HABOTN 2.0 countdown begins

Hey everyone. The "new" HABOTN, which has been in the works for months, is going to be unveiled at some point this weekend.

It signals a major change in how we're going to operate here. While my primary focus will remain on making HABOTN.com a pool of credible and timely information, we're adding a proper forum to the festivities. Several of our most tenured posters graciously agreed to help me test the forum this week for problems, adjustments, functionality.

Things have been running smoothly over there after a rough beginning. I'm now confident enough to unveil the HABOTN's first-ever renovation.

See you at HABOTN 2.0 later this weekend.

UPDATE:

This will be our permanent home: http://www.habotn.com

Auburn goes into the third dimension

Hey everyone. ESPN announced this morning that the Auburn-Clemson game scheduled for will be televised on their new 3D channel.

I don't have ESPN 3D available to me on Dish Network. I'm curious to hear if you all have access to it.

I am not into this 3D fad. Who cares?

Here is the important portion of the release:

AUBURN—Marking the first time ever an Auburn sporting event will be
televised in 3D, the Auburn football game against Clemson on Sept. 18
will air on ESPN 3D. The game will also be broadcast on ESPN with
kickoff slated for 6 p.m CT.

ESPN was the first to announce in the United States an exclusive 3D
network in January 2010 which was the culmination of more than three
years of testing 3D television.

The Auburn-Clemson game will be the third college football game to air
on ESPN 3D this season, and just the fourth football college game ever
to be broadcast in 3D.

Fans interested in viewing the game in 3D, must have ESPN 3D service
and a 3D television.

Your new roster

Hey everyone. Auburn has released its 2010 roster with new names, new numbers, new sizes in some cases.

FRESHMAN NUMBERS
1 -- Trovon Reed, WR
3 -- Chris Davis, DB
4 -- Shaun Kitchens, WR
5 -- Michael Dyer, RB
5 -- Jake Holland, LB
6 -- Jonathon Mincy, DB
6 -- Antonio Goodwin, WR
10 -- LaDarius Owens, LB/DE
12 -- Demetruce McNeal, S
13 -- Craig Sanders, DL
24 -- Ryan Smith, DB
28 -- Ryan White, DB
30 -- Steven Clark, P
31 -- Trent Fisher, son of Tennessee Titans head coach, DB
33 -- Jessel Curry, LB
36 -- Cody Parkey, K
37 -- Ladarious Phillips, FB
38 -- Jawara White, LB
48 -- Dakota Mosley, TE/OL
52 -- Justin Delaine, DE
54 -- Jeffrey Whitaker, DT
55 -- Corey Lemonier, DE (I compared him to McGinest and he wore 55!)
60 -- Eric Mack, OL
62 -- Chad Slade, OL
65 -- Tunde Fariyike, OL
68 -- Ed Christian, OL
91 -- Joel Bonomolo, DE
92 -- Kenneth Carter, DT

OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE
**Onterio McCalebb is listed at 171. That's bigger for sure.

**John Sullen is listed at 312, which is way down from where he was a year ago. Wow.

**I knew Jawara White was a thick kid, but 6-foot-1 and 243 is really thick. Josh Bynes is an inch taller, weighs eight pounds less and has been through Kevin Yoxall's offseason program several times.

**Daren Bates, who opened 2009 between 190 and 195, now is 203. He'll need it at linebacker.

**Ladarious Phillips. That's a man right there.

**Dee Ford is up 26 pounds since last season.

**Eric Mack is 361 pounds. There's your new John Sullen ... but can he commit to reshape his body with Sullen's rigor? Who knows.

Sullivan, the basketball player, is out

Hey everyone. Guard Frankie Sullivan underwent knee surgery today in Birmingham to repair a torn ligament.

No timetable has been given for his return.

The success was deemed a "success," though I don't even know what that means given the context. Mack McGadney had "successful" surgery in 2000 and you know how that ended.

Not saying Sullivan is finished like McGadney was. I'm just saying: There's no way to know.

Sullivan was supposed to be the de facto star of Tony Barbee's first Auburn team. Looks like that plan has changed. It'll be a long year in Auburn Arena.

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn University

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

Auburn: Soon to be a second-time champion?

Hey everyone. So Tommy Tuberville, he of Texas Tech fame, has been talking in recent months that Auburn should become the 2004 national champions if Southern Cal is forced to vacate wins from that era.

That happened. The NCAA took action against the Trojans this summer.

So what now? Though the AP said it won't take any retroactive action, the Football Writers Association of America is open to changing its 2004 champion.

The group's director said yesterday that he's going to talk with several former FWAA presidents and see what they think.

"I'm sensing that people, when they look at the situation, that is a distinct possibility that Auburn thing can come into play," FWAA president Steve Richardson said. "I haven't had anyone convince me why we shouldn't do it."

I know what you may be thinking. The FWAA title?

It's at least as good as Parke Davis, Houlgate and the College Football Researchers Association.

Cotton not as tall in Mississippi

Hey everyone. So we now know that Raymond Cotton, the former Auburn commitment who instead signed with Ole Miss, has announced plans to leave Ole Miss.

To be fair, I'd be upset as well if the Rebels' No. 1 quarterback rolled on down to the Manning Love Fest Academy and I wasn't invited ... surgically repaired labrum or not.

This odd turn for Cotton adds intrigue for me. Everyone who knew about Cotton in 2008, when he was a high prospect, understood that his top priority was playing time. He walked away from a mid-level SEC program that needed a quality quarterback and landed at a mid-level SEC program that didn't need a quality quarterback as badly.

As decisions go, that won't be nominated for the Hall of Fame.

Either way, I'm hoping Cotton finds what he's seeking.

Also: Jeremiah Masoli?