Commercial Announcer (9:53)

It's Bubba on the Lake.

Bubba on the Lake Chorus/Intro Voice (9:54)

Bubba on the Lake.

Commercial Announcer (9:57)

All right.

Andy Burcham (9:58)

All right.

Commercial Announcer (9:58)

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Sharon Tinsley (10:57)

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Bill Bubba Bussy (11:40)

We're talking to Sharon Tinsley from the Alabama Broadcasters Association. Sharon, wonderful convention here at Ross Bridge.

Sharon Tinsley (11:47)

I can't tell you how excited we are to have you with us. I'm just, I have to tell people when Bubba walks through the hallway yesterday, we had all these vendors here, exhibitors, and they were stopping me going, was that Bubba? Was that Bubba? So thank you for being here and just I'm so flattered that you would even ask me to talk to you this morning.

Bill Bubba Bussy (12:09)

Well, you're too kind. You know, it's always good when an unemployed broadcaster can make waves. So, Sharon, it is a great get together and I haven't been to one in many, many years. Enjoyed seeing a lot of old friends and making some new friends and talking to a lot of folks on our Gamecock network as we try to expand that for Jack State. But tell us a little bit about broadcasting. What are some of the challeng broadcasters are facing today and how are we going to tackle those?

Sharon Tinsley (12:38)

Well, honestly, right now on Capitol Hill, the thing we're trying to accomplish and working hardest at is to keep AM radio in people's cars. Auto manufacturers want to take out the free entertainment system in people's vehicles. You know how everybody's monetizing everything. You know, if you own a really expensive car like a high end BMW or a Tesla or something like that, they're leasing back all the features of the car to you, seat warmers and everything else.

Bill Bubba Bussy (13:09)

Not my seat warmers?

Sharon Tinsley (13:10)

Yes, you're gonna freeze your rear end off unless you pay. So they want to monetize the entertainment system in the car. They don't want to put free radio in there. They want to have streaming services that they can charge those entities, those businesses for being in the car. And, you know, I don't think the general public probably knows, but the emergency alert system across the entire United States is built on the backbone of AM radio. And it's like that. For technical reasons. You can explain that better than I can to anybody being an engineer, but it's for technical reasons. The AM signal carries much, much farther, so you can reach many, many more people with a single signal. So if something were to happen and there were to be a major, catastrophic, catastrophic event, and we only had a handful of high powered AM radio stations, the government could talk to all of us at the same time.

Bill Bubba Bussy (14:18)

Sharon, you know, the biggest thing you talk about from a technical end. And we love our FM signals too. But am, we literally can get back on the air with balin wire and a simple Math frequency of 468 divided by the frequency of megahertz. And everybody knows that. So we could take, as you said, in a total disaster, we could pull barbed wire off somebody's fence at a farm and have a station back on the air. Fm, we would have no hope of doing that because they have to be up on a mountain and certain requirements there that would be much more difficult to get back on.

Sharon Tinsley (14:51)

That's exactly right. So if people don't have access to AM radio and something like that were to happen and we needed to pull out the bailing wire or strip down a fence somewhere, we could do that, but no one could hear it. And today most people don't walk around with transistor radios in their pockets like folks did in the 50s and 60s. And a lot of people only have access to over the air radio in their vehicle.

Bill Bubba Bussy (15:20)

I would say this too. If you, if you re, if you backwards engineer this. If I was a military planner at a superpower who looked at the US as an adversary, I would hope they don't have AM radio in their vehicle. It would be to my advantage.

Sharon Tinsley (15:37)

That's a scary thought, isn't it? Well, so if anything, if the people listening to you, and I know there are lots of, and lots of them, if they want to do anything to help to ensure our public safety in this way, they could reach out to their members of Congress across Alabama. And I can tell you right now that Congressman Rogers and Congressman Adderholt and Congresswoman Sewell have all signed on to this bill that's called AM Forever. Every vehicle, the three of them have signed onto it. And then in the Senate, Senators Tuberville and Senator Britt have also signed on. But we're missing some important folks, you know, and we're.

Bill Bubba Bussy (16:20)

There's two important folks right there.

Sharon Tinsley (16:22)

Yeah, we're here at the association meeting and broadcasters are just walking by. And you know what I was thinking? I sure wish I had a picture with Bubba. And now just somebody's taking one and he's going to send it to me.

