http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/ en cmerrill@thecornernews.com Copyright 2008 2008-10-14T17:12:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/wegl-nominated-for-some-wood/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/wegl-nominated-for-some-wood/#When:16:12:00Z mtvU, the 24-hour college-themed version of MTV, just released the 2008 Woodie Award nominations for best college radio station, and Auburn’s WEGL is one of the 20 college radio stations in the nation nominated for a Woodie.mtvU, the 24-hour college-themed version of MTV, just released the 2008 Woodie Award nominations for best college radio station, and Auburn’s WEGL is one of the 20 college radio stations in the nation nominated for a Woodie. The Woodie Awards is mtvU’s annual award show that includes a variety of categories such as “Best Music on Campus,” “Emerging Artists,” and more. The actual award is a 10-pound chunk of wood that symbolizes artist’s connection to college students all over the nation, yet it is an honor to bring one home. For the first time ever, mtvU is recognizing college radio stations in their own category for a Woodie. mtvU believes that college radio stations, such as WEGL, are so important in the world of music because often they bring new music to college students before they achieve mainstream success. The top stations were chosen based off of Princeton Review Nominations and independent questionnaires completed by record labels. WEGL 91.1 is a completely student run radio station that offers a variety of music, talk shows and news. Paul Stewart, host of “3 Kings” on WEGL, is excited about the opportunity for WEGL to win a Woodie Award. Stewart said he believes it is a great honor just to be nominated and recognized as one of the top 20 college radio stations. The winner will be determined based on votes at woodies.mtvu.com/nominees/college_radio. “People should get online and vote because WEGL is a college radio station with a lot of good music, shows and DJs,” says Stewart. Voting goes through Nov. 7 and the award show is in New York on Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. thumbnail 2008-10-14T16:12:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/tigers-look-to-use-off-week-to-find-identity-on-offense/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/tigers-look-to-use-off-week-to-find-identity-on-offense/#When:01:03:01Z Say it ain’t so. Auburn has lost three of their last four games, and the Tigers’ once promising season is now officially in the toilet. After their third SEC loss, you can officially rule out the SEC Championship game, pretty much forget about getting to a BCS bowl game and chalk this season up as a rebuilding year.Say it ain’t so. Auburn has lost three of their last four games, and the Tigers’ once promising season is now officially in the toilet. After their third SEC loss, you can officially rule out the SEC Championship game, pretty much forget about getting to a BCS bowl game and chalk this season up as a rebuilding year. But are the Tigers really rebuilding? Or are they just having a horrible season? I know ... the season’s not over. Seriously though, if they win out, the best they could hope for is a bid to the Cotton or Capital One Bowl. No they’re not bad bowl games, but fighting to get to one of those bowl game was not the objective of the Tigers heading into the season. So what went wrong? The most glaring and obvious problem is and has always been the lack of production on the offensive side of the ball. Auburn seems to have never taken to the spread offense and the coaches seem to have never truly installed all there is to the spread offense. Was Tony Franklin dumbing down the offense, my bad simplifying the offense, because he felt he didn’t have the athletes to running it? Or was it Tommy Tuberville, interfering or not interfering with the offensive play calling during the games? Or are the players not executing the plays called on the field? Or is it a combination of all three? “We’re not playing very well and we’re not coaching very well right now,” Tommy Tuberville said after the loss to Arkansas. “Offensively, we just don’t have an identity.” An identity is exactly what this offense needs after posting just 193 yards of total offense. The Tiger rushed for a measly 56 yards, 38 of which Kodi Burns gained, and passed for 137 yards. Couple that with the three turnovers and it’ll be hard for anyone to win a game, regardless of how good your defense is. The Tigers have a week and a half to right the ship and work on finding an offensive identity, which starts with them looking at other options at quarterback. Tuberville stated that he’d take a look at both Neil Caudle and Freshman Barret Trotter. “Obviously, we’ll look at Barrett ... if I think he can help, and he would be for it to burn a redshirt this late,” Tuberville said. It’s unlikely that’ll happen, but it seems the