Search Results

Editorial: WARNING: Vaccine may prevent disease

Vaccinations have become a hot topic after the measles outbreak linked to a California Disneyland theme park. This outbreak should remind Auburn citizens they should be getting vaccinated and should vaccinate their children. Anyone who doesn't vaccinate puts the lives of others at risk. The AU Med Clinic was not able to comment on Auburn University's vaccination policies in time for publication. According to a recent Time magazine article, 121 cases of measles were reported. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has tracked the virus to 17 states and Washington, D.C. Doctors said they believe the outbreak is linked to people refusing to get vaccinated and not vaccinating their children, believing vaccines may lead to health risks or cause autism. In 1998, The Lancet published a study, led by Andrew Wakefield, a former surgeon in Great Britain, suggesting autism could be caused by vaccinations, but according to a New York Times article from 2010, the journal has retracted the findings after a British medical panel found that Wakefield violated research ethics rules and did not show enough compassion or care for the children involved in his study. Aside from believing vaccines may cause health issues, some people refuse to have anything to do with vaccinations because of their belief systems, such as Scientology, which has become known for its stance against many modern medicine practices. According to an interview conducted by BeliefNet, reverend John Carmichael of the Church of Scientology said there is nothing in the Scientology scriptures that discusses vaccinations. It is important for students to get vaccinated because students interact with those at higher risk of infection, children, pregnant women and the elderly, on a daily basis. Families tour Auburn University, people send their children to the day care on campus and some professors students go home to their partners and children. Vaccinations have helped nearly eradicate measles, mumps and rubella in the United States. According to the CDC, the MMR vaccine, which prevents measles, mumps and rubella, has a 95 percent effectiveness with the first dose and a second dose gives immunity to nearly all of those who did not respond effectively to the first dose. Even as a student, you could expose others to diseases if you are not vaccinated. Professors go home to their children; students spend weekends with their families. Be responsible. Get vaccinated.

Tigers allow Razorbacks to eclipse century mark in foul-laden loss

A total of 53 fouls were committed in the game between Auburn and Arkansas Tuesday Feb.10, a game that lasted almost two and a half hours. When it was finally over, Auburn was on the wrong end of a 101-87 loss, marking the first time Auburn has surrendered 100 points to an opponent since November 2013. "This is as well as (Arkansas) has shot the ball in a while," said head coach Bruce Pearl. "Particularly on the road. They're better from two then three, but tonight they were terrific from three." The Razorbacks were 11 of 23 from three-point land, but they still got their points down low, outscoring the Tigers 44-20 in the paint. The loss was Auburn's third game in six days, and Pearl said he thinks fatigue may have been a factor. "We didn't contest and we didn't defend," Pearl said. "I think the Thursday-Saturday-Tuesday showed a little bit, in the sense that I don't know that we were as aggressive, and obviously weren't very effective defensively." KT Harrell and K.C. Ross-Miller tied for the scoring lead on the night with 21, with Ross-Miller coming off the bench to replace the injured Tahj Shamsid-Deen. Shamsid-Deen has been battling a shoulder injury all season, but Pearl said this time it may be more serious. Even with 44 points from the bench, Auburn still couldn't find an answer for the Hogs. Ross Miller said lack of execution ultimately led to the Tigers' downfall. "We didn't compete enough defensively," Ross-Miller said. "We scored 87 points. That should be enough to win." It seemed as if there was a foul called on every possession Tuesday nigt, but Pearl said he agreed with the calls, and the referees were simply doing their job. "The game was chippy," Pearl said. "The officials had to take control of the game, and I thought they did a good job. If the players are going to play like that, then the officials have no choice. They've got to take control. There was a lot of talking right from the jump." The loss drops Auburn to two games under .500 at 11-13, with a 3-8 mark in SEC play. Next up is a trip to Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, Feb. 14, for a matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs, who currently boast a 15-7 record.

KCRMRazorbacks

K.C. Ross-Miller dribbles down the court against Arkansas. (Adam Sparks / Photographer)

Seven Auburn players invited to NFL Combine

The NFL announced the list of 323 former college football players invited to this year's NFL Combine starting February 17th. Among Auburn's exiting players, seven have been selected to attend the Combine, including Nick Marshall, Cameron Artis-Payne, Sammie Coates, Reese Dismukes, Gabe Wright, Jermaine Whitehead and Angelo Blackson. Former Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, who amassed 4508 passing yards, 1866 rushing yards and ended with a career starter record of 19-7, is expected to switch from quarterback to cornerback in the NFL. Cameron Artis-Payne, the SEC's latest leading rusher with 1608 yards, will be tested along side Georgia's Todd Gurley and Heisman runner-up Melvin Gordon. In addition to Artis-Payne and Marshall, the Tiger's former wide-out Sammie Coates will look to improve his draft stock. Coates' 6-feet-2-inch, 200-plus pound frame coupled with blazing speed could go far in impressing scouts in an especially pass-heavy league. Former Auburn center and Rimington Award winner Reese Dismukes is the only offensive lineman invited to the Combine despite underclassman Patrick Miller deciding to leave early and declare for the draft. A pair of former Tiger defensive linemen, Gabe Wright and Angelo Blackson, has also been invited to the Combine along with 10 other SEC defensive linemen. Jermaine Whitehead stands alone as the only Auburn defensive back among 54 players to get the nod from the Combine. For the players that were not selected to attend the Combine, such as Patrick Miller or C.J. Uzomah, the importance of their pro days becomes that much more magnified if they want to impress scouts.

