The NCAA Tournament Selection Show has come and gone. Cinderella has been fitted for her glass slipper. The big boys set their sights on the Final Four. And yes, the snubs are crying out “Woe is me!” in full force. And like always, everyone has a case.

Probably the biggest news in the snub department is the lack of the Crimson Tide in the field of 68. Does Alabama have a reason to be upset? Absolutely. Georgia got in over the Tide – a team they beat twice in eight days. VCU got in – I don’t even have words for that one. And the darlings of Birmingham – that’s right, our little Blazers – got into the field. Did UAB deserve it over the Tide? Maybe not, but it happens.

When asked about the controversial inclusions/exclusions, tournament chairman Gene Smith gave very nice, vague, and political “non-answers.” Smith said things like “there was no one criteria that was more important” or “they were well-coached” or “we just didn’t have enough slots.”

That brings up an interesting point with the field expanding to 68 from 65 this year. Even with the three extra teams, there were still teams that “should” have gotten in that didn’t. Maybe it is just the nature of the beast – it is a very subjective beast after all.

But at the same time, you can always argue the teams whose bubbles burst left wins on the board that could have helped their cause. Alabama could have beaten Kentucky Saturday. Win and you’re in. Don’t leave it in the Committee’s hands, they’re not very friendly sometimes. Sounds easy doesn’t it…

But now that Selection Sunday is in the past, we can look forward to the future. And the future is Madness. The new look tourney begins Tuesday with the first round of the play-in games. The best part of March Madness is filling out those brackets. Getting together with a group of your friends and seeing whose bracket is the best – well, probably the least wrong would be a better way to phrase it.

So let the picking begin!

We have a Bham Weekly bracket set up on ESPN. Join in the Madness.

Go to: http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/frontpage

Click on “Create or Join a Group”

Search: Bham Weekly Challenge

Join…and enjoy. Have you picks in by Thursday.  Oh, a good rule of thumb is to pick very differently from me. 

There has been a lot going on in the wide world of sports over the past week. Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training, and I received two fantasy baseball invites. It must mean spring really is near. And with spring, comes good, old-fashioned Spring Fever. Its catching on early this year.

Every time you turn on SportsCenter, you are faced with the latest development in the Melo Drama where will Carmelo Anthony land? Will he be a Knick, Nugget, or Net? The Drama was heightened this weekend as NBA All-Star Weekend landed in LA. The high-flying rookie sensation Blake Griffin stole much of the show, winning the Dunk Contest, as well as dazzling in the Rookie-Sophomore game and the All-Star game proper. Kobe and LeBron had a few things to say about Griffin taking over the limelight though: Kobe dropped 37 and took home the MVP while all LeBron did was record the second triple-double in All-Star history.

March Madness is heating up. As much as I love bowl season and defended it earlier this year my favorite sporting event of the season is far and away March Madness. So many games on each day plus the excitement of Cinderellas and the real possibility of an upset at any moment make the NCAA Tournament the most exciting time in sports, start-to-finish. Just this week the top four teams in the country all lost, allowing Duke to jump from No. 5 to No. 1 in just one week.

A little closer to home, the Alabama mens basketball team is quietly having a really solid and impressive season under second year head coach Anthony Grant, running away with the SEC West. And UAB sits just as quietly on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament, currently second in ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardis First Four Out. UAB is third in Conference USA with a record of 19-7 (9-4 in conference play).

Unfortunately all the madness was not positive and jocular. The poisoning of the Toomers Oaks was not fan frenzy. No, it was just good, old-fashioned Off-Your-Rocker Crazy. This is not a lighthearted prank by a couple of teenagers that takes a few days or weeks to clean up. This is not a Saved By the Bell-esque rivalry where you dress up a statue or steal a mascot. This was a calculated, malicious move executed by an adult that far exceeded any sort of sane level of school spirit or fandom. It was pathetic and signifies all that is wrong with the rivalry, rather than showcase the good. It would have almost been more reasonable to tear down Jordan-Hare Stadium than attack the trees.

Before you call me a fanatic, all I mean is that Jordan-Hare can be rebuilt. While it is the home of Auburn football, Auburn football can be played elsewhere. Would it be impractical? Sure, it would be absurdly expensive. Would it be an attack on Auburn tradition? Of course. But the difference is, it would not take 130 years to rebuild. No matter how hard the people at Auburn try, or how much money the trustees can muster, it will be decades before the trees can be replaced. That is to not even mention the emotional impact.

Rolling the trees at Toomers Corner after a victory has been a tradition at Auburn for about 50 years. The Trees themselves have become a symbol of the Auburn spirit and countless memories for the fans, alumni, and students. It one of those things that makes collegiate sports great. It is traditions such as this that make the college game so special and stand out from professional sports the pageantry, the traditions, the pride.

Being a fan of college sports is supposed to be about pride in ones school, ones team, and ones self. It is supposed to be about more than just wins and losses. If you asked most Alabama fans what makes Alabama so great, wins and championships would certainly be there. But it would be more than that. You would get answers like the tradition, Denny Chimes, pride, we do things the right way, class, passion, etc. How do we lose sight of that? How does this intentionally malicious act exemplify that?

It is precisely that pride and tradition and passion that makes college football, the SEC, and Alabama and Auburn specifically, so great. There exists a personal connection and pride you can take from pulling for a team since you were old enough to know it (and usually before) and pulling for the school that you attended.

How do we let it get to this point where killing trees is the only answer for losing a game? I understand that this is a small, isolated incident by one man, who is likely less-than-stable, but it is a product of the fanaticism that precludes the rivalry. It is born out of this attitude that all that matters is winning. Look, Im the first to admit that I have a really terrible day when my team loses, but this is another extreme all together. I think it is crucial to remember that, ultimately, college football is just a game. It is a game played by 18-22 year old kids. And interestingly enough, it is never any of them that end up on the new for doing this like this. If the kids that actually play the game can understand that it is just a game, not the end of the world, and tomorrow is another day, why cant we?

My plea and hope is that Auburn fans will not try to retaliate, but rather will focus their attentions on saving the trees, as slight as the hope is, and how to move forward. Even though it does not seem like it now, this could be an opportunity for a new tradition. Either way, Auburn will continue on. Football will be played every fall. And the spirit of the Auburn family will persevere.

Top national recruit Jadaveon Clowney announced this morning on ESPN’s SportsCenter that he would be taking his talents to the University of South Carolina. Clowney is perhaps the most heralded prep star since King James himself. But while LeBron jumped straight to the Pros, Clowney had to decide which college would be lucky enough to land his talents (Sorry Miami, but South Beach was not in the cards for this “Decision”).