odd man out in the quarterback rotation right now is Chris Todd, who went 3-10 for 18 yards in the loss to Arkansas. Tuberville said he’s not down on Chris but feels he’s not getting it done because his arm is not 100 percent. Regardless of the situation moving forward, the Tigers must find an identity on offense if they have any hopes of salvaging the rest of the season. Whether it’s the spread or lining up and playing smash mouth Auburn football, they have to commit and stick with it. Featue1 2008-10-14T01:03:01-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/tuberville-not-ruling-out-caudle-trotter-at-quarterback/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/tuberville-not-ruling-out-caudle-trotter-at-quarterback/#When:13:45:01Z Auburn’s two-quarterback tag team could turn into a four-man free-for-all. Auburn’s two-quarterback tag team could turn into a four-man free-for-all. That’s the possibility coach Tommy Tuberville and his staff will discuss heavily over the next two days, as the Tigers lick their wounds and try to heal up for Oct. 23’s trip to West Virginia. “We’re going to look at all options,” Tuberville said. “This offense is structured to catch and throw it. And we’re not catching and throwing it.“ He’s not kidding. Kodi Burns and Chris Todd combined for just 10 completions on 28 attempts and three interceptions in Saturday’s loss to Arkansas. The pair has combined to average 157.3 yards per game, tossing just five touchdowns (all Todd’s) and nine interceptions. Making matters worse for the signal-callers, their struggles have been compounded and exposed with the Tigers’ lack of structure and, at times, confusion on offense as a whole. “Offensively,” Tuberville said, “we just don’t have an identity.“ An unlikely candidate at the start of the season to even see the field this season could be where Tuberville looks for a spark. Meet Barrett Trotter. Long expected to sit the entire season and pick up a redshirt, the 19-year-old Birmingham native could rise from nowhere on the depth chart to the top of it — but only if he agrees to fork over his extra year of eligibility. “Obviously, we’ll look at Barrett ... if I think he can help, and he would be for it to burn a redshirt this late,” Tuberville said. “Really, though, it wouldn’t mean a lot because if we did decide to do that — and there was an agreement in terms that he wanted to do it — we wouldn’t play him four or five plays. We’d put him out there and let him go and get him ready. “Again, there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge to see if that will happen.“ Trotter runs seven-on-seven passing drills in practice and “knows a lot” about the Auburn offense — whatever it is. But “it’s different when you’re throwing to a guy when you’ve got the circle colored on the card and then you get in the game and all of a sudden you’ve got to go through some reads,” Tuberville said. At Briarwood Christian, Trotter led the Lions to the Class 5A championship game as a senior. Conducting a spread offense with a number of viable receiving options, Trotter set school records with 7,968 passing yards and 88 touchdowns over his three-year career as a starter. Third-stringer Neil Caudle will also be in the mix, Tuberville said, but the coach first needs to sit down with the sophomore and “see his frame of mind.“ “I’m not just going to throw Neil under the bus,” Tuberville said. “We’re going to give him a shot.“ If the Trotter-Caudle experiment doesn’t pan out, the job will likely stay with Burns, who was 7-for-18 for 119 yards and two interceptions Saturday in his third career start. “Kodi is a guy who’s going to have to be a factor for us,” Tuberville said. The odd man out could be Todd. After Todd’s 3-for-10 for 18-yards performance, in which he tossed an interception when trying to throw the ball out of bounds, Tuberville said the junior-college transfer’s arm is not as strong as it could be. “We wouldn’t be talking about these other things if we thought Chris could get it done,” Tuberville said. “That doesn’t mean he can’t. I just think Chris’ arm, if you look at it, isn’t 100 percent. “I’m not down on Chris. He’s got to understand if you play like that, as anyone at any position, you’ve got to work your way back in.“ Whoever works his way into the starting quarterback role will take over a much different offense than the one that has stammered to the bottom of most statistical categories over the first seven games of the season. “We’ll start working today on what we think we need to do for the next five games, and then we’re not going to change it,” Tuberville said. “We’ll add a few things, but we’ve got to get this group in a fashion where everybody can do what we’re asking them to do. That starts with quarterbacks on down. “It’s going to look different. We’re going to have a little bit of surprise.