Your Daily Fix, 7/26
Hey everyone. Friday was a fairly interesting day in Hoover for the Auburn Tigers. Here are the three most interesting things I heard:- Official confirmation that Chaz Ramsey's season is on the rocks already
- Bo Harris is gonzo
- The awkward dis Tommy Tuberville seemed to drop on former DC Will Muschamp
Here is the quote that indirectly discussed Muschamp ... in its official form."I think that if you go back and look at us defensively, to have a championship football team, you can't give up big plays in a game. The games that we lost last year, we gave up too many 15- 20-yard runs. Georgia game, we gave up a 60, 70-yard run. LSU game, last play of the game, 35-yard pass.
I mean, in the past, we have not given up big plays on defense. And that's the reason I like Paul Rhodes is because he's a fundamental guy. We've gone back to technique, fundamentals, gone back to basics. We're still going to be a pressure defense with a lot of speed on the field, but we've got to get away from that playing good, playing good, playing good and giving up the big play.
You can't do that and get to Atlanta. Now, you can win games. For us, you know, we're to the point now where we've got to break that barrier and get to Atlanta a little bit more often."
Is it just me? I understand that Auburn conceded some terrible late-game plays in 2007, but it is reasonable to think Paul Rhoads can "fix" that? Is it something that can be fixed? The Tigers' defense was excellent last year. The LSU game? Bizarre ending. Can't blame Muschamp for that.
It's during an event like Media Days when you see the truest form of Tuberville. He was there all three days. He was all along "radio row" on Wednesday afternoon. He was all along "radio row" again on Thursday afternoon. He did that on his own time.He was a main attraction before and after his official presentation on Friday.
Tuberville works the crowds, gets his name out there and generally comes across as an aw-shucks guy when the media is involved. It's strange to me how many SEC coaches fail to capitalize on those opportunities. Most of them don't care. I think it's a wise investment on Tuberville's part.
I occasionally peruse the "Capstone Report" website because it's one of the most (unintentionally) hilarious outposts on the Interwebs.One of their Friday posts was a doozy.
Here's the link: Tuberville’s charm offensive (Note: There is a mild profane reference involved)
I don't know who was asking those questions, but I can assure you Auburn beat peeps weren't involved. I was sitting by most of them. Phillip Marshall wasn't sitting by me. I'd know his voice regardless of the distance between us.
So the CR's post there is misleading at the very least. Bummer.
EDIT: Changed phrasing from lie to misleading at the very least. (See comments for additional discussion on this topic)
posted by Jay G. Tate at
10:15 AM
46 Comments:
On Thursday, I was sitting near a couple of AU Internet reporters (not newspapers). I was also standing next to them when they asked the discipline question to Caldwell. Twice.
As I said in my post, I didn't see and couldn't identify who asked the discipline question of Tuberville. However, no real journalists would've asked that question the way it was phrased.
It was loaded, and biased. I know newspaper guys wouldn't ask it. So, I feel safe in making the leap that it was someone from an Internet site. And I know it wasn't Marshall because he has way too much class (and experience) to ask a question like that. (Even if I do like to have a little fun at some of his blogs...)
I also know it wasn't the same people who asked the question of the Alabama football players, and tried to ask Saban the same questions. It was someone else.
Again, it wasn't mainstream media. Just read the text of the question. It just sounds amateurish. Wouldn't you agree?
Captsone "Report" is nothing but childish propaganda. They've even asked Shane to post weekly. Every column is a Aubsession conspiracy theory and why Auburn is falling apart. Total joke.
Jay, I think it's reasonable to say big plays and the back to back UGA fiascos should have been addressed as they were. After all, fans wanted an answer. If there was a game where you didn't like WM, UGA was certainly it. He failed miserably in each.
quite a neat little dustup re capstone. i went to their site and found it quite uninformative...like going to a republican site to find out about obama (or vice versa re mccain). i have to agree with mr. crudup that the last two uga games were defensive fiascos. i actually sprung for a plane ride and ticket for an uga fan worker of mine to see the last uga/au game in auburn. most embarrassing. better things to come, i'm sure...
I thought "capstone was a reference to UA, but I don't remember reading anything about UA in the blog. Hmmm.
Jay G ... CTT is spot on! :-)
I thought the same thing last year. Good play. Great stop! OOHHHH, what a lick! ... and then ... What the??? How the ... did that happen?
