aubiefifty

Auburn football: Carnell Williams continues to show signs of great leadership Zac Blackerby 2 minutes Auburn Interim Head Coach Carnell Williams held a zoom call with player parents Wednesday night. Here are a few takeaways. A parent that I spoke to thought the world of coach Williams. Described listening to him was like "being in church." The call took about an hour and a sizable chunk of the call was devoted to Williams apologizing to the parents for the previous administration that he was a part of for not holding kids accountable academically. Williams informed the parents that several players were missing class but he promised that focus changed as soon as he took over as interim head coach. This news surprised several parents. A parent that I spoke to called their son after the meeting and it sounds like it was widely known across the team that they could get away with missing class and not focusing on school. The player noted that there has been more accountability in the short time since the change has been made. Williams spent time talking about how blessed he was to be in this situation and that he loves Auburn and that it is an honor to get to lead their sons for the rest of the season. He noted that he never thought he'd be in the situation he's in but he is excited to serve the Auburn family.

Making the case: Why Hugh Freeze should be Auburn football's next head coach Lance Dawe 4-5 minutes Our third installment of the "making the case" series drops here as we continue along to a name that has had a rollercoaster of a career: Hugh Freeze. Freeze was a name that started picking up some steam before the Auburn coaching job even came open a couple of weeks ago. As time has rolled on, Freeze has made his way near the top of most hot boards, candidates lists, etc. Here's why Freeze fits, what he's accomplished as a coach so far, and why the Tigers should give him a look. The Fit Right off the bat, the thought of this hire just feels... different. Doesn't this seem like an extremely "Auburn" type of hire? As far as personality goes, Freeze may be the best option Auburn has on the board right now outside of Dan Lanning. On top of personality, Freeze has SEC experience - something Auburn values. He's currently piloting a Liberty program that is five years removed from jumping to the FBS level. He's had surprising success, and currently has the Flames inside the AP Top 25. “I don’t know that Auburn wants me. I have no clue,” Freeze said in a postgame press conference after going on the road and beating Arkansas last weekend. “I know this: I have won everywhere I’ve been and my staff and kids have turned programs fast. It’s our culture that we instill. I know we do that and the proof is in the pudding.” The baggage that comes with Freeze may be enough to make the people at the top want to walk away, but he checks the other boxes: Recruiter, winner, personality fit. The Resume Record at Liberty: 34-12 Overall Record: 75-44 Head coaching experience: Lambuth, Arkansas State, Ole Miss, Liberty Other experience: Ole Miss (TE), Arkansas State (OC) Freeze has well documented baggage that comes with him wherever he goes. However, that has not stopped many from pointing out that he has won everywhere he has coached, and currently has the Flames (a program that has only been at the D-I level for four and a half seasons) inside the AP Top 25. He is also one of three college coaches to have ever beaten Nick Saban in back-to-back years (Ole Miss, 2014-15). He just traveled to Arkansas and beat the Razorbacks with his third-string quarterback. According to several past reports, Freeze wanted the job a while back and still wants it now - even though he signed an extension with Liberty just a week ago, Freeze would be willing to come to Auburn if they came knocking. I mean, just look at his postgame comments after winning against Arkansas. That should tell you enough. He's a solid option that does not possess the same "splash hire" vibes that Lane Kiffin and Deion Sanders do. My Thoughts Right now I think Hugh Freeze is the second or third best option Auburn has. There's a lot of pushback as to whether or not Freeze should make a move back to the SEC (and whether or not its even a possibility), but based on his recent comments, it appears as though Freeze would be willing to do so if Auburn came knocking. I'm not sure if they will. If they do, it will be interesting to see the fanbase reaction form following. He's a good recruiter that can win. If he puts together the right staff, Auburn would be back to winning at a decent clip.

