By Jack Smith

Aubie

AUBURN –His motto is “Women love him, children adore him, and men want to be him.”

He is a part of Auburn lore. He embodies the Auburn spirit. And next week, he will celebrate a birthday of sorts.

He is Aubie the Tiger, the creation of Phil Neel, the Birmingham Post-Herald artist who did not attend Auburn but who, Athletics Director Emeritus David Housel says, has Auburn in his heart.

“Phil Neel did not go to Auburn but you will never find a better Auburn man than Phil,” said David Housel, Auburn’s Athletics Director Emeritus. Housel co-authored a book with Neel called “The Aubie Story,” which chronicles the creation of Aubie and features pictures of every cover and ticket face the lovable mascot appeared on.

“Phil’s creation of Aubie is a part of our legend,” Housel said. “It gave personification and a face to the name Auburn Tigers.”

Neel’s Aubie first appeared on the cover of an Auburn football game program on October 3, 1959. Aubie evolved over the years, from a slightly more ferocious character that graced the covers of game programs on all fours, to a Tiger who stood upright and took on more “human” characteristics.

Yet it wasn’t until 1979 that the embodiment of the Auburn spirit really came to life. Aubie made his first live appearance at the Southeastern Conference Basketball Tournament in 1979. He has brought joy to the Auburn family ever since.

Aubie began his career as a mascot when James Lloyd, who was spirit director of the Auburn SGA at the time, reached out to a costume designing company in New York City that had done work for Walt Disney. Three “Friends of Aubie,” Bob Harris, Barry Mask and Vicki McGinty, brought the suit to life that first year.

Next week will mark 52 years since Phil Neel’s creation first appeared on an Auburn football program. The first suit, now on display at the Lovelace Hall of Honor inside Auburn Arena, may have changed over the years, but the spirit of Aubie hasn’t. He’s still a mischievous, playful Tiger that delights and excites Auburn fans.

That ability to connect with fans of all ages is what makes Aubie special, Housel says.

“Down through thee years, Aubie and the Friends of Aubie have shown a unique ability to relate to the fans, especially the younger fans,” Housel said. “Though he doesn’t speak, there is a kinship there, a shared enthusiasm and shared excitement. There is a caring that goes from Aubie and his Friends to the fans.”

Logan Matthews, a former friend of Aubie who graduated in August, always gives the same answer whenever he’s asked about his time working with the Aubie program.

“I was the most popular person on campus that nobody knew,” Matthews said.

Not only is Aubie’s character unique. The Aubie program is one of the few mascot programs that it is entirely student run.

Anna Grayce West is the current SGA Director of Aubie. She is in charge of scheduling Aubie’s appearances and spends a lot of time with Aubie. It never gets old.

“Aubie is endlessly energetic,” West said. “He is mischievous and playful, with a heart of gold. He is a fur ball of joy that is constantly bouncing off the walls. Aubie can’t go an hour without being flirtatious.”

Aubie was the first mascot inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. He has won more National Championships–six–than any other mascot in the nation. Being that good takes hard work, former Friends of Aubie say. The tryout process is rigorous, and Aubie’s antics don’t happen by accident.

The Friends of Aubie say he is much more than a mascot. He is a character with a distinct personality. Friends of Aubie have to master Aubie’s walk and his other moves from the tailspin and the playful Aubie flash to his signature head bobble.

Most children are drawn to Aubie, an art that Friends of Aubie develop.

“Aubie lets children come to him,” Matthews said. “Every child is different, but Aubie does not rush to children. He uses his judgment.”

At the stadium on gameday, Aubie is not like most mascots. He rarely even watches the game. He prefers to play with the crowd. Last Saturday, he was seen “birdwatching” the visiting Florida Atlantic Owls with oversized cardboard binoculars and a bright green bird watching book. He feigned the role of a pizza deliveryman, only to pop silly-string wielding paws out from under the box to squirt surprised fans hoping for a slice of pizza.

“Jordan-Hare Stadium is his house and you’re just visiting,” Matthews said. “Aubie feels like he is the main entertainment and there just happens to be a football game going on. That’s what Aubie is all about on gameday.”