On Valentine’s Day – and his 18^th birthday – Clowney decided to go with his heart and a mother’s love and stay close to home, stating, “My mom can come see me all the time.” Clowney also cited friends, both close to home and South Carolina signees, as another reason, singling out teammate Gerald Dixon.

Clowney chose South Carolina over finalists Alabama and Clemson. The other two teams made strong cases, particularly Clemson with a strong eleventh hour push. Clemson’s late surge is one of the reasons Clowney decided not to sign on Feb 2, National Signing Day. But ultimately, the familiarity and comfort South Carolina offered was too much. Friends and family were important, but so were the connections Clowney made with the South Carolina coaching staff.

Clowney cited two coaches in particular: “I have a real good relationship with [defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson]. But an even better one with coach [Lorenzo] Ward," Clowney said. "We got real close.”

With Clowney’s commitment, South Carolina jumps up into the top 15 on ESPNU’s class rankings. The SEC now has 7 of the Top 15, asserting its dominance and place at the head of the table in college football. Alabama missed out on Clowney but still hold down the No. 2 spot, with the signing of Cyrus Kouandjio, who verbally committed to Auburn on Signing Day, but never signed. Auburn sits one spot behind them, with a strong follow up to last year’s top 10 recruiting class and the 2011 BCS National Championship. It looks like Auburn and Alabama will continue their winning ways for years to come. We can only hope so.

There is another change in the schedule for Auburn as well; the Tigers’ bye week has been moved from the week before the Iron Bowl to the week before the Georgia game. This means Auburn will only play nine games consecutively rather than the eleven they were due to play.

The 2011 Schedule for the Tigers shapes up like this:

Sept. 3 Utah State

Sept. 10 Mississippi State

Sept. 17 at Clemson

Sept. 24 Florida Atlantic

Oct. 1 at South Carolina

Oct. 8 at Arkansas

Oct. 15 Florida

Oct. 22 at LSU

Oct. 29 Ole Miss

Nov. 12 at Georgia

Nov. 19 Samford (HC)

Nov. 26 Alabama

The Road to Repeat will not be a smooth ride for the Tigers. Breaking in a new quarterback is never easy in the SEC. The Tigers will have to do it with a target painted on their back and running the Gauntlet that is the SEC West these days. Add to that the Champs are dropping Kentucky only to pick up Florida, and 2011 promises to be an interesting year for the Tigers.

Mr. (Aaron) Rodgers can now proudly throw on his green and yellow cardigan and walk around the neighborhood of elite NFL quarterbacks. Rodgers can hold his head high and look even the most revered quarterbacks of the past. Rodgers joined the fraternity of Super Bowl winners last night. While every position and player in the NFL longs for the coveted Lombardi Trophy, no other position faces the scrutiny, nor is judged more critically based upon the presence of said trophy on his mantelpiece than the quarterback position. You can be an average quarterback statistically but be considered an elite, legendary player (a la Terry Bradshaw) if you’ve won a Super Bowl, and especially if you’ve managed to win multiple rings. On the flip side, you can be considered a really good quarterback, but fail to achieve elite status without winning the ring (a la Randall Cunnigham). Even greats like Dan Marino will always carry a stigma with them – he’ll always be the “greatest quarterback to never win a Super Bowl.” Marino would be a virtual unanimous selection for greatest quarterback ever had he won the Big One.

Nor could you ask for more from Rodgers Sunday night. Rodgers was surgical with the football, fitting the ball into windows that did not seem to exist. Though he lost leading receiver Donald Driver and CBs Charles Woodson and Sam Shields to injury, though the Steelers were able to rally and pull within one field goal of the Packers who had a 21-3 lead in the first half, though his receivers dropped six perfectly thrown balls (two of which were almost certainly touchdowns), Rodgers kept his composure and kept his team together. When it was all said and done, Rodgers had thrown for 304 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions), and a Super Bowl MVP award – something Brett Favre never achieved. In fact, only Steve Young, Joe Montana, and Jake Delhomme (yes, that Jake Delhomme) join Rodgers in throwing for 300+ yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in a Super Bowl. But the most important stat of the night? Packers 31-Steelers 25.

Ben Roethlisberger, touted as a big game quarterback, looked decidedly ‘unclutch’ yesterday. Big Ben threw two picks, one of which was returned for a touchdown. With the game on the line, Roethlisberger was unable to rally the troops for the final charge, throwing away the ball on fourth-and-five from the Steelers own 33-yard line. Without the Steelers dominating D limiting the other team’s explosiveness, and even scoring on their own, Big Ben just got two far down to mount a comeback. He got close, but was ultimately outplayed by his counterpart.

Rodgers looked calm and cool, like he had been winning Super Bowls his whole life. He was dynamic. He was accurate. He was aggressive. He was efficient. He looked like he had the whole game mapped out ahead of time.

The same cannot be said for the Cowboys Stadium staff. 400 game ticket holders were turned away at the door by the fire marshal, claiming that they exceeded the $1 billion stadium’s capacity. But don’t feel too bad for them, they were refunded triple their money and guaranteed tickets for next year’s game.

But it would be a shame to think they traveled all the way just to miss out on Rodgers’ and the Packers’ splendid performance. Though they were decimated by injury, the team rallied together and put together a remarkable performance on the biggest single stage in sports. The Pack was able to overcome the losses of leading receiver Donald Driver, standout rookie CB Sam Shields, and Defensive Captain, and 2009 AP Defensive Player of the Year, Charles Woodson. But this is nothing new for the 2010 Packers. It seemed like every game saw another key component of their team go down for the season. The Packers managed to overcome the loss of fifteen players to Injured Reserve, including starting RB Ryan Grant and TE Jermichael Finley.

Many of the Packers, including Rodgers, cited the team’s constant perseverance through injury as a reason for their success. They dealt with it all season, so they knew what to expect. Linebacker Desmond Bishop told reporters, “That's who we are. And it's who we've been all season. If you're the next man up, you're expected to find your helmet and find a way.” That they did.

Though the losses were felt severely, the team didn’t give up and was able to persevere through to the end. The Packers now look to an offseason dedicated to get players healthy. With a great young core of talent and veterans who continue to play with youthful energy, the Packers look poised to compete and contend for Super Bowls in the years to come.