University Senate approves proposal to limit number of repeat courses

The University Senate voted on and approved a proposal that will limit the number of times a student can repeat a class in which they receive a D or F at their meeting Tuesday, Feb. 3, in Broun Hall Auditorium. Constance Relihan, associate provost for undergraduate studies presented the proposal that will limit the number of times a student can repeat a course in which they receive a D or F to two times. According to Relihain, there are limits on repeating courses in which a student receives an A, B or C, but now students will be limited when it comes to courses they receive a D or F as well. "We have found that many students repeat courses multiple times," Relihain said. "It would be better off for that student to switch to a major that is better sited for his or her talents." Relihan said limiting the number of times a student can retake a course would benefit students by allowing them to graduate in a timely manner. "If there is a legitimate reason for a student to take a course a third time that can certainly be done," Relihan said. "But the policy calls for a conversation between the student and the academic associate dean prior to enrolling in that class." In other University Senate news: -Proposal approved to revise the wording of the introduction to the Capacity Policy -Took nominations to replace Mark Taylor of the University Writing Committee when his term is complete in 2016. -Took nominations for Rules Committee Members to be voted on at the March senate meeting. -Introduced an information item regarding changes to staff and faculty athletic tickets. "Instead of faculty and staff having to use a specific gate and show their ID and ticket when entering the stadium, they now will receive general admission tickets," said Brian Keeter, director of public affairs. "It's a much easier process and you don't have to worry about using your ID."

Pearl prepares Tigers for Knoxville return

"Some will be booing and some will be Bru-ing." That's what Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl said he expects to hear when he makes his return to Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday, Jan. 31. Pearl coached at Tennessee from 2005-11 and was the engineer of the program's turnaround that included a trip to the elite eight. Pearl added that leading up to the game, his emotions will be running high, but when the ball tips, it will be time to get to work. "I asked them to try and understand what my emotions are going to be prior to the game," Pearl said. "For those of you who do not know me, I am not Dick Vermeil, but I can get watery. I cannot control it. It just happens when I talk about my players or when I talk about my family or I talk about things that I am passionate about. It happens sometimes. But from the minute we get in that huddle to start playing, there will not be any different emotion as it relates to coaching, as it relates to the game. My preparation prior to has been the same, it has been consistent. But I am sure, in the moments leading up to tip, it will be difficult." Pearl said he's tried to prepare the team for that distraction. "The minute I walk in that building and get off that bus there will be a camera in my face," Pearl said. "It will walk me to the bathroom. I lived on the other side of media. They are going to know every time I scratch my nose and every little emotion that is going through me.: As far as the game itself goes, guard K.C. Ross-Miller said the emotion surrounding his coach will definitely be a motivating factor for the team. "I don't think it should take away from the game," Ross-Miller said. "We are all pretty focused. Coach has already spoken with us and let us know how things are going to be so we are already aware of the attention he is going to get from coming back to Tennessee. We just want to make him happy." The game will tipoff at 11 a.m. and will air on ESPN2.

Small Tigers hope to complement Harrell, Bowers

It's been said all year. This Auburn basketball team is small. When Auburn struggles to crash the boards and nab rebounds, the result is usually an Auburn loss, especially if that game is being played on the road. "There have been a couple games where we have been bothered by size," said head coach Bruce Pearl. "At Colorado, where we made some of their power forwards, who are good players, look like great players. Certainly, we hung in there in the boards against Alabama, but we did not rebound the ball late. You could say that a couple of offensive rebounds late were major factors in costing us that opportunity." In what was only Auburn's second home loss, the Tigers were out rebounded by Mississippi State 44-33, and gave up 20 second chance points to the Bulldogs. After the game, Pearl talked about the impact a lack of rebounding can have on his team. "Defense and rebounding are things that we can control," Pearl said. "When we defend and rebound, we can beat just about anybody in this league. When we don't defend and rebound, we can't beat anybody in this league. There's not enough talent in there to beat anybody in this league if we don't defend and rebound and play with our identity. We can't beat anybody if we play like that." Pearl said once an opposing team makes its way to the low post, their chances of scoring greatly increase. "In the halfcourt, the closer these teams get to the basket the better they look," Pearl said. "If you let a team handle the ball close to the rim, if you let a team get in there easily and don't double them down when they get in their tight, that's what we have had to do." Pearl's tallest player, freshman center Trayvon Reed, has shown flashes of great play on defense, but Pearl said Reed's progression into a great player will take time. "Trayvon has not improved as much in games as we would like and as people would expect," Pearl said. "But he has improved a lot as far as his preparation, and as far as his habits, training, work in the weight room, his diet and just his attention to being consistent on a schedule. We are going to have to be patient with Trayvon. Trayvon is going to have to be patient. He didn't come here to average one point and two rebounds. He came here to play a more dominant role. He physically isn't ready for that at 7-foot-2, 225 lbs. as a freshman. He didn't have that same off-season that all of our guys had in the weight room and running stairs. He didn't have that and it shows. I don't know how much more we will see from Trayvon as the season progresses." Senior guard KT Harrell agreed that he thinks Reed will get better as time goes on. "He's young, he's inexperienced, but Trayvon's going to be really good," Pearl said. "He's got to get stronger but I think the most important thing for him is just to go out there and play as hard as he can and just leave it all out there." Another problem Pearl said he has seen begin to take shape on his team is lack of distribution in scoring. In Auburn's 57-55 loss at Alabama, Cinmeon Bowers, Harrell and Antoine Mason combined for 49 of the Tigers' 55 points, with 13, 22 and 14 respectively. K.C. Ross-Miller, Malcolm Canada and Tahj Shamsid-Deen each had two points, while Jordon Granger, Alex Thompson and Trayvon Reed all had zero. "I look at this two ways," Pearl said. "One, you go on the road and you want to make sure your best players are getting the looks, and they certainly did. Antoine, KT and Cinmeon got the majority of the looks and carried the load scoring-wise. The other guys who don't play as dominant of a role in the offense, have consistently played better at home than they have on the road. We play best when everyone is contributing. When everyone isn't contributing and we go on the road we haven't won."

