3.15.2009

Auburn gets No. 1 seed in NIT

Auburn will play UT-Martin on Wednesday, 7 p.m. CST.

Other teams in that bracket:

1 @Auburn
8 UT-Martin (Wednesday, 7 p.m. CDT)

4 @Tulsa
5 Northwestern (Wednesday, 8 p.m. CDT on ESPNU)

3 @Baylor
6 Georgetown (Wednesday, 8 p.m. CDT on ESPN2)

2 @Virginia Tech
7 Duquesne (Wednesday, 6 p.m. CDT)

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Tickets will go on sale Monday morning on-line at www.auburntigers.com and at the Auburn Athletic Department Ticket Office.

Reserved tickets are $15 in sections 29-33 (lower level), $10 general admission for the rest of the building and $5 for college students and those 18-and-under.

97 comments:

  1. My last post on the previuos thread showed I thought we played UTmartin.

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  2. My guess on the other teamsinthe bracket were off.
    Anyone going to this game. It is Wedensday evening at 7:00.
    I will be there.

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  3. well, at least we're a #1 seed in something.

    our girls should be a #2 seed when that bracket is announced.

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  4. we're number 1, we're number 1

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  5. i'm assuming with a #1 NIT seed we'll be on ESPN wed. nite. maybe?

    i'll be working. i may have to tivo it. hhhmmm....

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  6. i've looked but i can't see online where the NIT is being announced. i don't have ESPNU.

    what other SEC teams are in? i'm assuming UK, USC, & Florida are in and hosting.

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  7. hosting so far: au, creighton, san diego state

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  8. UF is the 4th and final team that will host throughout..assuming they win..

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  9. UK v UNLV
    Florida v jacksonville
    s. carolina v ...I forgot..but they're in...

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  10. at the beginning of the season, i thought the nit was undoable. now i'm not satisfied with the nit. go figure.

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  11. i am hoping for a respectable turnout for the game. least we can do to show our support...

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  12. AU likely plays Wednesday night on "the ocho".

    ESPN will probably have a curling tournament or ultimate frisbee challenge that takes precedent.

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  13. yeah..tn martin will be pretty much on the habotn only. Just like football.

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  14. I would love to be there to cheer on the Tigers but it's just not possible

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  15. Will UTM be wearing uniforms identical to AU's like their football team did?

    It looked like Russell had found a dumping ground for all their leftover AU equipment after the Under Armor deal a few years ago.

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  16. The HABOTN (should) be there Wednesday night for your blogging pleasure.

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  17. Will TN-Martin be wearing old Auburn Russell Athletic practice jerseys like they do in football?

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  18. The uniforms in that game combined with the fact that they had a real chance to beat us for a little while made that a bad bad saturday.

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  19. dang chip chip. way to scoop my anti-witty comment.

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  20. http://auburn.rivals.com/

    Michael Dyer, number 9 overall in the nation, high on AU...oh yeah

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  21. I can't get into recruiting leading up to national signing day, much less during baseball season. You're a monster, JHAG.

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  22. Kentucky dang well better beat Vegas or it will get uglier than ugly up there.

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  23. My apologies. That one was too easy wasn't it?

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  24. And it's ALWAYS crutin' season!

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  25. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChOS_tW-PLk

    if you saw him run, you would just say "yes"
    I follow recruiting everyday 365 of the year it's kind of a bad habit, i guess.

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  26. UT Martin just won't go away from our schedules.

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  27. short of dayton and no. iowa they fit in pretty well with the crew of non conference teams we've played so far..

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  28. Every four years, there is a 366th day too!

    Somehow I get the feeling if Dyer had not camped at AU, the former staff would have never heard of him.

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  29. that kid does look like an Auburn back hag..

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  30. I love how Barber averaged a double double and didn't get a sniff of the All-SEC team. That says a lot about the system...

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  31. I loved the comment under Dyer's video telling him where to go if he wanted a new escalade.

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  32. Anonymous9:20 PM

    I looked at the Scout free BBall recruiting info and noticed that the tallest player interested in AU is 6'-9". The next tallest is 6'-5". I've read comments on here that one of our weaknesses is lack of height/size (it sure seems that way). Shouldn't there be larger players on the list?

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  33. Very interesting with Baylor and Va. Tech. in the Auburn bracket this could be a tough bracket.