On a day when we find ourselves sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for Punxsutawney (Sp. -5) Phil to announce his decision as to whether or not there is a 39% chance he is right about the coming of Spring (it’s coming early this year) many of the good folks in Alabama rest their hopes for the next four years upon the words of 17 and 18 year-old boys. That’s right, it’s National Signing Day.

While Punxsutawney Phil might not be the most reliable source (see: the aforementioned 39% prediction rate), it is the pageantry and suspense and build-up that make Groundhog Day so great. Much the same could be said for National Signing Day. There is something exciting and enthralling about watching these highly touted recruits pull out the hat of the school they will be attending for the next three or four years. The build-up. The suspense. The heartbreak. The elation. It is a great feeling, probably only shy of winning the National Championship and your Conference Championship, the rush of pride you get when you see your team’s name on top of the list of Best Recruiting Classes. It can really be the icing on the cake for teams coming off of great seasons – national championship seasons for Auburn and Alabama, the past two years – or it can really help a program bounce back from a disappointing year – FSU last year and Clemson this year.

Alabama continues its recruiting success under coach Nick Saban with another Top 5 class (currently at No. 3 on ESPN’s Top 25). The biggest surprise of the day for the Tide was when they were able to steal in-state talent Brent Calloway back from Auburn in the Eleventh Hour. Calloway had decommitted from the Tide about a month ago in favor of the in-state foe Tigers. But the Crimson Tide has a solid class top to bottom led by S Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix, DE Xzavier Dickson, and WR Bradley Sylve. No. 1 Overall player JaDaveon Clowney, the talented DE out of South Carolina, still has Alabama on his list of potential collegiate destinations, though home team South Carolina appears to be the favorite. Overall, Alabama signed 24 players, including 10 from ESPN U’s Top 150.

Auburn currently sits at 2^nd overall with a couple of signing day splashes, including the No. 1 OT Cyrus Kouandjio (Sp. -10), who picked the defending champs in a bit of a surprise over favorite Alabama, where his brother plays. The Tigers also landed in-state star S Erique Florence, picking close-by Auburn for the sunny coasts of LA and the USC Trojans. Maybe the most entertaining signee of the day was Gabe Wright, 4-star DT out of Carver High School in Columbus, GA, just 30 minutes down the road. When announcing his decision to go to Auburn, Wright put on a hat that had “Nick Who?” stitched into it. Wright stated that this was a reference to his desire and drive to replace Lombardi-winning DT Nick Fairley down on the Plains, rather than a poke at Alabama coach Nick Saban. Auburn targeted some serious needs, mostly notably the offensive line and defensive backfield. The Tigers landed the No. 1 and No. 2 Offensive Tackles, the No. 1 Center, and the No. 8 and 10 Offensive Guards to address the mass exodus of talent and experience on the offensive line. Then they went after some playmakers for the defensive backfield, easily the champs’ most glaring weakness from a year ago.

The SEC as a whole continues to dominate not only the polls and championships, but on the recruiting trail as well. There are currently 9 SEC schools in ESPN’s list of Top 25 classes, with Mississippi State and Kentucky on the cusp of breaking in. If they are able to do so, that would everyone in the conference except Vanderbilt was in the Top 25. Not too shabby.

It promises to be another great few years for the SEC and the state of Alabama if things hold. But only time will tell.

Earlier today, the nation’s number 1 rated Offensive Tackle, and number 2 overall player, Cyrus Kouandjio picked the Auburn Tigers in a bit of a surprise over favorite Alabama. Cyrus’s brother currently plays for the Crimson Tide and it was expected by most that he would end up following his footsteps.

But it didn’t appear to be so. Live on ESPN U, Cyrus announced his intentions to head a little bit further south and play against his brother, saying that he felt his heart was telling him to go to Auburn.

But the hours have continued to drag and coach Gene Chizik and the Auburn Tigers still have not received Kouandjio’s letter of intent yet. I’m sure there has been someone watching intently at the fax machine’s “in” tray, but no letter from the 5-star OT from Maryland has been magically transported across state lines yet.

I’m sure there will be much to say about this if it turns out Cyrus decides to go to Alabama. Many Auburn fans will be upset and angry, and maybe even accuse Alabama of tampering or paying Kouandjio for his services. There is no love lost between the two schools and much, much less between their fans. I’m sure the accusations will come flying the minute Kouandjio makes his final, official decision.

And you know what? Those accusations may very well be true. You can certainly point out numerous occasions in college football where such a thing was happened…and it is widely held that it happens almost every year. But that is not what I want to focus on. It may or may not be true. What I feel is most lost during this whole process is the fact that these kids are just that – kids. They are 17 or 18 years old. They have probably been told there whole life that they are the best and most wonderful human being on the planet; but they have almost been told that, at the very least, the rest of their life depends upon this decision. But in many cases, I’m sure they have been told that the future and well-being of their entire family rests upon their choice of college and ability to go to the NFL.

That is a lot of pressure and scrutiny. I don’t know if I can blame a kid for second-guessing and wavering. I know that my decision to go to college wasn’t made until the last minute, and I did not have to announce my decision on national television and have it picked apart by thousands, if not millions of people. So before we are so quick to jump to conclusions and point fingers, let us remember that these are kids. They will change their minds about anything on a whim. So let’s not be quite so surprised when a kid changes his mind about college. It happens to the best of us. Yes, even me.

And probably you.

There is a myriad of factors that will probably decide these decisions. From girlfriends, mothers, fathers, and high school coaches to facilities, cafeteria quality, and whether or not there is a Chik-Fil-A, there is no telling what really goes through the minds of these kids. So I’m asking for everyone to take a step back, take a deep breath and relax. We really do not know how good a class is until they get on the field anyway. So let’s be happy with the great players our team did sign and pull for them next season, and in the seasons to come.

Auburn is on the short list for many of the top recruits yet to sign, including No. 1 ILB Tony Steward, No. 2 DE Ray Drew, No. 1 RB Isaiah Crowell, and No. 1 OT Cyrus Kouandjio. Crowell and Kouandjio are also considering Alabama, who unsurprisingly has another strong class under Coach Nick Saban.

The Tide currently ranks 3^rd on ESPN.com Recruiting Insider’s list, behind only Florida State and Texas. Alabama has a very strong list of commits and is in serious contention to land No. 1 overall recruit DE JaDaveon Clowney from South Pointe High School in South Carolina. Clowney appears to be head and shoulders above the rest of the class.

It looks like the State of Alabama is going to continue its success into the future based upon a couple years of on the field success – the whole consecutive seasons with a Heisman and National Championship thing – plus some great incoming recruiting classes to replenish some holes left by great players leaving for the NFL Draft.

