The Works, hate to say hate-style

More please.

If you could that, uh, inability-to-stand-them into another kickoff return, that'd be swell. The AJC brings you your requisite "It's a rivalry, but not that kind of rivalry" overview of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. Most of the information included therein--did you know Vince Dooley went ot Auburn?!?!?--is decidedly of the O RLY variety, but there's one particularly juicy quote that's well worth sharing:

“I hate to say hate, but I can’t stand Georgia,” Auburn running back Tristan Davis said this week.

Just this once, Tristan, I think it's OK if you want to use the H-word if you really want. (Me? I'm waiting 'til the next game on the schedule. But to each his own.)

News galore. Obviously the big development from yesterday afternoon was that Tray Blackmon is no longer with the team, is now working part-time to support his family, and may or may not ever see the field for Auburn again. I'm going to wait until it's official before writing Blackmon's final, sad career obituary, but suffice it to say this is about as depressing as news beyond the sidelines gets. So much potential, so little chance now of ever seeing it realized.

Elsewhere: Eddie Gran popped up to tell us that "big-play guy" Mario Fannin could get the start tomorrow and that Morgan Hull is now officially the man on kickoffs. Both of these developments are positive from the JCCW's view: I think it's time to pick one horse and ride him at RB, and since Lester just can't seem to get healthy enough to be that horse, I think it's time to hand the keys to Fannin. (I tried to work a third transportation-based metaphor and couldn't. Sorry.) As for kickoffs, Byrum just hasn't cut it. Might as well see what Hull can do given the job full-time.

Season of DEATH. Charles Goldberg on the joys of the 11:30 kickoff:

Auburn had pinpointed this game as its showcase for recruits because of the atmosphere the Georgia game always creates. It figures that in this disappointing season that Raycom stole some of the recruiting thunder by assigning it as an 11:30 a.m. TV game, a time that makes it tough for all the recruits to make it, and a time in which the atmosphere won't be at a fever pitch.

Huzzah. (Please keep the recruits who are in attendance in mind, boo birds.) The meat of Goldberg's article, though, is that Auburn's recruiting is being made tougher by Gogue's declining to discuss Tubby's status until after they've had their postseason meeting. On the one hand, yeah, I can't imagine it's helping discussions with recruits. On the other, I hardly think Gogue deserves a scolding for not making a commitment RIGHT THIS SECOND when two of the three biggest games of the season are still to come. If this is a decision that's worth deliberating over--and as much as I like Tubby, at this point, it is--then it's worth waiting until Gogue has much information as possible before deciding.

Nightmare fuel. Auburntron brings it:



Oh, if only I could believe that Tubby was this indestructible. The blAUgosphere was rife with cool visuals this week, with Wire Road and Shug bringing you this gem from Dye's days in Athens ...



... as well as a small shot from the last time Auburn lined up in what would today be referred to as an Orangeout. Also, TWER does their TWER thing (with BONUS patriotism trash talk) and while I can't really get behind the pessimism at Lifetime of Defeats regarding the upcoming Iron Bowl, I'm willing to excuse it when the analogies come this creative:



I'm required to show you this. Mark McCarter suggests the Tide players should cast off the miserable shackles of coachbot rule just long enough to smell the undefeated roses:

There is always so much talk about "it's a business trip" and the "24-hour rule" and "focus" and how, as Nick Saban put it, it's "toxic" to think about polls and rankings.

These kids have already accomplished remarkable things, they've had some fun games and memories to last a lifetime, and I hope they're embracing that now, and not merely worrying about lofty goals.

A friend from a national publication observed after covering Alabama that "Saban has sucked all the joy out of this." I hope that's not the case.

OMGCOACHBOTLOLZ. Fun as it is to see this little gem appear, even I think suggesting that Saban has sucked all the joy out of it is an exaggeration. The guy did grease up his iron joints enough to offer that chest-bump a couple weeks back.

Etc. The SEC's coaches play poker at Team Speed Kills, with hilarious results ... Saurian Sagacity takes what I think is a pretty telling look at the "Big 12: Bad Defense, or Brilliant Offense?" question.

Aaaand finally ... I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that after my post defending Brad Lester from Paul Westerdawg's charge he'd predicted a win tomorrow, PWD responded with a fine counterpost. I certainly stand by my defense of Lester, but I can also admit that in the face of a change-of-subject this deft and propaganda this stirring, there's not much else other than to throw up one's hands and say "Well played, sir." So: Well played, sir.