News of the day, 1/8
Hey everyone.UPDATE (@2 p.m.): The big news right now is that DT Pat Sims has elected to forgo his senior season and instead enter the NFL Draft, which first was reported here yesterday.
``This was something that I carefully thought about and felt it was in my best interest to pass on my senior season at Auburn and make myself eligible for the NFL Draft,” Sims said in a university release. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the next level and I believe this is the right time to pursue that goal.”
I talked with Mike Detillier, who runs the M&D Draft Report and a guy I love hearing on the radio, and he thinks this could be a really wise decision for Sims. Detillier said LSU's Glenn Dorsey and Southern Cal's Sedrick Ellis are the top two DTs on everyone's list.
After that, though, Detillier believes UNC's Kentwan Balmer is next. Sims, though, could move ahead of Balmer into that third choice at DT.
``If Sims works out well and convinces people that this season wasn't a fluke, I can see him going late first round or early second," Detillier said. ``The thought process makes sense. This is not a deep class at defensive tackle. It could be a good situation for Pat."
The final polls are out. Auburn finished higher than some expected, though I actually had the team a tad higher than the national average.Here is THE AP poll:
1. LSU (60)
2. Georgia (3)
3. Southern Cal (1)
4. Missouri
5. Ohio St.
6. West Virginia
7. Kansas (1)
8. Oklahoma
9. Virginia Tech
10. Boston College
10. Texas
12. Tennessee
13. Florida
14. BYU
15. Auburn
16. Arizona St.
17. Cincinnati
18. Michigan
19. Hawaii
20. Illinois
21. Clemson
22. Texas Tech
23. Oregon
24. Wisconsin
25. Oregon St.
Others receiving votes: Virginia 66, Penn St. 61, Kentucky 57, Wake Forest 53, Boise St. 25, Arkansas 13, Utah 9, Mississippi St. 7, Appalachian St. 5, South Florida 5, Tulsa 4, Connecticut 3, Air Force 2, Rutgers 2.
Here is MY AP poll:
1. LSU
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Missouri
5. Southern Cal
6. Kansas
7. West Virginia
8. Oklahoma
9. Virginia Tech
10. Texas
11. BYU
12. Florida
13. Auburn
14. Hawaii
15. Boston College
16. Texas Tech
17. Tennessee
18. Arizona State
19. Wisconsin
20. Cincinnati
21. Illinois
22. Michigan
23. Oregon State
24. Air Force
25. Clemson
**I have no idea how Oregon stayed in the poll. Sympathy votes? That team was awful after Dennis Dixon hurt his knee against Arizona.
posted by Jay G. Tate at
7:41 AM
48 Comments:
How can you have Florida ahead of Auburn when A) Auburn beat Florida B) Had identical records and C) Florida lost their bowl game (10 point favorites) and Auburn won?? Doesn't make sense. I guess you were to busy jamming on your Guitar Hero 3 on New Years Day. Come on Jay. That's terrible.
yeahhhhhhhhhh au over florida jay
Eh. Someone always will have a complaint -- even when I vote Auburn two spots higher than the AP median.
So it goes.
p.s. I like how "had identical records" is part of the equation. So all the 9-4 teams should be tied for 8th or whatever?
Jay, you can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please...
Well when they play in the same conference i think identical records should matter.... I really don't care. Just messing around with you. Just thought you'd give a little more love to the team you cover.
I agree on the FL thoughts. In fact, I told a friend on Jan 1st that despite us beating FL at home, despite us beating a higher ranked team in our bowl game, despite FL losing to an unranked team in their bowl game, and despite the same record (the least significant item on this list), we'd still be ranked below them. Sure enough...there we sit.
Of course, the "identical records" came about in different ways. Auburn had home losses to two teams that finished with a combined 12 points in the final AP poll (that's bad) and two road losses to teams that finished ranked 1-2 (that's good).
Florida's four losses came at home to the No. 15 team in the country (Auburn), on the road against the No. 1 team (LSU) and at neutral sites against the No. 2 (UGA) and No. 18 (Michigan) teams.
