829 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(09/09/14 1:30pm)
As a student in high school, I had visions of college being a whirlwind of new experiences, new people, new cultures, new everything.
The first week of school, I was invited to a party at a fraternity.
I brought along a few friends from high school. I didn't know exactly what to expect, I had never been to a fraternity party at this point and hadn't grown up around Greek Life.
We stepped through the crowd that was spilling into the street; green lights flashed through the crowds; fog dripped off the stage as the band played through cover songs. One of my friends went up to the nearest guy with a cigarette to ask for a light, and the guy responded, without missing a beat, "Hey, you're black! Can I talk black to you?"
We didn't stay at the party long.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the first time at Auburn I witnessed this kind of behavior.
The sense of horror hasn't faded each time I see people grit their teeth and smile through questions: Oh, you're an Indian? Like the dot Indian or the feathers Indian? You don't talk like a black perso - you're practically white! Hey, you're Hispanic. That means I can call you Dora, right?
Now, I'm not saying I think everyone at Auburn is racist, or that Auburn isn't welcome to minorities.
That's ridiculous, and there are hundreds of clubs on campus that provide for an array of diversity.
But I do think there's a glimmer of ignorance that reflects poorly upon Auburn as a whole.
Stereotyping, even when done unintentionally, is offensive. From my travels abroad I've been upset by the frequent assumptions that Americans are fat, greedy, stupid and uncaring about problems outside of our country.
I can't imagine facing these stereotypes every day in my own country, in my own town.
Speech does not denote ethnicity. Speaking a particular niche of English doesn't make a person white. Having tan skin and an ability to speak Spanish doesn't make a person Mexican, and there are plenty of countries other than Mexico that speak Spanish.
Curiosity about differences from ones own is to be expected and is okay, but there are less offensive ways to be inquisitive.
There are so many opportunities to get involved and learn about those differences, which I feel are wasted by the general student population.
Auburn has a wonderful study abroad program; the Indian Student Association hosts events for Diwali and features a Bollywood night; the Black Student Union has Jazz and Poetry nights.
Last spring, there was a Spanish film festival put on by the foreign languages department and the art museum. The list of associations and events are endless: American Indian Association, Asian Association, Egyptian Student Association, Auburn Association of Latino Students, Chinese Student and Scholars Organization, Indonesian Student Association, the list goes on.
College lasts approximately four years. It's one of the easiest times to make friends and connections from all over the world. It's one of the rare times when fun and learning coexist. Take advantage of it.
(09/08/14 4:30pm)
Last week, I was asked what it was like to be a black student at Auburn.
At first, I didn't quite know how to answer that question. With me being often teased when I was younger for not being "black" enough, my first thought was that I was the wrong person to answer that kind of question.
But after doing some thinking, I decided to attend the Black Student Alliance meeting Monday night in the Student Center.
The room was full of people who looked like me, but their thought process was much different. As the main speaker approached the podium a power point slide appeared on two large projection screens placed on either side of the room. The slide contained a discussion topic which said something like "when to be black."
The room was soon full of raised hands eager to contribute their opinions on the topic to the conversation. One of the participants stated that she spoke "Ebonics 90 percent of the time," but when in a classroom or professional setting, she spoke "proper" English. Others went on to speak about when and when not to behave in a "black" manner.
But what exactly is "black" behavior?
According to what I learned on Monday night, it could be defined as the following: speaking in Ebonics, listening to loud music, wearing trousers below the waist, sporting a fitted cap to the side, etc. Let's be honest: we've all seen "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." We know what it means.
However, I find it unfair to label these attributes as "black." If being unprofessional and sloppy means you're black, then does the opposite mean you're white?
When we associate a particular race with a certain behavior, we view an entire group of people a certain way just because of their skin tone, which is the definition of racism.
It would be more appropriate to call it out for what it really is - plain old ignorance.
Blacks aren't the only people who speak Ebonics and wear clothes two sizes too big, just like blacks weren't the only race to ever be enslaved. But somewhere along the line we were branded with this image, which is wrong.
If we see black as nothing more than a skin tone, then it becomes a constant state of being which we shouldn't have to hide away from people like some dirty little secret.
While I am a black student, at the end of the day, I'm still just a student.
(09/06/14 6:01pm)
A season opener against a divisional foe is a rarity.
More often than not, the opening game for SEC teams is a pay-to-play surefire win against a lesser opponent. For Auburn, after a strong win against Arkansas, that definite win comes in week two.
The San Jose State Spartans of the Mountain West Conference will roll onto the Plains on Saturday, Sept. 6, and barring a miracle, the Tigers should move to 2-0.
The first half of the opener against Arkansas was a little tougher than most thought it would be, but backups did get their time near the end with Auburn up 45-21. Against a team like San Jose State, those backups should see more time. Here's a list of players I think will have an impact in week two.
(09/06/14 5:52pm)
It's rarely a good sign in modern college football to hear your favorite team is considering a two-quarterback system.
