Here's to the Fall

Roughly one hour from now Wake Forest and Presbyterian will kick off, finally commencing the college football season. You better believe I'll have ESPN3 pulled up, beer in hand. Although it is one of many games on a relatively uninspiring Thursday night slate, I'm beyond excited for the evening. I have no doubt I'll also be watching South Carolina slog their way to what promises to be a hideous victory over Southern Miss. I'm also thoroughly excited to cheer on Dave Wannstedt's mustache against Utah. Hell, I'm even excited for Lane Kiffin's late night appearance from Hawaii. We can only hope he's wearing one of these. Clearly, I'm extremely excited for the upcoming football season. Anyone reading this should definitely check out Spencer Hall's amazing piece over at Every Day Should be Saturday, found here. It inspired me to finally revive this blog, as short lived as it was in the first place. Maybe this time, the excitement and importance we find in college football will keep me motivated to continue posting.

Since I can't hope to detail the inner essence and beauty of the game as Spencer does, I can only insist you read that article. I can also insist today has me feeling those feelings. The other night, I ordered my first fall seasonal beer of 2010. The first sip immediately took me back to last fall, the fall before, the fall before that, and so on. It took me back to Auburn on a Friday afternoon, driving down Donahue through the falling leaves, reveling in the atmosphere, before the atmosphere had truly set in. Fraternity's pledges roping off tailgates, families unpacking their massive RVs, the crispness of the air. It was impossible not to feel you were on the brink of something special. As afternoon makes it's way to evening, as the alumni continue to stream into town, as visiting fans begin to invade, the feeling mounts, becomes palpable. As evening fades into the night, the feeling is everywhere. From the center of campus, to the fields littered with RVs, to the fraternity rows, to each and any of the billion apartment complexes/student homes/game day condos, it is there. It is ubiquitous, universal, pervasive. When darkness falls - as the tailgates' fires begin to light the night - the feeling comes to life. It lives through each of us as we flock to Skybar, Quixotes, 17/16. It lives through us as it brings us together. We are all there, we are all celebrating, it is all for one purpose. We don't know for certain what Saturday will bring. Whether it be wins or losses, euphoria or heartbreak, delirium or madness - we do know one thing, football season is here!

WAR DAMN EAGLE!

My Valentine's Day with Sports

It is currently 5 AM and I'm not embarrassed, shameful, or the least bit upset to say that I am sitting on my couch writing this piece. Today, of course, is Valentine's Day. A holiday famous for causing more girls to eat of out self-pity than all other holidays combined. It is also a day where males are constantly reminded - by their girlfriend, wife, mother, sister, neighbor, favorite sport's talk radio host, local Walgreen's clerk, you name it - they are under some intransigent obligation to go above and beyond in order to please the opposite sex. This year, experiencing Cupid's favorite day as a single young male for the first time in quite awhile, I was free of any and all obligations to anyone or anything but myself. So I did what any right-minded, young, single and blazingly handsome male would do - spent the entire day watching sports. Pulling off a truly successful sports laden lazy Sunday is not as easy as it sounds. One must be willing to sacrifice all outside distractions - there is nothing but you, your TV/laptop, and couch. Additional viewers are optional, and don't come highly recommended, as they are prone to causing more distraction than useful insight or commentary. Generally, waking up by myself on my couch isn't much of a prerequisite for the penultimate lazy Sunday. But today, there were extenuating circumstances. I awoke, somewhere in the vicinity of noon, thirteen blocks and a wrong left-hand turn beyond hungover, miles from my car, which was located at a friend's house. Through the act of an obscure Greek Goddess (Alectrona seems appropriate) I miraculously summoned the amount of energy and motivation, which I couldn't possibly describe, required to make it to my beloved couch. Once there, I would begin to realize that on this day my most faithful and reliable lover would provide all off the excitement, drama and emotion I could ever hope for on 'Plastic-Wrapped-Pink-Heart-Shaped-Box-Full-of-Mediocre-Chocolates-Day' or, if you happen to find yourself in Sarasota, PWPHSBFMCD.

