Rumors

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