could be in that town important enough to uproot just like that other than money, especially because of his verbal commitment and previous plans to attend Alabama.

    I understand people who get upset about the allegation of money. But what they have to understand isn’t that there’s no better reason than money, but rather that there’s no other reason whatsoever—–what possible reason could there be to move from GA to AL for a recruit’s senior year, particularly when he’s already rated in the top 2 overall in the nation no matter who you ask? A big job opportunity… in Auburn, Alabama? Maybe, but what kind of job could that be, and if it’s good enough to move your son for his senior year, isn’t that job questionable just by the nature of the situation described above?

    Think about it——if his mother got some brilliant job offer to move to Auburn, Alabama, wouldn’t he say something like, “but Mom, I’m committed to Alabama, I’ll be shunned in that town, it’s my senior year too, why are you doing this, etc?”

    If Auburn had given two or three of his buddies scholarships to get him to sign like Clemson did with Nkemdiche, that would also make sense too.

    But that didn’t happen. It just doesn’t make any sense, and money at least for the sake of argument does make sense.

  3. Dr. Thompson, I love how you to try to smear Auburn with no evidence whatsoever and try to sound like you’re being objective as you do it. Let’s examine the true facts of the situation, including the ones that you willfully choose to ignore. First, it was known long ago that Foster would transfer if his HS coach was dismissed. Bama knew that, everyone knew that. It was also well known that Foster was going to transfer somewhere in the state of Alabama, because Georgia has some quirky rules about early graduation for transfers. No one ever considered this to be some kind of vast Auburn conspiracy. Saban just wanted him to transfer to somewhere in West or north Alabama, i.e Bama territory. Secondly, given that the kid lived in Lagrange and was going to transfer to a high school somewhere in Alabama, the only way that could seem odd to you would be if you didn’t own a freaking map. Lagrange is a 30 minute drive away from Auburn, and the schools that Saban wanted him to go to are 3 and 4 hours away. Why does that matter? Did you see that little girl sitting on his lap? In case you forgot, she lives in Lagrange. Your NFL argument is a joke, as if Bama is the only school that sends players to the NFL. There has been no shortage of former Auburn players in the NFL, and I’ll bet that there are probably more former Auburn players in the NFL today than there are former Bama players. If not, I’ll bet it’s pretty close.

    You guys keep making this allegation about Auburn getting Foster’s mom a job, but you haven’t cited a shred of evidence. Can you even say where she works? I’ll answer that for you…no you can’t.

    1. @Abraham

      No, I can’t say where she works, but neither can you, that’s my point. But I also made that point unaware of the foregone conclusion that Foster would move his family from Georgia

      And no, we didn’t all know Foster was going to switch high schools his senior year? Thank you for mentioning it, but no, I didn’t know that, nor do I know about any strange early-enrollment rules in the state of Georgia. I know recruits from Georgia that have enrolled early both in and out of the state, but I didn’t know there were any strange circumstances about the state.

      Even if that is the reason, we don’t know it, or at least he didn’t say it, so we’d both be speculating again—-please don’t call my argument a joke for having at least as much credibility.

      And also, I didn’t say Auburn doesn’t send players to the NFL. That’s not fair, and it’s not true. Recent success is absolutely important to recruits, otherwise they would all go to tOSU and Souther California because of how many players they have sent in the past to the NFL. Auburn does send players to the NFL, and Foster will likely go to the NFL even if he switches to, say, Rutgers. Nobody is arguing that.

      And while I do understand that if, like you say, Foster absolutely had to move to Alabama, that he would stay closer to his home and baby, what I don’t understand is why an Alabama commit would move to the city of Auburn itself SIMPLY because of how close it is to where he spent his entire life. There are other high schools (good ones, too) near the state line, even if I understand what you mean by Tuscaloosa being 2.5 more hours away.

      I’m not trying to smear anybody. I think you’re just partial to one side of the argument, but calling people names and speculating as much on the things your are just isn’t fair, and yes, at least I’m trying to be objective, but more importantly I don’t insult you over speculation and take the facts that do exist personally. I think you know more about recruiting than I do, like with Georgia’s early transfer rules I only learned today from you, so maybe you can help me understand better. I’m listening, but please try to treat me with the same respect.

  4. Dr. Thompson, Your disdain and bias against Auburn is showing again. It’s amazing that you serious consider Auburn as some low-grade place that no recruit would even consider without being paid. Guess what. Auburn is a top team in the nation.