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  34. As much as I admire a young coach like Jeff Lebo, I must take issue with his statement about his poor strength of schedule. The idea that he will not play anyone, anywhere, at anytime for a national tv game is not acceptable for the reason he gives. He states that you can't get a home and home with North Carolina. Well, until Auburn gets a better basketball tradition and reputation, then he better go and play a one game at whatever big time program will schedule him. When I was starting out at U of L in the 70s, I gained a reputation for doing just that. That was even after I had been to two NCAA final fours. I would also add that U of L had a better basketball tradition prior to my arrival than Auburn has right now.

    Lebo needs to be a road warrior, play anyone who will schedule him at their place, then, over time and after some success, he can insist on a home and home.

    I do agree with his George Washington and Virginia games, it is hard to tell how a team is going to be, but they are tradition rich so to speak. Calipari is doing that at Memphis. He even went out of conference during the middle of the season for a TV game.

    But, one can not overlook the losses to Northern Iowa and Mercer. The best the SEC could do was have two 8 seeds. The top two teams were 8 seeds, let that sink in for a moment. I don't see much improvement for next year. So, Jeff better get busy and schedule some away games with some A-10 teams, or, heavens to Betsy, some Big East or ACC teams.

    Doing this will help with recruiting, will get Auburn some much needed national exposure, and make the team better in the long run.

    Now, I know that some of you all think that the ACC and the Big East shouldn't have as many teams in the NCAA as they do. Well, if you objectively viewed the SEC tourney and watched the Big East or ACC tourney, you saw two conferences that were light years better in terms of players, sophistication, and coaching.

    As much as it pains me to say it, UK being down, hurts the rest of the SEC.

    Well, that is all from me this evening. I will see everyone Wed Night at Beard Eaves.

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  35. Night, yay tomorrow is Monday!

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  36. That was a FANTASTIC post Denny C.!

    A lot of people who follow Auburn basketball, even casually, don't want to hear some of that but it is DEAD ON!

    The Big East and ACC are, indeed, light years ahead of the SEC but that doesn't mean we can't rise above the muck and schedule some big time road games. A LOT of what Lebo said was just spin. If we just dropped two, say Bethune Cookman and Tuskeegee, and went to an A-10 school and a Big East school it would be huge! Little things like that would go a long way towards making our program more and more relevent and making days like today a distant memory.

    Some Auburn fans just flat don't care, but some really do, they even care about it more than what our bullpen's ERA is compared to the last time we went to Omaha. Basketball is a big deal for some folks, and it'd be nice to have a more consistent product. That's all I've got. Looking forward to the NIT, but really looking forward to the party that starts Thursday at 11 a.m.

    War Eagle everybody!

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  37. Anonymous5:46 AM

    Good morning, Hotties.

    Rainy days and Mondays...

    Seanzie, I finally tried Vault Zero. It's ok. I prefer to do the Diet Dew.

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  38. A Good Morning to all.

    Steady rain in Macon. Pretty miserable.

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  39. Anonymous6:45 AM

    ehyou, this a good day - like Saturday - to stay home and take a long nap.

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  40. Luv, I appreciate the effort. The Mt. Dew brand is a tough one to beat. It's nasty here in Atlanta today too. It was really tough to get out of bed this morning.

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  41. Anonymous6:54 AM

    The only saving grace is that I might take the day off on Friday and play golf and then come home and watch the Tourney.

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  42. For any who have not joined yet... Join the HABOTN Bracket Challenge.

    Link to join Brackets

    Group ID: 23214
    Password: hatebama

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  43. I agree with Denny's post. AU must travel to build a rep. before we can require a home-home series.
    Follow the example of Gonzaga, Davidson, Sienna, Memphis, and others. Get out there and play the big games. Iliked playing Xavier. They beat us both times, but you have to do more than play them. Please you rway in to some big time tourneys @ the holidays, but do something to get exposure.

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  44. D. Miller, I tried to fill in my brackets this morning and could not. Am I the only one who has a problem?

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  45. I am hung over from the NCAA snub. But I was a realist yesterday than when the Bulldogs won we were screwed. Stats I heard yesterday, Auburn, 1st team from the SEC with ten wins to not make the tournament in over 15 years. Florida, 23 or 24 wins, most wins by an SEC team to not make the tournament, its sad we got no respect.

    Forgive me for not getting excited about the NIT. Dont knock Lebo for the strength of schedule. Before this season started I would not have dreamed we would have made this run, based on our talent. I understand why we wouldnt have scheduled mammoth programs. Also, based on the Tenn. game our shooting went cold and they shot like 68%. That run towards the end of the 1st half was one we coulde never overcome. Plus our freethrows were terrible and they outrebounded us all over the court. I thought TN really exposed our lack of height. Losing the seniors will really hurt.

