Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
A spirit that is not afraid
Logo of The Auburn Plainsman
Donate Submit a tip Subscribe

Search Results

Use the fields below to perform an advanced search of The Auburn Plainsman's archives. This will return articles, images, and multimedia relevant to your query.

1000 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.

Auburn football accused of NCAA violations

(04/04/13 1:14am)

Former Auburn safety Mike McNeil, with the help of Roopstigo.com writer Selena Roberts, has accused the football program of multiple NCAA violations dating back to the Tommy Tuberville era in 2007. The report, released just days before McNeil’s trial for his involvement in a 2011 armed robbery, cited cash transactions, academic fraud and recruiting violations were committed during his time at the University. The story features testimony from McNeil, former Auburn wide receiver Darvin Adams and former defensive end Mike Blanc. The report accuses the Auburn football program going back to current Florida head coach Will Muschamp's tenure as defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2007. McNeil told Roberts he had received $400 from Muschamp after a difficult day of practice. Muschamp has since denied the payment through a University of Florida spokesperson. Payments were also allegedly offered to Adams to remain at Auburn for his senior season as quoted in the article by McNeil and Blanc. Adams confirmed in the article that he was offered money to stay, but since its publication multiple quoted players have denied what was reported by Roberts. Blanc took to Twitter and denied his involvement and the validity of the article. “Man this article is outrageous and isn’t true. The media will do anything for a juicy story smh #sad,” read Blanc’s tweet. The article, which is titled “Auburn’s Tainted Title: Victims Violations and Vendettas for Glory,” published Wednesday, April 3, has become the center of a large debate regarding its legitimacy. The author, Selena Roberts, is known for her controversial stories that according to the Kansas City Star include comparing the Duke Lacrosse team members acquitted of rape to gang members and career criminals. She was also a former New York Times columnist and Sports Illustrated writer before creating Roopstigo.com where the story was originally published. Former Auburn linebacker Neiko Thorpe was quoted in the article as saying “Auburn does what Auburn wants,” in regard to the football program’s operations without NCAA knowledge, has since defended himself and bashed Roberts. “While I have spoke to Selena Roberts about (McNeil) I have just read her article & not only am I misquoted, but my words are very out of context,” said Thorpe on Twitter. “We didn’t talk about NCAA violations or recruiting.” Since the article was published, Thorpe, Blanc and former Auburn linebacker Darren Bates have all extensively criticized Roberts’ reporting.Further into the content of the article, McNeil was reported saying Auburn changed his grade in a computer science class in order to be eligible to play in the national championship game. After receiving an F for attendance, McNeil went to his professor and a higher-ranking administrator. Unsuccessful in getting the grade changed, McNeil consulted his athletics counselor and the grade was allegedly raised to a C within a few days, allowing him to play. Former head coach Gene Chizik was portrayed in the article as a paranoid, power hungry football coach who ran a regime in the football department laced with player surveillance, excessive drug testing and prejudiced opinions. While Chizik was known to be distant from his players, the evidence in the report sheds new light on his era as the leader of Auburn football. Allegedly Chizik was a part of a “culture war” among the players and coaches, asking athletes to cut their dreads and maintain a specific image. The article cited Chizik and his coaches as distributing hundreds of drug tests throughout the season and that more than 40 players tested positive for recreational drugs in the days after the national championship. Former defensive end Antoine Carter was quoted as saying, “If you were black and had dreadlocks and tattoos, you were somehow tested more in what was called random testing.” Furthermore, McNeil said he was given $500 to help recruit former star Alabama defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick in an effort to get him to commit to Auburn.More information will be posted as it becomes available.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/04/auburn-football-accused-of-ncaa-violations

Google answers all

(03/08/13 4:13pm)

I’ve been occupying my time lately by doing a little field research with Google. That’s the official way for me to say that I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time entering random words into the Google search bar to see what suggestions it automatically fills in. I think if I word it right, I can put this activity on my resume. Here are the highlights of Google’s search suggestions for the word “why”:Third option that comes up after typing the word “why”:• Why is my poop green?Woah man. I don’t really think that’s a question you should be relying on Google to answer for you. If my poop were green, I’d be frantically dialing 911, or at least poison control.Fourth option that comes up for “why”:• Why is chitlin so tough?First off, what the hell is chitlin? Why are Google users in desperate need of finding out its substance? And why is it tough? I started browsing the results a little, but then I saw the word “skeleton” had something to do with it, so I threw up in my mouth a little and closed out of the page in a rush of panic. Some things are better left unknown.Second option from the bottom for “why”:• Why is Chief Keef in jail?Uh, excuse my ignorance, but who is Chief Keef? I’m still not exactly sure why he’s incarcerated. Google did tell me that he’s getting baptized the second he gets out though, so we’re happy for him.Seventh question for “Why is c”:• “Why is Caillou bald?”For those of you unaware, Caillou is a ballin’ ass 4-year-old cartoon boy that kids these days watch like we did Tommy on Rugrats. He’s inappropriately bald for his age, and I’m ashamed of myself for never thinking to question why a cartoon child should be afflicted with early onset baldness. I wish I could congratulate the massive population who did, and cared enough to ask Google why. Apparently there’s a cult following concerned with the growth of Caillou’s hair, because an entire list of questions about it appeared. Inquiries include, “Why is Caillou’s head so bald?” and “Why is Caillou bald he only four.”Results for “Why are Americans so”:• Stupid, fat, obese, obsessed with guns…in that order. Easy now, Google. I don’t know what kind of communist China man has been soiling your search history, but I think the words you’re looking for are “incredibly good looking, superior at Nascar racing, etc.” P.S. Fat and obese are synonyms, idiot. Second option for “Why is food”:• “Why is food so important?”What? Are you kidding me?! Food is important because it tastes good and we love it and we’re Americans and obese, you moron. Wait a minute…Llama related questions:• Why do llamas wear hats?• Why are llamas so awesome?I can only assume that llamas wear hats because they’re awesome and vice versa. These guys should communicate better. Third option for “Why are mu:”• Why are mustaches popular?If you have to ask, you’ll never know. Most philosophical question:• Why is bacon so good?Google can never answer this because the deliciousness of bacon will never be able to be put into words. It’s the holy grail of all meats combined. I do admire all with Internet connection who went in search of unraveling this mystery, but, like the contents of chitlins, some things are better left unknown.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/03/google-answers-all

