2.13.2010

Schedule update/Looking at: AU @ MSU

Hey everyone.

So the difficult times are upon us. The Advertiser's parent company, Gannett, has mandated that I take a one-week (unpaid) furlough beginning Sunday morning. I know. It sucks.

I am prohibited from posting here during the one-week (unpaid) furlough, so it'll be up to you to make the HABOTN interesting and informative. I know you can do it. You have done it three times before.

I hate that I cannot be here. It's 100 miles out of my hands.

I've got the Montgomery Academy-Lafayette game this afternoon and my church's Father-Daughter dance tonight, so there won't be much Auburn stuff to share.

Here's the box for tonight's Auburn-MSU game:

Auburn at Mississippi State

When: Today, 6 p.m.

Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Miss.

Records: Auburn (12-12, 3-6); Mississippi State (17-7, 5-4)

On the air: TV — FSN; Radio — WMSP-AM 740, WLWI-FM 92.3

Probable starting lineups:
AUBURN
PG Dewayne Reed (6-1, 175), 15.8 ppg.
G Frankie Sullivan (6-1, 195), 13.3 ppg.
G Tay Waller (6-2, 193), 13.1 ppg.
F Lucas Hargrove (6-6, 220), 13.7 ppg
F Johnnie Lett (6-8, 210), 2.3 ppg.

MISSISSIPPI STATE
PG Dee Bost (6-2, 170), 11.2 ppg.
SG Barry Stewart (6-3, 170), 11.4 ppg.
G/F Ravern Johnson (6-7, 175), 14.1 ppg.
F Kodi Augustus (6-8, 220), 8.9 ppg.
F/C Jarvis Varnado (6-9, 230), 13.4 ppg.

Notes: Auburn beat Georgia 82-63 on Wednesday night and now has one two of its last three games … Mississippi State is 10-1 at home this season … Varnado has blocked 120 shots this season and has 510 for his career … ``You have to be careful how you attack him. If you try to go around him and not through him, he will alter it or block it," coach Jeff Lebo said … Auburn has out-rebounded MSU only once during the past 17 meetings … Hargrove ranks among the SEC's top 10 in rebounding average (7.3), shooting percentage (50.2) and steals per game (1.5).

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

Questions? Comments? Post directly to the blog below or email me at jgtate@gannett.com.

145 comments:

  1. Enjoy your father-daughter dance. They grow up so fast.

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  2. I'm pretty excited about.

    Big date at Chick-fil-A (her choice) before the dance!

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  3. Are you getting her flowers? That was my daughter's favorite part.

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  4. I'll bet we still can get the Auburn POOP going here when Jay G. is gone ...

    I love this site.

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  5. Ari will be a welcome element during my furlough. He knows what he's talking about, so to speak.

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  6. Love the snow pictures of Auburn. Makes me sad that I'm not still there.

    Does anyone have contacts in the logistics industry? I want to move back to Auburn or maybe even the gump.

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  7. If Ari can't help us, his entourage will.

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  8. That Ari, he's something else. He's bound to be better than Criminal Type.

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  9. I bet Ari one two of his last three mustache growing meets.

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  10. JGT - Ari's got a Lexus... just sayin'

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  11. CH=B - I've never been logical, so I'm afraid I can't help.

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  12. jhag - a huge thanks forthat link you put up in the prvious thread

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  13. About time we hot class on this blog. Welcome Ari.

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  14. Anonymous11:05 AM

    It's almost as if Ari-G has been here all along.....

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  15. Anonymous11:07 AM

    We got 3" of snow. It has already melted off many tree limbs. Hopefully the water drains off and the roads down't refreeze tonight.

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  16. I think I just got a joke I didn't understand.

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  17. Sorry about the furlough, Jay G. Hopefully, Ari will make up for you absence, although those are very large shoes to fill.

    I hope the men play today the way they played against UGA.

    Cincy, how much snow did you get in Chelsea? We only got a dusting here in Pelham.