Joseph Goodman: With Lane Kiffin, the joke is always on Alabama Published: Nov. 11, 2022, 6:49 a.m. 6-7 minutes Lane Kiffin is turning into the greatest showman in college football, and one of his best bits is needling Alabama with kindness. As opposed to, say, Hall of Fame Auburn coach Pat Dye, who enjoyed sticking it to Alabama with a sword. No.9 Alabama (7-2, 4-2 in the SEC) plays No.11 Ole Miss (8-1, 4-1 in the SEC) this week in Oxford, and so Kiffin is having fun again with Saban and the Crimson Tide. Kiffin’s most recent form of bookish humor is no doubt appreciated by everyone in college football except the team that began the season ranked No.1 in the country and has lost a pair of heartbreakers. That’d be Alabama. Earlier in the week, Kiffin took a picture of the best-selling book by my colleague and AL.com sports editor John Talty and posted it to social media. Talk about an unexpected gift for Talty’s book sales. The title of the book is “The leadership secrets of Nick Saban: How Alabama’s coach became the best ever.” “Well-written,” Kiffin said about the book when asked on Wednesday. For the oh-so-serious world of the SEC, it was pure comedy gold. Yes, Kiffin probably knows a secret or two. RELATED: Saban backs coordinators RELATED: Jordan-Hare set to ‘Go Crazy’ for Cadillac GOODMAN: Give Cadillac a chance to win the job JOE VS THE PRO AND THE HERO: Week 11 picks Kiffin worked with Saban as Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016, and those three seasons rejuvenated his career after being fired at USC. It also extended Saban’s dynasty, but Kiffin doesn’t get enough credit for that. Saban then famously fired Kiffin before the 2017 national championship game against Clemson. Kiffin had been hired by FAU, and Saban said Kiffin had become too distracted. Steve Sarkisian took over the offense on short notice and Alabama, with freshman Jalen Hurts at quarterback, lost to Clemson 35-31 on the last play of the game. Coincidentally, both of Alabama’s losses this season also came on the final plays of games. First there was the stunner at Tennessee, and then last week LSU, in a legendary call by first-year Tigers’ coach Brian Kelly, went for two in overtime to upset mighty Alabama. And so now questions are here about the crumbling of Saban’s dynasty with Kiffin wielding a book about Saban like sledgehammer. Saban himself has joked in the past that if he ever lost three games in a season, then that might be the thing that forces him unwillingly into retirement. Hmm. Yeah, Alabama has high standards, but something tells me Saban could lose to Ole Miss and Auburn to finish the season and still have a job if he wanted it. Nothing happens in a vacuum in the SEC West, and so the fact that Kiffin is being suggested as a candidate for Auburn’s open football coaching position adds to the intrigue of this weekend’s game. I’ll be in the press box at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and like everyone back in Alabama I’ll be observing things through a filtered lens that wants to know if Kiffin could turn Auburn into a college football super power if given the chance. Is Kiffin even interested in leaving Ole Miss for Auburn? He’ll never say. They never do, but Auburn is, on paper, a better gig than Ole Miss. Even Tommy Tuberville knows that. There might be more pressure at Auburn than Ole Miss, but there are also more resources to win a national championship. Auburn’s new director of athletics, John Cohen, is putting together a list of candidates to replace fired football coach Bryan Harisn. Kiffin should be at the top of that list. In the meantime, he’s having fun enriching the SEC with his knack for self promotion. Sometimes that backfires spectacularly in his face, of course, which only makes him more interesting. I like that Kiffin can laugh at himself, though. Drama has surrounded him throughout his entire career, but he has now learned how to embrace it. I wouldn’t say that makes him endearing, but it’s certainly a life skill that would help him at Auburn. Football coaches operate in this paradoxical alternate reality that doesn’t allow for them to be in on the joke. Kiffin is in on the joke. “Get your popcorn ready,” Kiffin said last year on national television moments before his Ole Miss football team was kerneled 42-21 by Alabama. When Alabama fans sent Kiffin a bunch of popcorn after the game, Kiffin used it for a funny post to social media. As the entertainment business goes, football considers itself serious stuff. If there is no crying in baseball, then there is no laughing in football. Kiffin laughs loudest of all either with Alabama or at Alabama. It’s hard to interpret which one it is sometimes, but know this. With Kiffin at Auburn, the Iron Bowl would be like the Super Bowl of the South. Does Kiffin need to actually defeat Alabama in a game as a prerequisite for coaching at Auburn? It wouldn’t hurt. Cohen, who was the AD at Mississippi State before taking over the same position at Auburn this week, is no stranger to Kiffin’s abilities as a coach and an entertainer. Cohen said he wants a coach who’s a good “fit” for Auburn. No one is confusing Kiffin for the second coming of Pat Dye, but these are different times. Kiffin’s play-calling and ability as a recruiter gives him value in a changing landscape for the SEC that will soon include Oklahoma, Texas, a new conference schedule and an expanded playoff. Wouldn’t want to be the team matched up against Kiffin and Auburn in a playoff with one week to prepare. Kiffin is a squiggle of crayon in a world of regimented lines. He’s Bill Murray in “Stripes,” a movie about a comedian who joins the military. In this analogy, Alabama’s Saban isn’t just an officer in the Army. Saban is the U.S. Army, and Kiffin is the merry prankster who knows the inner workings of all the secret weapons. Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Caddy will roll into Jordan-Hare with former teammates by his side for support Mark Murphy 4-6 minutes AUBURN, Alabama–When Carnell "Cadillac" Williams gives his pre-game talk on Saturday night and leads the Auburn football team onto to the field, he will have a large group of his former teammates by his side for support. Williams, an All-American running back for the Tigers, is in his second week in charge of the team as its interim head coach. Auburn fans were so impressed with the effort the Tigers gave in last week’s overtime loss at Mississippi State they bought all of the remaining tickets for Saturday night’s home game to support Williams. “Lord, have mercy,” Williams said at Victory Grill in Auburn where he was a guest on the Tiger Talk radio show on Thursday night when asked about what the experience will be like for him on Saturday night. He received a standing ovation from everyone in the packed restaurant when he came into building. “It is going to be special, very special,” he said of the opportunity to lead the Tigers on to the field to take on Texas A&M at Jordan-Hare Stadium where he made so many great plays as a running back. “I will have a lot of former teammates, up to 25 to 30 guys there,” said Williams, a star on Auburn’s unbeaten 2004 squad. “When I address the team those guys are going to be in the locker room and our team is going to be there to see those guys. They were trailblazers that kind of built this place that know what that ‘work, hard work’ is about. “A lot of Auburn football is through blood sweat and tears, and that comes from guys before myself," Williams added. The fact that there is sellout to see to a pair of 3-6 teams tied for last place in the SEC West, with both on five-game losing streaks, is a direct result of how Williams has handled his job since being named interim head coach after Bryan Harsin was fired on Monday, November 7th following a fourth consecutive loss for the team. “I am going try not to get emotional...but wow,” he said on what he believes it will feel like entering the field on Saturday night. “I have been trying to go there, but my mind won’t even let me process it right now and really even think about it.” What he has been thinking about all week is a Texas A&M team that began the season ranked in the Top 10. “I have got a lot of respect for Coach Jimbo Fisher and the rest of those guys on that staff,” Williams said. “They are a talented bunch, especially defensively, they are really big and physical up front. The secondary guys are very long, the linebackers can run. They play good football. “Offensively, of course, Jimbo runs that pro style offense,” Williams pointed out. “They are very big up front and young. They want to run the football and have got dynamic play-makers. They have had quarterbacks in and out so I am not sure who is going to be the starter there.” Williams noted that A&M’s star junior running back will be a challenge for the Tigers to contain. “Devon Achane is a phenomenal all-purpose back who can do it all,” the coach said. “He is a dangerous, fast back who can take it distance.” Williams noted that it will be important to get as many players on defense around the ball when Achane is handling it as a runner or receiver. He also said that he liked the effort the Auburn defense produced vs. Mississippi State after being challenged by the coaching staff in preparations for that game. “We want to see them be relentless, fly to the football, play that hard-nosed Auburn defense,” the coach said. The Tigers gave up a touchdown on a kickoff return last Saturday night so that will be an area of this week’s game to watch. “On special teams they play fast, they play relentless and they have some dangerous returners so we are definitely going to have to play our A-game to pull off this victory,” Williams said. 23COMMENTS “It is going to be a challenge for us, but our team is looking forward to being in front of that crowd,” the interim head coach added. “Like I told the players, we are going to have that Auburn spirit and we are going to have these fans in Jordan-Hare for the best atmosphere and stadium in college football. I just feel like magic is going to happen on Saturday night and I am looking forward to it.” *** Subscribe: Receive the latest Auburn intel, opinion and scoops*** ">247Sports