Sweeten Valentine's Day with dark chocolate

(02/14/13 7:13am)

Valentine's Day is a celebration of love and thankfulness for each other, but the fact that chocolate comes in little heart shaped boxes on Valentine's says something about another thing we can look forward to. Because it is loaded with antioxidants, "feel good" chemicals and some other important nutrients, chocolate is a "sweet" that you don't have to turn away the other 364 days of the year. This year, instead of picking up those delightful little heart shaped boxes, be glad to know that chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, is something you don't have to feel guilty eating, at least in moderation.

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/02/sweeten-valentines-day-with-dark-chocolate

Students selected as finalists for Gates Cambridge scholarship

(01/24/13 4:44am)

One thousand applicants, 90 finalists and two Auburn students selected among finalists to interview for the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Paul Bergen, May 2012 graduate and Fulbright Scholar at the Technical University of Munich, and James "Jimmy" Kaczmarek, senior in chemical engineering, have been selected to interview to become Gates Cambridge Scholars. "It was winter break and I was sitting there watching TV and an email popped up and it said congratulations on being short listed for the Gates Cambridge finalist." Kaczmarek said. "And I was just like, YES." The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is highly competitive and is a full-cost scholarship awarded to outstanding students outside of the United Kingdom to pursue a post-graduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. "I definitely feel honored that I was selected as a finalist," Bergen said. At Auburn, both Bergen and Kaczmarek have been heavily involved while maintaining 3.97 GPAs. Bergan, of Cooper City,Fla, was president of the Microbiology Club, part of the Mock Trial Team and was a re-chartering member of the German Honor Society. Kaczmarek, of Tampa ,Fla, is the trumpet section leader in the Auburn University Marching Band , a part of the national music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha and a founding member of AU Cappella. While at Auburn, Bergen was an undergraduate researcher under Dr. Mark Liles. Begren's work in Liles' lab focused on metagenomics, which according to Liles "you are cloning and analyzing DNA from a community of bacteria and our focus here is on antibiotic discovery." "The last year he was here, Paul and I were colleagues," said Liles. "He was definitely functioning at a higher level than most students do." Liles said Bergen will be a co-author on a manuscript on the science he did and that is one of the best forms recognition; that your science is being published. Bergen received his undergraduate degree in both German and microbiology. Kaczmarek works as an undergraduate researcher under Dr. Mark Byrne. "His work ethic is second to none," Byrne said." I have yet to meet another student who has a work ethic like Jimmy." Byrne described Jimmy as an excellent student, passionate, has high scholarship and isn't afraid to ask questions. "In the classes that I have had him, he has been near the top, if not the top student in the class in terms of grades that he has received," Byrne said. Bergen wants to work under Professors Vassilis Koronakis and Gillian Fraser, because their work is essentially what he wants to do with his career. "The short explanation, I’m looking for microbial enzymes useful to a wide range of industries to make our lives cleaner, healthier, and more efficient," Bergen said. Kaczmarek wants to focus on the control release of drugs through contact lenses. "Instead of having to do eye drops four, six or eight times a day and having to wake up in the middle of the night to take them," Kaczmarek said "you can just pop a contact lens in and then you just keep it like that for a couple of days." Kaczmarek said this will help with patient compliance and people can get the treatment for the eye they need." According to gatescambridge.com, the selection criteria are; outstanding intellectual ability, leadership potential, commitment to improving the lives of others and a good fit between the applicant's qualifications and aspirations of the postgraduate program at Cambridge University for which they are applying. "I want to live my life to really make a difference for other people," Kaczmarek said. There have been two previous Auburn graduates awarded the scholarship: David Harris (2011) and Cynthia Carver ( 2002). Bergen's interview is set for Feb. 1 and Kaczmarek's interview is Feb 2; both conducted in Washington D.C. "It's the interview that is going to set you apart. And I think that what makes it more extreme and more intense," Bergen said. "You have to be on top of your game and give the greatest interview you've given at that point."

https://www.theplainsman.com/article/2013/01/students-selected-as-finalists-for-gates-cambridge-scholarship