This is not sour grapes. I think Muschamp was pretty good. But I think his coaching style relies a lot on energy and that only works about 75% of the time. i.e 3 out of 4 plays. I also think it only works for a season or two. I was not impressed with his coaching at all. I thought he was a great motivator, but he was the king of the exasperated look after the big play for 50 yards on 3rd and long. I saw that look a lot. I got tired of it. It's good to play "with your ears laid back", but when that is your only method, you usually get beaten a lot and are left to come up with something miraculous. I hope CPRs approach is a little more "bidness".
CPR ... there has to be something cool to do with those initials, slogan wise.
Oh yeah, I thought the Capstone Report was Shane. If those guys can get a media pass, can I get one next year? I might want to write a book or something.
It was amateurish.
Here is the "AU Internet reporters" lineup.
Bryan Matthews (AuburnSports.com) -- Sat near me. Didn't ask a question.
Jeffrey Lee (AuburnSports.com) -- Wasn't there until Friday.
Mark Murphy (ITAT) -- Sat near me. Didn't ask a question.
Jason Caldwell (ITAT) -- Sat directly ahead of me. Only question asked was to Tuberville.
Stephen Atkinson (ITAT) -- Sat near me. Didn't ask a question.
Phillip Marshall (AuburnUndercover.com) -- Wasn't near me, but didn't ask anything of Saban. I'd have heard it.
Luke Brietzke (AuburnUndercover.com) -- Sat two seats over from me. Didn't ask a question.
So who was it? I've covered all the options.
Okay, I have to 'fess up. It was me. I snuck in there and asked the question.
The ITAT people were the ones asking Tide players. In fact, ITAT tried to ask Saban a question. First time, someone sitting toward the front asked the discipline question so the ITAT guy told the microphone holder his question was already asked. The Discipline issue was asked again by (I'm thinking a national reporter...), and the ITAT guy raised his hand to followup; microphone arrived. However, time expired and Saban slipped off the podium.
Sidenote, the ITAT guy turned around and gave his editorial opinion: "I could smell it from here." The quote was in the context of giving his opinion about Saban's statements on the Tide's trouble.
Once the football players arrived at the front and back, they fanned out and asked the discipline questions from the Tide players. I was standing beside the guy when it was asked.
There was nothing wrong with asking it. I think the question was something on everyone's mind.
However, the Friday question was obviously biased. And I know the ITAT people didn't ask it (I was sitting near them on Friday, and apparently near you too.) The question came from the front. But the fact AU sites were pushing the story on Thursday made the Friday question highly suspicious--even the construction of the question just seems amateurish.
There are lots of Internet sites...blogs...whatever. You are telling me that you know every possible blogger/Auburn fan who could've been there?
Please. I stipulated the question wasn't from a mainstream outlet on Friday, it was too clumsily constructed.
I said I couldn't identify who asked Tuberville the question. But, when AU sites are pushing the story on Thursday, it doesn't take much to think some AU supporter/Internet reporter/blogger decided to push the story on Friday too.
"amateurish". very succinct. to say that one lacks "class" (to me, asking a pertinent question, however awkwardly phrased, should not be a deciding factor in determining one's socio-economic status) is a petulant response to a non issue. let's play some football.
yea, and you didn't waste any words either.
what did Scott just say?
BTW, I was loath to point fingers at the ITAT guys over the Thursday stuff. They were polite, and nice and friendly. I feel bad talking about them in this forum. If you hadn't called me a liar, I wouldn't have even put the publication into a comment.
I just wanted to be clear that I wasn't just making stuff up....
Okay, it's raining and I can't play golf, so Jay, with your permission, I'd like to jump in here.
As I understand the word loath, it means that you really didn't want to do what you did because it is not something you would normally do. How is the fact that Jay G called you a liar a license to call out a third party? Furthermore, it is the sole function of your website to propagate nonsensical BS rumors about all sorts of people. IT'S WHAT YOU DO. And yet, you "loath" to say something completely unsubstantiated about someone in this forum? Are you joking? I'm thinking that for you, to "loath" must mean to "breathe".
My point is, if your were "loath" to say something here, then that must mean that you are "loath" to say something on your site EVERY DAY. This leads me to believe that you must be constantly in a state of "self-loathing", which now that I think about it makes sense to me.