    I grew up a Bama fan, but went to school at Auburn because the engineering school is much better. My love for Auburn didn’t happen over night because I had been “conditioned” as as kid to automatically not think highly of Auburn. Guess what. Auburn is special. Some recruits see it and want to be a part of it. The football ain’t bad either.

    I’m sure you can’t comprehend all of that due to you long-standing bias, therefore let’s try a little logic. Bama has totally filled their football player coffers and Auburn is just getting the leftovers or the few players that don’t care to worship $aban or take a chance on getting “processed”. ….and we’re doing just fine getting a top 10 recruiting class each year. Obviously that astounds you.

    Now go back to your REC buddies to get some more talking points to spread around, come back here and we can dispel your spin some more.

    1. @Hooper

      You say, “It’s amazing that you serious(ly) consider Auburn as some low-grade place that no recruit would even consider without being paid.”

      No, that’s not true. Not only did I not say that, but, for the record, I don’t believe that. I do believe Auburn is not a bad choice for a recruit.
      I’m talking, however, about a very specific recruit, keep in mind, and only that recruit. There is nearly always controversy surrounding the top-top recruits, such as Nkemdiche, Newton, and more topically Simms from one UT to another, Cadillac Williams from Tennessee to Auburn, and of course Lorenzo Booker from Notre Dame to FSU. People still talk about those recruitments because of the switches, not because of the school. Now the same is happening for recruits like Yeldon and Foster—-it’s easy to see from history alone why so many people are talking about not Foster’s school, but the switch between rival school. We’d be talking about it if he switched from Michigan to tOSU, too, or Notre Dame to Southern Cal.

      I am from Ohio and I currently live in South Carolina. I meet college football fans everywhere. Just last week I was in San Francisco and met a bunch of Stanford fans—-talk about a change of pace. I might like Alabama more than Auburn, which may just be a side effect of living out of the state, but I do try to keep my head on straight about it, and certainly to be respectful. But yes, I can comprehend all of that in spite of any “long-standing bias” you perceive. I cut my jib working with several doctors who are Auburn Alumni, and I know their veterinary post-graduate program is still considered one of the best in the nation.

      You’re right, Auburn is special. It’s a championship-winning, football-obsessed school. I didn’t say they weren’t special, and I’m saying now that they are, for the record. Both schools are special.

      But please, again, read what I said. Don’t make this simply an Auburn vs. Alabama hate fest and put words in my mouth—–what I said was that a specific recruit didn’t just pick Auburn, but he picked Alabama, then moved from Georgia to the town of Auburn, then switched to Auburn University. Just because Auburn is a good football school doesn’t mean that it makes perfect sense to everyone, including me. Why did he verbally commit to Alabama in the first place anyway, right?

      I think I would have absolutely understood Foster picking Auburn first and never looking back. The same goes for Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, and Michigan. But he picked one, and the circumstances surrounding the timing and reasons he changed his mind to the same team’s rival after moving to that team’s city, well, if you can’t see why it’s at least worth asking questions about, I think any perceived bias you think I have isn’t what you need to be concerned about.

  5. It’s the fact Foster moved to Auburn high school (his senior year) and that his momma got a great job there that bothers me most.

  6. I’m not trying to insult you, DT. I’m just talking a little smack like a lot of people do here. I certainly didn’t resort to vulgar language like a lot of other posters do here, but I apologize if my comments were offensive. That being said, allow me to offer a further response to some of your last comments. First, there’s no need for me to know where Foster’s mother works. I’m not the one pushing rumors and innuendo about Auburn getting her a job in exchange for her son’s commitment, you guys are. If you’re going to do that, you should at least be able to say what this wonderful job is that AU allegedly got for her.

    As to the Georgia transfer rules, I don’t understand the specifics either. This issue first came up when talk began about the possibility of Foster’s HS coach being dismissed several months ago. Kevin Scarbinsky was talking about it again on his radio show this morning. My point there is that it’s been widely known for months that Foster might transfer to a school in Alabama, and no one ever questioned the legitimacy of that until a few days ago when he flipped to AU. Your contention that there are several good high schools in Alabama that are just as close as to Lagrange as Auburn High is simply wrong. Auburn has one of the best public school systems in the state, and Auburn High has a solid 6A football program that consistently makes the playoffs. The only other option might have been Central in Phenix Ciity, but there is simply no comparison to the quality of the school systems in Auburn and Phenix City.

