montgomeryadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:
3.21.2009

Auburn def. Lehigh, 85-49 (NCAAs)

Hey everyone. I missed the first half while waiting for treatment at a local walk-in clinic. Sorry about that. We're picking up at halftime.

  • FINAL
    Auburn wins, 85-49.

  • FOURTH TO @ 5:!5, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 76-49. Out of control. Auburn is so good in transition.

  • THIRD TO @ 7:39, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 69-49. They're trading baskets now, but Lehigh is doomed.

  • SECOND TO @ 11:24, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 62-40. KeKe Carrier is in the game. She's 2-for-2 from the floor so far. If the Tigers want to make the Final Four, Carrier will have to emerge as a competent, reliable option off the bench.

  • FIRST TO @ 15:59, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 54-34. Lehigh actually has gotten a few good shots. They cannot finish. It's obvious to anyone watching this game that DeWanna Bonner is more than Lehigh can handle. They can't properly staff that defensive matchup.

  • HALFTIME
    Auburn leads, 45-30.

  • Game is on:
    Channel 214 (DirecTV)
    Channel 146 (Dish Network)

    If you're not in Alabama or Pennsylvania (and don't have satellite), you're SOL.



Photo credit: Associated Press

Programming note

Hey everyone. I apparently have a throat infection and I'm headed to the clinic. I need some antibiotics.

My goal is to return by tipoff of Auburn-Lehigh at 11 a.m. I could be a bit late.

I will be here.

Piece.
3.20.2009

Auburn def. Tulsa, 74-55

Hey everyone. Welcome to Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, where your Auburn Tigers are playing the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

  • FINAL
    Auburn 74, Tulsa 55. Next game: Tuesday night @ 6 p.m. vs. Baylor/Va. Tech.

  • FOURTH TO @ 3:56, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 59-49. It's getting tight. Tulsa hit a few threes, an easy lay-up and Auburn isn't accomplishing anything on offense. This is what happens.

  • THIRD TO @ 7:06, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 56-40. Same basic deal. I'll say this -- the officiating here is off. They're calling touch fouls one minute, allowing muggings to go unpunished moments later. It's hurting/helping both teams equally. Still, it's unseemly.

  • SECOND TO @ 11:28, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 51-33. Still no Barber. Still no major issues for Auburn -- mainly because Tulsa is a small team as well. Auburn is playing on another level defensively tonight. So many deflections. They'll finish with 12-15 steals.

  • FIRST TO @ 15:32, 2nd
    Auburn leads, 45-29. The Tigers have been awesome in transition. Barber has four fouls already. There's your storylines.

  • INTERESTING HALFTIME NUMBERS
    **Barber played three minutes
    **Tulsa shot 30%, Auburn 32%
    **Jordan has 2 points and 5 rebounds

  • HALFTIME
    Auburn 33, Tulsa 22.

  • FOURTH TO @ 3:54, 1st
    Auburn leads, 26-16. Both teams were sloppy during that last stretch. Auburn is falling in love with the three-point shot now ... and has missed three in a row. I haven't seen the Tigers look this active on defense in a while. They're getting hands on a lot of passes and disrupting flow.

  • THIRD TO @ 7:50, 1st
    Auburn leads, 21-14. The Tigers seem locked in to me. They're playing with a lot of purpose, particularly on defense. Knox is contributing with Barber on the bench. Auburn is trying to push the tempo, which surprises me a little bit. I guess they like their depth better than Tulsa's.

  • SECOND TO @ 11:11, 1st
    Auburn leads, 13-10. With Jordan out with foul trouble, Tulsa seems lost on offense. It's clear what the Tigers are trying to do with him out -- they're working inside and trying to draw fouls near the basket. If Jordan's reserves get in foul trouble, what then?

  • FIRST TO @14:24, 1st
    Tulsa leads, 8-5. Very physical game. Barber has two fouls already. Knox, his backup, has one. I've heard that Johnnie Lett is available if need be. Tulsa's big guy, Jordan, has one foul.

  • YOUR AUBURN STARTERS
    PG -- Speed Reed, Not Shoot Reed
    SG -- Tez Robertson, amorously tied to Sherell Hobbs
    SF -- Tay Waller, shot maker
    "PF" -- Rasheem Barrett, wearing long sleeves
    C -- Korvotney Barber, player

  • Auburn in orange, Tulsa in royal blue.