Auburn's Cadillac on what this has meant to him: 'makes me want to sell out even more for this university' Jason Caldwell 4-5 minutes AUBURN, Alabama—As the Voice of the Auburn Tigers, Andy Burcham has done hundreds of broadcasts of different sports and hosted Tiger Talk countless times. On Thursday night at Baumhower’s Victory Grille, Burcham said he saw something he’s never seen before. Heading into his second game as Auburn’s interim head coach after taking over for Bryan Harsin last week, former standout running back Cadillac Williams walked through the front door of the restaurant along with Derick Hall and Robby Ashford. They were greeted by a very loud standing ovation, something that Burcham said was amazing to see. “I have never seen a standing ovation for any head coach of any sport walking through the door coming in to Tiger Talk like we saw with Carnell tonight and Derick Hall and Robby Ashford,” Burcham said. “It’s indicative how this Auburn family has rallied around Cadillac, his coaching staff, and this team.” A player that was a first round draft choice by the Tampa Bay Bucs after playing on Auburn’s undefeated season, Williams was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2005 and has had his share of big moments. None of those prepared Williams for what he walked into on Thursday night, however. “I’m so honored and blessed to be part of the Auburn family,” Williams told Auburn247. “To see people show up in this pouring rain and to have a packed house and to see these people cheering for the players and the Auburn family, it’s just special. It just gives me so much strength while I’m doing this and makes me want to sell out even more for this university.” Veterans of Tiger Talk and fixtures when the broadcast is on location, Sandy and Sally Heely knew something was going to be different for Thursday’s edition. The expectation was exceeded by the reality of the situation. “I have been here since they started and I graduated in 1968,” Sandy said. “I have been a GAF giver and hold season tickets. Tonight is a big night. “It was magic. When we saw Caddy walk in, he represented about as much as he could of an Auburn man. He’s not Pat Dye, but he’s right there with him. He is the Auburn man. He brings the excitement we haven’t seen for years and years and years.” As the owner of Baumhowers for the last four years, Auburn native and graduate Kevin Tudhope said he's seen the program and university from close range for his now 50 years. What he saw Thursday night and has seen the last week is exactly what he thinks about when the term 'Auburn family' is used. "I have seen the good and bad times over those years," Tudhope said of his life. "But what I saw tonight was special. I have never seen the alumni, this town, and this fan base rally around each other like they did tonight. We honestly haven't seen crowds like that for Tiger Talk in years. It was refreshing. It was exciting. It's what the Auburn family is all about." 7COMMENTS With Auburn putting the finishing touches on the plan for Saturday night’s game against Texas A&M, Thursday night’s excitement points to what should be a wild atmosphere at Jordan-Hare Stadium. While this game might not have championship implications, it has become a very big game for Auburn and Burcham said he can’t wait. “You wouldn’t expect that for two 3-6 teams, but considering what has happened on the Auburn campus, who is the head coach, the way the Auburn family has reacted to that, and the fact that it’s going to be fabulous weather and a night game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. All of those go into what should be a phenomenal atmosphere for football. I cannot wait to call the game.” ">247Sports

Watch 5 Auburn players get Senior Bowl invites Published: Nov. 10, 2022, 8:01 p.m. 2 minutes Oct 9, 2021; Auburn, AL, USA; Eku Leota (55) reacts after a sack between Auburn and Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/AU AthleticsTodd Van Emst/AU Athletics By Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com Derick Hall, Eku Leota, Owen Pappoe, Nehemiah Pritchett, and Mobile native DJ James received their invites to the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl on Thursday with a special touch. Hall, Leota, Pappoe, Pritchett, and James got their invites from interim head coach Cadillac Williams, who played in the 2005 post-season all-star, regarded as the start of the NFL Draft process presented the players with their invites with a shower of Reese’s cups. Hall and Pappoe are two of Auburn’s three team captains. Hall grew up about an hour from Mobile in Gulfport Ms and had 6.5 sacks, forced two fumbles, and picked off a pass this season. Pappoe has 71 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and forced two fumbles. Read More Auburn Football: Auburn walk-on long snapper Jacob Quattlebaum honored by Burlsworth nomination Jordan-Hare Stadium set to “go crazy” in Cadillac Williams’ first home game as interim coach Mississippi State is in John Cohen’s DNA, but “a whole lot of wow” drew him to Auburn as AD Leota is out with a season-ending torn pec. He posted 17 tackles and two sacks in five games. Pritchett has 28 tackles and James has 18 on the season. Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC) hosts Texas A & M on Saturday (6:30 pm CT SEC Network) at Jordan-Hare with both teams seeking to end five-game losing streaks. Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Rewinding: Tiger Talk with Cadillac Williams Updated: Nov. 10, 2022, 7:15 p.m.|Published: Nov. 10, 2022, 6:05 p.m. 2-3 minutes By Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com Carnell Williams makes his first public appearance on the weekly Tiger Talk coaches shows on Thursday in Auburn at Victory Grille. Williams was on the show last week, but it was in the studio as the team built up to the eventual loss against Mississippi State. A large crowd is gathered for Williams’ appearance with hosts Brad Law and Andy Burcham as the trio previews Auburn’s game on Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT) against Texas A&M at Jordan-Hare. The Tigers expect a sold-out crowd for Williams’ first home game as interim head coach. Let’s get into the live updates: -- Williams got a standing ovation from the packed crowd when he walked into the restaurant. -- Williams says he’s humbled and is grateful for the love he’s received since becoming interim coach last Monday after Harsin got fired. -- Williams said the coaching staff gave the team a day off on Sunday, and it helped the coaching staff catch up with game-planning for the Aggies. -- Williams said last week was extremely stressful but feels more relaxed this week since the team has more opportunity to prepare. -- Williams said he had over 30,000 steps after the Mississippi State game. He also included his workout on the elliptical pregame. -- Williams said the defense turned up the intensity against Mississippi State. He hopes the effort continues for four quarters against Texas A&M. -- Williams says nearly 30 former teammates will be present for the game this weekend. -- Williams says he’s excited about the game and is embracing the emotions. -- Williams is excited to see how his defense will play against the Aggies. -- Williams discussed naming Jonathan LeGrand as a captain for the game, with Veterans Day being celebrated this weekend. LeGrand played high school football and baseball in Dothan before joining the Marines. He also plays on Auburn’s club rugby team. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Cadillac Williams discusses emotions ahead of first home game as Auburn interim head coach Bryce Lazenby 2-3 minutes Cadillac Williams, during an appearance on the “Tiger Talk” radio show on Thursday, discussed his feelings ahead of his 1st home game as Auburn’s interim head coach. Williams was named interim head coach after Bryan Harsin was fired on October 31. In his 1st game in charge, Williams’ Tigers took a tough Mississippi State into OT before ultimately losing 39-33. In Week 11, the Tigers return home for a matchup with SEC West foe Texas A&M. “My mind won’t even let me process it right now,” Williams said. “Lord have mercy, that is going to be special, very special with a lot of my former teammates there.” Williams mentioned that 25-30 former teammates will be in attendance to cheer on the Tigers. The game is sold out, showing that Auburn faithful are still supporting the team in a down year. With a win, Williams would improve to 1-1 as head coach and the Tigers would get their 2nd SEC win of 2022.

thanx to all that served and their families and god bless you.

