Unfortunately, Auburn fans DON’T care for the most part. It’s really a shame. I have been a constant supporter of Auburn basketball during my time on the Plains. I started as a freshman at AU in fall 2004 and after changing majors a few times I graduated in December 2009 — and I always made every game I could, and for my last 2 full seasons as a student (last year and the year before) I made it to every SEC home game, and even a couple of road games. I love the sport of basketball, and bleed orange and blue, so it’s extremely frustrating for me because I don’t really get to enjoy the sport like I would like to. It REALLY angers me the way Auburn fans just DO NOT CARE. Each time we have a game that’s not against Kentucky or Alabama, I start thinking “I wonder what percentage of the student body has NO CLUE that we even have a game tonight?” and I’m guessing the number is usually fairly high.

It goes without saying that recruiting becomes more difficult when your fans just really don’t care. It’s not a knock on Auburn people, it’s just a fact. There’s nothing wrong with it unless you are investing $100 million and need to turn a profit.

I disagree. There is something terribly wrong with it, regardless of whether or not we’re building a new arena. Fans not supporting this basketball program puts us at a disadvantage to other universities. Auburn is a great, well-rounded University academically, and that’s something I’m proud of. However, not supporting the basketball program puts Auburn at a huge disadvantage when it comes to being well-rounded athletically. I would absolutely love to be able to say “Auburn is a football, basketball, AND baseball school.” It starts with support. I’m tired of hearing people say “Well if we were anywhere close to decent, I would go to games.” Auburn people need to just suck it up and support the team anyway, and eventually things will get better. I refuse to believe that AU can never have a quality basketball program. If you can bring quality players to Starkville, Mississippi (which is being done), you can sure as heck bring them to Auburn, Alabama. I was unaware of the whole Mark Komara deal. What’s up with that? Why can’t this ridiculous ban be lifted and let Auburn recruit the state better? Besides that, there is nothing wrong with bringing in recruits from out-of-state, or even out-of-country. I saw a WVU player on TV the other day from Turkey. If Auburn were to hire the right person, someone who is known as a great recruiter and who can go out and get the guys we need — whether they’re in the state of Alabama or not — then excitement will be generated about this program. With the new arena we will have state-of-the-art facilities for basketball. There’s no excuse anymore. It’s now or never. Do not let this program die out, Auburn fans. We need to bring it back to life. WAR EAGLE!

is the college game. I especially like the closeness of the action to the fans.
I am looking forward to the new digs, but I haven’t a clue as to whom the next coach should be.
Maybe Gavin, the ESPN analyst, could recruit some talent to Auburn.
I even hate that I wrote that, because I don’t want to send a message, or seemingly so, that Auburn currently has very little talent. I don’t know if it’s coaching, or a real lack of recruiting prowess by Lebo.

when they bring back SEC wrestling. For those of you who are old enough, auburn used to have quite a team.

… a winning basketball program. When Coach Sonny Smith started winning at Auburn in 1982 we had finally turned the corner. He led the Tigers to their first ever SEC Tournament Championship, produced 3 consecuitive winning seasons, and 5 straight NCAA Tournament births. I believe this was more than a “stretch”, it was a bona fide “turn around”. He coached NBA players Chris Morris, Chuck Person, and Charles Barkley, was recognized 5 different times as a Coach of the year including 2 SEC Coach of the Year Awards, and finally was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

I believe AU President Dr Ed Richardson did alot of good for Auburn University but he made a poor and costly decission when he fired our next successful coach… Cliff Ellis.

Coach Smith’s winning ways were continued under Coach Ellis. He took the Tigers to the NIT in 94 & 98 . He coached NBA players Chris Porter anf Doc Robinson. Ellis’s 94- & 98 teams played in the NIT. His 98-99 Auburn team went 29- 4 and played in the NCAA Tournament. His 2000 team was 24- 10 and again went to the Big Dance. In 2003 Auburn made it to the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual National Champion Syracuse. Then when the team did not make it back to the NCAA Tournament in 2004, Dr Richardson fired Coach Ellis.

