Neil Simon is one of my favorite playwrights. He is one of the most reliable hitmakers in Broadway history and one of the most performed playwrights in the world. A few of his most famous plays include “The Odd Couple”, “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers”, “The Sunshine Boys”, “Biloxi Blues” and “Lost in Yonkers”. In 1988, his farcical play “Rumors” hit the Great White Way. Basically, it involves the shooting of a New York Mayor, and the rumors of “who done it”.
Because the play is centered on rumors, the play is funny and grabs at your emotions. But that is the way it always is with rumors….those pieces of purportedly true information that circulate without substantiating evidence.
In 1977, Fleetwood Mac released an album entitled “Rumours”. It was a particularly difficult time for the band, as Mick Fleetwood has separated from his wife Jenny. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, who were in a relationship when the joined the band, were now separated. And John McVie and Christine McVie were separated. Yet all five were still in the band. Christine McVie says that they were all music writers; they were all writing about each other, that most of what they were writing was based on feelings, not on substantiated facts….hence the name of the album. Rumours. Or, in American English spelling….Rumors.
Rumors can be funny. They can be sad. They can be vicious. But mostly, rumors can be true….and they can be false.
There are many rumors going around about Tommy Tuberville and the Arkansas Razorbacks. In fact, many news media in and around Fayetteville were reporting yesterday that Tommy T. was going to be named the new Head Hog as soon as yesterday evening, or as late as this morning. Fact? Fiction? Rumor.
You may not be an Auburn news junkie like me, and if not, you didn’t know that Tubs was in Arkansas yesterday and today hunting. Evidently, when Tubs left the woods yesterday from a day of “not-any-luck” deer hunting, he became quite irritated at the rumors coming from his home state.
Syndicated Columnist and Opelika resident Philip Marshal spoke with Tommy T., and Tubs told him “neither he nor his agent, Jimmy Sexton … has had any contact at all with Arkansas officials about the job vacated by Houston Nutt. By the way, he and assistants Eddie Gran and Steve Ensminger were planning to hunt ducks but ended up hunting deer. Gran bagged a deer. The other two have struck out so far.” Substantiated. Not Rumor.
Of course there is a lot of work to be done to get the contract renegotiations and future plans/agreements settled. But one other thing Tommy T. has asked of all the Auburn Family. Have a little patience. And I would add….don’t pay much attention to the rumor mill.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
November 28, 1987
Because we are having such a good week enjoying the sweetness of another Iron Bowl victory, I thought I would take you down memory lane for a few moments.
Tomorrow is the twentieth anniversary of the 1987 Iron Bowl which determined the champion of the SEC. These were the days prior to the SEC Championship game. If Auburn beat Alabama, the Tigers would be the outright SEC Champion. If Alabama beat Auburn, then Bama would share the title with LSU.
There were 75,808 people at Legion Field on November 28, 1987. The tangled significance of the game was an indication of the infighting in a conference with (at that time) 10 schools that would send six teams to a bowl. That was unprecedented for the SEC up until that point. Auburn, ranked #7, was 8-1-1 while Alabama, ranked #18 under first year Alabama Head Coach Bill Curry was 7-4.
The story of the game could be summed up in the first half, when Derrick Thomas of Alabama blocked an Auburn punt out of bounds at the Tiger 9-yard line. Three Alabama plays moved the ball to the 1 yard line, and Bill Curry decided to go for the touchdown. On fourth down, Alabama attempted a pass that fell incomplete and Auburn took over.
With Jeff Burger at the helm, Auburn drove the ball 99 yards for the game’s only touchdown, which came on Harry Mose’s 5-yard run around left end with 58 seconds remaining in the first half. During the drive, Burger threw a 44 yard pass to Lawyer Tillman and Stacy Danley had an 18 yard run. The drive was aided by two 15 yard penalties against the Tide.
Late in the game, Auburn drove 69 yards to the Alabama 9 and Wyn Lyle kicked a 23 yard field goal. Bama got one last chance to score, but lost the ball when Clay Whitehurst caught a pass and fumbled at the Alabama 45.
Like many Iron Bowls to come, the game was dominated by the defenses, with Auburn linebacker Kurt Crain halting Alabama with an interception and Alabama’s Mike Smith picking off a Burger pass at the Alabama 25. In the final quarter, both teams missed field goals when Phillip Doyle of the Tide missed a 53 yarder, hitting the left upright, and Wyn Lyle of Auburn missing a 47 yarder.
The Tigers defeated the Tide that day, winning the Iron Bowl 10-0, and winning the Southeastern Conference Title outright while securing a Sugar Bowl Berth to play the undefeated Syracuse Orangemen.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
Tomorrow is the twentieth anniversary of the 1987 Iron Bowl which determined the champion of the SEC. These were the days prior to the SEC Championship game. If Auburn beat Alabama, the Tigers would be the outright SEC Champion. If Alabama beat Auburn, then Bama would share the title with LSU.