North team cruises to easy win in Reese's Senior Bowl

Behind two rushing touchdowns from Yale's Tyler Varga and one from Minnesota's David Cobb, the North squad rolled to an easy 34-13 win over the South team in the 59th Annual Senior Bowl in Mobile. Ameer Abdullah, the senior running back out of Nebraska, was named MVP of the game. Abdullah, who is from Homewood, finished with 73 yards on seven rushes. Auburn had six players invited to participate on the South squad, Sammie Coates, Cameron Artis-Payne, C.J. Uzomah, Reese Dismukes, Gabe Wright and quarterback-turned-cornerback Nick Marshall. Artis-Payne tied for the lead on the South team in rushing, with 49 yards on 10 carries. He also caught three passes for 35 yards. Uzomah and Coates each caught one pass, but Coates' touchdown from Alabama's Blake Sims was ruled incomplete. Coates got one foot in bounds on a fade to the end zone, but the Senior Bowl is played under NFL rules, which require two feet in bounds. Marshall tied for the lead on defense with five total tackles. Wright had two tackles, including one in the backfield.

Crime reports from Jan. 12-19

The following crimes were reported by the Auburn Police Division from Jan. 12-19: Jan. 12 -Third-degree domestic violence in Auburn at 3:30 p.m. -Second-degree theft of property at the 300 block of N. Dean Road at 3:34 p.m. -Third-degree theft of property at the 2300 block of S. College St. at 6:05 p.m. -Possession of cocaine in Auburn at 9:05 p.m. -Criminal mischief reported in the 200 block of Teague Ct. at 11:31 p.m. -Latonya Patrice Hicks was arrested for harassment at Florence Drive. -Ladonte Maurice Battle was arrested for second-degree bail jumping and failure to appear at the Lee County Sherriff's Office. -A 21-year-old was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia in Auburn. Jan. 13 -Second-degree possession of marijuana in Auburn at 12:25 a.m. -Disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace was reported at the 300 block of E. Longleaf Drive at 2 a.m. -Criminal mischief and damage to private property was reported at the 300 block of Lem Morrison Drive at 8:13 a.m. -Automobile theft was reported at the 1700 block of Glenn Ave. at 9:42 p.m. -Shoplifting was reported at the 2400 block of E. Glenn Ave. at 11:37 a.m. -Duty to give information and render aid after a traffic accident was reported at I-85 N in Auburn at 2:32 p.m. -Third-degree theft of property was reported at the 600 block of Shug Jordan Parkway at 3:15 p.m. -Third-degree domestic violence was reported in auburn at 4:40 p.m. -Check forgery was reported at the 4000 block of Lee Road 146 at 5:50 p.m. -Brittany Carlise Dowdell was arrested for third-degree criminal trespass and harassment at the Lee County Sherriff's Office. -A 35-year-old was arrested for third-degree domestic violence in Opelika at the Lee County Sherriff's Office. -Jason Lavaughn white, 30, was arrested for second-degree theft of property on N. Ross St. -A 28-year-old was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana in Auburn. -Cody Alexander Allen was arrested for public intoxication at W. Magnolia Ave. -Vester Lamar Marable was arrested for second-degree bail jumping and failure to appear at N. Donahue Drive. -Khalil Ajanni Bilal Johnson was arrested for disorderly conduct at E. Longleaf Drive. -Jeffery Wayne Thompson was arrested for failing to appear (traffic) at Shug Jordan Parkway. Jan. 14 -Third-degree domestic violence, second-degree possession of marijuana and illegal possession of prescription Drugs were reported in Auburn at 12:53 a.m. -Third-degree theft of property and second-degree criminal trespass was reported at the 600 block of Edgewood Drive at 7:17 a.m. -Harassing communications was reported at the 1100 block of Wire Road at 9:09 a.m. -Shoplifting was reported at the 100 block of Opelika Road at 2:30 p.m. -Criminal mischief and damage to business property were reported at the 1000 block of Opelika Road at 10:42 a.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 1600 block of Opelika Road at 11:39 a.m. -Permitting dogs to run at large was reported at the 9200 block of Lee Road 54 at 3 p.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 300 block of E. Glenn Ave. at 1 p.m. -Second-degree forgery was reported at the 700 block of Millers Point Road at 1:53 p.m. -Kelvin Jerome Jackson Sr. was arrested for second-degree possession of a forged instrument and violation of a court order at N. Ross St. -Deatrice Wilson, 37, was arrested for the illegal possession of a credit/debit card at N. Ross St. -Timika Lawan Askew was arrested for third-degree theft of property at N. Ross St. -A 24-year-old was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana and illegal possession of prescription drugs in Auburn. -A 24-year-old was arrested for third-degree domestic violence in Auburn. -A 45-year-old was arrested for third-degree domestic violence in Auburn. Jan. 16 -Second-degree possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and synthetic narcotic-possession was reported in Auburn at 4 a.m. -Criminal mischief and damage to private property was reported at the 8000 block of Tara Lane at 7:38 a.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 2000 block of E. University Drive at 10:36 a.m. -Identity theft was reported at the 700 block of Oakdale Drive at 1:52 p.m. -Unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle was reported at the 400 block of Harper Ave. at 2:41 p.m. -Harassing communications was reported at the 300 block of E. Longleaf Drive at 3:07 p.m. -Third-degree criminal mischief was reported at the 1500 block of Opelika Road at 4:04 p.m. -Duty upon striking an unoccupied vehicle was reported at the 300 block of E. Glenn Ave. at 4:15 p.m. -Simple assault was reported at the 100 block of E. Magnolia Ave. at 11:45 p.m. -Katherine Clement Alexander was arrested for public intoxication at S. Gay St. -Alvin Carl Coleman was arrested for probation violation and failure to appear at the Lee County Jail. -An 18-year-old was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in Auburn. -A 19-year-old was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and being a minor in possession of alcohol in Auburn. -Kimberly Hilliard McCurdy was arrested for probation violation and failing to appear (traffic) on Cox Road. -Terry James Fields Jr. was arrested for failing to appear (traffic) at the Lee County Sherriff's Office. -Sean Amon McCann was arrested for public intoxication at N. College St. -Eli Harrison Kahn was arrested for public intoxication at E. Thach Ave. -Shane Joseph English was arrested for public intoxication at E. Magnolia Ave. Jan. 17 -Second-degree possession of marijuana was reported in Auburn at 1:02 a.m. -Third-degree criminal mischief was reported at the 200 block of W. Magnolia Ave at 1:39 p.