“ Sports, thumbnail 2008-10-13T13:45:01-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/week-seven-sec-predictions/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/week-seven-sec-predictions/#When:14:06:00Z Something has got to change quickly on offense, or Auburn may be in trouble of a losing season. This past Saturday night was one of the darkest in Auburn football history, as our Tigers fell in defeat to the doormat of the SEC, the Vanderbilt Commodores. The loss gives Auburn its second loss of the season, and pretty much ruins any shot of getting to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. From the opening snap, Auburn looked sharp on offense scrapping the spread for the Ace formation, running for 10 yards or more on almost every play. The offense was moving the ball great and had no reason to change anything. For some reason our head coach, Tommy Tuberville, and offensive coordinator, Tony Franklin, decided we needed to pass the ball. As soon as the offense went to the spread to do this, the wheels came off and Auburn struggled, looking like a confused sixth grade football team.  Chris Todd folded up like Brodie Croyle on a number of occasions, and Kodi Burns couldn’t do much better, although his scrambling skills kept the Vandy defense on its toes. Something has got to change quickly on offense, or Auburn may be in trouble of a losing season. Defensively, Auburn played tough even without Marks and Powers for most of the game. The Tigers gave up some points and some third down plays, but held tough when they needed to and kept Vandy from putting more points on the board. The coaches for Auburn ultimately cost us this game. Tubbs and Co. made no adjustments, lots of penalties, made dumb play calls, and displayed poor game management by being penalized for letting the play clock expire before we could kick a long field goal. Those points could have been the difference in the game. On to the picks: Oct. 11 LSU at Florida - The Gators haven’t seen a defense as good as LSU. If the Tigers can get something going on offense, they may have a chance to win in the Swamp. Prediction: LSU 21, Florida 21 Tennessee at Georgia - UGA gets back on track and steam rolls UT. Prediction: Georgia 24, Tenn.7 South Carolina at Kentucky - This game is a toss up. Both teams have struggled some, but with the Gamecocks coming off a big win, I’ll have to go with USC. Prediction: South Carolina 23, Kentucky 17 Vanderbilt at Mississippi State - Vandy is the better team, and they should win. Prediction: Vanderbilt 17, Mississippi State 10 Arkansas at Auburn - The Pigs are horrible, but Auburn is not much better ... at least on offense. This game will be a slugfest, but the Tigers pull out a close win. Prediction: Auburn 10, Arkansas 7 Sports, thumbnail 2008-10-10T14:06:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/offense-still-struggles-to-keep-tigers-alive/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/offense-still-struggles-to-keep-tigers-alive/#When:14:04:00Z So what happens when a bad offense (Auburn) meets a bad defense (Arkansas)?Fourteen, 13, 13 and 12-60. If I were to ask you what those numbers meant, you’d probably have no idea. Well they are the results of Ben Tate’s first three runs (Auburn’s first three offensive plays) and his total after the first quarter of the Auburn vs. Vanderbilt game. Impressive right? Now what if I told you that Auburn only rushed for 50 more yards the rest of the game? You probably wouldn’t believe it but it’s true. Auburn finished the game with 110 rushing yards on 44 attempts, 108 of that 110 belongs to Ben Tate. So why is this significant? Well it’s the main reason, aside from a missed P-A-T, Auburn fell to Vandy 13-14. The loss has Auburn coaches scratching their heads and wondering what went wrong (offensively that is) and how to fix it. Fix it is exactly what the Tigers will look to do against a struggling Arkansas Razorback team. Arkansas (2-3) is coming to Jordan-Hare with hopes of pulling off an upset and getting its first SEC win, but it won’t be an easy task. Despite Auburn’s offensive struggles, Arkansas’ offense is even worse. Against opponents with the caliber of defense that Auburn has, they’ve scored just 31 points. (14 against Alabama, 10 against Texas, 7 against Florida) That bodes well for Auburn’s stingy defense which ranks in the Top 5 of every statistical category in the SEC. On the flipside, if Auburn’s offense can find some sort of consistency, they should have no problem moving the ball on Arkansas’ young and inexperienced defense. The Razorbacks rank last or next to last in every statistical category except for one. So what happens when a bad offense (Auburn) meets a bad defense (Arkansas)? Usually one comes out looking like a juggernaut. But in this instance it really doesn’t matter because the Auburn defense scores two touchdowns en route to a win over the Razorbacks. Prediction: Auburn 21, Arkansas 7 Sports 