There were 75,808 people at Legion Field on November 28, 1987. The tangled significance of the game was an indication of the infighting in a conference with (at that time) 10 schools that would send six teams to a bowl. That was unprecedented for the SEC up until that point. Auburn, ranked #7, was 8-1-1 while Alabama, ranked #18 under first year Alabama Head Coach Bill Curry was 7-4.
The story of the game could be summed up in the first half, when Derrick Thomas of Alabama blocked an Auburn punt out of bounds at the Tiger 9-yard line. Three Alabama plays moved the ball to the 1 yard line, and Bill Curry decided to go for the touchdown. On fourth down, Alabama attempted a pass that fell incomplete and Auburn took over.
With Jeff Burger at the helm, Auburn drove the ball 99 yards for the game’s only touchdown, which came on Harry Mose’s 5-yard run around left end with 58 seconds remaining in the first half. During the drive, Burger threw a 44 yard pass to Lawyer Tillman and Stacy Danley had an 18 yard run. The drive was aided by two 15 yard penalties against the Tide.
Late in the game, Auburn drove 69 yards to the Alabama 9 and Wyn Lyle kicked a 23 yard field goal. Bama got one last chance to score, but lost the ball when Clay Whitehurst caught a pass and fumbled at the Alabama 45.
Like many Iron Bowls to come, the game was dominated by the defenses, with Auburn linebacker Kurt Crain halting Alabama with an interception and Alabama’s Mike Smith picking off a Burger pass at the Alabama 25. In the final quarter, both teams missed field goals when Phillip Doyle of the Tide missed a 53 yarder, hitting the left upright, and Wyn Lyle of Auburn missing a 47 yarder.
The Tigers defeated the Tide that day, winning the Iron Bowl 10-0, and winning the Southeastern Conference Title outright while securing a Sugar Bowl Berth to play the undefeated Syracuse Orangemen.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Six
Mrs. Young was my 6th grade teacher. It was the fall of 1970, and she had just graduated from Auburn University. Being at Auburn during the Pat Sullivan years, she was a huge fan of Number 7. In fact, she told our class that her entire sorority would answer their telephone, not with “hello”, but with “Pat Who?” Number 7 from that time forward will always live in Auburn lore as a special, important number. So much so that it was retired.
But I want to make the case that not only is the number 7 important to all Auburn people, but the number 6 is, in many ways, even more important. And it isn’t because I was in the 6th grade when Mrs. Young shared her passion about Super Sully.
Six has been an important number to a lot of people. Prior to Saturday evening, I think the number six was most important to me because of Clint Eastwood. Perhaps you are not the Spaghetti Western fan as I am, and therefore don’t watch all of the TBS reruns of “The Good, the Bad and The Ugly.” But I do. I don’t know why I love that movie so much….it is kind of silly….but if it is on; I am going to watch it. There is a line in the movie, where Clint Eastwood’s character realizes he is facing six villains in a saloon. His remark to this is, “Six is my favorite number. There are six of you, and I have six bullets left in my gun.” Of course, the rest is history. Clint always gets his man (or six of them).
But the number six isn’t just for the gunfighters. In fact, six is Bert’s favorite number on Sesame Street. (Hey, just because my four children are about grown doesn’t mean I don’t still keep up with Bert and Ernie!! There’s a little bit of Big Bird in all of us!)
And lest you forget what your Sunday School Teachers taught you, the book of Genesis tells us that man was created by God on the sixth day.
And if the number Six is that important to the Big Guy, then it must be pretty darn important!
Auburn had never beaten the Crimson Tide 6 years in a row. Never. Ever. Until now. The world of Iron Bowl history changed on November 24, 2007. For the first time in forever, Auburn beat Alabama in football for the SIXTH STRAIGHT TIME. Dang that feels good to write.
It is so sweet, that there ought to be a song written about it. Something to capture this feeling forever. In fact, did you know that on most Rock Albums, the feature track is usually the sixth song? And if this ride Auburn has been on were an Album, the sixth track might have to be called “Taking Care of Business.” Because that’s what Auburn did. They went out, on a chilly and windy Saturday evening, and systematically took care of business by beating Saban and his Crimson Troops.
So today, I am celebrating Six. Six straight wins over the Tide. As Jackie Gleason used to say, "How sweet it is!"
Oh, and Seven? Why, the Bible refers to IT as the Perfect Number. More on that next year.
War Eagle
WJLaneSR
But I want to make the case that not only is the number 7 important to all Auburn people, but the number 6 is, in many ways, even more important. And it isn’t because I was in the 6th grade when Mrs. Young shared her passion about Super Sully.
