Nick Saban ESPN Gameday Commercial
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Nick Saban
Florida will not beat us this year!!
If you have directv and you get channel 613, you are probably watching the Replay of last year's SEC Championship game. The 2nd quarter just began.
Florida will not beat us this year! I just hope Florida makes it to Atlanta, so that we will be able to have a rematch!
Roll Tide!
Almost Exactly 8 days to go! Roll Tide Roll!
Friday, August 28, 2009
As you get ready to head out for the night or as you get ready to stay in for the night, lets do a quick recap of this week's stories and news.
- Hot Recruit, Phillip Sims will be on ESPNU tonight. Actually, he's playing as I write. Recap here.
- The flu season is back and bigger than ever. As Duke's football team caught the Swine Flu, the Crimson Tide has had some players come down with the boring traditional flu. Mt. Cody missed practice again today with the flu. You can read about it here along with a recap of today's practice.
- Coach Saban's practices are closed. Don't you ever forget that! Or ask, as we watched a video of his rant. Check it again here.
- Javy Arenas was voted the #1 special teams player for 2009 by Rivals.com. You can check that article out here.
- Did you check out what we wrote about Frank Beamer? If not, read it here.
- Also, did you check out SI.com's top 10 SEC Players Photo Gallery. Bama is representing at #5 and #7. Check it out here.
Alright, do you think this year's defense will be as great as the '92 Defense? Check out these videos:
Flu hits practice
We made jokes about it earlier this week, but it looks like the Crimson Tide is not immune to the flu. Currently, there are 4 to 5 players that are sick with flu like symptoms and five other players who have upper respiratory problems. Coach Saban has implemented his "quarantine" procedure which recuperates the ill and prevents the spread of the illness to other players. Defensive lineman, Terrence Cody is the only high-profile player to miss practice with the flu which was confirmed by a statement from Kareem Jackson.
Back to football. Time is drawing near to actually get on the field and play some football. We've been talking all month, reading every bit of information, and watching old film, but the time is close. Scout jerseys mirror Virginia Tech, the marching band is adding some Michael Jackson themed music to their set list, and Nick Saban's mood is growing progressively intense with each passing minute. Man, this best time of the year. It seems like five offensive linemen have gained Saban's attention and praise. If there was a depth chart for the O-line it would look like this: Left tackle James Carpenter, left guard Mike Johnson, center William Vlachos, right guard Barrett Jones and right tackle Drew Davis.
The art of Sandbagging by Frank Beamer
It's hard to get a good read on Virginia Tech's coach Frank Beamer. As an Alabama fan, I have an extreme amount of respect for what he has done with his football program. I think he shares a mutual respect for our team also. He recently said “I think we’ll be a better football team for having played Alabama, win or lose. In the big picture it’s going to make us a better team"
Did you know that Frank Beamer has been considered for the Crimson tide Head Coach position many times since the resignation of Gene Stallings (Read more about here)?
So in the spirit of mutual respect, read his following comments on his current team and their readiness for September 5. What kind of head games do you think he's playing?
Beamer continues to doubt the health of his back field. Both of his running backs have missed the majority of practice this past week and only yesterday returned to "game-day speed" in drills. He is recently been quoted as saying " "You’ve got two [Wilson and Oglesby] there that you’re counting on, one never has been in a game and one has been in very little, and they’ve missed a lot of work. Running backs is kinda the one thing right now that’s up in the air a little bit. Guys got hurt at the wrong time. But that’s the way it is. We’ve just got to be good in this last week and a half."
Is Frank Beamer just up-playing the injuries and making early excuses so he can say "I told you so" when they lose?
RTR
McElroy adds new dimensions to his game
Greg McElroy has won the confidence of his teammates and coaches throughout his production on the field during Spring and Fall Camp. But is he ready to take on Virginia Tech on Sept 5 in the Georgia Dome? An article on cbssports.com thinks he'll do just fine in the opening game. They highlight his off-the-field work ethic that has him pursuing a Masters in Sports management and studying game film on his down time. They quote him as saying "I've had a chance to study different types of quarterbacks... That's really helped add to my game, maybe a new dimension, maybe make me feel more confident in myself. I've learned a lot from those guys." His self-confidence is making his teammates, his coaches, and even his fans more confident in his abilities.
Some good news coming from the O-line in practice. Barrett Jones, reportedly flattened fellow lineman Allen Skelton in double team drills yesterday. Jones looks like a keeper, but don't mention anything to Saban about depth charts.
Ok, now for you die-hard Alabama fans. "Hey Coach!" makes it's 2009 debut, next week, on Sept. 3 and you can now submit your questions to be answered live by Coach Nick Saban. Each week they will select two questions that have been submitted by the audience and obviously they will screen the questions first. So don't ask about the depth chart! OK?
