Thursday Mailbag: Auburn’s Shaq, Loeffler, Kimbo Hits
I received a bevy of questions this week, most of them pertaining to Auburn's new offensive coordinator or the basketball team. For those that didn't ask about either of those topics, I'll get to yours down the road. For those that did ask about those topics, and don't see your question below, I'm sorry. You can't always get what you want.
Justin wants to talk about Shaq. No, not that one. He's talking about the guy who's playing for the Auburn basketball team next year.
Have you seen any videos of Auburn basketball commit Shaq Johnson yet? He is hands down the best high school dunker in the country. And he just doesn't wow in contests, he can throw it down big time in games. What do you think of him and the future of Auburn basketball?
First off, yes I have seen the videos of him, and probably too many times to be able to argue against having a mancrush on him. I love dunks. What can I say?
Point blank: the dude can fly, and he's not even that tall. He just looks fearless going after the basket. However, there's a big difference in dunking on a normal high school kid and dunking on a 7-foot SEC center, so we'll see how he does in the next few years.
Aside from the fact that Auburn is adding a high flyer to the roster, his commitment also shows what Barbee is able to do as a recruiter. Johnson was also recruited by Clemson, Florida, and Georgia, but Barbee was able to get him to commit to play for the good Tigers. As we'll see in football in about a week, anything can happen before or on signing day, but Shaq has shown no signs of wavering on his commitment. Bottom line, Barbee is bringing in exciting players, and is able to sell them on immediate playing time in first class facilities. The future should be bright for Auburn in the years to come.
Kenny Gabriel Goes All “Chris Porter” On ‘Em
I wrote about how good Kenny Gabriel is in this week's mailbag, and now here's visual evidence of his dunking greatness at this point of the 2011-2012 season.
You can also see him in person tomorrow as the basketball team takes on South Carolina in the Auburn Arena at 12:30 CT. I'll be there if you need more of an incentive to go. Oh, and here are two videos of two of Kenny's dunks from the dunk contest at Hoops Madness in October (Dunk #1, Dunk #2). They need a doctor. They're sick.
Tuesday Mailbag: Basketball, VanGorder, Pike
After a holiday weekend family trip to Gatlinburg, and the longest drought in blogling over the last year and a half, I return with the new favorite post on the Blogle, the Tuesday (or whatever day it is that I post it) Mailbag. Welcome back, I know you missed me as much as I missed you, which is actually not that much. Sorry.
One of my unposted resolutions for 2012 was to do more blogling about basketball and baseball. Since I haven't done so yet, Michael all but forces me to in the first question of this week's mailbag.
I haven't seen much about Auburn basketball and you want to branch out more from football season so here are a few basketball related questions:
1) What do you think about Kenny Gabriel having the first triple-double in school history by recording 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocks?
Aside from being the best dunker on an Auburn basketball team since Chris Porter, Kenny Gabriel is also my favorite Auburn basketball player in some time. He's right up there with Kyle Davis and Marquis Daniels. Gabriel is something that Auburn has lacked for a long time: he's tall and lanky, which helps with the aforementioned dunking, but can still pop a three in your face.
He's the closest thing to an NBA basketball player that Auburn has had in a while. He doesn't play scared and stupid. He takes charge and plays like he wants to win, not like he knows he plays on a team that has struggled mightily for most of the past decade. He's just a fun player to watch because he knows what he's doing.
Season’s Greetings from Auburn Athletics
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" never sounded so good... or bad... or something.
2011 Auburn Basketball Intro Video
This video, which I assume is the intro video, was played before Tiger Hoops Madness a few weeks ago. Apparently I missed it going online, but I haven't seen it anywhere else yet, so here you go.
Auburn went 2-0 in their exhibition games against Payne College and Victory University. That may seem like no big deal, but remember that the Tigers lost to Columbus State last year. I have a feeling this team might be pretty good this year, but either way, improvement is afoot!
The Tigers open the regular season against McNeese St. at Auburn Arena this Friday at 7pm.
Tuesday Mailbag: Georgia Tech, Fall Weddings, Sunsets
There's no need for an introduction. I've done this two times before and you've loved it. Right? RIGHT?! Just a little? You at least don't hate it, do you? Do you even remember how you got here? Ok, I'll stop.
'The Auburn Girl' wants to talk about Georgia Tech joining the SEC, and the terrible idea of wearing opponent's sweatshirts for love. Let's...
I work in an office with a lot of Ga. Tech grads and we like to discuss football--a safe subject now that Auburn and Tech don't have to play each other. I am old enough to remember "the good ole days" when they did play each other every year ("Wreck Tech, Wreck Tech, wreck the heck out of Ga. Tech!"). I didn't mind playing them as long it was an on-going tradition, but this ever-so-often-two-games was annoying.
It occurred to me that perhaps Ga. Tech might make a nice addition to the SEC. I doubt they would want to come back, of course, nor do I think most of the SEC would like to see them back, but it would make life interesting, wouldn't it?
Auburn’s SEC Basketball Schedule Released
Moments ago, the SEC released the 2011 schedule for each team's league games. Auburn was no doubt given the easiest opening week of all, starting off with a trip to that blasphemous arena in Nashville, followed by a visit from the Kentucky Wildcats. Those two wins should really kickoff the National Championship season nicely.
One other thing that sticks out is the game against Arkansas that will be broadcast on CSS. When did real, live games start getting shown on a dirty windshield station? On top of that, I don't get CSS. Step up, DirecTV. I much watch my Tigers beat the Razorbacks on their home court, and I don't want to have to do it illegally or on my laptop. I tend to throw things during basketball games.
Jan. 7 - Auburn at Vanderbilt, 1:30 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Jan. 11 - Kentucky at Auburn, 8 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Jan. 14 - Ole Miss at Auburn, 1:30 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Jan. 17 - Auburn at LSU, 7 pm, ESPNU
Jan. 21 - South Carolina at Auburn, 1:30 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Jan. 25 - Auburn at Arkansas, 9 pm, CSS/ESPN3.com
Jan. 28 - Auburn at Tennessee, TBD, ESPN2/ESPN3.com
Feb. 1 - Georgia at Auburn, 8 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Feb. 4 - Auburn at Mississippi State, 4 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Feb. 7 - Alabama at Auburn, 9 pm, ESPNU
Feb. 11 - Auburn at Ole Miss, 7 pm, FSN/ESPN3.com
Feb. 18 - Mississippi State at Auburn, 8 pm, FSN/ESPN3.com
Feb. 21 - Auburn at Florida, 7 pm, ESPNU
Feb. 25 - Arkansas at Auburn, 4 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
Feb. 29 - Auburn at Alabama, 8 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3.com
March 3 - LSU at Auburn, 2 pm, CBS Sports
Lutzenkirchen Gets Ignited
Yes, I know this is the third video I've posted today, but they've all been winners so get off me. And when a video of Philip Lutzenkirchen on a StairMaster appears, it will be posted. I still have the greatest idea in the world for another Lutzie video, if only Phil would hit me up. Come on Phil, hit me up.
Hey Auburn, I want royalties from the 'Teach me How to Dougie/Lutzie' thing at the end.
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