Bill Bubba Bussy (16:33)

You may have recognized him from several Nicholas Cage movies. That's Michael Brannon. He's somewhat of a local celebrity there in the Sylacauga, Alexander City, Chelsea area and still has his model looks going.

Sharon Tinsley (16:45)

He does. He could still be acting today.

Bill Bubba Bussy (16:48)

He's a head turner here at aba, folks. He's got twins at home, but he's still a looker. Sharon, thank you so much.

Sharon Tinsley (16:54)

Thank you for the opportunity. I appreciate it.

Bubba on the Lake Chorus/Intro Voice (16:58)

You're listening to Bubba Bubba on the lake.

Bill Bubba Bussy (17:03)

You know one thing I love about Buffalo Wild Wings?

Andy Burcham (17:06)

You can get wings with any of their 26 sauces and dry rubs for takeout and delivery. That's like bringing an entire B dubs home with you, which you can't do. I tried. I've knocked down so many walls only to then be told to halt construction because I'm not zoned to be a sports bar. Kind of just looks like a big pergola or something. Because of the lack of walls, at least these 26 sauces and dry rubs are available. To go.

Bill Bubba Bussy (17:29)

Buffalo Wild Wings. Let's go, Spider Sports Bar.

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Bill Bubba Bussy (18:59)

Well, we are joined by someone and Andy, I'm going to step out and say at least half the people in our state think you have the best job there is out there. Andy Burcham, the voice of the Auburn Tigers. Andy, how are you doing?

Andy Burcham (19:14)

Bill? I'm doing very well, thank you. I appreciate being with you today and being with you on the podcast. It's a thrill for me.

Bill Bubba Bussy (19:21)

Well, listen, it is a thrill for me. We get to listen to you so much and admire what you do and the way you do it. It's an to have you on. We've been talking with several folks who are play by play guys and kind of getting a feel for the season as football gets started and I'm running a little, a little behind getting all this done Because I had a. Had a silly knee replacement. I had to get done in the middle of all this, but we're doing good. And how about it's. If you're an Auburn fan, it's a pretty good week for you.

Andy Burcham (19:53)

It's a good start to the season for Auburn. The win at Baylor, really an important win for Auburn. I think from a confidence standpoint, from a momentum standpoint, great way to start the season. Now back at home for two games against Ball State and then South Alabama and then the toughest part of the schedule coming up. And it starts in three weeks when Auburn heads to Oklahoma, followed by another road game at Texas A and M and off week. And then, oh, by the way, Georgia comes in for Auburn's first game in October. Really, from, from mid September through mid November, it's nothing but the Southeastern Conference for the Tigers. So really important to get off to the good start that Auburn was able to do down at Baylor last week.

Bill Bubba Bussy (20:39)

You know, the Southeastern Conference is. Got so good top to bottom, there are no off weeks anymore. I mean, I look down your schedule and you think, well, you know, after Georgia, maybe things will let up. Missouri? No. At Arkansas? No. Kentucky? No. And you can't even enjoy going to Vanderbilt anymore. I mean, it's tough.

Andy Burcham (21:02)

Yeah. Vanderbilt be both Auburn and Alabama last year. Yeah. He's still the quarterback of Vanderbilt. He may be there into his 30s with the current trends, but no, there isn't. There is not. There's not a game anymore in the Southeastern Conference that you look and go, all right, that's a win. Now we can move on. You don't do that anymore. I mean, a year ago you talk about that schedule. Auburn beat Texas A and M, lost to Oklahoma, lost to Georgia, lost to Missouri, lost to Arkansas, beat Kentucky, lost to Vanderbilt. So, I mean, a year ago, the SEC was very, very tough. Auburn, I think Auburn's better this season, but I think the schedule is just as tough as it was for Auburn a year ago.

Bill Bubba Bussy (21:50)

Well, while we're focusing on the team this year, let me ask you this, because you, you know them better than anybody. You see them, you hear the talk, you're there around campus. What was different about the game and the team this week than what we saw on the field last year? What was the biggest difference?