Some good reads to keep that "Bama High" going
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
During last Saturday's final scrimmage of fall camp, Donta Hightower led the team with eight tackles, with one for a loss and one sack. It's a trend that has continued throughout last year, spring practice, and now in fall camp. Donta Hightower is destined to be the SEC breakout player of the year. In the previous season he played in all 14 games (12 starts), he logged 64 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, and six quarterback hurries. Hightowers maturation coupled with Rolando McClain's proven ability is drawing plenty of attention from the other SEC coaches. Read more about Hightower here.
Al.com has posted some questions and answers to the whole Mark Ingram and Julio Jones debacle. Personally, I think they are just beating a dead horse, but you can form your own opinion.
Another good read is on rollbamaroll.com, in which a contributor explains why Alabama "has" to beat Virginia tech. I agree with the author, in that we need to win this game, but he could have stopped at "because we want to win a national championship". Forget the other reasons. We have crystal glimmers in our eyes.
How Swine Flu will be Bama's Secret Weapon in 2009
Oh, Flu season. You come and go every year and no one pays much attention to you. In fact most of us ignore your wrath by getting our flu shots ahead of time. But you are getting smarter, improving your speed, and adding the spread to your offensive attack (because it's so popular). And of course, you have just signed your first 5 star recruit (5 star on Rivals, but regrettably only 4 stars on Scout.com and ESPN.com). This spectacular freshman is known as the H1N1 virus or a.k.a. Mr. Swine Flu.
Now I've seen some news articles and message board posts asking "What will the swine flu do to College Football this season ?", and I have answer: "It will help Bama win some ball games" (Try to follow my messed-up logic).
To prove my point, check out what I was able to throw together in a matter of blogospheric minutes. I call it 6 degrees of Swine Flu Separation for the 2009 College Football Season. *Note: I am sure there are plenty of holes in my argument, but Hey, I am a Bama fan, not a scientist or a lawyer.
The Facts:
1) I will call into play the six degrees of separation theory. Popularized by Kevin Bacon, this theory refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth.
2) When modeling an infectious disease, you have people who are susceptible to a disease, those who are infected and those who are removed. And the removed is often, usually the recovered people who might have some immunity. Remember Will Smith in I am Legend?
3) According to the government's website the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) is "potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset".
3) According to the government's website the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) is "potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset".
4) The government is predicting a pandemic (global outbreak) of the Swine Flu this season. Smaller outbreaks are referred to as epidemics. An epidemic occurs in a a given population during a given period.
5) The Duke Football team recently experienced an outbreak of the Swine Flu. You can read more here. According to this article, half of the roster contracted the swine flu.
The 6 degrees of Swine Flu Separation for the 2009 College Football Season Theory:
Using the above stated facts, I will show you how Alabama will win some games due to the outbreak that originated at Duke University. I am only looking at an epidemic throughout the SEC during the 2009 College Football Season.
Using the above stated facts, I will show you how Alabama will win some games due to the outbreak that originated at Duke University. I am only looking at an epidemic throughout the SEC during the 2009 College Football Season.
My rules:
#1 I start with Duke
#2 Any team Duke Plays catches the Swine Flu and that team passes it on to its remaining schedule
#3 Swine Flu devastation last 2 weeks, but the team is still capable of passing it on for the rest of their schedule. The government says 7 days, but when are they ever right (especially on healthcare)?
#4 Swine Flu devastation results in a loss for the next 2 weeks after infestation. This assumes that half the roster will be out of commission each week.
#5 The Crimson Tide is the only immune team in the country. This is because Saban insisted on recruiting football players that bleed crimson. Crimson appears to be the only gene immune to Swine Flu.
The Case Studies:
A) Duke vs Army 9/12, Army vs Ball State 9/19, Ball State vs Auburn 9/26 Auburn vs UT 10/03
Right before Bama plays UT on 10/24, half of UT's team will be sick. Eric Berry will be puking into his "Berry For Heisman" trucker hat while Lane Kiffin wears adult diapers to keep Rocky Top from going to the bottom. Easy victory.
B) Duke vs Army 9/12, Army vs Tulane 10/03, Tulane vs LSU 10/31,
We play a very sick LSWho on 11/07. Another victory from the Swine Flu. Maybe Auburn can lend them some toilet paper. I don't think they will be needing it for Toomer Square.
The Alternative Theory:
OK. I am realist. Alabama may not be immune to the Swine Flu. Here is an alternative theory.
1) The Swine Flu only lasts 2 weeks
2) After 2 weeks, it does not affect the rest of your schedule
3) Teams can only be infected once
This is what the infection schedule would look like. Notice that Alabama and LSU will not be infected. If the swine flu takes out half of the roster of each team infected, those teams would likely lose the games during the outbreak. In this theory, Alabama or LSU would have the best odds of staying undefeated.