Six has been an important number to a lot of people. Prior to Saturday evening, I think the number six was most important to me because of Clint Eastwood. Perhaps you are not the Spaghetti Western fan as I am, and therefore don’t watch all of the TBS reruns of “The Good, the Bad and The Ugly.” But I do. I don’t know why I love that movie so much….it is kind of silly….but if it is on; I am going to watch it. There is a line in the movie, where Clint Eastwood’s character realizes he is facing six villains in a saloon. His remark to this is, “Six is my favorite number. There are six of you, and I have six bullets left in my gun.” Of course, the rest is history. Clint always gets his man (or six of them).
But the number six isn’t just for the gunfighters. In fact, six is Bert’s favorite number on Sesame Street. (Hey, just because my four children are about grown doesn’t mean I don’t still keep up with Bert and Ernie!! There’s a little bit of Big Bird in all of us!)
And lest you forget what your Sunday School Teachers taught you, the book of Genesis tells us that man was created by God on the sixth day.
And if the number Six is that important to the Big Guy, then it must be pretty darn important!
Auburn had never beaten the Crimson Tide 6 years in a row. Never. Ever. Until now. The world of Iron Bowl history changed on November 24, 2007. For the first time in forever, Auburn beat Alabama in football for the SIXTH STRAIGHT TIME. Dang that feels good to write.
It is so sweet, that there ought to be a song written about it. Something to capture this feeling forever. In fact, did you know that on most Rock Albums, the feature track is usually the sixth song? And if this ride Auburn has been on were an Album, the sixth track might have to be called “Taking Care of Business.” Because that’s what Auburn did. They went out, on a chilly and windy Saturday evening, and systematically took care of business by beating Saban and his Crimson Troops.
So today, I am celebrating Six. Six straight wins over the Tide. As Jackie Gleason used to say, "How sweet it is!"
Oh, and Seven? Why, the Bible refers to IT as the Perfect Number. More on that next year.
War Eagle
WJLaneSR
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
War Eagle from Korea
It is 3:52 a.m. Tuesday morning at home. For me, it is 5:52 p.m. on Tuesday evening. I am sitting in the Korean Air Lounge at the Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Korea. I arrived from Atlanta about an hour ago, and will be departing for Shanghai, China in an hour and a half.
It's Iron Bowl week, and I am looking at a clay bowl of Kimchi. But just so you know that I have my game face on, I am wearing a navy blue sport shirt with an orange "A-U" on it. And yes, I have gotten a few comments.
One of the flight attendants on my 15 1/4 hour flight from Atlanta to Seoul (yes....over 15 hours!!) was a Tennessee Vol. She knew what my shirt stood for. Her only concern, however, was why we didn't help them out by beating the dawgs. My response was, "you have to help yourself out, and you almost didn't do that against Vandy!"
One thing we agreed on, however. Neither of us like the Tide. Now, I don't really know what's going on back home as we get geared up for the Iron Bowl on Saturday. But I can tell you...I am half way around the world, and I am bringing it! So if I can bring it in Seoul.....and in just a few hours be bringing in Communist China.....then ya'll can get ready to bring it at home.
I fly in on Friday, and will be at the ballgame on Saturday.
From Seoul....War Eagle!
WJLaneSR
It's Iron Bowl week, and I am looking at a clay bowl of Kimchi. But just so you know that I have my game face on, I am wearing a navy blue sport shirt with an orange "A-U" on it. And yes, I have gotten a few comments.
One of the flight attendants on my 15 1/4 hour flight from Atlanta to Seoul (yes....over 15 hours!!) was a Tennessee Vol. She knew what my shirt stood for. Her only concern, however, was why we didn't help them out by beating the dawgs. My response was, "you have to help yourself out, and you almost didn't do that against Vandy!"
One thing we agreed on, however. Neither of us like the Tide. Now, I don't really know what's going on back home as we get geared up for the Iron Bowl on Saturday. But I can tell you...I am half way around the world, and I am bringing it! So if I can bring it in Seoul.....and in just a few hours be bringing in Communist China.....then ya'll can get ready to bring it at home.
I fly in on Friday, and will be at the ballgame on Saturday.
From Seoul....War Eagle!
WJLaneSR
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Quarterbacks
Auburn’s quarterback play this year has been a kaliedescope, to put it mildly. There have been arguments, debates, cheers and jeers. We have heard the cheers "Kodi....Kodi....Kodi..." and then "Brandon....Brandon...Brandon"
But I want to take a step back from the current quarterback situation.....I want to step back as we look dead ahead toward the showdown with the Crapstone Empire.
I want to look instead to the future. Not next year's future...but beyond.
Auburn certainly has Blake Field, Kodi Burns and Neil Caudle waiting in the wings for next year.
But let's look at 2009.
Let’s look at the next signing class….the class that will sign in February 2008. The class that will probably redshirt the fall of 2008, and be ready for fall 2009. Let’s look at Barrett Trotter and Deron Furr.
Yes, those are two names you better get used to, cause they’re coming.
