Popular former Auburn coach Terry Bowden has returned to coaching it was revealed Wednesday evening. Is it just me or are there too many football programs in the state? How many of these athletic departments actually are in the black? Anyway, here is the AP breaking news item: Powered by Mochila
Archive | December, 2008
Saban: Smith could return to ‘Bama
AP: Nick Saban said no decision has been made on whether Smith will return to Alabama or enter the NFL draft. NCAA spokeswoman Stacy Osburn confirmed that the university is handling the matter. More details below: Powered by Mochila
Saban wins Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Nick Saban can put another coach of the year award on his resume. Saban led the Alabama Crimson Tide to a 12-1 record and a berth in the Sugar Bowl one year after a 7-6 initial campaign. The turnaround saw the Crimson Tide sit atop the major polls and come within a quarter of the [...]
Crimson Tide Notes: Sugar Bowl Wednesday
Recruit Kellen Williams to attend Sugar Bowl Kellen Williams, 6’3†295 lbs. offensive guard, got a nice Christmas present from his mother—tickets to the Sugar Bowl, the AJC reported. The AJC story provides nice information on Williams tenacity shown during a confrontation during the Georgia North-South All-Star Game. Williams is rated a three-star recruit by [...]
Another reason college football is broken
Contributed by Intheknow72 Andre Smith has more than likely played his last game for the University of Alabama. His suspension, overwhelmingly favored to be because of contact with an agent, will leave him at home while his teammates battle the mighty Utes this Friday night. Kudos to a head coach and administration finally in place [...]
PROOF: Defense more important than offense
A political scientist writing for the Southern Political Report applied a statistical model to examine legendary Alabama Crimson Tide Coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant’s axiom that “offense sells tickets; defense wins championships.” In the article, LaGrange College associate professor John A. Tures concludes: “It shouldn’t surprise you that statistics for the 2008 NFL season indicate [...]
BOO: LSU fans welcome Tide to New Orleans
AP: Several members of Alabama’s football team, in town for Friday’s Sugar Bowl, were roundly booed when introduced and shown on a video board during a timeout. Several Utah players were there as well, but their introduction was drowned out by the boos aimed at Alabama. The crowd then broke into chants of “L-S-U” until [...]
DJ Fluker pancakes Okafur
While this year’s college football season reaches its climax with bowls, the future of college football is on display in practices leading up to the Army All-American Bowl. The gamefeatures some of the best high school recruits in the country. Rivals and Scout are both on the scene, and Rivals posted this video of Alabama [...]
Here come the politicians and lawyers
AP: The Alabama attorney general’s office is reviewing reports of alleged contact between Crimson Tide offensive tackle Andre Smith and a sports agent after the All-American was suspended from the Sugar Bowl. Nothing sets my mind at ease like lawyers and politicians getting involved in college football. Embedded below is the AP story detailing how [...]
Crimson Tide Notes: Sugar Bowl Tuesday
Players: ‘You can’t replace Andre’ Wilson declared the loss of All-American left tackle Andre Smith “bad news,†but vowed the team would rebound from the adversity. He said the team had gone through two games without Smith during the season and losing a player is one of the key reasons second team players get a [...]
PapaJohns.com Bowl
Hunter Ford attended the PapaJohns.com Bowl today and sent these photographs. He’s promised more pics and more stories to come on the event in Birmingham. Here are a few photographs from the game and surrounding area. Also, below the photographs find this AP summary of how Teel led Rutgers on a second half comeback and [...]
Reconsidering Saban’s NFL exit
In light of Seattle’s year and the Buc’s collapse during the final weeks of the season, Pro Football Talk mentions Saban’s exit from the Miami Dolphins: “Kiffin is saying that maybe Nick Saban had it right. And maybe, in hindsight, Saban did. Maybe the best way to prevent a potential distraction for a coach’s current [...]
Utah’s Paul Kruger disappointed Smith suspended
Utah defensive end Paul Kruger told reporters he was disappointed about not getting a chance to play against Andre Smith. “I was a little disappointed. I feel like it would have been a good matchup and a great opportunity for me,” Kruger said. “He’s a big part of their offense. They’ve got backup players that [...]
REPORT: Johnson working at left tackle
The Rap Sheet provided a glimpse at how the Alabama Crimson Tide could deal with the loss of Andre Smith. “At practice, Mike Johnson was working at left tackle, while David Ross was at left guard.” Also, the media is beginning to report Smith was suspended over inappropriate contact with an agent. Chris Low of [...]
AP: Smith suspension could end college career
AP: Coach Nick Saban announced the suspension Monday, and it could signal the end to the Outland Trophy winner’s college career. The junior is expected to be one of the top players selected in the NFL draft if he opts to skip his final season at Alabama. AP story below. More information as the story [...]