Highlights from the day:

Louisville escapes with win at Syracuse - In what was a relatively small blip on an otherwise crowded sports radar, Louisville pulled off a major upset this afternoon, dealing Syracuse their second loss of the season. This is important because it may knock Syracuse down a notch in the media fawning department. During the game, I learned that Boeheim may be succumbing to the pressure of dealing with the expectations that come with coaching "What could be the best Syracuse team in the history of the school". Ridiculous hyperbole alert! Look, I concede that Wesley Johnson is very good, Onuaku and Jackson can bang with anyone down low, and Rautins is probably better than we think he is. But if you honestly think this 'Cuse team could run with Melo's '02-'03 squad, you are out of your mind. Don't forget Anthony had a supporting cast featuring Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamera. That's all I really have to say on that.

Big Underdog wins America's Race In "Overtime" - NASCAR didn't take long to showcase the biggest amongst this year's package of annual rule changes/additions/amendments. Taking advantage of the sport's new "overtime" system, little known Jamie McMurray, of nearby Joplin, Missouri, was able to take the checkered flag at Daytona. In a race any sane person should realize belonged to Kevin Harvick, McMurray's #1 Chevrolet, thanks to a huge push from teammate Greg Biffle, was able to hold off a desperate charge mounted by an equally desperate Dale Jr. in the final lap. As a casual fan of the sport, it was great to see an exciting finish to NASCAR's premier event. As a casual fan of the sport, the pot-hole delays, as well as the endless procession of yellow flags brought upon by the perpetually increasing reckless nature of driving during late race "shoot-outs" killed some of the excitement. In the end, the race will hold up on its own because McMurray barely managing to secure victory, with Earnhardt Jr. closing rapidly, was captivating television. What I found more captivating, however, was the post-race. There is really nothing more enjoyable than watching someone as genuinely grateful and excited as Jamie was tonight winning something as prestigious as the Daytona 500. If he were ever to pick a day to achieve the biggest accomplishment of his career, PWPHSBFMCD would be a solid choice. It also makes it slightly more defensible that he cried in victory lane like a motherless baby. I mean, does anyone else get the feeling that Danica would have eaten this guy alive? Either way, it was nice of Darrell Waltrip to let us know that crying is indeed allowed in racing.

Canadians End Gold Medal Drought in Storybook Fashion - Yes, I'm referring to those (un?)fortunate enough to have been born and bred in the nation playing host to the 2010 Winter Olympics; not the NHL franchise that goes by the same name. Confusing, I know. In the second day of competition, our friendly northerly neighbors finally ended what can only be described as a shockingly pathetic gold medal drought on their home soil. It's almost as if this drought existed solely to be vanquished in storybook fashion. And chimerically vanquished it was. Our scrupulous hero comes in the form of Alexandre Bilodeau, an unassuming 22 year old from Montreal. It would be enough if you told me that he would never be caught with country music on his iPod. It would be more than enough if you also told me his favorite movies include Hangover, Old School, and Gladiator. Who doesn't love those movies? You'd be stretching my abilities to willingly suspend disbelief if you were to tell me his older brother Frederic, diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, is his personal hero. That's all true. If you then told me this is the same person who incited a massive celebration across a gold-medal starved nation, I would have laughed and walked away. But Alas, Alexandre did indeed ski his way into Canadian lore on Cypress Mountain this evening. He also did an admirable job in laboring through an emotional interview with NBC without breaking into bouts of tears a la McMurray. I won't hesitate to say I very nearly wept a euphoric tear for the Bilodeaus. That was some emotional stuff. Alexandre's triumph is a welcome reminder of how beautiful sports can really be. It is also a much needed spiritual boost to a young olympiad already stricken with shocking grief and tragedy. Alexandre's story will not erase the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili, but it will remind many of us of the unique brand of magic and inspiration only the olympics can provide.

