Clearing out the Cobwebs

1. Six in a row, yeah great. Sorry for not being more excited. I was the night of the game, but my joy has been tempered by the ridiculous nature of the contract situation with Tuberville.
   
   First the Alabama win. Auburn did exactly what it needed to do to win the game. It pressured John Parker Wilson, had a strong running game, limited Alabama’s big plays, diversified its offense as much as could possibly be expected, and limited mistakes. The interesting thing about this game wasn’t that Auburn won, it was how uncomfortable Nick Saban looked through the whole thing. Look, I lived in Baton Rouge for the entire Nick Saban era of LSU football and he isn’t the type that looks happy a lot of times. But he never looked like he was downright upset to be on a football field and that is they way he looked in Jordan-Hare stadium. Why is anyone’s guess, but he just looked like he wanted the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. This might have been why he kicked an onside kick at the end of the game and gave Auburn an absolute strategic gift.
   
   The bottom line is Auburn won. It’s sixth win in a row against its archrival. That hasn’t been done before. This guy didn’t do it. Neither did this guy. So congrats to the 2002-2007 Auburn football teams, you have all been a part of a crazy ride.



2. Now the Tuberville contract/situation/fiasco. What should be a great time for Auburn football (sixth win in a row over Alabama, young team that played well down the stretch, somewhat interesting bowl matchup, etc.) is being absolutely ruined by the ongoing power struggle between Tommy Tuberville and Bobby Lowder.
   
   I don’t doubt that Jimmy Sexton talked with Arkansas. I don’t doubt that Arkansas made a legitimate offer. I don’t doubt that Tuberville would be crazier than a sack of weasels (HT: EDSBS) to pack his bags and move to Fayatteville.
   
   I do know that Tuberville was offered an extension that met virtually all of his terms except for the one that is non-negotiable. I like Tuberville, I think he is a heck of a good coach and a good person, but he is downright, nutball insane if he thinks Auburn is going to get rid of the buyout. I’m fine with a slight reduction to say $4 million or $5 million. But absolute elimination or a drastic reduction is crazy and there is no way that could reasonable be argued by Tuberville or sold to the powers that be at the school. What’s odd is that Tuberville agreed to this contract with the buyout in 2004 when he had all the leverage in the world to get anything he wanted, including a buyout for firing him, but none if he wanted to leave.
   
   Really this whole thing comes down to Tuberville wanting to not have to answer to a certain power-broker at the school. Without a buyout, Tuberville could essentially leave at anytime and that is some real leverage. I maintain that he probably doesn’t want to leave. I think he knows that he has a good thing going right now, but you never know what the future holds. As for Lowder, he is probably thinks the same as a lot of Auburn people, that “no one person is bigger than Auburn University.” The way he is going about it is a little odd. And I do think that it was Lowder that issued the anonymous tip to the Arkansas television station about Tuberville and Arkansas. Just a hunch, but I think Lowder was hoping for exactly what he got, that is a fanbase that got mad as hell at Tommy Tuberville and might force Tommy into signing a contract that he doesn’t like.
   
   The sad part about the entire thing is that this is a real chance for the one guy who is supposed to be “independent” to show some sack and calm the waters. President Gogue, you are paid by the state, not Bobby Lowder, and your job is to run the university without interference from outside forces. So, come on, you were given the job to make tough stands and tough decisions. Get with it!!!!!!

3. The BCS thingy worked again didn’t it? (Turn off sarcasm) Actually, I’m not upset about Ohio State and LSU in the title game. Given that no team really stepped up, I think you basically toss all the teams in the air and see where they fall. I personally think that USC and Oklahoma might be the best two teams in the country, but what do I know. What I am pissed off about is that the wonderful BCS doesn’t prevent Southern Cal-Illinois and Virginia Tech-Kansas. If I was an ABC executive, I’m smacking the Rose Bowl selection committee right now. What the hell are they thinking? I have heard some reports that they couldn’t have possibly taken Georgia due to some obscure rule about Georgia being protected by the Sugar Bowl because LSU was gone. In that case, take West Virginia and give us a game that would at least be interesting. Instead the Rose Bowl stuck with "tradition," whatever that is, and went with 9-3 Illinois. So, the Zooker and Pete Carroll match wits. That ought to be comical. I can't tell you too much about what will happen in 2008, but I know one thing for certain, I will not be tuning into the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
   
   As for Kansas, it is ridiculous that Missouri plays one bad half of football all year and gets the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Yippie! That is some exciting stuff. They are likely to get steam-rolled by Arkansas, but that is for a different day. Missouri deserved a BCS bowl and it is a travesty that it won’t happen.
   
   
4. Really, every year that this horrid way to determine a national champion comes to a close, I’m reminded of how much Auburn was royally screwed in 2004. It isn’t just the quality of the teams playing for the title. If the AP poll had pulled out of the BCS in 2004, Auburn might have gotten a share of the national title. What does all this mean? Nothing, just me crying in my beer. Well, except for the fact that I personally think you have to base your expectations and achievements on conference titles instead of national titles. Not to say that winning the national title isn’t important, but it can be a random occurrence that can have no basis on what you do on the field. The SEC title, you can control.
   
   
5. Last item. Can we settle any debate that is out there regarding the best college football coach in the country? For my money, the award goes to Bob Stoops. Big Game Bob is the perfect mixture of strategy, fundamental coaching, recruiting, motivation, and management. Saturday night’s game was a microcosm of all those things rolled up into one big package. First, Oklahoma game planned perfectly for Missouri, albeit aided by their earlier game, but they knew they had equal or superior athletes in almost every position, save one, quarterback. So what do they do, they attack the one advantage that Missouri had. Chase Daniels couldn’t get his feet set all night and when he left the pocket, he was brought down with superb tackling (fundamentals). Meanwhile, on the offensive side, OU repeatedly did what they have always done, effectively mixed passing and running. They probably passed a little more than they should. Sam Bradford’s inaccuracy kept Oklahoma from scoring more in the first half. But Oklahoma capitalized on Missouri mistakes and got a lead. Despite winning the statistical battle with Oklahoma in the first half, Missouri had to claw its way back to tie. In the second half, Oklahoma kicked in the afterburners. First dialing up the pressure on Missouri’s offensive line and Daniels and then making Missouri completely one-dimensional by scoring touchdowns when they touched the ball. It was a nearly perfect half of football that demonstrated the unity of offense and defense. Again, none of this should come as a surprise, Oklahoma was favored and was supposed to win the game. But that is the point, Bob Stoops prepared his team properly and they won a game that they should have won. Sure, they lost two games this year that they had no business losing, but in one of those their quarterback was knocked out in the first quarter and they still had a chance to win it in the fourth. If you win the games you are supposed to win, good things tend to happen for you. Stoops and Oklahoma took advantage of a little fortune turning their way and didn't let go. That's why he is worth every penny that Oklahoma pays him.