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  18. Biggest game of my life tonight...for now...district championship, im guarding 5 star Fab Melo who just got named to the Mcdonalds All American game...wish me luck and prayers the 7 footer doesnt throw an elbow to my face

    http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Fabricio-de%20Melo-97113

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  19. Luv,
    We got about 2 inches or so, but most of it is gone already.

    jhag,
    Good luck tonight! Protect your nose.

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  20. Wow cincy I'm impressed! Ari is the man in the know......
    Snow was pretty but I stayed holed up studying for a national exam...good day for it. Seen enough snow to last a lifetime all the places I have lived...that's why I live in the south!

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  21. Only a dusting in Pelham? I would say we got close to 3" here in Trussvegas.

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  22. Jay, you will be missed but enjoy your time off! I think the regulars can handle it but they will miss your guidance!

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  23. 3" or so here in N. Fulton County. It didn't pack together well enough for making good snowballs let alone a snowman, but F4* had some fun with it.

    Just finished watching the video linked by jhag in the previous thread. I'd rather have the coach we have than the coach FSJ has.

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  24. I think I hate all of you... ;-)

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  25. there is a 5* power forward very interested in coming to AU. That would be a nice pick up.

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  26. WEG, and some of us need more guidance than others, huh?

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  27. why all the hate, luv?

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  28. Where is everyone? We are about to embark upon one of my favorite activities - drumroll, please - doing taxes! :( Maybe I'll get some money back this year :)

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  29. jay tries to keep on topic but.....

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  30. I understand that G won't be getting paid for a week, but how can they tell him not to blog? What if he just wants to do it for fun?

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  31. Sorry JGT but try to enjoy your time off.
    Rules are rules and the man says no!
    But do they really check on it ??

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  32. Back at home and ready to relax. Finshed an easy 8 miler this morning. A little cool at the start. 27 degrees. Worked up a sweat by mile two. good fun was had by all.

    Got my Valentine stuff and now resting before our next country music gathering tonight. We have 3 song writers from Nashville coming to the Gump to perform for 2.5 hours.

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  33. wtc - the coldest I ever ran was a 10k in 2/09. When I got out of the truck, it was 17. That wasn't too pleasant.

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  34. "good fun was had by all"

    wtc - y'all are weird; you'd fit in perfectly with all the Chapel Hillians who go out running in the heat, cold, rain, snow, sleet, tornado, hurricane, flood, earthquake, dust storm, tsunami, etc. There is no weather they won't run in.

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  35. Norm - only way I would have done that is if it was 10K back to the truck.

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  36. Anonymous1:57 PM

    It was slushy, but we built a politically correct snow-couple.--->

    If they could speak what would they say? or would you want to hear it anyway?

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  37. What does everyone think of the "taunting" rule as it stands and the new rule that the NCAA is working on? That new rule would make taunting a live ball penalty. Meaning it would be penalized from the spot of the foul and wipe out potential TD's. I personally think it is stupid. I'm all for sportsmanship, but I am also for having fun. I think players should be allowed to taunt another player directly, but there is nothing wrong with a little high step or holding the ball in the air or diving into the endzone. I'm also not against a short dance or something of that nature. Now one can tell me that if they scored a touchdown, got a big sack or INT that they wouldn't be excited. This is a GAME after all. Lets treat it as such and allow these kids to have some fun (within reason). Lets also not make it a judgement call. If you want a rule then set all of the parameters within the rule. Don't leave it up to a human being with his own judgments. I don't want to see a game changed because one guy saw something that another would not have.....rant over.

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  38. As an example I didn't have a problem when McFadden hight stepped into the endzone during the bowl game. I mean the guy had just made a great individual play and ran it 106 yards for the score. It's not like he ran up to the QB or WR and talked trash or did a throat slashing gesture.

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  39. As long as it isn't doing something in someone's face or is something that is coreographed then I think it's fine.

    What McFadden or Tate did in the bowl game didn't hurt anyone except their own team. Neither was done with any ill intent.

