3.28.2010

Weekend Update

... and here's your host, Dennis Miller.

Hey everyone. It's been a pretty busy weekend for Auburn athletics, though I sat out Saturday's action. I didn't feel well. It happens sometimes.

So what's going on? I'll tell you.

FOOTBALL -- The team held a two-hour workout inside Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday morning. Some 11-on-11 stuff was included. They were moving at "thud tempo," which means players collide but do not tackle. I didn't hear about anything super exciting. Safety Mike McNeil was back on the field doing real work for the first time in a year. I'm glad he'll get a second chance.

BASEBALL -- My friend Phillip Marshall wrote yesterday that today's Auburn-South Carolina game is the program's biggest in a while. While I probably disagree with that idea -- we're five games into a 30-game SEC season -- it's important to note that Auburn lost on Friday and Saturday. Another loss on Sunday all but eliminates meaning behind the team's sweep in Athens last weekend. Cole Nelson pitched exquisitely against the Gamecocks on Saturday and his teammates scored ... zero runs. Nice.

UPDATE: Auburn won the game, 10-6.

SWIMMING AND DIVING -- Auburn, the defending NCAA titlists, began the day in sixth place at the championship meet. A jump to No. 1 would require a miracle. So it goes.

EQUESTRIAN: Auburn, ranked No. 2, beat top-ranked Georgia on Saturday to win the Southern Equestrian Championships. The event was held at the Auburn Equestrian Center. The Tigers now have beaten Georgia twice this season and improved to 14-3 overall.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

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

113 comments:

  1. Hope you are feeling better.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathy with the quick hands

    ReplyDelete
  3. Watching the NCAA BB and catching up on the latest in Auburn!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kentucky lost.

    On to soccer season for me ...

    ReplyDelete
  5. And first up in a big week for United, a trip to the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.

    Visited there a couple of years ago. Fantastic stadium. One of my favs.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad to see you still kicking, Jay. I was beginning to get a bit concerned.

    The other thing that happened this weekend was we got another commit, some safety. But commits mean very little 10 months away from signing day.

    I do hope you get to feeling better.

    Take Care,
    Steve

    ReplyDelete
  7. Did you include equestrian because you consider it to be a sport? If so, can you start reporting on the Auburn Ultimate Frisbee club team soon?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Equestrian was added as an official, varsity sport a few years ago. I think it's worth mentioning a time or two each year. Jeez.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I appreciate the equestrian coverage Jay. I need an occasional reminder that the team exists.

    I would love me some Water Ski updates. I think their first spring tourney is this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yea! after most of an eternity and multiple refreshes, the page finally loaded with a "publish comment" button on my crappy phone .
    JGT - Thanks for this update. I'm glad you took a well deserved break yesterday and I hope you rested well and feel better.

    ReplyDelete
  11. p.s. I love the equestrian news!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Auburn could have a tiddly winks team and I still wouldn't mind having an update on them.

    Especially if they are one of the best teams in the nation.

    ReplyDelete
  13. What an interesting weekend this has been....

    I need a drink.

    ReplyDelete
  14. That play would make Laettner roll over in his grave.

    Well if he was dead of course.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Auburn BB defeats USCe 10-6 in the third game of the series to avoid being swept.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Brian Williams and Scotty Hopson looked like they'd rather be in a skunk den with Phyllis Diller than at the free throw line with the game on the line.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just messin' around. It's just hard to believe that show horses are considered a varsity sport.

    Some Ultimate coverage would be just greeeeaaaaaat, though.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Glad to hear Cincy. Thanks for the update.

    ReplyDelete
  19. In equestrian, do we recruit horses? Did we have Big Horse Weekend?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks, Cincy. War Eagle!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. THT, how is 2.0 travels today?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Kathy - I haven't heard yet. She has been in Copenhagen today. While MrsTHT and I were running errands this afternoon, LGGByron called 2.0 at 10 pm Copenhagen time to tell her about Molly.
    2.0 was still out for dinner with her friend's family.
    She is in Copenhagen tomorrow until late afternoon when she flies to Oslo.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm sure she was very sad to hear about Molly.

    I've been sad thinking about Molly.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Duke is hitting the 3s.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Best "human dog" ever ---->

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm watching basketball right now for the first time in months. I do not like Puke, so I probably won't be watching very long.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Baylor putting on the pressure!

    ReplyDelete
  28. ok, I may watch for a few more minutes ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  29. THT,
    I've thought about you and your family a lot today. Dogs named Molly are the best.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Jet,
    We don't have to recruit horses... horses crawl over broken glass to be a part of our equestrian program.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Stupid foul by the Baylor center.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Lacedarious Dunn is good...
    and, how can you not be a fan of a guy named Tweetie?

    ReplyDelete
  33. interesting... Mac+Chrome=invisible to Feedjit

    ReplyDelete
  34. Great to be an Auburn Tiger!

