Well, Saban Has Did It: Undefeated Regular Season

I've got to give it up to him. Nick Saban is the evil genius of the SEC.
He is becoming what Steve Spurrier was without the sarcasm and sass.
He's crafted in short order a machine that is threatening to win a national championship in his 2nd season.
As an LSU fan, I can't help but be reminded of how he turned the LSU Tigers into world beaters the same way he has done with the Tide.

And make no mistake, they aren't just beating people; they are shellacking teams.
What they have done is simply put together the best regular season in the SEC since Auburn's unrewarded 2004 campaign. (Tuberville, we'll miss you). But what stands out to me, as the Tide gets ready to take on the once-lost Florida Gators this Saturday in the SEC title game, is how many blowouts Bama put together. Not many teams were even in the game in the 4th quarter.
As much as I don't like what Saban did to LSU, I respect him as a coach and I respect the way he prepares young men to play the game. I especially like how he recently defended Slyvester Croom, Tuberville and Philip Fulmer.
All that said, Tebow is
still Superman.
Florida 35 - Bama 13

So Long, Tuberville. It's Been Real

In the end, Saban did it (so typical).
It was to a Nick Saban squad that ended the orange-and-blue reign of one of Auburn football's most liked and respected head coaches.

The 36-0 shutout to instate hyper-rival Alabama was too much for Tubby to wince away, to deflect, dodge and leap over. He had to lay on his sword this time.
I still can't believe Tommy Tuberville is out.
He did exactly what the great ones do. Win.
But even that wasn't enough for Tubby, even went undefeated in 2004 (13-0). But Tuberville, unlike 99 of 100 other coaches (what are the odds?) got zero. Zelch. Nada.
I'll say this: Tubby was a formidable opponent, that always fielded a team worthy of respect and honor. As an LSU fan, it was a privilege to look over from the Purple and Gold sideline to see his snarling at a referee and snickering to himself with his arms folded.
He'll be missed. He never backed down from a fight or battle. If a reporter mentioned a percieved superiority of an opponent, Tubby would fire back that his team could match them power to power. He was often wrong, but you had to love the gusto.
In the end, he simply ran out of time, made to look old and out of date by the new-breed coaches such as Urban Meyer, Saban and even Les Miles who fielded huge HeMen-like teenagers who could run, catch, juggle. The old school coach got schooled.

In 10 seasons at Auburn, Tuberville compiled an 85-40 record, reaching the No. 2 national ranking at the end of the 2004 campaign.

In tribute I post this Tuberville archive from the past 2 seasons, including some highs and lows for Auburn football.