Infection Date Host
SEC East
University of Florida 17-Oct Arkansas
University of Georgia 10-Oct Tennessee
University of Kentucky 31-Oct Mississippi State
University of South Carolina 24-Oct Vanderbilt
University of Tennessee 3-Oct Auburn
Vanderbilt University 17-Oct Georgia
SEC West
University of Alabama
University of Arkansas 10-Oct Auburn
Auburn University 26-Sep Ball State
Louisiana State University
University of Mississippi 24-Oct Arkansas
Mississippi State University 24-Oct Florida
Remember that I threw this together in a few minutes. If something doesn't check out, email me at info@regurge.us
Roll Tide.
Was practice closed yesterday?
After stunning the media with the rhetorical question “Was practice closed today?” , Nick Saban eluded specific questions about yesterday's practice and started talking about last Saturday's scrimmage. Typical Nick. Obviously it is a love/hate relationship. Lucky for us here in blogsphere because we can get all the video footage and news without annoying the Choosen One.
Anyways, the good news from yesterday's practice was that the only black shirted player, was freshman wideout Kenny Bell. Trent Richardson, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Julio Jones were all back in the normal attire. Even Upchurch made it through the whole practice with some discomfort. Watch the rest of the press conference below and enjoy some scenes from both the offense and the defense.
RTR
Read more...
RTR
Back to Practice
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
One more Tuesday down, one more to go before the season begins. The media that attended practice are reporting that Roy Upchurch and Dre Kikpatrick returned to practice today after recovering from minor injuries. You can check that report out here.
If you want an analysis of today's practice, you can check out this video from Bamaonline.
And one last video for today.... One freshman that I am waiting to see play on Sept. 5 is Trent Richardson. I have been freshman-crushing on him since I saw this video months ago. I dug it up just for y'all. Skip to the 3:03 mark to see his work ethic.
Caldwell update
While searching the worldwide intra-web to find info on former Alabama players in the NFL. I found an interesting article about Antoine Caldwell. Caldwell was taken in the third round by the Texans, and has fit in nicely with his new team. Currently, the Texans have Caldwell in a developmental role with hopes for him in the future. They like his attitude and love for the game which will pay off huge dividends down the road.
I think we might be putting this whole fishing story behind us. The University has sent an envoy of one member of the UA compliance staff to Indianapolis to discuss the situation with NCAA enforcement representatives. Cecil Hurt goes into extensive detail quoting NCAA bylaws trying to explain that we should be in the clear.
An article that might (add heavy exaggeration) be of some interest to you Alabama fans, is the choice of Jonathon Crompton as the starting quarterback for the Volunteers. This makes me smile, because Crompton does not seem like much of a threat. Then again, both Crompton and Stephens split time last season and posted one of the worse offensive showings for the Vols in the past two decades. In conclusion, roll tide roll.
Also, check out our twitter tab which can be found on the left of your screen when viewing our web page. We will be answering questions on gameday, giving play by play of the Alabama game, and throwing out scores and stats of other noteworthy games. Just imagine: You are tailgating on the Quad and your drunk uncle won't change the channel from the Notre Dame vs Cupcake (Nevada) game. Tweet us and we'll send you the score for the Georgia vs Oklahoma St game. It's that easy. Just follow Playbytweets and you'll be set.
RTR
Lunchtime Links
11 more days. Can it go any slower? Anyways, pull out that sandwich or heat up last night's leftover Chicken N' Dumplings, let us look at some articles floating around the web.
I read Paul Finebaum's online column today, and I realized it was probably one of his least controversial articles that I have read in awhile. He states that in order for Bama to have a successful season, we must make it to Atlanta. You can read his article here. I agree that we must make it to Atlanta, but disagree with him when he says that Florida will win the SEC championship. Roll Tide.
Next article is more buzz surrounding Marcell Dareus. You can read the article here. I think he has great potential and many of you think the same. Bama really needs some serious pass rushing this year. With improvement at the Jack position and more depth in the D-Line, I think this year will be a huge improvement.
And I will follow the previous article with these SEC D-Line rankings from ESPN. You can check it out here. I don't disagree with Ole Miss at #1, but Florida at #2? It seems like ESPN always ranks Florida #1 or #2. ESPN is drinking the kool aid.
And the video of the day
I found this video on Youtube. It reminded me of how good Tyrod Taylor will be this year. I know that he hasn't seen a Defense like ours, but he is impressive.
The Phillip Sims' show on ESPNU
Monday, August 24, 2009
For those of you, who are looking for some football this weekend with Crimson Tide implications, check out the game between Oscar Smith High of Chesapeake, Virginia and Venice, Florida which can be seen on August 28 at 7pm est on ESPNU. This game is important for two reasons. First of all, Phillip Sims, a four star (Rivals) 2009 Tide commit, is the quarterback for the defending Division 6 state champion Tigers (OSH). Secondly, the opposing quarterback for Venice, Trey Burton, has already committed to the Florida Gators. Thus in the cold war politics of SEC football, this is a proxy game between the University of Alabama and the Florida Gators. Roll Tide.
