Does anyone know if there is even a tentative schedule up yet? I know we have heard the Tide should open in Atlanta versus Virginia Tech and Georgia rotates off and is replaced with a home game versus South Carolina. Plus I know we get Tennessee and LSU at Bryant Denny, with little brother breaking in a new coach down on the Plains.

Here is hoping we end the season in Atlanta again as well; then on to bigger and better things than this year.

A senior class getting a well deserved victory over little brother after six nauseating years

The second string scoring a touchdown in the 4th quarter

Auburn fans complaining about Saban's classless behavior after their coach runs across the field waving his fingers and expressing a strange thumb fetish

Auburn fans putting their hopes in a Florida team because theirs wasn't man enough to get the job done

Being 'bitch slapped' for my signature on a rival message board and holding my tongue because I knew the only bitches getting slapped would be wearing orange and blue. Seen any good prison movies over at Track Em Tigers?

Being the underdog in the SEC title game

A swarming defense that hits you in the mouth just as hard in the 4th quarter as they do in the first

The Legend on offense

The Legend on defense

The pride, poise, focus, and determination that these players and Coach Saban have shown all year long and making this one unforgettable season

Only 9 scholarship seniors: it's only the beginning, little brother. Say hello to Doug Barfield for me.

Roll Tide ladies and gentlemen. Great, satisfying victory.

I have been waiting on this day for six long years. I will attempt to be level headed in my predicition but will no doubt be labeled insane by those in orange and blue.

I see a healthy defense with 2 weeks to prepare being a Crimson colored nightmare for Burns and a struggling offense. I don't buy the whole 'what an improvement' at Georgia spill; The Dawgs looked about as disinterested on the field as I have seen them all year and still managed to win.

I see a senior quarterback and three solid running backs taking turns off left tackle having career days. When they are tired of chasing Coffee, Ingram will hit them in the mouth before Upchurch comes in to breeze by them. When they load up in the box Julio will spend the afternoon catching passes and dragging defenders into the end zone.

I also am filled with joy that anyone would think Alabama is in any way, shape, form, or fashion overlooking this game. I believe they have had it circled all season. They want blood and I believe will not stop short of absolutely humiliating Auburn given the chance.

Alabama 49-Auburn 3. And that's if we are generous.

Fire away, ladies and gentlemen. Laugh if you want, but I have been pretty close this year on my score to score picks. Let's see what you think.

From al.com - My favorite quote:

"We know that they beat us the last two years -- it makes us mad, ok? These past few years have left a bad taste in our mouths," quarterback John Parker Wilson said. "(MSU) and Auburn. We said that about LSU, added the Arkansas State game, as payback from last year against ULM. So we're taking that mentality that we haven't arrived, that we still have a lot to do."

As an Alabama fan and fellow despiser of all things orange and blue, I would like to make a request. I would like the next two games for Auburn to set their program back 40 years. After you get finished humiliating them Saturday, a week will let them finally clear the cobwebs before they are destroyed for good.

Let's see if we can put 50 a piece on them as a fun way to pass the time, shall we?

So my 4 year old son is spending the night at his grandparents. Before bed he races their dog to the couch, and the dog obviously gets there way before him. He then says, without prompting:

"Oh NO. NOW I have to play for AUBURN."

Upon asking why, he said "if I don't win, I can't play for Alabama!"

A second race (without the dog) resulted in a first place finish. His response:

"Yay! Now I don't have to wear ORANGE."

That was one of my proudest moments as a parent *wipes tear*

There have been some hilarious posts on this site before but nothing like this:

http://www.gump4heisman.com/my_weblog/2008/10/the-alabama-football-fans-guide-to-following-the-2008-auburn-tigers.html#more

This has to be the absolute funniest and most satisfying thing I have read all football season. I nearly had to walk away from the computer I was laughing so hard. The part about Nick Saban being a bully was worth the time it took to read it alone.

Warning: if you are offended by bad language brace yourself...

...to quote the great Earl Hickey.

I have enjoyed the meltdown on the Plains as much as the next guy but have kept my dog out of that fight; content to wait until late December for the good guys in Crimson to take care of business. What I would like to point out is how many times in the last few years, from probation to Club Shula to Louisiana-Monroe, how many times their fans have poked, prodded, mocked, and laughed hysterically at Alabama's struggles. Even serious issues of gun and drug violence sprouted a cottage t-shirt industry (Parole Tide, anyone?)

