RickKarle's Blog

     Friday greetings!  I hope you join us tomorrow night at 9:35 as yours truly, Paul Finebaum and Sheldon Haygood will be all over this Auburn football saga.  Sheldon reports live from AU while Finebaum joins me in studio to ratchet up coverage of the Tigers.  Will it be an easy AU win? What, heavens to Tuberville happens to the head coach if he loses to a bad Arkansas team and his offense looks poor in doing so? Good stuff for you tomorrow night!

     Tonight? We bring you "Sideline 2008" at 10:10. Our high school football show brings you nearly one full hour of hi-lites in what we like to think is the fastest-moving TV show in this state (it's certainly the most hectic). We will have a full report on the Hoover-Mountain Brook game along with hi-lites of 29 other games over ten counties. Instant scores come your way on our bottom line.  We also award our "Sideline Standout Award", our "Sideline Helmet MVP Award",  our Band Of The Week honors (Shelby County), and recruiting expert Tim Watts of Rivals looks over stud DB Rod Woodson, the Alabama commitment.  Throw in the Vestavia Hills cheerleaders, our Sideline Guest Sportscaster" and more, and we promise you will be entertained and informed tonight! 

      I'll be in touch tomorrow- have a great weekend, enjoy this great weather, and I hope you and your family join us tonight for "Sideline" at ten past ten!

     So much for another slow day in sports, eh? The news trickled in just past 1 pm and then the you-know-what hit the fan.  Tony Franklin is out as the Auburn Offensive Coordinator a mere six games into the 2008 football season.  Tommy Tuberville met the media tonight and insisted that the move is nothing personal- the coach says it simply boiled down to a lack of offensive production (on that front Tubs is right, as the Tigers offense is offensive, ranked 104th in the nation). But down deep, Tuberville knows that he has some problems at AU, and the next few months could be just the start of a rocky fall season.

    I don't know about you, but how about some of these questions swimming around my head?   How many of these blue-chippers that were recruited by Tony Franklin cross AU off their lists?... Since Tubs likely will not hire an OC before the season is out, who runs the offense?...  Hugh Nall? Benn there, done that.... Eddie Gran?  Love ya Eddie, but it's not you.  Steve Ensminger? The most logical choice... Now that Franklin is gone, will Tony's star student Chris Todd follow his mentor?... Does AU have to pay the remainder of Franklin's contract? ...Has Franklin signed that contract?... Is it true that Will Muschamp left AU after being upset with AD Jay Jacobs and other AU people about his contract?... Were Tuberville's long-time assistants ganging up on Franklin, having never bought into the spread offense?...What if the likes of Gran, Nall, Knox and friends, with Tuberville for years, approached their head coach and said, 'It's either us or him'?...  Isn't it this December that Tuberville and his long-time assistants qualify for their state pension after being at AU for ten years?...Does this play into this at all?...Has Tuberville privately considered stepping aside in recent years, and could he do so after this season?... How will the high school coaches in our state react to the Franklin departure- after all, many prep coaches are close to Franklin...  How much are Alabama fans loving this?... Is Nick Saban licking his chops as he thinks of all the homes he will soon visit where blue chippers are residing?  Are you ready for Franklin to go off?... Was there someone other than Tuberville starting the "Fire Franklin" campaign?  Someone more powerful within the AU system?

     Most of these questions will be answered in due time, while many may never be answered. One thing is for sure: A so-so football season just became more exciting!

     Did you happen to tune into any sports talk radio today? Many Auburn football fans are turning their criticism away from Offensive Coordinator Tony Franklin and to head coach Tommy Tuberville.  I must say, coach Tubs is in a pickle.  His offense ranks 103rd in the nation (passing ranks 103rd as well, and rushing? Forget about it- the Tigers averaged 2.5 yards per rush last weekend at Vanderbilt).  Why the pickle? Tommy Tuberville insists he is committed to running the spread offense because he has to be committed to the spread.  Allow me to explain.

     Tuberville has reeled in well over 20 verbal commitments for the 2009 signing period.  Many of those commitments are scatback athletes that can step into a a spread offense and help the cause  (the problem today is that he does not currently possess the number of athletes that can run the spread). Tuberville said today that trying to install an offense different from the spread would a "major disaster."  While many Tiger fans consider the current offense a major disaster, Tuberville is right. College football players need great study habits off the field (see: the playbook) and plenty of reps on it.  Turning back to a power-I formation would only serve to throw the AU offense in even more chaos.