    However knowing the rules as they are today, neither should have done it.

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  40. this is the Chizik speech people are raving about...its great it will really let you understand how Chizik is being so successful

    http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid50873889001?bctid=65864494001

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  41. Anonymous2:38 PM

    Note to NCAA: Please let CH=B and RK rewrite the rule. Those are sensible solutions.

    A live ball penalty should only be in force because the foul could have affected the play. I despise taunting/showboating even more than most folks, but no way it should be a live penalty.

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  42. It wouldn't have affected the Tate TD as it occurred in the end zone. It would have affected the McFadden TD.

    I'm more worried about Daren Bates' on field behavior than what McFadden did. What McFadden did was something that 97 percent of football players would have done.

    Tate's dunk was ill timed because the game was not out of hand. It was a senior saying I want to do something fun. He shouldn't have done it, but he did.

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  43. Anonymous3:22 PM

    Finally got time to watch the speech at the QB club. Awesome. Thanks jhag .

    Jet ..Mr. Bates does need to listen a little more closely to the coach. I realize that the players get excited and want to show it, but most AU folks I know consider a lot of that to be selfish and sort of wince and put up with it.

    Strutting, etc. doesn't recognize the other players that just executed their job and allowed the strutter to excel. It takes a team effort to win.

    I also think that excessive celebration is premature until you know you have won the game. Celebratory chest bumps seem to be a silly waste of energy and emotion if you end up losing the game later on. A small amount of celebration can keep the players/fans excited, but the objective is to win the game not a couple of plays.

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  44. Let's worry about taunting and anything beyond reasonable celebration.

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  45. Okay, I understand about the furloughs. Gannett's lame-assed way of dealing with systemic financial problems and all.

    How does this affect Biff? Well, it better not mean that the best segment ever, "Hatin' with Jay G," doesn't run this week. I don't think you people understand. Our listeners will revolt.

    While I hesitate to massage Jay G's corpulent ego, it is by far our peeps' favorite part of the broadcast week on the Morning Vent.

    If Jay G really is a man of the people who fights the power and sticks it to the man, he'll be at www.supersport930.com Friday morning at 9.

    The HOTTIES need to make sure he's on board.

    It matters, people.

    Biff

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  46. Faker ... and other Bammers cite Peyton Manning hate for leading the UT band in "Rocky Top" as the source of disdain.

    While I haven't heard Faker say this directly, but others have talked about this "classless display."

    So where does "Rammer Jammer" fit into the discussion?

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  47. I have determined that my skills in writing research papers have deteriorated significantly with the advent of the internet and HABOTN. The last time I was in graduate school, I could knock out 6-7 pages worth of writing in an hour. Now... not so much. The good news is that I still hate bama.

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  48. But I can still kill a thread with the best of them.

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  49. I got jour back j-z
    It is so obvious that the taughting rule is so miss used that it should be deleted from College Football for all time.
    One set of officials will let a lot of stuff go while another set will flag the least little thing. Totally unfair to all of College Football. To even think about making it a live ball penalty is ludicrous.

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  50. j-z, good luck with that. Topic?

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  51. Auburn - Miss State on. AU up by 8. Auburn just always looks so out of control.

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  52. AU up by 11. The announcers just said Auburn was dominating this game! Don't hear that too often.

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  53. AU 31 MS 20 6:53 left 1st half

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  54. Why does DeWayne Reed hate playing smart basketball?

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  55. So much for that lead. Reed makes me so angry.

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  56. Hoopie - I despise the showboating/taunting more than all people. I remember the good ol' days when Alan Page, Dick Butkus, Joe Greene, or Ray Nitschke would destroy some helpless ball carrier or QB and head back to the huddle like nothing happened. Then do it again.

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  57. I'd be willing to say Lebo can stay next year if he'd sit Reed down for the rest of the year -- even if we've only got four other players.

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  58. Cincy, how quickly things change...

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  59. Auburn up by 3 at the half.

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  60. Please tell me Reed graduates this year?

