Tuberville had it coming. Okay, okay, that might be overstating the issue a little bit. Like so many other situations, however, the surface-level analysis isn't quite as convincing when you take a closer look at it.
To be certain, there is going to be absolutely no shortage of commentary in the coming days excoriating Auburn for firing a guy for one bad season. In fact, that's alreadystarted.
The problem, of course, is that when considering how to proceed, an athletic department is looking at the future. Past accomplishments are only relevant in as much as they are indicative of future success, and there's certainly an argument to be made that Tommy Tuberville's future at Auburn was not all that bright.
After rampant speculation, initially that Tuberville would be retained and then that his departure was imminent, the Birmingham News is reporting this evening that Tuberville is out at Auburn. Nothing is certain until there's been an announcement (especially when we're talking about the Birmingham News) but this is about as close to a sure thing as it gets in internet rumor-land.
Much will be made of the timing and circumstances, but there are a few things we know for sure. A few of the bigger openings (Tennessee and Clemson) have already been filled while a number of the big names this coaching season are still on the table. We also know that Tuberville has had a rocky relationship with certain Auburn boosters and you can bet that they were crowing for Tuberville to be fired starting sometime in the third quarter of Saturday's Iron Bowl.
Last year, when Auburn's freshman right tackle, Lee Ziemba, chop-blocked LSU standout Glenn Dorsey, many an excuse was made. Many of them sounded plausible. Tommy Tuberville admitted that the block was illegal and said that he didn't tolerate those sorts of things. Of course, as noted here, he "didn't tolerate" it by doing absolutely nothing to Ziemba.
It seems that Ziemba the team learned a valuable lesson: that dirty blocks are fine by Tuberville. Last night, after the Tide had the game well in hand, Ziemba an as yet unidentified lineman decided to take out a little of his frustration on an Alabama defensive lineman -- by diving at his knee . . . from behind.
As the big rivalry week games roll around, various fans and alumni who find themselves too far from the action will band together to watch the game with fellow fans. Huntsville's chapter of the Auburn Club has typically been no exception. That is, until this year.
It's never a good idea to guarantee victory. It sets you up to look like a moron and it provides good bulletin board material for your opponents. Apparently Auburn running back Brad Lester didn't get the memo. On the Tigers' two remaining games, Lester thinks his team not only should win... but will also put up "a good number of points":
"It's a disappointing season, but we feel like we can make up for our season by winning these last two," Lester said. "If we win these last two games, it won't be as bad."
And Lester wasn't lacking confidence. The Tigers, he said, should win both games.
"I have no doubt in my mind," Lester said. "We should beat both teams by a good amount of points. I feel real good about it."
Now, I'm not sure if Lester has been watching the same Auburn team that the rest of us have, but at this point promising even one win in the next two games would be gutsy. But to suggest that they'll win both? And by "a good number of points"? Insanity.
That's the national consensus, though. It's impossible to make it out of the SEC undefeated, and Alabama's not good enough to do it in any event, therefore it is a foregone conclusion that the Tide will lose a game.
Every week we hear it on talk radio, see it from the talking heads on TV, and read it on the blogs. The Tide just can't go undefeated. Impossible.
If you're betting, that's probably smart money. Minor detail: nobody on Saban's squad cares that you don't think they can win.
Yesterday, Phil Fulmer became the third BCS conference coach to lose his job during the middle of this season. That leaves the hottest seat in the country the one directly below Tommy Tuberville's rear end. The question the Auburn trustees certainly must be asking themselves is this: are they going to be at a competitive disadvantage if they wait until the end of the year to fire Tuberville?
The answer is a resounding "yes".
Of course, it's not a guarantee that Coach Tuberville will find himself looking for work come December, but if he is, Auburn will find themselves more than a month behind in their coaching search, and with some heavy competition.
When I was a kid, we woke up on cold winter mornings hoping that the weather man would tell us that schools were closed for the day on account of snow. Never once did I get to stay home from school because of a football game.
But, in three counties in Georgia, school is closed today because so many teachers took off and not enough substitutes could be found to replace them.
Last year 137 teachers called in saying they wouldn't be in class and the [Clarke County School District] was able to find only 113 substitute teachers.
Administrators studied the absences and found that almost twice as many teachers called in the Friday before the game – played 360 miles away in Jacksonville, Fla. – than on an average school day.
After a bit of a thumping at the hands of rival Alabama, reports are now starting to surface from "sources" that Tennessee has decided to let the long-time Volunteer coach Phillip Fulmer go at the close of this season.
Very reliable sources have informed 3SIB that Vols head coach Phillip Fulmer WILL NOT be retained at the end of the season. Likely, an announcement won't be made until after the Kentucky game.
Also, the source has confirmed to me that several assistants from the old guard will not be retained, though the names were not divulged. The remaining coaches' futures will be determined at a later date. The source would not go further into detail.
As with any report of this type, care must be taken before jumping to any conclusions, but in the world of rumors, this one is not that far out there.
Most teams are just over halfway through their conference slate and the SEC conference championship picture is starting to take shape. There are teams with relatively unobstructed paths to Atlanta, while others will need an awful lot of help. We're going to run them all down so you don't sound like a moron around the water cooler on Monday. We already covered the path of least (and greatest) resistance in the SEC East race.
A refresher on the SEC tie-breakers can be found at the SEC East entry, but the basic gist is this: head-to-head will decide two-way ties. Collective head-to-head will decide multiple way ties, if possible. Otherwise it moves to divisional records and on down the list.
So how are things looking for teams in the SEC West?
Tuberville had it coming. Okay, okay, that might be overstating the issue a little bit. Like so many other situations, however, the surface-level analysis isn't quite as convincing when you take a closer look at it.
After rampant speculation, initially that 
It's never a good idea to guarantee victory. It sets you up to look like a moron and it provides good bulletin board material for your opponents. Apparently Auburn running back Brad Lester didn't get the memo. On the Tigers' two remaining games, Lester thinks his team not only should win... but will also put up "
That's the national consensus, though. It's impossible to make it out of the SEC undefeated, and Alabama's not good enough to do it in any event, therefore it is a foregone conclusion that the Tide will lose a game. 
When I was a kid, we woke up on cold winter mornings hoping that the weather man would tell us that schools were closed for the day on account of snow. Never once did I get to stay home from school because of a football game. 
After a bit of a thumping at the hands of rival Alabama, reports are now starting to surface from "sources" that Tennessee has decided to let the long-time Volunteer coach Phillip Fulmer go at the close of this season. 
Most teams are just over halfway through their conference slate and the SEC conference championship picture is starting to take shape. There are teams with relatively unobstructed paths to Atlanta, while others will need an awful lot of help. We're going to run them all down so you don't sound like a moron around the water cooler on Monday. We already covered the path of least (and greatest) resistance in the 