Both quarterbacks are committed to Auburn. Both quarterbacks are leading their respective teams into the playoffs. Both of their teams are ranked #1 in their state. And both of their teams are undefeated.
Barrett Trotter is the quarterback and offensive captain for the #1 Ranked 5-A Briarwood Christian of Birmingham. His team is 11-0, and he has passed for 2405 yards this year alone. He has completed 158 of 238 passes with on 3 interceptions.
His coach, Fred Yancy, told the Birmingham News last week that he expected his senior quarterback to have a big year, but he didn’t expect it would be THIS big. His exact quote was “Barrett’s even better than I thought.”
With a quick release, and a deep threat arm, he certainly will be welcome on the Plains.
But the quarterback news for Auburn doesn’t stop there. The other name you need to get used to is Deron Furr.
Deron Furr is the quarterback of the #1 Ranked AAA Carver Tigers of Columbus. His team is 10-0 for the first time ever. Being coached by former Auburn Tiger Dell McGee, his coach says about him, “Deron looks like what a football player should look like. He is over 6’3”, weighs about 220 pounds, has a big time arm and runs a true 4.4 forty yard dash. That’s why he also runs the 100 meter on our track team.”
This past Friday night, Furr didn’t have to play much as they were much stronger than their competition. Yet, in less than two quarters of play, he 4 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, and also ran a 58 yard touchdown by himself.
And if that isn’t enough, his favorite receiver, and Carver’s all-time leading receiver, Jarmon Fortson, is also an Auburn commitment and will be signing with the tigers on the same day. Again, quoting Dell McGee, “Auburn is getting two outstanding football players. They have high football I.Q.’s, they are both extremely fast, extremely strong and extremely competitive. They both know how to make things happen with the ball.”
So…as we look toward the Iron Bowl next week…and as we have a few days of rest this week….I thought you might like to get a glimpse of the future.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
But I want to take a step back from the current quarterback situation.....I want to step back as we look dead ahead toward the showdown with the Crapstone Empire.
I want to look instead to the future. Not next year's future...but beyond.
Auburn certainly has Blake Field, Kodi Burns and Neil Caudle waiting in the wings for next year.
But let's look at 2009.
Let’s look at the next signing class….the class that will sign in February 2008. The class that will probably redshirt the fall of 2008, and be ready for fall 2009. Let’s look at Barrett Trotter and Deron Furr.
Yes, those are two names you better get used to, cause they’re coming.
Both quarterbacks are committed to Auburn. Both quarterbacks are leading their respective teams into the playoffs. Both of their teams are ranked #1 in their state. And both of their teams are undefeated.
Barrett Trotter is the quarterback and offensive captain for the #1 Ranked 5-A Briarwood Christian of Birmingham. His team is 11-0, and he has passed for 2405 yards this year alone. He has completed 158 of 238 passes with on 3 interceptions.
His coach, Fred Yancy, told the Birmingham News last week that he expected his senior quarterback to have a big year, but he didn’t expect it would be THIS big. His exact quote was “Barrett’s even better than I thought.”
With a quick release, and a deep threat arm, he certainly will be welcome on the Plains.
But the quarterback news for Auburn doesn’t stop there. The other name you need to get used to is Deron Furr.
Deron Furr is the quarterback of the #1 Ranked AAA Carver Tigers of Columbus. His team is 10-0 for the first time ever. Being coached by former Auburn Tiger Dell McGee, his coach says about him, “Deron looks like what a football player should look like. He is over 6’3”, weighs about 220 pounds, has a big time arm and runs a true 4.4 forty yard dash. That’s why he also runs the 100 meter on our track team.”
This past Friday night, Furr didn’t have to play much as they were much stronger than their competition. Yet, in less than two quarters of play, he 4 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, and also ran a 58 yard touchdown by himself.
And if that isn’t enough, his favorite receiver, and Carver’s all-time leading receiver, Jarmon Fortson, is also an Auburn commitment and will be signing with the tigers on the same day. Again, quoting Dell McGee, “Auburn is getting two outstanding football players. They have high football I.Q.’s, they are both extremely fast, extremely strong and extremely competitive. They both know how to make things happen with the ball.”
So…as we look toward the Iron Bowl next week…and as we have a few days of rest this week….I thought you might like to get a glimpse of the future.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
a Loooooong Time ago........
The attacks on the World Trade Centers happened two months before. The Concorde was still making trans-Atlantic flights. Enron had not yet filed for bankruptcy and Kenneth Lay was still working there.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Milton Berle was still alive. So was George Harrison. The Euro was not the legal tender for the 12 European Union Members. Windows XP was only 1 month old. Nintendo Game Cube was released only two weeks earlier.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
The Baltimore Ravens were the reigning Super Bowl Champions. David Duval was the British Open Champion. Evander Holyfield was the WBA Heavyweight Champion.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Saddam Hussein was still President of Iraq. Bill Clinton began the year as U.S. President, and George W. Bush was sworn in after the year began.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Johnny Cash won the Best Country Male Vocalist Award for “Solitary Man” at the Grammys. The song of the year was U2’s “Beautiful Day” and the Grammy for the best rock song was “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Kevin Millwood were pitchers for the Braves. Jeff Francoeur was a junior at Parkview High School and Brian McCann was a junior at Duluth High School.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
My oldest daughter, who graduated from Auburn University in May, was just a junior in High School. My son, who is in the 5th grade, was only in pre-school…not even kindergarten.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Fear the other hand.