Auburn’s going to learn the hard way, just like Alabama this year, it’s not so easy to repeat. You’re going to get everyone’s best shot, week in and week out. On top of that, you’re going to have to replace some seriously key players. But only time will tell how well Auburn can weather the storm.

The ongoing recruiting season should still have lots to say about Alabama and Auburn’s futures. There should be plenty of noise made from the state in the upcoming week with National Signing Day only one week away, on February 2^nd.

Okay, so there were four quarterbacks playing this weekend on Championship Sunday, but there are two that really stood out for me. While I think Aaron Rodgers is clearly the most talented quarterback of the four, and Mark Sanchez played hard and made a couple of big plays; it was “Big” Ben Roethlisberger and Jay Cutler that grabbed my attention this weekend. That is to say the attention that they grabbed is what grabbed mine. Roethlisberger played a fairly ugly, even arguably subpar game, yet gets all the credit for being a clutch quarterback who came up with the game-winning play. Cutler, on the other hand, was vilified and caught all of the blame for the loss against Rodgers and the Packers; but the surprising part was why he was singled out and by whom.

Ben Roethlisberger has garnered a reputation as a big game quarterback. He is a guy who has won 2 Super Bowls, 1 more than Peyton Manning and only 1 less than Tom Brady – pretty nice company. He led the game winning drive and threw a great pass to Santonio Holmes to win Super Bowl XLV. He has a knack for moving around in the pocket, extending plays, and making throws on the run. I’ll give you all that. Roethlisberger is a uniquely talented quarterback. He can sometimes make the ugly look beautiful. But here’s something that I think gets lost in the shuffle: Big Ben plays on a really good team and has an incredible defense behind him.

This takes a lot of the pressure off of him. If Peyton Manning, and even Tom Brady to some extent, makes a mistake, his team pretty much loses. All of the pressure and responsibility is put squarely on Peyton’s (who is basically his own offensive coordinator) and Tom’s (who is arguably the most clutch quarterback besides Joe Montana) shoulders. Here’s a fun stat for you…Big Ben’s three worst quarterback ratings in his playoff career? 2004 AFC Div. vs. the Jets – 57.8. Team Result? Win. 2010 AFC Champ. vs. the Jets – 35.5. Team Result? Win. Super XL vs. the Seahawks – 22.6. Team Result? You guessed it…Win. The Steelers win behind their defense and their running. I’m certainly not saying that Roethlisberger isn’t a good quarterback. I’m just saying let’s not put him too high up on the pedestal. I shudder to think of the incredible things that could be accomplished if Peyton Manning had the Steelers defense behind him. Let’s just say the ’72 Dolphins might just have to keep their bubbly on the shelves.

And then there’s Jay Cutler. Cutler is about as up and down as it gets. He is oft praised and even more oft maligned for his all or nothing type of play. Cutler is renowned for his great arm and ability to make throws that almost no one else on the planet could make; however, he is just as infamous for making throws that almost no one else on the planet would make…right into the arms of the other team. But Cutler didn’t actually make the headlines this weekend for his on the field performance. It was actually his conspicuous absence that drew the criticism.

Cutler attempted one series in the second half of the NFC Championship game Sunday vs. intradivision rival Green Bay. The media had plenty to say about Cutler’s demeanor on the sideline – historically boorish and whiney. Many questioned Cutler’s toughness and heart. I didn’t think any of this was very fair. Of course he’s not in a good mood. He’s sitting on the sidelines during the NFC Championship game when he could be out there helping his team. Another thing that gets lost in the shuffle is that Cutler has been on some terrible teams. He played at Vanderbilt and never missed a start, even though he was beaten up by the bullies of the SEC week in and week out. He was on the rebuilding Broncos. And he was on a Bears team behind an offensive line that led the league in sacks during the regular season (7^th last season). Through all of that punishment, Cutler has missed one game. He missed it this season, after doctors did not clear him to play after suffering a concussion.

Cutler has a personality and a play style that are divisive. There are many things to love about Cutler’s game, but there is a lot to criticize too. That is not uncommon for the media. Controversy sells. So I was not surprise to see sports writers and TV analysts criticize Cutler and question his toughness. I disagreed with them, but was not surprised. What did surprise me was how many players jumped onto Twitter to criticize Cutler. In the age of instant and accessible media, it is easy to make your opinion heard; however, it is also easy to speak without knowing the full situation. It turns out Cutler had an MCL sprain, basically the same injury that kept Maurice Jones-Drew out of the final two games of the regular season, who Tweeted some critical words about Cutler (though MJD later said he was joking, and not even at Cutler’s expense). I’m not questioning Jones-Drew’s toughness, just this incessant need to offer instantaneous commentary on everything that happens.

I’m not sure if Cutler ‘could’ or ‘should’ have played. All I know is that he was hurt, his coach says it was the team’s and the doctor’s decision to keep him out, and his teammates back him. Look, criticize Cutler all you want for his propensity to throw a pick, but let’s not pick on a guy who was injured. I understand that football is a “man’s” game and that players play through pain. But a knee is pretty important. Ronnie Lott cut off a finger to keep playing (awesome…crazy, but awesome), but I doubt he would have been quite as effective if he cut off his leg.

So before we dwell on Cutler’s heart and inability to “tough it out,” let us not forget Big Ben’s shortcomings. I think I’d rather have a guy on my team who only missed one start and had the talent of Cutler than a guy like Big Ben that I feel I have to baby sit every second he’s away from the field (see: motorcycle accident and multiple sexual assault charges). But what do I know? I’m just some guy that writes about football, never played it.

On the heels of an unprecedented era of success for one state, and a conference as a whole, this year’s draft class if full of talent from the state of Alabama and the SEC. Some are calling this the most talent-laden group to leave the SEC in history, and I’m certainly not going to argue with them. 1^st round draft picks, transfers, players leaving early. You name it, this year’s class has it. And they all seem to be big time talents.

Alabama and Auburn are right up front with 5 projected first round picks collectively. And in a sign of the times, all of them are leaving school a year early. Heisman winner Cam Newton, Heisman winner Mark Ingram, Julio Jones, Nick Fairley, and Marcell Dareus are all project first-rounders by ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay.

According to Kiper’s mock draft, the Auburn and Alabama will produce 2 of the top players drafted, with Auburn DT Nick Fairley going to the Carolina Panthers with the first overall pick and Alabama DE Marcell Dareus projected as the 3^rd overall pick, landing in chilly Buffalo.