     So then: Tommy Tuberville, for the time being, is in a pickle.  Privately, I wonder if he is biting his collective nails and hoping that the spread offense catches fire in a hurry.  If not, it's going to a long season before an off-season may help the spread latch on.  Tubs has changed to the spread, he's hired OC Tony Franklin, who has written books on the spread, and he has recruited to the spread.  Has it been a big gamble for Tuberville?  While some may think that somewhere Al Borges is smiling, Coach Tubs is waiting for his new offense to kick into gear.  Until it does, he's going to have painful, long nights like he did three days ago in Nashville.

     I am now convinced that the world as we know it is changing. I'm not sure if it's global warming or some wierd alien deal, but when I'm sitting here writing about Auburn losing to Vanderbilt, maybe the apocalypse really is upon us.  Afterall, Auburn hasn't lost to Vandy in 55 years!   And just as I was preparing to offer up my less-than-enthusiastic opinion of  Alabama's 17-14 win over Kentucky (a season high ten penalties, three turnovers, senseless fumbles and a mediocre passing attack), here come the Tigers!  For the life of me, I have never witnessed a team exhibiting smash mouth football in the first quarter only to turn into a wet noodle as plainly as I did tonight.

     In case you missed it: Auburn chalked up 128 yards of offense against 19th-ranked Vanderbilt in the first quarter of Saturday night's game. Ben Tate ran for 108 yards Saturday, while the rest of the AU offense could only muster 100 yards).  Then, whether it was OC Tony Franklin's play-calling, head coach Tommy Tuberville's tinkering, or an amazing Vandy defense (which I doubt), the Auburn offense proceeded to gain 24 yards in the 2nd quarter, 17 yards in the third quarter, and 35 yards in the fourth quarter. Did I see some 12 penalties called, mainly on the offense? Did I see the AU O-line look totally out of synch? Did I see QB Kodi Burns struggle just as much as Chris Todd?  This performance was one of the worst I've seen by a Tommy Tuberville-coached team, and it doesn't look as if it's going to get any better.

     At 6:15 pm tonight, the big story was Alabama's struggles with Kentucky. The Tide had catapulted back to earth, and Nick Saban was ready to go off about an unsteady performance. But thanks to Bama fans, it was "Auburn to the rescue!".  The Crimson Tide nation can now bask in a 6-0 record and off week on the horizon. A fractured Auburn nation is scratching it's massive head, wondering if OC Tony Franklin has called Realty South.  While the Tigers are playing their hearts out, the Auburn coaching trust  is puking it's guts out, and I have a feeling there's no cure in sight.

     Two questions as we head into Sunday: Will Alabama's unsteady performance cost them a #2 national ranking (ESPN's Mark May has slid the Tide down to 5th). And how far will 13th-ranked Auburn fall? My co-hort Paul Finebaum said on Fox6 Saturday night that poll voters should throw the Tigers as far as they can. While I'm not ready to take such a drastic action, I am willing to say that Saturday night, the Tigers looked nothing like a top-25 football team.  Auburn? We have a problem- and after watching the "Music City Meltdown", I need only borrow that famous line from the late-great Jack Buck:  "I can't believe what I just saw."

     It's been another long day of covering high school football, and it's a hearty "thank you" for all the players, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, parents and support staff for making it another successful night!  The Mortimer Jordan cheerleaders did a wonderful job, and the Pelham Marching Band was tremendous. If you missed our program Friday night, be sure to check out the replay in two places:  MyFoxAl.com or MyFoxSideline.com.  It's all free for you- enjoy!  Also-  all the high school scores from throughout our state are on this website- check 'em out!

     See you Saturday night at 9:35 as we offer you "College Football Saturday".  Paul Finebaum, yours truly, Sheldon Haygood and Mike Dubberly will be here with hi-lites, interviews and analysis of all the day's college football games. Both the Alabama and Auburn games will be over by showtime, and I hope that visit us for the big show.

     Have a safe weekend- see you on TV!