Yet Coach Cliff Ellis has been a winner everywhere he has been. He has won the SEC Regular Season Championship, the ACC Regular Season Championship, and the Sun Belt Regular Season Championship. While at Auburn he had the Tigers near the top of the conference in victories and post season play. He presently has Coastal Carolina University receiving national recognition for their winning ways, he is the second most winningest coach in Auburn history, and he is the all time winningest coach both at Clemson and at South Alabama.
Ellis won the SEC Coach of The Year twice as well as the ACC Coach of The Year twice. Even after being out of coaching for three years he is ranked 29th on the list of all time Division 1 coaching victories.

So these two coaches gave us 20- 22 pretty good years after nearly 80 years of mediocrity. They would have been good years anywhere but when it was done at a football school in the toughest football conference in America … then it was even more amazing. Alot of Auburn people were upset with Tommy Tuberville’s departure. But the firing of Cliff Ellis was more devastating to the basketball program simply because of the history of the two sports at Auburn. Dr Richardson’s action coupled with the banning of summer league guru Mark Komara was what killed Auburn Basketball and it will take alot more than a new arena to revive it.

I’ve been a huge basketball fan since I knew what the sport was. Of course my team since I was six is the Cats. But once I knew that Auburn would be where I went to school, I gladly adopted the Tigers. My freshman year, I was confused when I went to the games to see the arena less than half full at times. This was the time of year that I was used to seeing everyone getting eager and excited. But that was not the case here. It was a harsh sight to see so much apathy around a sport when there is so much excitement around football. I will always be a basketball supporter, but it saddens me that both the administration and the fan base just doesn’t seem to care.

There’s not a more apathetic fan base in America than Auburn’s when it comes to basketball.

Honestly, what do you expect?
I’m going to go on a bit of a rant here, but answer this question. When has Auburn played in an extremely meaningful regular season basketball game? You know the kind of game that would draw fans. Or let me ask the bigger question, when does any college basketball team really play in an extremely meaningful regular season basketball game? Bubble teams play some meaningful games down the stretch to try to be that 64th team into the tourney, but even then they are desperately trying to be #64, not #1.

What is college basketball’s equivalent of the LSU-Auburn football game from 2000-2007? Answer? There isn’t one. I’m as big of a fan as anyone of March Madness, but unfortunately, the 64 team tournament has completely watered down the regular season. It is almost meaningless.

So when it comes to a team like Auburn, who’s stadium is in a city of about 50,000 people, how in the hell are you supposed to draw fans from Birmingham or Atlanta who will have a two hour plus drive back to their homes after they attend a meaningless regular season game that ends at 9:30pm on a weekday?

This is why I am a fan of the BCS in football. Every game has meaning. In NCAA Basketball, the regular season is merely an exhibition for the 64 team tourney, and regular season interest continues wane every year. It’s not just a problem for Auburn, it’s a problem for college basketball in general. Auburn just happens to have an extra disadvantage over a team like LSU, who plays in a city 10 times the size of Auburn.

…..was definitely a head-scratcher. IF we could have signed Mike Anderson, then MAYBE it would have been OK.

……Honestly, I don’t have the passion for basketball that I do for football, and that’s not Auburn’s fault. I suspect many sports fans in this state feel the same. I like basketball, but it doesn’t energize me like a football game does. I’ll turn on the MAC game of the week on Tuesday night on ESPN, for football. I follow Auburn, but I can’t say that I make a huge effort to be in front of the TV for every televised basketball game like I do for football.

…..Attending a single Auburn basketball game is a bit of a pain, too. You basically have to take a day off from work, or even two, to make it from Birmingham. You’ve got to drive down in rush hour traffic, park, and make a big hike to the center of campus. Then, you’re not getting home till 1 AM or so. Most Tragic City Tigers aren’t going to leave work early to drive down, watch Auburn clang free throws off the rim, then work the next day on low sleep. Ain’t gonna happen.

…..I do attend two or three college basketball games a year. But it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and I can walk home from a Samford game. That, and Jimmy Tillette’s offense is a marvel to watch!

coming in since Ellis was fired. I would like to see what Lebo could do with a team with talent and depth something he has not had since he has been here. Remember folks the minute Lebo is let go his recruiting class can back out of their scholarship letters and sign with another school. I also thought it was ludicrous that Ellis was let go but that’s water under the bridge.

I want him out. You guys can keep wanting him to have another year. Then next year, you’ll want another year and this process will continue. I want a positive direction. Lebo doesn’t offer that.