2008-10-10T14:04:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/franklin-fired-as-auburn-offensive-coordinator/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/franklin-fired-as-auburn-offensive-coordinator/#When:20:03:00Z Tony Franklin has been fired as Auburn’s offensive coordinator a source close to the program told the Opelika-Auburn News on Wednesday afternoon.Tony Franklin has been fired as Auburn’s offensive coordinator a source close to the program told the “Opelika-Auburn News” on Wednesday afternoon. Franklin was hired in December of 2007, just a few days after then-AU offensive coordinator Al Borges was let go by head coach Tommy Tuberville. Franklin, who spent the last two years at Troy, was brought to Auburn to run the spread offense - or the “Tony Franklin System” which has been installed at high school programs across the country. Franklin’s offense hasn’t lived up to its expectations this season, as the Tigers are 4-2, 2-2 in the SEC. The offense is near or at the bottom in most offensive categories in the SEC and the country. Auburn ranks 104th in total offense (309.2 yards per game), 105th in pass efficiency (104.98), tied for 111th in red zone offense (65 percent) and 112th in third-down conversions (29.7 percent). Featue3 2008-10-08T20:03:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/lcac-offers-auburn-fans-a-ride-to-the-iron-bowl/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/lcac-offers-auburn-fans-a-ride-to-the-iron-bowl/#When:14:17:00Z This year’s Iron Bowl will be held in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 29, and the Lee County Auburn Club is offering a ride.This year’s Iron Bowl will be held in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 29, and the Lee County Auburn Club is offering a ride. The goal of the LCAC is to live up to Auburn’s nickname as the “friendliest village on the plains.” The group is known throughout Lee County for its Auburn University scholarship fund as well as their Christmas Gifts for the Elderly project. According to the Web site, the overriding goal of the organization is to encourage hospitality and the Auburn spirit. It is this friendly spirit that the LCAC hopes to bring to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 29. The LCAC is taking a game day bus to Tuscaloosa, and seats are available. The game day bus aims to provide a fun and safe mode of transportation to the game. LCAC invites all Auburn fans to “tailgate” on the bus. Fans are allowed to bring coolers and snacks to make the game day atmosphere complete. Seats are $50 per person plus an additional $2.50 to reserve an assigned seat. The reservation fee goes toward the LCAC scholarship fund as well as other service projects. LCAC invites all Auburn fans to ride the bus. “LCAC has had bus riders in the past of all ages, and our riders are not limited to Lee County,” says LCAC president Nancy Carlton Bendinger. “We have Auburn fans from all over the state join us.” Members of the LCAC cite that the game day bus is far more convenient than traveling to Tuscaloosa by car.  “It’s a great way to save gas and avoid the traffic in Tuscaloosa as well as be among Auburn fans,” says Pat Bailey, the LCAC bus captain. Those interested in riding the game day bus to Tuscaloosa can find sign up sheets on the LCAC Web site, which is leecountyauburnclub.com. The deadline for reservations is Nov. 12. thumbnail 2008-10-08T14:17:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/visions-of-victory/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/visions-of-victory/#When:14:56:00Z In 1998, Albert Smith, a 1947 Auburn University mechanical engineering graduate, donated $3 million toward the construction of a building in Auburn. The money was donated as a 50th anniversary present for his wife, Jule Collins Smith. That building is now known as The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and is the only university museum in Alabama. In 1998, Albert Smith, a 1947 Auburn University mechanical engineering graduate, donated $3 million toward the construction of a building in Auburn. The money was donated as a 50th anniversary present for his wife, Jule Collins Smith. That building is now known as The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and is the only university museum in Alabama. But the background of the 40,000 square-foot museum started way before that. In 1948, Frank Applebee, chair of the School of Art and Architecture, bought 36 paintings by artists that included Ralston Crawford, Ben Shahn, Georgia O’Keeffe, John Marin and Jacob Lawrence for $1,072. These painting now make up the Jule Collins Smith Museum’s American Art Collection. This was the beginning of a collection that would later become the staples of a museum. In 1992, philanthropist Susan Phillips donated her grandfather’s collection of John James Audubon prints. A few years later, she and her brother authorized a grant to Auburn to create an endowment for the