Kiper actually projects the SEC to swipe the first 3 picks, with LSU’s dynamic cornerback Patrick Patterson going to Denver with the 2^nd pick. Georgia’s A.J. Green is slated for the 6^th pick, owned by the Cleveland Browns. Cam Newton finishes up the top 10 at 10^th to the Redskins.

Julio Jones sits at 14^th to the Rams and Mark Ingram follows right behind him at 15^th to the Dolphins.

That’s 5 picks in the top 15 just from Alabama and Auburn, as project by Mel. Overall the Kiper gives the SEC 10 first-rounders. Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, Florida OL Mike Pouncey, and Georgia DE Justin Houston finish out the list for the SEC’s stellar 1^st round group.

ESPN, Scouts Inc.’s Todd McShay sees things a little differently…but not too much. McShay has Clemson DE edging out Fairley for the top spot. Fairley drops to 2 and the Broncos. A.J. Green slides up to the Bengals’ pick at 4. Patterson lands at 5 (Cardinals). Dareus moves out west with the 49ers with the 7^th pick. Cam stays put at 10 to the Redskins. So same players, same number of players, just different spots in the top 10.

Julio is good at 14 to the Rams, while Mike Pouncey replaces Ingram at the Dolphins’ pick at 15. Ingram slides all the way to the Patriots at pick 28 – there are worse places to end up Mark. Justin Houston goes to the Falcons one spot ahead of Ingram at 27 to the Falcons. Mallett drops out of the first round, but LSU DT Drake Nevis jumps in at 30 to the Bears.

Either way one thing is certain, the SEC is seeing some serious talent leave for the pastures of the NFL (some debate as to whether or not those pastures are greener). This is easily the most talented combined class between Auburn and Alabama, a signifier of the state’s unparalleled success over the last 2 seasons.

Hopefully the teams can continue their success and keep the state of football strong in Alabama. Both teams hope their top-ranked recruiting classes can fill in any gaps and all players can maturate and step-up. While it might be easy to argue Auburn will fill the sting a little bit more, it is never easy to replace three players like Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, and Marcell Dareus (see: 2010 Alabama defense).

Only time will tell. I don’t know about you, but I’m already excited and ready for the 2011 season.

This is the 25th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr Day.  For some, it just means a day out of school or off work.  But for many (and I hope for most) it is a day to reflect on the progress we've made as a country in respect to our race relations and attitude as a country towards each other (in all respects) and a recognition of how far we have to go.  Martin Luther King, Jr stood for something bigger than himself.  His dream is well documented and something we should all be dreaming.  Equality, fairness, acceptance, generosity.  These are all things we want for ourselves and things that should be wished upon our fellow human beings.  

 We're not perfect.  But that doesn't mean we can't try.  Black or white is ultimately a superficial difference that we have to power to overcome.  Sports is an arena where the differences are often expounded upon and highlighted and documented.  But it's also an arena where we can watch persons of all backgrounds working for a common goal, even if that goal can sometimes seem trivial, as was the case with the first Yankees game after 9/11.  Or even recently with the national championship being played just days after the shootings in Tucson.  But sports also has the cathartic ability to heal and bring us together.

Most stories about a player overcoming odds stacked against them and breaking down race barriers have been about black athletes, and rightly so.  Jackie Robinson will always be a hero and a catalyst for change in American history.  Even athletes such as today's black quarterbacks continue to struggle against the grain and change the game.  

I was checking ESPN.com today, as I'm wont to do, and I came across a really interesting story of adversity, redemption, struggle, and ultimately acceptance that I wanted to share. 

It's a great story of the best about sports.  A white quarterback gets a second chance at an Historically Black College, Jackson State. 

The article is by Pat Forde.  Here's the link:  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=6021619

Sports a place where we can showcase our heroes and villians, the good and the bad, comebacks and second chances.  I love the way a game can transcend and become so much more than that.  A game can become an avenue of change, or a platform for progress, or just something to take our minds off the world that seems to press down on us at times.  Ultimately, it can be a place of hope.  And hope is a powerful thing.

Well, it’s not quite 1.000 bowls. But hey, it’s not a week either. I do love me some Capital One Bowl Week, though. One of the best “weeks” in the year began December 18th this year and ends January 9th of next year. 3 weeks and 28 bowls—that’s a heck of a week. And that doesn’t even include the BCS bowls.

A lot of folks these days are complaining about how there are too many bowls. Others like to complain about some of the ridiculous names of said bowls, such as the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman (in which zero of the academies are playing), the GoDaddy.com bowl, or the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. My personal favorite is the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl. Mmmm, football.

Some complain that the excessive number of bowls cheapens the meaning and tradition of each bowl as well as college football as a whole. These naysayers argue that with each addition, it cheapens the pride and pageantry of earning a spot at a bowl game. Well, not to the teams involved. And you can’t tell me the good folks at Temple (8-4) aren’t wishing for another bowl.

Going to a bowl game can do wonders for a program like Temple. It does wonders for teams like Mississippi State. It does wonders for teams like Alabama and Auburn. Ask USC if they’d like to be in a bowl game right now. When not being able to go to a bowl game is one of the strongest punishments a team can receive, it’s a pretty big deal. Recruiting, exposure, and overall prestige can all be boosted drastically by a bowl appearance.

And you know what else? They’re fun. It’s a great way to finish a season. People all across the country have printed out bowl sheets, joined online groups, and created office pools (without money of course…that would be illegal). Who cares if every team that is eligible goes to a bowl? It’s great for college football. It’s great for the teams. It’s great for you and me. Quit your complaining and let them play. So I say bring on the bowls and, to borrow a phrase from Brent Musberger, “Let the good times roll!”

Cliff Lee spurned the aggressive advances of the Yankees and the sweet seduction of the Rangers for a little brotherly love. While the Rangers and the Yankees appeared to be the top 2, in fact the only 2, contenders to land Lees services for the 2011 season and beyond. According to many sources, whoever sweetened the deal with a 7^th year would have the inside track to land Lee.

Then, out of nowhere, at the proverbial eleventh hour, the Phillies swooped in and sunk their battleships. The Phillies offered Lee a 5 year/$120 million contract with an option of a 6th year. A sizeable sum, in fact it would be the 5th highest contract for a free agent pitcher ever, but smaller than the Rangers 6 year/$138 million with a vesting option for a 7th year at $23 million, and much smaller than the Yankees 7 year/$154 million offer.