All we have are the embers (again)

Thanks to all who participated in our RoF mid-day Campfire.

We had 316 particpants during our 90-minute gathering.

Standouts: Michael, WarEagleRK, cotton, xenonamous, Prowler

See you all tonight: Auburn v. Tulsa (NIT) at 7 p.m. CDT.

RoF Inductions

Welcome everyone to our second Ring of Fire inductions. We began with 11 hardcore HOTTIES, then added three (Sensi, Peter and WarEagleRK) during the fall.

Now it's time to recognize more greatness.

The HABOTN has seen incredible growth during the past nine months. We cracked the 1,000,000-hit plateau in January and, in my opinion, comments never have been better. It's a credit to all HOTTIES. Some have gone above and beyond HOTTIEDOM, though, and they now move into the Ring of Fire:

  • eddie4au: A man with a wealth of practical Auburn information based on his time on the "inside." He provides a level-headed approach to all football discussions. He also likes Disney World.

  • Monica: Perhaps the most enthusiastic HOTTIE around, Monica is quick to greet newcomers and adds depth to any discussion -- regardless of how tangential it becomes. An accomplished linker as well.

  • Fake Steve Jobs (aka FSJ): The first Alabama fan indicted inducted into the Ring of Fire, FSJ shows his Crimson support without being heavy-handed. He's reasonable with his words and deeds. His diplomacy has played a key role in the HABOTN emerging as a pocket of rational Auburn discussion.

  • AUBigCat: Perhaps the most aptly named HOTTIE, AUBigCat also adds sensibility to athletic discussions. He's always in a good mood. You'll get no angry smack-talk from this Cat. He's here for the fellowship, not the hatin'.

  • michael: Perhaps the most misunderstood HOTTIE, michael is (nearly) omnipresent and brings a truly unique perspective to all discussions. I have no idea what he's talking about at times. You have no idea what he's talking about at times. Still, his humorous delivery makes the message delicious all the same.

  • barkley for governor: His contributions often are subtle. He's not one for grandstanding, causing a scene or lobbing salvos at The Bad Guys (whomever they may be). Whether it's men's hoops, women's hoops, football, baseball or a hastily called Campfire, bark is there to participate. He's 1991 Horace Grant.

  • DennyCrum A most dedicated HOTTIE, Denny Crum shows his support in a variety of subtle ways. He doesn't dabble with rumors and innuendo. DennyCrum wants to talk about what he sees on the field/floor/pool. He wants results. His idealistic approach toward Auburn provides an everyday reminder of how fun it is to be a fan.

  • Steve from Columbia (aka Steve FC) SteveFC is the outlier, the uncle you don't understand, the college classmate who rambles in a way that makes you think: No way he's sober. Maybe he is. SteveFC is always good for an unusual theory or idea or rumor. Is he out of his mind? Hell if I know. I'm just glad he shares with us.

  • Kristina: Her participation arrives in bursts, but her contributions are unmistakeable. The Zookeeper's willingness to accept playful jabs and respond with mildly harmful zingers has endeared her to dozens. Also founder of the HABOTN Hotties Facebook group.

  • Jet (aka Jet G. Ate, Jet Jetarsky) The pride of east Vaughngomery, Jet provides deep insight into all sports issues. He hates Alabama. Still, he doesn't let that deep discontent affect his entire view. Jet's posts are loaded with interesting references that I often miss on first read.

YAY FOR OUR NEW SUPERSTARS!

Hall of Fame adjustments

Hey everyone. As many of you learned in last night's Campfire, we will be holding our semi-annual Ring of Fire inductions this afternooon.

The festivities begin around 2 p.m. CDT. We may or may not hold a Campfire.

The Ring of Fire is the highest honor one can achieve here. Inclusion requires unusual dedication, serially useful insights, humor, information and profound gibberish when necessary. Or other behaviors I deem worthy.

Before we make those announcements, though, we need to make some adjustments to our Feeling The Heat and Notable Newcomers categories. Before our soon-to-be stars were in the RoF, they were cutting their teeth as gritty up-and-comers.

