ALABAMA 34 VIRGINIA TECH 24 !!!!!!!!

Check out these stats from espn.com and have a great time celebrating the win! Roll Tide Roll. We just beat the hell out of the Hokies.

3 More Hours...Roll Tide!!

Ok, nothing much happening on the Web. I've spent all day watching college football and my analysis: Ohio State is overrated (again).Now lets hope Georgia won't screw up and will represent the SEC. Right now, they just coughed it up near the goaline.

Anyways, Roll Tide Roll! I am signing out and will try to relax before the game.

The Friday Recap and some afternoon links

As we approach the 24 hr count down, let's recap stories from this week.

• Saban extended his contract until 2017. Check the post out here.
• Bama released a Depth Chart for the VT game. Click here.
• Brandon Deaderick was shot while preventing a robbery. Click here.
• Bama released its 2010 football schedule (Penn State next year) Click here.

The team was expected to perform a routine walk-through before catching a flight to Atlanta. Let's hope that Saban has them focused and ready to play a good VT team. As for the news, not too much is going on. Many sites are releasing more previews, but no distractions are being reported. Still no word on Jerrell Harris's eligibility. Click here to read about that distraction.

One of the match-ups that most of us will be watching tomorrow is James Carpenter vs All ACC Defensive End Jason Worilds. If Carpenter can hang with Worilds, we can expect a great year from him. Read more about this match-up here.

Are you wondering what the Hokies think about our players? If so, you might want to check out this article here. I can't help but laugh at their comparisons. First, they down play Bama's talent. Second, if Virginia Tech does not have the "advantage", it is an automatic tie in talent. Lame.

Javy Arenas is close to breaking some records this year. Our special teams have really come far from years past. Check out this great comparison of this week's special teams. Read it here.

And al.com has just released a fact sheet for tomorrow's match-up. Click here to download it.

RTR!

Frank Beamer talks Tide and Punch Out

This guy should be booted from the Sport

Did anyone else see this poor showing of sportsmanship last night? Its not Alabama related, but it is NCAA Football related.

 Mr. Blount, your team was horrible last night. At the end of the first half, you were negative on rushing yards and you were tackled for a safety. And to top off your horrible game, you have to start fights with Boise State players and fans? I vote to kick him out of the Sport.

****Update****  He has been suspended for the remainder of the season.

Just Play already

Watching College Football on Thursday was suppose to carry me into the weekend or satisfy my football appetite until the Crimson Tide play tomorrow. Last night's display of "impotent" offenses left me wanting something more, something with more excitement and more importance. I'm ready to watch the Crimson Tide take the field and just play, and apparently, many of the players feel the same way. Alabama has witnessed it's fair share of off-the-field activity and pre-season attention. All of which could turn into huge distractions if permitted. Javier Arenas recently said "We can't think about (preseason rankings) - that's how you get beat, thinking too much into something.If a teacher gives you a one-page paper to write, you don't need to think about all of the details and try to put everything in that one page. Just pick up the pencil and start writing." We all wish it would come sooner than later, because I'm tired of just thinking.

One of the key matchups in the game tomorrow will be between James Carpenter, our starting left tackle, and Virginia Tech's defensive end, Jason Worilds. Carpenter has large shoes to fill, as he takes over the starting position from the Bengal's first round draft pick, Andre Smith. Worilds on the other hand, is trying to play pain free after dislocating his shoulder last year in a game. Read more about this interesting matchup here.

An awesome quote from Coach Saban that should dissipate any of our lingering concerns: "I think they're thinking about the right things. One of the most difficult things is good is a great enemy of being great. When you get good, you get complacent and you get comfortable. In competitive sports, that's not a good place to be. I don't see that in our guys, and I hope I don't see it. Their intensity has been a lot better this week, and we've been pleased with it."

RTR

Just a side note

Just a little side note. Even though the NCAA cleared Ingram and Jones on Wednesday, there seems to be one more player waiting on a response. Sophomore linebacker, Jerrell Harris, waits for a similar answer as he also had contact with Athens resident Curtis Anderson. Let's hope for the best.

Hopefully, everyone is enjoying some an SEC smackdown on the ACC on ESPN right now. If not, watch an interview from Mark Barron, and in honor of his ascension to the first team as the Strong Safety, we have one of his most memorable tackles from last year. Enjoy and roll tide.

The best time of the year

It's Thursday and it's time for the first portion of our College football kickoff meal. Tonight we have a few appetizers with South Carolina taking on North Carolina State at 7:00pm (EST) on ESPN and Oregon versus Boise State at 10:15 pm EST on the same channel. And if you are a die hard fan of College Football, you can try to keep up with the some of the lesser known games on the Internet. So set you TiVo, order the Wings ahead of time, and enjoy a beautiful Thursday night with our College football mistress.