War Eagle!
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Milton Berle was still alive. So was George Harrison. The Euro was not the legal tender for the 12 European Union Members. Windows XP was only 1 month old. Nintendo Game Cube was released only two weeks earlier.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
The Baltimore Ravens were the reigning Super Bowl Champions. David Duval was the British Open Champion. Evander Holyfield was the WBA Heavyweight Champion.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Saddam Hussein was still President of Iraq. Bill Clinton began the year as U.S. President, and George W. Bush was sworn in after the year began.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Johnny Cash won the Best Country Male Vocalist Award for “Solitary Man” at the Grammys. The song of the year was U2’s “Beautiful Day” and the Grammy for the best rock song was “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Kevin Millwood were pitchers for the Braves. Jeff Francoeur was a junior at Parkview High School and Brian McCann was a junior at Duluth High School.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
My oldest daughter, who graduated from Auburn University in May, was just a junior in High School. My son, who is in the 5th grade, was only in pre-school…not even kindergarten.
That’s how long it has been since Auburn has lost to Bama.
Fear the other hand.
War Eagle!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl. Saban Nation vs. Auburn Family. History.
It was February 22, 1893. On a cold, blustery day at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Auburn and Alabama played their first football game. Approximately 2000 people showed up to see Auburn whip Bama, 32-22.
This should have shut the Tuscaloosan’s mouths, but being the ancestors of today’s loudmouth rednecks, and having the first generation of the defective pachydermian gene, the Alabama faithful couldn’t swallow their “getting beat” medicine and take it like a man. Instead, they chose to argue. (And we full well know how strong THAT part of the gene is!!)
Immediately following the game, Alabama claimed that this loss was the final game of the 1892 season, which had been over for almost two months. Auburn took the more logical approach and said, no….this was the first game of the 1893 season, since it was agreed to play the game after the 1892 season had already ended. And after all, it was now almost the 3rd month of 1893. And so, Auburn recorded it as the first win for 1893. And Bama? They recorded it (and still is, according to THEIR records), a loss for their 1892 season. They just couldn’t stand the thought of starting their year off with a loss to Auburn, so they chose to just rewrite history. (Again, things don’t fall far from the tree, do they??)
In 1907, the games were suspended. There are many urban legends as to why, but most Iron Bowl historians agree that these were the germane issues: (1) they couldn’t agree on how much players should be paid for expenses. Auburn thought that players should be paid based on how far they had to travel. And since the game was in Birmingham, and most of the Auburn players came from southern rural Alabama, their costs should be considered. Bama, on the other hand, thought all players should get the same. Yet over 90% of their players were from the Birmingham area. Interestingly, the NCAA today takes the same position that Auburn took back in 1907, which Bama didn’t agree to. Seems like Bama hasn’t wanted to agree with the NCAA for a looooooong time. Must be genetic. (2) the two schools couldn’t agree on where the officials would come from. Bama thought they should come from Birmingham, and Auburn thought they should come from out of state. Simple question of fairness, don’t you think? Well, “Birmingham Homecooking” meant more to Bama than continuing the rivalry, so they picked up their little stuffed elephants and went home.
In 1948, the Iron Bowl was resumed and on November 24, at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the 72nd rendition will be held.
It is interesting what the two schools call themselves today. It is the attitude they will bring to the game. Auburn calls itself “the Auburn Family”. This exudes a sense of family…of togetherness…of fairness and decency….of right….and it has been genetically passed down from our ancestors in this great rivalry.
The other side calls themselves “the Saban Nation”. It’s all about 1 man. Not even a mention of their school. It exudes the sense of selfishness….of “me more than us”…of spoiled brat….of childishness and lack of maturity….of win at all/any costs….of no regard for rules and what is right. And as has been pointed out above….this has been genetically passed down from their ancestors in this great rivalry.
In fact, you could point to two things that sum up what I have written above:
Shug. Bear.
The Auburn Family vs. the Saban Nation.
That about says it all.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSR.
It was February 22, 1893. On a cold, blustery day at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Auburn and Alabama played their first football game. Approximately 2000 people showed up to see Auburn whip Bama, 32-22.
This should have shut the Tuscaloosan’s mouths, but being the ancestors of today’s loudmouth rednecks, and having the first generation of the defective pachydermian gene, the Alabama faithful couldn’t swallow their “getting beat” medicine and take it like a man. Instead, they chose to argue. (And we full well know how strong THAT part of the gene is!!)
