NCAA Football

[PigSooie]

You going to try to make the trip to Jerry World?

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

You going to try to make the trip to Jerry World?

 

 

...I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I have social anxiety disorder, claustrophobia and just a burgeoining dose of agoraphobia.

 

 

I don't get out much.

[IATTBYB]

Chris Webber stands up for Gene Chizik

 

[PigSooie]

...I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I have social anxiety disorder, claustrophobia and just a burgeoining dose of agoraphobia.

 

 

I don't get out much.

 

 

Oh, man. Sorry.

[jonbama]

Interview with Terry Bowden April 24, 2001, at his Loachapoka ranch.

 

Also present was Paul Davis. After our interview, Bowden was expecting a

visit from Dr. Muse that same day at his ranch.Randy Kennedy Editor Former

Auburn University football coach Terry Bowden says the program he inherited

in 1993 included an elaborate system of paying star high school players up

to $15,000 to sign with Auburn and $600 per month while on the team.In

a lengthy interview from the ranch he still owns in Loachapoka, Bowden

alleged that the "pay-for-play" system was orchestrated by powerful AU Board

of Trustees member Bobby Lowder and carried out by former assistant

coach Wayne Hall.Bowden said the corruption extended to former head coach Pat

Dye, and included $30,000 to Atlanta attorneys for Gene Jelks in order to

sustain the former University of Alabama player while he leveled charges of

wrongdoing in the Crimson Tide program.Bowden said he learned of the major NCAA

infractions within days of being named Auburn's head coach, but kept

quiet while trying to clean up the program from within."I broke the

rules," Bowden said. "I told Wayne Hall to pay it off to the players we already had

and it will never happen again. I was hiding a dirty secret."Bowden said

the payment of players can be traced to Lowder, who Bowden said is the

unquestioned leader of the AU athletic department."Nothing was done

without Lowder knowing."Wayne Hall and Pat Dye paid $30,000 for lawyers in

Atlanta to keep Gene Jelks talking. This came from the money that had been

used to pay Auburn players.In 1991 when I was at Samford, Wayne Hall called

to ask about a job for Katherine Lowder at Samford. Bobby Lowder then

called and he said he would contribute money to Samford equal to Katherine's

salary as long as we didn't tell her where the money came from. Katherine and

my wife became good friends.Then the Eric Ramsey thing hit. One day

Katherine sticks her head in my office door and says, "Dye is leaving and my dad

wants you to be coach at Auburn."Dye resigned a week later. Lowder made him

resign because Lowder was sure Auburn was going to get the death penalty if

he didn't resign.I met with Lowder, Mike McCarter and Ruel Russell at

Ruel's office in Birmingham. They asked me all the questions, and I thought

it was a job interview. Then they said, we need to get you an interview.

They got John Montgomery Sr. to officially recommend me to be interviewed.The

night before the interview, Lowder told me "here's how the interview will

go." This was three hours on the phone like a lawyer prepping his

client.There were six candidates - Larry Smith, Mack Brown, Dick Sheridan, Pat

Sullivan, Wayne Hall and me. Everyone agreed that whoever the coach was going

to be, the decision had to be unanimous. I think Lowder wanted Wayne Hall,

but he knew he couldn't get him approved. I was the backup.I was the last

to interview, then the committee immediately took a vote that day.

Somebody was opposed to every candidate until they voted on me last. That's how I

got the job.Lowder said he wanted me to hire Wayne Hall as an assistant.

Tommy (Bowden, Terry's brother and a member of the Pat Dye staff) told me

that if you wanted anything done you gotta go through Hall.My second day on

the job (athletic director Mike) Lude said "you can't hire Hall." But then I

understand Lowder called and said that if I couldn't hire Hall we

will find a new president. So I hired Wayne Hall.One week on the job, Hall

came in with a ledger of players who have been paid, who paid the money, how

much money and when it was paid. He said we've still got 9-12 players

that we're paying $600 per month. We paid then $12,000-$15,000 to sign. We sign

about four every year that we pay.(Former assistant coach Rodney) Garner

paid most of the players. He was paid when he was a player at Auburn.(Stacey)

Danley is the assistant compliance guy, and he was paid when he was a

player.I broke the rules. I said pay it off, and it will never happen again.