Andy Burcham (22:09)

Thank you. One is Auburn didn't turn the ball over. And that was a, that was a big part in Auburn's struggles. A year ago, Auburn was last in the Southeastern Conference and turnover margin last season. Not only was that the fact that Auburn Turned the ball over, but it did not force turnovers. And while it did not do that last Friday night, did not turn or did not get a turnover, but it didn't turn the ball over as well. And that was very, very important. That's one and two. Just Auburn's running game. And it started with Jackson Arnold, the transfer for Auburn from Oklahoma, who after week one, I mean, who would have thought this? Bill, Auburn has the leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference. That's not odd, but it's Auburn's quarterback that's the leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference. I don't think any of us thought that would happen, but that's the case. After 137 yards and two touchdowns by Jackson Arnold.

Bill Bubba Bussy (23:08)

It was an impressive performance. But let me, let me ask you this. In, in the past, in the past few years, I felt like the weak link on the whole team was Auburn's offensive line. Quarterbacks were running for their lives. Hard to complete a pass, hard to check down when you are literally running for your life. Now, we did see a lot of runs. Some of them were called runs. But how much better is that offensive line? And I didn't see a lot of solid pockets for him to throw out of. Are we going to see that better this year? Andy, what do you think?

Andy Burcham (23:50)

Well, I think Auburn's offensive line is better than it was a year ago. I mean, Xavier Chaplin at left tackle and Mason Murphy at right, Dylan Wade at one guard, Jeremiah right at the other and Connor Lew at center. And then add Too Tall Miller to that mix, who was a starter for Auburn the last two years and was a very important part of Auburn's win at Baylor because he played at guard. He was at guard when Auburn made its, its clinching drive in the fourth quarter that ended with Jackson Arnold's 27 yard touchdown run. I think this is a much better offensive line than Auburn has had in a while, Bill. I think Auburn has put more of an emphasis on offensive line recruiting. I mean, both of these tackles, Chaplin and Murphy are transfer portal guys. Chaplin in from Virginia Tech and Murphy in from usc. And I think it's Auburn's best offensive line in quite some time and I think it's paying off.

Bill Bubba Bussy (24:40)

Andy, a lot has been made about the receiving corps and they are very talented there. Do you expect the next few weeks Auburn's going to be heavily favored the next couple of games? And I know we're not, you know, you're not supposed to look ahead, but you know, that's what we do as Commentators, do you think they will establish that run but then work on that passing game? Because I don't feel like we have seen the full potential of that yet.

Andy Burcham (25:11)

We did not see it Friday night. As far as the passing game is concerned, he was only 11 of 17 for 108 yards. Talking about Jackson Arnold and that's too good of an offensive wide receiver room not to throw the ball to it more. But that was what Baylor gave Auburn. They basically tried to take the passing game away and made Auburn run the ball and Auburn ran it to a tune of 322 yards. It's hard to blame Auburn for doing what it did and doing so well available. I think in these next two weeks, starting Saturday night with Ball State, you're going to see a much more balanced offense for Auburn. A week ago all state gave up 419. Excuse me, gave up 322 yards passing at Purdue. I, I think Auburn's going to be able to unleash that passing game and I think you'll see much more. Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton and Perry Thompson and Malcolm Simmons, Horatio Fields, Bryce Kane, all of that group that become much more of a factor. Insanity.

Bill Bubba Bussy (26:15)

Andy, with the recruiting classes that Hugh Freeze has had the past few years, you would expect a better performance on the field and you're seeing that. Talk to me a little bit about the recruiting situation and I'm very confused and I've asked some people and they're not giving me good answers either because he was. Had these excellent classes and then all of a sudden we look forward one and we're way down, you know, Auburn's way down the list. What's, what's happening there. And I've heard the athletic director Cohen talk about well, it's going to fix itself and it's coming and all this. And Andy, what's going on there? I can't. I can't get my hands wrapped around what's happening there.

Andy Burcham (27:03)

I think here's the big deal. I think here's the big difference this year, Bill, as compared to the last two years. The last two years, Auburn's recruiting class was basically committed early in the football season, if not the late summer. And that's not the case this year. I think Auburn's class and Auburn's had top 10 classes in Hugh Freeze his first two years as Auburn's head coach. And while it seemed to get off to a slow start, I think Auburn was also waiting for August 1st to come before he could figure out exactly how the nil world, how the offers are going to figure at this point. I do think by the time December rolls around, remember, that's when players sign. High school is December. I think by the time December rolls around, this recruiting class is going to be very, very good. It's just not there yet. And I think some folks have panicked a little bit and I understand that because it's been so different in the last couple of years. I think it will be there by the time December rolls.