Immediately following the game, Alabama claimed that this loss was the final game of the 1892 season, which had been over for almost two months. Auburn took the more logical approach and said, no….this was the first game of the 1893 season, since it was agreed to play the game after the 1892 season had already ended. And after all, it was now almost the 3rd month of 1893. And so, Auburn recorded it as the first win for 1893. And Bama? They recorded it (and still is, according to THEIR records), a loss for their 1892 season. They just couldn’t stand the thought of starting their year off with a loss to Auburn, so they chose to just rewrite history. (Again, things don’t fall far from the tree, do they??)
In 1907, the games were suspended. There are many urban legends as to why, but most Iron Bowl historians agree that these were the germane issues: (1) they couldn’t agree on how much players should be paid for expenses. Auburn thought that players should be paid based on how far they had to travel. And since the game was in Birmingham, and most of the Auburn players came from southern rural Alabama, their costs should be considered. Bama, on the other hand, thought all players should get the same. Yet over 90% of their players were from the Birmingham area. Interestingly, the NCAA today takes the same position that Auburn took back in 1907, which Bama didn’t agree to. Seems like Bama hasn’t wanted to agree with the NCAA for a looooooong time. Must be genetic. (2) the two schools couldn’t agree on where the officials would come from. Bama thought they should come from Birmingham, and Auburn thought they should come from out of state. Simple question of fairness, don’t you think? Well, “Birmingham Homecooking” meant more to Bama than continuing the rivalry, so they picked up their little stuffed elephants and went home.
In 1948, the Iron Bowl was resumed and on November 24, at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the 72nd rendition will be held.
It is interesting what the two schools call themselves today. It is the attitude they will bring to the game. Auburn calls itself “the Auburn Family”. This exudes a sense of family…of togetherness…of fairness and decency….of right….and it has been genetically passed down from our ancestors in this great rivalry.
The other side calls themselves “the Saban Nation”. It’s all about 1 man. Not even a mention of their school. It exudes the sense of selfishness….of “me more than us”…of spoiled brat….of childishness and lack of maturity….of win at all/any costs….of no regard for rules and what is right. And as has been pointed out above….this has been genetically passed down from their ancestors in this great rivalry.
In fact, you could point to two things that sum up what I have written above:
Shug. Bear.
The Auburn Family vs. the Saban Nation.
That about says it all.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSR.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Black Holes
When I was in college I took two semesters of Astronomy in the, at that time, brand new Rollins Planetarium. In fact, I was in the first class that actually got to use it. For some reason I loved astronomy. I can’t say that I ever understood the mathematical concept of the universe being curved, or that only infinite mass could travel at the speed of light, but there were some pretty cool things that I learned.
One of those was “Black Holes”. For those of you who don’t know what a black hole is, let me first tell you what it isn’t. It isn’t the middle of a donut that is in a room with no lights. It is, however, a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing can escape after having fallen past the event horizon. They are best described by using Einstein’s theory of relativity. But enough of the brainiac stuff.
A black hole is that region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing can escape after having fallen past (into) the event horizon. Boy does that ever summarize this past Saturday night at Sanford Stadium.
Maybe it was just a Black Hole. Oh, they called it a Black Out. But blackouts simply mean there was no light…..and for Auburn, that was true. But it was even more true that Auburn came into a region of space (Sanford Stadium) in which the electricity magnetism was so powerful, that they could not escape after having fallen into the event of the Auburn-Georgia game. It was an all-black, total Black Hole.
Einstein’s theory of relativity basically says that when a large enough amount of mass that is doing the same thing (wearing black, for instance!) within a sufficiently small region of space (Sanford Stadium, for instance!), all paths through that space (the entire playing field, for instance!) lean strongly inwards towards the center of the space (homefield advantage, for instance!) forcing all matter to fall it’s way (and that is just what happened in the 4th quarter…everything fell the Dogs way).
One of the most interesting things about black holes is this…there is no escape. Once something falls into one, it cannot escape. The effort required to escape a black hole is basically infinite, and therefore if a team has tired legs from playing eleven straight weeks, it will not have enough strength and effort to escape once it falls into the black hole.
One other thing needs to be stated, and that is what happens to something once it has been engulfed by a black hole. It can only escape through a worm hole, and worm holes can only be understood through quantum mechanics.
I hope to goodness that Auburn, these next two weeks, can find a worm hole to escape from the total magnetic meltdown that occurred in the black hole event this past Saturday….and through that hole find a way to the pre-black hole existence it had prior to Athens.
I hate black holes.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
One of those was “Black Holes”. For those of you who don’t know what a black hole is, let me first tell you what it isn’t. It isn’t the middle of a donut that is in a room with no lights. It is, however, a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing can escape after having fallen past the event horizon. They are best described by using Einstein’s theory of relativity. But enough of the brainiac stuff.