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 100 block of E. Magnolia Ave. at 2:10 a.m. -Harassment was reported at the 100 block of E. Magnolia Ave. at 3:25 a.m. -First-degree possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, second-degree possession of marijuana and fleeing and attempting to elude an officer was reported in Auburn at 4 a.m. -Pickpocket theft was reported at the 100 block of Magnolia Ave. at 12:19 p.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 200 block of Mell St. at 12:56 p.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 1800 block of Opelika Road at 2:26 p.m. -Leaving the scene of an accident was reported at the 1600 block of Opelika Road at 3:45 p.m. -Third-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal trespass were reported at the 300 block of S. College St. at 3:14 p.m. -Criminal mischief and damage to private property were reported at the 300 block of Lee Road 191 at 4:25 p.m. -Second-degree possession of marijuana was reported in Auburn at 8:00 p.m. -A 22-year-old was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana in Auburn. -An 18-year-old was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana and fleeing and attempting to elude an officer in Auburn. -Jackson Richard Hice was arrested for public intoxication at W. Glenn Ave. -A 17-year-old juvenile was arrested for the first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia in Auburn. -Asmine Dejuan Jones was arrested for a probation violation on Webster Road. -A 23-year-old was arrested for second-degree possession of marijuana in Auburn. -Tommy Lee Coleman Jr. was arrested for a probation violation at the Lee County Jail. -Tracy Allen Fuller was arrested for harassing communications at the Lee County Jail. Jan. 18 -Harassment was reported at the 100 block of N. College St. at 2:25 a.m. -Third-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal trespass were reported at the 2000 block of S. College St. at 6:00 a.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 100 block of Hemlock Drive at 11:10 a.m. -Third-degree criminal mischief and first-degree criminal trespass were reported at the 2000 block of S. College St. at 6:00 a.m. -Third-degree criminal mischief and first-degree criminal trespass were reported at the 300 block of Byrd St. at 1:00 p.m. -Third-degree domestic violence and harassment were reported in Auburn at 4:08 p.m. -Third-degree criminal trespass was reported at the 1400 block of Richland Road at 6:02 p.m. -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 1500 block of Chadwick Lane at 6:54 p.m. -Valintez Deontae Edmonson was arrested for third-degree theft of property at Professional Parkway. -Vander M Himmons was arrested for probation violation at N. Gay St. -Alex Madison Jr. was arrested for public intoxication at E. Magnolia Ave. -Lonnie Sanford Jr. was arrested for probation violation at 901 S. College St. -Milford Crowder Jr. was arrested for attempting to elude a police officer and giving false identification to a law enforcement officer at S. College St. Jan. 19 -Second-degree theft of property was reported at the 800 block of N. Donahue Drive at 10:45 a.m. -Third-degree theft of property and second-degree forgery were reported at the 800 block of N. Donahue Drive at 11:30 a.m. -Harassment was reported at the 100 block of W. Glenn Ave. at 12:40 p.m.] -Third-degree domestic violence was reported in Auburn at 2:18 p.m. -Third-degree domestic violence was reported in Auburn at 2:55 p.m. -Third-degree theft of property was reported at the 1700 block of S. College St. at 2:55 p.m. -Unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle was reported at the 100 block of Shell Toomer Parkway at 3:48 p.m. -Criminal mischief and damage to private property was reported at the 800 block of Lem Morrison Drive at 5:51 p.m. -Harassing communications was reported at the 500 block of Shelton Mill Road at 6:15 p.m. -A 41-year-old was arrested for third-degree domestic violence and probation violation in Auburn. -Keyaire Ahmun Cobb was arrested for failure to appear and second-degree bail jumping at Harper Ave. -Monkevia Shamaine Cobb was arrested for failure to appear and second-degree bail jumping at Lee County jail. -Raven C Crowder was arrested for probation violation at W. Glenn Ave. -Venyetta Kenchae Giles was arrested for probation violation at the Lee County jail. -Carvarnos Quinaro Watts was arrested for failing to appear (traffic) and probation violation at Wire Road. -Laketha La'shay Perry was arrested for third-degree theft of property and probation violation at S. College St. -Passious Volissia Quanshae Ellis was arrested for third-degree theft of property and probation violation at S. College St. -Antonio Lewis Slaughter was arrested for probation violation at Wire Road. The following were arrested and charged with driving under the influence by the Auburn Police Division from Jan. 12-19: Jan. 12 -Corey Matthew Good, 23 Webster Road Jan. 13 -Tyler Jordan Walters, 23 Shelton Mill Road -Sung Koo Lee, 41 E. Glenn Ave. Jan. 14 -Thomas Connor Ingalls, 22 Bragg Ave. Jan. 17 -Samuel Michael Bruns, 19 Shelton Mill Road -Ralph James Barton, 55 S. College St. -Clinton Edward Kirk, 39 N. Gay St. -Luke Dean Christensen, 19 E. Glenn Ave. Jan. 18 -Daniel McGee Robert, 20 N. Gay St. -Shannon Leigh Weldon, 27 E. University Drive -Ansley Rachel Evans, 25 E. Magnolia Ave. -Caitlin Marie Grace, 21 Halal Ct.