care of the Audubon collection, the first major step in creating a gallery space. The idea was further brought to life when Dr. Charles D. Hudson of the Fuller E. Callaway Foundation donated $500,000 toward the museum’s construction. Soon after, Smith donated his gift. The museum then became a reality. This month, The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art celebrates its fifth anniversary. The museum showcases art work in six different galleries. Museum Director Marilyn Laufer and Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Dennis Harper carefully select each piece from two to four years prior to showcasing. “It’s a balancing act between gaging what the community is comfortable with and what’s hot in the art world,” said Marketing and Events Manager Colleen Bourdeau. A lot of decisions go into making the pieces work well in each gallery. Often times the color of the paint on the gallery wall is changed to set the mood of each exhibition. The museum showcases permanent collections, such as Tibetin bronzes, and brings in unique exhibitions frequently, such as the “Visions of Victory” exhibition which showcases sports photography. “I think a lot of the Auburn community, especially during football season, has been excited about ‘Visions of Victory’,” Bourdeau said of the exhibition. But The Jule Collins Smith Museum does more than just showcase art. They also educate. Every third Thursday the museum stays open until 8 p.m. and holds a lecture or movie or some sort of art specific programming followed by a reception. Elementary through university students also attend classes at the museum, taught by Henley. Bourdeau said that they want everyone to feel that they can use the museum as a learning experience. “We really want the community to feel that we’re a part of them in that we welcome them here,” Bourdeau said. “This is a place for them to come and learn and ask questions.” Bourdeau added that since the museum is a part of the university, they are always encouraging students to check it out. “I would love to see more students come by,” she said. “Come and check it out. You don’t have to know anything about art, you don’t have to dress up. Just come and look around. Without the students there would be no Auburn University. Without Auburn University there would be no museum.” Entrance is free to all students, Auburn faculty and staff. Adult admission is $5 and senior admission is $4. Another part of what the museum does is research through publications and art. “Because we are a part of Auburn University and research is a backbone of what the university is about, we do research through annual publications and researching works of art and how they came about, their relation to the community,” Bourdeau added. The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art also has a café and a gift shop. The café is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 until 2 p.m. Lunch ranges from around $5 to $9. The menu changes every week and is available at the museum’s Web site. On Thursdays, members of the Auburn Community Orchestra perform from noon to 1 p.m. Bourdeau referred to the museum’s gift shop as one of their “best kept secrets.” It holds gift items that range from a few dollars up to a few hundred. Bourdeau said that the museum has some exciting exhibitions and events coming that includes former Athletic Director David Housell speaking in November, and an Elvis memorabilia exhibition coming in late 2009. The Jule Collins Smith Museum is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:45 and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:45. “It’s a completely different experience when you see it and experience the sight and texture of it firsthand,” Bourdeau added. For more on the museum, the café menu, information on exhibitions and more, visit jcsm.auburn.edu. -Exhibitions and events at JCSM- Info from jcsm.auburn.edu Current Exhibitions “Visions of Victory” Presented by: Mutual of Omaha: A Century of Sports Photography Dates: Sep.13 through Nov. 29, Visions of Victory gathers over 100 images from around the world by such acknowledged masters as William Henry Jackson (1843-1942, one of America’s foremost frontier photographers), Annie Leibovitz (an American photographer known for her images of celebrities including political figures, musicians, actors, and athletes), and David Burnett (a globetrotting photojournalist named one of the “100 Most Important People in Photography” by American Photo magazine). These renowned artists are presented along with less familiar photographers whose lenses have captured some of the greatest moments in sports history. Sports giants like Arthur Ashe, Wilt Chamberlain, Nadia Comaneci, Ty Cobb, Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Joe Namath, and Babe Ruth are portrayed at moments of determined exertion, enthusiastic celebration, or quiet reflection. Featured sports