    Sorry TN lost.

    Love the horses!


    Also love some Ultimate Frisbee


    Jay, if it has to do with Auburn, we want to hear.......only good of course!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Gymnastics also competed in the SEC Championships this weekend. They didn't win. The gymnasties failed to motivate them.

    ReplyDelete
  36. What a waste. I drive all the way to Tampa for a cancled race, the pouring rain kept my eyes on the road and off of my GPS, resulting in me getting lost and going a total of 60 miles out of my way. I should've stayed in bed.

    Good job Grant Dayton. I'm happy that he, Cole Nelson, John Luke Jacobs and Austin Hubbard all had a really good weekend. If not for Corey Luckie, bad fielding, and failure to capitalize on small ball base hits, Auburn might have swept the series.

    ReplyDelete
  37. JGT hope you get to feeling better soon.
    Appreciate your work today and glad you covered all the events that you did.

    ReplyDelete
  38. sorry about that, PF. I'm curious why you weren't on I-75. Sometimes I like to take unfamiliar routes just to see what's out there. I don't have GPS, but I have something better. A very long nose that I can follow.

    ReplyDelete
  39. One thing that I think is really interesting about Equestrian is that in competition the riders aren't riding their own horses. They draw lots to see what horse they will ride when they get to the competition. I would think it would be much more difficult to ride and jump on an unfamiliar horse. Just some "for what it's worth" information that you may have already known.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I was told by a friend I was on my way to 75. I wasn't. I felt like I was going north. I was. Next time, I"ll stick with instinct. I mean, I was once blinfolded and dropped off in the middle of a field in a county I've never been to, and managed to find my way home fairly quickly. This has never happened to me. The rain had me shaken up, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  41. That's crazy. . I understand drawing lots in bullriding, but very few people develop relationships with bulls like cowboys do with their horses.

    ReplyDelete
  42. my long nose becomes much less accurate when the sun isn't shining


    that call should have been against Zubek; if for no other reason than I hate Puke.

    ReplyDelete
  43. The former equestrian in our family clued me in on how it works several years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  44. wartiger in the house?

    ReplyDelete
  45. I know I don't know a lot about basketball, but when did officials get to look at replays to call a foul? Glad we don't do that in football.

    ReplyDelete
  46. War Eagle! Glad the baseball team and equestrian teams won. Still excited about Spring football.
    Nice to be back keeping up with all of the info JGT provides!

    ReplyDelete
  47. THT, new dog already?

    ReplyDelete
  48. nope, CH=B.. this---->

    is a photo of Molly when she was about 12. She made it just past 16 1/2. Many, many great memories.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I have one of my daughter hugging (or squeezing) our dachshund a couple of weeks before we had to put her down.

    ReplyDelete
  50. I have a problem with the new Ford Taurus. It's a freakin Taurus. They built a brand on a super bland, ugly car. Now, they've redone the Taurus into a good looking car with good performance. I'd think it was among the best full sized sedans if not for the name on the back. I just can't get past it.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Got a question for everyone. Hang with me for a minute while I get to the question. I'll start by saying I am obviously biased towards Auburn and this question may vary depending on your bias (FSJ). Lets say Chizik does really really well and wins a championship or two. Others will surely come calling. What other programs out there do you think a coach would leave Auburn for? Take out any ties to said program such as being a former player, coach or being from that area. I don't think there are many programs from top to bottom better than Auburn. There are some with more history, but besides that Auburn is right up there when you look at everything else.

    My answer to the question is none, meaning there isn't a program that a coach would leave Auburn for. Now say a coach was at a lesser school and had his pick of top programs I could see him not choosing Auburn. But if a coach was established at Auburn and winning I don't think there is a program worth a move. Remember take all outside factors out of it.

    ReplyDelete
  52. On another note, it appears that Barbee has hit the ground running. I think there will be a couple of current recruits that won't make it to Auburn and I think there is at least one current player that won't come back. That's all good because Barbee has targeted a couple of really good prospects already. Does anyone know how many players you can sign a year? Is it up the max # of scholarships or is there a per year limit?

    ReplyDelete
  53. He wins a couple of championships and he there won't be a program that will want to pay him enough to get him to leave. Auburn will be paying him something ridiculous at that point, and the only thing that get's a coach like Chizik to leave a ridiculous paying job is an absurdly paying job. I don't think that anyone wants to jump to absurd.

    There are places, though, with better facilities, more history, and better media exposure. If Auburn is everything you say it is (as a job), why were there not more coaches begging for the job when Chizik was hired?

    ReplyDelete
  54. CH=B, you've got me sounding like Sensi.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Probably a more pertinent question would be where would he go if he won some SEC titles, but not national championships.

