BAMA REPORT

Latest Bama Report up for viewing NOW

2009-10-28T12:41:00.001-07:00

We recap the Bama-Tennessee game and look ahead to Bama-LSU.

This week's Bama Report up for viewing

2009-09-18T12:53:00.001-07:00

click on the Blog TV box on the right...

SEGREGATION IN ALABAMA!

2009-09-14T09:00:00.001-07:00

Our picks for this weekend

2009-09-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Florida International at Alabama
Mississippi State at Auburn
Troy at Florida
UCLA at Tennessee
South Carolina at Georgia
Vanderbilt at LSU
Clemson at Ga. Tech (Thursday)
Colorado at Toledo (Friday)
North Carolina at Connecticut
Iowa at Iowa State
TCU at Virginia
Notre Dame at Michigan
Air Force at Minnesota
Kansas at UTEP
USC at Ohio State
Fresno State at Wisconsin
East Carolina at West Virginia
Houston at Oklahoma State
Texas at Wyoming
Hawaii vs. Washington State at Seattle
Memphis at Middle Tennessee State

Doug's picks:

ALA
AUB
FLA
UT
SC
LSU
GA TECH
Colorado
NC
IOWA
TCU
ND
MINN
KAN
USC
WIS
W.VA
OSU
TEX
Washington St
MTSU

Erik's picks:

ALABAMA
AUBURN
FLORIDA
UCLA *
GEORGIA*
LSU
CLEMSON*
TOLEDO *
NORTH CAROLINA
IOWA
TCU
NOTRE DAME
MINNESOTA
KANSAS
USC
WISCONSIN
WEST VIRGINIA
OKLAHOMA STATE
TEXAS
HAWAII
MEMPHIS*

* denotes picks we differ

Doug Live Friday morning on 92.7 the Thunder

2009-09-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

You can listen live as I join Jim Jacobs on 92.7 The Thunder Talledega, AL Friday morning at 8:30am ET/7:30am Alabama time. You can isten live at:
http://www.wtdrthunder.com/

Live Show Friday Sept 11, 2009 at 3pm ET

2009-09-09T14:11:00.001-07:00

You can listen/watch live by clicking on the Blog TV box at the left of the screen. Any other time, click on the box and watch the recorded shows.

SEC TV games this weekend:

September 12th (Saturday)
Troy at Florida - SEC Network - 12:21p.m. ET
UCLA at Tennessee - ESPN - 4:00 p.m. ET
South Carolina at Georgia - ESPN2 - 7:00 p.m. ET
Vanderbilt at LSU - ESPNU - 7:00 p.m. ET
Mississippi State at Auburn - FSN - 7:00 p.m. ET
Florida International at Alabama - PPV - 7:00 p.m. ET* PPV in the state of Alabama. On ESPN Gameplan and ESPN360.com outside the state

Thursday night on ESPN: Clemson-Georgia Tech

XM Radio channels for this games this weekend:

9/10/2009
Clemson @ Georgia Tech (home feed)
7:45PMET
XM 190

Clemson @ Georgia Tech (national feed)
7:45PMET
XM 191

9/11/2009

Colorado @ Toledo
9:00PMET
XM 102

9/12/2009

Kansas State @ Lafayette

7:00PMET
XM 102

Pittsburgh @ Buffalo

12:00PMET
XM 102

Brigham Young @ Tulane

3:30PMET
XM 102

Iowa @ Iowa State

12:00PMET
XM 103

UCLA @ Tennessee (away feed)
4:00PMET
XM 103

USC @ Ohio State (home feed)
8:00PMET
XM 103

Idaho State @ Oklahoma
N/A
1:00PMET
XM 104

USC @ Ohio State (away feed)
N/A
8:00PMET
XM 104

East Carolina @ West Virginia
N/A
3:30PMET
XM 105

Rice University @ Texas Tech
N/A
7:00PMET
XM 141

Notre Dame @ Michigan
N/A
3:30PMET
XM 144

Syracuse @ Penn State
N/A
12:00PMET
XM 144

Jacksonville State @ Florida State
N/A
6:00PMET
XM 190

Stanford @ Wake Forest
N/A
12:00PMET
XM 190

James Madison @ Maryland
N/A
6:00PMET
XM 191

Marshall @ Virginia Tech
N/A
1:30PMET
XM 191

Murray State @ N.C. State
N/A
6:00PMET
XM 192

Kent State @ Boston College
N/A
2:00PMET
XM 192

North Carolina @ Connecticut
N/A
12:00PMET
XM 193

Northern Arizona @ Arizona
N/A
9:00PMET
XM 193

Texas Christian University @ Virginia
N/A
3:30PMET
XM 193

Duke @ Army
N/A
12:00PMET
XM 194

Eastern Washington @ California
N/A
5:35PMET
XM 194

Purdue @ Oregon
N/A
10:15PMET
XM 194

Stanford @ Wake Forest
N/A
12:00PMET
XM 195

Idaho @ Washington
N/A
3:30PMET
XM 195

Hawaii @ Washington State
N/A
7:00PMET
XM 195

Central Michigan @ Michigan State
N/A
12:00PMET
XM 196

South Carolina @ Georgia
N/A
7:00PMET
XM 197

Vanderbilt @ LSU
N/A
7:00PMET
XM 198

Florida International @ Alabama
N/A
7:00PMET
XM 199

Troy @ Florida
N/A
12:20PMET
XM 199

UCLA @ Tennessee (home feed)
N/A
4:00PMET
XM 200

Mississippi State @ Auburn
N/A
7:00PMET
XM 201

Texas @ Wyoming
N/A
3:30PMET
XM 231

Howard @ Rutgers
N/A
3:30PMET
XM 243
Game times and broadcast schedule are subject to change.

SEC TV schedule this weekend September 5, 2009

2009-09-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

Thur. Sept. 3

South Carolina at NC State ESPN 7:00 ET

Sat. Sept. 5

Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio) ESPNU
12:00 ETWestern Kentucky at Tennessee ERT/SEC Network 12:21 ET*
Jackson State at Miss. State ESPNU 3:30 ET
Georgia at Oklahoma State ABC 3:30 ET
La. Tech at Auburn ESPNU 7:00 ET
Charleston Southern at Florida FSN 7:00 ET
Missouri State at Arkansas Inst. PPV 7:00 ET
Western Carolina at Vanderbilt CSS 7:30 ET
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech ABC 8:00 ET
LSU at Washington ESPN 10:30 ET

Channels for XM Radio for SEC games this weekend:

9/3/2009
South Carolina @ N.C. State (away feed)

7:00PMET
XM 199

9/5/2009
Kentucky @ Miami (Ohio)

12:00PMET
XM 199

Western Kentucky @ Tennessee

12:15PMET
XM 200

Jackson State @ Mississippi State

3:30PMET
XM 200

Georgia @ Oklahoma State (home feed)

3:30PMET
XM 201

Missouri State @ Arkansas

7:00PMET
XM 197

Charleston Southern @ Florida

7:00PMET
XM 199

Louisiana Tech @ Auburn

7:00PMET
XM 200

Western Carolina @ Vanderbilt

7:30PMET
XM 198
Alabama @ Virginia Tech (away feed)

8:00PMET
XM 201

LSU @ Washington (away feed)

10:30PMET
XM 200

9/6/2009
Mississippi @ Memphis

3:30PMET
XM 199

Game times and broadcast schedule are subject to change.

ESPN Gameplan schedule for this weekend

2009-09-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

(times eastern)
09/05/2009
12:00 PM
Map
Liberty @ West Virginia
09/05/2009
12:00 PM
Map
Western Kentucky @ Tennessee
09/05/2009
3:30 PM
Map
Georgia @ Oklahoma State
09/05/2009
3:30 PM
Map
Baylor @ Wake Forest
09/05/2009
7:00 PM
Map
Charleston Southern @ Florida
09/05/2009
7:00 PM
Map
Missouri State @ Arkansas
09/05/2009
7:30 PM
Map
Western Carolina @ Vanderbilt
09/05/2009
7:30 PM
Map
Indiana State @ Louisville
09/05/2009
8:00 PM
Map
Idaho @ New Mexico State
* All times displayed are Eastern.