It usually means neither quarterback has done enough to win the job outright, such as David Ash and Case McCoy in 2012 at Texas, or each quarterback has a significant weakness that requires the other's complimentary skills, such as Chris Relf and Tyler Russell in 2010 at Mississippi State.
Of course there are a few outliers.
Florida won a national championship in 2006 with the experienced Chris Leak and true freshman bruiser Tim Tebow. Notre Dame made it to the national championship in 2012 with contributions from Everett Golson and Tommy Rees.
But in general, it seems to be in a team's best interest to have an established signal caller under center.
It provides a comfort for offensive lineman anxiously listening for audibles at the line, and continuity for the skill position players the quarterback is distributing to.
So what does that mean for Auburn in 2014?
Head football coach Gus Malzahn has already stated backup quarterback Jeremy Johnson will have a role in the offense this season, even with starter Nick Marshall's suspension officially coming to an end.
Talent isn't the question when it comes to Johnson. The sophomore showed his undeniable talent in the first half against Arkansas, passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns in his first ever SEC start.
Johnson appeared to have a strong connection with junior college transfer receiver D'haquille Williams; the former No. 1 JUCO receiver reeled in 138 of his eventual 154 receiving yards with Johnson passing the ball in the first half of his debut.
But if Auburn's offense showed a weakness Saturday with Johnson calling the shots, it was in the run game.
The Tigers led the nation in 2013 by averaging 328 rushing yards per game, but with Johnson taking snaps in the first half, Auburn only managed 68 rushing yards. There seemed to be little threat of the quarterback keeping on zone read plays, and Johnson contributed zero rushing yards of his own.
Meanwhile, with Marshall making his season debut in the second half, the run game opened up to the tune of 234 rushing yards.
Simply the threat of Marshall keeping the ball, which he did on a 19-yard touchdown in the third quarter, was enough to clear space for Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant.
Auburn's offense took on two different forms in each half against Arkansas and those forms corresponded to who was calling the shots.
So can the Tigers make the two-quarterback system work?
One advantage for Auburn is the overall experience on the team. The offense is chock-full of experienced starters who have spent two years with both quarterbacks, meaning it shouldn't be too big of a changeup with whoever is out there.
Auburn's strength is still in the run game, which means Marshall will likely remain as the official starter, but it will be interesting to see how and when Johnson is used each Saturday.
Just how the snaps are divvied up between the two will likely remain a mystery, however. Malzahn is known to play these matters close to the vest.
(08/28/14 9:00pm)
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.
(08/26/14 11:11pm)
Last year's motto "It's a New Day" could not have been more true for Auburn football's bottom to top of the league miraculous 2013 season.
It is likely no season will ever come close to the excitement of the Prayer in Jordan-Hare and Kick Six on top of an SEC Championship finish.
Although this year's slogan of Auburn Fast will most likely become true because of head coach Gus Malzahn's now famous hurry-up no huddle offense, this year will be yet another 'New Day' for the senior class that has been through the worst, the mediocre and some of the best days of Auburn football.
Now it's their turn to decide what type of new day the 2014 Tigers will experience.
Looking back, every season for Auburn's seniors truly has been a new day.
They came in as freshmen in 2011, the year after a junior college transfer quarterback took the Plains by storm and led them to their first National Championship victory since 1957, and committed to play for Auburn, hungry for a Crystal Ball trophy of their own.
But the seniors decided to play for the Tigers knowing it would take time and plenty of hard work in order to get back to the top of the college football world.
Their freshman campaign was an above average 8-5 season that was capped off by a 43-24 Chick-fil-A Bowl victory.
Some would argue that was an average or even below average day for Auburn football, nonetheless it was a new day following the undefeated championship season.
Then expectations were up in the air for their sophomore season once a new offensive and defensive coordinator were brought in.
Nobody could have predicted what kind of day that 2013 season would be.
As we all know by now, that was the winless SEC season that gave birth to the slogan, "It's a New Day."
Nobody, and this time I mean nobody, could have predicted what kind of day their junior season would produce.
As we know now, that was the day one of their mentors who recruited them returned to become head coach, one player from their class broke Bo Jackson's all-time yards in a season record and another player from their class was drafted No. 2 overall.
Well, and a few other things happened in last year's new day.
Although some may not want to move past that 2013 movie-like brand new positive day of a season, according to coaches and players, the 2014 Tigers are now hungrier than ever and are striving each and every day to be "13 seconds better."
"We've got some leaders who have really stepped up," Malzahn said. "When you get that close [to winning it all] that has a way of motivating guys."
Despite the departure of Tre Mason and Greg Robinson, the 2011 recruiting class with the addition of Nick Marshall and Corey Grant are ready to lead the team for their senior year still searching for what they originally came for.
Except now it's not for a Crystal Ball.
It's only fitting that this class experiences the new day for college football in their quest to become the first ones to hold up the new College Football Playoff trophy.
(08/28/14 1:30pm)
From performance-enhancing drug scandals to three-hour game times and decreased scoring, baseball is battling a litany of issues that seem to drive casual fans from the game.
Statistics show that attendance numbers are declining from their all-time peak in 2007, likely a product of ever-increasing ticket prices and the comfort of watching games at home.
