Thursday, March 27, 2008By PHILLIP MARSHALLTimes Sports Staff pmarsh9485@msn.com AU coach leaves May 20 to visit military forces AUBURN - When the invitation came, Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville didn't hesitate. Tuberville, heading toward his 10th season at Auburn, will join four other college head football coaches on a May trip to the Middle East, where they will offer support to men and women serving in the United States military forces. "Those guys are giving a lot," Tuberville said Wednesday night. "A lot of them won't have a chance to come home for a long time. The least I can do is give them a week of my time." Tuberville will join Georgia's Mark Richt, Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, Miami's Randy Shannon and Yale's Jack Siedlecki on the trip, sponsored by the NCAA and Armed Forces entertainment. They will leave on May 20 and return on May 26. "They have made so many sacrifices to help protect our country, and this is a small way that I, along with the other coaches on the tour, can say 'thank you,'" Tuberville said. "I know we'll get to visit with a lot of college football fans and hope to see several Auburn Tigers along the way." The college coaches will participate in meet and greets at various bases, coach flag football teams made up of servicemen and servicewomen and will host symposiums at which the audiences can ask questions. "It's going to be a long plane ride," Tuberville said, "but it'll be worth it. I'm going to carry a lot of books and carry my computer and get some work done on the way. I look forward to visiting with our troops. It's going to be a pretty neat thing." Air Force Col. Edward Shock, Chief of Armed Forces Entertainment, said the coaches' will be welcome guests for soldiers who are stationed far away from their homes. "We are proud to bring this tour to our military men and women," Shock said. "My hat goes off to these coaches for spending their down time with our troops." Tuberville and Auburn are nearing the end of spring practice. The Tigers will practice this morning and Friday afternoon. The annual A-Day game is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The final scrimmage of spring practice is set for next Wednesday at the stadium.
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