Hall said "OK, but you will change your mind."Katherine came to Auburn as

my assistant, but she worked for Colonial. We were real close.I told

Lowder "We have cash all over."Lowder said "I told Wayne not to collect more

than we had to have to pay the players."Wayne had a safe in his house where

he kept the money.Within two weeks of me being hired they told me about

paying Jelks.Nothing was done without Lowder knowing. I will go under oath

and say that Lowder looked me in the eyes and said, "I didn't want Wayne to

collect more money than we needed to pay the players."I was hiding a dirty

secret.We were paying (star running back and current Washington Redskin) Steve

Davis and his cousin the fullback. It took about two years to get it all

cleaned up. Most the guys we were paying weren't any good and weren't

helping us win games. Steve Davis was the exception. HERE IS HOW IT WORKSFifty to

60 men give $5,000 per year. Wayne would collect it. These are all good

men.They didn't ask questions. The coach tells them that everybody cheats so

we have to.My first two years we went 11-0 and 9-0-1. My third year,

(assistants Jimbo) Fisher and (Rick) Trickett said, "Hall is on the phone a lot

with Lowder." I thought he was going back to cheating. I told Hall that

when the season was over he needed to move on. I told Garner that I was

taking him off coaching for a year. That was the beginning of the end for

me.Jimmy Rane was in on all of this. He is high maintenance. Three current Board

of Trustees members gave cash to players - Rane, Spina and McWhorter.

Jimmy is a wannabe, a jock sniffer, a loose cannon. He wants to be involved

in everything.After I fired Wayne, (athletic director David) Housel

came on. I don't dislike David, but David would get his feelings hurt if I

called Lowder. I told David what Wayne was doing.Lowder said (of Housel)

"He's not a good AD, but he's my AD."David Dideon compliance guy, Jay Jacobs

parking passes, Tim Jackson tickets. All are GAF members. Gerald Leschuck

was keeping Lowder informed.By my last year I'm having my house checked

for bugs. Danny Rane (son of Jimmy Rane and a walk-on Auburn player) was

giving our practice tapes to Mississippi State, our opponent.Tommy

Tuberville had been promised the job if we lost to Alabama in the game when we

kicked the field goal here to win.After that season, I thought about taking the

University of Texas job, but (Governor Fob) James was getting rid of

Lowder. Then Lowder stayed on the Board and I was stuck.I thought then that

I needed to win one more year and get out.When I got here Lowder said don't

talk to Muse, he's weak and his wife is a n----r lover. Lowder told me John

Denson was trying to kill him.The last week I was coach:Monday - The

Huntsville Tmes runs a story that says an undisclosed sources says that Bowden

has lost the confidence of the Board of Trustees and he must win four of

the last five games to keep his job.I lied to my staff and told them

that I had talked to Lowder, the story was not true and everything was OK. I

was trying to keep up morale.Tuesday - (Defensive coordinator Bill) Oliver

brings a hidden tape recorder into our coaches meeting. I believe this was

because Lowder wanted to have proof that I told a lie about talking to him

the day before.Wednesday - I had a 7 a.m. meeting with Housel. He asked if I

had seen the article in the Huntsville Times. He said he had talked to

Lowder, and Lowder wanted me to know that he was the undisclosed source. He

said he also wants you to know that he doesn't care if you win five of your

next six, you're out. David said the only way I would keep my job was if

Fob James wins (the governor's race). Thursday - I brought in my lawyer,

Ricky Davis, and said to David that I wanted to resign. He called Lowder

while we at in his office and we worked out a settlement. Muse didn't even

know. They were using Oliver. They were never going to hire him. When I resigned

it shocked them.

[PigSooie]

Nathan Dick has transferred to UCA. Thank goodness! Let the Mallet era begin.

[OOO]

It's always nice to win the Rose Bowl!

 

And man, the Pac 10 was so terrible this year, going 5-0 in bowl games. If only they had scheduled terrible out of conference games, maybe they could have been good.

[H-Bomb Henry]

It's always nice to win the Rose Bowl!

 

And man, the Pac 10 was so terrible this year, going 5-0 in bowl games. If only they had scheduled terrible out of conference games, maybe they could have been good.

 

Musberger had the line of the night when he questioned how Carroll could have this kind of success year in and year out. He's about as clueless as Myles Brand and the NCAA.