    I look forward to Waller coming back, but he has to learn to play defense. Knox needs to meet the Knox the strength coach. Sullivan showed promise, he was somtimes erratic. Reed comes back, he has great ball handling skills. Johhny Lett, is more like ??? who. We need some recuits to come in and make an impact.

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  46. The only thing that sucks about the NIT is timing, AU is out this week!

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  47. Jay,

    Lost's new episode vs. Auburn's NIT game?

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  48. Anonymous8:22 AM

    I have to make my picks for our bracket. Should I do some research or just close my eyes and point? ;-)

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  49. Anyone else having issues with the yahoo sports bracket interface??

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  50. Luv, I find research to be overrated when doing a bracket.

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  51. For those that will be in Chicago area in mid-April, be sure not to miss the Snuggie Pub Crawl. WTF?

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  52. Seanzie and AUMom you are not alone. Although it filled out my bracket when I let the site pick my bracket for me.

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  53. Anonymous8:39 AM

    Seanzie, my best friend told me the same thing, so I guess I'll go with covering my eyes and pointing!

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  54. i think i may just close my eyes and point too Luv. my wife usually beats me b/c i pick too many upsets.

    have i mentioned how much i hate the Big 10 today? i still can't get over them getting in 7 teams to the dance. i don't care how good their conference supposedly is. gag me.

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  55. I am going to buy tickets at the door. I forgot about students being out.

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  56. Anonymous9:00 AM

    Coach Crum....nice post sir!

    My very novice observation is that many of the southern players just don't seem to have basketball in their blood. The SEC has great athletes, but those players don't have the same intense hoops instincts prevalent in other areas.

    The level of HS BBall coaching in the south isn't up to par with other areas. Probably b/c there isn't as much fan interest. In Phoenix, Arizona...the good HS Baseball coaches are paid more than football coaches and the best athletes look at baseball first. Heck some folks have pitching mounds, pitching machines and batting cages in their back yards.

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  57. Denny, not only are the college students out, the area schools have spring break this week also. There are a lot of families going out of town. I'm afraid turnout will be light at best for the game Wednesday.

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  58. Georgetown is a #6 seed?

    I know they struggled down the stretch, but the Big East this year may have been the toughest conference ever, they would have won or been a top contender in any other conference other than the Big East or ACC this year.

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  59. Question for the hotties. I received an email from someone that knows someone (which may mena I need to stop reading the email at that point), talking about some investigations in the Gadsden area into the the philanthropy of the REC. Just checkin and sayin' is all.

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  60. Morning Hotties - work has kept me from checking in here the last couple of weeks. I know, it's crazy but I haven't figured out how to get HABOTN to keep my lights on and food on the table in the same way that "the man" does for me. I'll be in Washington State for the week and don't expect my HABOTN performance to be much improved but I don't want to leave town without a big War Eagle and pass along wishes that there's a good crowd to watch the game on Wednesday.

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  61. gatiger I feel ya... work has kept me too busy also. Maybe I will get laid off and have more time for HABOTN one day.

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  62. Man, I finally have internet again! We moved and made a switch from Charter to Knology and have been with out cable and the net for 2 full weeks. I am happy to have TV and stuff but especially the HABOTN. By the way how is Auburn the #1 seed in the NIT w/o any love from TV?

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  63. Anonymous10:49 AM

    michael, don't say such things!

    It is a rather slow day in HABOTN land...

    mrtommyd, my friend mentioned something about that too, so there might be something to it.

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  64. Anonymous10:50 AM

    JD, Auburn seems to always get the shaft, no matter what it is! I don't get it!

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  65. Michael - from what I've read, your nose ought to be able to provide you some warning if a layoff is headed your way.

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  66. I'm not sure if it happened to anyone else, but I missed the word "off" in Micheal's note. Really gives that message a new slant.

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  67. I hate short weeks, they always go by so slowly!

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  68. Anonymous11:23 AM

    Seanzie, this day seems to be draggin', that's for sure!

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  69. gatiger,

    I know how you feel. The 1st months of the year are hectic where I work, so I haven't been on here as much as I'd like lately either.