East Wins Amusing All-Star Contest - The NBA All-Star game is a sparkling example of how glorified exhibition games should be done. It is nothing more than a bombastic pick-up game. Everybody knows this. This is why it is fun. Of course, the sport lends itself to this style of play being fairly exciting to watch. Baseball can't pull it off. The NFL could, but only if they made the pro bowl a game of flag football. Anyways, the only real reason I cared enough to watch more than a few minutes of the All-Star game was LeBron. He simply makes everything more fun, and his charisma is contagious. You can see it everywhere. For instance, if you watched the introductions for the Eastern Conference starters, LeBron appeared last and, true to LeBron form, executed his little choreographed dance number with his teammates, and immediately established himself as their leader. As they left the stage, there's a reason they were following him. As far a LBJ's performance, in a word, meh. He didn't shoot well (could've been that the game took place in a monstrosity of a venue), didn't establish any rhythm (could've been that it was an ASG) and didn't win the MVP (which is clearly the only thing he cared about, other than having a good time). While Bron did seem to care about winning the MVP, he didn't care enough to exert the amount of effort D-Wade did. And congrats to Dwayne, he deserved the award tonight. In a game ultimately decided by one of the dumbest fouls I've ever seen (I'm looking at you, Deron), Wade put in the best performance. It was really a lot of fun to watch him and LeBron work off of each other, and enjoy the game for what it was; an overblown spectacle. Mostly, I'm just grateful I got to cap off my Valentine's evening watching my biggest man crush put his stamp on an historic NBA event without ever really exerting anything close to 100% of his energy. So I will continue to dream the impossible dream. The dream that one day, possibly soon, LeBron will deliver Cleveland a championship. Yeah, right. Right?

Recruiting Recap (Part II)

Defense

Defensive End:

Joel Bonomolo- 6-3, 245 - Fullerton, California - 4 Stars: Bonomolo caused a bit of a scare yesterday, as he was the final player to fax in his LOI. I the end, Auburn safely secured his signature, making him yet another exciting athlete ready to wreak havoc in opposing backfields. Joel is another JUCO recruit, so hopefully he will be ready to step in immediately and provide some help on the weak side. His speed off the line is almost as impressive as his last name. If this kid makes a name for himself, he deserves a better nickname than "Jo-Bo" or "J-Bone". We can't let that happen.

Video Evidence Joel can rush the QB: He's got some burst

Justin Delaine- 6-5, 225 - Linden, Alabama - 3 Stars: Delaine is an impressive athlete with a lot of speed. He was a Mr. Everything three sport athlete in high school. It remains to be seen if he will be able to harness his raw talent and become a productive SEC player. Also, earning playing time over the other three ends in his class may prove to be quite difficult.

Corey Lemonier- 6-4, 223 - Hialeah, Florida - 4 Stars: Yesterday, landing Corey was little more than a 50/50 proposition. Although many pundits had him leaning towards Auburn, Florida State was still looming large; especially with all of the momentum Jimbo Fisher had going. As it turned out - in what is becoming a pleasing trend - Chizik failed to disappoint. Lemonier committed to Auburn live on ESPNU's signing day special extravaganza. Like most prized D-end prospects, Corey is a huge kid with a ton of athletic ability. He has a great first step, as well as excellent agility and instincts. Rivals.com favorably compares Corey to former Auburn terror, Quentin Groves. I think we'll all be ecstatic if we've got another Groves on our hands. He will need to bulk up to reach his full potential.

Video Evidence Corey will blow up your backfield: And disrespect your Right Tackle

Craig Sanders- 6-4, 230 - Ariton, Alabama - 4 Stars: Yet another athlete with the ability and talent to make impact plays, Sanders lined up all over the field in high school. His toughness and intensity helps make up for his lack of size in the trenches. Like the rest of the D-ends in Auburn's class, he must add some bulk if he hopes to evolve into an impact player in the SEC. I have faith Auburn's staff will be able to develop at least one of these four into a sack accumulating terror beast over the next couple of years. Ideally, one or two of these kids will be able to step in this season and provide some reinforcement for Carter and Goggans. Otherwise those two could have a very long, very tiring season.