Bill Bubba Bussy (28:12)

Well, that's really the key. I mean, you know, these kids are committing early now, but they, they jump around like jumping jacks. You don't know where they're going.

Andy Burcham (28:22)

Auburn had two or three players decommit this summer, and I think that added to the frustration or maybe even panic for some folks, and I understand that. But you look at the commitments and I. I can't talk about them specifically right now, but you look at the commitments that Auburn has had in the last two, three weeks. These are four and five star guys among the very best players in the country. And that's who Auburn's getting to commit. Again, you got to get to December. You got to get that. That name on the dotted line or it doesn't matter at this point.

Bill Bubba Bussy (28:54)

How is Hugh Freeze doing?

Andy Burcham (28:57)

I think Hugh is doing okay. It's been a bit of a whirlwind for Hugh, especially since the announcement came out that he has prostate cancer. And he's dealing with that very, very well. Ian and his wife Jill. Every time he's asked about it, one of the first things he says is, I really don't feel the symptoms right now. I think he is taking caution with his diet and his health right now. If there is anything to be done about this from a surgical standpoint, I don't want to be speaking out of line here. He's going to wait until January, possibly to do that. But we check on him quite often and he has asked about that and he's gracious and is honest with his answer. I think it really, as any of us would, you know, you hear the C word and that's got to be. That's got to be startling. And I think he had a day or two to kind of get through it and is moving on. But I think Hugh is doing very, very well. His family's doing well. He added a granddaughter last week just before they went to Baylor. So I think that family is thriving and looking forward to the rest of this season.

Bill Bubba Bussy (30:12)

You know, when it comes to prostate cancer for us men, there's just people who have had it and people gonna get it. I mean, I think everybody's gonna get it at some point.

Andy Burcham (30:23)

You know, it's interesting, Bill. I mean, my wife went through breast cancer treatments about a decade ago and is cancer free now. But that's a scary thing to go through. And for her it was. And she had tremendous care at East Alabama health and is doing very, very well now. And I know some men that have gone through. Are going through prostate cancer and good friends of mine that are going through it. I get mine checked every year at the Auburn outlet basketball game. The folks from Birmingham come down with the Mike Slive foundation and they give blood tests for men. And you get that blood test back and it will give you a very good indication if you need to get checked further. And I've been blessed since that has occurred that my prostate level, prostate levels are, are in good shape. I regularly go to the doctor and have things checked and, you know, I pray that I don't have. Have to deal with it, but if I do, I'll deal with it just like all these other men are doing right now.

Bill Bubba Bussy (31:29)

Well, the PSA test has been a game changer. I mean, it's, you know, because I'll be honest with you, it's hard to get checked the old way out at a basketball game. You know what I mean? I mean, you just don't want to do that.

Andy Burcham (31:41)

Yeah, yeah, that'd be a little awkward, wouldn't it?

Bill Bubba Bussy (31:43)

Oh, boy. I mean, to tell you, that gives a whole new meaning to shoot three, you know, I mean, come on. But, you know, I've had to deal with it, too. Not that cancer, but I had liver cancer and I'm in remission of that. And it is scary when you hear the C word and when you have family and faith in place. It's a game changer for sure. We're talking to the voice of the Auburn Tigers, Andy Burcham. And we'll be back in just a minute. We want to hear more about Andy's story when we come back with Bubba on the lake.

Commercial Announcer (32:20)

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Bill Bubba Bussy (32:49)

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Commercial Announcer (33:30)

All right. It's a beautiful day for football here at the stadium and we're just about ready for kickoff. Score 00. And suddenly I'm in the mood for a Coke Zero Sugar. Real Coke, taste zero sugar. Now that's a winning combo. Yeah. Crisp, refreshing, that hits the spot when it comes to great taste. Coke Zero sugar. Sugar's always on the scoreboard. Coke Zero sugar. Real Coke, taste zero sugar.

