In January I began work on an overhaul that would improve the look and functionality of the Capstone Report. This is just one phase of the overhaul. Anytime there is a change, there will be issues. Please feel free to post them or send an email.

Anyway, I’ll work something out prior to SEC Media Days. My intention is to arrange a live chat much like National Signing Day coverage to go along with other commentary, etc.

Have a great weekend.

Posting has slowed down a bit over the last three weeks. Some might call it a post Tax Day hangover, and to be honest I’ve had several projects going and a few non-website deadlines and some website work—including some upgrades to the website. Hopefully, I can roll out those upgrades in the next few days. Most you won’t notice as it should improve site performance and responsiveness under the hood. Some you will (if things work out as planned.) My primary goal is to increase user participation, so the tools I’m working on should facilitate that. If they work. No guarantees. But I decided to post this useless note anyway.

Hope everyone is having a great spring.

Thanks for reading,
Alan

Give it a try. Not only are they great to do business with, they are a great corporate citizen. You can read about RazorGator’s work to give free NFL tickets to local Boys & Girls Clubs.

First, can we call a truce on the personal attacks going on amongst our commentors? I think some of the vitriol has gotten out of hand, but I don’t want to moderate unless absolutely necessary—I’m committed to letting all fans who visit her express themselves.

But let’s keep it out of personal stuff. It takes away from the entire experience.

Trash talk all you want, but don’t attack one another. The last thing I want to do is have moderators for the comments.

Second, we are going to be testing some stories here over the next few days. You need to be able to run javascript to view the stories. If there are problems or you have other issues viewing the stories, items then let me know.

Here’s a sample story regarding web cams and college football:

”[T]he most mouth-breathing Alabama blog on the planet…—Brian Cook of AOL Fanhouse and MGOBlog.

“Anybody can build a website, but it does not make the creator a crediable (sic) journalist. Hell you have Shane! You’re a lowlife and so is that P*ssy Fart Paul Finebaum.”—Sixdownnow7

“I don’t think much of the Capstone Report.”—Jerry Hinnen of Joe Cribbs Car Wash

“This sh*t sucks…”—William Daniels

“Reading this…was an absolute waste of time…”—Jaywall14

Sitting in the ICU waiting room, the mind wanders. The thoughts of how I shouldn’t have talked my mom into a healthier desert instead of the cheesecake she wanted on Friday night, and how I should’ve done more to help her with some task over the years, run through my head.

One thought kept running through my head all day Saturday and Sunday: When I am weak, then am I strong.

It seems like a contradiction; but so much of life is.

But how can that be true?

It came into focus as the doctors streamed in and out of the room.

I’m not a doctor; however, I need a doctor’s knowledge and experience.

I have a deficiency of knowledge, a weakness. If I’m willing to admit it, then I am made stronger—it gives a loved one a chance at life.

Of course, we all can admit that weakness. We want to live. But it is the same with the acquisition of any type of knowledge. Unless we are willing to listen to others, we can’t gain wisdom.

When we are strong (or at least think we are), we do more talking than listening. I can’t think of much I’ve learned while talking, but the knowledge gained while listening would be substantial.

I can’t say that I’m as willing as the Apostle who also said, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches…” But we wouldn’t know ourselves—our humanity—without moments of weakness. We wouldn’t know our limitations, and our need to know the Infinite.

Maybe spending more time in prayer, and less time reading sports news over the last few days will do me some good.

Oh well, this started out as a short note and I’ve prattled on longer than intended. That’s the danger of a blog. You start writing, and suddenly what you have written—isn’t short.

I just wanted readers to know they can expect regular (but slower) news updates in the coming days, probably with less sarcasm. I’ll also get our columnists items posted, but that schedule will be a little slower too.

On to the weekend news items.

ADs reject early signing period
SEC football coaches bid for an early signing period was setback by league athletic directors and presidents, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.

Presidents wanted recruits to be able to visit their campuses and get to know people there, Slive said, although many recruits take unofficial visits to campus in the spring and summer before their senior years.

Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton was concerned that early signees who did not take official visits before making their decision would miss out on getting a full picture of the university.