That's not to say Major League Baseball isn't trying to improve. The institution of instant replay has been a positive and relieved pressure from umpires trying to call the game.
But one of baseball's most enduring problems is also rooted in one of its most deep-seated traditions: the 162 game schedule.
Baseball's lengthy season wasn't a problem in the past when it was still the nation's favorite sport, but the schedule now over steps its bounds, extending well into September and October when it has to compete against not only the NFL, but college football as well.
The start of football season, which in this area also coincides with the Atlanta Braves' annual fall from relevancy, snatches the spotlight from America's pastime during its most dramatic time.
Football is king in the United States, and its legion of followers is only growing.
According to a Harris Poll conducted in 2014, 35 percent of adult fans (ages 18 and over) called the NFL their favorite sport. That's an 11 percent increase from the 24 percent of fans who called the NFL their favorite sport in a 1985 Harris Poll.
College football even managed to bring in 11 percent of fans in the 2014 poll.
Baseball, meanwhile, is down from 23 percent in 1985 to a measly 14 percent in the 2014 poll.
A reduced schedule wouldn't be the ultimate cure to baseball's interest ailments, but it would give the MLB a chance to take a page from the NBA and showcase its best product: the drama and inspiration of the postseason.
Moments like Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, where David Freese saved my St. Louis Cardinals with his two out, two strike triple before crushing a walk-off home run in the 11th inning, are what help baseball create lasting memories.
But baseball currently doesn't spotlight the best portion of its product.
Instead, it drags on from April to October, leaving casual fans ready for a swift end so they can focus on football.
As important as each and every game can be (just ask the 2011 Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves), it's difficult to generate excitement in the casual fan when their team still has 40+ games left to play in the middle of August.
As much as I love regular season baseball, the sport's best moments are not written in the dog days of summer.
They're written on cool autumn nights under the lights of the great baseball cathedrals of Fenway Stadium, Busch Stadium and Camden Yards.
But as long as those moments are competing with two ongoing football seasons, they'll never quite get their due.
(08/26/14 4:00pm)
Incoming freshmen have likely heard it all by this point.
By the time they've finally sat down for their first class of the semester, freshmen have probably been bombarded by advice from parents, friends and advisors for the last six months about the right way to navigate college and score an all-important degree.
When I was a freshman, this advice ranged from the obvious; for instance, why you should attend class regularly, to the more specified, such as the million reasons you should avoid that vat of hunch punch your roommate's friend concocted last night.
While this advice is for the most part helpful in guiding students toward a degree, it often ends up being shortsighted of the final goal in earning a degree: landing a job.
With in-state undergraduates paying $39,408 in tuition and fees over four years, it seems to make sense that a student salvage as much value as possible from their investment in earning a degree.
But what good is a 40K degree with no pay off afterward?
According to the United States Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for 2013 college graduates, those ages 20-29 who earned a four-year or advanced degree, was 10.9 percent.
Applying those numbers to the 3,670 students who graduated in Auburn's spring 2014 ceremony, 400 graduates would be left searching for employment despite holding a four-year degree.
That number may not seem too high, but that's one of three graduation ceremonies Auburn will hold in 2014. And Auburn is just one of 629 four-year public universities in the United States.
As important as a degree is, it's really not that rare: 1,439,264 bachelor's degrees were awarded in the United States in 2013 alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
While those degrees are scattered amongst fields that vary in availability, competition amongst degree-holding graduates is only increasing as continued growth in college enrollment is projected by the National Center for Education Statistics through 2022.
So, if a degree is no longer the end-all for securing a job, how can a student reap the most from their hefty college investment?
Even though there are few sure-fire ways of securing employment, gaining outside work experience in their prospective field can give students a leg up over their classmates, who may not be putting in the extra work. The sooner you start adding to your resume, the better.
Whether it's writing for local newspapers during the summer, working as a research assistant in the computer science department or simply finding an internship, there are plenty of opportunities to gain a little extra experience in Auburn.
The benefits of this extra experience are incalculable; you won't build individual contacts, on-the-job skills and references in the classroom.
(08/25/14 4:00pm)
On any given weekend, I'd much rather spend my nights eating cereal on my couch and binging on my latest Netflix addiction. In those moments, the thought of going downtown to drink repulses me on a level similar to going to the dentist.
But that's what people in this town do.
Picture this: it's 9:30 on a Friday night. You've abandoned shoes and pants for an oversized t-shirt and a bowl of Froot Loops. You're well into a happy TV coma when suddenly, your phone lights up. It's your BFFs, and they're all out at Skybar, furiously texting you to come get your drink on with them.
Some people might jump at the chance to go out and party with friends, and that's okay. You do you. But let me do me, too, and say no.
It's not that I don't like my friends. It's not that I don't enjoy a beer or two every now and then. I just don't like bars--especially the overcrowded, sweaty, loud ones in downtown Auburn.
I don't like the music. I don't like dancing. I'm not a big fan of crowds, and I'd like to be able to carry on a conversation with my friends. Five minutes of fruitless yelling into each other's ear only to nod and smile and pretend we had any clue what was said doesn't count as conversation.