Bama releases 2010 Schedule

2009-09-02T13:23:00.001-07:00

The complete schedule:
9/4 SAN JOSE STATE9/11 PENN STATE9/18 at Duke9/25 at Arkansas10/2 FLORIDA10/9 at South Carolina10/16 OLE MISS10/23 at Tennessee11/6 at LSU11/13 MISSISSIPPI STATE11/20 GEORGIA STATE11/26 AUBURN

First Bama Report Radio Show for 2009 this week

2009-09-01T07:43:00.001-07:00

We'll be posting the show Thursday September 3, 2009....This is our third season of our weekly show spotlighting U of Alabama football. We are not affiliated with the University in any way. Unlike last season, we will be web exclusive this season. 3 days til kickoff of Alabama v. Virginia Tech! Roll Tide!

Other notes..
Alabama v. Virginia Tech is on XM 201 at 8pm ET/7pm CT Saturday as well as over the air on the CSTN....

SEC schedule first three weeks announced

2009-07-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

Bama's first three game times are set:

VPI 8pm ET
Florida Int 7pm ET
North Texas 12:21ET

CBS has listed the Sept 26 game with Arkansas as a 3:30p ET start

SEC announces initial TV scheduleFrom staff reports
Published: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 12:32 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 12:32 p.m.
The SEC announced it's television schedule for the first three weeks of the 2009-10 season.AC = -->
Thur. Sept. 3
South Carolina at NC State ESPN 7:00 ET
Sat. Sept. 5
Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio) ESPNU 12:00 ET
Western Kentucky at Tennessee ERT/SEC Network 12:21 ET*
Jackson State at Miss. State ESPNU 3:30 ET
Georgia at Oklahoma State ABC 3:30 ET
La. Tech at Auburn ESPNU 7:00 ET
Charleston Southern at Florida FSN 7:00 ET
Missouri State at Arkansas Inst. PPV 7:00 ET
Western Carolina at Vanderbilt CSS 7:30 ET
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech ABC 8:00 ET
LSU at Washington ESPN 10:30 ET
Sun. Sept. 6
Ole Miss at Memphis ESPN 3:30 ET
Sat. Sept. 12
Troy at Florida ERT/SEC Network 12:21 ET*
UCLA at Tennessee ESPN 4:00 ET
South Carolina at Georgia ESPN2 7:00 ET
Vanderbilt at LSU ESPNU 7:00 ET
Miss. State at Auburn FSN 7:00 ET
Florida International at Alabama Inst. PPV 7:00 ET
Sat. Sept. 19
Louisville at Kentucky ESPNU 12:00 ET
North Texas at Alabama ERT/SEC Network 12:21 ET*
Tennessee at Florida CBS 3:30 ET
La. Lafayette at LSU ESPNU 7:00 ET
Miss. State at Vanderbilt FSN 7:00 ET
Southeastern Louisiana at Ole Miss CSS 7:30 ET
Georgia at Arkansas ESPN or ESPN2 7:45 ET
West Virginia at Auburn ESPN or ESPN2 7:45 ET
Florida Atlantic at South Carolina Inst. PPV 7:00 ET

Alabama-Notre Dame in Atlanta?

2009-07-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Tony Barnhart mentioned this in his AJC.com blog today that Notre Dame is considering playing in the Georgia Dome against either Alabama or Georgia Tech. While a lot of Bama fans really would like to see a home-and-home series with the Irish, this would, at least, get the two teams back together on the field.

Saban back on Sports Illustrated

2009-07-18T11:14:00.002-07:00

Don't you know the Aubie's hate this?

2008 Alabama-UGA on ESPN U this week

2009-07-18T11:14:00.001-07:00

12mid-3am ET on July 21. Set your DVR. Best first half I have ever seen Bama play.

Teams/places we would like to see Bama play

2009-07-09T07:41:00.001-07:00

(by Erik Stone)

Erik's list of opponents for Alabama to play in non-conference action...

USC (a reprisal of the great games between the two teams in the early 70's)

Nebraska (another 70's re-match but with Saban and Pellini building the programs up again it would be a great matchup)

Michigan (with the Big House over 100,000 and Bryant-Denny on its way to that number it would be fun to see how many visiting fans can get into each stadium)

Michigan State (not a must-see matchup but it would be fun to see Saban go up against the team he led for five years) Alabama is slated to play home and home with Michigan State in a few years.

