Good Message Board Fodder

Came across this fantastic bit of Internet trolling, courtesy of the Palm Beach Post:

Alabama coach Nick Saban does not like Florida’s path to BCS game

There are high stakes for the upcoming SEC championship game between No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia.

The winner will play for a national title. The loser likely will slip out of the BCS bowls entirely, falling behind No. 4 Florida. That would put the Gators in the Sugar Bowl.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban doesn't think that is fair.

“It’s not really a great scenario for either team,” he said on a teleconference Sunday. “You play your way into the championship game, which means you’re the best team in your division. It doesn’t seem quite right. I don’t feel good about it for our football team or their football team.”

Saban and Gators coach Will Muschamp are longtime co-workers. They were together at LSU and with the Miami Dolphins.

Florida (11-1) is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Sugar Bowl. The Gators are No. 4 in the BCS and should not finish third or fourth. The top four teams are assured spots in BCS games as long as no conference sends more than two teams. It will be hard for a two-loss Alabama or Georgia team to stay ahead of the Gators.

Nick ain't happy. But is he ever happy?

The comments, of course, are divided and hysterical. All depending on what colors you bleed.

While the obvious is there, "Nick Saban must have a short memory," I don't think this report was fully developed.

Of course the post was intended to spark some controversy. Everyone is going to jump to their respective defense, but what is ignored in the piece is that last year Georgia was #12 going into that game and likely to not go to a BCS bowl without winning the SEC Championship.

As LSU beat Georgia 42-10, I think we all knew going in that it was a long shot for UGA to pull off the upset. If you want to take Saban’s statement and apply them to that year, it would of been a shame for LSU to not go to a bowl game if they had lost the SEC Championship. So, in the case of 2012, it would be a shame for Alabama to not go to a BCS bowl should they lose Saturday.

That’s what he’s saying.

But it is fantastic for some Internet fodder. Troll on!

Follow me on Twitter. Do it for America. @harry_long

Confidence On A Bus

I'm on a bus with a bunch of fools heading down to Tuscaloosa.

Not much time to type.

But plenty of time to win.

Confidence:

Ohio State -3'. Couldn't place this bet fast enough.

Florida +7'. Almost thought I was reading this wrong. This will probably best game of the day.

Go get it.

Worst. Season. Ever.

Madness last night. I could not be a bigger fan of chaos. If it had a jersey, I'd wear it.

Despite the joy surrounding me with Alabama fans high-fiving and taking celebratory fireball shots - a thought hit me.

This has to be the worst season ever to be an Auburn fan.

Now, I'm talking the Auburn fans that just cannot stand Alabama. Finebaum Tammy-esque. Or how Phyllis from Mulga felt about Tennessee. That's the kind of hate I'm talking about. This year has to be terrible for these folks.

Here's why:

1) Auburn is terrible.

On their way to a winless SEC season, a team that could not figure out their quarterback situation until late October. The celebrated offensive coordinator bails on the team to go to... Arkansas State? Head-scratcher there. His replacement brings the team to the 115th offense in the nation. (Ahead of Tulane, behind... Temple.)

The head coach, less than two years off of a national title, finds himself firmly planted in the Top 3 of the Coaches' Hot Seat Rankings week after week.

Losses to Georgia and Alabama were and have been foregone conclusions.

2) Alabama back doors it.

One week after seeing Bama blow their national title hopes, Kansas State and Oregon choke on the opportunity. Just when Auburn fans had something to celebrate, this happens. Those guys get all the breaks.

3) For the second year in a row.

Makes it even worse. Like Oklahoma State a year ago, the people who couldn't lose - lost.

Now, a win over the Tide in the Iron Bowl would go a looonnng way to salvaging some positivity from the year. But that ain't happening.

The thoughts now are over whether the athletic director will be fired, and who Auburn can bring in to coach this team back to being an SEC contender. (Where it should be.)

Even more problems here - because of the instability of the athletic department, Auburn's behind the curve on the coaching carousel. This shit needs to get figured out and FAST.

Jeremy Foley, the beyond excellent athletic director at the University of Florida, has a very wise philosophy - "What must be done eventually, must be immediately." President Gouge should have adopted this policy. If a coaching change/AD change is going to be made, then make it.

With the news this morning, Auburn is now behind Tennessee, Kentucky, and (everyone knows it) Arkansas. Early birds get the worms.