Whenever I go out I come home with a thinner wallet, a pounding headache and usually the disdain of my friends because I left too early.
I don't understand why college students are expected to like this stuff.
I don't get why I'm seen as some kind of lame, prudish outlier for not.
If I'm hanging out with someone, it's because I want to spend time with them. I want to hear their thoughts and have a conversation without having to scream over the newest misogynistic rap song or maneuver around sweaty, wasted couples grinding in odd contortions on the dance floor.
Not to mention being a girl is like a crime at the bar, where the punishment is having random drunk guys groping your ass and trying to sleep with you.
Sorry, no, I'm not going to put myself in those situations.
I'm not interested in being hollered at or having my personal space invaded. I'm not interested in paying way too much for some watered down drink I could make at home. I don't need to feel like I'm partying like a celebrity.
And that's okay.
But until my fellow students start treating it like it's okay, I'm going to keep ignoring your texts and pretending to be asleep.
(08/18/14 4:00pm)
A new year brings new beginnings.
It's the beginning of classes, beginning of football season and, for some, the beginning of whole new chapter in their lives.
My advice for lower - and upperclassmen - is to take advantage of all Auburn University has to offer and take advantage of the towns around Auburn.
We may live in a small town, but we should never say we're bored.
The Plainsman's campus section covers everything from Student Government Association senate meetings to University Program Council concerts to events other University organizations hold throughout the year.
We cover community news, such as music festivals in Opelika and Waverly and new restaurants and shops to check out.
Our intrigue section will give readers ideas that can keep them occupied on those lazy Sundays, whether it's making a delicious meal or getting involved with the Parkour Club.
If you keep up with The Plainsman every week, you're sure to never be bored.
You can also get involved with some of the organizations on campus.
Logging on the AUinvolve will show all the campus clubs and organizations.
My recommendation is to pick up to three organizations or clubs to join at one time.
The Plainsman is also hiring staff throughout the semester.
Whether you are a journalism major or not, anyone is welcome to write and share their voice here at the paper.
Our office is Room 1111 on the bottom floor of the Student Center and applications are online.
You can also email me at rsh0010@auburn.edu if you have any questions about joining The Plainsman staff or working as a volunteer.
The Plainsman prides itself on getting the news to everyone as fast as possible through our Twitter and Facebook accounts.
However, The Plainsman doesn't stop at covering features and breaking news.
Our reporters and myself will uncover injustices, spread the word about causes and try to make this University the best it can be.
If we're paying thousands of dollars to go to school here, we better make sure we're getting our moneys worth.
I can't tell you how excited I am to start the fall semester working at The Plainsman.
We have many new ideas for our readers.
I hope you will take advantage of us as a resource as much as possible.
We're dedicated to giving you news the campus and community not only want to hear, but need to hear.
The reporters at The Plainsman have a unique voice.
They can tell stories from a student perspective and find stories students and people who love Auburn are interested in.
Whether it's the kind lady who greets everyone at the bookstore or a fellow student with an interesting back story, we're always open to ideas.
As editor-in-chief of The Plainsman I pledge that I will try my absolute hardest, especially since I've already sold my soul to the paper, to bring the Auburn campus and community all the news it needs as timely as possible.
Our passion is the uncovering the truth and we're a spirit that is not afraid of doing just that.
Becky Hardy is the 2014-15 Editor-in-Chief for The Auburn Plainsman. She can be reached via email at editor@theplainsman.com.
(08/16/14 4:00pm)
The cheerleader, the jock, the gothic kid.
I'd like to believe we've left these stereotypes back in high school.
However, a stereotype most of us can't avoid fulfilling at Auburn University is the broke college student.
That's because most of us are broke, but that is all right. However, not knowing how to budget the little money you have, or spending it unwisely, is not all right.
If you haven't learned money management yet, now is the time. Effectively managing your money will help you for the rest of your life, not just in college.
Take some time and plan out your budget. If you have never made a budget before, you need to start by knowing how much money you'll have coming in every month and how much you think you'll be spending.
The biggest expenses will be the money you spend on tuition, if someone is not paying it for you already.
The rest of your money has to go toward the basics: food, housing, transportation, books, etc.
Start your budget by looking at the most expensive. It is usually tuition and books.
Take advantage of discounts and incentive programs provided by the University. Make sure you know the terms and conditions of any loans you take out, and research scholarships and grants before you accept them.
The college bookstore isn't your only option for purchasing textbooks.
Make sure you compare prices online to find the best deal. If you do decide to buy your books from the bookstore, it may be cheaper if you buy them used, rent, get the digital copies or sell them back at the end of the semester.
Many college students pack on some weight during their first year at school.
Our appetites can be expensive.
To save on food costs, eat at home as much as possible. Do not shop for groceries when you're hungry. Shop for food with a list and stick to it. It also helps save money in the long run to buy in bulk.
Resist your daily caffeine fix at Starbucks.
If you absolutely have to have coffee, buy a coffee maker and make your own at home, or substitute the expensive latte with a regular coffee.