Texas (a battle of two mega-programs both with huge stadiums and fan followings)

Ohio State (Alabama has played Ohio State in the past in the Citrus Bowl(1994 season) and Sugar Bowl (1977 season) but to see these two hash it out on campus would be worth the price of admission)

Miami (Fla.) (The Hurricanes are trying to re-emerge and the Tide is already back on the map....each won a National title against the other in a four-year period at the Sugar Bowl....a game like this would help Alabama's recruiting in talent-rich South Florida)Though I've stated my preference for home and home on-campus games.... Alabama and Miami used to play often in the 70s but that was before Miami's national title runs in the 80s.

a game against Texas would fit well in the new Cowboys Stadium in the Dallas area and that actually is a possiblity with Texas wanting to play an SEC team there in the next few years....

Alabama-Michigan at Ford Field in Detroit and at the Georgia Dome would be a good series if the two can't agree on the home sites. USC would have to be home and home and each school has the stadium to fit it....

on USC's side, the Rose Bowl is not an option since arch-rival UCLA plays its home games there. The Nebraska neutral site series could be Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium and the Georgia Dome.

Doug: I would add Notre Dame to the list. Whether Alabama plays ND in a neutral site or home and home, this should be a game played often.

2009-06-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

An interesting take on the SEC season here:
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875918.html

According to the Birmingham News, a compilation of the pre-season magazines has Bama at #8 Nationally and a very close #2 to Ole Miss in the SEC West. Those mags also have Ole Miss and Va Tech at #5 Nationally. Ole Miss' lack of defense, I believe, will be the major problem for them this year. Their best players are on offense in a league where defense dominates.

For Weekend Viewing

2009-06-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Alabama at Missouri 1978. Bama jumped out front and then Mizzou took the lead and then the Tide pulled away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIyyZZieQGk

1977 Alabama at Southern Cal. USC was ranked #1 and Alabama hung on for a thrilling 21-20 win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKfgJppdx-Q&feature=related

Bear v. Woody Hayes in the Sugar Bowl at the end of the 1977 season (Jan 1978 Sugar Bowl). Bama won the game and should have been crowned No. 1 when Texas and Oklahoma ranked ahead lost but Notre Dame ranked fifth had beaten Texas in the Cotton Bowl and jumped Bama to No. 1 in the closest AP and UPI voting of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6ewUJXS-0&feature=related

Alabama v. Virginia Tech September 5 in Atlanta

2009-06-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

By Erik Stone

10 Weeks....that's all that's left between now and the much-anticipated beginning of the 2009 College Football season.

On the evening of September 5 about 73,000 fans will gather at the Georgia Dome for the season-opening tilt between Alabama and Virginia Tech, two teams that many across the nation will watch very closely. Alabama will begin the 2009 season in the same building where it began the 2008 season, but the expectations will be much different. Sure there were a lot of people that felt the Crimson Tide would be improved after limping home to a 7-6 finish in 2007 and barely getting by Colorado in the Independence Bowl, but the consensus among many was that Clemson, their opponent was a much better time and a favorite in the ACC under Tommy Bowden and would have little trouble with Bama. We all know what happened....Alabama blasted the Tigers 34-10 and went on to begin the season 12-0 and return to the Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship game which they lost to eventual National Champion Florida. As for Clemson, the Tigers had a hangover for several weeks after that game and it eventually led to Bowden's resignation. Bowden was replaced by Bama alum Dabo Swinney, who did a nice job in getting the team to rebound for a berth in the Gator Bowl which they lost to Nebraska. Certainly not the destination that Clemson fans had in mind, but it seems the Tigers are now headed in the right direction.

