Herbstreit picks the Barn to win the west....

[i_live_4_bama]

Thats why the game is played. No one (not even Bama fans) know how this season will play out until it does. This is the SEC and anything can happen on any Saturday. Since 2000, 5 different teams have won the SEC with not a single one of them repeated as champs of the league. Now I'm not saying we won't win it, but there have been more talented and experienced teams than we are this year that have come off an SECC and not repeated. That just shows how talented and deep this league is year in and year out.

We have all the talent in the world on defense this year but that does us no good if they don't know what they're doing. Mainly the secondary.

with that said, I expect us to win the west (as I do every year), but I won't be suprised if we don't mainly because history of this league has taught me to be prepared for anything.

 

[MegaVars]

Herb been smoking the herb. :biggrin2:

 

[happytidefan]

If I'm not mistaken, Herbie and Chipper Jones picked Florida to win the SECCG this past year and we all know how that turned out. Naysayers, gotta love 'em. :biggrin2:

 

[CaliforniaTide]

I still like Herby. Somebody always has to make an "out on a limb pick". One year Holtz picks Notre Dame to win it all. One year Corso picks Cal to play in championship. It must be for pure entertainment...he can't actually believe it. I think Jess' prediction is closer to the truth.

Seems like these guys pick the same teams over and over again...

 

[BamaInBham]

ESPN is show business. Sometimes the commentators get to say what they believe, sometimes not. Production meetings produce a plot to be pursued and everyone has their part to play. Again, sometimes you get to say what you really believe, other times no. I like KH, but who knows for sure what he believes regarding au vs Bama this year. Probably not what he is now saying.

(Not to take things too seriously, since sports is the toy department of life, but this is simply another example of why few trust (~25% approval rating) the media. Political, social, moral agendas, ratings, etc. drive coverage and commentary far more than truth, the conveyance of which is usually a secondary or tertiary goal - if that. Frequently there is a desire to hide it. :frown

 

[UAME]

ESPN is show business. Sometimes the commentators get to say what they believe, sometimes not. Production meetings produce a plot to be pursued and everyone has their part to play. Again, sometimes you get to say what you really believe, other times no. I like KH, but who knows for sure what he believes regarding au vs Bama this year. Probably not what he is now saying.

This. KH is not an idiot, but I do think he is stretched too thin (having to analyze the entire country) to understand the details for every school's situation. I remember when he got a chance to watch Bama's fall camp before the Clemson game in 2008 - he came out of that experience proclaiming "Watch out for (then true freshman) Mark Ingram, he's going to be something special." Bam, a few weeks later Ingram blows up the GA Dome and never looks back.

For all we know, KH owes CNS a favor, and Nick cashed it in: "Hey, Herbie, you remember that one you owe me?"

"Yeah, coach, what can I do for you?"

"Pick that school across the state to win the West."

"What?! Coach, I can't do that. I'm on national TV. I'll be the laughingstock of the gameday crew..."

"Herbie...."

"Ok, coach, I'll do it. But, we're even after this, right?"

 

[graydogg85]

Kirk is generally a pretty level-headed guy, and by-and-large I respect his commentary. He's a well-connected man who I think has a pretty good handle on the college football landscape from year to year.

That being said, I think this is just some good old-fashioned pot stirring. It's a key component of good journalism. Controversy sells, and every network on the planet does it. Kirk is just doing his job.

It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that AU could win the West - who'd have picked us to win it in 2008? But count me among the unconvinced. An illusion of great momentum was created by their close game against us, and the bizarre, tooth-scraping victory over an average Northwestern team in the bowl game. People tend to forget how they crumbled down the stretch, losing to mediocre Kentucky and Georgia outfits, as well as getting completely squashed by average LSU and Arkansas teams. With the schedule this season, they could win 9 games and really not be much better than they were last year. I'll believe this Auburn renaissance when I see it.

 

[Alabama Larry in Ky]

Its a preseason pick. He said we have 10 returning starters on Offense, did I mishear that? Preseason picks are worthless.