Gas prices and parking passes are expensive.
Carpool with friends when possible and walk or ride your bike to class to save your gas money to do other things.
The Tiger Transit provides students with transportation to get to campus. Your tuition payments include fees associated with it.
For all who like to shop until you drop, try purchasing your clothes at Plato's Closet or another second-hand store instead of the mall and save tons.
Many college students like to go out drinking and have a good time. Do it for less by looking for the happy hour specials at the bars and restaurants before going out. When you decide where you are going out, only take the amount you're happy to spend that night, and no plastic cards.
Spending time with your significant other does not always have to tear into your wallet.
Dates with your crush don't always have to be an expensive dinner at Hamilton's.
Do something fun like a hike or picnic at Chewacla State Park, or watch a scary movie at your house every once in a while.
These tips may not seem like you are saving much short term, but if you start looking at your budget often, you will be able to tell the difference in your spending and have more money to do the things you enjoy.
Derek Thompson is a sports writer at The Auburn Plainsman. He can be contacted via email at sports @theplainsman.com.
(07/29/14 6:00pm)
Auburn fans have experienced the ups and downs of scheduling tough non-conference opponents.
For every victory, such as Clemson in 2010 and Kansas State in 2007, there have been the nightmares of USC in 2003 and West Virginia in 2008. Non-conference games, whether at home, away or at a neutral site, are fun for not just fans, but players and coaches as well.
A trip to Kansas State on a Thursday night this upcoming season scares fans. The Wildcats are not the typical formidable opponent they would be during other years, but you know all of Manhattan, Kansas, will be rocking and ready to send our Tigers back home to the SEC a loser.
These games are what make college football the greatest sport in this country. The experience of seeing other college towns and meeting the fans of teams outside the SEC make these games circled dates on every Auburn fan's calendar. The players and coaches look forward to these games to prove not only Auburn's superiority, but the SEC's.
Many conversations and discussions lately have been of Auburn scheduling more competitive non-conference games in lieu of paying Directional State Tech University to come to our stadium for a whooping (and healthy paycheck).
I welcome a harder non-conference schedule. The SEC is, by far, the dominant college football conference in the nation. Go out and prove it on the field. The atmosphere at Jordan-Hare can be unrivaled at times, and recruits in town for a big game notice this.
Give Coach Malzahn reason to say, "If you come to Auburn, you will be playing in this atmosphere against the best teams in the nation." You can't tell me that wouldn't impress a recruit more than a Saturday afternoon game against Louisiana-Monroe.
As a fan, would you rather see Auburn beat Florida Atlantic by 50 again, or have a home-and-home series with Wisconsin?
Would you be more likely to attend a game against overmatched Samford or BCS-power Stanford?
Early season non-conference matchups are fun to watch and get hyped all offseason long. In a sport where voters have the final say (hello, 2004), there is not a better way to start the season than by pounding another powerhouse.
I applaud Jay Jacobs and the football program for scheduling games such as this year at Kansas State and against Louisville next year in Atlanta. (Who isn't looking forward to playing Bobby Petrino again next year?)
I would like to see more of it. Bring on the so-called "powers" of the Big Ten and the wannabes of the Pac-12. Let's show them how real football is played.
(07/25/14 4:00pm)
Call him what you want: family man, Auburn man, a winner or even a loser, if you don't cheer for the Auburn Tigers.
But one thing cannot be denied about Coach Gus Malzahn -- he is a man of second chances.
While many people wonder why Malzahn continues to give players second chances, the answer is simple.
It seems to have worked out for Malzahn as a coach so far, as well as for the players.
It started in 2010 when a kid by the name of Cam Newton transferred to Auburn University from Blinn Junior College in Texas.
But that's not where the real story begins. Newton and Malzahn's connection began after Newton allegedly stole a laptop while attending the University of Florida.
Months later, it was uncovered Newton had allegedly violated the honor code as a freshmen by cheating in class.
Yes, the same football player who left Florida after allegedly stealing a laptop came to Auburn, where he was later named the Heisman Trophy winner -- the player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity.
Fast forward to 2013, Malzahn's first season as the head football coach at Auburn.
A young man by the name of Nick Marshall was dismissed from the University of Georgia for allegedly stealing from a teammate.
In an instant, Marshall's career looked as though it was over.
However, a little help from Coach Malzahn got Marshall back on his feet faster than ever, literally.
Marshall took the job as Auburn's starting quarterback where he also thrived, leading the team to within 13 seconds of the school's third national football title and leaving his name in the Heisman mix for the upcoming season.
Many people online have called Auburn a classless program, but what is classless about giving a kid a second chance and watching him succeed and become a role model?
Nothing, nothing at all.
Every time Malzahn decides to give a future to a player with a sordid past, he sticks his neck out and takes the risk.
He puts his own reputation and the University's on the line.
Malzahn has enough confidence in his program and coaching staff to ignore the potential backfire with his players' reputation.
If Malzahn ignored Marshall and Newton, the odds of them becoming successful role models would have been low, which points the finger at an issue with today's society.