include auto racing, baseball, basketball, boxing, cycling, diving, figure skating, football, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, kayaking, sailing, soccer, swimming, tennis, thoroughbred racing, track and field, and wrestling, among others. “The Indian Gallery of Henry Inman” Chi Omega Gallery Dates: Aug. 16 through Nov. 8 Acclaimed for his portraits of the socially prominent and the privileged, Henry Inman (American, 1801–1846) gained equal renown as an exacting chronicler of American Western history, primarily through his replicas of a series of North American Indian portraits. Commissioned as faithful copies of earlier works by Charles Bird King and others, Inman’s oil paintings served as the models from which an important portfolio of lithographic reproductions were drawn and printed, thus preserving a significant record of Native American culture. The Indian Gallery of Henry Inman gathers 13 of Inman’s oil paintings, with a focus on distinguished Southeastern Creek and Cherokee leaders and warriors of the early 19th century. “Crossing Boundaries: Modern Landscapes in the Permanent Collection” Wadsworth Gallery Dates: Aug.11 through Dec. 13 Featuring a selection of paintings and watercolors in the permanent collection, Crossing Boundaries provides a panoramic view of the ways that modern artists have responded to their environment. Often depicting the places the artists knew best, at other times recalling the discoveries of their travels, these explorers in paint altered the ways we perceive our surroundings. Included in the exhibition are works by American painters Walter Anderson, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, and Georgia O’Keeffe, alongside European counterparts, Pierre Daura, Henri Joseph Harpignies, and Edmond Petitjean, among others. On view in the Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Gallery, the exhibition includes several new acquisitions and older works rarely on display.  “Dana King Gatchell Teapot Collection” Grand Gallery The College of Human Sciences at Auburn University made a generous transfer of property to the JCSM in 2007. Adding diversity and depth to the museum’s holdings in decorative arts, the college’s gift comprised a distinctive selection of teapots originally assembled by Alabama native, Dana King Gatchell (1888–1960). “Miss Gatchell,” professor of home economics at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute in Auburn, was head of the food and nutrition department for more than 30 years and indisputable doyenne of table arts during her tenure there, from 1923 to 1956. Totaling 59 pieces, the museum’s collection encompasses objects created across three continents and two centuries. From mid-19th century Asian vessels to works created in the 20th-century pottery centers of Europe and the American South and Mid-West, Gatchell’s teapots reveal the collector’s boundless curiosity and discriminating eye. The Gatchell Teapot exhibition is on display in the Grand Gallery of the museum now through the end of the year.  Upcoming Events “Leading Men: The 1826 Treaty Delegates,” Lecture by Kathryn H. Braund Oct. 16, 5 p.m. In conjunction with The Indian Gallery of Henry Inman Kathryn H. Braund is professor of history at Auburn University. Her research focuses on the ethnohistory of the Creek and Seminole Indians in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. In addition to many published articles, she is the author of Deerskins and Duffels: The Creek Indian Trade with Anglo-America, 1685-1815 (1993). She is the co-author, with Gregory A. Waselkov, of William Bartram on the Southeastern Indians (1995) and she is editor of an annotated version of Bernard Romans’s A Concise Natural History of East and West Florida (1999). She is currently writing a book about the Creek War of 1813-1814. “Victory Auburn Style,” lecture by David Housel As JCSM closes “Visions of Victory presented by Mutual of Omaha: A Century of Sports Photography,” they welcome David Housel, athletic director emeritus at Auburn University to give a talk on Victory at Auburn University. Housel graduated from Auburn University in 1969 with a degree in journalism, taught in the Auburn University’s department of journalism from 1972 to 1980, subsequently served the university as sports information director and athletic director, and is the author of “Saturdays to Remember” (1973), “From the Desk of David Housel: A Collection of Auburn Stories” (1991), and “Auburn University Football Vault” (2007). His forthcoming book, “Glory Days Auburn: The Greatest Victories in Tigers History” will be out in August of 2009. Featue2 2008-10-08T14:56:00-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/new-hair-studio-brings-together-experience-and-style/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/new-hair-studio-brings-together-experience-and-style/#When:14:06:01Z RS1 Hair Studio owner Robb Todd has been in