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  70. Hoopie,

    I think I agree with you about the coaching. I used to take my HS team up to Ky to a Team camp at East Ky Univ. EKU. Suffice it to say, I played against both great and average teams and coaches, and they were far and away better than any coaches I have seen in Alabama. I also think that when you dilute the championships by classifying basketball in an already poor state, it hurts the development of the talented players. That is, if I had a stud player at a 1A school, what good does it do me as a coach to have him learn team fundementals so I can win. I just make everything go around him and since other 1A schools don't have the same stud athlete like I do, then I win by my guy just dominating. Now, if, like in KY, to win the state championship I have to beat some big boys along the way, it is better for me to create a team featuring my stud versus a stud with some bit players around him feeding him the ball. Just a thought. I hate this whole super 6 bs, what have you won. Just my opinion.

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  71. I played high school basketball in Memphis, and we went up to play a tournament in Kentucky one time. We were a decent team, but we just were totally demolished by even the middle of the road Kentucky teams at the tournament. Even in Memphis, which is supposed to be a basketball town, football is king with the exception of a few schools, and generally those schools don't seem well coached.

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  72. Go read your American History regarding the Gadsden Purchase. It will have a second chapter soon, I hope. Taking the redeye back from San Diego tomorrow night. TurboProp and I will represent Wednesday night at the Brown Pile of Poo (Beard Eaves). Exhaustion be danged!

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  73. Regarding Gadsden info, there has been so much smoke regarding Bama recruiting, I believe there is a fire somewhere. My hope is someone has went over the SEC's head directly to the NCAA. The textbook scandal will hopefully give the NCAA the green light to investigate further. As I posted earlier, if Bama gets sanctions for textbook dealings, it will be like putting Al Capone in prison for not paying taxes.

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  74. AUMom... I'm not sure why it isn't letting you fill out your bracket. I was able to fill mine out last night.

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  75. Anonymous12:32 PM

    I don't know a whole lot about NCAA regulations, so I'm asking you Hotties. I went to the REC website and seems to me, with my limited knowledge, that what they do violates NCAA regulations. Can anyone help a girl out here and explain it?

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  76. Luv,

    I think Monica may be able to help you.

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  77. if the original gadsden purchase had been properly surveyed, arizona would have a beach.

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  78. The Second Gadsden Purchase = Gene Jelks

    The third = Jerrell Harris

    The fourth = Dre'

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  79. Bryce Brown is announcing either today or tomorrow

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  80. jhag, I just saw a link to Bryce Brown commiting to UT. Interesting that he and Oku ended up at the same school. I did not pay $9.95 for the info, however, it was a free link.

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  81. national champs picks, people...
    I got Pitt, for now

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  82. no way?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

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  83. Bryce Brown commits to........TENNESSEE????!!!!

    something strange is brewing up here. it just ain't right i tell ya. it ain't right.

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  84. I hope Eltoro has a chance to make good on his statement after he signed w/ AU, courtesy of Bryce Brown and David Oku.

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  85. jhag, I have Pitt in one and Memphis in another, and UNC in another. Ask me again tomorrow and I'll have two or three more responses.

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  86. Anonymous2:10 PM

    Luv....good question....I went to the REC site to see if I could help with your question. I got sidetracked; nearly threw up; then promptly went into a anti-Bammer rant when I read "elite group".

    After gaining composure and reading the whole thing, my opinion is that their attorneys have allowed them to....wink-wink..establish their cheating intentions known without going too far.

    Here's a nice tidbit from their mission statement: "We will strive to support our current and former football athletes as well as our football coaching staff in any possible way".

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  87. Luv, Hoopie, my favorite line from the REC website- "we will assist current players with appropriate summer employment." What exactly defines "appropriate"?

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  88. wow what a backfield LK signed on rocky top... I just peed my pants

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  89. well maybe bryce and oku lead to more bama losses, that's how you have to look at it now

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  90. as long as we beat UT in the fall and get them off our schedule i don't care how many running backs they have up here.

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  91. Appropriate summer employment - watching the grass grow

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  92. UT = New York Yankees

    Subtraction by addition, so to speak.

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  93. Anonymous3:04 PM

    I think it is funny that Oku picked UT and Brown did too. Who first cries about not playing and then transfers?

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  94. Who was promised the first carry of the 2009 season?
    There is only one ball and two head cases.

    Remember, Kenny Irons left SC after Dr. Lou promised Demetris Summers the first carry of the season to get him to commit. That worked out well for everyone didn't it...

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  95. Brown's already talking about UT asst coaches getting him ready for the next level. What a presumptuous jerk. How about an iota of success on the college level first.

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