Defensive Tackle:

Kenneth Carter- 6-5, 267 - Greenville, Alabama - 4 Stars: Carter is the first of two much needed tackle prospects. He comes highly decorated from Greenville High, where he recorded 90 tackles during his senior season. An explosive athlete who uses his body well, Carter seems to be able to get to where he needs to be in order to make the play. He will need to improve his size and technique if he hopes to accomplish the same thing at Auburn. Regardless of any knocks on his size and ability, Kenneth remains an impressive prospect, and has proven in the past he can get the job done.

Jeffrey Whitaker- 6-3, 295 - Warner Robbins, Georgia - 4 Stars: One of Auburn's latest commitments, Whitaker is a critical addition to the class. Without him, we may have actually had something to complain about. Two defensive tackles might not be as many as some fans were hoping for, but at least the two Auburn did land are both highly ranked at their position. Whitaker is the 5th ranked DT in the nation, and possesses huge size and strength. In the future, it looks like he will be a highly effective run stopper. If Whitaker ever develops the ability to rush the passer, he could very well be unstoppable. Worst case scenario - he should command double teams, clog the middle, and make things easier for his teammates.

Video Evidence Jeffrey would crush you: Not to be trusted in close proximity of children, puppies, or aloof midgets

Linebacker:

Jessel Curry- 6-2, 215 - Buford, Georgia - 3 Stars: One of the less impressive raw athletes in the class, Curry's value comes from his instincts and strong fundamentals. He also plays a tough, hard-nosed brand of football that's difficult not to appreciate. With his football IQ, he could someday find himself manning the middle of the Tiger defense, assuming his physical tools make the grade.

Jake Holland- 6-1, 228 - Pelham, Alabama - 4 Stars: Holland is another hard-nosed inside linebacker who has a reputation of being extremely instinctive and coachable. Much like Curry, Holland's discipline, instincts, and technique will never be questioned. However, also much like Curry, his quickness, lateral movement, and coverage skills could use some improvement. At Pelham High, Jake somehow managed to amass over 350 tackles in 31 games. I don't care who you are, or where you are playing, that is impressive. Also - and this is perhaps his most exciting trait - Jake once rocked a glorious Jew-fro.

Photographical evidence of aforementioned Jew-fro: Splendid, simply splendid

Bonus Video!: Jake could have gone to Penn State

LaDarius Owens- 6-2, 225 - Bessemer, Alabama - 4 Stars: Another physical specimen to add to the class of 2010. Owens, who played D-end in HS, will make the switch to Outside Linebacker at the next level. His speed and range should allow him to develop into capable defender. Extremely productive at Jess Lanier, Owen's biggest challenge appears to be mastering his new position. If he can develop instincts as an OLB, he certainly has all-conference potential.

Video Evidence I wasn't lying about Owens playing DE in HS: Ha! (also, sweet double kill at around 3:18)

Jawara White- 6-2, 220 - Troy, Alabama - 3 Stars: White was a tremendous two-way player in High School, and could be the best overall athlete of Auburn's incoming Linebackers. He also looks to be the best of the class in pass coverage, and pursuit skills. Because of this, it will be interesting to see if he sticks at Linebacker, or if the Roof decides to try him out at Strong Safety. However, White has a good chance to stick at OLB, considering how shorthanded the Tigers were at this position in 2009.

Defensive Back:

Demetruce McNeal- 6-0, 185 - College Park, Georgia - 3 Stars: Considering the relative ineptitude of Auburn's secondary last fall, you'd imagine defensive backs would be a recruiting priority. This is one of the few positions where the Auburn staff didn't exceed expectations. Not to knock on the secondary players we did bring in, but I don't feel as comfortable about the future secondary as I do about the future...everything else. Anyways, McNeal is a big safety known for his tackling ability and toughness. Unfortunately, he doesn't appear to be much of a coverage safety, and is not an elite athlete. However, scout's recognize his willingness to make big hits, and lay it all on the line. If Demetruce can improve in coverage, he will see the field.