FROM "NOTABLE NEWCOMERS" TO "FEELING THE HEAT"
Dear Leader -- Quick on the draw, our favorite Korean
Kathy -- Calming presence
The Front Rims -- Campfire stalwarts
D.Miller -- Campfire stalwart, bracket magnate
j-z -- Subtle yet significant
patdyeswildturkey -- Still here

DEBUTS ON "FEELING THE HEAT"
(These are HOTTIES whose recognition was delayed. Sorry.)
mrtommyd -- Consistency
LuvAU1968 -- Early-morning HOTTIE, been around here a while
Harrison -- Afternoon marionette

DEBUTS ON "NOTABLE NEWCOMERS"
ehyoutiger
digger4au
Will
Hornet -- back for another tour
Wakeriderof87
depressedAUfan
gatiger
NoVaTiger
BinOBA
Spongeworthy
Matt
BigEZ
wtc
Andrew
cincytiger
Dr Habotn

WE HARDLY KNEW YE:
(dropping off the lists due to inactivity)
mark
muschamp wuz here
kris
weagle251
trackem33
astatguy
3.19.2009

All We have are the embers

Thanks to everyone for a wildly successful Campfire on Thursday night.

We had 377 participants during the 3+ hour party.

STANDOUTS WHO WENT THE DISTANCE:
Jet, jhag, MonD, dmiller

AS FOR THE BRACKET CHALLENGE: bmac, Sausagebroker, tigerfan44 lead after one day ... nailing 15 of 16. A group of challengers, led by me and jhag, are lurking at 14 of 16.

REMINDER: We'll be inducting new RoF members (and announcing several other promotions) at a ceremony to be held at 2 p.m. CDT. Please stop by and offer congratulations to our newest superstars.

Bracket Challenge loot

Hey everyone. As most of you know by now, we are running a Bracket Challenge over at Yahoo! Sports. Sixty HOTTIES already are registered.

I'm here to add some incentive.

Scottie B., our resident textiles expert, has agreed to bestow upon our winner a ONE-OF-A-KIND HABOTN T-shirt with this printed on the back.

2009
HABOTN
BRACKET
CHAMPION

... so get your bracket handled if you haven't already.

Here is the registration information as I understand it:

fantasysports.yahoo.com
Click on the "Tourney Pick'em" box
ID: 23214
Password: hatebama

*I didn't pick that password.

DEADLINE IS 11:15 a.m. CST. Get on it.
3.18.2009

Auburn def. UT-Martin, 87-82 (NIT first round)

Hey everyone. Welcome to Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, where your Auburn Tigers are playing UT-Martin. This is the first round of NIT play.

  • FINAL
    Auburn wins, 87-82.

  • FOURTH TO @ 2:59, 2nd half
    Auburn leads, 76-69. The Tigers have missed their last four free throws, surprising noone. Were it not for some questionable shots on UTM's part, you know, I think they'd be ahead. Hudson is so good off the dribble, but he's in love with the guarded 23-foot jumper.

  • THIRD TO @ 7:37, 2nd half
    Auburn leads, 73-63. Hudson is a real problem for the Tigers, which had to be expected. He has 24 right now. He's basically the only guy making things happen for his ballclub, but Auburn seems awkward on offense right now. I can't really discern a plan.

  • FIRST TO @ 15:14, 2nd half
    Auburn leads, 56-50. The Tigers are getting lax on the defensive end. Hudson is eating them alive. He breaks away off the dribble and, with a pick, Auburn can't hang with him. I'm surprised Barber isn't more of an offensive factor. He looks out of place with these thin dudes from UTM.

  • HALFTIME
    Auburn leads, 46-35. The Tigers lost sight of Hudson there for a moment and he scored eight points. With a quickness. Auburn still is in command of this game, but the momentum changed during the final three minutes of the half.

  • FOURTH TO @ 3:37, 1st
    Auburn leads, 39-22. Larry Williams Jr., the walk-on point guard, is in the game with more than two minutes remaining. Robertson has eight points. I feel like we're in an alternate universe.

  • THIRD TO @ 6:12, 1st
    Auburn leads, 37-19. The Tigers are unusually accurate from three-point range tonight. Team already has seven threes. It's a mess out there -- UTM just fires away from outside and doesn't hit much. I don't see much creativity.

  • UTM TO @ 10:31, 1st
    Auburn leads, 26-15. Best minute of Auburn basketball this season. Two Brendon Knox free throws, steal, dunk by Frankie Sullivan, UTM miss, Barrett jumper, UTM miss, Robertson three. TIMEOUT.