     As we head toward what will be a wild and crazy weekend of racing at the Talladega Superspeedway, Sprint Cup points leader Jimmie Johnson offers up an interesting opinion:  The fall Talladega race should not be one of the ten Chase races. His reasons? There are many, but Johnson is primarily looking out for his points lead. Allow me to explain!

     Johnson knows that the Sunday Cup race at 'Dega is the wild card in the Chase.  You know that anything can and usually does happen.  Johnson can see it now: He's leading the points chase, gets caught up in "The Big One", and the crash sends his chances to win a series title into a tailspin after finishing, say, 35th.  Johnson insists the Talladega race is exciting, and he has no problem with the spring race. It's the fall race that he feels offers up the possibility of too much damage to the top three or four Chase drivers.
 
   My take? I say these drivers are big boys, and the 'Dega race offers not only excitement for fans, but bladder control problems for drivers.  It's edge-of-your-seat racing, and it's exactly the kind of race that puts a rush back into the sport in the middle of football season. Besides, every driver in the field is up against the same conditions. So while a a few drivers near the top of the points list may find themselves in "The Big One", it's a risk these professionals are expected to take as they entertain race fans worldwide.

     Be sure to gas up before heading to Talladega this weekend, and if your'e drinking a Budweiser, please be courteous to the family with small children sitting next to you.

     And while I'm at it:  Did you see the paint ball battle between NASCAR bad boy Kyle Busch and members of the media? Here's my question? Which has a worse reputation, a media person of Kyle Busch. Put another way, which would you rather plaster with a paint gun, Busch or the media? Tough choice, eh?  Harkens me back to the early 90's. I was in a paint ball war against the late Davey Allison, and Davey plastered my on the top of the head with a perfect shot.  I was sore for 2 years (maybe that explains my mental problems- kidding).

     I'm outta here- gotta head down US-280 without restrictor plates. And remember, Race Car spelled backward is Race Car! See you on TV!

As Auburn football fans continue to play Monday Morning Quarterback, head coach Tommy Tuberville has no doubt heard the whispers. You know, whispers that have him disagreeing with offensive coordinator Tony Franklin on which way the Tiger offense should be directed. Now Tubs changes coordinators at about the same pace as Larry King changes wives, but on Tuesday, Tuberville backed his offense and his new OC.

Despite the fact that AU stands 97th in the nation in scoring offense, despite the fact that Chris Todd throws it like Chris Rock and Kodi Burns runs it like George Burns (allright, it's not that bad, but you get my drift).  Tuberville says he's genuinely excited about the future of the spread offense. Tuberville DID admit today that he does not have all the athletes needed to run the spread 100 percent of the time, so today's AU offense is a hybrid between the past and the future. So if you think that Tubs may scrap the spread and go back to power-I offense, forget about it. He has too much invested in smaller, scrappy and lightening fast athletes that can thrive in that offense.

And get this: None other than Nick Saban has added his two cents, saying that he likes the spread offense, but those coaches who run it need a special quarterback like Pat White of West Virginia. Some critics say that Chris Todd has a sore arm and no legs, while Kodi Burns struggles with intermediate pass routes. So then- will Tuberville stay patient until all the ingredients are there to score at will? Yes he will- and he's crossing his blue and orange fingers that his offense starts to click in a hurry!

As the new polls have Alabama #2 in the AP Poll, & #4 in the Coaches Poll, the Crimson Tide nation has gone crazy. Not since 1993 has the Tide been ranked this high, and if this team continues to buy into the Saban mantra of "ignoring the polls", the players may be drinking the Kool Aid sooner than you think. Now through all this mayhem is an interesting comment today from Saban: the coach says that he has no idea where his team is ranked and doesn't care. Say What? He doesn't know where his team is ranked? Whether or not you believe him, his point is well taken. He wants to make sure his players and fans wait until the end of the season to worry about the rankings. But c'mon coach, you have to admit: Your job is to win national championships- and being ranked #2 in the nation puts you in much better shape than being, say ranked 24th. You may want to glance at the AP Poll next week.