“I think that’s part of the experience of going out and visiting the professors and others on campus in terms of making their decision,” Hamilton said. “Because 85 percent of our student-athletes are not from the state of Tennessee, I think it’s sometimes helpful to have that little bit of extra time on the recruiting process.”

Oddly enough, the presidents might be right. You can’t forget players are selecting a college. They should be able to take a visit and sign early. Hopefully, the proposal can be adjusted for next year’s SEC meeting.

Auburn to get new beat writer
The Ledger-Enquirer plans to adjust its beat writers, and word leaked on a blog that David Ching will move from the UGA beat to the Auburn beat for the McClatchy newspaper.

Ching posted about the move on his blog, but deleted the post since it was a “premature” announcement. However, Ching’s post was preserved (thanks to the Internet). Here’s a portion for our Auburn readers.

I guess I should go ahead and break the news that I won’t be returning to Athens this fall for the Ledger-Enquirer. Because of a variety of factors within our newspaper and our chain, I’ve been told I’ll be moving from our Georgia beat to the Auburn beat for the upcoming season.

It’s something of a bittersweet move for me in many ways, but it’s the safest, smartest move for me as a Ledger-Enquirer employee. I love covering college sports and any beat covering a Southeastern Conference school is going to be a lot of fun (and, of course, a lot of work). But I’m most certainly going to miss covering Georgia. I loved working next to and competing against the other writers on the beat and enjoyed interacting with the folks at UGA. I have many more positive than negative things to say about the people I dealt with there, from the sports communications staff to the coaches to the players. It was by far the most fun job I’ve had, and I hope that came through in the stuff I posted here.

Ching is highly regarded by UGA fans for his insight and access.

Fans critical of Arkansas media
Houston Nutt visited an Ole Miss alumni meeting in Little Rock, and reporters interviewed the former Hawg coach. As you probably could anticipate, Razorback fans didn’t care for it.

According to Mike Irwin of KFSM, fans voiced outrage for two reasons:

I ran into several fans last week who either (a) didn’t like what Nutt had to say or (b) didn’t think reporters had any business talking to him. Permit me to address both issues.

Iriwn said that as long as fans emotions are stirred by Nutt, local media will make sure to get comments from him. He’s right. That’s how the media works. When fans stop caring—that is when the media moves on to another story.

If Houston Nutt’s seven minutes in front of those Little Rock reporters was controversial what is going to happen when he returns in November as the head coach Of the Ole Miss Rebels ? He’ll be interviewed extensively both before and after the game. For those who say the media in Arkansas should avoid the man I say it’s not going to happen. Reporters cover the news and Nutt is news. If that makes somebody mad they’ll just have to be mad.

Saban to speak at YMCA event
Nick Saban is set to address the Cleveland Avenue YMCA June 6 at 2:30 p.m., the Montgomery Advertiser reported.

Crimson & White Roundtable Round-up
Tide Druid led the Roundtable this week, he proposed some interesting questions and has compiled the most interesting responses into this post. You’ll find wisdom from throughout the Bamasphere.

Auburn fans call Alabama fans delusional
It is one thing for Auburn fans to hope Tony Franklin’s system energizes the Tigers. That is what all fans do—they hope for the best. I know Alabama fans hope the new OC in Tuscaloosa repairs the problems the Tide faced last year. It isn’t delusional to believe the future will be better than the present.

What is delusional is to believe anything your coach says.

From the War Eagle Reader:

Buried deep in the feminine furor lies the reason for it all: a solder (sic), a Bama fan, asked him to.

Gross.

So broken is the Bama Nation, so used to it, their relationship with Tommy Tuberville has officially blossomed into full-tilt masochism.

“One guy said, `I’m an Alabama guy, but go ahead and put up seven anyway,’” Tuberville said.

Any suggestions for a safe word?

If you believe an Alabama fan told Tuberville to do that—I have a bridge to sell you.

That is the biggest lie since, “I didn’t inhale.”

And Auburn fans are buying it. I guess Phillip Marshall has done his job well.