  • SECOND TO @ 11:40, 1st
    Auburn leads, 17-15. Seems like the Tigers' defense has slacked a bit. Hudson is very fast off the dribble. Robertson will be in good position -- and he's a pretty god defender -- and Hudson will effortlessly pass by. Hudson now is 2-for-5 with four points. Barber and Waller each have two fouls.

  • FIRST TO @ 15:31, 1st
    Auburn leads, 11-4. Lester Hudson, UTM's top player, is 1-for-4 with two points so far. Looks like Quantez Robertson drew that assignment.

  • YOUR AUBURN STARTERS
    PG -- Speed Reed, not Shoot Reed
    SG -- Tez Robertson, boyfriend of Sherell Hobbs
    SF -- Tay Waller aka The Streak
    "PF" -- Rasheem Barrett, sporting a new shave on his head
    C -- Korvotney Barber, player

  • Tipoff scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

  • Crowd better than I expected. It's probably in the 4,000 range.

  • UT-Martin's uniforms look similar to Auburn's, though they are manufactured by Nike.

Preparing for UT-Martin

Hey everyone. Hope you had a swell St. Patty's day. Like any good HOTTIE, I'm sure you drank responsibly if you chose to imbibe.

A couple items of business:

STAYING HOME: I will not be attending the women's tournament at Piscataway, N.J., later this week. After calculating funds needed for hotel, air travel and associated activities (trip to Atlantic City not included), I decided the endeavor was just too expensive. We'll re-assess if Auburn qualifies for the Sweet 16 in Oklahoma City.

I like to be forthright with the HABOTN Nation about what I'm covering. If a tough decision has to be made, I do my best to explain it here.

I'm planning to live blog the game from Montgomery. Lame on my part? You betcha. Still, I think the team deserves coverage and I'll do what I can to make that happen.

HOT HAWK: I'll be covering tonight's NIT game between Auburn and UT-Martin. If you're going, you'll be treated to what could be an exciting offensive performance from a visitor.

Skyhawks guard Lester Hudson is second in the nation in scoring. He averages 27 points per game. He once notched a quadruple-double -- 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals. I'm not sure his team has enough to challenge Auburn, but Hudson should cause some fits.

Hudson is a 6-foot-2 shooting guard. He is a 24-year-old junior. He struggled with the transition from high school to college, you might say, but eventually earned a GED and made his way to college. Good for him.

FOOTBALL REMINDER: Spring practice begins Tuesday, March 24.
3.17.2009

Happy St. Patty's Day

Hey everyone. Hope you're wearing green.

Here is the best YouTube video of all time ... in honor of the Chrichton Leprechaun. If you haven't seen this before, prepare to cry from laughter.

Also, I love the TV lead: "Curiousity leads to large crowds in Mobile's Chrichton community ..."

3.16.2009

Auburn gets its 2

The Auburn women have been awarded a No. 2 seed in the Oklahoma City bracket.

They'll open Saturday in Piscataway, N.J. against Patriot League champion Lehigh, which is 26-6. That game will tip at 11 a.m. CDT and will be televised by ESPN2.

This bracket includes top-seeded Oklahoma and No. 3 seed North Carolina.

MY THOUGHT: Tough bracket draw. Playing at Rutgers in the second round could be a tall order.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Women's tournament draws near

Hey everyone. I'll be heading up to Auburn in a bit to watch the women's NCAA Tournament selection show with coach Nell Fortner et al.

ESPN.com currently has the Tigers (29-3) as a No. 2 seed playing at Rutgers. Yes, Rutgers is in the tournament. I doubt Fortner would consider that a friendly pairing, but the Scarlet Knights haven't been all that good this season.

(ESPN.com is very accurate when it comes to seedings, but somewhat inaccurate when it comes to sites. They have Vanderbilt playing in Chattanooga and no SEC team playing in north Atlanta.)

Anyway...

The selection show begins at 6 p.m. I'll be updating as the day progresses.
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)

*************************
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.

The NIT is IT

So now we know. Auburn didn't get in the NCAA Tournament field for a sixth consecutive season.

The Tigers, 22-11, will get a No. 1 seed for the National Invitation Tournament. That means the team will play its games either at home or at Madison Square Garden for the semis/finals.

JEFF LEBO SPEAKS:
On the general situation: "Our team is disappointed. Our kids are disappointed. There's not a whole lot you can say to then. They were hurt. They made a heck of a run at the end and put themselves in position to get it."

