Monday Musings

[Kaos]

I'll be honest with you.  I am a Hugh Freeze fan.  I respect that you aren't, and understand your reasoning why.  I believe he will be a pretty good coach at Auburn when all is said and done.  A couple of thoughts from yours truly:

1.  I am extremely disappointed with what I have seen to this point in the season.  I am sure this is not his intention, but he keeps shitting on the current roster when talking about the huge disparity in talent.  A huge part of football is self-confidence, and hearing that on more than one occasion can be a motivation killer.  Not a lot of wisdom in saying that publicly to media members, even if there is some truth to it. 

2.  I hope I am wrong about this... I am not seeing a whole lot of passion for winning right away from Hugh.  I am getting an attitude of "whatever will be, will be" by his tone, and by some of the things he says in his weekly pressers.  I personally would like to see a sense of urgency for improvement from the top down and immediate improvement.  Sucks that it needs to be against one of the best teams in the country, if not the best, but I want to see an exciting & effective offensive attack.  What we have seen up to this point looked like Gus Malzahn (in his worst years here) and Scott Loeffler (in his only year here) had a baby, and that baby is calling plays. 

I am trying to be slow to react on the whole thing.  It is a hard task to compete year in and year out with the best teams when we are needing to be pulled out of a ditch.  I have been unimpressed with Monty, and would like for Freeze and Cadillac to collaborate to get something in place that doesn't resemble a bag of mashed up asshole.

I get that.   And I hope I’m wrong.

I was so opposed to Freeze personally I never did a good job articulating my professional objections.   Those were the ones that matter I guess.  And the ones I see playing out now. 

We look like a dead baby seal on offense and he comes out all Ned Flanders.  We had nice guy gus.  We had clueless Hooperman.   We lost our fire.  Our heart. Our toughness.  Our grit.  Brother Hugh’s love ‘em tour isn’t going to restore that.  He came out this week and said we need to love our team, not hate the opponents.  Seriously?  They hate us.  Deeply.  They want to destroy us.  We NEED hate right now. 

But even more than that what is his resume? It’s paper thin.  He’s never been truly successful long term or even short without hookers and cash.  He’s no more connected to the NFL or the coaching network than Gus was.  He has no resources other than his own sycophantic bubble. 

The things I see him say would never be said by Dye, Shug, Tuberville or even maybe Gus. 

Once again I hope I’m wrong.  We don’t need another carousel.  But this is a bad fit.

[Snakebite]

Once again I hope I’m wrong.  We don’t need another carousel.  But this is a bad fit.

We absolutely do not need another carousel.  We certainly need longevity and consistency.  I won't say it is a bad fit yet, but he certainly is not putting his best foot forward with the product on the field.  We haven't looked like world beaters even against the JV teams that we have played thus far, despite what the final score suggests. 

I do think part of the problem is that Thorne has snakes in his head, and will need to be replaced during this upcoming game for good.  That is where I truly hope I am wrong, because he throws a beautiful ball and can move around well enough to be a threat when he isn't frozen with fear.  Robby or Holden might be our best bet in getting the ball out within 3 seconds of the snap.

[Snaggletiger]

I have total faith in Freeze.  When the coaching search was going on, I was very open about the fact that I wanted Auburn not to Auburn, and instead, swing for the fences with a home run hire.  I knew it wouldn’t happen.  That’s not what we do. But I didn’t want the other end of the spectrum either.  I didn’t want UT Chattanooga’s coach, or a 5-19 former AU coach who interviewed well, or the latest hot coordinator. I wanted someone who had lots of experience, had been a consistent winner wherever they had been, and especially someone who had been in this conference, and knew what it takes to compete here.  I felt like if you put somebody like that in place, with very little learning curve, and give them the backing and resources that Auburn can provide….look out.

Free checks those boxes for me.  Has he won anything significant before?  No, but how far can you take Lambuth, Arkansas State, Ole Miss or Liberty? However, he’s won to the tune of 103-47.  Now, he’s at a place that has the facilities, overall resources and fan backing that can rival any program in the nation.  A program that has won, and played for another MNC in very recent history. 

Look, every coach’s personality is different.  Lord Saybinz is a total ass to everybody.  Coach Prime is all Hollywood, all fuck the haters, all the time.  Kiffin spends most of his time trying to be cute on social media and in the press. Freeze has his own style, and no, he’s not Pat Dye.  I’m apparently hearing different things from Freeze than some of you.  I see the guy being almost brutally honest about the play on the field, and the coaching from the sidelines.  I see him saying that shit ain’t right, and needs to be fixed, with both the players and coaches.  I see an easy read between the lines, saying, “I hired you guys to handle this shit (Offensively) and it better get fixed or I’m taking it over.” And ultimately, that’s his responsibility.  It’s on him, and I think he’s more than up to the task.

