Phillip, Tommy and Sly....Oh My!

It was bound to happen....

As coaches' salaries in the SEC have escalated, evidently the expectations are following suit. Two coaching legends and one 2007 SEC Coach of the Year have been fired, resigned or forced out (whatever you choose to believe) as this season has come to a close. The latest, Tuberville "shocked" his AD Jay Jacobs by stepping down for the good of his family and the good of the War Eagle. Shocked you say...?? We're not stoopid Auburn. Ol' Big Ears was fired, you know....in the 21st century meaning of the word fired. It sounds like the talks with Jacobs broke down when Tuberville asked the AD if he was his coach. When the response was a less than emphatic "You are for now", well.........Coach Tubs said he would play the Lowder Lottery, evidently to the tune of $5.1 million (although Auburn says the Tuberville check will come directly from university funds....wink, wink).

I'm sure the Bama beatdown Saturday didn't help matters, but let's face it; this divorce has been forthcoming since that "meeting on the tarmac" between Auburn BOOSTer Lowder, his lackeys

and then Louisville coach Bobby Petrino, you know back when his resume was only a 3MB Word document. It was just a matter of time. Time ran out this week.

As bad as the Auburn news was this week given Tuberville's success, the coaching change in Starkville is a much bleaker statement. Sylvester Croom was the 2007 Coach of the Year in the SEC. A year later they force the man to resign? And worse they claim it was a mutual decision reached face to face. When in fact the decision was made while Croom was visiting an injured player in the hospital.

Croom's a class act. BDB wishes him the best.

Philmer we've known was on the way out for a while. Rocky Top officially stepped off of the carousel Monday when they introduced Boy Wonder, Lane Kiffin. Word is Kiffin turned in his fake ID prior to signing the contract.

Dawg Bones

• Tech just ran the ball again. Reshad missed a devastating arm tackle and Ellerbe's shoulder bump made Dwyer take 5.9 seconds to score instead of 5 flat. Martinez stands bewildered; insists the scheme was sound.
• I've been playing NCAA Football on PlayStation for years now and I've never allowed 400 yards rushing in a game.
• Anyone think the new Auburn coach might come calling on Coach Garner as a candidate for defensive coordinator?
• In another personnel story, Syracuse has stopped taking my calls in support of them hiring Paul Johnson.
• I don't buy that CMR is now the Dean of SEC coaches. Not as long as Spurrier is around.
• Some telling stats: Van Gorder's defenses gave up 228, 205, 203 and 198 points during his time as coordinator. Coach Willie's defense has given up 213, 229 and 262 points each season since. This season we've given up 307 points with a game yet to be played.
• Now we realize BVG isn't coming back, no matter how good we've been for Santa this year. But the numbers don't lie folks. Coach Willie is in over his head at this level of competition.
• However, since Martinez isn't going anywhere, I like what Buck Belue offers as a possible solution. Sign more 3 and even 2 star recruits that have a passion for the game. David Pollack wasn't a 5 star player. But he never quit trying to win the game on every play. Rennie Curran plays with heart, not with individual glory in mind.
• These 5 star prima donnas are playing with a since of entitlement. They've been told they're the best and they believe it. The results are evident in the film. That first play from scrimmage in the 3rd quarter against Tech said it all. An "all-star" safety trying to tackle a fullback with his right arm and a senior linebacker trying to level him with a shoulder. The game was over right there.

Friday's Feedbag

- Mike Leach will earn enough frequent flyer miles in the next 10 days to pay for the Red Raiders' charter flights from Lubbock to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl.

- It's laughable that some people think it was the potential buyout that is keeping the Irish Eyes content with Weis. People.....when Touchdown Jesus farts......20 dollar bills come out. Notre Dame feared an embarrassing coaching search that would only result in a long, hard look into an honest, unforgiving mirror.

- ESPN News wire check.........oops..........looks like the Washington job is filled. Jim Mora must be devastated.

- Bama is a 9 point dog to floriDuh...?? Gimme the Tide and the gift points!

- You read right! Bama in an upset tomorrow night. Coffee is your SEC Championship Game MVP.

Enjoy the smattering of games this weekend reader. And good luck avoiding that honey-do list tomorrow. The list gets longer as our girth gets wider.

Talk radio quote of the week

"Bobby Petrino's jaws unhinge and he can swallow bird eggs whole."

If you can name the origins of this quote you will win a piece of the famed hedges of Sanford Stadium now being sold on Ebay. I just bought a piece with roots from some seller named E=MC2 beats Sports Recreation majors. I don't get it....

Bernie