Yep. The NCAA clamped down on this two years ago, though, I think mainly because of how it was being abused in football. But I can't remember and don't know if they included hoops and other sports with the restrictions. Probably so.

Just read where Kira Lewis decided to stay. Oats was able to talk the two best players out of the 4 who entered the portal into coming back. Pretty much said he didn’t want the other two back.

Time will tell but I think it was a good hire and a big upgrade from Avery.

I have my doubts but I'm probably gun shy from being kicked in the teeth so many times over the last 20 years. I mean I'd like to follow it and be "a fan" but it has just sucked so bad over the years that it's hard to follow.

I hope you are right.

I agree. I thought Avery had them going in the right direction last season only to seemingly blow it this season. Was Sexton that good or just a fluke I wonder?

Sexton was that good.

Yep, Sexton was that good. Look at what he did in his first year in the NBA.

As good as Sexton was they collapsed down the stretch last season as well and lost their last 5 straight regular season games and 7 of their last 10. They had a decent showing in the SEC Tourney by sending A&M and Auburn home before getting curb stomped by Kentucky in the semis.

Sexton is the first Cavs player to play every game for them in a season in about 20 years. He's that good.


BC, you're in the same boat Auburn fans were before Pearl arrived. Hoops sucked. Getting kicked in the teeth and balls and head repeatedly by mediocre coaches or straight-up f'king assholes like Barbee, along with the women's program being mediocre, pretty much left October to spring football as a dark hole. Auburn (nor Alabama) ever has had super success on a sustained level but the last 20ish years were, overall, just terrible.

I'm hopeful Oats can reverse that trend for y'all.

I hope so too. I'd like to see both of them do well, and it was refreshing to see a state team go to the Final Four this season. That is a historic feat for hoops in this state.

He was/is a great player, and I am happy to have gotten to watch him play, but he was streaky all year, would put a few good games together and a few bad games.

early in year alabama started 5-1 with him having point totals of; 22, 25, 29, 10, 40, 22

Sometimes he was a no show:
Lose a game to UCF where he scored 7.
Lose a game to Texas where he scored 8.
Lose to Ole Miss when he scored 7.

Sometimes he was a hero with no help:
Lose a game where he scored 30 vs Minnesota
Lose a game where he scored 40 @ Arizona

The alabama collapse at the end, followed by a good stretch in tourney directly coincided with his point totals

Then tourney play was more of the same:
27pts W - SEC Texas A&M
31pts W - SEC Auburn
21pts L - SEC Kentucky
25pts W - NCAA Virginia Tech
17pts L - NCAA Villanova

Clem in Barbee's second year as coach I had an assignment at the Auburn Arena. I had full access to every room in the building so as to I could do my job. When I was in his office there was no pictures of his wife, family, friends or any college degree or awards on the wall. Nothing on his desk but his name plate and a few pens. Chizik's office looked liked he had been at Auburn for years. Same for everybody else but not Barbee.

Did Chiz’ decorating strike you as different? Or so you remember? Been a while

No. Typical coach pictures of players, alums, family, signed footballs, degree and other memorabilia. Gene Chizik was one of the nicest people I've ever met and so is Malzahn. I went to several practices during that time and there's one that still sticks out in my mind.

Team was practicing outside and was heavy into running plays. As I was standing there I noticed a Dad pushing his son in a wheelchair to where we were standing. Kid was grinning ear to ear and had on all his Auburn gear. A few plays later Coach Chizik noticed him and walked over and talked to the kid and his dad. He then ran out on the field and blew his whistle and yelled for everybody to gather in the center of the field. At that time he motioned for the boy's daddy to come on over and when they did the entire team started clapping and cheering and each one of them plus all the coaches shook the little mans hand. The kid had just completed chemo and was in remission but was determined to see an Auburn practice. It was very touching to say the least.

And as a Bama fan I've been all over both campuses with my job and go places and buildings the average Joe ain't going and Auburn is different. I know we Alabama fans hate to hear that but I would be lying if I didn't admit that. They conduct business just like Bama and every football program in the nation but not so busy to shake a little kid with cancer hand during practice. That said a lot to me.

ive done work in both of them too, and agree both seemed like nice people. Chiz just seemed like he might have been his own interior designer. Reminded me of my first dorm room, but bigger. Other coaches offices seemed to have some help from someone decorating.

Heard he owns a handful of Louie's Chicken Finger/Wing restaurants now. Love that place, stopped at the one in Tallassee yesterday.

Chizik was/is a great guy...he bought a kid who had cancer a new truck when they turned 16....the story sounds just like something Chizik would do...Malzahn on the other hand would never do that and has been known to kick the team doctors out of practice due to him not recognizing them as well as cursing recruits/handlers out for stepping onto the practice field during practice...

Chizik is the best coach in Auburn football's history.

“Hindsight is 50/50” on that

-Patrick Fain Dye