A black hole is that region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing can escape after having fallen past (into) the event horizon. Boy does that ever summarize this past Saturday night at Sanford Stadium.
Maybe it was just a Black Hole. Oh, they called it a Black Out. But blackouts simply mean there was no light…..and for Auburn, that was true. But it was even more true that Auburn came into a region of space (Sanford Stadium) in which the electricity magnetism was so powerful, that they could not escape after having fallen into the event of the Auburn-Georgia game. It was an all-black, total Black Hole.
Einstein’s theory of relativity basically says that when a large enough amount of mass that is doing the same thing (wearing black, for instance!) within a sufficiently small region of space (Sanford Stadium, for instance!), all paths through that space (the entire playing field, for instance!) lean strongly inwards towards the center of the space (homefield advantage, for instance!) forcing all matter to fall it’s way (and that is just what happened in the 4th quarter…everything fell the Dogs way).
One of the most interesting things about black holes is this…there is no escape. Once something falls into one, it cannot escape. The effort required to escape a black hole is basically infinite, and therefore if a team has tired legs from playing eleven straight weeks, it will not have enough strength and effort to escape once it falls into the black hole.
One other thing needs to be stated, and that is what happens to something once it has been engulfed by a black hole. It can only escape through a worm hole, and worm holes can only be understood through quantum mechanics.
I hope to goodness that Auburn, these next two weeks, can find a worm hole to escape from the total magnetic meltdown that occurred in the black hole event this past Saturday….and through that hole find a way to the pre-black hole existence it had prior to Athens.
I hate black holes.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSr
Sunday, November 11, 2007
No Show
It was supposed to showcase Knowshon Moreno. Or, showcase a defense that has all the tools to stop him. It was supposed to be two former teammates and current close friends matching wits against each other. It was supposed to be the all-black “blackout” vs. the team that hasn’t lost in white since 2003. It was supposed to be.
What happened was a No-Show. Auburn’s secondary was a no-show. Auburn’s interior linebackers were a no-show. Auburn’s vertical passing game was a no-show. Auburn’s ability to get a wide receiver to break open down the field was a no-show. And Auburn’s creativity was a no-show. And that team that had lost by less than one score against EVERY team it has lost to? No-Show.
What I saw on Saturday night looked a whole lot more like the team I saw that played Mississippi State and South Florida, than the team I saw play Florida. Where was that team? A no-show.
And as for Moreno? Well, Brandon Cox was certainly no Dan Morino. On several occasions he should have either run with the ball, or thrown the ball out of bounds. Instead, he took sacks, heaved prayer balls, and threw interception after interception. Nice way to start the game (remember Mississippi State??)
Auburn has some real problems it must address. It cannot win with an offense that continues to struggle the way this one did. In six SEC games this season, Auburn has scored two or fewer touchdowns. Vanderbilt is the sole exception. And though I am as big a fan as any of you reading this, that statistic, my friend, makes Auburn a tier two team in this league. It won’t cut it. And it won’t win.
Tommy Tuberville said after the game that Auburn "got a real good whipping."
You think??
Rebounding from this No-Show Debacle that I witnessed in Athens, Georgia on November 10, 2007 will be very, very difficult. Alabama will be madder than....well, you know madder than what.... at giving one away to Mississippi State. They will look at the film of the Auburn-Georgia game and see a team that is very beatable. And as for Auburn…..I’m afraid they may still be wondering what in the world just happened....or looking for the bus that was supposed to arrive in Athens in time for yesterday’s game….but was a No-Show.
War Eagle,
WJLaneSr
What happened was a No-Show. Auburn’s secondary was a no-show. Auburn’s interior linebackers were a no-show. Auburn’s vertical passing game was a no-show. Auburn’s ability to get a wide receiver to break open down the field was a no-show. And Auburn’s creativity was a no-show. And that team that had lost by less than one score against EVERY team it has lost to? No-Show.
What I saw on Saturday night looked a whole lot more like the team I saw that played Mississippi State and South Florida, than the team I saw play Florida. Where was that team? A no-show.
And as for Moreno? Well, Brandon Cox was certainly no Dan Morino. On several occasions he should have either run with the ball, or thrown the ball out of bounds. Instead, he took sacks, heaved prayer balls, and threw interception after interception. Nice way to start the game (remember Mississippi State??)
Auburn has some real problems it must address. It cannot win with an offense that continues to struggle the way this one did. In six SEC games this season, Auburn has scored two or fewer touchdowns. Vanderbilt is the sole exception. And though I am as big a fan as any of you reading this, that statistic, my friend, makes Auburn a tier two team in this league. It won’t cut it. And it won’t win.
Tommy Tuberville said after the game that Auburn "got a real good whipping."
You think??