Now that the Good Riverboat Tuberville is imploding and Alabama is currently seated among the nation's elite again (even if only for another week), all I hear from Little Brother is 'six in a row!' and 'this time last year you lost to ULM!'

NOW who is living in the past?

When Tide fans mention 12 National Titles, 21 SEC Titles, or a NINE year win streak in the Iron Bowl, we are 'delusional' and 'living in the past'. Right now, a six year win streak must seem like an eternity.

I am proud of our tradition but my feet and focus are planted squarely in the present.

Roll Tide, ladies and gentlemen. As Coach Bryant would say, let's show class on the field, in the stands, and on the message boards. Let us also enjoy the ride.

Maybe I just missed it, so my apologies if I am way behind on this, but was Jerrell Harris redshirted? I remember how badly Auburn and Clemson wanted him, and I was thrilled to see him commit to Alabama. From the footage I have seen he flies around and hits like a missile. Does anyone know if he was redshirted or is in line behind Donta Hightower (who has done an incredible job by the way)?

A caller to the Finebaum show said this afternoon that both Doug Segrest and Ray Melick *supposedly* gave their reasons for ranking the Tide behind Oklahoma:

1. We don't have any serious injuries

2. We haven't come from behind to win a game

This HAS to be false. No person with at least one functioning brain cell could give those as the reasons for a ranking. I can live with Oklahoma was number 2 and got the bump. But a team that sends people to the doctor on the other sideline and hasn't been behind all year?

Anyone else heard this? I just hope for their reputations this isn't true.

As an Alabama fan, I wanted to say as much as I would have loved to keep it a blow out, the Dawgs showed a ton of heart and courage as the game continued. I told those with me even at halftime I was scared to death because I knew what Georgia was capable of.

May we meet again in December in Atlanta. I will be pulling for you guys to win the East. Hunker Down fellas, and Roll Tide.

Orson Swindle at Every Day Should Be Saturday had a pretty hilarious take on the Georgia 'black out' against Alabama on Saturday:

Georgia will “black-out” for Saturday’s game against Alabama, but that really won’t matter: all visible light in the stadium will be sucked toward the immense gravitational pull of Terrence Cody anyway, so no one will be able to tell.

The Legend of Terrence Cody continues to grow. Wait, is that even possible?

I watched the CSS replay last night on that goal line stand in slow motion (God bless DVR) and they had 3 guys on him - he literally pushed them all to the ground and dove for the running back. Luigs was holding on and looked like a guy who was in front of a train coming down hill.

Auburn dean: Students should support, not boo, team on Saturday

Posted by Evan Woodbery, Sports Reporter September 17, 2008 3:21 PM

AUBURN -- Auburn students were reminded to show good sportsmanship and not boo the home team in a message sent out today by the dean of students.

Dean Johnny Green urged students to support the ninth-ranked Tigers in their nationally televised game against No. 6 LSU Saturday. "That means no booing!" he wrote in bold letters.

"Remember, the team isn't trying to lose the game -- the players work hard all spring and during fall camp to be ready to compete in the SEC," Green wrote. "Let's show our appreciation for their hard work by encouraging them with loads of enthusiasm!"

ESPN's traveling preview show, College Game Day, will broadcast live from outside Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday morning. The game kicks of at 6:45 p.m.

Green sent a similar message to students last September, when Auburn started the season 1-2 and some fans booed then-quarterback Brandon Cox.

"As a former Auburn football player, I can tell you first-hand that no one wants to win more than the young men that prepare and give their all on the field each Saturday," he wrote at the time.

Junior Chris Todd has been named Auburn's starting quarterback, but some fans support backup Kodi Burns, who did not play in Auburn's 3-2 win last week at Mississippi State.

Did anyone see the Auburn-Mississippi State game? Tony Franklin should really write a book on how to run the spread...

on the upside, I was glad to see alot of our young guys get some playing time tonight. Call me selfish, but I was really hoping for a shut out. And after seeing Tulane push East Carolina this week i don't feel that bad about that game. Great to win one going away!

i thought it would be cool to see where everyone thought the wins and losses would fall this year. This may have been done already, so my apologies if it has:

Clemson  - Win 27-10. Clemson believes their hype and we surprise them with some offensive ouput from the freshmen class. This ain't Club Shula, fellas.

Tulane -  Win 38-3.