Flow Tribe plays at Bourbon Street Bar

Auburn's Bourbon Street Bar went with the flow tonight by hosting New Orleans funk band Flow Tribe. Bourbon also had an overflowing amount of concert goers with the line to enter the bar extending well past neighboring stores. After an opening act, Flow Tribe overtook the stage with funk a little after 11 p.m. Flow Tribe performed songs from their albums in addition to performing covers of songs. In particular, the band covered Rick James' "Super Freak," which was very well received by the crowd. Flow Tribe impressed concertgoer Lee McVay, a freshman in software engineering. "I've never heard of Flow Tribe before but they are actually pretty entertaining and I look forward to seeing them in Auburn again."McVay said. "I was not expecting a performance with such an upbeat and groovy vibe with synced dancing." Flow Tribe succeeded in bringing New Orleans funk to Auburn with their performance at Bourbon Street Bar tonight. The bar was filled with a happy, funky vibe as Flow Tribe released their unique flow on stage. K.C. O'Rorke, lead singer and trumpeter for the band, said that this was their first time back in Auburn since the Auburn-LSU game last September. Flow Tribe, made up of six long time high school friends, originate from New Orleans but have been playing all over the region according to O'Rorke. According to the band's publicist, Matt Kelly, Flow Tribe released their new album "Alligator White" in September. O'Rorke said the album was focused around several genres, not just funk, "Although we are rooted in the traditional New Orleans funky music style, we also infuse swanky funk, back and forth, and bounce hip hop into our music to reflect the musical diversity of New Orleans and pay image to their musical roots while growing up," O'Rorke said. O'Rorke also said the band enjoys playing covers of other bands' songs in addition to playing their own music during their performances. "The best way I can describe our music is a feel good, backbone-cracking groove that people can have a good time with." O'Rorke said. "We want people to just come out, have a good time, and get ready for some backbone cracking music." O'Rorke said what he enjoys most about performing is the opportunity to meet fans and seeing different cultures. "We take our music seriously but not our personality seriously. We like to treat our fans like friends, because that is how we see our fans," O'Rorke said. When asked if they enjoy playing at Auburn, O'Rorke said, "We love playing in Auburn, we always get a great response from the crowds and love the way downtown is set up with everything being close together, and War Eagle."