    1. No one questioned the legitimacy of transferring to Auburn High School until he flipped to Auburn U? C’mon, Hoopster, you’re on this site more than Bama fans. It was questioned all over the place when Foster transferred to Auburn High school, and that’s when the rumors that he would flip to the Boogs began.
      And, having worked in the LaGrange, GA area in the past, I’ll have to disagree with you about the high school situation in that area. There are many fine secondary schools in that area, as well as many fine private high schools, that would have been glad to have Foster decorate their scoreboards this season, and would have found scholarship money for him to do it with. The whole transfer to Auburn High smells wrong – if for no other reason than Trooper’s and Luper’s kids go to that school. That in itself should warrant at least a “look-see” from the NCAA.
      I, frankly, would have been fine with Foster simply saying, “Hey – I would have to stand in line in Tuscaloosa to play, but I can play immediately at Auburn, and that’s why I made the decision to flip.” That, at least, would have been closer to the likely truth. Using Yeldon’s speech, having the Boogs carry his water with stories about Georgia rules and being close to his kids – it all just smells. I hope the kid does well and eventually goes on to play on Sundays. Do I think he’ll get the best chance to go high in the draft, stay out of trouble with the law, and get the kind of coaching that will make him NFL-ready on draft day playing on the plains? No. He is settling for short-term goals being met and turning a blind eye to the long-term benefits of playing in an NFL-ready system.
      If he is getting paid (hope not), or his Mom got a job (again, for the sake of the Boogs, hope not), then he better do his best to make the most of it. I just don’t see this flying under the radar for long.

    2. @Abraham
      Thanks for the response.

      I agree, I don’t know what job Foster’s mother has now in Alabama, but let me clarify.

      It’s at least worth asking questions about here simply because the implication exists, not by talk, but by nature. I have colleagues in metropolis-sized cities that have been struggling to find work for months, some for years, and if a transfer out-of-state coincides with a new job in a town as small as Auburn (that’s not an insult, merely a numbers issue regarding job availability relating to professionals unable to find work even in major cities), it’s not illogical to question it.

      However, I think you’re right that we shouldn’t speculate. It’s one thing not to be able to ignore it, but for all we know she doesn’t actually have a job at all.

      I don’t think all people who expected Foster to transfer to a school in Alabama didn’t question his move to the city of Auburn, however. If I had known, I admit I would have questioned it (as I would if an Auburn recruit moved to Tuscaloosa). I’m sure if he was still committed to Alabama at the time he must have questioned it himself at some point simply because of the rivalry. And there are certainly other good schools closer than the 4-5 hour difference it was mentioned here Saban had asked the recruit’s mother to move to instead.

      Therefore, it makes sense to suggest his mother’s job offer came first as most moves are job-related—that’s not uncommon, I’ve done it myself. It could be completely coincidental, but I think questioning it is justified because of the desirability of the recruit and his verbal commitment to a rival in the same state. But yes, I would understand it less if he was committed to Alabama and then moved to (and later committed to) UAB or Troy University, for example. At least Auburn makes as much sense as any for a recruit with his talent, it’s the switch that brings up questions by nature.

      There are a lot of unanswered questions. He wants to live close to his daughter, so I assume she doesn’t live with him, correct? And I don’t know where to look for Georgia early-transfer rules, etc.

      We’ll probably never know, regardless. I read he has a new Auburn tattoo already, so I don’t expect him to go anywhere else, certainly not before 2013 But there simply wouldn’t be all of these questions in the first place had he never committed to Auburn’s rival and later switching with a press conference and a deliberately abrasive speech.

  7. Be4bama, what’s the great job that his mother got? Where does she work? This job-commitment exchange rumor has been hot and heavy for 5 days now. The fact that no one can name the alleged job at this point speaks volumes.

  8. I will just say this: I live close to Oxford High School in Northeast Alabama. I know several people who work there, and I know a lot of people with ties to the school and the city. The rumor was that Foster was coming to enroll at Oxford, but in the end he enrolled at Auburn High School. I know this is rumor and speculation, but I heard that the reason he didn’t come to Oxford was because of a family member wanting to get a job on the Oxford coaching staff, but was declined. Like I said, just a rumor around my part of the neighborhood, but the sources I have heard this from would be in a position to know about it, and this was talked about around here well before the Auburn commitment happened.