    If he wins one or two national championships, I don't see how'd he leave for any place other than Florida (alma mater) or Texas (coaching ties), though I guess those two places violate the ground rules you've laid down.

    Either way, let's hope it's a question that has to be asked (meaning he's winning championships).

    ReplyDelete
  56. Honestly, trying to put my Auburn bias aside, I can admit that from a neutral standpoint, some jobs probably look better than Auburn.

    Off the top of my head...Texas, Florida, LSU, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio St., Oklahoma. Maybe throw FSU (ten years ago) and Miami in there as well.

    I think Auburn is a top ten caliber program with the capability to compete for national championships, but I think there are other programs that coaches would consider their dream job.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Do a couple of championships provide enough changes in facilities and media exposure to change Auburn's standing among those programs, though? History is what it is, but it's not static. Look at UF. They weren't mentioned in that list when I was a kid. Not even close.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Yes I agree some jobs may look better to someone not currently at either schools, but I find it hard to believe that an established winner would leave Auburn for another college job. Unless there are ties which is not part of the question.

    There aren't too many schools with all around better facilities or more money. Yes there are a few that have more media coverage, but being in the $EC is huge. Also if we one some championships of any kind then the media coverage would grow.

    ReplyDelete
  59. PF is correct. I think Auburn actually has more history than Florida if you look at the big picture. If you look shorter term then yes they have us beat. What other facilities are there? I'm pretty sure our's are top of the line. I think the only thing missing is a full sized indoor practice field. I think that is coming.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Aren't too many and aren't any are two totally different things, though.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Texas's facilities destroy Auburn's from what I've heard. I don't know, though.

    ReplyDelete
  62. ...and Notre Dame puts real gold on their helmets. Do you know how expensive gold is?

    ReplyDelete
  63. I would find it hard to believe that any facilities destroy ours. To me though the kicker in my question is the fact the coach is already at Auburn. So with the no ties clause in my argument It' would take a whole lot to get someone to leave. I don't think that "whole lot" exists.

    ReplyDelete
  64. How do folks? I guess I'm the guy on Feedjit from Alameda, CA though I'm probably actually an hour away from there. Hot Wife and I had an enjoyable day in the area with no particular schedule in mind. We spent some time in a Redwood forest, drove through some pretty country, drove up and down Pacific Coast Highway stopping at a few nice places. Tomorrow begins the reason for the trip which is work, but this has been a pretty nice weekend. I still say I don't think I'd want to live here though.

    THT - Hot Wife and I feel your pain. We've each been there and I expect we'll be there again in a few years or so. Our dogs (ours and yours) are lucky we chose them and we're luckier to have had them.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Any of you heard anything about Shon Coleman? Lots of prayers being sent his way. Some rumors said he was admitted to St Jude's. If that is the case, this young man definitely needs our prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Kathy,

    Who is reporting that? The only thing I can find is a couple of randoms on message boards.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Interesting Kathy.

    I heard that also, but no one I talk to seems to know if it is true.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Like I said, rumor on message boards, but his facebook page has several prayers sent his way. Smoke = some kind of fire

    ReplyDelete
  69. Just found some postings on the subject and they are saying leukemia.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Hope that's not the case. That can be very tough for a family to go through.

    ReplyDelete
  71. I really hope the Shon rumor isnt true, if so AU family will be suppourtive more than imagined

    ReplyDelete
  72. Prayers for that young man and his family. Leukemia does have an excellent cure rate. My niece's husband was diagnosed with leukemia when he was in high school. He is now the proud daddy of a one-year old son.

    ReplyDelete
  73. I'm sure his family isn't thinking about this right now, but if his playing days are over he will still have a future with an education from Auburn. He is part of the "family" and always will be.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Guess we'll not have another Swimming and Diving Championship.....

    ReplyDelete
  75. Does anyone have a bracket left? My daughter has actually picked West Va to win! Didn't see that coming!

    ReplyDelete
  76. Brother Jet would say that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, but the prayers of the righteous avail much.

    May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard his heart and comfort those who love Shon,

    ReplyDelete
  77. Well said, Brother Jet. The Colemans are in our prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  78. Norm - glad you and Hot WIfe had a good day. The redwoods are so incredible, I can't think of an adjective worthy of their description. Things like that don't just happen because a bunch of space dust congregates.

    ReplyDelete
  79. The drawing horses thing is crazy.

    Texas's facilities are MUCH better than ours (or just about anyone else's) from what I've heard.

    PF, they tried renaming the Taurus with the last generation and failed miserably. The first gen Taurus's weren't particularly bland for their time period and the SHO's were ahead of their time.

    My only problem with them is they are a big fat cow of a car. The curb weight well exceeds that of a Crown Vic.

    I want to see a Fusion SHO.

    ReplyDelete
  80. Today is long commute day to Southern Pines. We're oh so close, but I'll have to let someone else take responsibility for honoring Mr. Beasley. See y'all around 9 EDT.

