Baghdad Bob has nothing on Philip Marshall....

HammerOfTheDogs · Dec 13, 2008

This is what Marshall first wrote when Gene Chizik was first hired....
<h1>Wrong place, wrong time for Chizik</h1>

By Phillip Marshall, Senior Writer

Posted Dec 13, 2008

Copyright © 2008 AuburnUndercover.com


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<div class="image_caption"> Gene Chizik chats with Frank Broyles after winning Broyles Award in 2004/AP Photo </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div class="deck_copy" id="article_deck">

Commentary

My

telephone rang early this morning. It was a friend who is an Auburn

graduate and an avid football fan. He' s the kind of fan who finds

something positive in almost every situation, who believes in bad times

that better days are coming. </div> And he was angry. "If they do this," he said, "I'm through with Auburn football." And

from the feedback I've gotten, from the feedback others in far more

important positions than I tell me they've gotten, he is not alone. It's

been less than eight hours since I put up the story that said Gene

Chizik has jumped to the top of the list in Auburn's search for a head

coach to replace Tommy Tuberville. In that short period of time, the

response has been the most negative I have witnessed in almost 40 years

of being around Auburn football as a reporter. It's

unfortunate for Gene Chizik, who is a good man and, I believe, a good

football coach. I believe he's a good enough football coach to have a

real shot at getting the job done.But no one would have a good shot at getting the job done under the conditions he will find if he is named Auburn's head coach. Athletics

director Jay Jacobs is as sincere and honest as any person I know. If

he tells me it's going to snow in the summertime, I'm getting out my

heavy coat. But he needs to rethink this. From

what I'm told, the deal has not been finalized. President Jay Gogue

still must give his final approval. If he does it, he'll do it under

fierce opposition and it will divide Auburn people to such a degree

that it will be very difficult to recover. The

main problem they all face is Chizik's record at Iowa State. He was a

huge success as defensive coordinator at Auburn and at Texas. Iowa

State is a terrible job. But a 5-19 record in two seasons is hard for

anyone to overlook. This season, Iowa State went 2-10 despite a

schedule that did not include Oklahoma, Texas or Texas Tech, the three

best teams in the league. If Chizik comes to Auburn, he will come on a 10-game losing streak. Has that ever happened at a major football school? In

the end, sources close to the search say, the two finalists were Chizik

and Buffalo coach Turner Gill. And the nod, at least for now, has gone

to Chizik. It's

unfortunate, not because Chizik isn't good enough but because Auburn

had an opportunity to make a statement, to turn the negativity

surrounding the departure of Tommy Tuberville after 10 seasons into

something very positive. Alabama had a similar opportunity, chose Mike

Shula over Sly Croom, and paid the price. Other

than the past two dreadful season, Chizik has very good credentials.

Gill, who took over another down-and-out program at Buffalo and won a

championship in three seasons, has similar credentials if not better.

It became obvious days ago, before Chizik's name surfaced, that Gill

was the favorite of most fans. Would

Gill win more at Auburn than Chizik? There really is no way to say. But

what is obvious today is that, fairly or unfairly, Chizik would be the

most unpopular choice in modern Auburn history. And under those circumstances, it will be very difficult to succeed.

However, after "consulting" with Bobby Lowder and "associates" in the Auburn athletic department, THIS comes out:

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<h1>'He's as good a football coach as I've been around'</h1>

By Phillip Marshall, Senior Writer

Posted Dec 13, 2008

Copyright © 2008 AuburnUndercover.com


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<div class="image_caption"> Former assistant Joe Whitt says Chizik one of the best/Todd Van Emst </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div class="deck_copy" id="article_deck"> Don't count Joe Whitt among those concerned about the hiring of Gene Chizik as Auburn's head football coach. </div> <div class="body_copy" id="article_body"> Whitt,

now an assistant athletic director, coached linebackers when Chizik was

defensive coordinator at Auburn from 2002-2004. He said Saturday that

Chizik, who agreed Saturday to follow Tommy Tuberville, will be a

winner. "I think

he's a heck of a football coach and a heck of a man," Whitt said. "He's

a straight-up honest man that will do a great job of anything he does.

He's as good a football coach as I've been around, and I've been around

some good ones." Bret

Eddins, now a Montgomery realtor, played defensive end for all of

Chizik's tenure at Auburn. He echoed Whitt's opinion that Auburn

athletics director Jay Jacobs made a good decision. "He

wasn't a big screamer and yeller," Eddins said. "He was a teacher. He

really wanted you to understand where you fit into the defense and why

it was so important to do everything right. On the field and off, he

really connected with the players a lot. He would get us pumped up for

the games. We were always confident because we always felt like we were

prepared. "I'm excited. I think he's going to be a great fit for us." Eddins said he puts little importance on Chizik's 5-19 record at Iowa State. "I