On Auburn's weak strength of schedule: ``When we scheduled (George Washington), they were coming off two or three tournament appearances. People think you can just go out and schedule people. It's tough to get some teams to play you home-and-home. You don't just call up North Carolina and get a home-and-home."

On how to fix things: "I don't know how you can pick one (team) over another. I've always been for expanding the tournament. You get the right draw, you could go to the Sweet 16. There are so many good teams out there."

On if he'll talk with SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, a member of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, about the Tigers' plight: "Yeah. Pretty much every coach does that. Our RPI was still a little bit too high and a couple more wins would have made a big difference."

RAHSEEM BARRETT SPEAKS:
On the general situation: "Growing up, every kid wants to play in the NCAA Tournament. We still get postseason play; we still get to play another basketball game."

On the team's emotional fragility: "I'm sure a couple guys are hurt. We played our hardest and gave it all this season. To win 10 games in the SEC, I think that's enough. We still have to come in tomorrow and practice hard."

On if he watched the MSU-Tennessee game this afternoon: "I took a nap. I'm proud of Mississippi State. People said the West was terrible. Look what happened."

FOOTNOTE: Former Auburn guard Toney Douglas, who fled the Plains three years ago for Florida State, will end his final college season in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles qualified.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Did you hear that pop?/Baseball updates

Hey everyone. Mississippi State, which finished behind your Auburn Tigers (and lost to them twice), has punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Meo Stansbury's husband guided his team past Tennessee in the SEC final, 64-61.

What does that have to do with Auburn?

Well, that's probably a wrap on the Tigers' NCAA hopes. Both Joe Lunardi (ESPN) and Jerry Palm (CollegeRPI.com) left Jeff Lebo's boys off their proposed brackets ... and that was before MSU earned the unexpected bid.

Barring some completely unforeseen development, Auburn will make the National Invitation Tournament as a top-three seed.


BASEBALL UPDATE:
Auburn def. Tennessee, 8-5 (game one)
Tennessee def. Auburn, 7-1 (game two)
**Tigers hit four homers in Game One. Now up to 39 this season.
**Tigers saw their 11-game winning streak broken.
**Tigers now are 13-5, 2-1.

Photo credit: AP/Mike Carlson

follow me on Twitter

• THE RING OF FIRE •
INAUGURAL CLASS
Phormerly Phred
Scottie B. in Tennessee
crudup
Hoopie
Ron Mexico
hip-hopanonymous
AUnMobilz
Sullivan013
Scott from Tucson
scottatl
jhag **FRANCHISE PLAYER**

CLASS OF 2008
Peter Frankenschmidt
Mr. Sensible
WarEagleRK

CLASS OF 2009
eddie4au
FakeSteveJobs (aka FSJ)
AUBigCat
michael
Steve from Columbia (aka SteveFC)
kristina
Jet

WHERE EAGLES SOAR
AUFan365 was Larry Bailey, 1948-2010

FEELING THE HEAT
WarEagleGirl
TarHeelTiger
Kathy
D. Miller
Dear Leader
j-z
Norm
digger4au
Harrison
LuvAU1968
cincytiger
mytommyd (is supposed to be mrtommyd)
ehyoutiger
wtc
IV
wakeriderof87
Sean
Scott Chocolate
NoVaTiger
Taylor
BinOBA
wes
Aeronaut
chip chip
Spongeworthy
Loganville Tiger
E-Bro
Ephemeral
au1n04
FearlessFreep
coosa
bear82
wartiger
patdyeswildturkey
atlantatiger
JD the Biscuitator
shesaid
depressedAUfan
dnatl

NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Cousin Humpers = Bammers (aka CH=B)
dan dan the AU fan
bellefay1
API
Jay 'W. not Tate'
missinit
Craig Miller
AU1292
MLF
Comm'r of Flesh Wounds
Stupup74
61northak
Jimmy
bigdaddy334
Secondaid
Andrew
SCoats
astatguy
Jason Crawford
paulmain
Lowcountry Tiger
BigEZ
Will
WDCWE

MY PEEPS
Wifey
cpf
GritzNGravy
roundtable
Josh_Moon
MrsFrontRim & FrontRim
ChuckCrim
troyznoiz

FIRST DOCUMENTED POSTER
Buck

BANHAMMERED
Hamburglar
ROLLTIDEROLL
hairydawg
DavidOku
Jay_G (an impostor)
WarEagleogDotCom

Powered by Blogger

Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]

Advertisement