 

[TidePrideGA]

I don't have anything against Herbstreit, he was a pretty mediocre player as I recall at OSU and the guy does love football. I just think that it was done to stir the pot like a lot have already said.

 

[Littlebamafan]

I am so disappointed in Herbie. I thought he had better sense.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

Herbie's pick looks better and better as the season unfolds...

But he doesn't know Auburn like we do. They have a way of messing things up even when things are going their way. An aversion to success, I've always thought.

Look for Georgia to beat the Barners, then two weeks later Bama does the same. Auburn finishes with a loss to Georgia and Bama, LSU also finishes with two losses, and Bama goes back to Atlanta for the championship game.

All we have to do is win.

 

[BamaJeff]

I think the barn will be undefeated coming into the Iron Bowl. They will be hard to beat! I know it's all about Cam Newton. But he alone makes them hard to beat.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

I think the barn will be undefeated coming into the Iron Bowl. They will be hard to beat! I know it's all about Cam Newton. But he alone makes them hard to beat.

Yup. The guy looks like the real thing.

 

[Crimson Cat]

I'm one that criticized him for that pick & I think Herbie got a bit lucky on this one. As we've seen its been a crazy season so far in college football.
No one could know the guy was going to be as good as he's been. The barn is looking good right now solely because of one player; Newton very well may win the Heisman, and deservedly so because I don't know of another player who has meant more to his team and kept them above .500 other than him. Auburn is a Kentucky-type without Newton.
And I still think they're beatable. LSU went to 4-line D yesterday after the half with no pressure after blitzing and containing Newton in the 1st half. Why, I don't know, because it seemed to be working. Their defensive strategy in the 2nd half was puzzling.
Anyway, the Iron Bowl is shaping up to be epic for sure.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

I'm one that criticized him for that pick & I think Herbie got a bit lucky on this one. As we've seen its been a crazy season so far in college football.
No one could know the guy was going to be as good as he's been. The barn is looking good right now solely because of one player; Newton very well may win the Heisman, and deservedly so because I don't know of another player who has meant more to his team and kept them above .500 other than him. Auburn is a Kentucky-type without Newton.
And I still think they're beatable. LSU went to 4-line D yesterday after the half with no pressure after blitzing and containing Newton in the 1st half. Why, I don't know, because it seemed to be working. Their defensive strategy in the 2nd half was puzzling.
Anyway, the Iron Bowl is shaping up to be epic for sure.

Exactly right. I'm preconditioned to discount the hype surrounding juco transfer QBs. The SEC is littered with the carcases of juco wunderkind QBs who didn't pan out. API struck gold.

 

[kyallie]

I didn't bother to read the thread. Who cares what Herb says? If we don't shut Newtron down, we may not win, however if we do, it'll be a beatdown! CNS knows this as well as anyone.... I would be apprhensive if I werre awbarn!

 

[TIDEnGA]

I didn't bother to read the thread. Who cares what Herb says? If we don't shut Newtron down, we may not win, however if we do, it'll be a beatdown! CNS knows this as well as anyone.... I would be apprhensive if I werre awbarn!

Trust me, they aren't apprehensive about anything right now. Nothing.

 

[bayoutider]

Word of caution, key on Cam Newton and he will hand off to a couple of capable backs who torched LSU for over 200 yds between them.

 

[Mystical]

Word of caution, key on Cam Newton and he will hand off to a couple of capable backs who torched LSU for over 200 yds between them.

Yea I say just lay some wood on him a few times like Milliner did on the first play last night.

 

[Black Warrior]

Word of caution, key on Cam Newton and he will hand off to a couple of capable backs who torched LSU for over 200 yds between them.

I agree Bayou. Fig Newton IS the real deal and he plays for our worst enemy. We have to take this guy seriously or we're gonna get played like Utah played us in the Sugar Bowl.
I'd like to get folks opinion on how we stop him AND those other Barn backs you mentioned. I'd love to be inside Malzahn's head to see what he's got cooked up for us.