Good news for the Crimson Tide Faithful. The benevolent NCAA has reinstated both Julio Jones and Mark Ingram yesterday, under the condition that they repay the cost of the Gulf Coast fishing trip. An Alabama spokesman has already confirmed that the repayment has been donated to charity.

Also, go check out the SEC power poll released by rivals.com. So many sports pundits are trying to twist the SEC storyline into Florida and the eleven dwarfs, but we know too well that nothing comes easy in the dirty south.

Watch the Nick Saban Press conference below from yesterday. Holy Crimson Tide, the season is so close it's palpable!

RTR

Video of Deaderick at Practice Today

Deaderick practiced in a black non-contact jersey. He also wore a white sleeve over his injured left forearm. See video below.

2010 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Schedule

This was released today. It looks to be another tough schedule. Roll Tide!




Alabama's 2010 Football Schedule

9/4 San Jose State
9/11 Penn State
9/18 at Duke
9/25 at Arkansas
10/2 Florida
10/9 at South Carolina
10/16 Ole Miss
10/23 at Tennessee
11/6 at LSU
11/13 Mississippi State
11/20 Georgia State
11/26 Auburn

Epic FAIL

You will probably need to go to the link to see it better, but it says "Alabama Crimson Tide +350 odds favorites to win the Big 12 Conference Title." 


Check the link out here. 

Some afternoon links

Are you still wondering if Julio Jones and Mark Ingram will be benched for the VT game? Well, Nick Saban is still not budging on a response. Nick Saban fielded questions this morning and he didn't really answer the biggest concern most of us have right now. You can listen here or read an overview here.

So how good is Mark Ingram? Some analysts are predicting that he will be the #1 RB for the 2012 NFL Draft. Check out the rankings here. I don't know if it is a legitimate website, but fun to look at nonetheless.

Ready for another preview of this week's match up? Like I said earlier this week, we will likely see hundreds of these before game day. Read today's preview here.

Roll Tide!

Back to Football

Since Brandon Deaderick showed up for practice after being shot in the arm, we can assume that he is trying put the off-field distraction behind him and prepare for this Saturday. We will follow his lead and jump into the trenches. Now, we don't expect Deaderick to play this weekend, but if he did, you could probably expect a Daniel Moore painting about it.

Jeez, this has been some crazy couple of months for Alabama Football fans to endure, but let's get on to preparing for Virginia Tech.

We might see a bit more of Terry Grant this season, since he was listed as the co- number 2 running back behind Mark Ingram. It's not his spot in the "depth chart" that has analysts speculating on his playing time, but comments by Coach Saban. "He's got speed and is a space player," Saban said. "Hopefully, we can get him the ball in ways that he can make plays and give us another weapon on our offense."

Another note: Alabama will be wearing its white, away jerseys this weekend and Virginia Tech will be wearing their maroon, home jerseys. Dress accordingly.

Also, check out some scenes from yesterday's practice below. From what I can tell, there seems to be a good energy floating around practice.

Deaderick released from the Hospital

Brandon Deaderick was released from DCH regional medical center around 4:00pm (CST) this afternoon. Police still need help to find the assailant who shot Deaderick in a Rice Mine Road apartment complex late Monday night. In addition, the police issued a statement saying that they have no reason not to believe the story told to them by the starting defensive end for the Crimson Tide, because of rumors that the story could be fabricated by Deaderick himself. Also this article states that Deaderick was shot in both his arm and his hip, adding to the possibility that he suffered two gunshot wounds. We hope that he has a speedy and healthy recovery from his injuries.

After unveiling his "depth chart" this past Monday, Coach Saban confirmed what was already suspected about the state of our running backs: We're loaded! Each of our top four backs offer something different to the team. Ingram is physical; Upchurch is explosive; Grant is speed; and Richardson is the up-and-comer. So the order has been set, and we will get to see their performance this Saturday. Hopefully they can all find a way into the end zone.

Former Tide player, Andre Smith suffered a small fracture in his foot today during a non-contact drill for the Cincinnati Bengals. The injury will not require surgery but Smith could be held out of practice and games for thirty days. He was in the process of winning the starting left tackle position after he missed 30 days of practice due to contract negotiations.

Lunchtime Links

We all wish Brandon Deaderick the best. It sounds like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now time for some links from around the web:

With the ink still wet from Saban's contract extension, the AJC tells us why Nick Saban has been a bargain. Check the blog post out here. I couldn't agree more. He has energized the program and appears to be building a sound foundation for his program. We bought him at a down time in the market. Look at what Urban Meyer and other coaches are getting today (Ok, a little sarcasm. I could be very happy with a fraction of Nick Saban's yearly salary).