Some fans may not know that the stadium really is Aubie’s home. He has a one-bedroom house that was built in the summer of 2002. Former Friends of Aubie say that, in typical Aubie fashion, the home complete with a front porch and a pair of rocking chairs was built at night without any official permission.

Aubie’s living room is not unlike most college students’ apartments. The TV stays on as Friends of Aubie and volunteers craft cardboard props for the next home game. There’s even a grill on the front porch, and Aubie’s tricked-out, top-of-the-line Kawasaki Teryx is parked out front.

Aubie is not all fun and games, though. As one of the most recognizable faces of Auburn University, Aubie is requested to attend numerous events across campus, in the community, throughout the state, and across the country. Aubie made over 620 appearances in the past year, attending Auburn sporting and community events, Auburn club meetings and community service events.

“Everywhere he goes,” West said, “he takes the Auburn Spirit with him. That’s why people love Aubie.”

Debbie Shaw, Auburn’s Vice President of Alumni Affairs, has a keen appreciation for Aubie and what he means to Auburn. She was Aubie’s advisor for 20 years.

“Aubie is without a doubt the best recruiting tool we have,” Shaw said. “Children get introduced to Auburn at an early age because of Aubie. They will come to an Auburn game just to watch Aubie.”

Shaw says Aubie is special because he elicits the same reaction–a wide-eyed smile–out of everyone he encounters.

“You can’t look at Aubie and not smile and feel happy,” Shaw said. “He just immediately brings that to wherever he is. He can get the same kind of reaction from a 94-year old person that he can from a small child.”

West said working with Aubie has made her college experience better than she ever imagined.

“Being a part of the Aubie Program has been the most incredible chapter of my Auburn experience. Just seeing peoples’ eyes light up when they see Aubie headed their way is one of my favorite moments. Knowing Aubie has made someone’s day a bit brighter is why we all do what we do.”

Auburn beats South Carolina

Auburn jumps to #15

ATHENS, Ga. — Mark Richt ended speculation over the statuses of Ken Malcome and Derek Owens when he announced on Wednesday that both players are leaving Georgia‘s football program.

Owens confirmed earlier in the week that he was leaving the Bulldogs, but Malcome became a subject of conjecture when the little-used running back did not participate in either of Georgia’s last two practices.

“(Malcome) walked in my office just prior to practice and felt like he’d gotten so far behind in the competition at his position, he felt like he needed to go to another school and get a fresh start and maybe get a better opportunity to play,” Richt said Wednesday evening after practice.

Owens said he plans to leave Athens on Thursday, will return home to Jacksonville, Fla., and plans to transfer to a new school in January.

The sophomore cornerback’s plan earlier in the week was to transfer to Cincinnati, “but things didn’t go as planned,” he said.

Owens and Malcome are the fourth and fifth members of Georgia’s 2010 recruiting class to leave the program — four of whom have departed since the summer. Safety Jakar Hamilton left the program last week, following earlier departures by linebacker Demetre Baker and offensive lineman Brent Benedict.

Owens wouldn’t comment on the circumstances surrounding his departure, saying, “There’s things. … I am not going to speak on it right now until I get home.”

He leaves Georgia having made eight tackles and recovered one fumble in 15 career games. Owens appeared in the Bulldogs’ first three games this year, but did not travel to Ole Miss last weekend.

Richt didn’t shed any light on the specifics of either player’s case, but when asked about Malcome’s departure in particular, he said he could rejoin the team if he experiences a change of heart.

“If Ken came to me tomorrow and said, ‘Coach I lost my mind. I’m sorry and I’d love to come back and compete here at Georgia,’ ” Richt said, “I’d hug his neck and say, ‘Come on.’ ”

Malcome carried the ball once for no yards in a blowout win against Coastal Carolina and did not appear in another game this season. His coaches repeatedly have said Malcome possesses the talent to compete, but that repeated injuries pushed him down the depth chart behind Isaiah Crowell, Richard Samuel and Carlton Thomas.