Rebounding from this No-Show Debacle that I witnessed in Athens, Georgia on November 10, 2007 will be very, very difficult. Alabama will be madder than....well, you know madder than what.... at giving one away to Mississippi State. They will look at the film of the Auburn-Georgia game and see a team that is very beatable. And as for Auburn…..I’m afraid they may still be wondering what in the world just happened....or looking for the bus that was supposed to arrive in Athens in time for yesterday’s game….but was a No-Show.
War Eagle,
WJLaneSr
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Andy
Saturday, the record was broken. It was held by three of the leagues best, and against Vanderbilt last Saturday, he broke it. The old mark of 13 was held by James Bond (Mississippi State, 1983), Derrick Ramsey (Kentucky, 1977), and Andy Johnson (Georgia, 1971). They were all quarterbacks who scored 13 touchdowns in a single season, and were tied for that record until Tim Tebow broke it on Saturday with 14.
Now, I have to tell you. I am not much of a Tebow fan. My wife likes him because he was homeschooled. I saw him play in the Swamp against Auburn, and though I thought he was pretty good, I didn’t think he was the next best thing to sliced Sunbeam White Bread.
But this blog is not about Tebow.
Rather, it is about my friend. He had cancer this past year. The cancer caused him to have two different surgeries on his throat. He is very lucky, because throat cancer can be extremely dangerous. Just ask Pat Sullivan.
I got to know him about 17 years ago. He and his partner Dan were brokers for our life and disability insurances for the company I worked at. Because these were areas that fell under my responsibility, I got to know both of them pretty well.
We did a lot of work…played a lot of golf…went on several quail hunts together…and went to some ballgames together. Over the years, I got to know his wife and some of his children. I heard the pride in his voice when he talked about his daughter playing soccer for the University of Mississippi. I heard all about his other daughter running a bar in Boston.
To many people he was a legend. I guess because I was never a Bulldog fan, to me he was just my friend. I have been out with him on many occasions when people would walk up and ask for his autograph. One time, I asked a person, “would you like mine, too?” He looked at me and said, “I don’t know…who are you?” I looked at my friend and said, “the guy who knows all of his dark secrets!”
On Saturday, my cousin, his son, my son and I will be tailgating with him. I look forward to seeing him again, and although he will clearly be in his element, and many people will see him as a celebrity, to me he will just be a friend I get to introduce to members of my family.
Oh, his name is Andy Johnson. The quarterback from Georgia who held, and then was tied, for the most touchdowns in one season by any quarterback in the SEC for 36 years. That record was broken on Saturday.
And for those of you who don’t keep up with Georgia Bulldog football, Andy was chosen as the nations top college sophomore quarterback by Football News in 1971, and after graduation was drafted to play for the New England Patriots where he spent 8 years as a running back. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
To me, however, he is just a friend. And as one friend to another, I will look at him and say, “War Eagle….I hope ya’ll lose”.
But personally, to me, he will always be a winner.
War Eagle,
WJLaneSr
Now, I have to tell you. I am not much of a Tebow fan. My wife likes him because he was homeschooled. I saw him play in the Swamp against Auburn, and though I thought he was pretty good, I didn’t think he was the next best thing to sliced Sunbeam White Bread.
But this blog is not about Tebow.
Rather, it is about my friend. He had cancer this past year. The cancer caused him to have two different surgeries on his throat. He is very lucky, because throat cancer can be extremely dangerous. Just ask Pat Sullivan.
I got to know him about 17 years ago. He and his partner Dan were brokers for our life and disability insurances for the company I worked at. Because these were areas that fell under my responsibility, I got to know both of them pretty well.
We did a lot of work…played a lot of golf…went on several quail hunts together…and went to some ballgames together. Over the years, I got to know his wife and some of his children. I heard the pride in his voice when he talked about his daughter playing soccer for the University of Mississippi. I heard all about his other daughter running a bar in Boston.
To many people he was a legend. I guess because I was never a Bulldog fan, to me he was just my friend. I have been out with him on many occasions when people would walk up and ask for his autograph. One time, I asked a person, “would you like mine, too?” He looked at me and said, “I don’t know…who are you?” I looked at my friend and said, “the guy who knows all of his dark secrets!”
On Saturday, my cousin, his son, my son and I will be tailgating with him. I look forward to seeing him again, and although he will clearly be in his element, and many people will see him as a celebrity, to me he will just be a friend I get to introduce to members of my family.
Oh, his name is Andy Johnson. The quarterback from Georgia who held, and then was tied, for the most touchdowns in one season by any quarterback in the SEC for 36 years. That record was broken on Saturday.
And for those of you who don’t keep up with Georgia Bulldog football, Andy was chosen as the nations top college sophomore quarterback by Football News in 1971, and after graduation was drafted to play for the New England Patriots where he spent 8 years as a running back. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
To me, however, he is just a friend. And as one friend to another, I will look at him and say, “War Eagle….I hope ya’ll lose”.
But personally, to me, he will always be a winner.
War Eagle,
WJLaneSr
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