According to ESPN.coms Jerry Crasnick, Lee's deal includes $107.5 million in salary, a $12.5 million buyout and a $27.5 million vesting option that kicks in if he pitches 200 innings in 2015 or a combined 400 innings during the 2014-2015 seasons.

That means Lee is leaving about $30 million on the table. That's incredible at all, much less considering the pay-for-play (to borrow the term) culture of professional sports today. The past few years its been all about the individual and the money the individual can make. This is clearly about more than money. This is about winning. This is about going back to a place where both he and his family felt comfortable.

Lee said that he never truly wanted to leave in the first place. The Phillies traded Lee in the offseason for fear that they couldn't resign him. Instead, they waited and pulled off an enormous coup in landing Lee a second time.

Lee joins a Phillies staff with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels that has collected Cy Youngs and World Series MVPs like they are baseball cards, giving the Phillies rotation a chance to be one of the greatest of all time, challenging to join the ranks of the great Braves rotation of the 90s, the Orioles of the early 70s, and the Tigers of the 40s.

Will they do it? We'll soon find out. But that much firepower on offense and depth in the rotation, plus National League competition, seems to put the odds in the Phillies favor. Bad news for the Braves and the rest of the league.

It was a big week for the Auburn Tigers. Last Saturday, the No. 1 ranked Tigers handled the No. 19 South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, held annually at the Georgia Dome. Auburn won the game decisively, 56-17.

Cameron Newton and Nick Fairley grabbed some hardware for the trophy case. Fairley won the Rotary Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s top lineman. Fairley was able to join his line coach Tracy Rocker, who took home the award in 1988, as the only Tigers to win. The Associated Press named Fairley as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Fairley was also a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s top defensive player.

Nick Fairley and teammate Lee Ziemba were named to the Football Writers Association of America’s All-American team. Notoriously absent from the FWAA’s list was Cam Newton. I think he’ll manage.

Newton has had a clean sweep during the award season taking home the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s top QB and the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards for the nation’s most outstanding player.

But the crown jewel of all is the Heisman Trophy. Newton received this most coveted hardware on Saturday in New York. Cam joined Pat Sullivan (1971) and Bo Jackson (1985) in the school’s Heisman club. Newton won the award in a landslide. He received the 6^th most first place votes and the 3^rd highest percentage in the history of the award, despite being completely left off of 105 ballots.

All was not perfect in New York, however. Newton’s father, Cecil, did not make the journey to the award ceremony amidst the cloud of scrutiny swirling around him after the NCAA’s ruling that he was involved in shopping around his son’s services. This did not prevent Cam from standing up and speaking firmly about his father. In an interview with ESPN’s Chris Fowler Newton expressed adamant pride and love for his father, stating that at the end of the day, he knows his father has his best interest at heart.

Now Newton and the Tigers prepare for their greatest challenge, the Oregon Ducks and the national championship game.

Auburn got some good news heading towards the game, offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn turned down an opportunity to become the head coach of Vanderbilt. Malzahn also added to the Tigers’ trophy case, winning the Browles award as the nation’s top assistant coach.

The Tigers look to finish off their dream season with a win in the National Championship game, January 10^th against the Oregon Ducks.

Cam Newton is cleared to play. The NCAA ruled Wednesday that his eligibility is no longer in question. Auburn is in no danger of forfeiting wins. And both are cleared to proceed without impunity or condition for the rest of the season.

From NCAA V.P. for Academic and Membership Affairs Kevin Lennon: "Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement. From a student-athlete reinstatement perspective, Auburn University met its obligation . . . Under this threshold, the student-athlete has not participated while ineligible."

Auburn AD Jay Jacobs released a statement Wednesday acknowledging the NCAA for its thoroughness and fairness, and of course ruling in their favor. “We are pleased that the NCAA has agreed with our position that Cam Newton has been and continues to be eligible to play football at Auburn University. We appreciate the diligence and professionalism of the NCAA and its handling of this matter," said Jacobs.

While Cam is cleared, Cecil maybe not so much. It was decided that Cecil did act improperly but did so without Cam’s or Auburn’s knowledge.

Cam and the Tigers prepare to face the South Carolina Gamecocks this Saturday in Atlanta for the SEC Championship. The title game is a rematch of September 25^th meeting in which Auburn won 35-27. But Auburn was playing at home, and South Carolna did have the Tigers down 20-7. So the rematch should be interesting. It’s never easy to beat a team twice in one season.

Well, not exactly…

While this year’s Iron Bowl was eerily similar to last year’s version, it was more a mirror image rather than a replica. The stakes were much the same. One team was ranked No. 2 in the BCS, undefeated, and had aspirations for an SEC championship and beyond, including a potential Heisman winner. One team’s season was a bit of a disappointment (though the expectations were drastically different, so disappointment is quite relative) and looking to play spoiler. The home team was ranked lower, but came out full of passion and energy to take an early lead. The Heisman candidate was contained for much of the first half. But ultimately, the away team mad adjustments, rallied together, and took the lead on a fourth quarter touchdown that won the game.

Last year it was the Crimson Tide of Alabama that avoided the stumble against rival Auburn. This year it was the Tigers’ turn.

Much like Mark Ingram last year, Heisman hopeful Cam Newton was held in check on the ground, just 39 yards on 22 caries though he did get a touchdown. But unlike Ingram, Newton made up for his lack of running game by passing the ball; he is still a quarterback after all. Newton finished the day 13 of 20 for 216 yards and 3 TDs; but most importantly, he didn’t throw any picks.

Auburn’s much-praised offense was pitiful for most of the first half. In fact, they were down 21-0 before it ever picked up a first down. Really, Auburn only mustered positive yards on one series. Luckily for the Tigers, it ended in a 36-yard pass from Newton to Emory Blake for a touchdown and the Tigers’ only points of the first half.

If the offense was pitiful, Auburn’s much-maligned defense was simply abysmal. The secondary was torched for 300+ yards through the air – most of which was QB Greg McElroy connecting with WR Julio Jones in some miraculous way that transcended mere football. It looked like Jones just willed himself to be open and it was so. Too easy for a QB of McElroy’s ability to miss.

Bryant-Denny was rocking. The Tide players were elated and dominant. The Tigers looked to be finished. In one game, they could see their SEC and national title hopes slipping away, as well as Newton’s hope to be the first junior college transfer to win the Heisman. A terrible day in T-town as mighty Cameron looked to be striking out.

Not so fast, my friend.

