In an effort to compete against the SEC powers, the University of Tennessee has betrayed its honorable past in pursuit of football glory. First, the University hired Lane Kiffin, a coach considered a joke by those who know him. “I know him personally and he doesn’t command a lot of respect from the players or [...]
Archive | January, 2009
Derrick Thomas elected to Hall of Fame
Update: More on Derrick Thomas included in this story Powered by Mochila AP: Thomas, who died nine years ago after an auto accident while still an active player, also was on the 1990s all-decade team and was the 1989 defensive rookie of the year. He is 11th in career sacks with 126 1/2. A rushing [...]
West decommits
Gerald West switched his commitment from the Alabama Crimson Tide to Souther Miss it was reported Friday by Rivals and TiderInsider.com. West a 5’11″ 175 lbs corner possesses tremendous speed with a 4.4 40 time. ESPN rated West at 78 and praised the cornerback’s potential: “Bottom line, West possesses the speed, instincts and potential size [...]
Poor choice of words, but accurate?
GoVolsxtra.com columnist John Adams uttered one of the best lines ever about an SEC coach during the height of recruiting season: “So what if the Vols finished 5-7 last season. New coach Lane Kiffin has 12-0 confidence and the bankroll to back it up. If he can’t sell you, he can buy you.” If Lane [...]
Ed Stinson picks Alabama
Four-star defensive prospect Ed Stinson committed to Alabama Friday. Stinson told the recruiting services (Rivals and ESPN). He projects to the Jack linebacker at Alabama, Rivals reported. Stinson holds a grade of 80 from ESPN. According to ESPN evaluation, “Stinson is a tall wiry prospect who seems to shine as a pass rusher. He has [...]
Who is NOT an ethical recruiter?
I can give you the answer to who it not an ethical recruiter. The boy wonder, Lane Kiffin. Telling a recruit he doesn’t fit your system and to look elsewhere is fine. Doing it with only days remaining until National Signing Day just makes you look like trash. It looks like Al Davis was right. [...]
Super Bowl Preview
If you can get your mind off recruiting long enough, there is a big game this weekend—the Super Bowl. Here are two preview stories to get you in the mood. First, nine former Alabama Crimson Tide players and coaches participate in the big game. Second, you can read how the Cardinals are the “oldest continuously [...]
Who is the best recruiter?
Who is the best recruiter? Is it Pete Carroll or Urban Meyer or Nick Saban? The Sporting News provides two interesting perspectives arguing for Meyer and arguing for Carroll. Each provides reasonable arguments why Meyer or Carroll is best. The argument for Meyer, “So the best recruiters must be judged by how their players exit [...]
Recruiting: Williams attitude refreshing
Alabama’s offensive line looks to be the strongest part of the 2009 recruiting class. We all know about targets D.J. Fluker, Bobby Massie and James Carpenter, but fans shouldn’t forget Snellville, GA., standout Kellen Williams. Williams didn’t think he would wind up at Alabama, but Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban made an offer following Williams’ [...]
Massie cancels UGA visit & recruiting predictions
National Signing Day creeps ever closer, and the Alabama Crimson Tide coaching staff led by Nick Saban are hard at work trying to land another stellar recruiting class. Can they do it? Thursday saw some interesting developments. Tide assistants visited with top running back prospect Trent Richardson on Thursday. As far as anyone knows, Richardson [...]
Life without Gottfried begins
Dothan Eagle: This is uncharted ground for Alabama’s basketball team. Philip Pearson makes his debut as interim coach after Mark Gottfried resigned under pressure earlier this week midway through his 11th season. But the irony here is the turmoil in Tuscaloosa isn’t far from what Arkansas is facing when the teams collide at 8 p.m. [...]
Alabama recruiting frenzy
Crimson Tide football looks for another top recruiting class Nick Saban is working hard to lure five-star defensive back Greg Reid. Saban conducted an in-home visit Wednesday night. Once again, Saban is drawing praise for frankness. Honesty is Nick Saban’s secret weapon against the negative recruiting tactics so prevalent this time of year. Reid told [...]
Alabama recruiting predictions
Reading the tea leaves at this stage of the game is extraordinarily difficult. If the CIA can’t get readings right on weapons of mass destruction, how can we reliably predict where an 18-year-old will ink on signing day? However, that won’t stop us from making predictions about a few of the top prospects. Share your [...]
45 UA athletes on SEC Academic Honor Roll
We take time to honor All-SEC and All-American players on the field, here are a few top academic performers from the Alabama Crimson Tide. From UA’s Media Relations: TUSCALOOSA — A total of 45 University of Alabama student-athletes, representing football, soccer and volleyball, were named to the 2008-09 Southeastern Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll, the [...]
Jason Caffey faces arrest order
AP: An Atlanta judge has ordered the arrest of former NBA player Jason Caffey, who’s accused of failing to pay thousands in child support. In October, a judge in Alabama rejected a bankruptcy case filed by Caffey, clearing the way for him to be sued for child support. You can read the entire AP brief [...]