Bill Bubba Bussy (34:08)

We're back and we're talking to Andy Burcham, the voice of the Auburn Tigers. Andy, we, we talked a little bit about the team. We talked about Auburn. I want to talk a little bit about you here. For people who may not be be familiar with you, tell us a little bit about your story. How did you get into broadcasting and how did you end up at Auburn?

Andy Burcham (34:30)

I grew up near St. Louis, Missouri. I was about 50 miles down the road, Southern Illinois, small farming town. I'm not a farmer, but a lot of the folks around there are. And growing up as a St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan and my family growing up, you were, you were either a part, you were either a Cardinal fan or you weren't part of the family. That's the way it was. And in the 60s and the 70s and the Cardinals were very successful in the 60s and had two of the great all time broadcasters growing up in Harry Carey, who later became even more famous when he was with the Cubs, and Jack Buck, who is one of the great radio men of all time, period, no matter where you are. And then I also listened to Dan Kelly, who was the first announcer for the St. Louis Blues. All three of those men I grew up listening to, all three of those men are in their various halls of fame. They're three of the greatest broadcasters of all time. And that's what I was, that's who I was influenced by. I didn't listen to music as a kid. I listened to KMOX in St. Louis and listened to Dan Kelly and Jack Buck and Harry Carrie. Bob Costas began his career there at kmox. So that was what I was influenced by.

Bill Bubba Bussy (35:41)

Now that was 8:10, right? 8:10 on the dial. 11:20, 11:20. Who am I thinking of? 810 from up there, there was another big station.

Andy Burcham (35:52)

Well, anyway, 1120, 1120 is a 50,000 clear channel AM. Then at night I can still go into my car and listen to Cardinal games at night here in Alabama. It's just one of those stations you can hear everywhere. And listening to those men, it was what I was, it was what I was influenced by. It's what I wanted to do from the time that I was a child. And it's all that I've ever wanted to do. Bill as soon as I left high school, I got on the local broadcast team for Nashville High school football, my high school, and did that for a couple years. Got a chance to do some play by play for some small town high school basketball. And high school basketball in Southern Illinois is like high school football is in Alabama. Went to Indiana State after two years of junior college. Worked at the campus station. And four days after graduating from Indiana State, that radio station that I worked for before I left home, had an opening at one of his stations in Bloomington, Illinois. And the story about my interview, it's hilarious. I was helping my dad, who into a new office. I did not have a job. It was on a Friday, and they called through, you know, this is before selling. So they finally found us at dad's office. Hey, we have a job, like for you to interview. I'm like, well, that's great. But I'm in T shirts and jeans and they're like, we don't care. Well, that, that office and that radio station were maybe 400 yards apart. So I just walked up the street and interviewed for my first radio job and a T shirt, blue jeans and sneakers and got the job. I've been in radio ever since. That was, that was May of 1983.

Bill Bubba Bussy (37:40)

Andy that, you know, your, your story is, is very similar to a lot of people's. And I, I get a lot of people, I get asked a lot about getting into the business and you know, I tell them, I said, you gotta, you just gotta get on the air anywhere you can, you know, and it's a different world now. I mean, we don't, we don't have a lot of those jobs open. But, you know, there's college radio stations now. You have podcasting. I mean, anybody can get on the air and be worldwide now with a podcast. So you know, 150 bucks and a laptop and you're ready to go. But now, how did you. How did you get from there to Auburn? I think the first time I ever heard you, you were probably doing the locker room report.

Andy Burcham (38:26)

Yeah. I moved to Auburn in September of 1988. I came here with my first wife. She was getting her PhD in psychology at Auburn. And I was fortunate. I had been. I'd been working in radio for five years and a position opened up at a local radio station, wkkr, which was owned at the time by the man who is now finishing a fabulous run as mayor in Opelika, Gary Fuller, longtime Radio Maine. And I was able to do. I did the morning show, did news and sports in the morning, and then was able to start with Auburn women's basketball. And I did that for 31 years. And a couple years later, Mike Hubbard started the Auburn Network. And I went to work for Mike as what you said, the locker room host with Coach Dye. And I did that through Coach Dye, Coach Oliver, Coach Tubbs and Coach Chisik. And sprinkled in the old CSS days when you did the tape delay TV in 95, started doing radio with my friend Rod rambling on baseball for Auburn. And I did that for 25 years together. And then when Rod passed away, Rod and Paula passed away in 2019. Then I took over later on that August in the role that I'm in right now. It's always what I wanted to do. Bill. I, I had no plan B. I don't know what else I'd have done with my career.