    ReplyDelete
  81. Good morning, Hotties. UGH, it's Monday again already.

    I couldn't find the original post, but I'm assuming that Molly Dog passed away. I am so sorry, Tar Heel. I know how special she was to you. For those that don't have a dog, they wouldn't understand, but dogs get into your heart - sometimes more than people!

    ReplyDelete
  82. i'll give this a try

    ReplyDelete
  83. In Tar Heel's absence, Mrs.THT is the perfect substitute!

    ReplyDelete
  84. Good morning all. I took these posts from another site.

    For any others out there that are curious about Shon's cancer, he has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Its malignant, but has a decent prognosis, depending on a few factors. Apparently he is already getting chemo and responding to treatments, Praise God!

    « His mom has shared a lot of information on Shon via her facebook, including his diagnosis and that it hasn't metastasized to his central nervous system (def. good news). March 28, 2010, 11:38:19 PM by Jwalker9 »

    ReplyDelete
  85. Big win for the baseball team. 4-2 is still good.

    ReplyDelete
  86. True confessions:
    1. I'm not in Alpharetta
    2. I noticed as I was heading out the door this morning that MrsTHT had left her laptop on.

    ReplyDelete
  87. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  88. Wake, but they're turbocharged cows. It is giant. That was the first thing I noticed when I pulled up behind one. The trunk sat up almost level with the hood of my Cherokee. It makes a good alternative to the Avalon, though, which is the only other decent land yatch before you jump to super-Luxury.

    What was the renamed Taurus? The only thing I know about is the Taurus EX (or whatever they called the Taurus crossover thing) morphing into the Flex, which turned out to be a great vehicle.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Read an article this weekend from Scarbinsky about the AU basketball hire. Seemed like a good article. He pointed out that the current incoming signees for AU were just OK. Says several coaches around the league, region said two ere SEC caliber, 2 were not and 2 would not make it into school. If Barbee has to keep all of them, he will not be able to recruit anyone next year becasue AU has no seniors coming up for the next season. That is horrid recruiting by the previous group.
    1 commit is out and I look for at least 2 others to be released and possibly 1-2 current players to be asked to look really hard at their situation and to determine if being somewhere else would be better for them. In other words, look for a house cleaning real soon.

    ReplyDelete
  90. Wife has a Taurus for a company car. Excellent vehicle. She just ordered another one about 3 weeks ago. We both like it alot.

    ReplyDelete
  91. guilty as charged, Cincy.

    ReplyDelete
  92. This a.m.'s revelations:

    THT is into cross-posting, not there's anything wrong with that.

    WTC drives the Murano chick car, and makes his bride drive the sensible Taurus. Next thing I'll find out that he was the true architect of Sofa-Gate.

    ReplyDelete
  93. THT,
    How are 2.0's travels going? I was nervous enough when my daughter and niece traveled around Europe together! I can't imagine being brave enough to do it on my own.

    2.0,
    If you're reading, let us know what you are seeing. Some of us are very jealous!!

    ReplyDelete
  94. Off to Bible study. See you hot ones later!

    ReplyDelete
  95. My thoughts this AM:

    The Taurus replacement was the Ford 500. It sold as well as New Coke so they brought back the original.

    Thoughts and prayers with Shon Coleman and family.

    I think it was understood that Lebo was not recruiting talent on par with the rest of the conference. That would explain his abysmal conference record over his six seasons.

    ReplyDelete
  96. I hate to hear that about Coleman, best of luck and prayers for the kid.

    ReplyDelete
  97. I've always admired the riding talent those women have...they represent Auburn well.

    ReplyDelete
  98. My wife was on the first varsity equestrian team back in the day. She flaunts in my face that she was an SEC athlete. I tell her the horse was the athlete. But really, I'm jealous.

    ReplyDelete
  99. 2.0, make that EXTREMELY jealous!!! I will probably never even see much of the U.S. let alone other countries. You are very fortunate! I'm sure you are having the time of your life!

    ReplyDelete
  100. That reminds me, I should plan to get a buger or sandwich for lunch. Too bad there's no Hamburger King near me.

    ReplyDelete
  101. i've been to every SEC stadium to see AU play, but i'll never travel the world. must be cool to be 2.0.

    hotties ho, get some!

    ReplyDelete
  102. I've never seen Auburn play at South Carolina. That's the only stadium in the SEC that I haven't been to yet.

    ReplyDelete
  103. Cause I know everyone wants to talk about the NCAA basketball thing DMiller has set up, I'm pleased to say that I have catapulted myself from the ranks of the lower 30's upper 40's to tied for 8th. This will all change next weekend as only one of my teams made it to the final 4. Thanks to all of those teams that took a look at my picks and decided to lose just so I couldn't get a free lunch.

    ReplyDelete