As a fan, I see stuff in the first 4 games that chaps my Bo Jackson Underoos. Too many stupid turnovers.  Excessive penalties, and yes, shittastic play calling that’s more of a problem than our lack of championship caliber talent. And as a fan, I also don’t think it’s overboard to have expectations that the shit they can control, gets straightened out.  But I see U calling it out too, and vowing to get it right.

Most likely, we’re about to be 3-2 come Saturday night. Probably going to get a lot worse, before it gets better.  But, outside of a random prognostibator predicting Auburn might surprise some people, the overwhelming majority of experts and analysts said we were either last, or next to last in the West, at best.  Lucky to win a league game. That’s what happens when Mr. Potato Head decimates your roster, and you have to try and fill the void with 20+ players from East Carolina, Tulsa, Western Kentucky and North Texas. As long as I see U Free doing what it takes to unfuck all the stuff they’ve been doing to beat themselves, I can live with losing to more talented teams.  I think he will.   

[wesfau2]

Goddammit.  Y'all got me agreeing with Snags right here in front of god and errbody.

[GH2001]

Goddammit.  Y'all got me agreeing with Snags right here in front of god and errbody.

We can all just rub weiners if you want.

[Snakebite]

As long as I see U Free doing what it takes to unfuck all the stuff they’ve been doing to beat themselves, I can live with losing to more talented teams.  I think he will.   

This is my main point of contention.  The Texas A&M game was a sequel to the Cal game.  The unfuckening was nowhere to be found.  I, like you, have faith that it should head the right direction after last week.  We are past due on knowing our identity and there is not one thing that I can point to from Cal to A&M that we have improved on.  We need to see that against the leg humpers or that alignment is a threat to become fractious.

[wesfau2]

We can all just rub weiners if you want.

Snags is way ahead of you.  He even throws some bbq rub on it.  To each his own, I guess...

[Snaggletiger]

Snags is way ahead of you.  He even throws some bbq rub on it.  To each his own, I guess...

It's actually kind of a mixture of BBQ sauce and some other ingredients, but it's the brown sugar that keeps em' coming back fo mo.

[Kaos]

[Snaggletiger]

More musing.  Through 4 games, Eugene Asante has 28 total tackles, 20 solo.  2 sacks and 1 TD. 

Dude is a baller, and was balls out against A&M. 

[Kaos]

Unshun.

Explain to me how this isn’t Gus-lite? 

-Same mystifying lack of development or confidence at QB. With the exception of Stidham for a brief flash, that plagued the Gus offense from the day Nick Marshall left. 
- same mind-boggling lack of game planning.  No identity.  No idea what the offense is even supposed to be trying to do.  Same failed philosopy.
- same reliance on defense to bail out the anemic offense, same defense that just wears out. 
- same age-old debate over whether the mastermind head coach should take over playcalling.
- I could go on but I’m getting heartburn. 

Where is the toughness. Where is the tenacity. Where is that barely restrained fury.  Where is the ‘we are coming after your ass’ on offense?  Where is the confidence?

I’ve seen this movie before. 

— Re-shun —

[Snakebite]

Unshun.

Explain to me how this isn’t Gus-lite? 

-Same mystifying lack of development or confidence at QB. With the exception of Stidham for a brief flash, that plagued the Gus offense from the day Nick Marshall left. 
- same mind-boggling lack of game planning.  No identity.  No idea what the offense is even supposed to be trying to do.  Same failed philosopy.
- same reliance on defense to bail out the anemic offense, same defense that just wears out. 
- same age-old debate over whether the mastermind head coach should take over playcalling.
- I could go on but I’m getting heartburn. 

Where is the toughness. Where is the tenacity. Where is that barely restrained fury.  Where is the ‘we are coming after your ass’ on offense?  Where is the confidence?

I’ve seen this movie before. 

— Re-shun —

Thus far, you are right.  What I have to keep reminding myself... We are only 4 games into season 1 with a completely new roster consisting of players that haven't played much football together, and in most cases, are used to playing inferior talent.  I think we truly do have the talent to not be a last place team this year in the last year of the SEC West.  We just need to build some comradery & coaching needs to be way better on game days.