the hair styling business for 20 years, 16 of that right here in Auburn. RS1 Hair Studio owner Robb Todd has been in the hair styling business for 20 years, 16 of that right here in Auburn. Todd, who’s past credits include being a regional judge for America’s Next Top Model, working with Paul Mitchell, Nexus, Aveda, and graduating from the number five beauty college in the country, isn’t what you would expect. He’s definitely not your typical male beauty shop owner, but the kind of guy you would expect to see with a wrench and a Harley, not a pair of scissors. Todd, who also owns R&R Music, opened RS1 next door on Opelika Road. He says his reason for opening RS1 now “is to make sure I can take care of my customers and music store at the same time.” RS1 carries full product lines from Hemp, Alterna, and Miami Ink skin care. They also offer a full spectrum of hair care services from the ultra conservative to the most extreme. Haircuts start at $20, colors and highlights start at $60, and tanning services will be available to his regular customers. RS1 is holding its grand opening all month, offering 20 percent off services. Open Monday through Friday 10 to 6 and Saturday 9 to 4. Walk-ins are welcome because Todd “doesn’t believe in bullying people to get them to make appointments six months in advance.” To make an appointment, call 334.821.4350. New Businesses, thumbnail 2008-10-06T14:06:01-06:00 http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/week-six-sec-predictions/ http://www.thecornernews.com/index.php/news/week-six-sec-predictions/#When:13:49:01Z This week’s game against Vanderbilt will not be an easy task for the Tigers, especially after two tough games.While upsets were occurring all across the nation last weekend, our Auburn Tigers held on to keep that from happening. The defense had another stellar performance, even when our offense and special teams gave up valuable field position. With Tray Blackmon out of action this week, Josh Bynes filled the void and played excellent. When Blackmon returns this week, it would be nice if our coaches could find a way to keep both of these players on the field at the same time.  Offensively, things still were not clicking the way they should. QB Chris Todd had a few good plays, but still struggled to be effective in the second half. Kodi Burns finally saw some limited action and impressed the fans. Burns made some athletic plays, and converted a critical third down late in the fourth quarter.  If not for a couple of dropped passes, Burns would have been perfect through the air.  OC Tony Franklin has got to get Burns more involved in this offense. His ability to run can only help make this offense work more efficiently, and the more playing experience he gets will only make Burns a better quarterback. Franklin has given Todd his chance for the majority of the season so far, and his performance has been average or below. It is time to give the reigns of this offense to Kodi Burns. The running game will evolve if a defense is kept honest by a dual threat quarterback. The wide receivers must improve on catching the ball, and the offensive line has got to stop making penalties. This week’s game against Vanderbilt will not be an easy task for the Tigers, especially after two tough games. If Auburn can improve on offense, the Tigers should win this game. On to the picks: Oct. 4 Kentucky at Alabama -The luck stops here. The Wildcats storm into Tuscaloosa and knock off the overrated Tide. The thoughts of a bronze statue of Nick Saban vanish.  Prediction: Kentucky 3, Bama 0 Florida at Arkansas - The Gators dropped a heartbreaker to Ole Miss last Saturday, but will be ready to get back on track. The Piglets stand no chance, and probably will not win another game. Prediction: Florida 35, Arkansas 3 South Carolina at Ole Miss - The Rebels are hot, and will continue their winning ways against USC. Spurrier will keep his Cocks in the game, which should be a shoot out. Houston Nutt rides the Wild Rebel for another big SEC win. Prediction: Ole Miss 24, South Carolina 21 Northern Illinois at Tennessee - Fat Phil’s is getting a little upset after dropping his third game of the season. He’s lucky to have a practice game this week. Look for a lot of changes on offense, even at QB. Prediction: Tennessee 31, Northern Illinois 10 Auburn at Vanderbilt - If you would have told me that this would be one of the bigger games of the season back in August, I would have laughed in your face. But this happens to be the ESPN primetime game … not to mention the location for the ESPN Gameday broadcast. Expect to see a good battle for about three quarters. Auburn clearly has better talent, but Vandy will keep this game close playing on pure heart. The presence of Kodi Burns and a great defense make the difference in this game, as Auburn holds on for another solid win. Prediction: Auburn 24, Vandy14 Sports, thumbnail 2008-10-03T13:49:01-06:00