Bill Bubba Bussy (39:52)

Well, I hear that from a lot of people. Plan B is something you figure out when plan A didn't work. But it's hard to have plan B sometimes. You mentioned Rod and tragic story there, but just I remember hearing that news and how unbelievable that was and being a good friend, you stepped up and really stepped in the gap there for his family during all that.

Andy Burcham (40:22)

Well, they wouldn't have asked Jan. They wouldn't have asked me to be the guardian of those children without my wife, Jan, two time Auburn grad who's the associate dean for the College of Education and Health Performance at Columbus State, but they did. On a Friday night before an Auburn basketball or Auburn football game, we went to dinner, an Italian dinner, and they asked us, they said, listen, if something should happen, would you be the guardians of our children? And we're like, that's not a question you expect to hear from your best friends.

Bill Bubba Bussy (40:54)

Right? Right.

Andy Burcham (40:55)

And we said, yeah, we need a day or two to think about it. But I think we knew what our answer was. And a couple days later, I came into the office and I said, rod, okay, we're in. Pray that we never have to do this. But of course, it was may of that. But that next year, all of that took place. And I think what you said is, it's still hard for us to believe it. And by that time, Shelby, their daughter, was an adult in the state of Alabama. She was 19. Their son was 15, Joshua, until he went off to school. So we learned together, Jan and I. Jan is my second wife and this is her first marriage. Neither of us had children, so we learned how to be parents. The 15 year old in our house.

Bill Bubba Bussy (41:48)

That'S a tough place to start.

Andy Burcham (41:51)

You're right. Somebody did walk up and said, well, you could have gotten them when they were still in diapers. And that was. I thought that was pretty good perspective.

Bill Bubba Bussy (42:02)

Well, Rod is missed. Tragic, tragic story. But, you know, like God does in so many ways, people around step up and step in, and you need to be commended, you and your wife, for the great job that you've done. Andy, let me ask you, you've seen a lot of Auburn athletics over your time. Is there a moment or two that just sticks out that you go, gosh, that's something I will just never, ever Forget?

Andy Burcham (42:36)

Well, the 2010 national championship season for football, and that finally occurred, and that win over Oregon out in the desert. And I can remember after that broadcast, Rod and Stan White and a couple other folks in our crew were just sitting at a table behind our booth waiting for our engineer and Brad Law, your friend Brad Law, to tear down the equipment. Then we were going to head back to the hotel, and we were just sitting around this round table looking at each other. And it's one of the most surreal moments that I can remember because it had finally happened. Auburn had been on the verge, had been, you know, and now they've taken care of some of these national championships at Auburn. But Auburn had been so close in the past, and finally it had happened. And we're just like, can you believe it? Can you believe it happened? I can remember calling, I did the locker room, I did all these post game interviews live on the field, which was a rush, and then went into the locker room to get Coach Chisik. And I remember walking up or going to the elevator and calling my brother, who now has moved here from Illinois with his entire family. Matter of fact, my brother is literally my next door neighbor. Bill, think about that for a second. I can remember calling him and talking to him on the phone because they had become such big Auburn fans. My father, before he passed away, had become a big Auburn fan. I was like, can you believe that this has happened? What do you think dad would think of Auburn winning this national championship? And. And there were other stories like that for. For folks that had been around it longer than I am and their folks had been around it longer than I have for finally to see that occurred. I heard similar stories. Or Cubs fan. When they finally won a World Series. You hear those kind of stories. That's what I was thinking about that night when Auburn. So that. That's one of them. A couple trips to the World Series in baseball. But the 1997 trip to the World Series where Rod made the famous call of a David Ross home run, walk up, home run down to Florida State, the super regional, just literally days after Ron and Paula passed away. And Paul Allen and I are doing the game at North Carolina. They had never lost a super regional at home. And Auburn came from behind to win game one. North Carolina won game two. So it came down to a championship game. And Auburn scored 13 runs in the first inning. And I could think of was, please God, don't let this team blow a 13 run.

Bill Bubba Bussy (45:06)

That'd be quite a headline, wouldn't you?

Andy Burcham (45:09)

Because they would.

