It's an undeniable fact the excitement for this season of Auburn football is beginning to boil over.
The sport that hasn't had much excitement surrounding it in recent history is basketball. Until now, that is.
When Bruce Pearl was hired to try and veer Auburn basketball in he right direction, I asked journalism professor John Carvalho if he had ever seen this much excitement revolving around Auburn basketball.
At 12:01 a.m., August 24, my question was answered.
Not only was it the waning hours of the first weekend of school, but it was six days away from one of the most anticipated Auburn football seasons in years. But as Bruce Pearl walked into his office early Sunday morning to talk to a recruit for the first time in three years, Auburn football was the last thing on fans' minds--at least those who gathered outside Auburn Arena.
Pearl was noticeably emotional when he walked up to the scene, similar to the one he was welcomed with at the Auburn airport the day he was hired and told fans that he was honored and blessed to be coaching the Tigers.
After a celebration with the players and several minutes of photo opportunities with fans, Pearl headed upstairs to get on the phone.
Less than 12 hours later, he had a commitment from Horace Spencer, the 57th best basketball prospect in the nation according to 247Sports.
The night before, Pearl's staff picked up a commitment from Danjel Purifoy, the 56th best prospect in the country, according to 247Sports.
Those two commitments pushed Auburn's recruiting class to the top 10 in the country, something that hasn't happened in quite some time.
It will only get better from here.
Pearl said in a press conference Sunday that for the next three weeks, his team will "go as hard as we can go," before he hits the road for a recruiting trip.
On Sunday, I watched Pearl address the attendees of his elite camp before the best of the best faced off in an all-star game.
I've been around Auburn sports for a long time, and there's always been a negative connotation around the basketball program.
In recent history, were I a blue-chip basketball recruit (which I most assuredly am not), I never would have even considered Auburn.
That, I believe, has changed. The players at the camp wanted to be at Auburn. They wanted to play for Pearl.
Not a single game has been played, but the excitement for the 2014 basketball season is reaching a football-esque level.
It's rare in the SEC to be successful in both football and basketball. Those schools that do see success in both sports usually have a strong coaching duo. Take Florida in 2006, for example. With Billy Donovan coaching basketball and Urban Meyer on the sidelines in the Swamp, the Gators captured national championships on the hardwood and the gridiron.
With a coaching duo like Gus Malzahn and Bruce Pearl, the possibilities are endless. Maybe not two national championships in the same year, but success is inevitable.
Without a doubt, it's a special time to be an Auburn fan.
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