Track hurricanes on newspaper’s Web site

By Joe McAdory

Weather geeks like me can keep track of hurricanes on the Opelika-Auburn News Web page. Click the link below to track whatever storms we have in the Atlantic basin:
http://wx.mgnetwork.com/wx.php?user=OAN&config=&forecast=tropsystems&hwvmetric=
If you don’t like o
As for now, Tropical Storm Dean has formed east of the Lesser Antilles and could go anywhere from south Florida to south of Cuba and into the Gulf. We’ll just have to wait and see. Best case scenario: Dean reaches the Florida Panhandle as a tropical depression and gives us about 10 inches of steady rain.

Cadillac, Sanders and Spikes on the same team?

By Joe McAdory

Creating an all-Auburn team for my 98-game streak at Jordan-Hare Stadium wasn’t easy. Many good players like Stephen Davis, James Bostic, Shannon Roubique, Tyrone Goodson, Karsten Bailey, Lorenzo Diamond, Matt Hawkins, Larry Casher, Will Herring, Travis Williams, Junior Rosegreen, Ricky Neal, Rodney Crayton, Stan White and Dameyune Craig didn’t make the list. Them, and a few others, are certainly worth mentioning.

But if I had to field a lineup, given a few extra positions for substitutions’ sake, here’s how I’d turn in my lineup card.

Offense
QB—Jason Campbell
RB—Carnell Williams
RB—Ronnie Brown
FB—Heath Evans
WR—Frank Sanders
WR—Ronney Daniels
WR—Courtney Taylor
TE—Andy Fuller
OL—Wayne Gandy
OL—Willie Anderson
OL—Victor Riley
OL—Marcus McNeill
OL—Kendall Simmons

Defense
DL—Jimmy Brumbaugh
DL—Mike Pelton
DL—T.J. Jackson
DL—Quinton Groves
LB—Takeo Spikes
LB—Marcus Washington
LB—Karlos Dansby
LB—Dontarrious Thomas
DB—Carlos Rogers
DB—Calvin Jackson
DB—Brian Robinson
DB—Chris Shelling

Special Teams
P—Terry Daniel
K—Jaret Holmes
KR—Thomas Bailey

Next week: The 10-best players on opposing teams.

Newspaper poll response against millage increase

By Joe McAdory

This newspaper polled the public last week regarding the upcoming millage tax increase, which will come up for vote Aug. 28. The question was simple: Will you support the seven mill tax increase for schools?

If the respondents to the poll are any indication, it will not pass. Votes through Monday morning were 85 for the tax and 192 against it.

On another note, since I’m this newspaper’s resident weather geek, I thought I’d let you know the forecast from the National Weather Service calls for high temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday in the Opelika-Auburn area of 104 degrees. Here we go again ...

Herring, Obomanu in midseason form

By Joe McAdory

Former Opelika High star Will Herring led the Seattle Seahawks in tackles (6) Sunday night in his first NFL game in a 24-16 preseason victory at San Diego. Herring, who played collegiately at Auburn, was drafted by the Seahawks for his versatility. He can play either linebacker or safety and developed his special teams skills in the offseason.

Remember Ben Obomanu? He played on the Seahawks’ practice squad last year. This year, the former Auburn wide receiver is fighting for a full-time roster spot. Obomanu led the Seahawks in receptions Sunday with 5 for 83 yards and a 17-yard fourth quarter touchdown catch from Seneca Wallace. Obomanu also returned two punts for 33 yards, including a 22-yard return.

Sure, it’s only preseason, but it’s good to see good things happen for good people.

Below is a link to a good story on Will from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/327101_herring10.html

Was it 104 degrees, or 106?

By Joe McAdory

Temperatures soared to 104 degrees in the Auburn-Opelika area Friday. Or was that 106? Or maybe 108? According to the official stats released by the National Weather Service recorded at the Robert G. Pitts Airport, Friday’s high topped at 104. According to the Lee County Emergency Management Agency’s Web site, the high was 106. According to the thermometer on publisher Jim Rainey’s truck, it was 108.

Will the correct temperature please step forward?

Since the NWS’ numbers are regarded as “official,“ the area’s high temp was 104.

But was that a record? Anyone?

After checking with the National Weather Service office in Birmingham (technically it’s Alabaster), there was no official record available in Auburn or Opelika. That’s quite frustrating for a reporter who’d like to add history in a newspaper article. Regardless, I’m not sure if I could tell the difference between 104 and 108 anyway.