You'll hate me for saying, but it seems that Hugh is taking the exact same approach that Dye took in his first year at Auburn.  This is not saying that Hugh can hold Dye's jock strap, because he hasn't done anything to prove that he can.  However, I saw some blatant parallels in messaging to the base, the players, and verbal priorities.

[Snaggletiger]

QB development is definitely not Freeze’s shortcoming. He’s done it way too often to claim otherwise.  I don’t know if there’s hope with what’s on the roster now, but it is what it is.  I believe if there was truly anyone with legit skillz, we’d be seeing it.

Here’s the reality. (List of excuses) Freeze came in late, and behind the 8-ball.  He accomplished more in a few short weeks than Breland Hairpin did in his 1 and 1/3 years here.  He’s trying to overcome not only that, but the last 2-3 years of Gus’ completely inept recruiting, especially in areas where we most needed it.  Between the recruiting class, and the port hole players, he replaced almost half the roster.  However, you’re only going to get a handful of true contributors at best from a freshman class. And let’s face it, while you can find the occasional gold nugget in the port hole, the majority of players in there, either can’t start where they’re at, or they’re wanting to take a step up in competition from a lower tier school.  Hence, our O-line and receivers consisting of players from East Carolina, Tulsa, Western Kentucky, North Texas and Jackson State. Are these SEC caliber players?  Not looking like it so far, but they may adjust.

As I’ve said numerous times, there’s a lot to clean up with the penalties and turnovers.  That’s concentration and coaching.  And I’ve also harped on the head scratching play calling to this point. But, I think a lot of what’s happened is that since the day Freeze got to Auburn, it’s been nothing but positive.  After quite a few years of a serious downward trend and Birmingham Bowls, we finally had some good shit to talk about, and better days ahead.  Then, the season started, and reality set in.  Everybody out there without an Auburn jersey on said we’ve got a long way to go.  Turns out they were right.  It sucks, but they were. 

[CCTAU]

Freeze has successfully developed QBs before, so that means PT should be leading the Heisman race? That’s a hater’s perspective at this stage. In another season or so, yeah, you may have a point.

[GH2001]

Freeze has successfully developed QBs before, so that means PT should be leading the Heisman race? That’s a hater’s perspective at this stage. In another season or so, yeah, you may have a point.

4 fuckin games.....4. My word...

agree on your point....after a year or two? yeah

[GH2001]

QB development is definitely not Freeze’s shortcoming. He’s done it way too often to claim otherwise.  I don’t know if there’s hope with what’s on the roster now, but it is what it is.  I believe if there was truly anyone with legit skillz, we’d be seeing it.

Here’s the reality. (List of excuses) Freeze came in late, and behind the 8-ball.  He accomplished more in a few short weeks than Breland Hairpin did in his 1 and 1/3 years here.  He’s trying to overcome not only that, but the last 2-3 years of Gus’ completely inept recruiting, especially in areas where we most needed it.  Between the recruiting class, and the port hole players, he replaced almost half the roster.  However, you’re only going to get a handful of true contributors at best from a freshman class. And let’s face it, while you can find the occasional gold nugget in the port hole, the majority of players in there, either can’t start where they’re at, or they’re wanting to take a step up in competition from a lower tier school.  Hence, our O-line and receivers consisting of players from East Carolina, Tulsa, Western Kentucky, North Texas and Jackson State. Are these SEC caliber players?  Not looking like it so far, but they may adjust.

As I’ve said numerous times, there’s a lot to clean up with the penalties and turnovers.  That’s concentration and coaching.  And I’ve also harped on the head scratching play calling to this point. But, I think a lot of what’s happened is that since the day Freeze got to Auburn, it’s been nothing but positive.  After quite a few years of a serious downward trend and Birmingham Bowls, we finally had some good shit to talk about, and better days ahead.  Then, the season started, and reality set in.  Everybody out there without an Auburn jersey on said we’ve got a long way to go.  Turns out they were right.  It sucks, but they were.

Stop making sense and being realistic. It's pitch fork and lynch mob time hoss.

[AUPlumber]

Hey, this is the poster formally known as ssgaufan.  Can y’all help a dumbass out and get someone to send me a link to reset my password for that account? 

[Snaggletiger]

Hey, this is the poster formally known as ssgaufan.  Can y’all help a dumbass out and get someone to send me a link to reset my password for that account?

Uh huh

[AUPlumber]

Uh huh

I knew I could count on ol Snaggleballs!

[CCTAU]

I am not exactly sure how to reset a password on here.
The guy in charge entered a mental facility and has not been heard from again, apparently.