don't think his record at Iowa State is indicative of the coach he is

or the team he can put on the field," Eddins said. "If anything, that

record might push him a little harder. He has a lot of pride. I think

he's going to be very successful." Not

everyone was excited. Message boards were in meltdown mode and

telephones were ringing for most of the day as fans expressed their

unhappiness. Ralph

Jordan Jr., the immediate past president of the National Auburn Alumni

Association, said the only choice was to get behind Chizik. "We

are all going to wake up tomorrow Auburn fans," Jordan said. "We'd

better give this guy a chance. He hasn't coached a game yet.I don't

think you can put too much stock in his record at Iowa State. We don't

know how that would have turned out over the long term. I think he

deserves a chance to show what he can do and Auburn people should

support him." Jordan acknowledged he'd received numerous emails and telephone calls from fans unhappy and even angry about the decision. "I

think everybody needs to think about for a moment what's in the best

interest of Auburn, the university and the football program," Jordan

said. "A selection has been made. It's time to show some unity and do

what Auburn people do best, which is pull together for the benefit of

their program. Anything less than that, to me, undermines the whole

spirit and integrity of Auburn. "I'm going to support Auburn, support my coach and support my team. I urge all Auburn people to do the same." Huntsville

lawyer Steve Wilson, a linebacker on the 1972 team and past president

of the Football Lettermen's Club, agreed. Despite the disappointment

felt by some, he said, it is time to move on. "We

have a president and an AD and they are entrusted with that

responsibility," Wilson said. "I think we should honor their decision.

Apparently, they think it was the right choice. We need to get behind

him. I think all true Auburn people will. He's our coach. I'd be

disappointed with anything less." Wilson

said there was plenty of disappointment in the 2008 season that started

with the Tigers being picked to win the Southeastern Conference and

ended with head coach Tommy Tuberville resigning on Dec. 3 after a 5-7

season. "I think

it was obvious there were problems early on in the season with the

dismissal of (Tony) Franklin and the lack of offense," Wilson said. "At

the time, I would have thought there would be a new offensive

coordinator and possibly a few more coaches on that side of the ball. I

didn't really expect what happened, but that's what took place and

that's where we are. "I

don't know Coach Chizik well. I've met him a couple of times. I thought

he did a hell of a job at Auburn and Texas. As far Iowa State, I guess

I would wonder what he was thinking when he took that job in the first

place." </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

hankp · Dec 13, 2008

what a day.

HammerOfTheDogs · Dec 13, 2008

I have family who's graduated from there, and my sister is an Auburn supporter, but I can't stand Bobby Lowder. I dislike the idea of some idiot with more money than sense running off a successful coach, a coach who flipped the Iron Bowl rivalry....and all for a proven loser....all because he got pwned in the Jetgate scandal of 2003.

I'm hoping Auburn nation has the balls to rise up and protest his hiring. Something tells me they'll be good little tigers and fall in behind whoever Lowder tells them to fall behind.

hankp · Dec 13, 2008

Al Davis>Bobby Lowder

RocketCityDawg · Dec 13, 2008

When I first met him, so many years ago, he was still a rising sportswriter for the Huntsville Times.
And, the first article you posted was in the vein of his reporting, back in those days.

But now, he works for Auburn, and the second article is more of what you'd expect from a spokesman with a slant.

I'm going to forward your post to another old friend, who was Auburn's first SID back in 1955, to see if he agrees with my assessment. He's a friend of Phillip, also.

RCD

Todd4State · Dec 13, 2008

the ONLY cigar boy that Auburn has? I understand that he's the most powerful, but you would think that someone like the Henig's (Only using them because I don't know enough about Auburn's Cigar Boys) would step up to Lowder and say "this is not right, we're about to screw up big time".

I mean, lil ol Misisipi State has Holliman, Bryan, Fred Carl, the Miskelly's, the Seals, among others. Surely Auburn has some people that can stand up together against this guy.

HammerOfTheDogs · Dec 13, 2008

He payrolls a large bulk of the Auburn trustees through loans from his bank (The yella wood guy, for example). He's handpicked the majority of the Board of Trustees at Auburn.

There's really nothing the regular Auburn fan can do outside of physical violence.

o_riverdawg · Dec 13, 2008

My sister and mom both graduated from Auburn and I've got friends who went there. I've always though Auburn is like Mississippi State with more money. I feel for the true Auburn fans who are getting screwed once again by a power hungry booster who runs the athletic department. Lowder is just scum and once again has tarnished Auburn's reputation and placed them once again as the red headed stepchild in the state.

Henry Kissinger · Dec 13, 2008

It's unfortunate, not because Chizik isn't good enough but because Auburn had an opportunity to make a statement, to turn the negativity surrounding the departure of Tommy Tuberville after 10 seasons into something very positive. Alabama had a similar opportunity, chose Mike Shula over Sly Croom, and paid the price.

seriously?

SwampDawg · Dec 14, 2008

Where has his head been for 5 years?

MSUCostanza · Dec 14, 2008

AU is my favorite road venue. They have great fans, and are a lot like State in many ways. Always been my "other" SEC team. That being said, their misery does nothing but help State's chances to make a move up the ladder in the West.

Baghdad Bob has nothing on Philip Marshall....

HammerOfTheDogs

All-Conference

hankp

Redshirt

HammerOfTheDogs

All-Conference

hankp

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RocketCityDawg

Redshirt

Todd4State

Redshirt

HammerOfTheDogs

All-Conference

o_riverdawg

Redshirt

Henry Kissinger

Redshirt

SwampDawg

Sophomore

MSUCostanza

Redshirt