    But Copeland is right. Foster committed as a Junior, and then his stock went way up, and lo and behold, here is Auburn,(the winner of the Auburn-Miss St. high bidder on Cam) comes up with a miraculous pick up, and poking Bama in the eye at the same time. Congrats to Auburn! You guys are still a bunch of sleazy operators, I guess it was about time you guys got one to come your way. Hope you get your moneys worth!

  9. What’s funny about this whole thing is that Auburn has already screwed themselves and they’re not even aware…I told you Auburn people they were being scrutinized after the Cam Newton slave auction…you’ll see:)

  10. Hoopie,

    There’s no doubt in my mind you went to Auburn, but there’s no way in hell you’re an engineer. Architect, maybe for a municipality, but you are not an engineer. I know this…I’ve been to both schools and graduated from UA. BOTH Universities are better than others in certain specialized fields. Though there are dumpy places in T-town that you AU redneck hypocrites call “ghetto” (AU slang for the N word), it is a MUCH better overall place than all cities that comprise Lee County…Stop lying, and start adhering to your BS Auburn Creed…BTW, the semester I transferred out of Auburn I was on the President’s list. I left Auburn because of their hatred for everything “ghetto.”

    1. I’m one of the few real estate developers that are doing just fine ..even in today’s economic situation ..and I ‘m blessed. I now hire architects, engineers, lawyers, contractors, etc.

      My Auburn degree has led me to a career that allowed me to live in Ga, Fla, Ohio and Arizona since graduation. I grew up in Prattville, Alabama (an area that is about 90% Bama rednecks).

      By the way RC …I consider a “redneck” to be any ignorant, overly opinionated person that exhibits anger and arrogance based on those ignorant opinions. Race has nothing to do with it. The good news for you??? …you qualify as a redneck. No discrimination over here boss. So now that you realize this ….maybe you can let go of all that anger and hatred that you seem to harbor against so many different type folks. I believe that the modern word for this attitude is …hater.

      1. I consider a “redneck” anyone who claims to be a Southern Gentleman “Christian” like you have AT VARIOUS TIMES, then turn around and call people names when you attended a podunk, cow grazing college in EAST Alabama. REDNECK

  11. I haven’t posted on her in a long time, but I thought I would drop by and see what was going on with the recent Foster flip. I’m not surprised to see you guys making up lies and slandering AU again. I’m not going to dissect the entire blog, but let me just give you one example of how blatantly deceptive the crap on here is:

    This so called article/blog wrote: “Because Reuben was paid more (by Auburn) than Alabama was willing to pay him. We got boosters out there that weren’t willing to pay Reuben Foster and boosters willing to pay him in Auburn.”

    Scarbinsky, who recently wrote a story on this, provided a fairly different quote: “Because Reuben was paid more than Alabama was willing to pay him. We got boosters out there that weren’t willing to pay Reuben Foster what some boosters were willing to pay at Auburn.”

    Notice the subtle difference? No? Let me spell it out for you. Scarbinsky’s quote indicates that both Bama and Auburn bid on Foster. The writer of this blog, however, changed the quote so that it sounds like only Auburn bid on Foster. Why do such a thing you ask? Because facts don’t matter when you are trying to slam your rival.

  12. FYI,

    Just like every other Auburn fan, you’d be defending them if they had a Penn State scandal hanging over their head. Both Universities are alike with their corny slogans (“All In Family,” “We Are Penn State”) and mystical BS romanticizing (“Loveliest Village on Plains,” “Happy Valley.”

    Just wake up already and DEMAND Chizik be his own man and run a clean program!! Damn!

    1. Copeland completely disavowed his comments yesterday. In an interview with Kevin Scarbinsky, Copeland stated, “”I wasn’t serious at all…If I was serious about something, I would stand behind it. But this was a joke.”. As to his knowledge regarding the recruitment of Foster and/or anything about Auburn, Copeland followed up by admitting, “I don’t know anything about Reuben Foster…I don’t know anything about Auburn, for that matter.”

      This should be outright embarrassing for this blog. Given that Copeland has admitted he had no basis for his statements and retracted his accusation, along with the fact that the writer knowingly made a material alteration to Copeland’d quote, this article should be withdrawn in the same shameful manner as that Pulitzer worthy article from last week that cited a 3 year old lawsuit against Eric Smith that was dismissed over a year ago as breaking news.

      1. Embarassing? It’s a BLOG. It’s not a news site. It’s a blog. It’s an opinion blog, for that matter. I think it’s more ebarassing that half the comments on this article you’re saying is bogus are all by you. That’s pathetic. You just can’t take it, have to keep coming to Big Brother to try telling him to stop picking on you and beating your football team.