Other items from a hectic Monday: Tide return specialist Javier Arenas tells us his favorite Kool Aid flavor is Strawberry-Kiwi... Bama quarterback John Parker Wilson says of the ongoing hype, "We don't watch TV or read the internet"... Our own Mike Dubberly had a beer poured on his head while doing a live report Saturday night from Athens. The young man who did the pouring called Fox6 Monday to apologize on behalf of all Dawg fans. A nice gesture, but I got to thinking. He asked that since he apologized that we not run the video clip on our newscasts. I'm thinking the kid is scared to death the clip will wind up on YouTube and his parents will get wind of it... Tommy Tuberville has granted a scholarship release to lineman Chaz Ramsey. The big guy has had back injuries, and while he's free to go to any D-1 school or SEC schools Ole Miss or Miss State, there is a chance that Ramsey will shelve his football career and remain at AU... Did anyone notice the Buffalo Bills are 4-0? What is going on in this world?... A sure sign that the apocalypse is upon us: ESPN's GameDay is heading to Vanderbilt this weekend... If the Tide could somehow reach the national championship game, I remind you that the game would be televised by Fox (in fact it will be televised by Fox if the Tide does not reach the game- ha!)... White Knuckle weekend at Talladega is only days away. Nothing against the kid, but are you glad that Kyle Busch stands last in the Chase?... Will you miss the Yankees in the playoffs this fall?... Still working on Tuberville for breakfast- I'll keep you posted... Look forward to emceeing the UAB transplant gala at Harbert Center featuring Gene Stallings... Did Pat Dye really say he had just finished reading the classic novel "To Kill A Blackbird?"... Keep an eye on those UAB basketball players this fall- can't wait til the season starts... My 10 year old breaks his arm falling off his RipStick. So much for the rest of the BUSA competitive soccer season (although I told Noah you play soccer with your feet, not your arms)... Gotta go get some sleep. See you tomorrow for our "Auburn Tuesday" coverage, and remember- our "Sideline" rundown for this Friday is currently on this website.

     The final Alabama 41, Georgia 30- and Nick Saban is as grumpy as ever!  It was a beat down in Athens tonight, and while the Alabama football coach is indeed happy his team is 5-0, he's very concerned with that one word that he insists can come back to haunt his players:  Expectations.  Says Saban after the big win tonight, "You guys (the media) are interested in writing about what this team could do but I'm not interested."  Saban wasn't done, as he said he did not see a full body of work against the Bulldogs, his team did not finish as he wanted, his players were not consistent, and he ignored the 5-0 record by saying "It's the record at the end of the season that counts."

     The good news for Alabama fans? Nick Saban has his players right where he wants them.  He leads an unbeaten team, but his team did give up 30 points to UGA, so he can chew on his players all week long, knocking them down to size and reminding them that they are certainly not worthy of his praise.  If his team won 59-0 and played near-perfect football, he would have been in difficult territory with his players. A 41-30 victory gives Saban plenty of criticism to take to his players.

    And more from Saban on fans and media looking forward to the possibility that this team could go all the way:  "If you guys want to drink the Kool-Aid, go ahead.  You media guys will beat me up, and next week I'll come back and tell you I was right."  Classic Saban: Temper expectations on the eve of the new polls being released.  Polls that could have the Crimson Tide ranked in the top three!

     As I head on home, a thought to keep under your cap.  Nick Saban won an SEC championship in his second year at LSU. A few years later he won a national championship.  Can you say deja vu? Could it really happen? If it does, Nick Saban will finally be able to say,. "I told you so!".
 

     Before I head out, a big "thanks" to all of you who helped us bring you another successful "Sideline 2008"!  We showed you hi-lites of 31 high school football games, we awarded Ladarrius Williams of Minor with our "Sideline MVP" helmet award, and Jacob Baker and Jeremy Richardson won our "Sideline Standout" awards.  Thanks to the Pleasant Grove cheerleaders for helping us in the studio, and to the Oxford Marching Band for winning our Band Of The Week award.

     On Saturday we turn our attention to college football, where we staff the Alabama & Auburn games and bring you extensive hi-lites on "College Football Saturday."  Mike Dubberly & Paul Finebaum join us live from Athens, GA while Sheldon Haygood turns in extensive reports from Auburn.   The fun starts Saturday at 9:35 pm!

     Check out Fox6 Sunday starting at noon. Our NFL Double-header has The Falcons vs the Panthers followed by the Cowboys vs the Redskins.  Sunday night at 9:45, Sheldon and Dub breakdown the big college games from Saturday and offer you the latest national polls.