Auburn suffers tough overtime loss at the Outback Bowl

The Auburn Tigers (8-5, 4-5 SEC) suffered a 34-31 loss to Wisconsin (11-3, 8-1 Big Ten) in an Outback Bowl that came down to the wire Thursday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. With the opportunity for Auburn to end the season on a positive note, the Tigers couldn't pull together a win in overtime. Kicker Daniel Carlson's field goal attempt in overtime danced off the upright and diminished any chances at victory for the Tigers. "We just didn't make the plays at the end of the game and they did, so give them credit for that," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "We have a lot of seniors and obviously we're disappointed we couldn't get those guys out on a positive note." It wasn't easy for either teams' defense as both offenses were hitting on all cylinders. Auburn's Cameron Artis-Payne's two touchdowns today gave the senior his twelfth career 100-yard game and ninth this season, good enough for third place in Auburn all-time single-season rushing (1,608). "It's pretty much a team effort," Artis-Payne said. "Everything that I was able to do was because of the offensive line." It was quarterback Nick Marshall's twelfth career 200-yard passing game and twelfth game with multiple touchdown passes. The Auburn defense was unable to slow down Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon. The Heisman candidate's 251 yards rushing were the most ever by an Auburn opponent. "We were trying to focus on that guy," Malzahn said. "Our key was to try and stop him and obviously we didn't. He made some big plays and that was a big factor in the game." Wisconsin found the weak spots in the Tigers' defense early as the Badgers scored on their first drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joel Stave to sophomore Corey Clement. The Tigers started to hustle on defense at the end of the first quarter and stalled the Badgers on their second drive. Auburn was productive later on in the first half as the SEC's leading rusher Artis-Payne pounded the ball up the field and scored off a two-yard touchdown run set up by a 19-yard completion from Marshall to wide receiver Quan Bray. The Badger's luck dwindled when their starting center Dan Volts left the game after he injured his left ankle on a first-down play at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers started playing like it was their final game of the season in the second quarter. While Marshall had some bad reads, he came up huge for Auburn with a 66-yard touchdown pass to junior Ricardo Louis that extended Auburn's lead to 14-7 before heading into the locker room. It was Marshall's second longest completion of the season and the longest reception for Louis this season. Auburn's defense stepped up as it recorded two interceptions in the first half. Junior Kris Frost led the way on defense with eight tackles in the first half and finished with 12. Auburn had a 14-7 lead over its opponent at the end of the first half and 177 yards of total offense to Wisconsin's 218. Artis-Payne had 34 yards on the ground and a touchdown, while Marshall was 8-12 passing with 134 total yards at the end of the first half. It was all Melvin Gordon in the third quarter. The Heisman candidate started Wisconsin's second-half momentum with a 25-yard touchdown run to tie the game 14-14 with 12:09 left in the third quarter. Auburn regained the lead with a 51-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Daniel Carlson, but Gordon continued pulverizing Auburn defenders as he battled and bruised his way 53 yards to the end zone to give Wisconsin a 21-17 lead at the end of the third quarter. Marshall continued showing his athleticism as well. The senior hit tight end C.J. Uzomah right in the numbers for an early touchdown toss in the fourth quarter to put Auburn up 24-21 with 11:21 to go. "Their plan was to make sure that (Nick) didn't run the football," Malzahn said. "He was able to make some good throws. The throws to Ricardo and C.J. were extremely good throws." It wasn't long before Wisconsin and Gordon found the end zone again. A six-yard rush by Gordon put Wisconsin up 28-24 with 7:58 left in the game. Auburn's offense continued to answer as Artis-Payne punched it in from two yards out to give Auburn the 31-28 lead with 2:55 left after a Wisconsin penalty set the Tigers up a first-and-goal. Wisconsin tied things up again with a 29-yard field goal to make it 31-31 at the end of regulation and to make it the third Outback Bowl in the last six years to go into overtime. Wisconsin's kicker Rafael Gaglianone hit another field goal to put Wisconsin on top 34-31 in overtime. Auburn could not match it as Daniel Carlson missed a 45-field goal that sealed the win for Wisconsin. "I told (Daniel) to keep his head up," Malzahn said. "He's a great kicker. He'll win games for us in the future. He's down right now." While Gordon had his way with the Tigers' defense, several players from Auburn's secondary still stood out. Senior Jermain Whitehead's two interceptions in the game gave him six this season and nine for his career, and it was his first game with two interceptions. Senior Trovon Reed recorded his third interception of the season as well. Auburn's last overtime game was a 31-28 win against ULM in 2012 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. It was also Auburn's second consecutive bowl game to lose by a score of 34-31. "This season didn't turn out how we wanted it to be, but we just have to keep moving on," Marshall said.

Williams suspended for Outback Bowl, will return in 2015

Gus Malzahn gave Auburn fans some good news and some bad news Monday morning. In a press conference, Malzahn announced that leading receiver D'haquille Williams has been suspended for the Outback Bowl, but is planning on returning for his senior season on the Plains. "(Williams) has been suspended for breaking team rules," Malzahn said. "He is planning on coming back next year so that's why he is here." Malzahn said Williams has been working with the scout team during practice in the week leading up to the game. "He's acting as Wisconsin's top receiver, so I felt like that was the right thing to do," Malzahn said. Williams, a junior college transfer, racked up 730 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 45 catches in his first year for the Tigers. The absence of Williams will force Auburn's other playmakers to take a bigger role, according to Malzahn. "We played without him a couple of games anyway, so we've got some veteran guys that we can move around," Malzahn said. "Ricardo Louis, C.J. (Uzomah), Melvin (Ray), they all three will have a role in taking his place." Speculation on Williams' status with the team began to circulate when he did not make the initial trip to Tampa with the rest of the Tigers. Williams' receiving counterpart Sammie Coates has already announced that he won't be returning for his senior season.

Auburn earns a close win against Texas Southern University

Despite sophomore guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen leaving the game with five fouls with a little less than three minutes to go in the game, Auburn's men's basketball team (6-5) pulled out a nail-bitter against Texas-Southern (2-9) by a score of 61-60. Senior guard KT Harrell led all Tigers in scoring with 14 points including two three pointers. Junior Cinmeon Bowers ended the game with 13 points and 15 rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end. This marks Bowers' seventh double-double of the season. In addition to Bowers' and Harrell's offensive presence, senior guard Antoine Mason and graduate student K.C. Ross-Miller put up 13 and 11 points respectively. Ross-Miller also had four assists in a game where he saw extended minutes most likely because of foul trouble by Shamsid-Deen. Despite shooting only 35.7 percent from the field, the Tigers grab a great win to follow up the double overtime victory over Xavier last Saturday, December 13. Auburn's next matchup is scheduled for December 29 against Middle Tennessee State.