Also, Auburn's losses were by a total of 39 points; Florida's were by a total of 25, despite being to better opponents.
Those records don't sound identical to me.
20 -17 doesnt either.
So now you see the light....stand up for your right.
Good to see you jay.
Hey Alan. Thanks to you, and everyone, for stopping by to check out the HABOTN.
I agree. UF shouldn't be ahead of AU.
"p.s. I like how "had identical records" is part of the equation. So all the 9-4 teams should be tied for 8th or whatever?"
No, the voter ought to be able to figure a way to rank the teams with identical records into a particular order. The most obvious being head to head competition.
I really don't think there is much good splitting hairs over a poll that really doesn't mean anything(except for LSU). One or two spots higher or lower will not give a team any perceived momentum going into the next season. It really doesn't matter if Auburn was 15th or 13th. I will say that Florida will be really happy to Auburn off of their schedule. AU has completely owned UF as of late.
Thanks Jay.
Good luck to Pat Sims, he made a helluva turnaround in his career that could make anyone proud. Lesson that you can always change things in your life. Good for you Pat, now you can make some serious money.
Caleb, you're right. This wasn't Auburn's year and we definitely know that the final ranking has little to do with next year's position unless you're Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, USC, and now LSU and UGA...so on and so forth.
There's just not much that separates Auburn and Florida. The popular vote goes to UF every time thanks to Steve Spurrier's work in the '90s and what you saw last year on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
He's not gone yet, Alan.
Sim is out. Better make a quick call to him, anonymous. I think he already bought mamma a house though.
Sims may have picked a good time to roll. I just talked with a draft analyst who said he thinks this could be a great decision for Pat.
I'll post some comments to the blog.
Dont count on Tuberville and winning so the NFL stock for Sims will drop unless he has a good year. Quentin Groves I am sure was made at a 1-2 start.
AFS, please make sensa brotha. You leave us scratching our heads time and time again.
BTW, whats Terry doing today?
Jay,
I just found out about this blog and I enjoy reading it. It gives me another way to hear your opinion since you don't come on WNSP anymore because they canned Neal. (Props on the final call by the way)
Anyway, I know that you thought Sims was the best player on defense, as did I. How bad do you think this hurts next year's defense and do they move Sen'Derick back inside?
Ouch. What is Terry doing?
Sen'Derrick, as recently as three days before the Chicken Bowl, said he still considers himself a DT.
If Raven Gray is OK (by summer) and AJ Greene has a good spring, I think Marks goes back inside.
Coleman, Antoine, Gray and Greene would be a useful group. I could be totally wrong on Greene, though, but he looked useful during two-a-days. They didn't need his help in 07. Looks like 08 will be a different deal.
Thanks Sims...we will all miss you. Looks like Evan Woodberry gave you a little love in his blog. Who do you think will be the DC.. just curious to see what you think.
I have NO IDEA what Tuberville is planning to do at DC. My theories, to this point, have been debunked.
Speaking of debunked myths, it's a fact that most of the Auburn beat writers are friendly with one another. We're trying to win the scoop sweepstakes, believe me, but there's nobody in the world who better understands the pressures of covering a competitive beat like this than my ... competitors.
A few emails I've received frame questions as if I automatically discredit reports from other Auburn writers. Like we hate each other. It's not like that.
Phillip is much, much older than everyone else so we joke with him about prune juice and Geritol.
Did you know he was the first person to meaningfully source the story that Judas was going to betray Jesus? Phillip, a cub reporter for bethlehem.scout.com at the time, began his career with one of the biggest scoops in history.
How this man isn't in the ASWA HoF is beyond me.
Oh I know that all the beat writers get together and break bread...I wasnt saying anything like you and Evan dislike eachother. Speaking of breaking bread did I hear you say Phil broke bread with Jesus? WOW he is a LITTLE older.
As for DC maybe Capers? I dont know just a thought.
