John P. Brackin - Freelance Writer - Articles

Local Author Signs Auburn Football Book

Alabaster Newsletter, October 2005. By John P. Brackin

"Tales from the Auburn 2004 Championship Season" Local sportswriter Richard Scott will be signing his new college football book on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Albert L. Scott Library, and this time, it’s one that Auburn fans should enjoy.

“An Inside Look at a Perfect Season: Tales from the Auburn 2004 Championship Season” gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at Auburn’s undefeated football season and its 2004 SEC Championship run.

According to Scott, the idea took hold near the end of last season, as the team’s wins started to mount.

“They got to the point where they were about 11-0 last year,” he said. “And like a lot of people, I got that sense that there was more there than just talent, more there than just good fortune, more there than just a great team.”

With that nugget of inspiration, Scott set about researching the stories and anecdotes that would bring the season to life.

His new book includes all the important on-the-field developments, with a single chapter devoted to each game, as well as the team’s unique personality off the field.

“Part of what makes that team so special,” he said, “is not just the football. It’s the other aspects. This team really did have a strong spiritual identity, and no matter what you believe in, I don’t think you can write about this team without addressing that.”

Scott is a former sportswriter for the Birmingham Post-Herald and is author of another football book, “Legends of Alabama Football.”

The success of both teams this year, he says, will depend on how they handle their “ifs.”

“Both teams have a lot of ifs,” he says, “and how you answer your ifs is how well you do a lot of times.”

Considering their talent, however, he says they both have a chance to compete.

“Both teams are really capable of winning the West,” he said. “And so is LSU.”

To learn more about “Tales from the Auburn 2004 Championship Season,” visit www.sportspublishingllc.com. With a foreword by Tommy Tuberville, the book will be available for $19.95.