I have a very good friend an ex team mate that is a Auburn Alum and actually like a 3 generation Auburn Alum. He is very high in the fund raising groups and on a first name basis with top officials within the Auburn administration. He and I started a conversation regarding his son who just earned a full ride to one of the top Ivy League schools after His son turned Auburn down for a super education.
Anyway we discussed Alabama and the success and he has the general attitude that Bama has insiders within the Birmingham offices of the SEC that gives them little advantages. But the key thing he has studied (according to him I have not vetted but trust the man) is University of Alabama's economic growth in the last decade. He said that over a Billion $$$ in new endowments have been received. He calls the Bama Football the engine that drives the economic ability of the entire University and they have a coach in Saban that continues to point out the advantages the school has seen due to its success on the football field.
In his eyes he does not see it stopping until Saban retires which he feels is within the next 2-3 years and surely no more than 4-5 years. When I told him we LSU fans without Saban in the West would feel like we were competitive. He said how would you feel being a rock throw from his campus. He is a Gus supporter because he believes competing with Bama today is the hardest it has ever been in Auburns school history. And the AD at Auburn was quoted as saying how many coaches does the conference fire when they don't beat Saban.
I just enjoyed hearing from someone at another SEC West school and what their thoughts are at this time. In a Nutshell......they are extremely frustrated.
Anyway we discussed Alabama and the success and he has the general attitude that Bama has insiders within the Birmingham offices of the SEC that gives them little advantages. But the key thing he has studied (according to him I have not vetted but trust the man) is University of Alabama's economic growth in the last decade. He said that over a Billion $$$ in new endowments have been received. He calls the Bama Football the engine that drives the economic ability of the entire University and they have a coach in Saban that continues to point out the advantages the school has seen due to its success on the football field.
In his eyes he does not see it stopping until Saban retires which he feels is within the next 2-3 years and surely no more than 4-5 years. When I told him we LSU fans without Saban in the West would feel like we were competitive. He said how would you feel being a rock throw from his campus. He is a Gus supporter because he believes competing with Bama today is the hardest it has ever been in Auburns school history. And the AD at Auburn was quoted as saying how many coaches does the conference fire when they don't beat Saban.
I just enjoyed hearing from someone at another SEC West school and what their thoughts are at this time. In a Nutshell......they are extremely frustrated.
