Previous Entries: Week Seven • Week Six • Week Five • Week Four • Week Three • Week Two • Week One Busy Times
Here we go again…the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry is upon us…the country's most heated (and hated) rivalry will follow. We all know what that means…right? That's right, basketball season is here too. This is the busiest two to three weeks we have around the Auburn ISP Sports Network all year long…and I love it. The wife doesn't, but I do. Typically we're winding down a football season with so much on the line. Southeastern Conference, national, and bowl hopes all ride on these next two games. Meanwhile, the basketball team is full of youth and hope. They've also yet to lose a game that counts. It's a fun time. Let's start with basketball. Jeff Lebo begins his third season at Auburn in better shape talent wise than he's been in since coming to Auburn. The Tigers are still young and still smallish by SEC standards, but very athletic. I would say as athletic and quick as anyone in the Western Division. Auburn will be missing arguably its two best players for the first month or so of the season, which will make things tough at times. Especially considering Auburn will be playing two teams which will probably be in the NCAA Tournament at season's end (Oklahoma St and Wisconsin or Missouri State). But still the future is bright and if the Tigers can battle their way through the month of November, I expect good things from this team. They are probably still a year or two away from being considered in the top tier of the conference, but they are certainly headed in that direction. If you think otherwise, then you simply don't know what you're talking about. The Tigers open the season Friday night hosting Troy. The Trojans will match Auburn's athleticism with a run and gun style of offense. Troy is an older squad too, starting three seniors and two juniors. Auburn, meanwhile, will likely start two juniors and three sophomores. It will be a challenging opener, but you can say that about every game until Josh Dollard and Quan Prowell return. I certainly encourage folks to come out and support this team. Troy will have a large number of fans there. It would be quite ridiculous and embarrassing to have them making more noise than the Auburn faithful. The game tips off at 7 pm. Now on to football…what can you say about this series that hasn't already been discussed. The two teams meet for the 110th time Saturday. The series is separated by two points. In 109 meetings Auburn has outscored Georgia.1,650 - 1,648. That is an amazing stat. Someone asked me early this week, if Auburn would have trouble flipping the switch so to speak following a stretch of less than glamorous games. Of course the answer to that question is no. With 23 players on the roster from the state of Georgia, flipping the switch will be no problem. Now I know these two games will not have the national luster they usually have. Georgia comes in having loss four of their last five games. Next week, Alabama will host Auburn as a team with at least four losses and maybe five. However, these still are big games. These are big games for Auburn and their quest for something special this season. Two wins over the next two weeks and at worst they are an at-large BCS team. With a little help, the Tigers could have the opportunity at something more. I'm tired of hearing folks complain about the 11:30 kick…if this game is as special of a rivalry as we all know it is…it shouldn't matter what time it kicks. I would expect Jordan-Hare Stadium to be rocking at 8 am if necessary. And I'm sure that's what we'll get come Saturday morning. Until next time, War Eagle and so long everybody! Rod Bramblett In 2006, Rod Bramblett enters his fourth season as the play-by-play voice for Tiger football and men's basketball. In 1998, Rod Bramblett began serving as the host for the Auburn Network's weekly call-in show Tiger Talk. In addition, Bramblett has been the voice of Auburn baseball since 1993. The Valley, Ala. native also serves as co-host on the Auburn Football Preview Show & host on the Auburn Football Review and the Auburn Basketball Review show. An Auburn graduate, Bramblett is Director of Broadcast Services for the Auburn Network, where he is responsible for coordination of the network's affiliate relations and audio production. |
 
|