        Nevermind that money still DOES make sense in Foster’s recruitment. If you can’t see at the very least how it makes at least some logical sense that money could have contributed to an Alabama recruit moving into the heart of its rival’s territory, you’re not paying attention. We’d be saying the same thing if an Auburn recruit from Arkansas moved to Tuscaloosa and stole a previously twice-committed Auburn recruit’s speech.

        But that hasn’t happened!

        Talk about embarassing.

        1. The writer’s opinion isn’t the issue, so I fail to see your point about this being an “opinion blog”. The issue is the fact that the article fabricated and published a materially false quote. So you’re saying it’s acceptable to do that as long as it’s done on a blog?

      2. What’s embarrassing is that no one from the Dark Side is even considering the actual issue: the Boog Coaching Staff, in it’s mature and thoughtful manner, and with malice aforethought, decided to take another recruit’s change of committment speech, and, word-for-word, have their flipped recruit make the same speech addressed to their rival. Even IF he was paid, his mother was given a job as Frank Cheezit’s maid, he was given a whole fleet of Dodge Chargers (we know how much the Boogs are fixated on them), and all his aunts and uncles were given positions as Sociology professors at West Georgia PolyTechnic Institute, it was still an immature act, roughly similar to Cheezik holding up devil horns behind Nick Saban’s head during the SEC media days photo op of the coaches. You guys keep saying Auburn is in Bama’s head – it’s just the other way around. This would have NEVER happened at Bama – there’s just not that much worry about the Boog team these days. Bama has 3 deep rated players at every position, so what if the Boogs get one or two to flip.
        @Abraham – what you should really find embarrassing is that this is apparently Cheezit’s 4th class of top 10 recruits, and what has he done with them? I mean, other than populate the Lee County Corrections Institute with a good flag football team? Auburn is still one lightning-in-a-bottle player from 4 8-5 seasons. And don’t give me all that about Fairly and the other also-rans on the BCSNC team – at least 5 games that season, including the Iron Bowl, were pulled from the jaws of defeat by ONE player, not the host of GREAT recruits pulled in by Cheezit. If the University of Auburn has such a grand coaching staff that can take these top ten recruits and do something – anything – on the field with them, why haven’t they? How long can a team stay “young” and “inexperienced”? Don’t you guys get just a little uncomfortable when your team goes from a National Championship year to barely competing against Ole Miss and Vandy?

        1. Talk about sour grapes. Sheeees, Mr. Foster was the greatest thing since wonderbread a week ago , and now you would think he’s the anti-christ. Why ? Because he decided to play football somewhere else. You people are pathetic.Did it ever occur to you that he made friends with a lot of the people in and around Auburn ? Maybe he just likes it there…..Naaaa……These things are not lofical to a bammer.

          1. What the heck are you talking about? I didn’t say anything about this kid’s talent – just the opposite, in fact. Bama would like to have him, but they don’t need him like the Boogs do. His signing with the University of Auburn makes their signing class – he’s just another 4-5 star for Bama, and certainly doesn’t leave any gaping holes in this class.
            The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle of the discussion. Foster probably realized he was at least a year from seeing the field if he stayed with Bama, and could play immediately with the Barn – even start. It’s still raises questions with him suddenly moving to Auburn High while still “firmly committed” to Bama. With the recent history of the cult-like Barn nation and the thug mentality apparent among the coaches and team, you’d think they wouldn’t want to make any moves that might bring any attention from the NCAA. But, I think I give them too much credit. I expect to see another Compliance staffer resign any day now.

      3. It doesn’t matter, he was speaking his thoughts on it, and decided he probably shouldn’t have said that. No one ever said he knew what happened, just his thoughts on it.

        I am sure Auburn made Fosters family very happy. There will always be speculation when there is a drastic change, all of the sudden. You guys tried your best to discredit Brent Calloways guardians because he flipped back to Bama. All is fair, and there will be speculation of dirty Auburn recruiting practices, because they have BEEN doing it the whole time under Chizik. But in the end, we all know that the Foster to Auburn commitment doesn’t even things up between Bama and Auburn at all. Auburn is still two recruiting classes behind, so even with Foster you still get to enjoy your perpetual underdog status. And if the Auburn coaching staff wants to continue to engage in cheap shots using high school kids as pawns to do it, Saban will continue to do his talking on the field.