This year, Alabama coming off an appearance in the Sugar Bowl and bringing in another top-notch recruiting class under coach Nick Saban will be mentioned as a National Championship contender even though they'll have to replace the graduated John Parker Wilson at Quarterback. They still have many weapons returning including Julio Jones on offense and Terrence "Mount" Cody on defense. The Tide knew they could have very well been in Miami last year playing Oklahoma for the National Championship had Tim Tebow not willed the Gators to victory in the fourth quarter. Florida has Tebow and many starters back from the National Championship team but they showed they can be beaten, especially in their last two games, so Alabama coming back to the Georgia Dome on December 5 for the SEC Championship Game is a pretty good bet, especially if they can weather challenges from their top two SEC West pursuers, Ole Miss and LSU. Meanwhile, what do we make of Virginia Tech? The Hokies have been a very consistent program under longtime coach Frank Beamer who will one day be in the College Football Hall of Fame. They've been to a bowl game every year since 1993 and have played in the last two Orange Bowls, winning last season over Cincinnati. Some will say that Virginia Tech is overrated and plays in the weak ACC and that was spelled out two years ago when they came back to beat Matt Ryan and Boston College in the ACC Championship Game after losing at home to the Eagles in the regular season. Then, they were flat in the Orange Bowl against an opportunistic Kansas team that was having a season for the ages, but still a team the Hokies should have handled.

Looking at this game right now, a lot of people will say Alabama will win in a blowout, which could happen, but I think Frank Beamer will have Virginia Tech ready for this game and will prepare his players as best he can. He knows what's at stake here because a game like this can be the launching point for bigger things to happen later in the season. We may well see the road to Pasadena have its beginning point in Atlanta this year and come back through "the ATL" before the season is said and done.

Auburn having trouble selling their tickets

2009-06-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

Not a real surprise with the state of the Auburn program and the economy but it offers an opportunity for Alabama fans who would like to see the Alabama-Auburn game in person. If, you purchase the Auburn season ticket package the Alabama game is included. You can likely sell the rest on stubhub. The cost is $395 per season ticket and here is the link:
http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=FB&linkID=auburn&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=

Alabama is offering a contract extention to Nick Saban. It has the "Aubies" upset today saying that college is supposed to be about education. As most people know, football coaches salaries are Not paid through tax-payers dollars. The main recruiting tool against Saban is he will leave the school after only a few years. So, any extension makes perfect sense and especially if a buy out can be included in it.
http://blog.al.com/kevin-scarbinsky/2009/06/scarbinsky_raise_your_hand_if.html

Latest Fall Football on TV listings

2009-06-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

We might as well be ready for some interesting SEC football start times this year because of the new CBS and ESPN contract. SEC officials have said essentially every game will be televised with each team allowed one PPV. That means a lot of early starts and night games for the ESPN family of networks. Here is the updated list so far:

http://cfn.scout.com/2/557860.html

More SEC game times named by ESPN
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sec/0-7-79/More-television-times-set-for-SEC-games.html

Bert Bank

2009-06-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Alabama broadcaster Bert Bank died this week and a lot of people who knew him are telling of their friendship. I didn't know Bert Bank but I can certainly thank him in his role that helped me follow the Tide in the 70s. After moving from Alabama to Tennessee, it was even more important to hear the Tide on the radio each Saturday. Hard for many of the younger people to believe, there was only one or may be two games a week on television and the NCAA had limits of 5 appearances in two years on teams. So, radio was the main vehicle to follow the Tide. Alot this week has been made of Bert Bank's creation of the Alabama football Network in the 50s but it was his creation of what was called the "pic-o-dixie" network that affected me most. Before a Nashville station picked up all the Bama games in 1977, it was the "pic-o-dixie" network that carried a game to stations throughout the Southeast each Saturday. Usually, the station that carried, say, Tennessee, would cary the POD network game if it didn't conflict. So, many Saturday's in the fall(since Bama was usually the spotlighted game) as many as 200 stations in the region would carry the Alabama game. It was truly easy to find what Bear's Boys were doing on a Saturday in the South. It didn't hurt coverage back then that Alabama played top opponents in addition to SEC teams. I think of the 1978 season when Alabama played Nebraska, USC, Missouri and Washington in addition to the SEC games. That year the Missour(#10) and Washington (#19) games were on the radio only in addition to the SEC games that year.
Thanks to Bert Bank following the Tide was a lot easier for a misplaced Tide fan in the 70s!