Whatever. I shouldn't expect fair treatment from the enemy. However, I would expect fair treatment from someone in the media—which is why I went so far as to provide the details that led to my blog post.
If I had wanted to name names, I'd have named in my blog post the publication asking the Tide players the discipline question. I didn't, out of respect for them. However, being called a liar did necessitate providing some context for why I wrote that post.
Isn't that a reasonable explanation?
Okay, here's a reasonable question.
What was the point of your blog?
I wasn't walking around with the ITAT guys on Thursday. Still, it would be very out of character to see them gathering information for an Alabama story. They have their Alabama Scout.com site for that.
Scottie, I don't see how "amateurish" has any socio-economic connotation.
Here is the question I found odd:
"Q. You talked a minute ago your assistant coaches have to be tenacious recruiters. When you're in-state rivals had 10 players arrested in 18 months, does that give you an advantage on the recruiting trail? Do your coaches emphasize that's not happening here? Do you put that to use?"
The point of that specific post?
I liked Tuberville's appearance on Friday. He was charming, warm. Everything you'd expect of a CEO in the modern media world.
Also because Tuberville is savvy, Auburn has a far more sophisticated relationship with the media than UA.
Alabama could learn many lessons from this. The media can be a friend. You can harness the power of media platforms to spread your message—right now the message of Alabama players being out of control is a good message to sell.
So, when an AU outlet is asking those questions on Thursday, and someone else (obviously not a pro) is asking a similar question Friday, I infer this is a message being peddled.
But again, the point of my post is that AU is far better at media relations than UA.
That's interesting. I didn't get that from reading it. It is true though.
There were two rooms available to Internet sites. One was specifically set for recording audio, the other for writing/filing stories, ie: print.
I definitely didn't get that from reading the initial CR post.
You're almost misrepresenting it now.
I just made a call and found that you're right ... internet peeps can access both the print and radio/internet rooms.
I thought that other room was strictly radio.
Still, I find your story improbable.
I'll try to get this corroborated.
Still, it would be very out of character to see them gathering information for an Alabama story. They have their Alabama Scout.com site for that.
Which is why I thought it ODD for them to ask that question. :)
Either way, there is no Auburn agenda at play. The beat, like most, is a conglomeration of peeps with contrasting ideas about journalism.
Person A or Person B may have an agenda.
There is no group push. I assure you.
OK. I altered the blog's final line ... from lie to misleading at best.
An ITAT guy asked Antoine Caldwell about Alabama's off-the-field troubles. Once. In one place.
So our homie from CP wasn't outright lying per se, but major inaccuracies remain.
Here is CR's assessment ...
"The Auburn websites asked about Alabama’s discipline problems for the last two days. They questioned Tide players in almost every media meeting room, and today asked Tuberville about the situation."
a.) I was one website. Not plural.
b.) It was one question to one guy in one place.
c.) The person who talked with Caldwell on Thursday is not the same person who asked the leading question to Tuberville on Friday. The Friday questioner was not from one of the three major Auburn-centric sites.
And I wasn't really trying to get you to change the blog post, I just wanted you to understand why I wrote what I did. But thanks. :)
I agree it wasn't the same person on Friday, that is why I didn't name anyone specifically. I still believe strongly the amateurish question was from a website, and not a newspaper/major Internet site. I'd wager either a blogger or other fan promoting an AU agenda. I could be wrong, but that will remain my firm opinion.
Honestly, who but someone with an AU-bias would ask that question? I'll stipulate it wasn't the major Internet sites. And I'll make a post to clarify that on my website too.
When two different Internet outlets promote the same theme, it makes me believe the story was peddled, encouraged. If it were a political situation, I'd say some PR hack was behind it. Being football...who knows. I'd peddle the story if I were an AU supporter. :)
And to clarify once more, the ITAT guys were very professional, friendly, etc. I thought their questioning was legitimate, but the Friday question made me look back on Thursday with a much different, more suspicious view...hence the post.
j.g., "class" was the word implying socio economic status. phred and capstone, i'm pretty sure the word is "loathe". capstone seems a bit defensive, to my untrained eye.
loath-reluctant, unwilling
loathe-intense dislike or disgust
I used class not in the Marxist way, but in the sense of the adjective form of the word, meaning showing excellence.
As for being defensive, I was just trying to explain why and how I wrote what I wrote. If I did that in too aggressive a manner, then I apologize. I just wanted people to understand the basis of my post. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify.