Do you think Bama is distracted heading into the kickoff this Saturday? Heather Dinch, ESPN blogger thinks so. You can read her post here. Obviously there have been some unfortunate events like the flu, a fishing trip, and a gunshot. But I have to say that it has been mild compared to previous seasons, right? Remember Jimmy Johns and his problems? Remember Rolando's motorcycle accident?

Ready for some Previews? As the Virginia Tech game approaches, we will see many previews of the game. Click here for an extensive comparison of Alabama vs Virginia Tech match up.

And a video of the day:

An Alabama football player suffers a gunshot wound last night

In an apparent robbery at the Rivermont Apartments, a complex near campus, Brandon Deaderick was shot in the arm. He was being treated, late last night, at a Tuscaloosa Hospital and the injury seems non-life threatening. Not all the information is known at this point with some reports stating that he was shot twice. We do know that the injuries were non-life threatening and that he was in good condition this morning. Deaderick is a junior defensive end from Elizabethtown, Ky, who recorded 36 tackles in 2008 and had four sacks and seven quarterback hurries. He was No. 1 on at his position based on the depth chart released by coach Nick Saban yesterday.

Nick Saban Press Conference

Before you watch Coach Saban's interview, you might want to check out Kirk Herbstreit's preseason watch list for his Ninth annual "Herbie" awards. He picks the top coaches, playmakers, fresh faces, and a myriad of other unique categories. Many Crimson tide players make his list and even some assistant coaches. Read more here.

Media Session Interviews 8/31

Alabama player interviews to start Virginia Tech week

Bama releases Depth Chart

Finally, we get a confirmation of who is expected to line up against the Hokies. Click here. (Also confirmed on BOL). Or see below. Two Notes: Trent Richardson is not listed as the #3 back and Mark Barron is listed as the starter.

Ones and Twos

OFFENSE
LT: James Carpenter, Alfred McCullough
LG: Mike Johnson, Brian Motley
C: William Vlachos, David Ross
RG: Barrett Jones, John Michael Boswell
RT: Drew Davis, Tyler Love
TE: Colin Peek, Michael Williams
HB: Brad Smelley, Preston Dial
WR: Julio Jones, Mike McCoy
WR: Marquis Maze, Darius Hanks or Earl Alexander
RB: Mark Ingram, Terry Grant or Roy Upchurch
QB: Greg McElroy, Star Jackson or Thomas Darrah

DEFENSE
DE: Brandon Deaderick, Luther Davis
NG: Terrence Cody, Josh Chapman
DE: Lorenzo Washington, Marcell Dareus
JACK LB: Eryk Anders, Courtney Upshaw
WLB: Dont'a Hightower, Jerrell Harris
MLB: Rolando McClain, Chris Jordan
SLB: Cory Reamer, Alex Watkins
CB: Javier Arenas, Marquis Johnson
SS: Mark Barron, Ali Sharrief
FS: Justin Woodall, Robby Green
CB: Kareem Jackson, Chris Rogers

Special Teams

PK: Leigh Tiffin
Punter: P.J. Fitzgerald
PR: Javier Arenas, Julio Jones, Marquis Maze, Kareem Jackson
KO: Javier Arenas, Mike McCoy, Terry Grant, Trent Richardson
SN: Brian Selman

Last Monday of the season without College Football

The New York Times is doing their countdown on the top 120 teams in College Football. Alabama has a secure number 5 spot and the analyst even admits to being wrong about last year's assessment. Read the article to see the author blast the CBS commentators for being pro-Florida during the SEC Championship.

The Associate Press has posted a nice comparison between the current Alabama defense and the "gold standard" '92 defense that smothered the Miami Hurricanes to win our last National Championship. With all of those drinking from the Crimson Kool-aid jug, there are those that constantly abstain. Coach Saban has always reminded the team to forget hype and just perform. With a Coach so closely tied to reality, the defense will hopefully remain focused and driven to succeed.

Even though, big Terrence Cody returned to practice on Saturday after recovering from the flu, three more players are fighting the virus. Marquis Maze, Darrington Sentimore, and Alfred McCullough missed practice on Saturday but hopefully will return today after having a few days of rest.

Saban extends his contract for three more years

As Saban enters his third year as the Crimson Tide's Head Coach, he inks an extension for three more years. Every Alabama fan can agree that Coach Saban has positively influenced our program and we are happy that he is showing a long term commitment to our success (Saban has a 19-8 record in two years).

Also, Check out Nick Saban (we have him until 2017 now) during his press conference yesterday. RTR