Video Evidence he does indeed try: Nice Goal line stand at the 1:00 mark

Jonathon Mincy- 5-10, 175 - Decatur, Georgia - 3 Stars: Another unheralded DB out of Georgia, Mincy is a Cornerback known for his coverage ability. His biggest assets are reportedly his awareness and his hands. If Jonathon is able to stay with his man, he has the ability to make a play. On the other hand, his speed is all over the board (from 4.4 to 4.6) and there are concerns about his ability to deal with larger receivers.

Video Evidence Mincy can see through fog: (0:37 mark)

Athlete:

Chris Davis- 5-11, 175 - Birmingham, Alabama - 3 stars: A versatile athlete from B-ham, Chris has the ability to play QB, WR, and DB. Considering the team's positional needs, all signs point to Davis beginning his Auburn career as a DB. He has breakaway speed and knows his way around a football field. If he proves to have decent coverage skills, he has the chance to become a starting corner for Auburn in the future.

Shaun Kitchens- 6-3, 211 - College Park, Georgia - 3 Stars: Scout.com reports that Kitchens is a big, talented athlete who could wind up at outside linebacker, defensive end, or wide receiver for Auburn. I doubt he ends up at receiver, and I'd imagine his value would be the highest at OLB. If he wants to stick at that position, he will have to compete with the crowded incoming class of backers. Competition also looks to be fierce at defensive end, so it will be interesting to see where the staff initially chooses to deploy Shaun.

Video Evidence Kitchens can do lots of stuff: He runs, he throws, he tackles!

Ryan Smith- 6-2, 208 - Cordova, Alabama - 3 Stars: Scout.com has Smith listed as a safety, and he's a big one. It would seem to be in Auburn's best interest to play him at safety, where he has excelled in the past. Ryan is also the incoming freshman with the best ability to make a big hit out of the secondary. Hopefully he will have the instincts to be in position to make those big hits.

Photographical Evidence Smith plays football: He sure does

Ryan White- 6-0, 185 - Tallahassee, Florida - 3 Stars: A gifted athlete who starred at quarterback through his high school career. Because of the concerns in Auburn's secondary I've repeatedly mentioned above, White will most likely get a shot to play cornerback for the Tigers. White has all the physical tools to succeed, but will need to work on his tackling ability and coverage schemes.

Kicker:

Cody Parkey- 6-2, 195 - Jupiter, Florida - 3 Stars: With Byrum on the way out, Auburn needed a kicker. They went out and got one of the best in the nation. In some circles, he is considered the #1 kicking prospect in the nation, and should be the next great Auburn kicker. Auburn fans have been spoiled by solid, consistent kickers - for the most past (I'm looking at you, Vaughn) - for a very long time. Parkey should be the next on the assembly line.

Video Evidence the kid has a steel toe: I like touchbacks

Bonus! Photographical evidence Auburn recruited a 12 year old: Sweet

Steven Clark- 6-5, 230 - Kansas City, Missouri - 2 Stars: Although Rivals lists Steven as a kicker, he will come into Auburn to compete for the punting duties. Raise your hand if you care.

Photographical Evidence Steven is real: Once again, who really cares?

And that about wraps it up. If you're an AU fan, and your aren't psyched about this class, you are nuts. War Damn Eagle!