Bill Bubba Bussy (45:10)

Andy, let me. Let me ask you about. And you've seen a lot of them over the years. Let me ask you about the new world order of college sports. And especially with football. I think a lot of people are still trying to figure out what the heck's going on. It's changed. It's got very complicated, hadn't it, Bill?

Andy Burcham (45:33)

It's changing on a daily basis. I mean, folks that are directly affected by all of this are still trying to figure it out right now. You can't tell me that there's an athletic director out there that says, yep, I got this figured out, we've got it licked. That's not the case because it changes so often and they're waiting on the rules. What. What are the rules here for? For this. You know, give us the guard guardrails here so we can figure this out and move forward. And where is the money coming from? It is. It is a whole new world. And I'm glad that I'm not the one having to make those decisions. I. That would be a catastrophe. Power in that.

Bill Bubba Bussy (46:15)

I don't know. I think you'd be a pretty good commissioner, Andy. I really do.

Andy Burcham (46:20)

Oh, there is no chance in the world. Sorry.

Bill Bubba Bussy (46:26)

That's not happening anytime soon, Andy.

Andy Burcham (46:31)

It is ever changing. That that's the one thing it is ever changing.

Bill Bubba Bussy (46:35)

Well, it seems like the NCAA got declawed and now they have no bite at all. I mean, they went from being absolutely ruling with an iron fist. They have nothing. And it just, it seems like everything's kind of out of control now. I hear a lot of people say, well, this is bad. This is ruined college sports forever. You know, I hear that a lot. I hear universities are going broke. I hear they're going to be in the red. But I've also heard, and not as loud a voice, if you have kids that play baseball, all of a sudden they have a whole lot more scholarships than they had. You know, they used to be a lot of partials. You know, I don't know what Auburn gives, but, you know, it was, it.

Andy Burcham (47:23)

Was, it was 11.7 scholarships for baseball forever.

Bill Bubba Bussy (47:27)

And then now what is it?

Andy Burcham (47:30)

Well, it's fully funded.

Bill Bubba Bussy (47:32)

So you're talking about 20 plus.

Andy Burcham (47:35)

Yeah, you can still, yeah, you can still split up scholarships, but now you, you have a full complement of scholarships. And listen, for Auburn, even for Alabama, Bill, it is a different world in baseball. And here's why. Because teams like Georgia and lsu, to a certain extent, Florida, you know, all of those states have like the HOPE scholarship in Georgia, right, Where if you have a certain grade point average and you're going to college, you get your tuition.

Bill Bubba Bussy (48:06)

Yeah, the lottery, so.

Andy Burcham (48:08)

Exactly. Well, Alabama's never had that. And Auburn and Alabama have always had to deal with 11.7 scholarships. It's tough to deal with. It's tough to recruit when another school saying, hey, listen, I've got scholarship money for you that you're not going to get there. Well, that's not the case anymore. And Auburn and Butch Thompson and Carl Nonnemaker and that group, now that they're fully funded. And I realize that it is still a burden because where is the money coming from for the NAL money? Where is the money coming from to fully fund these scholarships that Auburn is doing across the board? And I understand that that is still weighing on folks mind, but for Butch Thompson and crew, it puts them on an even playing field with some of these other schools that have had the whole scholarships and that type of thing.

Bill Bubba Bussy (49:06)

Andy, have you seen players? Are they. I mean, we read. I don't know what all these guys are making, but I mean, you know, it looks like you're going to get a million dollars if you're a quarterback in the SEC minimum. Are they do you see them acting different? Is it a different relationship with other players? Maybe they're driving a better car than they used to drive. But I mean, what do you, do you see that changing?

Andy Burcham (49:34)

I can't speak to what goes on in the locker room, Bill. Listen, I wouldn't be surprised, you know, I mean, we're, we're all, I mean, we all have envy. You know, I drive, I, I drive on a boat by your house and I have envy, for goodness sakes. I'm just kidding about that. It is beautiful.

Bill Bubba Bussy (49:54)

I wish you called a little earlier. I would have gladly got up, met y'. All.