Richt said it is not uncommon for young players to struggle against the higher caliber of competition when they arrive at college. Sometimes that causes them to consider a transfer and decide whether to seek a fresh start or to stay and battle for playing time.

Richt cited arguably the most successful player in his Georgia tenure as an example.

“I’ll never forget David Pollack coming in my office as a freshman during camp and it was like, and I don’t think he’ll get mad at me saying this, but he was down and was like, ‘I can’t do anything right, Coach (Rodney) Garner’s all over me and I think I might have made a mistake. I don’t know if I can play here.’ Pollack’s the most decorated player in the history of Georgia football and he had those doubts, too. It’s hard. It’s hard to all of a sudden compete at a level that you just never had to.”

The attrition among the 2010 signees — a group collectively rated among the worst signing classes in Richt’s tenure — is not necessarily a bad thing. Baker and Benedict never played a down, Hamilton’s playing time decreased significantly last year and he was to miss this season with an ankle injury and Owens and Malcome were both buried on the depth chart.

The departures mean Georgia will have the ability to sign the maximum 25 scholarship players when signing day arrives in February if it chooses.

“All it’s gonna do is allow us to sign a full boat of recruits again, which will be a very positive thing if we bring in the right guys,” Richt said.

David Ching covers the Georgia Bulldogs for DawgNation.

Tennessee‘s mascot, Smokey, will likely be on the field for this weekend’s game against Buffalo after tearing his ACL against Cincinnati two weeks ago.

While running through the end zone during a second-half touchdown against the Bearcats, Smokey pulled up lame, favoring his back right leg. Dr. Darryl Millis, his vet, said he suffered a partial tear in his right knee and that the left is starting to go as well.

But that hasn’t stopped Smokey, an 8-year-old blue-tick coonhound, from working his way back on the field. He rehabbed enough last week to make the trip to Florida and Millis is confident he’ll be on the field this weekend for his traditional runs across the field pregame and during touchdowns.

“He’s doing very well,” Millis said. “He’s pretty sound. He doesn’t really have a limp at all. So, unless he has some kind of a major setback between now and Saturday, and hopefully through the rest of the season, he should be on the field.”

Smokey means as much to the Tennessee faithful as any of the players, so getting him back on the field has been a top priority. He’s been injected with platelet-rich plasma, done electrical stimulation on the knee and worked out on both the regular and underwater treadmills.

While Millis is hopeful Smokey will be able to finish out the season, he said it’s very likely that the dog will have to have surgery at some point to repair the right knee and possibly do some preventative measures for the left. But the surgery should only require an 8-10-week recovery period and Smokey should be good as new.

Tennessee wedding garter at GartersandSuch.com

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“We’ll rehab him the same way that a football player would rehab, with some modification, of course,” Millis said. “We have a state-of-the-art rehab facility, probably the best in the world, and certainly we’ll put that to use with him.”

Richt coaches fans on crowd noise

Georgia coach Mark Richt is counting on the Bulldogs’ fans to be a 12th man against Mississippi State on Saturday. He’s so adamant that they produce crowd noise that he stood up during his opening remarks at his weekly press conference on Tuesday and demonstrated exactly when and how he wanted them to be noisy.

“I want to talk to our fans and educate them a little bit,” Richt said. “We need a lot of crowd noise and I know fans know that. But when teams no huddle [like Mississippi State] and you’re cheering, you might not be cheering at the right time. So I want to try to tell you what we hope happens in the game.”

Standing up, Richt demonstrated how State’s quarterback Chris Relf looks to the sideline for a play call after lining up in the shotgun and starting the cadence.

“When he looks to the sideline,” Richt said, turning to face the side of the room, “that’s the time when we need the fans to go berserk. That’s when they’re going to try to communicate to their line what they’re going to do. We don’t want them to communicate well. We want them to have trouble hearing each other and we want offensive linemen to jump offsides. So, UGA fan base, that’s the time when we want you to go crazy, when he looks to the sideline after he starts his cadence.”