Auburn long snapper Jacob Quattlebaum honored by Burlsworth nomination Updated: Nov. 10, 2022, 2:57 p.m.|Published: Nov. 10, 2022, 11:27 a.m. 4-6 minutes If not for the prompting of his seventh-grade coach, Jacob Quattlebaum might not be where he is today. Quattlebaum was playing center for Dauphin Junior High in Enterprise when coach Marc Sieving wanted to see if he could also play long snapper. It’s not the most glamorous position, to be sure, but one that is crucial to special teams operation—punting, field goals, extra points; long snappers are the triggermen in those facets of the game. “Hey, you snap with one hand already, let’s just throw second hand out there and throw it 10 yards further,” Quattlebaum recalled Sieving telling him that day in practice. Read more Auburn football: Jordan-Hare Stadium set to “go crazy” in Cadillac Williams’ first home game as interim coach Mississippi State is in John Cohen’s DNA, but “a whole lot of wow” drew him to Auburn as AD Goodman: Give Coach Cadillac a chance to win the job Thus began Quattlebaum’s journey as a specialist, one that ultimately led him to walk on at Auburn, where he has appeared in 28 games as the Tigers’ long snapper over the last four seasons and where he has been nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top walk-on football player. Quattlebaum is one of 81 players from across the country to be nominated for the honor, which is in its 13th year of existence. Quattlebaum is one of three long snappers nominated this season, along with Tennessee’s Matthew Salansky and Ohio State’s Bradley Robinson. He is the sixth Auburn player ever nominated for the award, joining linebacker Barton Lester (2021), wide receiver Will Hastings (2017 and 2019), tight end Tucker Brown (2018), punter Kevin Phillips (2015) and safety Trent Fisher (2013). “It’s a real honor,” Quattlebaum said. “I’m lucky to be in the position I am today, walking on back in 2018 here at Auburn. There’s a group of older guys that really led this team strong…. They really taught me how to come in and work the way Auburn’s supposed to work, how to perform, how to put in the hard work each and every day and how to get yourself prepared each week for the game. And, you know, it’s an honor to be nominated for this award and kind of seeing where all that hard work is starting to pay off.” Past winners of the Burlsworth include Heisman winner Baker Mayfield (a two-time honoree in 2015 and 2016), former Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis in 2011 (he was also briefly Auburn’s offensive coordinator back in January, former Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin (2012), former Clemson/current Las Vegas Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow (2018) and most recently Arkansas linebacker Grant Morgan last season. For Quattlebaum, the nomination provided a moment in the spotlight this week. He spoke with the local media for the first time in his Auburn career, providing a rare occasion for the team’s long snapper to make a press conference appearance during the season. Quattlebaum was all smiles during his time at the podium inside the auditorium of Auburn’s athletics complex, thanking a handful of specialists who helped him pave his way on the Plains — former long snappers Bill Taylor and Clark Smith, former walk-on kicker Sage Ledbetter, and of course the man he has spent his career snapping for, Anders Carlson. There were others who helped him along the way, of course. He spent countless hours in his backyard in Enterprise over the years perfecting his craft — and occasionally arguing— with his dad, Russell. Those squabbles, usually over proper technique, and long hours were all worth it, Quattlebaum said. So, too, were all the camps — from the Kohl’s specialty camps, to Rubio Long Snapping and mini-camps throughout high school. It all led him to Auburn, where he became the team’s regular long snapper midway through the 2019 season following an injury to Taylor. He took a backseat in 2020, appearing in just one game, but he has reassumed the top spot at long snapper the last two seasons for the Tigers. “It started at a young age,” Quattlebaum said. “I kind of built upon it and realized, you know, I might not be the most athletic guy on my team, but I am the best at throwing the ball between legs 15 yards.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

NIL Now podcast debuts, covering the wild world of NIL in college, HS sports Published: Nov. 10, 2022, 1:30 p.m. 2-3 minutes By Donna Ditota | dditota@syracuse.com A new podcast devoted to aspects of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) has been created to educate listeners about how NIL works and to provide real-time examples of college athletes making money in the space. Kevin Jones, the former Virginia Tech running back who now is a partner in Triumph NIL, a collective aligned with the Hokies, and Lauren Sisler, who has worked for ESPN and the SEC, are the hosts. Headline Studio has partnered with Reddit to produce the NIL Now show, which is available for free on Spotify, Apple and other podcast platforms. In the first episode, the hosts discuss these topics in the first segment: 1) The Gatorade deal struck for the University of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. Gatorade, the sports drink, is a product historically tied to UF. 2) The Spyre Sports Group, an NIL collective formed around the University of Tennessee that has pledged to raise $25 million per year to support Volunteer athletes. Spyre said it has done $4 million in deals for Tennessee athletes this year. 3) Utah athletic director Mark Harlan’s assertion to Sports Illustrated that one of his program’s football players was offered $1 million to transfer to another school. Bobak Ha’Eri is front and center for the Reddit-centric second segment, which for this episode is a stroll through various NIL situations. Something might happen in a game, say, and a player might make a shirt to profit from it. Or a player might endorse a brand of mustard. (You get the idea.) The final segment features Jack Adler, a senior at Syracuse University who co-founded Out2Win sports, a place that helps college athletes build their brand and their NIL experiences. The podcasts will roll out on a regular basis. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

hey they nominated him. it is in bad taste to say what i want about hershel so he was the only other choice. and i do not thump my chest i am more of a thumbs up guys.at my age thumping my chest might hurt something so i am saving that for my heart attack...................

go get em caddy.

he satisfies me suga. i call him big dib. when fam is around i call him big daddy. the important thing is i call him. my time is too precious to mess with tidbits. you are thinking of trump mr penn.................grins. yes it is true. i often wonder what the hell i will say next as well as some of you cats do. um do not tell david he does not know yet. i might let them fight over me................

you just earned huge respect form me. my journey of disliking trump goes back to around the clinton years.

most of the dems i know around my age voted against the repubs because they feel the repubs are too violent and jan 6. if it makes ya feel better i did vote for mee maw. when you guys quit with the crazy people. trump has been pushing violence at his rallies and it was said it was worse then before. now i believe you are done with trump but i wonder what took you so long? you sure gave me hell about him for a long time as did others. but i would love to be able to look at ALL the candidates and be able to pick the best person. when your side builds a gallows on capital grounds and wants to hang pence and probably nancy as well it is a huge deal and you guys instead of excepting it for what it is denie it and say it was not this and not that. people died. cops got stomped. some of them killed themselves so lets not act like i am all cray cray. violence is intimidation. silence is consent. most people sat silent and watched it happen.

i guess they see those millions slipping away.

you folks were warned trump was stirring up hate and stoking violence years ago. yall just laughed and laughed. and i stand by what i said. refute any item you want and we can discuss it. that is what we are here for. and it is not blond hate but i am sure that fits your narrative. think of me as your alarmed mother who has just found out you have been slandering your classmates and beating up girls on the play ground. if it makes you feel better i do not care at all for the swat thing they are doing to green and she IS trying to destroy this country. if you want to call healthcare i am all for it. i have federal blue cross AND medicare and i do not get as good of coverage as those on medicaid but you do not hear me bitching about it. i think health care should be a right and all modern countries have it but us.my point is we should take care of those less than us.and we should also make sure these people are legit. but the entitlements i hate is giving the rich 3.1 trillion dollars they do not need which put us further in the whole. your republican plan was going to make it permanent or up it again. YOU never talk on those entitlements. and most of those people do not even pay taxes so quit crying and sack up. i voted for two republicans tuesday on the state level. and when your side quits rounding up the f*cking crazies to run for office i will look closer at the right. so once again you ignore your sides failings.