The trouble with today's society is not enough youth are given a second chance.
I understand life is not fair and not everyone gets a second chance, but throwing a kid in jail only makes his or her behavior worse.
Removing Newton and Marshall from football, the game they loved, for minor hiccups when they were younger would have only created more unsuccessful members of society.
Auburn has only had three football players arrested since Malzahn arrived in Auburn in December of 2012.
So I'll agree with Father Flanagan, whose core belief was "there are no bad boys. There is only bad environment, bad training, bad example, bad thinking."
(07/19/14 4:00pm)
Tiger Woods' appetite for extramarital sex and all the craziness surrounding Mike Tyson's boxing career are just a couple falls from grace after success got to their head.
How someone responds to their success can say a lot.
Not too many are better at handling their success than the most likable guy in golf today, 2013 PGA Champion and former Auburn golf All-American Jason Dufner.
The constant mindfulness in everyday life that comes with being a professional athlete can be dealt with properly by being grounded and humble like "The Duf."
Being a humble human being keeps famous athletes from spiraling out of control when they have everything going their way.
There isn't anything to dislike about Dufner.
A pinch of chewing tobacco packed tight in his lower lip is all he really needs to keep his laid back style.
Cool, calm and comfortable is how Dufner lives his life.
"I don't like stress because stress stresses me out," Dufner told the national press at the 2012 Master's Tournament.
He is also a man who stays true to the people and things that matter most to him.
He made Auburn one of his first stops to show off his Wanamaker trophy after his big win at the 2013 PGA Championship.
He recently honored the passing of his friend, and former Auburn football star, Philip Lutzenkirchen, who died in a single-vehicle accident, with the utmost fashion by stitching Lutzenkirchen's football number on the golf bag he will use in the British Open on July 17-20.
Everything he does, even on the golf course, looks effortless.
The media sensation called "Dufnering" says it all.
There is a viral photo of him in a slumped-over sitting position with his emotionless face was taken in a classroom where he was supposedly giving a lesson about focusing and relaxation.
The fun-loving golfer handles the spotlight by acting like himself and not letting the extra attention of being famous faze him.
Dufner is the first former Auburn golfer to ever win a major title and a big-time Auburn fan.
A small fist pump like the one he gave after his PGA Championship victory is about as excited as you're going to see this humble Auburn man get.
While not always the most charismatic golfer on the course, he is respected and loved by many because he knows how to handle his success.
(07/17/14 4:00pm)
In a time when America's government is as polarized as it's ever been, our country has looked for something to come together on. That something is sports.
In February, we saw our nation unite behind our Olympians in Sochi, Russia, at a time where tensions are high between our nations.
Even those who don't follow hockey most likely know about the "Miracle on Ice" game, where the US men's team pulled off one of the most improbable upsets in the history of sports by defeating the juggernaut Soviet hockey squad at Lake Placid.
The rivalry was renewed this year, and with the elite performance of TJ Oshie, the Americans pulled out a win against Russia on their home turf, 4-3.
The true beauty is America was watching, and the games were typically before 7 a.m. If others are like me, not much can get my attention athat early in the morning.
But I found myself glued to the television, feeling elation while watching the U.S. defeat Russia and then feeling crushed when the American's run ended with a lopsided loss against Finland.
While the Olympics were a good boost in patriotism, from what I saw in our local community, it was nothing compared to the World Cup.
As the popularity of soccer continues to grow in America, this year's World Cup saw the most passionate following of the American fan base ever.
The Americans' knockout stage loss against Belgium was the result of that passion as 16.5 million people watched it in the States.
Anyone in Auburn who was near downtown during the United States' four games saw everyone fully decked out in their America gear.
All of the bars were packed to the brim with roaring crowds, even at the early 11 a.m. games.
It was like the Fourth of July for several weeks, and for a while I forgot about all of the problems our nation is facing.
Sports are a gift to us because they allow us a reprieve from what is affecting you as an individual.
For a brief moment you can become so involved in the game, where your nation's pride is on the line, you forget about everything else.
It didn't matter if Clint Dempsey was Republican or Democrat.
Nobody cares if Tim Howard voted for Obama or Romney.
America came together and rallied around our boys in the red, white and blue.
When we won, we cheered and celebrated.
And when we lost, we rallied around our team and celebrated a good run, while looking forward to what the future holds with our nation and it's soccer history.
But at the end of the day, it was all about what sports is truly about. It may not be for everyone, but if sports can put our government's issues in the shadows for a full month, somebody has to take notice.
America has taken notice, and hopefully our government will do the same and quit with it's bickering.
At the end of the day our sports teams can teach us that, regardless of our individual differences, we can all unite as Americans.
(07/18/14 4:00pm)
When talking about Auburn as a college town, many descriptions come to mind.
A small-town feel, lovely campus, welcoming people and an outstanding atmosphere on fall weekends are compliments uttered often.
For the most part, everyone leaves Auburn with only nice things to say about the town.
But this does not mean the experience cannot be improved, especially when it comes to downtown entertainment.