     Have a great football weekend- see you on TV!

     I give credit to Alabama football coach Nick Saban. Not only does he hold his Monday game-week newser, but two days later he meets the media again each and every Wednesday.  And tonight, Saban illustrated why he's a veteran coach:  He does not hesitate to give kudos to competing coaches who build programs the right way.

     Tonight, Saban waxed poetic about the great things he sees from Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs- in fact he went so far as to say that he's trying to turn his Alabama program into a program like the Dawgs. Saban says he wants his players to line up and simply execute better than the opponent.  Saban says that the Dawgs don't do anything to try to fool an opponent, they just line up and out-execute the other team.  Superb schemes,  pass protection, defensive blitzes and yes- execution results in w's.

     Mark Richt reminds me a bit of Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson. Of course the level of athlete is incomparable, but Anderson has Richt's philosophy: Do everything the right way and wins will follow. Sound a bit like Saban? You better believe it- and if the Tide knocks off Georgia this weekend, maybe it will be proven that Saban's team is a bit closer to his model than we might think.

     See you Thursday night as I go "Head To Head" with Paul Finebaum.  The bald one touches on the likes of Saban, Tony Franklin, Phillip Fulmer and more. Friday night Paul will be here at 6:20 pm with is weekend college picks, and we will be back Friday night at 10:10 with "Sideline 2008."

    I'll be taking Thursday off to catch my breath, therefore I won't be posting tomorrow. I'll see you Friday and again on Saturday as "College Football Saturday" comes your way Saturday at 9:35 pm. Have a great weekend!

     I hope your week has been going well. While the hype for this weekend's Alabama-Georgia game has reached a crescendo, I'm sorry to say the game will not feel right. Now don't get me wrong:  You can't get much better than the Tide and the Bulldogs between the hedges. But the sport of college football has found a void needed filling with the retirement announcement of Larry Munson.

     For 42 years, the gravelly-voiced Munson has been behind the radio microphone at Georgia Bulldog football games. The attraction of Dawg fans to Munson was not due to sheer broadcasting talent, but shear homerism.  Larry Munson was so over the top, so into his beloved Bulldogs that he often forgot to say such important facts as "Georgia scores!". How about this example of a Larry Munson radio call thanks to AOL.com's Pete Holiday?

Buck back. Third down on the 8. In trouble. Got a block behind him. Going to throw on the run. Complete to the 25, to the 30. Lindsay Scott 35, 40. Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40. Run Lindsay! Twenty-five, 20, 15, 10, 5. Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Well, I don't believe it. 92 yards and Lindsay really got in a footrace, I broke my chair, I came right through a chair, a metal STEEL chair...Do you know what is gonna happen here tonight? And up at St. Simons, Jekyll Island, and all those places, where all those Dawg people have got those condominiums for four days...MAN, is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight!

      Now if my memory is correct, that call came in the Georgia-Florida game over 25 years ago, and it is but one example of a style exuded by a pure classic.  I've heard Munson utter such phrases as "We stepped on their faces" and "We absolutely nailed them!". Can you imagine another announcer talking like this?  The late Harry Caray comes to mind, but Caray did not have Munson's broadcasting mean streak- and that's exactly why Georgia football fans have loved this man so much for so long.  Long-time Boston announcer Johnny Most was much like Munson, as he called some of the great plays in Boston sports history  ("Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!", and  "Bird steals- over to DJ- it's in!").  Still, for generations of Bulldog football fans, there never has been and never will be another like Larry Munson.

       Munson is now 86 years old. He wanted to continue broadcasting only Georgia home games, but he has realized that now is the time to step aside (ironically, Munson read the writing on the wall last season when he decided not to travel to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-Georgia game of 2007).

     In Athens, Georgia, some things can be replaced: UGA mascots, head coaches, shredded hedges,  and fraternity pledges. But there will be no replacing Larry Munson. And for that, the sports of college football has suffered.

     Here we are on the Monday before one of college football's biggest games of the year!  #3 Georgia hosting #8 Alabama-  two unbeatens with lots on the line. Superb talent with names such as Moreno, Stafford, Julio, Andre and Cody.  Two talented head coaches who know something about winning.  Prime time national television exposure. And to think that today, all anyone can talk about is, well, the color of a football jersey!