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  61. I live in Dunwoody, GA, (suburb of Atlanta) and take the Atlanta Journal Constitution - the daily paper. I also get the Dunwoody Crier, a free weekly paper just with local rumors and information about Dunwoody. Last Wednesday The Crier and The AJC were both on my driveway, and The Crier was the larger paper of the two. That's when I knew how tough things were in the daily newspaper business.

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  62. Cincy, yes, thank god, he's a senior.

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  63. But so are Hargrove and Waller.

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  64. This is a senior team and should be a whole lot more competitive. Sitting Reed would be a big step in making it so.
    Lebo should leave with this bunch of seniors.

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  65. Anonymous7:12 PM

    for sure Digger ... if Reed was as good as he thinks he is we'd be leading the SEC

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  66. Does Reed realize he has four teammates on the court with him???

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  67. Digger, as much as I agree with you about Lebo, I'm afraid he may have bought himself another year with the wins over UAT and UGA. I hope I'm wrong, though .

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  68. Y'all pull us through the rest of the game.

    I am trying to decipher things like "Use this worksheet to figure your capital loss carryovers from 2008 to 2009 if your Schedule D, line 21, is a loss and (a) that loss is a smaller loss than the loss on your 2008 Schedule D, line 16, or (b) the amount on your 2008 Form 1040, line 41 reduced by any amount on your 2008 Form 8914, line 2, is less than zero. Otherwise, you don not have any carryovers."

    What?! Who the heck makes this stuff up???

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  69. Anonymous7:19 PM

    Auburn terrible this half ... like that is unusual

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  70. Anonymous7:21 PM

    Look at Cincy ... Talkin' that Greek

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  71. Anonymous7:26 PM

    Reed 3 out of 14

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  72. Anonymous7:26 PM

    Reed 3 out of 14

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  73. Anonymous7:27 PM

    Oops

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  74. Yeah, that was total gibberish to me. I use the 1040EZ form!

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  75. I just let MrsTHT handle it.

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  76. Lebo just set Reed down

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  77. When you are the landed gentry like "kept woman" Cincy T, tax time is quite stressful.

    Kinda like watching Dewayne Reed in a close basketball game.

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  78. Lucas Hargrove = Team MVP

    Dwayne Reed = Team LVP

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  79. Anonymous7:38 PM

    Wow

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  80. Close game on the road = bad news for Auburn.

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  81. This team has played better since Waller has started playing better.

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  82. Is it time for Reed to take over?

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  83. Waller has to play well for Auburn to have a chance against any reasonably solid opponent.

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  84. Anonymous7:46 PM

    True Stup, He seems to have a "settling" effect on the others when doing well

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  85. Chip Caray = Watching lots of Braves games on mute.

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  86. That injury to Waller really hurt to start the year.

    I hope Reed realizes he has a hot teamate and doesn't go all ballhog on us.

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  87. Anonymous7:51 PM

    Why would he change now?

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  88. When your baskertball IQ qualifies you for special education services, well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

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  89. How was Hargrove not fouled on our end?

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  90. Anonymous7:53 PM

    Who wants to bet on who takes the shot?

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  91. Stup ... you're not going to get that call on the road ... without blood.

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  92. Anonymous7:55 PM

    Right there Jet

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  93. Jet,

    Agreed. That sequence reminded my of Thurs. MSU shot 26 FT vs 4 for Ole Miss at the hump.

    Stansbury gets every dang call.

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  94. D up, D up, D up!!!!

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  95. Do you guys think Auburn has chance in OT?

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  96. Amazingly, no foul called there.

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  97. Jeff, they're not gonna call that, either.

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  98. Anonymous8:02 PM

    I'm an optimist and will always say yes to that

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  99. If Waller stays hot Auburn absolutely has a chance.

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  100. We have two changes SLIM and NONE

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  101. That MSU guy PLOWED right into him!

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  102. The end of the game was a good no call, but the Hargrove/Knox sequence should get this crew suspended.