What’s up with Malcome?

Georgia coach Mark Richt, playing Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf, demonstrates exactly when Bulldogs fans should "go berserk." (Photo by Chip Towers)

There was a lot of rumor and innuendo bouncing around Tuesday about tailback Ken “Boo” Malcome, who didn’t make the trip to Ole Miss and was absent for Tuesday’s practice. Even running backs coach Bryan McClendon heard the scuttlebutt that Malcome was itching to transfer.

“It sort of took me by surprise to be honest with you,” McClendon said. “Every time I’ve talked to him, he’s been happy here and this is definitely the place that he wanted to come to and this is the place where he wants to be.  . . . The bottom line is the guys that have been able to come out and perform out there at practice, those are the guys that have been able to play.”

As it turns out, Malcome missed practice because of “some sort of stomach problem,”  according to McClendon. But therein lies the problem with Malcome getting playing time.

The 6-foot, 221-pound redshirt freshman from Decatur was expected to step to the forefront this season with Georgia’s attrition at tailback. But since preseason camp opened in August he has fallen behind true freshman Isaiah Crowell, linebacker convert Richard Samuel, junior Carlton Thomas and former walkon Brandon Harton on the depth chart.

“The biggest thing for Ken is he just has to come out there and be able to practice so he can keep progressing,” McClendon said. “Obviously, that’s something that’s sort of held him back last season, this season, this past spring, this past summer. I think he has a bunch of talent. Once he is out there and once he does get better, you’ll see the player that he can become. But he just has to be out there.”

Robinson spotting

All indications are that inside linebacker Christian Robinson will be available to play on Saturday.

To be clear, that’s “available,” not “will play.” But the 6-foot-2, 226-pound “Mike” linebacker was practicing without any obvious limitations on Tuesday, the second day in a row Robinson has been on the field. Robinson has been out since the fourth quarter of the South Carolina game with foot injury. He was a starter and the Bulldogs’ leading tackler in the first two games and is considered the unofficial defensive captain.

ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia football team, fresh off its first Southeastern Conference victory, began preparations for Saturday’s game with Mississippi State with a one-hour practice on Monday.

“You hope to get better as you go,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “When you play as many young guys as we are, you tend to get better quicker. We’ve still got a lot of things to clean up, things obviously in the special teams, and there are things on offense and defense we need to get better at. But we’re definitely on the right track so far.”

Georgia bulldogs football tickets

Georgia will entertain Mississippi State on Saturday at Sanford Stadium. Kickoff is slated for noon and the game will be televised by FOX Sports South.

Georgia is 2-2 overall, including a 1-1 mark in the SEC after winning at Ole Miss last Saturday in Oxford. Mississippi State is 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

“We got our first SEC win on the road and now we’re ready to try to get our first (SEC) win at home,” center Ben Jones said. “I know we’ll do everything it takes this week to get that win. We’re looking forward to this game. It’s a big game for us.”

“We’re glad to be home, there’s no doubt about that,” Richt said. “We’re also glad to have a chance to get our record above .500 overall and above .500 in the SEC. That’s a big deal, so playing between the hedges is huge.”

Richt said the captains for the Mississippi State game will be offensive tackle Justin Anderson, tight Orson Charles, free safety Bacarri Rambo and outside linebacker Cornelius Washington.

In other Georgia news on Monday:

• Rambo and tailback Isaiah Crowell earned weekly honors for their efforts against Ole Miss. Rambo was named the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) National Defensive Back of the Week. He grabbed a pair of interceptions and had four tackles against the Rebels. Rambo is leading the NCAA in interceptions per game, averaging 1.33. Crowell was named Southeastern Conference Freshman Of the Week for the second time this season. He finished with a pair of career highs with 30 carries for 147 yards rushing. Through four games, Crowell is averaging 102.8 yards a game, which tops all freshmen in the league and is tied for fourth overall in the SEC.

• The kickoff time for the Georgia-Tennessee game in Knoxville on Saturday, Oct., 8, has been set for 7 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. The televising network will be determined after this weekend’s games have been played.