Chad Scott

2009-06-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

I was going to do all I could NOT to comment on the ridiculous statements made by so-called sports talk show host Chad Scott. However, Paul Finebaum's article recounting Scott's rantings led me to write a little.
http://blog.al.com/press-register-sports/2009/06/alabama_fans_are_stupid_they_h.html

Here is Chad's web site:
http://www.chaddscott.com/pictures/

He touts himself the sports guy "that sports fans love to hate." Don't know what you say about a guy who likes to be hated. Could that be a reason that in almost every picture on his page, he is by himself?

For a guy who says he lived in Alabama for 10 years(and went to Auburn) sure doesn't understand any thing about Alabamians. In fact, rather than the majority having low self esteem, the reality is 180 degrees the opposite. Most people in Alabama are very happy with the quality of life and have a "don't tread on me attitude" rather than the attitude expressed by Scott. Apparently, he thinks people in Alabama care about what the New York based national media has to say about a state 90% have never seen. That may be the most laughable comment made by Scott who apparently got indoctrinated during his time at ESPN radio under the infamous Colin "Alabama will never get a good coach" Cowherd. All you need to know is that Scott was the producer(i.e. coffee and donut getter) for Cowherd.

My almost 30 years in the broadcast industry have shown me one thing that keeps being reinforced. The sports media is the most childish of all. Scott has the idea that most Americans care what the media, and especially sports media, have to say about them. Even the highest rated radio show out there 90% are listening to something else.

The most ridiculous comment made by Scott on the Finebaum show the other day was that he had been denied jobs in Alabama because of Nick Saban. As if, Saban is consistently working on who gets hired in the various sports jobs in the state. As well as that statement being incredibly arrogant (that Saban is listening to comments Chad Scott is making about him), it is silly. If Scott didn't get hired from stations in Alabama, and he didn't give specifics, it is more than likely based on talent (or lack thereof) or could be that a station isn't real interested in hiring a negative sounding host. Since 99% of the sports listeners are Alabama or Auburn fans in the state, why put someone on that is going to constantly pound one side or the other?

One other note, I'm always amused by those based in the northeast looking down on any one else and especially those living in NYC. These are people who live in closets that they call a home, ride dirty subways to work and back, face crowds where ever they go, and they think we have it bad? LOL

NOW PLAYING

2009-06-22T13:27:00.001-07:00

Alabama's come-from-behind win in the 1979 Iron Bowl when the game was actually played in Birmingham. Legendary radio announcer John Forney made the call in one of the most nail biting games in the series as Alabama kept the win streak alive against Auburn 25-18.
listen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGQoRkYlhsI

Or watch the Alabama-Tennessee game from 1991 at Birmingham...The Tide kept the streak going against UT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6lo6FtRTWs

2009 and 2010 Bama and other SEC teams

2009-06-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

The 2009 SEC composite football schedule
http://www.secsports.com/doc_lib/fbc_2009_schedule.pdf

Week by Week SEC schedule for 2009
http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=6780

A look ahead to 2010. Bama just announced San Jose State to open the season and Georgia State for the weekend before the Auburn game. Alabama will also play AT South Carolina during the 2010 season as well. San Jose will be Sept 4, Miss State at home will be Nov 13 and Georgia State on Nov. 20. The game at South Carolina will likely be Oct 9. The game AT Arkansas will be Sept 25.
http://www.secfootball.itgo.com/2010schedule.html

The NCAA is like the IRS

2009-06-13T06:59:00.001-07:00

My on-going policy is that I wouldn't turn in my worst enemy to the IRS because sooner or later they start coming for you. Same thing, I believe, with the NCAA and the infractions committee. SEC teams that continue to turn in each other to the NCAA are only making the NCAA more interested in the competition going on in the Southeastern Conference. We saw what cheating accusations/penalities did to the Southwest Conference. Oops, you never heard of them? Well, they were in the league of the SEC, PAC 10, Big 8 and Big 10 back then. It got so bad that half the teams were on probation and they disolved the league and joined the Big 8 to start over. While I don't expect the same fate to fall the SEC, I see it severly hurting the prominence the SEC has in college football at a time when it is at the top without question. The latest CBS/ESPN TV deal is the seal of approval that the best football is played down south. However, the continued probation, penalties, and cheating allegations will tarnish the national image of the conference and the programs. These issues, if true, should be handled at the league office and not make its way to the NCAA. Even the most rabid Auburn fan shouldn't want to turn in Alabama because then the NCAA starts looking at exactly what Auburn is doing too.