It's Official: Auburn Scores Huge Recruiting Class (part 1)

For even the most jaded and pessimistic Auburn football fan, today is a day for celebration. A year ago, the Auburn football program appeared to hit rock bottom. Tommy Tuberville, the longtime coach and face of the program, was forced out of the job after a highly disappointing 5-7 season. Never mind everything Tubs had done for the program, never mind his sterling reputation and track record of success in the ridiculously competitive SEC. The powers that be had spoken, and Tuberville was gone. The resulting coaching search was an anxious time on the plains, with numerous names being thrown around, none of them particularly inspiring. In the end, Auburn handed the job to Iowa State coach and former defensive coordinator Gene Chizik. When the news hit campus, things were far from pretty. From Creekside to Eagles' Landing, Facebook statuses erupted in fits of rage. How could we possibly be replacing a coach as respected, composed, and determined as Tommy Tuberville with some idiot who had won all of five games in two years? And in the Big 12 North of all places! Auburn's fan base was incredulous. This was an epic disaster of biblical proportions. Well, things have come full circle.

The man we now glowingly refer to as 'The Chiz' has exceeded any and all possible expectations even the most optimistic fan could have attributed to his first year on the job. The moment he stepped foot on campus, he was saying all the right things. His inaugural press conference was flawless, and spawned cautious optimism. This optimism began to snowball as he proceeded to surround himself with an excellent coaching staff, highlighted by the acquisition of Gus Malzahn as Offensive Coordinator. The snowball rolled on straight into the fall and, all of a sudden, Auburn was 5-0. Sure, that 5-0 start covered up some gaping flaws, but damn it we looked good. The offense appeared to be unstoppable, led by a rejuvenated Chris Todd, Ben Tate running with more more heart and soul than ever before, and a young spark-plug in the form of freshman Onterio McCalebb. Optimism now reigned supreme. Gene Chizik had evolved into the ultimate bad ass well ahead of schedule. His team rode the hot start to an eight win season, culminated by a bowl victory over Northwestern straight out of the Theatre of the Absurd. Through all of this on field excitement, most fans were largely unaware of what was going on behind the scenes.

Beyond leading the Tigers to a season of redemption, Chizik and his staff have been busy putting together one of the best recruiting classes in the history of the school. Today, of course, is National Signing Day. The dust has settled, the Letters of Intent are in, and Auburn has 32 reasons to celebrate. The class is unanimously ranked in the top 5 nationally. More importantly, it is as loaded (or more loaded) with talent than Alabama's. Let's take a look at the commitments, by position.

Offense

Quarterback:

Cameron Newton- 6-6, 247 - Brenham, Texas - 5 Stars (rivals.com star rankings): Cameron Newton is, quite simply, a beast. To quote an old teacher, "He's a big honkin' man-child", and I have high hopes he will leave SEC defenses behind in a cloud of destruction and pain. He once served as Tim Tebow's primary backup before leaving Florida amidst some controversy involving a stolen laptop. Two years later, he's primed to enter next season as the Tiger's starting QB. Newton's commitment is just one example of how special this class is. A few short months ago, not many people were talking about Newton and Auburn. Today, he's one of the many crown jewels of Chizik & Co.'s inaugural class. If all goes according to plan, Newton will take over the reigns for the next two years, before handing them off to a polished Tyrik Rollison in 2012. Sorry, Neil Caudle.

Video evidence of Newton's bad-assery: Statuesque Cam Newton destroying poor UT Vol

Running Back:

Michael Dyer- 5-8, 201 - Little Rock, Arkansas - 5 Stars: Dyer is the most hyped, and highest rated, prospect in Auburn's class. He is also a phenomenal running back who might have us all forgetting about Ben Tate sooner than we thought. Dyer is a bowling ball type back with plenty of vision, speed, and explosiveness to be considered a home run threat. If this kid is anywhere near as good as he's expected to be, he could emerge as the primary back from a crowded backfield. In any event, the Tigers' should be set this fall with Fannin, McCalebb, Aycock, Smith, and whoever else might emerge as an option to carry the football.

Video evidence of Dyer being the second coming of Maurice Jones Drew: Good Times

LaDarious Phillips- 6-1, 275 - Roanoke, Alabama - 2 Stars: All I know about LaDarious Phillips is I had no idea who he was before today, and he hits the hole very, very hard. Chizik has also stated that Phillips may have an opportunity to play on the defensive line. This kid could be a solid signing day sleeper.

