Coffee and Magnolia: July 8th

Happy Tuesday everyone. I'm Zeke Turrentine and I'm your new morning links pal. With this daily post I'll be linking to some of the beat writers we've all come to know over the years following Auburn sports, and giving you a few articles of importance (or not) each morning to start your day off right. The stories I highlight will usually be the sprinkles off the leaves after a breaking news thunderstorm, a feature from somewhere about Auburn or its current and former athletes and the day-to-day musings of the scribes who follow everything Auburn from game recaps to media days to human interest stories. I may also throw in an interesting, unrelated link here or there just to spice it up.

With that said, let's get started.

If you missed it yesterday, Auburn football had three players named to national award watch lists for the upcoming season. Quarterback Nick Marshall and Bruce Feldman's favorite freak, receiver Sammie Coates, were highlighted on the Maxwell Award list for offensive excellence, while defensive back Robenson Therezie was pointed out as someone to keep eyes on for the defensive players' Bednarik Award.

In a little more vital, yet behind-the-scenes college football news, the NCAA's newest statement on player health with regard to football practice was released and has several guidelines it hopes teams follow relating to contact during practice, both in-season and before it.

The new recommendations are just that: suggestions. As SB Nation's Kevin Trahan pointed out, the safety procedures for each team is completely up to that school, and the NCAA doesn't require doctors to be on the sideline checking for concussion symptoms. Former AL.com writer Jon Solomon, who has done some excellent reporting on this topic in the past, wrote a lengthy piece at CBSSports in which we hear from a former player that the new guidelines are a "shameful PR attempt."

On a rosier note, Auburn freshman volleyball player Alexa Filley is a finalist for the national Gatorade Athlete of the Year award. USA Today's HS Sports section has a piece on Filley that calls the Louisville native "arguably the country's best high school volleyball player."

Former Auburn catcher Josh Donaldson is following up his outstanding 2013 campaign with a little depression in the numbers columns, but is still swinging an above-average bat, flashing leather at the hot corner and in Oakland's vast foul expanses and even got a bobblehead this season - though he had to share it with some tarp. Sunday night saw him named a starter for the American League's All-Star squad, beating out fellow third basemen Adrian Beltre and Evan Longoria. Jay G has a good story on Donaldson and his rise to the top of the game on AuburnSports.

Over on AL.com there's a short piece about basketballers with connections to the state, including former Tiger Asauhn Dixon-Tatum, and their shot at making an NBA or D-League roster being shaped in this year's summer leagues. ADT is on the Orlando Magic squad, who play in their own Orlando Summer League. The seven-footer didn't feature in the first game against Philadelphia on Saturday, but hopefully he'll earn a few minutes of floor time as the league grinds on.

And finally, Jeremy Henderson at the War Eagle Reader (which should be a favorite of yours by now) found two videos worthy of mentioning featuring former Auburn football stars.

From the time capsule, TWER dug up this footage of former Auburn and current Chicago Bears linebackers coach Reggie Herring losing his mind after the Tigers beat his alma mater, Florida State, in 1990. It also captures Pat Dye whippin' on Tiger defender Ricky Sutton with his ball cap.

Then, there's this amazing Arena Football League catch by former wideout Prechae Rodriguez. Words wouldn't do it justice, so just click it and trust me if you haven't seen it already. And if you have seen it, you don't need to be told to click again. As if the Pastor's on-field acrobatics weren't enough, he then finds a lucky fan to give the football to (because AFL) and lo and behold it's a little kid in an Auburn jersey. Watch it, smile, and have a super day.