     In case you missed it, the Georgia Bulldogs will don their black jerseys this weekend between the hedges. The Dogs hope the Darth Vader look will serve to jack them up (as if they need to be), and the Dawg fan base will explode.

     Can a black jersey help a football team win? I'm no psychologist, but you remember what the Dawgs did to Auburn last season when they donned those threads. If anything, the move has the media talking. The subject of black jerseys got some big-time coverage on ESPN today (then again, those talking heads have lots of air  time to fill each day between noon and 6 pm).  I'm talking about it, heck- Mike Dubberly is doing a piece on the subject for Fox6 sports.

    The reaction from Alabama players? Most tell Dub today they aren't concerned in the least, as it's more important to be concerned with the talent inside those jerseys.  But Nick Saban did address the subject today, indicating that if a team needs a special jersey color to get amped, it has some problems.  Saban used the Note Dame comparison. You know, green jerseys, Touchdown Jesus, the whole bit is thought by many to help the Irish win.  One look at the Notre Dame team the last few years puts that notion to rest.

    And more more item before we put this jersey deal to bed. Did you notice the color of the shirt that Nick Saban wore at today's game week newser? Yep- black!  It's the first time that I can think of that he's worn a black shirt at a newser, and when asked about it today, Saban grinned and replied, "It's the only one I could find when I got up this morning."

     That Nick Saban is a crafty guy, eh? Talk with you tomorrow. Fade to black.

     How good was THAT game? After losing to #6 LSU 26-21 Saturday night, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said, "I think we found out something about our offense tonight." Coach is right! Despite rushign for less than 100 yards, Chris Todd showed his mettle, completing 17 of  32 passes for 250 yards. He did throw a few picks, but he hung tough. What ultimately killed Auburn was a little of their own medicine:  LSU's tough defense held the AU Tigers to 70 rushing yards, and some poor punting game LSU field position to maneuver.

     Still, as Alabama fans celebrate (see my post below) and Auburn fans do not, keep in mind that things could be flip-flopped next weekend. You and I know that this Alabama team has what it takes to beat 3rd-ranked Georgia 'tween the hedges, but if the Bulldogs stuff the Alabama run, a suspect Crimson Tide passing attack could be exposed. And if the Tennessee Vols look anything like they did today against the Gators,  I would think Richard Todd rather than Chris Todd could lead the Tigers to victory.

     That, my friend is the sweet yet frustrating thing about SEC football.  Young men play their hearts out, only to know what lies ahead.  It's a bit like playing a round of golf.  You finally turn in that long-awaited birdie only to find out that the next hole is a 623-yard par-5 over the water.

    Be sure to be with us Sunday night at 9:45 as Sheldon Haygood brings you extensive post-game comments from the Tide and the Tigers.  Sheldon and Mike Dubberly worked hard in Auburn and Fayetteville Saturday- I hope you check us out Sunday night.

     Have a great Sunday!

     What a beat down that was, eh? Still, less than an hour after Alabama whipped Arkansas 49-14 in Fayetteville, coach Nick Saban said. "Bama is NOT back- we have to play Georgia next week.  If my players get think they deserve great recognition, I'll get in their faces all week long."  That's typical Saban. Despite his interior lineman putting the smackdown on the Hogs, despite his backs running for over 300 yards, despite more big plays than Mike Shula saw in 4 years, despite more points being scored by Alabama in an SEC game since 1990, Nick Saban is not happy.

     What needs work? The passing game, third down conversions, defensive schemes. etc. Still, the Tide players are buying into the Saban mantra that as soon as you physically beat down an opponent, the sooner a victory ensues.
 
     Check this web site in just a bit for all of Saban's post-game newser, and then join Finebaum and me tonight at 9:35 for "College Football Saturday." While the Auburn-LSU game will be ongoing,  I hope you peek in on our show.  Mike Dubberly has full reports on the Tide's win in Fayetteville, Sheldon joins is live from Auburn, and we check in  with other area teams like UAB, Miles and Troy (the Trojans gave Ohio State a scare today).

    Enjoy the Auburn game, and I'll see you later tonight on the TV side.