Hugh Freeze wanted to make it clear to everyone who shows up on Saturday for Auburn's annual A-Day spring game to press the brakes a little bit on what to expect. The new Tigers coach is aware that with the job comes the expectations reserved for a coach in the SEC, but for those wanting to see a fireworks display in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, the coach wants fans to be prepared for likely the opposite.

"Unrealistic expectations lead to frustration," Freeze said on Monday. "And so I just don't want anybody to be frustrated."

Freeze and his coaching staff are just getting through their first spring practice with this team full of many newcomers, so finding out where the Tigers excel and where they need to improve has been a daily discovery. For Freeze, he won't tip his hand in the spring game in what Auburn does well so far, so lowering the expectations is the best move.

Could he also be subliminally telling Auburn fans about what to expect this fall? That's possible. But for now, let's just all sit back, enjoy the sound of pads popping against each other and maybe have an adult drink or two (note: I don't encourage anyone to bring liquor into the stadium on Saturday wink wink) as we watch the Tigers take the field.

Onto some ramblings:

- It's Masters week, which I rank among the best weeks on the calendar. And, for the 35th-or-so straight year, my pick to win the green jacket is one Frederick Steven Couples. Sure, he's 63 years old, but how awesome would that be? Once again, it's a shame I'm required by law to stay at least 500 feet from him.

- Staying on a golf theme, I badly need new club grips, especially my 60° wedge. I would do it immediately, but it bothers some people I play with that the grips are in such rough shape, so I keep them, trying to get into their heads. It's probably not working.

- As I said on The Rundown on Monday, I attended a church service on Sunday for the first time in more than 20 years. While I felt weird at times, it was overall a pleasant experience. My only complaint? The songs lasted way too long. Also, I'm pretty sure the person sitting next to me caught me Googling what a Galilean is.

- Remember when UConn center Adama Sanogo had a big game against Walker Kessler, and we were wondering if the new Auburn center had it in him to be a big-time player? Yeah, that early bad game is looking better and better now. What a dominant run by the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament.

- There were plenty of great moments in this year's tournament, but the pass from Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell to Keyontae Johnson for the lob while he was pretending to argue with his head coach is my favorite. It might be my favorite of the past 10 years, actually.

- Auburn is heading back to Hawaii for the 2024 Maui Invitational, and, on the slight chance I go and cover it, I would mark off the 48th state I have visited, leaving only Alaska and New Mexico from completing all 50 states. Out of the three I haven't visited, Hawaii is last on my list, by the way. I have an entire rant about people who go to Hawaii that I can tell you in person.

- Well, I found the most disgusting TikTok of the last month late last night. There are May-December romances, and then there is this. That is more like a March-next March romance. Good for them, I suppose. Now my relationship with Angela Lansbury wouldn't be so odd, see?

- I have alerted Butch Thompson that I will happily come in and throw batting practice anytime he or any of his staff need a break. Sure, I won't break 70 mph, but that would teach the Tigers how to stay back on slow fastballs. I'm sure they face them all the time in SEC play. (Sarcasm sign being held up.)

- You know what I am not excited about? The return of thunderstorms. One lightning bolt struck so close to my place the other day that I thought someone had shot off a cannon inside my bedroom. I didn't sleep well the rest of the night.

- Sometimes, an idea for a column doesn't work out the way you thought; that was how it was for my Super Mario Bros. comparison to the SEC baseball schedule. There was a good idea in there somewhere, but I just didn't produce it. I guess it's like a game plan by Eric Kiesau. HEY-OH!

- Watching a soccer match with a friend recently, he referred to something as the "Dutch line." He did it once, and I didn't think anything of it. Not until the second time did I say, "Do you mean touchline?" I am here to tell you he did. And, after playing FIFA the other day, I can understand why he thought it was a Dutch line by the announcer's pronunciation of it.

- With Frank Thomas becoming the first Auburn baseball player to get a statue erected in his honor, I was considering what people who are non-athletes deserve one at Auburn. My list was Tim Cook, Octavia Spencer and every astronaut who has been in space because, well, that is something 99.9 percent of us will never do. Maybe George Petrie since he wrote the creed? I'm open to ideas.

- I'll close my ramblings as I opened them: talking about the Masters. Last year, I attended a practice round with three guys from New Jersey. As I am known to do, I hyped something up, this time the pimento cheese sandwich, and they came away unimpressed. People, I felt like I had lost a battle with my friends. I kept on telling them that they needed to have another, but none went for the bait. So all I'm saying is that when I am the President of Augusta National, those who are like my friends and don't like pimento cheese sandwiches will be barred from the course. I SAID GOOD DAY!