(I apologize to my readers for the lateness of this post. My daughter had an all weekend soccer tournament and then I had more soccer practices and of course the election this past week.)
Auburn 23 Vanderbilt 16. This is one of the few Auburn games for me that was completely overshadowed by events the week before and after. The week before the Chicago Cubs finally overcame the odds and won a World Series title. It was an unbelievable effort throughout the season and in the playoffs with the pressure of that long a drought hanging over those young men. There was one old man in that lineup of course and he went to Auburn. I am of course talking about catcher David Ross who went out in fine style helping the Cubs to the title and becoming the oldest player in baseball history to hit a homerun in game seven of the World Series.
Anyone who keeps up with Auburn baseball remembers David Ross and his walk-off home run against Florida State in the 1997 NCAA Regionals that is perhaps the signature moment in Auburn baseball history. It has been a time to be proud of the Auburn baseball program the last few years. Frank Thomas became the first Auburn baseball player to enter the Hall of Fame while Tim Hudson and David Ross both went out helping their teams win epic World Series titles. I actually became a baseball fan when I started playing Rotisserie fantasy baseball while at Auburn in 1989. Rotisserie baseball was the first fantasy sport and is what started the billion dollar industry that is now fantasy football. I had kind of lost touch with baseball the last few years but really enjoyed coming back to watch the finale of this World Series.
This Game 7 classic might be the best baseball game I have ever seen. What a back and forth battle. The Cubs opened the game with a home run only to see the Indians tie it up two innings later. The Cubs would then score five more runs including the home run by David Ross only to see the Indians tie it again on an epic two-run homer by centerfielder Rajai Davis. It looked pretty bleak then for the Cubs. I thought the Indians would win at that point. The cardiac kids did it again though and the Cubs won 8-7 in one of the greatest World Series games of all times.
This might have been my favorite baseball moment although for me two more are right there with it. I am not sure anything can replace the 1991 Braves "worst-to-first" season that included another all-time classic Game 7 except the Braves came down on the wrong side of it. I was still at Auburn in 1991 and everyone just got caught up in Braves mania. It was an unbelievable ride and continued in to 1992 and my favorite single Braves baseball moment. That is of course Sid Bream beating Barry Bonds throw to win Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS. I remember going absolutely bonkers and waking up both my parents. BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!
My other favorite baseball moment was the 2004 NLCS between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. At that time it was easy of course for Auburn fans to sympathize with the Red Sox as the relationship between them and the Yankees is very similar to Auburn and Bama. Somehow I flipped by and got sucked into Game 4 and the incredible comeback by the Red Sox. It just grabbed you and my wife and I watched the rest of the series. That series also had an Auburn connection in Red Sox second baseman Mark Bellhorn. Bellhorn helped lead Auburn to the College World Series in 1994 and then started his career in the minors in my city of Huntsville, Alabama.
I am sorry for the walk down memory lane in another sport but I thought the Cubs monumental victory deserved it. There is also not a lot new to say about Auburn's win over Vanderbilt. The first half was awful with quarterback Sean White out. I understood making John Franklin the backup before Auburn became a contender again. I do not understand it now, senior Jeremy Johnson would have done a better job and should be the backup now that Auburn is playing for something. John Franklin either cannot throw the ball or the coaches do not trust him to throw the ball.
I complain about Auburn not throwing enough anyway but with Franklin in the game they literally do not throw at all. This is not 1940, you cannot win against anybody not throwing it all. Franklin is not even close to being that good. I agree he should get some wildcat looks but does not appear to be a viable quarterback. Play the young fast runner when you are getting ready for next year but bring in your experienced senior if you are contending. Nobody knows of course what was or is wrong with Sean White but he looked OK coming back in the second half to lead Auburn to the win.
The offense had it's moments but their effort was overshadowed by injuries, turnovers and penalties. The biggest injury of course being Kamryn Pettway's pulled hamstring or whatever happened to him on that run. It does not look good and does not appear he will play this week against Georgia. I will say it is not surprising as the coaches have ridiculously overused Pettway the last few weeks. I have learned personally this fall about muscles tightening up when your knees or other places are sore. I pulled my hamstring as well and it all stemmed from a sore knee due to overdoing it. The Auburn coaches should feel responsibility and regret for overusing Pettway.
Pettway before the injury had another monster day gaining 173 yards and surpassing 1000 for the season. The guy has become Auburn's offense and will be sorely missed if he is out this week. I wonder what the game plan for Georgia will be since the only one Auburn has used the last few weeks is running Pettway with a few passes sprinkled in. I think leaning on Auburn's corps of young wide receivers would be a good place to start but I doubt that will happen. Kerryon Johnson will be first up and then we will get a mix of Stanton Truitt, Chandler Cox and Kam Martin.
The Auburn defense was stung through the air for the second week in a row. The defense that looked so good early on has looked very vulnerable lately. I expected the pass rush and coverage to be better. It looks like Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is only rushing four and laying back in coverage waiting for the other team to make a mistake. That is a sound strategy at times but as bad as Auburn looked against Ole Miss I think he needs to come out more aggressive against Georgia. I believe Georgia will pass a lot more against Auburn after watching the game film from Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. It is time for the Auburn defense to return to form and lead the way against the Bulldogs.
Amen Corner is here and it begins with Georgia, "The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry". The game this week will be the premiere game in the SEC and take center stage. It is always a special week. It is Auburn vs. Georgia, maybe the closest rivalry in all of college football. Georgia leads by a single game 56-55-8. Georgia leads in total points after over a 100 years of playing by about 50 points. It is that close. I do not think there is one rivalry that is even close stat-wise. This is a true rivalry not a lot of talk about a series dominated by one team most of the time. I do not think there is any other rivalry that has the history of Auburn and Georgia either. I am talking history like both of their greatest coaches being alumni from the other school and many other ties like that.
It is time again.
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