As for the recent penalty handled down by the NCAA in the textbook case, my opinion is that it was too harsh. Alabama should appeal to return the so-called "vacated wins" and a reduction in the probation from three years to two. Alabama should do better monitoring athletes but there should be a major benefit in turning yourself in and cleaning up your own mess.

NOW PLAYING TODAY at the Bryant Museum live stream:

Alabama v. Georgia 1985 seasoner opener in Athens. Bama wins on last minute Shula to Bell pass.

LIVESTREAM-BRYANT MUSEUM

2009-06-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.livestream.com/Bryantmuseum

Today, you can watch "The Block" of the 1989 Alabama-Penn State game in Happy Valley!

Other Bama news today include a column by Paul Finebaum regarding recruiting and cheater mongering by former Auburn football coach Tommy Tubberville.

http://blog.al.com/press-register-sports/2009/06/finebaum_as_sec_coaches_aim_fo.html

The Bear performance by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival is a hit again this year.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college-football/story/769963.html

Livestream - Paul W. Bryant Museum

2009-06-08T14:31:00.001-07:00

Livestream - Paul W. Bryant Museum

Watch Alabama v. Penn State in the Jan 1, 1979 Sugar Bowl and other great games from the Bryant Museum.

Shared via AddThis

Signing Day is upon us!!

2009-02-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning part 2 is coming up on Wednesday. Most people would say: "Huh? What are you talking about??" College Football fans know what it means....Signing Day. While many High School Football players across the south and the nation have already made their verbal commitments either at special press conferences or by putting on the hat of their school of choice at the U.S. Army All-American Game, Signing Day is the day that the letters of intent are signed by the players and faxed to coaches offices. It's the first major event in College Football between the bowl games and Spring Football.

This should be an interesting year to say the least....in the SEC....many will be watching to see who the next Julio Jones will be to sign with Nick Saban at Alabama as he continues to build the program back up into a perennial national power. Meanwhile, down in Gainesville, with much of his National Championship roster intact, how will Urban Meyer prepare for the post-Tim Tebow era?? Who are among the next group of Gators that will be part of the quest to bring more Crystal Footballs into The Swamp?? How much did the first-year success of Houston Nutt in Oxford bolster the fortunes of Ole Miss and what will Mark Richt do to replace Matthew Stafford and Noshawn Moreno at Georgia?? How will the newest SEC Coaches fare?? Lane Kiffin at Tennessee?? Gene Chizik at Auburn?? How much of a factor will Dan Mullen be in his new digs at Mississippi State??

The thing to remember is that even though these recruits are signing this Wednesday, the true results of how everyone did won't really be borne out until 2011....some of them will redshirt and others will have scant playing time, but you can bet that fans will be watching and the "experts" will be dissecting them one by one. When I told an Alabama fan that former Auburn Coach Tommy Tubberville was going to be part of the coverage for ESPN U, he quipped that he'll be talking about all the players he couldn't get to come to the Plains. You can also bet there will be a lot of trash talking across the south and the country once signing day wraps up.

Let the fun begin!!

NCAA says Bama has 17

2008-08-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote an email to Jay Barker and he read it on the air this morning about the number of Alabama's national championships. Until the NCAA has a playoff, we will always have this "controversy" about the number each school wins. However, the University claims 12 national championships and some have come in question from critics over the years. Especially the 1941 title where Alabama went 9-2 and lost to Vanderbilt and Miss. State. I wasn't around and can't comment on the validity of it but I always point to the OFFICIAL NCAA record book which keeps these national championship claims. What I found several years ago is that the NCAA credits Alabama with a total of 17, not 12. You can dispute whether they are valid or not but I think it is interesting that the University didn't inflate the number to 17 which is recognized by the NCAA. In that same tally, Notre Dame is listed by the NCAA as having the most with 19. The groups who named national champions in the earlier days were the prelude to the AP and UPI(now ESPN/USA Today) football polls.