Year in review: December

1. Johnson fired, Muschamp hired December was a month of change for Auburn football, as defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson was fired one day after the team's 55-44 loss to Alabama. Following several weeks of rumors about Johnson's replacement, former Florida head coach Will Muschamp was announced as the team's new defensive coordinator. This will be the third Auburn coaching job for Muschamp, whose resume includes defensive coordinator at Texas as well as working under Alabama head coach Nick Saban during his time at LSU. 2. Auburn to play in Outback Bowl Following an 8-4 regular season, No. 19 Auburn will take on No. 18 Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl in Tampa. This will be the fourth time Auburn and Wisconsin face off. The game will air Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. 3. Freshman football player killed at Tiger Lodge apartment complex Auburn football player and freshman Jakell Mitchell was shot and killed at the Tiger Lodge apartment complex Sunday, Dec. 14. Mitchell died at East Alabama Medical Center after suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Lee County Coroner Bill Harris. The Auburn Police Division arrested and charged Markale Hart of Camp Hill with Mitchell's murder Sunday, Dec. 14. The apartment complex is the same complex where Desmonte Leonard shot and killed three people in 2012, including two Auburn football players. 4. Coates to enter NFL Draft Wide receiver Sammie Coates announced Monday, Dec. 15 he will forgo a final year of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft. Coates had four touchdowns this season and is rated as the overall No. 40 prospect and seventh-ranked wide receiver in his class, according to NFLDraftScout.com. Coates graduated Saturday, Dec. 13, and said he would have stayed to play another season for the Tigers if he had more classes to take. He will play for the Tigers in the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin. 5. Dismukes named first All-American team by AP Auburn center Reese Dismukes was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press Tuesday, Dec. 16, and the Associated Football Coaches Association Wednesday, Dec. 17. He is the first Auburn football player to be a consensus All-American pick since 2010. Dismukes will also received the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the country's best center, Jan. 11 in Lincoln, Nebraska. A four-year starter for Auburn, Dismukes will play his final game for Auburn in the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin.

A day in the life of a State Senator

Alabama state Senator Tom Whatley wakes up between 4 and 5 a.m. to start his day before he makes decisions that affect every Auburn citizen. He starts his day off with a swim or a run before he takes his son to school. He gets dressed in either a suit for court or sweatpants to move furniture or do work to take care of his real estate business. Real estate, law and Senate are just a few of the things Whatley spends his time doing. Whatley has his own law firm where he takes allows students to intern with him to further their law career. "We do civil and criminal litigation," Whatley said. "We do DUI defense (and) public intoxication on the college level here in Auburn." Whatley said he enjoys having student interns because he enjoys watching them mature and find a job and knowing he played a part in it. From March through June, Whatley goes to Montgomery every day to conduct his business with the Senate. During the rest of the year, he goes to Montgomery a couple times a week. "When he's not down there in session he's constantly going from one meeting to another within his own district," said Marc Bankston, childhood friend of Whatley. "He's always tied up with legislative work." Whatley spends a lot of his time communicating with constituents and trying to help them with their concerns. He said his advice to young people is to always treat someone's concerns like it's the most important thing, because to them it is. "When somebody calls up or contacts you, it's a really big honor for me to get that phone call because by the time they're calling me they've usually tried to solve the problem on their own and they've become very frustrated with it," Whatley said. "The thing to remember is that to them, that's the most important thing that's going on right now, no matter how trivial it may sound to you." Whatley's workday usually ends at approximately 7 p.m. In his downtime, Whatley said he enjoys frequenting Coffee Cat, Acre and The Hound. To relax, Whatley said he enjoys reading about history or fiction. "He's way more busy than he used to be now that he's a state senator," Bankston said. Rick Knuth, another friend of Whatley, met him through Bankston during college. Knuth said after knowing Whatley for about 30 years, Whatley is one of the hardest working people he knows both politically and with his law firm. "Every time I talk to him it seems like he's got 10 things going on at once," Knuth said. "How he keeps up with all of them I don't know, but he gets them done and from what I can tell he does a pretty good job for our district and the state too while handling everything else he handles." Whatley said that he likes to spend a lot of time with his two nephews, so he drives to Washington, D.C. often to see them. He also tries to sign up for triathlons in cities where he has friends so he can have an opportunity to visit with them. "Auburn University and Auburn, Alabama have been near and dear to Tom," Knuth said. "Being able to be the state representative for this district in particular means a lot to him."

Six Tigers named All-SEC by league coaches

Southeastern Conference Coaches selected six Auburn football players to represent the league on the All-SEC Coaches' Football Team. Auburn's Rimington Trophy and Outland Award finalist Reese Dismukes and conference-rushing leader Cameron Artis-Payne made All-SEC first-team honors, while four other Tigers won second-team spots. Receiver Sammie Coates' 30 catches for 717 yards and four touchdowns this season earned him a second-team spot behind first-team selections Amari Cooper of Alabama and Pharoh Cooper of South Carolina. Return specialist Quan Bray, who leads the SEC in punt returns, earned a second-team spot behind Marcus Murphy of Missouri. Defensive backs Jonathan Jones, who is second in the SEC with six interceptions, and Jonathon Mincy, who recorded 63 tackles and an interception in 2014, will join Coates and Bray on the All-SEC Coaches' second-team. Twelve SEC schools had at least one member on the first-team All-SEC squad, while Alabama led the way with five. A full list of representatives can be found below:

Tigers top Oregon State in consolation game of MGM Grand Main Event

Bruce Pearl got his third victory at the helm of the Tigers in Las Vegas Wednesday night, as Auburn rallied to beat Oregon State 71-69. KT Harrell led the Tigers with 20 points, and fueled the comeback late in the second half. Down three with only about five minutes left, Harrell scored the next 10 points for Auburn, and the Tigers ended the game on a 15-10 run. Cinmeon Bowers added 10 points and eight rebounds, his first game this season without recording a double-double. Tahj Shamsid-Deen, K.C. Ross-Miller and Malcolm Canada combined for 33 points in the absence of scorer Antoine Mason. The Tigers shot 52 percent from the field, a large improvement from their previous game against Tulsa, where they shot just 31 percent. Auburn moves to 3-2 on the season, and it's next game is Wednesday, December 3 at Texas Tech.