This capstone guy is starting to grow on me. He just typed my response to Scottie for me.
Yea. Cappie came here to defend himself. Works for me.
Plus, he said you were a major Auburn blog. This is good.
Another inaccuracy!
Aubsession. Thy name is Shane.
Here's a doozy. AJ McCarron has a new 27' boat. Wonder where he got it?
from a marina?
The choice capstone report made to use childish language in his editorial discredits him from the start. Why bother to read trash such as that.
As for the problems at UAT, I would be very critical of anyone who tries to make use of the JJ situation. You have a kid that had a lot of potential and threw it away. It is a tragedy.
Saban is dealing with a lot of the results of Shula's style of coaching and discipline. I don't admire Saban's methods in some ways, but I admire what he is attempting to do, which is to get control of a program, or at least players, that were out of control.
I do respect a lot of what Saban says, although I don't believe the gag order he has on all of his coaches is appropriate. He needs to have more faith in who he hires.
As for CTT, I think he was right about the problem with big plays, although he neglects to admit that the aggressive way that Muschamp had our receivers cover yielded a lot of benefits.
Yes, there style of defense we played opened up an opportunity for big plays, but it also made for one of the best defenses in the nation.
Take Care
I think Muschamp was better than people think/thought. They were really close last season...
I think y'all are still in the grieving stage, like you lost your college girlfriend. "Man, I can't believe she dumped me! She was perfect!" And then you meet the new girl and go out a few times. "Wait, what was the old girls name again? Oh yeah ... Muschamp."
My prediction about the defense this next year is a vanilla base defense 90 percent of the time. Sounds like tubberville is trying to go "the bend but don't break" style. Which could be OK because the defense line has some good players on it (Marks and coleman), but if one them gets injured we all need to be very worried. We will miss Muschamp no doubt, but I think the biggest difference between this year's defense and last will be the loss of pat sims.
To stephen:
The Jimmy Johns situation is not a tragedy, he didn't get cancer, he sold cocaine to undercover officers five times. He is a moron. Nothing tragic about that.
Don't forget Hot Carter. He's definitely break-out candidate.
He looked really good in spring ball.
They're not exactly going bend and don't break. But they are going more technigue, more Chizik like. What killed us in games last year? Tackling. Improper technique in coverage. To say we're going bend and don't break is just a guess and I'm not sure what has given you the evidence to make that guess.
Phred, did the boat come from a Marina? Is that an attempt at logic?
By the way, we still nee another running back. Scott is obviously on the fence and Jacobs is too good of a baseball player. He's told his boy Lester he's playing pro ball.
The "bend but don't break" was a guess on my part. I thought i covered that in the whole "my prediction for next year's defense is..." thing. In my opinion the big plays gave up last year were due to Muschamp's theory that man to man is the only coverage that exists in the game of football. Chizik (who is much better than Muschamp in my opinion) was the exact opposite: Cover 2 every play and let me see if your quaterback can make the perfect throw. Both coverages have pros and cons, and in perfect world Paul Rhoads will have a perfect blend of each. I just don't see an attacking defense coming our way in 2008.
God I love football season.
crudup ... that was not at attempt at logic, but it was an attempt to be a smart a@#. Just to clarify.
So, I give up. Where did he get it?
Phred, I love your honesty. You can't lose with it. Put it this way, Slive isn't going to do shinola about where the McCarrons got their boat. He isn't going to do anything about the cash and possessions Terry Grant, Julio Jones, or Jerrell Harris got either. He knows about those three at the very least. There is a defensive coordinator in the ACC(among many other I'm sure) that knows Slive knows what's going on with the "process" right now.
Slive is about Slive as his clean slate initiative, which means look the other way, generate tons of revenue, and be the guy with the "clean" SEC. Slive. What a great name.
Crud,
I cant say for certain where McCarron got the boat, but I can tell you that St. Paul's is a very nice school. The majority of the kids who go there have very wealthy parents. It is completely within reason to believe that his parents bought a boat on their own.
I'm about to pull the plug on this AJ McCarron stuff. Unless you have a link or independent documentation (which I'd love to see), let's stop lobbing accusations.
I'm more open to discussing Chris McCarron and the horse he rode in the 1994 Kentucky Derby. His name was Go For Gin. They won me $10.80 on a $2 bet.
I agree we should drop the subject. It's very "cappie" like.
no offense crud.
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