Petey Smith commits to Alabama
Linebacker Petey Smith committed to Alabama, according to Tampa Bay Online. Smith is rated a three-star linebacker by Rivals. Smith picked the Tide over several other SEC schools including Auburn. According to ESPN, Smith held over 50 scholarship offers. ESPN rates Smith as an 81. Smith made the decision following an in-home visit with Nick [...]
Miles wants Rueben Randle
Les Miles wants Bastrop, LA., receiver Rueben Randle so badly he has the state government getting involved. According to the Advocate, Randle received a personal tour of the state capitol from the governor’s chief of staff. The government official met with the recruit “at LSU’s request.†“Teepell said there is a paid internship slot in [...]
Richardson the latest Meyer-Saban battleground
Five-star recruit Trent Richardson is the latest battleground for the future of the SEC. The first skirmish for the SEC took place in the Georgia Dome as a resurgent Alabama Crimson Tide played the eventual national champion Florida Gators. Score round one for Meyer. The next skirmish in this battle of the coaching titans is [...]
Help AU defend its Cheap Shot National Title
Auburn’s Chaz Ramsey won for Auburn the 2007 Cheap Shot title over at the Wiz of Odds, and you’ll be shocked that Auburn is once again in the running for the title (H/T Blutarsky). So go on over to the Wiz and be sure to support Auburn in its bid for another national title.
Recruiting: Saban’s secret weapon
Nick Saban dominates on the recruiting trail for a host of reasons (he explained some of them last year and you can read how he evaluates players here), but one big reason is his sincerity. Sincerity is what has Alabama surging in the mind of Lowndes DB Greg Reid. Reid is rated a five-star player [...]
AP: Gottfried quits as Alabama basketball coach
AP: “Mark Gottfried resigned as Alabama’s basketball coach Monday, leaving in the middle of his 11th season amid criticism of both the team’s play and the departure of a star player…Gottfried signed a six-year contract with Alabama in 2005 that made him Alabama’s first $1 million basketball coach. The contract ran through 2011 and included [...]
Oops! Kiffin already violating NCAA rules
Lane Kiffin has begun his career as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers in great fashion. He’s already committed a secondary rules violation (or at least a possible rules violation.) According to Govolsxtra.com, “coaches used smoke machines as recruits entered the field from the tunnel inside Neyland Stadium when the Vols hosted prospects on official [...]
OFFICIAL: Gottfried out as Alabama coach
The University of Alabama made it official Monday afternoon and Mark Gottfried is out as coach of the Crimson Tide. Gottfried offered his resignation effective immediately. While he officially resigned, we all know he was fired (unlike some Auburn fans who insist Tommy Tuberville left Auburn willingly.) Here is the official word from the University [...]
REPORT: GOTTFRIED FIRED
Alabama Crimson Tide coach Mark Gottfried was fired Monday. Tidesports.com posted a story by Cecil Hurt detailing the termination of Alabama’s basketball coach. “Gottfried, 45, is not expected to coach the team in its remaining games. Although no announcement has been made concerning an interim coach, assistant coach Phillip Pearson is expected to take over [...]
BREAKING: Mal meets with Gottfried
The Rap Sheet is reporting Alabama Athletic Director Mal Moore is meeting with basketball coach Mark Gottfried over Gottfried’s future. The Rap Sheet cited sources close to the situation. Chatter over the weekend was that Gottfried’s career hung in the balance. Gottfried has been wildly unpopular over the last few seasons with basketball fans. Fans [...]
Green named SEC Freshman of the Week
Alabama Crimson Tide freshman JaMychal Green earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors from the Southeastern Conference Monday. The details on why Green won the honor from the SEC’s release: JaMychal Green Alabama F • 6-9 • 220 • Fr. • Montgomery, Ala. Alabama’s JaMychal Green was named SEC Freshman of the Week after he [...]
Nick Saban is afraid of Lane Kiffin!
Alabama commitments A.J. McCarron and Trent Richardson skipped visits to Tennessee in the developing war between Lane Kiffin and everyone else in the conference. Kiffin has already angered Steve Spurrier, Urban Meyer and reportedly Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. According to Chris Low of ESPN, Meyer was angered over overtures to a Florida assistant [...]
Off topic: Allison still commands respect
For you NASCAR fans here is an interesting story on the legacy of Alabama’s Bobby Allison. The legendary driver had “resume of 84 wins and the 1983 Winston Cup championship only tells part of this success story that was both stirring and tragic. Allison was always more interested in competing than pushing a product or [...]
Alabama beat writer earns award
The gulf between the work of Charles Goldberg’s coverage of Auburn and Ian Rapoport’s coverage of Alabama football is enormous. Rapoport does good work and Goldberg is closer to a Phillip Marshall than a journalist. (And as if it hasn’t been made it clear before, the old Pravda did more objective work than Phillip Marshall. [...]
Bob Stoops leads entire state of Oklahoma “Up In Smoke”
It’s been a week since Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops made his idiotic statements to The Tulsa World about the [...]