VIDEO: Nick Marshall, Kris Frost, Cameron Artis Payne, and C.J. Uzomah speak to press after 31-7 win

Seniors reflect on last home game

The Auburn Tigers week 13 game against the Samford Bulldogs marked the end of the 2014 home schedule and the last time Auburn's seniors take to Pat-Dye Field. Led by senior quarterback, Nick Marshall, the Tigers won 31-7 to take their record to 8-3. Despite a poor first quarter where he threw a pick and had only two completions for six yards, Marshall ended with 171 yards on 18 completions with one touchdown pass. Senior running backs Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant shared the running back responsibilities for the night. Artis-Payne ran for 129 yards on 24 carries including a seven-yard rush for a score with 0:39 left in the second quarter. Artis-Payne became a member of an elite group including Tre Mason, Bo Jackson, Rudi Johnson and Cam Newton as Auburn players to rush for over 1,400 yards in a season. "I wasn't a part of their recruiting class, and when I got here they treated me like family," said Artis-Payne, "The Auburn Family is really not something we just say, it's real. I appreciate and love all (the seniors) just like they're my brothers so it's hard to see this thing coming to an end." Grant ended the game with only four yards on three carries, but with 8:36 left in the third quarter, Grant caught a 13-yard pass from Marshall to put the tigers up 24-7. Fellow senior Quan Bray had a sizeable impact on the tiger's offense ending with 3 rushes for 45 yards, including a 23-yard handoff for a score with 6:50 left in the second quarter. Bray also tallied 56 yards on 4 receptions and ended with a total of 131 all-purpose yards. Bray became the first Auburn player to complete a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and punt return touchdown in the same season. Senior tight end, C.J. Uzomah was very honest after the game about what this last home game meant to him. "It was an emotional feeling, at the Tiger Walk, I saw my mom and I was tearing up," said Uzomah, "It's definitely an emotional feeling knowing that it's the last time I'm going out on Jordan-Hare to play." The Tigers defense, led by seniors Gabe Wright, Jonathan Mincy, Robinson Therezie, and Jermaine Whitehead, gave up a total of 238 yards and forced two turnovers. Mincy ended the night with an interception with 6:10 left in the 4th quarter to go with six tackles. After the game, defensive back Jermaine Whitehead said that his last game in Jordan-Hare was one of the best moments he's experienced considering only a few weeks ago he was benched. "That was one of the most amazing things ever," said Whitehead, "Especially where my career almost went. It's a testament to all the hard work we've put in over the years." Head coach Gus Malzahn spoke about what it means to be able to send his seniors out with a win and the impact that they've had on the team. "I'm very happy for our seniors," said Malzahn, "It's a special group and it's good to send them out on a high note. They've been phenomenal for our program, not just as players, but as individuals." This current class of seniors end their Auburn careers with a 23-6 when defending home field.

Players look to end careers on positive note

Although two consecutive losses put their national title hopes out the window, the seniors are ready to put that behind them and finish their last season on a high note. "The thing about Auburn is we're going to have high expectations and that's just the way it's going to go," said head coach Gus Malzahn. "You're disappointed when you don't reach some of your goals. That's part of it." The tight-knit group of 20 seniors, who will be honored on Pat Dye Field before playing in their last home game for Senior Day, have been through some of the highest of highs and lowest of lows in Auburn football. The majority of the seniors officially committed to Auburn weeks after the 2010 BCS National Championship victory in hopes of winning a crystal ball of their own while playing for the Tigers. After one of the worst seasons in Auburn football history, the 3-9 2012 season, it looked as if that goal would be completely out of reach. But the group responded with the biggest turnaround in college football history on its way to becoming 2013 SEC Champions, while taking down rivals Georgia and Alabama in back-to-back dramatic, unforgettable fashions. Although they came up 13 seconds short last year and a few games short of that goal this season, the seniors said they are ready to lead the team and bounce back for these final two regular season games. "The mindset of our team is to finish 2-0," said quarterback Nick Marshall. "Everyone is still together. We don't have anyone pointing fingers at each other." Malzahn said anytime a team is beat convincingly, such as the 34-7 loss to Georgia, it is important for the coach to solve the issues he needs to solve as a coach and move forward. "We have to be big boys," Malzahn said. "We've got to learn from it and bounce back." According to the coaches, since this group of seniors has seen it all during their time on the Plains, they will be the ones expected to lead the team to a turnaround in the last two games. "Obviously, you look at your seniors and your pivotal positions," said offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee. "I think we've got plenty of guys (who can lead). From Reese (Dismukes) to Nick (Marshall) to C.J. (Uzomah) to even Quan (Bray) at times. (Cameron Artis-Payne) and Corey (Grant) don't say much, but their play speaks for themselves and the way they carry themselves. You look to all of those older guys who have been there. This is a group that has won 19 games in less than two years, so they know how to win. It's just as a collective whole group, they've got to bounce back." Uzomah said the team's recent struggles are solely the responsibility of the seniors. "The majority of this falls on the seniors," Uzomah said. "It's up to us to raise our level and raise everyone else's." Uzomah said their last game together in Jordan-Hare Stadium will be an emotional time for all of the seniors, but they are looking forward to getting the job done against the Samford Bulldogs. "I wouldn't change my four-year experience here for anything," Uzomah said. "There definitely has been some downs and lows. But there's been highs with last season and even this season. The bond that the seniors and underclassmen have, we are a family. That kind of bond is going to last a lifetime."