Western Kentucky - Win 27-13. These two should get the bad taste of La Monroe out of our mouth's and shut up La Moron (Les Miles).

Arkansas - Win 24-14. Petrino has some wrinkles but a McFaddenless team is defeated.

Georgia - Loss 21-14. I would LOVE to upset these jokers on their home turf, but I'm hedging my bets here.

Kentucky - Win 27-7.

Ole Miss - Win 17-13. Nutt has them ready and too close for comfort. Again.

Tennessee - Win 17-16. Last second field goal by Tiffin seals the deal. Fulmer opens his Krispy Kreme box in the locker room to console himself and finds another subpoena.

Arkansas State - Win 42-0.

LSU - Loss 20-17. If the team was older I would say a win, and I would also LOVE to be wrong here. But Saban''s first year back in corn dog nation, all the hype and pressure, and 80,000 intoxicated cajuns may be too much of a distraction.

Mississippi State -  Win 28-17. Payback is a son of a gun.

Auburn -Win 24-14. A raucous Bryant Denny Stadium helps finally turn the Tide. Ben Tate meet Terrence Cody, Rolando McClain, and Jerrell Harris. No more runs up the middle for you.

There is an overly optimistic 10-2, with a win in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl over Michigan for Todd. What do you guys think?

TUSCALOOSA - Alabama offensive coordinator Major Applewhite told a key recruit that he's not leaving for another job.

Star Jackson, a coveted quarterback from Palm Beach, Fla., told The Birmingham News that Applewhite informed him Thursday night that "he's not leaving. He's going to stick there. The only way he's leaving is if he gets fired."

Applewhite, who is also the quarterbacks coach, had been reportedly linked to vacant head coaching positions at Houston and Southern Methodist University. He recently spoke with UH athletics director Dave Maggard over the phone, but only expressed moderate interest, which could lead Maggard to head in another direction.

Jackson said he and Applewhite "have a trust level that is pretty high" so he believes the former Texas quarterback when he said, "He's not thinking of going to Houston."

Jury awards $5 million in Alabama booster lawsuit
Associated Press

Updated: November 29, 2007, 4:17 PM ET

 SCOTTSBORO, Ala. -- A jury awarded $5 million Thursday to a former University of Alabama football booster who claimed the NCAA defamed him when it imposed penalties on the Crimson Tide in 2002.

The state court jury awarded Ray Keller $3 million in punitive damages, $1 million for mental anguish, $500,000 for economic loss and $500,000 for damage to reputation.

Keller, a timber dealer and fan the university severed ties with because of the probe, argued that the NCAA slandered and libeled him during the announcement of penalties by referring to him and others as "rogue boosters," "parasites" and "pariahs."

After the verdict, Keller hugged his lawyers, friends and family. He said beating the NCAA in court was like "taking on a giant" and winning.

"I didn't ever feel we were as big as David going with Goliath going up against them," he said.

NCAA spokesman Chuck Wynn said the organization will ask the judge to set aside the verdict.

"If not," he added, "we'll appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court."

The jury of nine women and three men deliberated an hour Wednesday and about five more Thursday before ruling against the NCAA.

Jurors, who heard three weeks of testimony, had asked for a tape recorder so they could re-listen to a tape of former NCAA infractions committee chairman Tom Yeager announcing penalties against Alabama nearly six years ago.

Keller maintained the sanctioning organization wrongly lumped him in with other boosters who were accused of making improper contacts and payments to recruits in the 1990s.

Denying he did anything wrong, Keller sought $33.5 million -- $556,775 for four business deals he claims he lost; $5 million for mental anguish; $10 million for damage to his good name; and $20 million to punish the NCAA.

The NCAA asked jurors to reject Keller's claims, portraying him as an Alabama fan who lost all perspective on the game, gave "$100 handshakes" to a recruit and had improper contacts with other Tide recruits.

The committee that imposed penalties on Alabama, chaired by Yeager, didn't have any malice toward Keller and simply acted on evidence, the NCAA said.

The NCAA didn't use the name of Keller or other boosters in announcing penalties against Alabama, but their names appeared in news accounts and the university sent Keller a letter barring him from its athletics program.

A separate lawsuit filed in Tuscaloosa over the investigation resulted in a $30 million verdict against a former recruiting analyst who provided information to the NCAA, but that judgment was overturned on appeal.

The suit by former Alabama assistant coach Ronnie Cottrell also named the NCAA as a defendant, but a judge dismissed the organization from that case.