Rumor Has Turned To Reality: Tuberville To Texas A&M Talk Becomes Real

.....Sounds like the administration is sitting on their hands. I hope I'm wrong. I didn't like Jacobs' comment, either, but it wasn't as bad as Jabba the Housel publically putting Terry Bowden on notice, after the 1996 season.

.....I was one of the folks pulling for Scott Etheridge to get the AD job, and was kinda disappointed with the Jacobs hire. Some good things have happened, like the commitment to a new basketball arena. But, we seem to have trouble putting a football schedule together every year, we've plummeted down to where we're the Vanderbilt of baseball, and we can't get player-stability in the basketball program. Heck, we've even lost a swim meet this fall!

.....If Jacobs blows this Tuberville deal, he's gotta go, too!

I'm with Jay.  I think it's unlikely that Tubs will leave.  Remember when Saban left LSU in 2004 and there was speculation that Tommy might be a candidate?  To his credit, Tubs let the rumours circulate for a day or two before he stated emphatically that he wasn't going anywhere.  That let the Lowders of the world feel just a tinge of the upset it would cause should he leave.

No difference in this situation.  Let the Auburn fans twist in the wind just a bit and make them appreciate what Tubs has done for us. Tubs is purposely staying mum as a negotiating tactic with tthe school.  All you liberal arts majors, please don't forget that this is a business.  Besides,  fans today for any school are so f*cking fickle, they really deserve to have the threat of the rug getting pulled out from under them at any time.  Auburn fans are no different.  How many of you were calling for heads after we started 1-2?  See what I mean?

It's extremely flattering for us to have a coach who is in just great demand.  It says a lot about our program and where it's headed.  I've said it a million times.  If Tubs wants to leave, he's earned the right to do it without bitter criticism from the Auburn faithful.  True fans are in it for life, and we move on with a new guy.

Here's my crazy wish if Tubs were to leave.  Bobby Petrino decides that a Vick-less Falcons squad isn't what he signed up for and pulls a Saban and rides down I-85 down to the plains.  The man Alabama should have hired is back where he probably belongs, in the college ranks.  I wouldn't want Petrino to come to spite Tuberville, even though a lot of people might see it that way.  I'd want him there because I think he's a damn good coach.

Acid Reign:  Jabba the Housel.  You kill me!  Did you not like him other than the Petrino affair?  I always thought he was a loyal Auburn guy prior to that.

.....I have to admit that I didn't come up with that one. Some commenter (I can't remember who, and am too lazy to dig it back up...) on Fanhouse last year put that one out, and I loved it.

.....My problems with Housel started with his statement at the end of 1996, essentially a vote of "no confidence" in Terry Bowden. Now, bear in mind, we were two years removed from a serious probation, and were a little low on talent.

.....In particular, our D-line and secondary needed replenishing badly, after our lousy defensive effort of 1995. Despite losing a chunk of his defensive staff, Bowden brought in some nice DBs, like Rodney Creighton, Antwoine Nolan, Brad Ware, etc. Bowden also tried to restock the defensive line, but a rash of freak summer injuries turned this into bust-ville. Only Leonardo Carson came in intact, and he got messed up in game five against South Carolina. And so, we struggled, particularly on defense, later in the season, with no depth. Jimmy Brumbaugh had to play every snap at nose guard, from Florida, on. Other than the melt-down against eventual National Champ Florida, we were in all the other games. Still, 7-4 in a rebuilding year wasn't good enough for Housel. He came out to the press, stating that Auburn would never accept a 7-4 season, and that Bowden would not get any raise that year. Thanks, David. Hulled our recruiting boat for 1997 quite nicely.

.....Then, you have on again, off again series with Clemson. Housel fumbles, if you ask me. And don't forget about the "War Chicken" FSU fiasco. First, after Terry quit mid-1998, FSU wanted out of the series for 1999-2000. "No," said Housel. "A contract's a contract." 6 months later, Housel was paying FSU a half million dollars to get out, and promptly scheduled Appie State and Northern Illinois. With one stroke, he wasted a chunk of change, and seriously damaged our reputation. Don't think that our history, there, didn't play into national perception of our 2004 schedule. We already had a reputation for avoiding non-conference challenges, thanks to Housel.

.....And that's not even getting into Jetgate, which honestly, I don't think Housel was cool with. I think he was in a no-win situation, there. Oh, I almost forgot. Verbal agreements with Bill Oliver, that he tried to renig on. That cost us more bad press, an embarrassing lawsuit, and a $300 grand settlement.

.....I will say this for Housel: He could sure run a tight financial ship. He's a great part of the reason our athletic department is solidly in the black. He was out of his depth, as far as evaluating coaching performance, though, and I have a feeling Jacobs is, also.

.....Bobby Bowden wanted out immediately. As far as he was concerned, his son got shafted. The allure of that series was the "father vs. son" coaching sub-plot. The contract was written where if either side pulled out, they would owe the other school $500 grand. I figure Housel held FSU up for the money, and they said no. (Ok, Housel, we'll be glad to hang a couple of 70-0 blowouts on you.) FSU was a monster team in 99 and 00.  1999 BCS Champion, blew out Michael Vick and the Hokies in the Sugar Bowl. 13-0, Preseason through finale, number 1 in every poll. In 2000, they suffered an early season setback to Ken Dorsey and Miami, but somehow finished ahead of Miami in the BCS (Weak Big East sched, much?) and went back to the BCS Championship Game, losing to Oklahoma 13-0.