There is no sense in waiting around. I wrote a month ago that there was nothing remaining on the schedule that would change anything.

And here we are, a month later. Nothing has changed. Only the inevitable.

There needs to be a plan in place. And to Auburn fans, there had better be. Otherwise, the Auburn powers that be are waisting a lot of time. And worse, the track record of Auburn having a plan isn't too shiny. That's how they ended up with Gene.

This season is the worst to be an Auburn fan.

Twitter me up, yo. @harry_long

Week 12 Confidence Plays

18-4 on the year, and you're welcome for that.

Read an article this morning that today could be the last day that Auburn fans get to roll the oaks on Toomer's Corner. That's sad. Such a shame for that idiot to do that to the Auburn fan base.

Probably also going to be the last win for Gene Chizik at Auburn - 'cause I don't think he'll be back. My latest frontrunners for the Auburn gig... Bobby Petrino and Gus Malzahn.

I love Malzahn, but they had better hire Petrino. And all those folks sitting on high horses... do you want to win football games or not? Because that's what Bobby Petrino does. All he's got to do is come out and say, "I'm sorry," and then start winning games. All will be forgiven and forgotten.

And one more quick tidbit from the week - I found it hysterical that Derek Dooley had to say (paraphrasing) that he wasn't fired as far as he knew. And I'm pretty sure that the way he described his meeting with Dave Hart, he had to ask him if he was fired. Would of loved to of been a fly on the wall there.

Now, on to the cash money.

EARLY GAME!!

Arkansas visits Mississippi State, and while they have stumbled of late, I won't abandon State for good. (Although they won't win ten games like they should have.) State's laying 4', and I'm happy to give it. Mostly because this line started at 6', and I'm happy to pick up two points for free.

Tyler Russell plays well against bad defenses, and Arkansas... yeah, that D is bad.

CONFIDENCE: HAIL STATE -4'

Late evening game, with Oregon hosting Stanford. Line on this game is 20, with a total of 65'. Which of these am I going with?

NEITHER.

Team totals, kids. Team totals. All I need from Oregon is just a hair more than six TDs. NO PROBLEM.

CONFIDENCE: Oregon team total OVER 43

Best of luck today.

I'm on Twitter, and it looks glorious. @harry_long

Confidence, Week 11

Yeah buddy. That's 17-3 on the year. It's like magic. All this time, and we never knew what we had.

Alas.

On to the week at hand. We don't have to go far to find confidence - just go either direction out of Birmingham, and you'll find it.

Alabama welcomes Johnny Manziel to Tuscaloosa, but they hype is going to be a bit much. Against good defenses, Manziel has been good - but it takes more than good to move the ball against Alabama. Bama's close game against LSU probably throws a little more spice into Saban's pregame speech as well.

Bama, easy.

CONFIDENCE: ALABAMA -13'

Word is that President Gouge is on the hunt for a new coach. I've already felt that this team had given up on the year, and I don't think running into Georgia helps. Aaron Murray and crew will pick apart the undersized Auburn defense, and the seats at Jordan-Hare will be empty by the end of the third.

CONFIDENCE: GEORGIA -14

And there you have it. Let's take this last month strong.

I'm on Twitter. Follow me to freedom. @harry_long

Confidence, Week I Lost Count

Another late start to the day - and this time, for no reason at all. Didn't go out last night, so can't blame that. But let's just go with the attitude that I'm clear headed.

But clear headed or not: we're 15-3 on the year.

Clear Hearts, Clear Minds, Can't Lose.

Or

Forward.

Whichever way you lean. If you can't win next Tuesday, let's make sure we win today.

Confidence strikes us yet again.

Richt and family hosting Ole Miss. I've seen Ole Miss in person - and their game against Auburn was a somersault away from giving Auburn a chance to tie the game late.

Georgia is much better than that.

Georgia -13'

West Coast, y'all... I'm going against my buddy LT here - so that's how confident I am. Oregon is going to score, score, and score some more. Chip Kelly is going to use this as a recruiting tool against Lane Kiffin - because Lane would do the same to him. Latest line had this at 8 points, and as always, I like to get a little help.

Oregon -7'

Best of luck to all you. Some good football today, so let's all be much more productive than a guy who woke up at 11:04am would be otherwise.

I'm on Twitter when I'm awake. @harry_long