Though I have been hard on Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof (and I do think there is much to be desired), he has responded in two straight games with nearly flawless adjustments. Georgia and Alabama scored a combined 13 points in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th quarters of their games against Roof’s defense. But they also scored 42 points in the 1^st quarters. But with an offense as explosive as Auburn’s, it doesn’t seem like they are ever out of it.

The Tigers dominated the second half, outscoring the hometown Tide 21-3 capping the biggest comeback for the Tigers in school history. Newton got things back on track, utilizing his often overlooked and frequently undervalued ability as a passer. With Alabama crowding the line, the Tigers took to the air.

But I believe the Tigers won the game good old-fashioned stick-to-it-tiveness. Hustle plays, taking care of the ball, and never giving up were critical to Auburn’s success in their biggest test of the season – biggest crowd, toughest environment, best team, and biggest deficit all wrapped into one. But the Tigers showed heart as they have done all season, coming from behind in 8 of their 12 games. Much like their in-state foes did a year ago, the Tigers refuse to quit and refuse to lose.

What a difference a year makes. The Tigers head to Atlanta this week to play for the SEC championship and a spot in the BCS title game. The Tide wait around to find out which bowl game fate delivers them. The Tigers look to make a clean sweep and add another Heisman trophy to the case to go along with a national title. The Tide think about how close they were to greatness.

What is the difference? The son of a preacher man.

I’ll be honest. It has been difficult to stay objective on the Cam Newton issue. I enjoy watching the kid play. It seems to me, in my limited viewing experience, that he has fun and plays the game the right way. For all appearances, he seemed to have learned from his past troubles and struggles to come out a better man; however, it seems like each day something new comes out against the man once dubbed “SuperCam,” now being called “Scam” Newton.

The newest allegations against Cam and his father are that they both admitted in separate conversations that money was used to secure his place at Auburn. ESPN’s Joe Schad broke the story Tuesday afternoon. Schad cites sources that are reportedly involved in Mississippi State’s recruiting, specifically their recruitment of Cam. These are pretty damning allegations. Right from the horse’s mouth so to speak. Right? Well…

Let’s take a closer look at the alleged allegations.

Cecil Newton, Cam’s father, is quoted as saying “it will take more than a scholarship” to get Cam. That is blatantly about money, right? Or perhaps it could be literally everything else besides a scholarship. It could mean that Cecil wants a place where Cam can go and win. It could mean he wants a good environment where his son can thrive. It could mean he wants a place where they have Mama Goldberg’s. The point is it could mean anything. Could it mean money? Absolutely. But does it indisputably, unequivocally, 100% mean money? Absolutely not.

Now, on to the stronger of the two statements, made by the QB himself. Cameron Newton is quoted as telling the unnamed Mississippi State recruiter that “the money is too much,” which seems to imply that the money Auburn was giving him was too much to turn down. This statement definitely seems to be strong evidence against the Tigers. But it is not impossible to poke a hole in this one either. Perhaps Newton was referring to the $200,000 reportedly involved in Mississippi State’s potential recruitment of Newton, simply showing his dislike of being paid to play college football. Is that the most likely scenario? Probably not. I’m very willing and able to admit that. But it is a possibility.

That also brings me to the academic allegations. This one really irked me. If for no other reason (and I’m not sure I need another one), this one is bothersome because it is illegal that it came to light at all—a felony. And even if this is ironclad fact (which is yet to be proven), Cam was a freshman. It was two years ago. We’ve all made mistakes. Cam has lived up to a less than pristine past and has tried to move past it. This is the land of second chances, and so far Newton seems to be making the most of his.

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops said that he did not notice anything unusual or alarming during Oklahoma’s recruitment of Newton out of Junior College. That is objective, outside evidence and/or opinion in favor of Newton’s innocence.

And here is the real problem with the entire debacle. Everything is based upon loosely worded, vaguely phrased accusations and “evidence.” Many of the sources are unnamed. The ones that are named seem to be less than credible. Nothing is hard evidence. It is a lot of finger pointing and “he said/she said.” I believe this is what they call in a court of law “hearsay.” Hearsay is not legal grounds upon which to build a case. I believe it is inadmissible in court (I’m am clearly not a lawyer, however).

Unfortunately, hearsay is about all that counts in the court of public opinion. And this is definitely where Cam’s trial is taking place. Even if Cameron Newton is cleared 100% of wrongdoing, it may be too late to save his reputation. It might cost him a Heisman Trophy. But mostly, it might cost him his pride and/or honor. And that is inexcusable. No matter how this turns out, I condemn those who have handled the allegations so poorly. This seems to be little more than a smear campaign, in this kind-of-humble writer’s opinion (I mean, no writer is really that humble. We are giving you our opinion in print after all).

Now for some fun conspiracy of my own. Who is behind this? No clue. But here is something I find interesting. Mississippi State and Florida (potentially indirectly) are the two schools providing evidence that is condemning Cam. And they are both schools the Cam cut ties with in some form or fashion before exploding back onto the SEC and national scene in a big way this season.

Dan Mullen is the current head coach at Mississippi State. He was Newton’s offensive coordinator at Florida and supposedly created a pretty strong bond with the young QB during their time together. It was reported that Cam really wanted to go to Miss State to be reunited with his old coach, but chose Auburn over Starkville.

Urban Meyer recruited Newton out of high school and got the 6’6” 250 lb talent to come to Gainesville. Newton left Florida. That’s fine, they had Tebow. But now, it appears that Auburn and Florida could be on a collision course to meet in the SEC championship game, if both teams win on Saturday. Hmmm, interesting timing isn’t it? Pretty strong evidence. Plus, I talked on the phone with my buddy’s sister’s cousin’s nephew’s boyfriend who talked with both Mullen and Meyer and they told me that they knew that Meyer and Mullen both may have said something about money and Cam and taking him down (or did I?). I think that sounds pretty legit.

Meyer and Mullen have both denied wrongdoing. Well good for you, so did Cam. Who wouldn’t? Maybe just like Transformers, there is more than meets the eye. Or not. The point of all of this is that in America, you are innocent until proven guilty, not until you are accused of being guilty.

Cam will continue to play. He will probably continue to dazzle. I will certainly continue to watch and cheer for him. I hope that everyone else will do the same.

The Auburn Tigers maintained their No. 2 ranking in the BCS by defeating a completely over-matched UT-Chattanooga team on Saturday. QB Cameron Newton had his most prolific aerial game to date, completing 15 of 21 passes for 317 yards and 4 TDs, while adding another TD on the ground. That’s not a bad day’s work, but it is staggering considering all of it came in the first half. Newton had a little bit of a rough weekend with allegations coming out last Thursday that he might have received payment during his recruitment to Mississippi State, the school Auburn beat out for his services.