I didn't mean to make it sound like the comment about Evan triggered my little beat-writer rant. I got one of "those" emails earlier and then I saw the blog comment and then the 386 processor in my head started churning...
Sims is making a mistake, although not a huge one. He would push himself into the first or second position after next season (as long as he doesn't get hurt). I cringe with either decision he makes because I know both are critical- injury could lose millions of dollars. He was on the verge of being a legend at Auburn and in the college game.
I'd like to see Marks there. He can be an interchangable guy to Sims. We have Gray, of course, and Cameron Henderson is a guy that will most likely contribute immediately as long as he qualifies and sticks to his pledge. I don't know much about his academic situation.
Speaking of Tuberville, Auburn Football Stuff, you act as if you feel he's is working against Auburn. This is a guy who has survived and adapted. He doesn't have as much control as you think he does. But he's no spring chicken either. That's a man with A LOT of pride. A man that does want to win. He's Rocky Balboa to your Shane from the Paul Finebaum "Show".
Give it up, baby!
That's right, Alan.
Yea...honesty is it.
One more, gents, and I'll run along and play with the other kids. Auburn got a pledge from Rod Hoods cuz today. He's a talented kid, yet short. He's 5'9".
No sweat Jay.
You have conitnuously done a great job since your arrival here in the Gump. From covering HS baseball to beat writing for AU you've always been fair and consistent. Now that I've brown nosed a bit, please tell me what you think we should do to clean this city up? Its getting ridiculous man.
The Gump...
Geez
Clean up the Gump?
Tough call. I won't worry about it until the crime gets over here on my side of town. Then I'll have to conform to Josh Moon's plan, which calls for me to move into the Deatsville sticks where he lives.
In other news, I think this is the right decision for Pat Sims.
Why?
This was his fourth year out of high school. He had a great year that ended with a great performance against Clemson.
It's a remarkably thin DT class.
He doesn't like school all that much.
Sounds like a logical decision to me.
Good points. I can certainly understand the school thing vs. Playstation and hot cars.
Actually, I think Pat is an XBox guy.
But, yea, I get the point.
USA TODAY poll has Auburn ahead of Florida... yesss
I'm glad that gives you at least an ounce of satisfaction, AFS.
AFS. you cheered? What gives? Seems like a meaningless ranking does? I'm interested to see more.
Is Amy Winehouse sexy? My radar's a little off on this one.
OK. Amy Winehouse is an intriguing pick. I am not a fan of her look or her music, though I can see where you might find that whole trashy thing engaging.
I see her as a trashed-out Sarah Silverman.
In the interest of self-disclosure, though, I'll admit to loving Tonya Harding's trashiness back it the day. There's something pretty awesome about a girl who will steal your hubcaps and call it love.
So ... I'm not hating.
Good call. You had to mention Silverman. You went and joined the fit scene within the last year. She's is incredibly, physically sexy.
Hope the wife doesn't read, Jay.
What is the "fit" scene?
Are you still listening to Longshore?
Not sure why you are so surprised by Oregon. A 9-4 team that bounced back to finish with BIG win over a ranked team in their bowl.
the conversation seems to be waning a bit this evening.
So, whoever that was that said Pat is making a mistake, please explain what in the world difference it makes if you are in the one or three - four postition?
The conversation wasn't waning! Those other blogggers -- most of 'em don't know anything about Amy Winehouse or Sarah Silverman. You get that here. That's because it's HOT in here and the HOTTIES know their stuff.
I predict a good NFL career for Pat. He's an outstanding player who learned how to apply himself consistently. He's a good one.
Auburn Math, money doesn't matter in today's world.
Next...
By the way, Silverman went from sort of hot to extra hot by adapting a fitness lifestyle. She's as tight as Carnell's calves these days.
Well, I haven't noticed Silverman's new physical perks and I won't.
That would be unfair to the official HABOTN Hollywood Hottie Jenna Fischer, to whom I have pledged unwavering support.
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