Tipsheet: Auburn coaching search heats up, Freeze campaigns for job Jeff Gordon 9-11 minutes Video Player is loading. Current Time 0:00 Duration 1:12 Remaining Time 1:12 Mizzou announced a two-year contract extension for head coach Eli Drinkwitz on Saturday, Nov. 5. He talked about the move after the team's loss to Kentucky the same day. Video by Mizzou Network, used with permission of Mizzou Athletics. Missouri did the sensible thing by extending Eli Drinkwitz’s contract in the midst of a hard-luck season. Coach Drink has accomplished plenty outside of game days at Mizzou and athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois is betting that more victories will follow. New Auburn athletic director John Cohen is not expected to take the sensible course while replacing coach Bryan Harsin. No, boosters on The Plains expect him to make a spectacular hire – and they are only too happy to assist in the process. Cohen met with the media for the first time Tuesday to discuss the search. “It obviously dominates my time, which it should,” Cohen said. “The football head coaching position at Auburn University is a critical decision and we take it with the utmost seriousness. “There will not be anything we don't look at. Everything is on the table every day. I'm not going into dates and times and the process and when the finish line is going to be. We'll get there when we get there and we're going to make the right decision for this great institution.” People are also reading… Many donors favor colorful Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin for the job. In response to mounting speculation, the ever-clever Kiffin nominated Jackson State coach Deion Sanders for the gig instead. Meanwhile nobody is campaigning for the job harder than Liberty coach Hugh Freeze, who wants back into the SEC. He got bounced from Ole Miss after violating a bunch of NCAA rules and using his university cellphone to dial up escorts, but, hey, that’s water under the bridge. Buying players is legal now and Freeze has produced mind-blowing offensive success at multiple competitive levels. “I don't know that Auburn wants me. I have no clue,” Freeze told 247Sports after his Flames won 21-19 at Arkansas Saturday. “I know this: I have won everywhere I've been and my staff and kids have turned programs fast. It's our culture that we instill. I know we do that and the proof is in the pudding.” Liberty athletic director Ian McCaw figures he will lose Freeze to a power conference school at some point, despite giving Freeze an eight-year, $40 million contract. “I think we have a great situation for him but obviously there are some other really big jobs out there as well and we're going to do everything we can to keep him at Liberty,” McCaw told 247 Sports. “We certainly understand there are others that are going to pursue him.” Some schools will pass on Freeze due to his past indiscretions, but sooner or later he’ll get his chance. “I don't think I have anything else to prove," Freeze said. “I used to say stupid things three or four years ago like, 'Well, maybe one day I can have a redemption story.' And finally, man, a mentor and friend said, 'Dude, stop it. Your story is done. You don't need to prove anything to anybody.' And they're right.” Here is what folks have been writing about the Auburn search: Brandon Marcello, 247 Sports.com: “The Flames signed Freeze last week to an eight-year contract worth $40 million through the 2030 season. His average yearly salary is the largest among Group of Five coaches. Other details of the contract have remained private but the buyout is said to not be exceptionally large, which opens the door for other schools to pursue Freeze if they choose . . . Auburn is expected to pursue Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin under newly-hired athletic director John Cohen, sources told 247Sports, but Freeze is also a hot name and he has support among some boosters. Freeze said he and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, have not been contacted by Auburn as of Saturday.” Adam Rittenberg, ESPN.com: “New athletic director John Cohen and the program aren't wasting time ahead of a huge decision. The name generating the most buzz is Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, followed somewhat closely by Liberty coach Hugh Freeze, whose team just beat Arkansas on the road. Some industry sources express doubt that Cohen would hire Freeze, given their time on the opposite sides of the Egg Bowl rivalry during Cohen's time at Mississippi State and Freeze's at Ole Miss. The other two buzziest candidates are Jackson State coach Deion Sanders and [Matt] Rhule. Sanders would be a fascinating and bold choice, but he also would instantly become Auburn's face, voice and brand. ‘If you hire Deion, he's the program, he's the show,’ a Power 5 administrator said. Oregon coach Dan Lanning's name has surfaced, and there could be some interest on Auburn's side especially. The Ducks simply can't afford to lose another coach after Mario Cristobal (Miami) and Willie Taggart (Florida State). Lanning on Monday said the ‘last thing I ever want to do is leave,’ and that ‘Oregon checks every box for me.’ At this point, it's hard to see Auburn not hiring one of those top four, but Baylor offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and others remain options. Grimes helped Auburn win a national title as the team's offensive line coach in 2010 and is well-liked around the program.” Matt Hayes, Saturday Down South: “Take this chance, Auburn. Take it and run with it, knowing everything else hasn’t worked — with the exception of 1-off seasons with a mercenary quarterback and a couple of fluke plays. There’s no luck with this move, no hoping for the best. This is the long haul. Before you make the easy hire, the expected hire of Hugh Freeze, take a long, hard look toward Jackson, Miss. You want the equalizer to the 5,000-pound elephant in the room? You need the most charismatic, dynamic personality in sports with the fattest NIL war chest in his back pocket. You need Primetime. You need Deion Sanders strolling onto The Plains, planting a statement flag and doing the only thing that can possibly slow the Alabama/Georgia train: reach and recruit young people like no previous coach at Auburn has. Want to know why Kirby Smart is the new king of the SEC and college football? Players. Or why Nick Saban has won 6 national titles in 16 seasons at Alabama and 7 overall? Players. Players win games. Players win big games. Don’t believe it? Check out Saturday’s Tennessee-Georgia game, where the Vols’ magical season came to an ugly halt because — I know this is going to shock everyone — Georgia had better players. Tennessee couldn’t block Georgia’s better players. Tennessee’s prolific receivers couldn’t separate from Georgia’s better defensive backs. Auburn had the better player (singular) once, and the greatest college player of the modern era (Cam Newton) led the Tigers to a rare national title run we may never witness again. Auburn had a handful of elite players in 2013 — and got a couple of huge breaks along the way (see: Kick-6, The Prayer at Jordan-Hare) — before Florida State’s better players (all 22 starters eventually on NFL rosters) won out on the last drive of the national title game. Players win games. Auburn will only get better — only becomes championship-caliber — if the coach at Auburn can convince elite, 4- and 5-star players to join a suddenly stale program that has fallen behind not only bitter rival Alabama in the SEC but everyone else in the upper half of the 14-team league. When Texas and Oklahoma arrive, it’s only getting worse. Now more than ever, the college game is about recruiting and developing players.” Zach Barnett, Football Scoop: “A baseball coach by trade, Cohen hired two football coaches in his six years in Starkville. Both shared numerous traits. Joe Moorhead and Mike Leach both had previous head coaching experience, both were relative outsiders to the SEC (Moorhead had never worked in the league, Leach spent 1998-99 at Kentucky), and both were offensive-minded. Cohen fired Moorhead after going 14-12 in two seasons; Leach is 17-16 in nearly three full seasons. But just because Cohen sought a certain trait at Mississippi State doesn't mean he will at Auburn. (Come to think of it, Bryan Harsin checked all three of those boxes before he got to Auburn, too.) One question moving forward is how much autonomy Cohen will have to make this decision. Auburn was aware of its too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen problem, and communicated to the media that he'll have more authority than his predecessors. At the same time, Auburn just met the guy. They're not going to hand him the key to his office and say, ‘Here you go, let us know when you've made a decision.’ Cohen tried to walk that line on Tuesday. It'll be his hire, but it'll also be a consensus hire.” MEGAPHONE “The 35-year-old version of myself would have stuck my chest out and said, 'This is how it's going to be.’ The 56-year old version of John Cohen says, 'I want all the information that is available to me from anyone I can possibly get it from at Auburn and beyond.'” Cohen, on putting up with booster input.