Andy Burcham (50:00)

But, but it. Surely that, that is something that is, that is being dealt with and it's something that you've got to deal with in the locker room. I have not seen evidence of that being a problem at all. I'm not blind to say that it can happen or it doesn't happen. I've just not seen evidence of it. The guys, the gals that I'm around, that I interview, that I talk with, I mean, we went through this a year ago and that was an outstanding Auburn basketball team that I got to call last year that went to the Final Four in San Antonio. And there were some players that were paid handsomely. And, and, and still they were, you know, they're still, it is different because they're in a different tax bracket now than they've ever been, Right. But they're also still 18, 19, 20, 21 year olds that are, you know, going through all of this. Hopefully, hopefully they've got somebody that is helping, and Auburn offers this, by the way, as far as financial planning and taxes and that type of thing. Hopefully they've got somebody, a personal standpoint, that is helping them in watching out as well.

Bill Bubba Bussy (51:09)

We're talking to Andy Burcham, the voice of the Auburn Tigers. Andy, I've told several people that I said I fear in two to three years we're going to see a lot of IRS cases of student athletes that got paid a lot of money and did not, did not pay their taxes because they thought that didn't apply to them and spent it. And now Uncle Charlie, or I should say Uncle Sam, is going to come looking for their cut. And I hope they're being wise with that because I know when I was that age, I probably would not have been very wise with that.

Andy Burcham (51:45)

We all are, you know, we're all of that. But the, I remember that the Uncle Charlie still sends shivers down my spine as someone that was in radio, you.

Bill Bubba Bussy (51:53)

Know, who that is. Don't you?

Andy Burcham (51:56)

Yes, I do.

Bill Bubba Bussy (51:58)

We're speaking of the fcc, by the way. That was what they were called in radio station.

Andy Burcham (52:04)

Yes. No one wanted to hear that Uncle Charlie was on the way.

Bill Bubba Bussy (52:08)

No, no. During my entire time in radio, I only had one inspector show up at a radio station I was at and he brought us a cake. So, you know, it wasn't a bad experience. So. Oh, Andy, I appreciate you taking time. I know you're very busy this time of year. Thank you for taking time to talk to us. It's been very enjoyable. We want to get you back, you know, we. We've got another podcast called the Tailgate Tailgate Show. We'd love to have you as a guest picker one week.

Andy Burcham (52:41)

Let's work that out, Bill. I'd love to do it.

Bill Bubba Bussy (52:43)

Andy Burcham, the voice of the Auburn Tigers. Andy, thank you for joining us on Bubba on the Lake.

Andy Burcham (52:50)

It's my pleasure. Way to go, Bill.

Commercial Announcer (52:52)

You're listening to Bubba on the Lake. Hit me Bad. A production of Interview Intergalactic Pants and Tees.

Sharon Tinsley (53:01)

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Commercial Announcer (53:03)

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Bill Bubba Bussy (53:30)

Hey, everybody, I'm Bill. Bubba Bussi, formerly of the Rick and Bubba show and currently the host of Bubba on the Lake, the podcast. I want to invite you to a new show we have called the Tailgate Tailgate Show. It will be a fun, informative look at the college football day ahead, complete with topics, awards, picks and guest pickers, all done by the not quite ready for primetime pickers. Our website is the tailgate. TailgateShow.com this podcast is brought to you in part by Coke Buffalo Wild Wings Southern Immediate Care Guaranteed Labels Central State Bank, Sunrise docks, bankers Bounty, Dr. Thomas Dudney and the green Monster Fishing light.

Bubba on the Lake Chorus/Intro Voice (54:25)

Bubba on the lake speaks through the air Voices rippling waters the world stops to stare News and the scores text spins on his wheel national renown the truth he reveals from the mellow yellow studio he sends the sound echo through the nation where legends are found the lake holds the power Ripples don't lie Bubba on the airwaves Riding waves that won't die Late night static stars hanging low Every turn of his voice the world seems to glow. Microphone crackles like fire on stone Bubble carves the stories, makes the air his throne from the mellow yellow studio he sends the sound echoes through the nation where legends are found the lake holds the power Ripples don't lie, Bubba. On the air we strike waves that won't die. Sports it flies fast. Tech churns the tide News shakes the edge Bubble reads it wide Listeners, they gather like moths to his flame what is one man's voice Rising ever the same? From the mellow yellow studio he sends the sound echoes through the nation where legends are found the lake holds for power Ripples don't lie. Bubble on the air Waves riding waves that won't die. Sam.