Video evidence that Phillips is a very angry young man: My God, there's a monster on the field

Wide Receiver:

Antonio Goodwin- 6-2, 170 - Atlanta, Georgia - 4 Stars: Goodwin, an Atlanta product, earned that 4-star rating with his speed (4.4 40). Pretty much the definition of a downfield threat, Goodwin was one of the fastest high school receivers in Georgia. While he needs some polishing, Goodwin has the physical tools and length to become a very useful weapon for Malzahn in the future.

Jeremy Richardson- 6-4, 220 - Springville, Alabama - 4 Stars: One of Auburn's top in-state recruits, Richardson looks to be a larger, more raw version of Goodwin. He is another explosive receiver who gets by on his speed and length. If Richardson makes his grades, he could emerge as an extremely useful player capable of stretching defenses.

Video evidence dude is fast: He can return punts??

Trovon Reed- 6-0, 173 - Thibodaux, Louisiana - 4 Stars: Yet another lighting quick receiver, Reed may be the best of the bunch. He has excellent speed and agility, and is the most versatile athlete amongst this trio. Scouts love his big play ability, and he should be given every opportunity to earn time as a freshman. His biggest knock is his size, and there are questions as to whether his body can hold up against SEC competition. If he stays healthy, he will be dangerous.

Video evidence EA sports will assign him a '99' in Speed & Agility: Gets good at around 1:45

Tight End:

Brandon Mosley- 6-6, 285 - Coffeyville, Kansas - 4 Stars: Mosely is a JUCO ATH heading to Auburn from the football hotbed known only as Coffeyville, Kansas. Although he played end at Coffeyville, he's made it clear he wants to play Tight End at Auburn. Judging by his size, he should compliment Auburn's finesse Tight End, Philip Lutzenkirchen, very well. It will be interesting to see if Mosley does indeed stick at Tight End for the Tigers, or ends up on either the offensive or defensive line.

Dakota Mosley- 6-4, 252 - Little Rock, Arkansas - 3 Stars: The other Mosley (unrelated) is more of a pure Tight End, and is more likely to stick at that position in Auburn. He could be a nice addition at a position where Auburn could use some more talent.

Offensive Line:

Ed Christian- 6-5, 280 - Valdosta, Georgia - 3 Stars: Christian is a somewhat undersized run-blocker coming out of Lowndes High in Valdosta, Georgia. Despite his size, scouts love his mean streak. If he develops some more power to add to his strong technique and aggression, he has a chance to be a mainstay somewhere along the Auburn line.

Shon Coleman- 6-7, 285 - Olive Branch, Mississippi - 5 Stars: Whew! The past 72 hours have been pretty turbulent in regards to Coleman's recruitment process. Chizik and his staff survived a late scare from ohmygodnicksabanisamazing and managed to bag one of the top OL in the country, and the #1 rated player out of Mississippi. If Auburn wasn't so set along the line for this season, it's likely Coleman would emerge as the team's next great 4 year starter on the line. Look for Shon to add around 25 pounds upon his arrival as he begins to compete for a starting position.

Video Evidence that Shon is huge: There's not a lot of OL video out there (he's #77)

Tunde Fariyike- 6-3, 295 - Thomaston, Georgia - 2 Stars: Another 2-star signing day surprise, Fariyike intrigues me for two reasons. One, he's from Nigeria. Two, he has a goofy name. Auburn swooped in an stole this kid from Duke and Eastern Carolina, presumably because he's a true center, and we don't have many of those. Here's to hoping he's a diamond in the rough.

Video evidence somebody cares: He blocks!

Roszell Gayden- 6-7, 310 - Visalia, California - 4 Stars: With a name like Roszell Gayden, this kid could only be from California. What's more important than his name is the fact that he is a very promising JUCO player we were able to pluck from the west coast. He is also a former basketball player, and very athletic for his size. Gayden is another big body, albeit a very raw one (he only recently began playing OL), who will be competing for a spot on what will be Auburn's completely re-tooled offensive line in 2011.