Cadillac Williams confident Auburn will have better gameplan vs. Texas A&M Published: Nov. 09, 2022, 7:10 a.m. 5-6 minutes Cadillac Williams presented a challenge to his coaching staff during their Monday morning meeting that may have been his biggest ask of them yet during his short tenure as Auburn’s interim coach. He wanted them to carve out time for self-care: sleeping, eating, working out. There wasn’t much time for any of that during last week’s hectic series of events — beginning with the firing of Bryan Harsin and six football staffers — that led to a frenzied week of preparation that saw the coaching staff piecing together a gameplan on the fly, working in the athletics complex until 1 or 2 a.m. each night. “Last week was a rare one,” Williams said. Read more Auburn football: Auburn AD John Cohen approaching coaching search with 58-item checklist The making of Coach Lac: Cadillac Williams’ humble journey from DII intern to Auburn interim head coach “Auburn being Auburn”: AD John Cohen wants to flip the script on familiar “JABA” refrain This week should see more of a return to normalcy for Williams and the rest of Auburn’s coaching staff, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Along with Harsin’s firing last week, Auburn lost offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Eric Kiesau and tight ends coach Brad Bedell. That prompted a restructuring of the Tigers’ remaining offensive assistants, with every coach taking on new or expanded roles leading up to the Mississippi State game. Offensive line coach Will Friend and wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard assumed co-offensive coordinator duties, as the two worked in tandem developing an offensive gameplan and calling plays on Saturday. That was no small task, as they had to quickly familiarize themselves with a play-sheet that wasn’t their own. At one point during the Mississippi State game, after a timeout, Friend sat down behind the training table on Auburn’s sideline and pored over the play-sheet to try to get up to better understand the calls and where everything was on the laminated sheet of paper. “Again, this is new,” Williams said. “We’re all new. I threw a bombshell on them. Auburn threw a bombshell on me, so I threw it back on (Friend and Hilliard). So, again, I thought those guys worked good together.” Despite being put in a tough situation, Williams heaped praise on how Friend and Hilliard handled their circumstances. Auburn’s offensive gameplan was far from perfect, and it wasn’t always pretty, but the Tigers overcame a slow start and an absent passing game to score 33 points on the road while rallying from a 21-point first-half deficit. “Them guys are like football junkies,” Williams said of Friend and Hilliard. With that duo running the offense, and Williams overseeing the whole team, Auburn elevated offensive analysts Kendall Simmons and Mike Hartline to offensive line coach and quarterbacks coach, respectively. Joe Bernardi took over the tight end group, and Jeff McDaniels assisted with the running backs to ease the load off Williams. “I’ve got full confidence in that offensive staff and the guys that I’m working with,” Williams said. “Honesty, they make my job a lot easier where I can kind of try to do this head coaching thing and touch our players.” In the Tigers’ eventual 39-33 overtime loss to the Bulldogs, after falling behind 24-3 in the second quarter, Williams and the rest of the staff delivered a message of “fight or quit.” Auburn’s players chose to fight, turning in their best offensive second half of the season, while the defense largely stood tall after some early struggles against the Air Raid. Auburn particularly found success on designed runs for quarterback Robby Ashford and some explosive carries from Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, as the team finished with 256 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground while averaging 5.57 yards per carry. It was Auburn’s second-best rushing performance of the season against Power 5 competition, trailing only the Ole Miss game before the bye week. Williams anticipates the offense will look better this weekend, with a full week of preparation before Auburn hosts Texas A&M on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The staff will have a normal week of prep to watch the Aggies and formulate an optimal gameplan. Williams is optimistic that as things settle down, the Tigers will be able to avoid another slow start like the one they had in Starkville. “Those guys are in the lab right now working,” Williams said. “One thing that I do know is they’re going to come up with a good plan, and we are going to be together. It ain’t going to be pointing no fingers, and we’re going to have fun doing it. Whether we’re up by 20 or we’re down by 20. I don’t want the negative energy. I don’t want the negative vibe. We’re all working for the same cause.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