  13. Believe me when I say that I know this isn’t a news outlet. “Blog” would be a stretch. This is more like a bad joke.

        1. Just goes to show how much respect I give wannabe rapists RC. Don’t burn the chicken, biatch.

  14. Completely lied in this one didnt you?

    Here is what you quote Copeland as saying:

    “We got boosters out there that weren’t willing to pay Reuben Foster and boosters willing to pay him in Auburn.”

    That is a complete lie. Here is what he actually said:

    “We got boosters out there that werent will to pay Reuben Foster what some boosters were willing to pay at Auburn”

    What Copeland is saying is that Alabama boosters pay recruits, but they didnt want to pay Foster as much as Auburn boosters were willing to pay. Copeland is admitting that Alabama boosters pay recruits. He’s throwing your own team under the bus. And you know it. Thats why you changed the quote to make it look like something else.

    Thats about the lowest thing ive seen on this site (besides the 3 year old article you posted the other day and got embarrased with). Changing a quote is the lowest of the low.

    Absolute trash.

  15. “We got boosters out there that werent willing to pay Reuben Foster what some boosters were willing to pay at Auburn”

  16. From a very, very reliable source: Foster was pressed to make a decision by Saban early last week. Saban had been told by assistants that Foster was wavering after telling Saban he was 100% committed to Bama the week before. Saban contacted Foster and told him that if he was totally committed to Bama he expected him to change his cell # and only Bama coaches to have it. He also told him that if he wasn’t totally committed that he should look elsewhere to play.

    This was a ploy orchestrated by Pat Dye and Trooper Taylor. Foster was going to wait until the day before dead period to mimic Yeldon’s change. Trying to tie Bama’s hands and making it difficult to find a replacement. Saban is too sharp to allow this to happen and that’s why he’s the best in the business. He ALWAYS has a contingency plan and will find a quality replacement. One man doesn’t make a recruiting class. Never question Saban and his ability to overcome these types of things.

    If I were Foster I’d be concerned about November and the beating he’s gonna take from that NFL sized offensive line and the NFL sized running backs that are going to constantly run over him. The Barn may have won this battle but I assure you they won’t win the war. RTR!!!!

    1. Every Alabama fan on the internet has “a very reliable source”.

      You guys are so full of shit. And the other Bama fans will pat you on the back and congratulate you on your “reliable source” knowing the whole time its a damn lie because they pull the same shit themselves.

      You guys really are funny.

      1. Actually, Sabans results speak for Bama. You don’t have to have a ‘source’ to see Auburn is desperately trying to hang with what Bama has been doing. The truth is Bama is at least a couple of recruiting classes ahead of Bama at about every position. Plus the fact Auburn is reinventing themselves once again will have growing pains from that. It will take a lot more than getting this one guy you guys are so proud about. Bama has been taking the best players away from Auburn for a while now, and you guys act like this was the nail in the coffin for Saban and it is all over now. You, not willing to admit the truth about these facts, is the real joke here.

      2. I assure you this is the absolute truth sampson. Say what you want but Saban is sharp and my money is on his decisions. Auburn is having a great year in recruiting thus far and my hat is off to them but they’re not gonna out gun Saban as long as he is at Bama. The Barn cannot develop players like the Bama staff has done consistently.

        Sampson, you wanna bet Saban pulls another top 5 class???

  17. So are you saying that Saban dropped Foster before AU picked him up ? Come on man.

    1. I don’t think Saban dropped Foster. But I don’t think Saban will play these games with any recruit for very long. I think Auburn is more willing to satisfy a recruits demands, and Clemson is showing they are were willing to do it as well. Saban has the 3 National Championships and the NFL connection as leverage. He holds a bigger hand than Chizik does right now, nationally. So, the question is, what is Chizik offering that Bama is not? That is the question you Auburn fans will not ever give an honest answer to.

  18. Is that you Ballplay? Did you get a reprieve or are you sneaking back with a new IP? No Saban didn’t fire him before he left. Saban was tired of his games, especially since it was with his most hated rival. All he did was give him an ultimatum, which was designed to let both Foster and Auburn know we could survive without him before they had an opportunity to embarrass us officially. Smart move on Saban’s part. As for Copeland you stupid motherphuckers, he would never have seriously or intentionally said that Auburn outbid Bama for Foster. It was certainly a misspeak, a joke or Suckassky misquoted him. Nobody on this site gives a shit what Suckassky says anyway. I get excellent reason to burn his ass on his email almost every week from his bullshit about Bama. You people are a bunch of fools for demanding proof of questionable moves in this situation. Certainly they would be well covered up. But if anything was crooked it will be ferreted out eventually. As for the girlfriends job at Bama, she was (cont)