[explodo]

It is a good thing Texas Tech kind of dropped off the radar before getting all the way to the title game. Mississippi is a lot better than most people think, but Texas Tech looks awful. Apparently all you have to do is blitz and Harrell has no idea what to do.

[OOO]

Alabama deserves a better game than Utah.

 

[explodo]

I think Alabama was thinking they deserved a better game than Utah for the whole first quarter. What a disappointing two game stretch to end and otherwise great season. How shitty do you think Andre Smith feels?

 

And the BCS officially has a mess. Surprise, surprise.

[PigSooie]

Or, maybe Utah was the better team?

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Or, maybe Utah was definitely the better team?.

 

Fixed it

[quarter23cd]

I'll admit it, I'm still trying to muster up some excitement for tonight's OSU/Texas game. Must be residual shellshock from OSU's recent big game no-shows.

 

Still, this might turn out to be a better matchup than it initially appears. OSU went 1-1 with Texas in recent years, and this year's models of the teams aren't fundamentally different from those teams from a couple years ago, minus Vince Young and Troy Smith. McCoy is a solid QB and it will be interesting to see how Pryor responds to the long layoff after steady improvement all season. I'm worried about a dropoff in momentum there, but I think this could be a competitive game as long as OSU actually shows up ready to play this time. Fingers crossed.

 

Anybody got a couch I can borrow tonight?

[Gobias Industries]

Beanie is healthy (maybe the healthiest he's been in awhile), so at least we have a fighting chance. McCoy hasn't really seen a legitimately good defense yet, so our defense should fare decently. The only question is whether we have offense, basically. I'm feeling not too bad about the game, actually.

 

[OOO]

I'll be rooting for OSU tonight.

 

And hey, the Big 12 south is 0-2 in bowl games right now, so how good can any team in there be anyway?

[IATTBYB]

As an alum of the University of Michigan, I am torn about who to root for in tonight's game. First, my two favorite teams are Michigan and whoever plays tOSU. Second, my best friend from law school went to UT and we both went to that Rose Bowl a couple of years ago, so that leans me towards the Horns. However, a tOSU defeat will leave the Big11 with a 1-5 bowl record with the only win coming from Iowa. Conference pride requires some support for the team down south. Hopefully no one will revoke my diploma, but

 

Go Bucks!!! Beat Texas!!!

[quarter23cd]

tOSU defeat will leave the Big11 with a 1-5 bowl record with the only win coming from Iowa. Conference pride requires some support for the team down south.

Do it. I promise to root for Michigan at some point in the future to be determined later.

[explodo]

Or, maybe Utah was the better team?

Clearly, but I think it was pretty obvious that Alabama wasn't prepared in the first quarter. So they probably were in the "we deserve to be playing in a better bowl/we'll walk all over these guys" mindset. There's no way, if Alabama had been on their game right away, that Utah is up 21 - 0 in nine minutes. That said, Utah was the better team. I don't think it's making excuses by saying Alabama wasn't ready for a team that was as good as they were.

 

 

As for tonight, I'd like Texas to win.

[bleedorange]

I wish I could get excited about the Fiesta Bowl, but my apathy towards bowl season has even affected my usual zeal for a Texas game.

[OOO]

That was exciting!

 

Buckeyes will be better next year.

[quarter23cd]

Ha! I actually turned off the TV in disgust when then score hit 17-6 at the end of the 3rd so I could prepare a little sweatervest effigy fot the front yard. Evidently they still had some life left in them.^* Who knew??

 

^* This continues a longstanding OSU tradition under Tressel of them never doing anything good in big games while I watch. True story. Buckeye Nation should pay me to stay away from the TV at all times.

 

Congrats to Texas on this one.

[stooka]

I wish I could get excited about the Fiesta Bowl, but my apathy towards bowl season has even affected my usual zeal for a Texas game.

 

Apparently, last night's game had 50% more zeal than expected.

[bleedorange]

Apparently, last night's game had 50% more zeal than expected.

 

Well, I have to admit that when they showed the Texas band on TV, I started to get excited. And when I saw Eddie George and Barry Switzer in the studio doing "analysis," my anger levels reached a fever pitch. By kickoff, I was as pumped up for the game as anyone.

[Guest Jules]

Good, entertaining game. Especially when they showed McCoy's family (read: girlfriend).