The Rush Propst saga unfolded as the Spain Park mafia and Auburn crybabies wanted—with Propst’s resignation as Hoover High School football coach effective at end of the football season. Propst probably got what he deserved, but there is a part of me that feels sorry for him because of who his enemies were. The scum [...]
Archive | October, 2007
LSU week, and I can’t focus
I’ve had trouble focusing since the Tennessee win. Yes, it was that good. That satisfying. The off-week didn’t help because it just let me watch the game again. And again. But it is LSU week now, so I should try to focus on that. But all I can think about regarding LSU is how much [...]
Applewhite name hot in BIG XII
Fickle football fans in and around the BIG XII could see a host of coaching changes at year’s end. Among the expected casualties are: Texas A&M’s Dennis Franchione, Nebraska’s Bill Callahan, Baylor’s Guy Morriss, SMU’s Phil Bennett and of course SEC’s Houston Nutt at Arkansas. As the speculation heats up, this column (SEE BELOW) in [...]
Reminiscence
Hey Vols!!…We just beat the…….. A great victory over Tennessee! With an off week to prepare for LSU we Tide fans should be feeling optimistic. Now, regardless of what happens in the other games, if we can beat Auburn this year it will be a great year in my opinion. When’s the last time we [...]
Alabama outlines inquiry
UA is in a full-scale review of how all student-athletes receive textbooks. The review is being handled by the University’s Office of Financial Affairs, the Athletics Compliance Office, the Athletic Department’s Center of Athletic Student Services and the University Supply Store. That is a lot of bureaucrats. So, the over-under on completion of this review [...]
Tide player denies wrongdoing in book case
Ida Davis, the mother of Tide junior Marlon Davis, said she has talked to her son and he denied any wrongdoing, the Huntsville Times reported Monday. Paul Gattis’ story provides a look at the issue, and some context about the Ball State probation. About the Ball State book case ronically, a NCAA case involving improper [...]
Winning the right way; Bama beats Vols
In what might have been the best executed and conceived Alabama game plan since the 1999 SEC Championship Game, Alabama mauled Tennessee 41-17; Nick Saban made a definitive statement that he understands the importance of winning over rivals. But the bigger statement than even the game, was Alabama’s willingness to suspend players before a big [...]
Week 8 Key Games and Kevin Turner
Stingers can be a very serious injury—just ask former Alabama and NFL vet Kevin Turner. This story from the Philadelphia Inquirer provides a look into the consequences of football. For Turner, it included lingering pain and an unexplained seizure. Here’s a fast look at three key games for this week. Needless to say, tonight’s game [...]
Leadership and Tennessee Week
When the Mike Shula regime was crumbling last season, I wrote all the time about the importance of leadership in the program. It is nice to get a glimpse of how Saban’s leadership is working with the players. Where did we get the glimpse, from of all places Paul Gattis and the Huntsville Times. Yes. [...]
Thank God for Mississippi
By Hunter Ford Random thoughts from last weekend: So, they throw whiskey bottles in Oxford too? Does anybody remember the old saying “Thank God for Mississippi?” It derives from the thought that, whatever Alabama might rank next to last in, Mississippi was surely to rank dead last. These were usually non-sports related categories having to [...]
Tennessee week
The football season is moving fast. It seems like only a handful of days ago when opening day arrived, followed soon by an Arkansas thriller and an ESPN GameDay visit to campus. Now we have entered the meat of the schedule—the rivalries. Tennessee is playing better football right now—unfortunately. The Vols were miserable during the [...]
F*me pumps thrown by Ole Miss fan
Talk about being upset at the outcome of a game. While I was laughing at this photograph of shoes thrown in disgust at the outcome of the Ole Miss-Alabama game, a female friend pointed out these weren’t just any shoes—they were fuck me pumps. Apparently, from a woman’s perspective, throwing those heels was a sin [...]
Talladega bad for your health?
I’m not a NASCAR fan, but I never knew attending a race could be bad for your health. According to this report, Congressional staffers were told to get vaccinated for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and influenza. Of course working for Congress, I suppose the staffers already had their rabies and distemper shots. Advertisement: [...]
Scouting Alabama
Understanding your own team is half the battle, and an excellent report in the Birmingham News explains how serious Nick Saban scouts his own Alabama team. The article explains the purposes nicely, but one sticks out in my mind: To analyze the tendencies created and shake them up. I’ve talked with coaches and been told [...]
Tide’s season almost arrested for inconsistency
By Hunter Ford “If you’re ever in Houston, you better do right. You better not gamble and you better not fight. Cause the sheriff, he’ll grab ya. And the boys will bring you down. Next thing you know boy, you’re prison bound.â€- Midnight Special The Houston Cougars nearly took Alabama’s season back to Sugar Land [...]
Alabama’s depth chart making sense
Ian Rapoport has an excellent story in today’s Birmingham News on how Nick Saban’s depth chart is making sense. Alabama’s coach made three key moves that jumbled the rotation for the Houston game. Very interesting read, and it says a lot about Saban’s philosophy as a coach. One of the big elements to the story [...]
Alabama survived Houston
Process. It is all about the process. I’m reminding myself of that. It isn’t that I want instant gratification; I’d just like to see signs of improvement. And this offense hasn’t shown any signs of improvement. It will. Either this season or next. But right now, it is in a tailspin. The reasons? To diagnose [...]
Week 6 Previews
Alabama plays Houston. Wow. I’m excited. What a follow-up to the three weeks of excitement with games against Arkansas, Georgia and FSU. Of course, my lack of excitement is what makes a team like Houston so dangerous—and why coaches like Saban make big money: you have to keep the team focused and determined. And we’ll [...]
Talladega again
Last time I talked about a Talladega race, I was complaining how Dale Jr. fans at Talladega made Alabama look bad by throwing beers at Jeff Gordon. After the Georgia loss, the students throwing drinks on the Bulldog players made Talladega fans look bad. I guess I should apologize. OK, maybe not. I’m pulling for [...]
The two-minute column
The two-minute column, the $3.50 hotdog and the $32 million coach By Hunter Ford I’m writing this column in two minute mode so don’t bother pointing out simple typos. Ttry reading it in two minutes and you wonnt notice. I’ve got two time-outs and the clock stops briefly at the end of every sentence. I’m [...]
Making sense of the FSU loss
Nick Saban offered the best explanation of why Alabama lost to FSU: the Seminoles were tougher mentally and physically—FSU simply out-toughed Alabama. It shows the Tide has a long way to go before being a good football team. With a second loss dropping the Tide to 3-2 on the season, fans and “experts†are going [...]
Tony Mitchell’s suspension much needed
As the Crimson Tide takes the floor tonight in basketball’s version of the Iron Bowl (part one, anyway), it’ll do [...]