Video evidence that video evidence of O-linemen sucks: Knock yourself out

Eric Mack- 6-4, 315 - St. Matthews, South Carolina - 4 Stars: Mack is a very recent commitment, and he's a big one. One of the top linemen in the country, Mack should be yet another valuable pick up at a position of need. A year ago, I was terrified of the day Ziemba and Co. would graduate. Now, I'm pretty confident Auburn will be able to build a solid line with the pieces they have managed to acquire. Scouts rave about Mack's ability to move his feet, and believe he will be well above average in pass protection at the college level. He will need to improve his drive off the line when run blocking.

Video evidence the kid speaks half-decent English: Good for him!

Chad Slade- 6-6, 316 - Moody, Alabama - 3 Stars: Slade is the least polished of the OL commits. He is, however, an athletic big man and possesses excellent power and strength. His stock has steadily risen over the past year, and if he gets to campus and works hard, he could find himself on the field sooner rather than later.

Video evidence Chad is a large human: Damn, he is large

Alright, that's all for tonight. Defense to come tomorrow.

An Intro

Welcome to Sports Doldrums, the sports blog brought to you by
two perpetually tortured fans. The goal of this blog will be to provide
you, the reader, with scathingly sarcastic and colorful insight from the
perspective of two diehard fans who unfailingly cling to the hope that
someday, against all odds, our teams will prevail. This blog, however,
will not be solely dedicated to the trials, and inevitable failures, of
our favorite teams. It will also be a grab bag of sorts, as a wide
range of teams and sports will be touched on.

A little bit about myself: My name is Doug and I am a recent
graduate of Auburn University. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but moved
out to Southern California as a toddler, and – for some bizarre reason –
have remained a staunch and tremendously loyal fan to the inept sports
scene that characterizes the city of my birth. I suppose I can blame
only my father. Whether he deserves the blame or not, I am nothing less
than a devout fan of the Indians, Browns and Cavaliers. My truly
formative years (Junior high, High school) were spent in St. Louis,
where I currently reside. Because of this, I am a casual fan of the
Cardinals, Blues and Rams. Despite my ties to St. Louis, when it comes
to professional sports, my primary focus will fall on the Cleveland
franchises. So be prepared to read plenty about LeBron, Grady and
Brady. And please, if you think I’m some fanatical raving lunatic,
challenge what I write. This blog, like most successful blogs, will
attempt to establish a strong and dynamic relationship between the two
of us and our readers. At this point, you may be wondering who
comprises the second half of the Sports Doldrums team. I’ll simply tell
you his name is Tim, he spent some time with me at Auburn, and he lives
in Memphis. I’ll let him tell you the rest.

Born in raised in the sports poor city of Memphis, Tennessee I spent my youth attaching myself to franchises like the short lived Memphis Mad Dogs, a Canadian Football League team that lasted for all of one year. From there I watched the Titans come into town for two years, only to leave for Nashville. I was then forced to witness the travesty that was the Memphis Maniax of the XFL. My sports life has been one of relative ambiguity. With no hometown team to tie myself to, I spent my childhood wandering the sports ocean searching for teams to call home. The Titans arrival in Tennessee helped ease my plight, giving me my first real sports pain. One fucking yard, Kevin Dyson - that’s all you needed. I also grew somewhat attached to the Boston Red Sox, mostly due to my youthful infatuation with Nomar Garciaparra (he played short stop and wore the number 5; two major qualifications in my book). The team, however, that has truly won my the entirety of my Memphis-blackened heart is the Memphis Grizzlies, an inept NBA franchise that has only tasted success for brief moments, followed by years of despair. I love sports - every aspect of them - but sometimes I need to vent over the things my teams do to me. That, in essence, is why I am here.

Anyways, Tim and I are excited about getting this thing going.
So if you’re out there reading this, don’t hesitate to stay a minute;
leave a comment. Let us know how we’re doing. After all, this blog is
for your entertainment. We hope you enjoy.