Derby Day: Gotta pick a winner

Hey everyone. Today is Derby Day for those of us who are from Kentucky, lived in Kentucky or once heard of Kentucky and wouldn't mind hearing it again.

It's a fun race. I attended the 1991 running, won $10 and change on Strike The Gold, owned by Bill Condren and Joe Cornaccia, and that was enough for me. The infield at Churchill Downs is a festive scene amid a pool of malodorous swill. It's fun if you're a 19-year-old college freshman as I was in 1991. The cops only get involved if the potential for physical harm exists.

Everything else is fair game. Everything.

I wouldn't find that community quite so enchanting these days. I don't like mud between my toes anymore.

I'm taking Friesan Fire, pictured above, to win The Big Race.

Enjoy your day.

UPDATE: As usual, my horse finished near the back of the field (18th) and another horse, Mine That Bird, took the roses. The race reminded me of the 1993 Breeders Cup Classic, which saw Arcangues (99-1 shot) cut through a field of contenders along the rail during the final two furlongs.

I'm a nerd, yes.

Photo credit: AP Photo/Garry Jones

The Official HABOTN Commendation

Could this be the greatest day in HABOTN history?

Thanks to our friend Jet, who is both a gentleman and a scholar, the HABOTN has been lauded via Alabama Senate Resolution No. 09-182.

Here is the text. If you'd like the official resolution in PDF form, I have uploaded it to sendspace.com and provided a link below.

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Senate of Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Office of the Secretary

RESOLUTION

Commending Jay G. Tate and the HABOTN for Outstanding New Media Achievement

By Senator French

WHEREAS, with utmost admiration and appreciation, we recognize the Hottest Auburn Blog on The Net (HABOTN), which has established itself as the premier web site for supporters of Auburn University to glean information about athletics, engage in good-natured debate and develop friendships with like-minded fans throughout the nation and world; and

WHEREAS, Jay G. Tate, who covers the Auburn beat for the Montgomery Advertiser, launched the HABOTN on March 1, 2006, at 6:36 p.m., as a vehicle to provide readers a way to interact with him and each other on daily posts, thereby leading to thought-provoking commentary by partakers of the blog, where are known individually and collectively as "hotties"; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Tate has posted more than 1,200 items on HABOTN since its inception, leading to more than 1,000,000 comments from Hotties, not including their participation in widely anticipated online chats, known as "Campfires," where many issues of importance to the Hotties are thoroughly vetted; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Tate, with good nature and great patience, tolerated the antics of merry band of Hotties, who have strayed into areas far afield from Auburn University athletics, such as employment issues at Boston College and the threat posed to society by puppets; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Tate has selflessly shared the stage with numerous HABOTN followers by creating the "Ring of Fire," which is a Hall of Fame of HABOTN posters who have exemplified excellence and who, along with the tireless efforts of Mr. Tate, have helped elevate the HABOTN to its place as a world leader in new media; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA,
That with immense pleasure and great pride we commend the HABOTN for its contributions to rational, entertaining discussion of Auburn University athletics and the edification of fellowship among its devotees, and we direct that a copy of this resolution shall be provided to Jay G. Tate as a token of our appreciation and respect.

I hereby certify that the above is a true, correct and accurate copy of Resolution No. 09-182, filed with the Senate of Alabama on April 29, 2009.


(signed)
McDowell Lee
Secretary of Senate

OFFICIAL COPY OF THE RESOLUTION

Tiger Prowl video

Hey everyone. The AHSAA has postponed all athletic events because of a possible swine flu H1N1 outbreak in Huntsville.

I'm scheduled to cover the Edgewood-Marengo AISA Class 2A baseball championship game today. I'm guessing that grudge match is still on, so I'll put my life on the line today and cover the event.

TIGER PROWL: The Advertiser's video expert, Shannon Heupel, was on the scene yesterday when Auburn's caravan rolled into Prattville.

The auto-play videos now have an annoying advertisement that prevents me from embedding them without said advertisement blaring into your eardrums.

I'll spare you that annoyance: CURTIS LUPER PLAYING NARRATOR

Auburn received with a Hummer

Hey everyone. Auburn's gauche splashy limousine gimmick has morphed into something more high class.

Our friends at AuburnSports.com are reporting that the Tigers' coaches, in the midst of a barnstorming tour across the state, have upgraded their transportation. The standard limousine has been replaced by a Hummer.

This whole thing seems odd to me.

Will it generate attention? You betcha.

Is it the right kind of attention? We shall see.

Photo credit: AuburnSports.com

(Belated) Monday chatter

Hey everyone. Sorry I'm late today. Been working on a project that will run in the paper either this weekend. The topic: Looking back on former winners of the Hitchcock Award.

It's given annually to the most outstanding Montgomery student-athlete and I think it'd be cool to see what some of these former winners have done with their lives. I like that kind of stuff.

If you Montgomery-tinged HOTTIES know of an interesting Hitchcock winner or anecdote, please share.

On to Auburn...

BASEBALL IN THE TANK: Auburn was swept at LSU this weekend. It wasn't the bludgeoning some expected -- LSU is an outstanding team this season -- but losing three in a row looks bad after a mid-week loss to Samford. The team has lost nine of its last 11 games.

FOOTBALL SHOWS UP IN THE NFL DRAFT: You all know by now that three Tigers were drafted last weekend. All three players are satisfied with their draft fates. Sen'Derrick Marks really liked the Titans before the draft. Now he's with them. Jerraud Powers has to be happy with being a third-round guy and Tyronne Green, who had a poor senior season, parlayed a great Senior Bowl performance into a fourth-round pick.

THREE WINS AND HE'S A GENIUS: I generally don't comment one way or the other when it comes to the work of fellow writers. Still, I'm wholly confused about why Kevin Scarbinsky wrote, either of his own volition or at the urging of his supervisors, this column: "Matthew Stafford went No. 1? Auburn's just glad he's gone"

This is a remarkably awkward premise for a Stafford column.

STAFFORD'S CAREER vs. ALABAMA: 43-77, 495 yards, 4 TDs (in two games)
STAFFORD'S CAREER vs. AUBURN: 40-63, 671 yards, 5 TDs (in three games)

Similar numbers. Granted, Georgia was 3-0 against Auburn and 1-1 against Alabama in games Stafford started. I still don't see much of a connection at all. I know Scarbinsky enough to know he's not agenda driven, but I totally can see why Auburn fans would read that story and think: WTF?

OT: Aaron's 499 at Talladega

Your favorite NASCAR photographer/reporter/bloggist is back at work today.

Here is where Carl Edwards crashed into the safety fence along the tri-oval. It's a mess. Also pictured: Bag Moon.

This is me trying to make a relatively small lens and even less photographic knowledge work.


Here are some shots from The Big Crash afterparty:

Mark Martin's car is probably inoperable. Agree?


Kasey Kahne's peeps think he can get back in the race.


This was my favorite infield set-up: The "Ho Snatcha".


This is the most simple race-watching construction. Just put a couch on the pickup bed. Voila.

NFL Draft update

Hey everyone. There is more NFL Draft news to share.

JERRAUD POWERS: Goes in the third round to the Indianapolis Colts.

TYRONNE GREEN: Goes in the fourth round to the San Diego Chargers.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University