Finebaum's Latest Bowel Movement

[AUChizad]

Finebaum: As SEC coaches aim for cease-fire, remember Tubby stirred pot with Saban snipes
Posted by Paul Finebaum, Sports Columnist June 09, 2009 8:55 AM


Although he looks relaxed here petting Trixie, former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville fostered rumors that University of Alabama coach Nick Saban was breaking recruiting rules, says sports columnist Paul Finebaum.

Two weeks ago, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive sat down with the league's 12 football coaches in Destin, Fla., and read them the riot act. Was it too little, too late? Has the damage already been done?

As a result of coaches calling each other out over the years, combined with the proliferation of the Internet and to a lesser degree, talk radio, Slive can't stop the emerging problem. You just can't put the genie back in the bottle.
 

One side always has accused the other of cheating. This is part of human nature, of fandom. You may have heard it from time to time during the Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan era. However, back then, coaches normally called one another and tried to work out the problem internally.

This practice came to a screeching halt about 20 years ago when Bill Curry publicly accused Auburn of cheating on a particular player. I'll never forget Pat Dye screaming over the phone one night to me about the man from Georgia Tech, using every curse word in the book and some I had never heard. He was less concerned about the allegations (the NCAA ultimately cleared Auburn) than the fact Curry never bothered to call first.

"We had a deal," Dye said. "I did with Coach Bryant and Ray (Perkins), and I had the same arrangement."

This accord took another hit a few years later when Gene Stallings called Terry Bowden early one morning, around National Signing Day, to accuse one of his coaches of breaking a rule. Bowden denied it (and he was right), but the conversation ended up being a major-league beatdown of Bowden by Stallings. Finally, Stallings issued the ultimate brickbat, insinuating Terry was a small fry (he used stronger language) compared to his beloved father, Bobby.

Things took an even nastier turn over the next few years when Phillip Fulmer became Public Enemy No. 1 in Alabama, as opposed to the Auburn coach. He didn't bother to call Mike DuBose and confront him about the allegations in Memphis. He simply played the role of private eye, personally delivering a secret witness to an NCAA investigator.

During this same period, others were more direct, such as Steve Spurrier, who confronted DuBose personally.

With Alabama on NCAA probation during a great deal of the Mike Shula era, talk of allegations seemed to simmer. But they started up again almost immediately after Nick Saban arrived and began picking Auburn's pocket for nearly every major recruit in the area.

Auburn fans began calling talk shows and posting on the Internet about alleged rules violations. I talked to an Auburn man several months ago who swore he hired a private investigator to gather dirt on Saban and Alabama and would bring them down.

To date, there hasn't been a single allegation publicly made, but it hasn't stopped a barrage of charges to surface all over the Internet and in the mailboxes of major media members throughout the state.

It's gotten so widespread that Alabama officials -- who never comment on allegations -- say they have personally looked into the charges and have found no wrongdoing.

The officials won't tell us specifically what they investigated. Just that they didn't find anything wherever they looked.

In the wake of this war between the two fan bases, the question must be asked: Who started the fire? Did Auburn fans simply come up with these allegations? Or did someone higher up start making allegations privately, thus tangentially encouraging fans to start spreading the word on Saban?

Well, there is simple answer to that complex question.

Tommy Tuberville.

Within weeks of Saban's arrival, Tuberville was making claims the new Alabama coach was breaking rules of every kind. He told this to his staff, certain media members and boosters. He repeated the allegations early and often.

Interestingly, Saban and Tuberville, according to people close to both, were supposedly friendly. They were known to call one another on occasion if a question arose on the recruiting front. Apparently, that wasn't enough to satisfy Tuberville, who had become careless in his rumor mongering.

People have heard him make allegations about Saban and Alabama's recruiting in a public place with several ears trained on his voice.

Of course, Tuberville has been gone since December, and the allegations are still making the rounds. Will they amount to anything?

Who knows?