Newton has maintained trademark smile and his positive attitude according to his teammates. WR Darvin Adams said, “Cam is being Cam and Cam is still going to be Cam." When Newton was asked if anything was different or how he was feeling about the situation, Cam just answered simply, “I feel like we’re 10-0. That’s about it.” Those are some pretty strong words.

Despite beating … well, the crap out of then No. 5 Utah at Utah, the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs were not able to jump in the rankings and surpass the Tigers, who hold a firm No. 1 status in the computers. Despite giving their best effort, it looks like either Auburn or Oregon will have to lose for TCU to make it to the National Championship.

All of this leads me to my real point. The bandwagoneers are out in full force now. As I drive around town, I see more Auburn car flags (which annoy me in general, but that’s a different story) and bumper stickers than since probably the 2004 season. I understand that people are more willing to show their support when their team is doing well, but that’s the point. It takes more commitment and gusto to put yourself out there when your team isn’t doing as well. If you must be obnoxious in your fandom, do it honorably and bravely. Either stick solely to gameday shenanigans or display your team pizzazz all the time. Don’t wait until your team is doing well. This is not team spirit, it’s team schmutz.

I want to see the Tigers do as well as anyone else who wants to see said Tigers do well. But please, don’t use a bunch of college kids to display your bravado or boost your ego. Now that I’ve got that off of my chest, feel free to cheer for your favorite team in the must gusto-ridden, bravado-laden, alcohol-induced way that you want. Just please, cheer responsibly.

The first BCS rankings of the year were released yesterday. And to no one’s surprise the No. 1 team was … Oklahoma? You mean the team that barely beat Utah State? The same team that barely beat Air Force – who, coincidentally, lost to the mighty Aztecs of San Diego State on Saturday?  Yep, that team. I get that they beat the crap out of Florida State. And they beat Texas; well, so did a questionable UCLA team. I just don’t understand the logic. The BCS continually defies my, albeit limited, comprehension.

Here we have Oregon, the unanimous No. 1 in both polls (which comprise two-thirds of this mad scientist’s experiment) coming in at No. 2 in the BCS because some computers decided they were only the 7^th best team in the country. I don’t get it. It seems like the Ducks should be statistical crack to the computers. Oregon is 1^st in Scoring (points scored) and 16^th and scoring defense (points allowed). That’s pretty nice. The Oregon offense has amassed 326 points on the season, never scoring less than 42 in any single game. The defense has only allowed 98 points. That’s an average margin of victory of 38 points per game. The closest game they have played all season was a 42-31 affair at Arizona State.

Now Oklahoma. They are 17^th in scoring and 28^th in scoring defense. They beat the aforementioned Utah State, Air Force, plus the Cincinnati Bearcats by a combined 12 points. I don’t get it. I understand that beating the crap out of Florida State who is ranked 17^th in the BCS and a very, very shaky Texas team who sits at 19^th in the BCS, helps the Sooners strength of schedule and eye test and whatever else you want to throw at me. But shouldn’t the sloppy, less impressive wins hurt you comparatively? I guess the computers have a Big Name recognition program. (They’ll probably just lose in a BCS game anyway).

I just can’t fathom how the computers can be so down on Oregon and so high on an Oklahoma team. Or how they can even put the Sooners ahead of high-flying Boise State Broncos. Now, no one is harder on said Broncos than me, but raw statistical has to be highly in favor of the boys from Boise. That “strength of schedule” algorithm or equation, or whatever they use, must be highly weighted in the computer rankings, and highly weighted towards Oklahoma.

Ah well, call me old fashioned, but I think the BCS should be scrapped. Give me the bowls any day over this half-guessing, half-scientific and completely ludicrous method. At least I know the bowls are built upon tradition. They’re fun. The pageantry is second to none. They’re college football. And they’re honest about the ambiguity. They don’t try to announce to the world that they have definitively given me a national champion.

The BCS only “works” when things completely outside of the BCS’ power falls into place (i.e. only 2 undefeated teams). Basically, it’s luck. It’s the worst of the bowls with none of the equality of a playoff.

Or…here’s a crazy idea. Let’s add a plus-1 or an 8-team playoff. At least give us a Final Four. Don’t get rid of the bowls. Use the BCS bowls. That’s a great set-up. Use the championship game as the plus-1. You still have the Rose, Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar Bowls in tact. Plus the myriad of other bowls. It’s great. I can’t understand the logic against it. But again, my comprehension skills are rather limited.

Well, that’s enough time spent on my soapbox. Besides, this is a mess that doesn’t look like it will be cleaned up any time soon. Thanks TV contracts.

Cheers.

What do I think about when I think about Bobby Cox? I think about his stoic expression, crossed arms resting on his endearing potbelly, sitting next to an emotionally challenged, chronically rocking Leo Mazzone. I think of Bobby waddling out to the field to argue a call in his uniform which makes him look like a 7 year old wearing a Halloween costume. I think of press conferences when he chuckles and laughs in a manner that is so contrary to his demeanor in the dugout. I think about how every player that he has ever managed says he was the best manager they have ever played for. I think that in such an ever-changing, uncertain landscape like sports, especially in the free agent era, the Braves were as steady as they go (other than the black-hearted Yankees, but that’s a different matter) and there was one constant during those constant years – Bobby Cox. Players came and went. Ownership changed. Even the long-time General Manager John Schuerholz finally changed. But not Bobby. Bobby was going to be there; well, unless he was thrown out. Chipper Jones has been there forever it seems. But even before Chipper, there was Bobby.

And now that’s over. It’s going to be very odd to see someone else wearing that No. 6 Atlanta Braves jersey. It’s going to be weird to see someone else get thrown out 158 times. It’s going to be weird watching someone else do all the things Bobby Cox did. But even if they finished their Braves career with exactly the same numbers, they won’t be Bobby Cox. Bobby brought stability to an unstable franchise – the worst in the league. Bobby made old, beer-gutted men wearing ill-fitting polyester outfits and waddling around under bright lights cool for the first time since disco died. Okay, that one might just be me. What can I say? He entertained me to no end. He was both a gentlemen and a fiery competitor. Always one to keep a cool head, Cox never balked at rushing out to the public and emotional defense of his players. He was able to get players – even the high profile ones – to buy into his philosophy and play as a team. Bobby personified the term “players manager.” And that is what I will remember. And that is what I will miss.