Another recruiting note, the Crimson Tide added their 21st commitment for the 2010 season when tight end Harrison Jones decided to continue his family's legacy. Jones is a three star recruit from Memphis (TN) Evangelical Christian School, and the younger brother to Barrett Jones. The 18th-ranked tight end nationally, Jones chose Alabama over offers from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Florida State, Stanford and Vanderbilt.
Le'ron McClain is a beast
Alright, I'm just sitting in front of my t.v., watching ole Le'ron get a first down on 4th and one for the Baltimore Ravens, and I realized that we've had some good backs at the Capstone. (Check this 82 yard rush against the Cowboys last year) Did you know that the San Francisco 49ers are 1st in rushing in the NFL right now? Ok, I know that it's premature to quote that stat, but this early statistical lead is due, in a large part, to their acquisition of Glen Coffee in the 3rd Round of the 2008 draft. Some of my 49er friends tell me that Frank Gore, when healthy, will resume his running back spot, but I think Coffee will be a nice late round addition in my Fantasy Football league. It's good to see these guys doing well in the NFL.
Read more...
No Practice Today, but I still have Bama Fever
As our Monday winds down to an end, there is not much to blog about. There is a rumor that Trent Richardson may be involved in some form of "Wildcat" formation. You can read the blog here. What would that be called for Bama? I guess we would call it the "Deuce" Formation in honor of David Palmer who ran it not too long ago at Bama.
Also, I was searching through the endless Bama videos from last year and came across this amazing 1,2 punch during the Florida game. I remember watching this play and thinking that Glen Coffee just power hopped 5 yards into the endzone. Check it out below.
Lastly, if you aren't tired of reading about who will complement Julio this year, you can check out this article on Darius Hanks. You can read it here. I sure hope Hanks steps up. I am afraid he has a lot of competition vying for playing time.
Roll Tide!
Two more Mondays before Kickoff and other links
Happy Monday to Bama Nation. We have two more weeks to drudge through to get to Sept. 5, and I believe that we all are suffering from Bama fever. Luckily, y'all have us here to give you something to read to pass the time away.
First piece of news that I want you to take a look at is this video from ESPN. Mel Kiper is ranking us at #4 ahead of USC. Check it out.
Also, how do you think this year's defense will rank compared to Bama defenses of the past? The Birmingham News tackles that issue. You can read it here. As for me, I hate to speculate against history. The 1992 defense is the best defense that I can remember in my lifetime. I definitely think our defense has potential, but I prefer to rank them after the season.
Next, if you are still looking for some more analysis of this past Saturday's scrimmage, check out this video.
And finally, here is an article from a Baton Rouge paper that is picking Bama to win the SEC West. You can read the article here. I wonder what the reporters are seeing at LSU that has them ranking Bama ahead of the Tigers. I still prefer that we fly under the radar, but it has become progressively difficult to hide our talent.
Roll Tide!
Something smells Fishy
By now, I'm guessing we are all sick of NCAA investigations and probes into our program. And rumors have been swirling around all summer about a fishing trip that Julio Jones and Mark Ingram took with a third party, who is not even affiliated with the University of Alabama. The trip even sounds like an event sponsored by the Make a Wish foundation or a made-for-TV movie for the Lifetime Channel.
So why do we care so much? As Tony Barnhart points out, we care because the University has spent four months investigating the trip. We care because we are currently appealing an NCAA ruling that it must vacate 21 wins because players improperly received textbooks. We care because our beloved University has received three NCAA sanction in a little more than a decade. So anything that hints at a possible violation, we hope that the University gets to the bottom of it quickly so that we can go back to playing football.
And, how can the University of Southern California get away with the whole Reggie Bush fiasco (an investigation that was opened in 2006) and our players can't even fish without a four month probe?
Glen Coffee runs over the Raiders
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Glen Coffee rushed for 129 yards against the Raiders this weekend. Go check out his highlights on the NFL's website here.
RTR
Nick Saban's Press conference after Yesterday's scrimmage
Consistency, complacency, and a sense of urgency are some major concerns for Nick Saban after Saturday's scrimmage. He is pleased with the performance of his first string, but wants more players to perform at a higher level and add depth at their position. Check out the press conference below for more Saban comments.
The Crimson Tide are off on Sunday and Monday and return to the practice field on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 3:30 p.m. The 2009 season opener is only two weeks away as No. 5 Alabama meets No. 7 Virginia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A College Kickoff on Sept. 5 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. ABC Sports will broadcast the game live with kick off set for 7 p.m. (CST).