.....So, Housel and Tuberville percolated/ruminated on matters for a while, how thin the team was, how they were installing new systems, and the looming FSU opener. Then, less than a year from the 1999 regular season, Housel calls up FSU, and agrees to let them out for no cost. Nope, sez FSU, probably happy to turn the tables. "$500 grand. A contract's a contract." And Housel paid...

.....That's where fair dealing could have helped us.  Your reputation can and past history can definitely come back and bite you, as Housel found out.

Witness:  My comments yesterday, posted under 'Don't Sweat It'.

"Bobby Petrino decides that a Vick-less Falcons squad isn't what he signed up for and pulls a Saban and rides down I-85 down to the plains.  The man Alabama should have hired is back where he probably belongs, in the college ranks.  I wouldn't want Petrino to come to spite Tuberville, even though a lot of people might see it that way.  I'd want him there because I think he's a damn good coach."

Then in a column posted today, under AL.com, I read Kevin Scarbinsky's comments:  

"And if Bobby Petrino decides the Atlanta Falcons job he has - without Michael Vick - isn't the one he signed up for, some Auburn decision-makers could get what they wanted all along. Petrino as their head coach."

You thinking what I'm thinking?  Yep, yep.  Kevin reads 'Track 'Em Tigers'.  Want the skinny on the Tigers?  Come to the site where the serious Auburn homers play!  I'm unfamiliar with Mr. Scarbinsky--I don't know if he has an Auburn or an Alabama bias.  I do wonder why he would quote me over Acid Reign though.  Ha ha!

Acid, Who 'ya sleeping with in the athletic department to get all this info?  Or do you have press credentials?  They won't even let poor Jay watch practice...

.....He's the featured writer in the front sidebar of the Birmingham News Sports section, delivered to my front lawn every morning, along with deposits from neighborhood dogs. Occasionally, he's actually a pretty good writer. Sometimes he stirs the pot. And they've kinda been sensationalizing his column with a front page, misleading banner. Today's gem was: "Will Auburn Let Tuberville Go?"

.....Frankly, it sounds like Scarbinsky plagiarized your comment, War Eagle Atlanta! I don't know whether you should be proud, or outraged... I've got no sources outside of the internet, and what I see on the field. The last time I was anywhere near the Auburn Athletic Department was when we used to go and watch those Doug Barfield, Pat Dye, and Sonny Smith practices.

.....I honestly think that Scarbinsky is not terribly biased, other than towards getting a story out. The Birmingham writers LOVE Saban, though. It's a little contest, every Saban press-conferece, to be the reporter with the question that sets Saban off. I think TV guy Mike Raita (ABC 33/40) is the one most successful at that. Tuberville's not as much fun, to them.

.....My schedule with work and family life is too crazy. At least a game or two a year, I'm at work, probably listening to the radio less than half the game. I selfishly schedule a week at the beach in September. (Can't beat the temps, the half-price rent, and the lack of crowds!)

.....One of my more amusing beach/football antics happened in 2004. The week before the AU/LSU game, hurricane Ivan blew through. It tore up my kids' treehouse, and devastated Ft. Walton, where we were scheduled to vacation the next week. Rather than spend a week pouting at home in the heat with no power, we packed up and headed to Galveston, TX. We WERE going to get our beach vacation, blankety-blank it! So, through an endless drive, and herculean efforts by my wife, we were in a Galveston beach-front condo by the 2:30 Eye kick-off against LSU. On a ginormous 40-inch TV with crystal-clear cable!

.....It was a nail-biter. Auburn was fighting gamely, but it was like a little kid getting pounded by an older, bigger bully, and trying to hold on. Then, came a pair of Auburn haymakers, courtesy of Jason Campbell and Courtney Taylor. Bolstered by a complete lack of sleep, a few beers, and the emotion of it all, I went completely nuts, screaming at the top of my lungs, running out on the deck hollering War Eagle, jumping up and down, laughing and crying, bouncing up and down on furniture, and just generally acting like a hyperactive, stoked/caffeinated little kid 40 years younger! I figure my celebration went on for at least 15 minutes, and probably broke every noise ordinance in the Galveston law book.

.....I was unaware that in the unit below us, was a Condo owner/oil baron, who attended LSU. The next day at the pool, I was kind of surprised when this total stranger approached me, and asked if I were an Auburn grad. "War Eagle!" was my answer. "I wondered," he said. "Too bad. You'd have had more fun if you had gone to school in Baton Rouge." We traded barbs all week. Guy was a good sport, though, especially for someone who smelled like corndogs...

And while you were in Galveston whooping it up, I was crunched up around the north 30 yard line on the alumni side, watching Jon Vaughn miss the extra point.  Oh wait!  A penalty!  Do over! Do over!

Strange, but I can generally remember where I was sitting for virtually any game.