Auburn, AL—The Gene Chizik football era is about to officially begin at Auburn University.  The Tigers are less than a week away from kicking off spring practice Tuesday, March 24. The practice plans are in place, the artificial turf is clean, and Chizik's team is ready to get mean.

But Tiger fans who enjoyed tracking along the sidelines during the Tommy Tuberville days will have to wait for their local news video on TV, or if they're lucky, get some epic footage from Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News posted on his blog.  

For the first time in years the spring practices are closed to the public. The first chance any common Joe Tiger fans will get a sneak peek at the ins and outs of Chizik ball will be Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m., when the Tigers take Pat Dye Field inside Jordan Hare Stadium for the annual A-Day game.

The final spring practice will be Sunday, April 19. That's 15 practices spread over 26 days and broken down to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday of each week with the exception of Easter Sunday. 

Practice times have not been announced, but for us Joes it does not matter—we won't be there anyway.

I know what you're thinking. I'm a scribe for Bleacher Report and a season ticket holder; surely I could rub elbows with the media that will attend.

Nope—I'll pay my five bucks at the gate, find a seat that puts the sun at my back, like the 18th row of section 3, tease all the other fans with my McDonald's bag full of double cheeseburgers, and enjoy the game. 

Closing practice is actually a smart move that could work for Chizik and his coaching staff.  Closed practice equals limited distractions, focus, and may promote increased attendance for the A-Day game.

However, I think it's more about keeping the focus and limiting the sideline distractions of the football-loving fan. Most people attending the less formal spring practices under Tuberville respected the boundary behind the ropes. I don't think first year head coach Gene Chizik wants to take a chance.

Nonetheless, "it is what it is"—and what it's not is open to you and I. So I'll see you at the A-Day game. Bring your own burgers. 

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