  19. (cont) chosen from around 60 applicants on an open job advertisment. As long as she was legitimately qualified then according to NCAA rules there was no wrongdoing – not to mention that she is a minority. And this is not the same as Yeldon. Bama did not orchestrate Yeldon to embarrass Auburn. Neither was Yeldon going to Tuscaloosa High with two Bama coaches sons. So fukoff. It’s amazing to me the number of masochists who follow that Lee County train wreck. Except for a measly 1 point win 2 years ago after sacrificing 100,000 chickens and the first born of the entire Barnturd coaching staff, there hasn’t been a damn thing to smile about or look forward to since ’07. You have one 1 point win among 3 losses of which 2 were beatdowns of mythical proportions and another one coming this year. Why would you dumbasses come over here running your mouths knowing you’re going to get another embarrassment in December? MASOCHISTS! Bwaa Haww Haww! RTR!

  20. Crimsonite, just a few responses. First, according to Collins’ mother there was a waitlist of at least 20 people to get that liason job. That doesn’t sound like an open job annaouncement. Secondly, his girlfriend is not a minority. Finally, we Auburn fans are very concerned about playing Bama in Tuscaloosa this year, as Auburn has a mere 7-1 all time record there. That reminds me, I need to call Jay Jacobs and make sure the AU Athletic Dept. has paid its property taxes on BDS for the year.

    1. We’ll trade you the property rights with Jordan-Hare, “Pay for Play” field. You been keeping the concession stands clean, Abe?

  21. Yes, Crimsonite, Tis I…….How you been ? I just thought I’d come back around and see what’s going on. ITK hasn’t canned me again (yet) lol. I promise to behave ITK. What fun would it be without a little back and forth ?

    1. Hey its ol Ballplay! I was wondering what happened to you. It has been 2 National Championships ago (3, since I know you are going to count Auburns lucky run that one year haha) that we have heard from you. Not since the Tuberville days I think. How have you been?

  22. Abraham,

    So you really think beating Dubose (1), Fran (1), and Shula (2) was a big accomplishment?! Granted, the 28-27 AU “Cam back” was unbelievable and over an average team (minus 10 def starters-AU same excuse annually), but it was tainted because Cam was paid to play. The Iron Bowls pre-1948 In T-town are sketchy as well since Auburn repudiates Alabama’s success pre-1982- the beginning of college football for Auburn University. BWAHAHAHA. Stick it up your ass, goat humper!

    1. RC, Bama fans certainly seem to consider victories over mediocre (or worse) Auburn teams as accomplishments. Do Bama’s victories during the Barfield era count? It’s also funny that you label the 2010 Bama team as mediocre. 5 minutes before kickoff you were saying that it was the greatest 2 loss team in NCAA history.

      1. You are right Abe. They ALL count. And Bama does have the lead all-time. Not only in head-to-head victories, but SEC Championships and National Championships. But a lot of you Auburn fans waste so much time trying to dispute that as well.

        What is funny to me is during the 6 game streak Auburn had going, I actually heard an Auburn fan try his best to argue that 6 in a row was actually better than Bama winning 9 in a row. But I believe that EVERY game counts, and you can’t pigeon hole and only take a certain segment of the record to present it as the only stats that count. Sure, Auburn has had some success, and won some big games. Not necessarily on the scope and consistency that Bama has, but they have had success nonetheless.

        It is just most Auburn fans think that certain amount of success means that it equals up to Bama. There are at least 2-3 other SEC teams besides Bama that have done more than Auburn has. That is what makes you guys so fun to pick at. You demand respect and twist stats and facts around to your liking, but yet accuse us of doing that very thing and thats why you hate us so much.

        1. Couldn’t agree more bamabrando. They do all count, and you’ll never catch me trying to say that Auburn’s history matches Bama’s history. I think some of the NC’s that Bama claims are beyond ridiculous, but there’s no doubt that Bama is one of the most storied football programs in the country. That being said, on a selfish level I believe most of us concern ourselves more with what has happened during the realm of our own memories rather than what happened before we were born.

          1. I agree. I have witnessed, with my own eyes, in my lifetime, Bama accomplish more than Auburn on the football field. I have seen 5 National Championships, and 11 SEC championships. (well, I was born in 1971, and Bama won 5 straight SEC Championships from 71-75, and 3 more from 77-79, but it was in my lifetime). Auburn has won 1 National Championship, and 5 SEC Championships in that same time frame.