Joseph Goodman: Give Coach Cadillac a chance to win the job Updated: Nov. 09, 2022, 12:19 p.m.|Published: Nov. 09, 2022, 6:57 a.m. 6-8 minutes Ted Lasso got a tattoo of a Cadillac the other day. First tat ever for the unlikely coach of AFC Richmond. Did it hurt? “Does a buffalo use its horns for honking?” he said. I took that as an answer in the affirmative. “Never too late to believe in heroes,” Lasso said while settling into the tattoo chair. Such a Lasso thing to say. So pure. So true. And then Lasso had a Cadillac inked right there on his awe-shucks heart. Drop top Caddy, of course, and with Aubie at the wheel wearing an Elvis jumpsuit. Nice rims. Fat tires. All the things. The Cadillac was old school, of course, and it had the wings of an eagle and the head and tail of a tiger. Two words were written under Lasso’s mythical Auburn Chimera: “Go Crazy.” Am I? Maybe. Hopefully. RELATED: The making of Coach Carnell Williams GOODMAN: It’s time to ride with Cadillac RELATED: Oregon coach shoots down Auburn rumors RELATED: Cohen says ‘Auburn being Auburn is a good thing Am I going crazy, or is Auburn interim football coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams accomplishing something no one believed to be possible this season? Is Williams Lasso-ing this thing by the horns when everyone thought he was the sacrificial hire to be trampled by someone else’s stampeding failures? Williams was named Auburn’s interim coach less than two weeks ago. It was Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. Halloween. In that short amount of time, Williams is doing something that recently fired coach Bryan Harsin never had the capacity to even understand, and something former coach Gus Malzahn gave up on years before he was let go. The thing is this. Williams is bringing Auburn together through his ability as a leader, and he is inspiring people without even winning on Saturday. “Go crazy,” Williams likes to say. It’s his catch phrase as a coach, and it was coined by Auburn play-by-play announcer Rod Bramblett during a famous touchdown run by Williams in the 2003 Iron Bowl. I’ll just come right out and say it. I’m rooting for Williams to be seriously considered for the permanent position of head football coach at Auburn. Does he have what it takes to be the guy? That’s for new director of athletics John Cohen to figure out. I know this, though. In a few days on the job, Williams already proved that he should be in the conversation. Maybe this feel-good story doesn’t have to stop. Cohen had his introductory news conference on Tuesday. He left Mississippi State to be the AD at Auburn. The biggest decision of his career could be his first on the job, hiring Auburn’s next football coach. Naturally, the position of football coach dominated his first interview with reporters. What’s his process of hiring a football coach? “It’s a very, very long process,” Cohen said. “In fact, I have 58 things on this piece of paper that we’ll go through as we go through this process of looking for a new head football coach. It all starts with culture. It starts with X’s and O’s and it starts with recruiting. Those three things have to be up-front, but there’s a whole lot of other things that have to be answered before you get really deep into it.” Alabama’s Nick Saban isn’t an “X’s and O’s” coach. He transformed Alabama’s culture. Same for Clemson’s Dabo Swinney. They’re culture and recruiting guys. Saban is the ultimate CEO. Dabo treats his staff like family. They’re empowerment people. In his first week, Williams has established a new culture inside his Auburn locker room that makes everyone believe in a common purpose. It’s undeniable. Cohen says he wants to change the narrative surrounding the derogatory phrase “Auburn being Auburn.” Well, I know a guy. Would anything be more transformative for Auburn’s image than the hiring of Cadillac Williams for the permanent role of head football coach? I’m not saying to hire Williams based on one game against Mississippi State. That’s silly, but it would be equally shortsighted to discount Williams based on what we’ve already seen. The players love and respect him. The fans are inspired. People are starting to believe in the unthinkable, and it’s not as crazy of an idea this week as it was the week before. Cohen, Auburn’s new AD, was asked what he’s learned by hiring football coaches in the past. He hired Joe Moorehead at Mississippi State, and Moorehead lasted two seasons. Cohen then hired Mike Leach, who is the current coach of the Bulldogs. “I’m going to drop a cliché on you right now. And I’m going to use the ‘F’ word,” Cohen said. “Fit. And everybody uses it, but it’s real. And what is a fit for Mississippi State University is a different fit for Auburn University. And that alters the paradigm and again, you have to make those considerations.” Let me just put this out there. Is Hugh Freeze a better “fit” for Auburn than Williams? Is Lane Kiffin a better “fit” for Auburn than Coach Cadillac? No, they are not. They might be more experienced coaches, but they are not better fits for Auburn than the guy making Auburn radiate with sudden pride amid a 3-6 season. What does a successful team culture look like? Williams was hired on a Monday, and on Wednesday he said he wanted his team to play with toughness. Did any team in the country play harder than Auburn this past week? Mississippi State won the game 39-33 in overtime, but Auburn scored some momentum that night, too. Auburn lost, but not before coming back from down 24-6 in the third quarter. It was beautiful. Honestly, as Williams would say, I might have had a little water in my eyes watching it. Williams not only inspired his players to work harder, but he compelled assistant Zac Etheridge to run down the sideline so fast he pulled a hamstring. “Ted Lasso” is just a television show about something Williams is actually doing in real life. He is making people believe in things again through the power of positivity and the unflappable belief that believing is the most powerful thing of all. The culture is there. Can he recruit as the interim head coach of Auburn? We’ll see. Flip a five-star, Cadillac, and watch Auburn believe in that impossible, infectious, give-me-a-tattoo kind of crazy. Joseph Goodman is a columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of “We Want Bama: A season of hope and the making of Nick Saban’s ‘ultimate team’”. You can find him on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Cadillac Williams identifies the most improved unit at Auburn, cites discipline as an area of concern Keith Farner 2-3 minutes Cadillac Williams will coach the second game of his time as interim coach at Auburn this week when the Tigers take on Texas A&M. But this is the first home game, and Williams has already reached out to the student section to be loud, and added on the SEC coaches media teleconference that it will be a “dynamic, electric weekend” for recruiting for Auburn. They expect a lot of big-time recruits under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium. “We are going to level up, and we’re going to take this thing to another level,” he said. Since Williams has taken over, he was asked where the most improvement has been. “I’d have to say the offensive line,” Williams said. “Those big boys are coming together, playing physical, playing Auburn football.” Conversely, discipline is an area of concern. “We’ve got to be more disciplined. We had 14 penalties for 115 yards. We have to be more efficient on third down. We were 6 for 18.” he said about improvements this week.

Report: T.J. Finley expected to enter transfer portal 'soon' JD McCarthy 2 minutes Auburn has already lost several players to the transfer portal and could be losing a former starter according to a report by Jeffrey Lee of On3. T.J. Finley was Auburn’s starting quarterback at the beginning of the season but lost his job to Robby Ashford and is apparently unhappy according to Lee’s report. Buy Tigers Tickets Finley started Auburn’s first three games and he completed 33 of 53 passes for 431 yards and one touchdown. He has also thrown four interceptions and lost two fumbles. A shoulder injury forced him to miss time and Ashford was able to cement himself as the starting quarterback. In addition to losing his job, Finley’s mother is unhappy with the fact that the payers and their parents found out about Auburn firing Bryan Harsin through the media and were not told directly. She also believes that she and the rest of the parents need to be informed of how the coaching search is going, according to Lee’s sources. Clearly, that will not happen and Lee’s sources expect Finley to enter the transfer portal “soon.” One possible destination is Southeastern Louisiana, where his brother Kody plays wide receiver. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