Andre Smith suspended
Statement from Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban released by UA Andre Smith has been suspended from participating in the Sugar Bowl due to a violation of team rules and policies. The University of Alabama, the team and the football program are more important than any individual player. Everyone on our team depends on each other [...]
Malzahn hire doesn’t clean up Chizik mess
Auburn hired Gus Malzahn and the disgruntled Auburn family is now rapturously heralding the hire. You would think Malzahn was the second coming of some type of offensive guru. Oh wait. The last guru didn’t work so well. However, everyone in the media has declared Malzahn a success. “He’ll work out better because he’ll control [...]
Recruiting: Reuben Randle talks Tide, LSU
Recruiting season is about to explode into focus as the bowl season nears its January conclusion. One name everyone is watching is Reuben Randle. Randle is rumored to favor LSU or Alabama. You can see Randle address those rumors and talk about playing with a receiver like Julio Jones in this Rival’s video embedded below. [...]
Crimson Tide notes: Sugar Bowl Monday
Tide looked good in second practice Alabama held two practice sessions at the Saints practice facility in New Orleans over the weekend. While everyone enjoyed the break, players were ready to return to work, Alabama linebacker Cory Reamer said. Rashad Johnson said the first session was dominated by removing accumulated rust, but the second session [...]
Alabama squeaks past Yale
Alabama continues to waddle in mediocrity on the basketball court. The Tide was up handily on Yale 45-27 with 15:45 left in the second half, but the Tide surrendered a 10-2 run. Fortunately, Alabama hit critical free throws down the stretch for the win. Gottfried called the game another learning experience for the Crimson Tide. [...]
Preview: Alabama vs. Utah
Is the Sugar Bowl a mismatch? The AP’s college football writer Ralph Russo talks about the matchup between a big, physical and fast Alabama team and BCS buster Utah. “Can Utah hold up against those big Alabama frontlines?” The lines are a big topic of conversation as Alabama has three All-American linemen (center Antoine Caldwell, [...]
A Bama Christmas poem
editor’s note: Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Regular contributor Intheknow72 sent this Christmas poem in Christmas Eve; however, I didn’t check my email until late Christmas day and am only now posting it for your holiday enjoyment. Tis the night before Christmas, And all is at rest, For after a decade of stumbling, Bama’s [...]
Shreveport was key stop in Alabama turnaround
The Alabama Crimson Tide lost four straight before Nick Saban turned things around. This article by John Zenor explains how Saban rallied the players to make things better in 2008. It started in Shreveport where the Tide defeated Colorado in the Independence Bowl. It was the start of something special. “We went out and played [...]
AP names Nick Saban Coach of the Year
AP: This is the second time Saban has won the award. He also was coach of the year with LSU in 2003. The awards just keep coming for Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. The Associated Press named Saban its 2008 Coach of the Year. Saban trounced other coaches in the balloting. Here’s the AP [...]
Saban wants fans to help Tide in Sugar Bowl
Praises Utah Utes; says team is better than people think Nick Saban doesn’t want anyone around the Alabama Crimson Tide getting complacent. That includes the fans. Saban sounded the alarm after practice Monday. He praised the Utah Utes and challenged fans traveling to New Orleans to be ready to help the Crimson Tide. “This is [...]
PFW names 7 Alabama players to All-America team
Pro Football Weekly announced its All-America team today. Here’s the information via a release from UA: TUSCALOOSA – The Alabama football team had seven players earn All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly it was announced on Monday, including two first-team selections. The Crimson Tide’s powerful offensive line garnered both first-team selections with left tackle Andre [...]
Nick Saban is Santa Claus
Nick Saban worked a miracle in Tuscaloosa this year, and now we know how he accomplished it. He’s Santa Claus. The startling revelation came during a Monday press conference as the Alabama Crimson Tide prepares for the Sugar Bowl. “You look forward to Santa Claus for a long time, and then all of the sudden [...]
Why coaches hate the media (part LXI)
I’m not sympathetic to coaches who behave badly to the press; however, I don’t care for press who are rude and insulting. Rude members of the press make it more difficult for everyone. And here is the perfect example: At around the one minute mark, Rob Parker asks the Detroit Lions coach, “Do you wish [...]
Assistants can speak volumes about a coach
A coaching staff says a lot about the leader. Do you hire big names? Do you take a risk on an unknown assistant? Do you favor the right personality over a distinguished resume? The people a coach surrounds himself with speaks volumes about the direction his program is headed. That’s why Auburn fans anxiously look [...]
Another day, another Barkley interview
Charles Barkley continued his assault on stupidity at Auburn with a Sunday morning appearance on the NFL Network. In several interviews, Barkley has said race played a factor in the Chizik hire, but on the NFL Network he said the issue wasn’t really a racial issue–Auburn made a wrong choice. “It is really not about [...]
What will Paul Finebaum’s move mean to Alabama, Auburn?
One has to wonder what the Alabama – Auburn rivalry would have been over the last 30 years without Paul [...]