            I think when Bama was lost with all the head coaching changes, a lot of Auburn fans really thought Bama was done and over, and Auburn had finally become a greater football program than Bama. And maybe they had for a short period of time, but it did not last very long. Auburn fans have always cried “Bama fans live in the past” and all that crap. But here, in the present, and for the near future, Bama is as relevant as it has ever been in its history, and that says a lot.

            Auburn? Who knows right now? I know you guys are optimistic about the future, and you guys are counting every little victory you can in the off season to keep the dream alive, but the massacre of 42-14 last season should show you how big the divide is between them now. Saban took 5 years of stellar recruiting and very disciplined coaching to create it, yet we are to believe (coming from you guys) that Chizik, who is recruiting character risk players and a not so disciplined approach to coaching will catch up in just one season.

  23. When I found out that Foster had moved to Auburn, I thought ” something is up with this move.” And was I ever right. I wonder just what did happen. RTR

  24. Back in the old days when Auburn was always the team on probation (instead of Alabama) I remember a reporter asking an Auburn assistant coach why they paid recruits to go to Auburn instead of Alabama. The Auburn coach responded “who do you think we are bidding against? We just aren’t good at it.”

    The writer of the Capstone story completely glosses over the admission the Alabama has boosters out paying players, but they apparently didn’t match Auburn’s offer. Now this guy has no real idea what is going on in the Foster situation, but he is a former Alabama football player – so he knows how the Alabama system of payments works – he is just making assumptions about Auburn.

    The thing I don’t know is did Saban already have the GMC Yukon delivered to Foster already and if so, how does he get it back?

  25. I’m good brutha….I got shown the door a couple years ago….But I’m just here for a little argueing with my Bama brethren. All in good fun of course.

  26. Bamabrando, I agree that Saban has a machine going on right now at Bama. That’s what makes Chizik’s accomplishments in recruiting that much more impressive, because you have to look at what he’s up against, and spare me the standard garbage response about Chette Williams paying recruits. You can hang on to that 42-14 game from last year all you want, but here’s reality. Bama had an incredible team last year, but most of those guys are in the NFL now. Those freshmen and sophomores that Bama beat up on are gonna be sophomores and juniors this year, and they’ll have a full two years of experience under their belt come late November. I know Bama’s got plenty of talent coming back, but you don’t lose guys like Richardson, Upshaw, Hightower, Barron, and Kirkpatrick and not miss a beat. You’re gonna miss the leadership of guys like Vlachos and Smelly, too.

    1. It’s okay to tell yourself that Bama just can’t replace the guys that left, when they have been replacing players each year. If you have noticed, you will see that some of the replacements are pretty good players themselves, and a good many of them played in every game last season. How many games has Bama lost in the past four years again? Like 4?

      If Bamas defense is half as good as it was last season, and the offense should be close to the same, possibly even better, how can you think that Auburn can close that huge of a gap in just a season? Auburn will be better, but they won’t beat Bama, LSU, Arkansas or Georgia once again this season.

    2. @Abraham

      I agree that Auburn is recruiting better. I definitely agree Chizik’s accomplishments in recruiting are impressive because of how well Saban is recruiting.

      It always seems motivate Auburn when Alabama wins things like national championships. When Alabama won in 2009 it resulted in the now infamous, “what do we have to do to win” quote from the Auburn Athletic Board.

      I can only imagine what they said after Alabama won the national title again this past year, but the end result is getting recruits like Newton and Foster. It’s a reaction to Alabama, such as Foster’s speech, hence the “Little Brother Syndrome” term. It’s not an insult as much as a description of a pattern in the culture.

  27. You “men” sure waste a lot of time bullying each other. Do any of you have any class?
    Fact is at the point in time UA is on top. One day it will be AU back on top. Hopefully the AU fans will live long enough to see it happen.
    RTR

    1. So much for this column. Good thing Copeland said he was joking, especially when he said Auburn OUTBIDDED Bama..nice!

      1. I thought I told you to stop posting on here, boy! You don’t know how to follow directions

        1. And you sure as hell don’t know how to write a decent post. Go on back to your circlejerk with your boys RC, I know you hate being in the middle all the time…..

  28. if YOOOOOOOOU consider Clemson, Vandy and Georgia to be revenge games, yoooooooooooou might be a barntarded stumpjumper.

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