One glaring issue, to me, is the lack of consistently good, live music in Auburn.
It has not been an ignored subject though. The University Program Council has increased its efforts in booking headliners at Auburn Arena, such as B.o.B and The Avett Brothers.
But they are not involved in the downtown music scene, which has not shown the same improvement, and has left many people wondering how it can be enhanced.
Some say the proximity to Atlanta and Birmingham keep the big artists away.
Tuscaloosa is closer to Birmingham, and Athens is not much further than Atlanta.
To me, the lack of an attractive venue downtown is the main obstacle.
In the next two months, the Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre has booked Peter Frampton, Umphrey's McGee and Darius Rucker.
In Athens, the Georgia Theatre is one of many top-notch venues near the University of Georgia. In recent years, artists such as R.E.M., Dave Matthews Band, Ludacris and Willie Nelson have played at the venue.
The Lyric in Oxford, Mississippi has not had any problem booking headliners either. In the near future, T-Pain, Corey Smith, Jason Isbell, and Citizen Cope are scheduled to perform.
All of these towns are similar to Auburn. The main attraction in each city is the local university, and thousands of music-loving students flock to these cities every fall and spring.
Yet they have thriving music scenes, while Auburn's is far from it.
There is no excuse for the inferior music scene here in Auburn, but until some more venue options become available and popular, we have some catching up to do.
(07/11/14 6:00pm)
Dameyune Craig was the man. I can not emphasize this enough.
You students too young to remember Craig in his playing days missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime quarterback. Well, until Cam came around.
Craig made plays that no Auburn quarterback had ever made. He escaped certain sack situations like 8-year-old defenders were coming after him.
I was a junior in high school during Craig's 1997 senior season (Yes, I am old.). His play captivated me and made him, still to this day, my favorite Tiger of all time.
He stepped up in big moments, especially on the road.
Facing a tough test on a Thursday night at Virginia to start the 1997 season, Craig found Karsten Bailey for a 57-yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter that can only be described as incredible. Do yourself a favor and watch this play on YouTube.
With the Cavaliers' crowd roaring in the 4th, Craig found Bailey again on a cross pattern for a 77-yard touchdown to put the game away.
The rest of that season was just as magical. Before there was War "Cam" Eagle, there was War "Dameyune" Eagle.
Going into the intimidating Death Valley of LSU on Saturday night, the now Heisman candidate led the Tigers on an 80-yard, 10-play drive in the final three minutes to knock off the 10th-ranked Bayou Bengals. Craig, working with hardly any running game, continually won games with both his feet and arm.
Winning a night game against rival Georgia in Athens? Not a problem for Craig.
My first time attending an Auburn game at Jordan-Hare was the 1997 Iron Bowl. My father, the patient man he is, sat with me for hours so we would get a great position at Tiger Walk and I would be able to see my idol. That day, Craig was not going to let the Tigers lose.
After an Alabama fumble, Craig led Auburn to field goal range to set up Jaret Holmes' game winner.
He was fearless. In the SEC Championship game, he stared down, and went toe to toe with, the great Peyton Manning, coming up short in a one-point Auburn loss.
Now an assistant coach under Gus Malzahn and a force on the recruiting trail, Craig is now back in the place where he became a legend.
It will take a monumental effort for any Tiger to pass him in my mind.
(07/07/14 11:03pm)
I'm an Auburn majorette, and I'm proud of what we do on game day. However, many people don't realize the in's and out's of our hectic schedules.
We are awakened by a harsh alarm at 3 a.m to start getting "game-day ready." The anxiety and nerves have already formed an overwhelming pit in our stomachs as we begin our preparation ritual.
Game-day ready, to us, means full make-up and hair styled in the signature majorette "poof."
After we get dolled up, we have band practice for several hours. Every game-day morning, we run through the pre-game and half-time shows over and over and over again until we're unquestionably prepared.
Many people are unaware that the entire band does not get to perform in every game. We have an alternate system in place so the best of the best are performing each week.
Specifically for majorettes, this means 10 out of 14 will perform pre-game and 12 will perform during half-time. Every week we have pass offs to determine if we are to perform that week.
While most football fans recognize the girls in sparkly outfits on the field, only a few are aware that twirling is actually a competitive sport.
Our purpose as majorettes is to entertain the fans and to perform with the utmost showmanship; however, competition twirling is somewhat different than twirling in Jordan-Hare.
A few girls on the Auburn Majorette Line, including myself, competed before auditioning for a college line.
Competitive twirling is in a gym with just you, the baton and the judges. Here, you can focus on your most difficult tricks. Practices are filled with hours in the gym with a determined coach pointing out your every mistake.
I started competing at a local level, but over the years I worked my way up to the national level where the competition only intensifies.
The competitions host thousands of girls, and boys, in glittery uniforms methodically going through each move in their routines with extreme concentration until it's time to perform.
One drop of the baton - half a point deducted. One break in the flow of the routine - one tenth of a point deducted.
If that isn't a sport, I don't know what is.
On the field, however, the judges are the fans and your sponsors, so there is still some competitive aspect involved based on how well you perform from week to week.