But while some lately have taken to moralizing on the subject of Alabama and Auburn, wanting to blame wayward fans and select media members for unnecessarily stirring the pot, think again.

In this case, the man who shares some of the blame for what is currently going on is the former Auburn head football coach himself.

[Townhallsavoy]

I guess Gene Chizik's 5-19 record has run its course.  There must not be anything to discuss smear about our current staff since these journalists are trying portray AU in a negative light via our former coaches. 

So, Tony Franklin detailed how our administration is corrupt with their meddling.  He also said that Auburn is based so much on religion and faith that it's fake. 

And now, Tommy Tuberville started all of these rumors that has led to a new wave in football - accusing the other side of cheating. 

Also, I'm sure Tommy Tuberville was in the driver's seat of this fun rumor last year - "Suzanne is fucking the construction worker."  Or was Tommy Tuberville in charge of the "Tuberville to Arkansas/Dallas/Texas A&M" rumors?  Maybe it was the "Chette Williams is using his ministry to pay players" rumors that was instigated by Shane from Centerpoint but broadcast from Finebaum's studio.  That Tuberville and his crazy rumors. 

[AUChizad]

I guess Gene Chizik's 5-19 record has run its course.  There must not be anything to discuss smear about our current staff since these journalists are trying portray AU in a negative light via our former coaches. 

So, Tony Franklin detailed how our administration is corrupt with their meddling.  He also said that Auburn is based so much on religion and faith that it's fake. 

And now, Tommy Tuberville started all of these rumors that has led to a new wave in football - accusing the other side of cheating. 

Also, I'm sure Tommy Tuberville was in the driver's seat of this fun rumor last year - "Suzanne is fucking the construction worker."  Or was Tommy Tuberville in charge of the "Tuberville to Arkansas/Dallas/Texas A&M" rumors?  Maybe it was the "Chette Williams is using his ministry to pay players" rumors that was instigated by Shane from Centerpoint but broadcast from Finebaum's studio.  That Tuberville and his crazy rumors. 

He doesn't even try to back up this claim with anything.

He contradicts himself by saying it started with Curry and Dye. Then he says it was Bowden and Stallings. Then Fulmer and Dubose. But Tuberville started it...

This is the most juvenile middle school shit I've ever read on a "legitimate" news site. "Nu uh, he started it!"

[Snaggletiger]

THS, you hit the nail on the head in bringing up their absolutely defamatory attack on Chette Williams.  There is no defense for what PF was doing..albeit he can claim it was Shane's take and didn't represent his.  Bullshipth.  It was in the blogs on his website written by a guy they hired.  He discussed it daily and called out CW. 

But, Tuberville started the sniping?  WTF ever. 

[JR4AU]

THS, you hit the nail on the head in bringing up their absolutely defamatory attack on Chette Williams.  There is no defense for what PF was doing..albeit he can claim it was Shane's take and didn't represent his.  Bullshipth.  It was in the blogs on his website written by a guy they hired.  He discussed it daily and called out CW. 

But, Tuberville started the sniping?  WTF ever. 

He's been running this line of shit on the air for a while...claims Tubs started this because he didn't want to admit he'd quit recruiting, and instead accused Saban of cheating.

[AUChizad]

THS, you hit the nail on the head in bringing up their absolutely defamatory attack on Chette Williams.  There is no defense for what PF was doing..albeit he can claim it was Shane's take and didn't represent his.  Bullshipth.  It was in the blogs on his website written by a guy they hired.  He discussed it daily and called out CW. 

But, Tuberville started the sniping?  WTF ever. 

Come to think of it, I believe maybe Shane wrote this article. I guess Finebaum had other things to do so he bought him a six-pack of Busch in the camo cans to write this for him.

[boartitz]

Come to think of it, I believe maybe Shane wrote this article. I guess Finebaum had other things to do so he bought him a six-pack of Busch in the camo cans to write this for him.

For real on the beer?