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  103. Great defense, Knox!

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  104. Can I retract my last comment?

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  105. How mant FTs have they missed?

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  106. If I'm Lebo, I give the officials something to remember me by, after that moving screen by Vanardo.

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  107. Moving screen on Vornardo.

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  108. We weren't going to win this game in OT because we can't play half-court offense.

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  109. I only started watching this game with 10 mins left in the 2nd half, but I am whole game pissed off right now.

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  110. You can't win agaisnt the stripes.

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  111. Stripes didn't help us, but they didn't beat us.

    You've got to be able to make baskets in the half court. We can't.

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  112. Another double digit lead blown.

    Now they call a foul.

    BS game.

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  113. I know but when it is so one way it gets to me.

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  114. Anonymous8:15 PM

    I give

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  115. The only two fouls call on MSU in OT were against our worst FT shooter.

    That Hargrove/Knox sequence lost the game for us. It was a four point swing.

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  116. Jacobs going to give Lebo a new two year extension?

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  117. Anonymous8:17 PM

    such is Auburn Basketball ... gotta run Later all

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  118. Jay G,

    I hope you enjoyed your Father/Daughter thing tonight.

    Jet and all, thanks for yacking with me tonight.

    I will know turn the TV so my wife can enjoy her Vols game.

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  119. I am a Lebo guy, but if Auburn can get Chuck Person or somebody better, I am all for it.

    We also need to revist the Under Armour deal. South Carolina has Nike stuff for their basketball team, but UA for the rest. We need to think about something like that.

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  120. Yea! Taxes done, getting money back! :)

    Boo! Auburn loses after having a 14 point lead. :(

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  121. Stupup, what UA vs. Nike have anything to do with anything?

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  122. Kudos to you, Cincy! I don't know how you made heads nor tails of that one sentence let alone the whole thing!

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  123. I go to Oregon for a week. In Oregon, no snow. I come back to Columbia, SC. They had 8 inches of snow. I obviously still live too far north.

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  124. SteveFC - PF or jhag probably have a spare room

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  125. Thanks THT. That might help.

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  126. I know Jay G isn't reading this... but did anyone else notice this

    Auburn has one two of its last three?

    Thought that was kinda funny. I don't really have internet up here so I haven't been on at all since Wednesday.

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  127. I think it's time for Lebo to move along. At some point, you're not losing a bunch of close games due to bad luck.

    Maybe this team doesn't have a killer instinct, but how is that possible? The team is led mainly by four seniors. Two road games in a row we've blown down the stretch in regulation with sill fouls. We committed fouls four times out of State's last five offensive possessions in regulations, all of them with us in the lead.

    How does that happen? Not very good coaching. We're so undisciplined in key moments. So frustrating.

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  128. Anonymous6:24 AM

    Peyton leading the band while playing
    Rocky Top = positive after the game celebration.

    Rammer Jammer = classless taunting.

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  129. I concur, Hoopie.


    Good morning, Hotties!
    Rise and shine!!!

    WARRRRRRRRR EAGLE!!!!

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  130. Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovely Hotties.

    I never had an issue with Peyton demonstrating his musical leadership abilities. It just shows he's a very talented and well rounded individual. Seems to me like it's time for some folks to get over it. He'll never beat your team again.

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  131. Can't stand Peyton.... However his musical demonstration is our fault. If we didn't want to see it we should have not let him beat our arse....

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  132. If James Spann is correct Gadsden will get more snow tonight. My daughter is counting on it happening...

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  133. B'ham may see another inch or two tonight as well.

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  134. Happy Valentine's Day to the Hotties! JGT furloughed. We'll see at least one long lost Hottie visiting this week. Tough lost in OT last night. I think the team left at the end of regulation. Only 1 point?

    Enjoyed watching the Olympics last night. With more snow predicted today, guess that's what I'll be doing. I'm still sick of this weather.

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  135. Doesn't seem like a senior-laden team. Can you even imagine what next year will be like? Can anyone give me any hope?

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