Both competitive twirling and being a collegiate majorette are difficult, but also fun. You feel so much positive energy and adrenaline from performing that you never want to stop.
(07/13/14 4:30pm)
I am an advocate of self-defense.
Proper self-defense and situational awareness are imperative when defending yourself, whether you're dodging a punch, a knife or a car.
But then there are guns.
I'm not a fan of guns. I am not completely comfortable around them, and I wish they were never invented.
Guns are the great equalizer. Once, an enraged man weighing over 230 pounds of sheer muscle would have been insurmountable to the average woman. Now, with the use of a firearm, the tables can easily turn in the woman's favor with the pull of a trigger and a quarter-ounce of lead.
Guns have made physical strength irrelevant and turn brave men cowards when staring down its barrel.
And the way I see it, we need to know how to defend ourselves from the people behind them.
A Kevlar or carbon fiber vest only covers a person's torso. Having some firearm training myself, I can tell you hitting a target the size of a small watermelon at 15 yards is relatively easy.
Being generous, an attacker would have a minimum of seven bullets, which means they have seven chances to hit that watermelon.
A person could run. In a setting such as Auburn University, the density of the crowd would put the odds of escaping unharmed in a person's favor. Unfortunately, chances are someone will be hit.
For some, none of these options are agreeable. For some, gambling with chance is not an option. For some, the best option for protecting one's life, and the lives of those around them, would be to use offense as a form of self-defense. Namely, a gun.
However, Auburn University is a gun-free campus.
The University complies with Senate Bill 286, which states employees may keep properly secured firearms inside their car at their work. However, employers may still choose to ban guns within the business itself.
Auburn University complies with this law and chooses to restrict guns inside its buildings. They are within their right to do so.
It is the case, however, the University's department of public safety has provided students and faculty with a gun locker to store their guns while they remain on campus. With proper identification, an individual may store their weapon on campus.
But what's the point?
All this would be fine with me if we lived in a world where every person followed the rules agreed upon by society. If an individual intends to break the cardinal rule of society, to not take the life of another human, they would most certainly not follow its other rules.
Storing guns in a locker, away from arms reach, defeats the purpose of owning a firearm for self-defense.
Are all gun owners to rush to the public safety's gun locker in the event of an attack? Heaven forbid the assailants begin their assault at the locker itself.
The locker is not for our benefit. It is a form of appeasement, a compromise, which achieves nothing other than to hush the outcries of a fraction of citizens. The University passively smothers the voice and opinions of the dissenting group with this amenity.
In providing students and faculty with a gun locker, the University has done nothing at all.
(07/03/14 9:00pm)
Starting in about first grade, teachers begin asking what you want to be when you grow up. You draw it on craft papers and sprinkle some glitter on it.
Parents keep the papers every year, remarking on the changes each year of childhood brings to the answers.
For little girls, it ranges from princess, to ballerina, to mommy, to nurse, teacher and the list goes on.
For me, ever since I can remember, I've loved to write and argue, so I decided I wanted to become an attorney when I grew up.
Lawyer started to be the answer written in crayons and sprinkled with glitter.
I've always been focused and set in my plan; so the other day, a conversation with a friend threw me for a loop.
We were discussing my future plans and what law schools I was applying to in the fall. My friend then asked me if I planned to marry my long-term boyfriend during law school. He remarked that my boyfriend would have been working for two years when I finally graduate and would be financially stable. He then asked: "So if you get married during law school, would you just quit and let him be the breadwinner?"
I was shocked.
I never considered giving up my dream for someone else, let alone relying on a person to be my sole source of income. I told one of my girlfriends about the conversation, and she told me it made sense.
"Just go to school and get an MRS degree, it's easy."
OK, I had never even heard about an MRS degree until my freshmen year.
I was walking past one of the engineering buildings when I saw a group of girls huddled by one of the entrances. I soon found out they were waiting for guys to come out; they were waiting for future husbands.
"Oh they're just going to get their MRS degree and find an engineer to marry," people would say as if it wasn't a shock.
I know they're not alone. I see on Facebook and Twitter that many girls my age are only going to school to find a husband -- someone to love them, take care of them and pay for the lifestyle that suits them.
In a society where divorce occurs in about 40 to 50 percent of marriages, it's impractical to rely solely on a man to support you.
I understand some women want to be a mother and stay at home, and that is a full time job. But if you're only going to school to find a husband, you're wasting your time, and you're wasting money.
I was studying the Constitution for one of my tests, and I realized all of the hard work that our women predecessors put into making the 19th amendment a reality.
I would love to see how those women would react to see the girls today who go to school to become gold diggers.
Women have an unlimited amount of doors open to them now. Sure, we don't always have the same salary as men, but we are not blatantly denied access because of our sex.
It's also discriminating for a woman to seek out men who are only engineers, doctors or architects. They have always heard mom's telling them to marry a doctor; they'll take care of you.
By settling for an MRS degree, you're selling yourself short. The cliche saying is true, when it comes to your education, "you don't need a man."