6 reasons why Trump’s already bad legal troubles are about to get worse Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein 9-11 minutes Mounting legal threats to Donald Trump may have appeared ominous before the 2022 congressional elections. They’re nothing compared to what comes next. Some of the political protections that the former president was enjoying are effectively gone. And the firewall of Republican insulation he expected from the House and Senate appears likely to have some holes in it after an unexpectedly strong showing by Democrats in the midterms. With the midterm elections in the rearview, federal prosecutors are no longer abiding by an unwritten code to avoid politically sensitive investigative steps before voters go to the polls. An Atlanta-area prosecutor probing Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election had also paused most of her potentially explosive steps while Georgia voters were casting ballots. And the inability of Republicans to deliver massive margins of victory threatens to deprive Trump of the overwhelmingly Republican Congress that he had hoped would wield committee gavels and subpoena power to protect him and torment rivals. All this could be further complicated should Trump, as expected, announce his third run for the presidency in the coming week. With that declaration nearing, Trump finds himself in a new, more precarious reality — one in which federal and local investigators are closing in on his top allies in at least three criminal probes. The newly reelected New York attorney general is working to dismantle his business empire and the House’s Jan. 6 select committee is about to unload a massive trove of evidence that may advance the criminal cases against him. Here are the top six takeaways: Prosecutors unchained The grand jury investigation into Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election went dark in September — but not before a remarkable flourish. FBI investigators uncorked dozens of subpoenas and seized the cell phones of many of Trump’s top allies, working to secure evidence ahead of the Justice Department’s traditional 60-day quiet period before Election Day. With the voting largely complete, prosecutors are free to take more overt steps to advance their investigation. Prosecutors have also methodically advanced a grand jury investigation into Trump’s decision to keep sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after leaving office — and a potential effort to prevent the government from reclaiming them. In recent weeks, they secured the testimony of Kash Patel, a former Trump White House aide who had initially asserted his Fifth Amendment rights in a closed-door grand jury appearance. The Justice Department recently compelled his testimony with a grant of limited immunity though it’s unclear what of value, if anything, Patel has told them. A similar dynamic is at play in Fulton County, Ga., where District Attorney Fani Willis has investigated Trump’s effort to subvert the election. Her prosecutors have been eager to reach several high-profile witnesses who they had been unable to interview in the weeks preceding the election. Among her first post-election interviews: newly reelected governor, Brian Kemp. The judge overseeing Willis’ special grand jury rejected her effort to interview Kemp in August amid his reelection campaign but ordered Kemp to testify as soon as possible after the midterms. In New York, Attorney General Tish James coasted to reelection despite a concerted effort by Trump to promote her Republican rival. Now, James is clear to litigate her extensive lawsuit against Trump’s business empire. A New York judge put Trump’s firms under court oversight last week and Trump’s initial effort to get that order lifted on appeal struck out on Thursday. Trump’s presidential calculus Prior to the midterms, Trump seemed poised to swagger into the 2024 midterms, claiming credit for a Republican sweep and declaring himself the all-but-prohibitive frontrunner for the presidency. He had even gone so far as to pick a date for his announcement, teasing a Nov. 15 event at a recent rally in Ohio. A presidential candidacy could complicate the calculus for prosecutors — particularly those working within a Democratic administration — as they pursue cases against Trump and his allies. The GOP’s poorer-than-expected midterm results don’t change that. But Trump is undeniably entering the 2024 contest weakened and squeezed by rising Republican figures like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. His criminal woes may present a useful cudgel for adversaries, and could raise new alarms among a GOP establishment. Trump’s candidacy may also do little to deter investigators. He’s been flirting with a new presidential run for months and wielding an outsized political bullhorn even longer. He’s been using that bullhorn to attack the Justice Department for probing the likely political opponent of the incumbent president. Experts see little reason to suspect DOJ will change tactics just because he’s a candidate. “The longstanding assumption of the Department of Justice and the state authorities in New York and Georgia has to have been that he was likely going to run, so I don’t think it’s going to come as any surprise,” said David Laufman, former head of the Counterintelligence Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Jan. 6 committee evidence dump Trump’s headwinds aren’t just coming vis-a-vis the courts. The Jan. 6 select committee has spent the last year stitching together a damning portrait of Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election that helped fuel Democrats’ midterm message about American democracy being under assault. But the panel’s finale is still weeks away. The committee is sitting on 1,000-plus transcripts of interviews with witnesses, including dozens of members of Trump’s inner circle, his attorneys and even two of his adult children. Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has suggested the panel is inclined to release all of them before it wraps up its work at the end of December, possibly alongside its massive final report. Those transcripts could offer new leads to Justice Department investigators, who have already used elements of the committee’s probe as a roadmap of sorts. Prosecutors had requested the full set of transcripts from the panel in April and June, but the committee rejected those requests, preferring to keep a tight hold on its information. Those concerns are waning as the committee takes its final investigative steps and prepares to issue its report. The panel is also engaging with attorneys for Trump himself after issuing a subpoena for his documents and testimony last month. Trump was always seen as unlikely to submit to the panel’s questioning — and any legal challenge he raises would last well beyond the committee’s lifespan. Ongoing cases While the hundreds of criminal cases from Jan. 6 have yet to produce much new, concrete evidence against Trump, they are likely to generate more unwelcome news for him in the coming days. The first of several expected seditious conspiracy trials is wrapping up now and could produce a jury verdict before Thanksgiving for five members of the right wing Oath Keepers militia, including founder Stewart Rhodes. Trump used the days before the midterms to call for the release of alleged Jan. 6 rioters detained ahead of their criminal trials, stoking an element of his base. But voters largely rejected the high-profile candidates who had supported Trump’s characterization of Jan. 6. And more high-profile criminal trials — like the seditious conspiracy case against the Proud Boys set to go before a D.C. jury in December — will serve as fresh reminders of Trump’s connection to the chaos and violence on Jan. 6, which some defendants and their attorneys have blamed on his rhetoric and actions. Weak congressional firewall Republicans may still take the House — and with it, the committees that could help Trump mount a defense against the looming investigations. But the narrower partisan advantage would give Democrats more power to wield influence in those probes and frustrate Republican efforts to circle the wagons. Republicans used their final days ahead of the midterms to foreshadow efforts to grill the FBI and Justice Department about their work on Trump-related probes. They’ve been preparing to stock investigative committees with some of Trump’s most ardent defenders — including the House Judiciary Committee, which could be chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). But the narrower the GOP majority, the less wiggle room the party will have to mount roving investigations in defense of Trump. In such a GOP majority, Democrats will hold more minority seats on committees than they would have following a Republican wave. And GOP leaders might be more reluctant to send the party on a mission to protect Trump if they believe he was a drag, not a help, on the party in 2022. Courts squeezing Trump’s post-presidential power Trump isn’t just facing criminal and civil probes, he’s been losing secret battles to assert his power as a former president to silence his former aides whose testimony is sought by investigators. At least two sealed rulings, one by the chief federal district court judge in Washington and another by a three-judge appeals court panel, appear to have curbed his ability to wield his “executive privilege” authority. A fight by media organizations, including POLITICO, to make those rulings public is expected later this month.

i got news for you scooter. i earned every single penny of my retirement, social security, and medicare i get. so you can quit with the slander for one. but that is all you have is cheap shots because your side is garbage. you guys let trump turn you into a cult and i am not kidding. and your side even tells the few good folks you have left in your party to shut up or else. jesus you people tried to take over the country by throwing out a lawful election. and they were going to hang pence and even built a gallows so you could hang right there. you people should be beyond ashamed but none of you are. your people could stand up and say enough of this crap but guess what? crickets. silence is consent. and at the end of the day all you can do is call us moochers and commies. and lets remember how trump gave the rich 3.1 trillion of that sweet sweet government money. and you guys were going to do it again by extending it longer. you would be better served getting your party back on track instead of seeming to be hell bent on our destruction.