Monday Morning Required Reading is Breaking Out the Straw Hat

by kleph on Aug 2, 2010 7:00 AM CDT in News

Oh yes, my Crimson Tide brethren. We are just days away from the start of Fall practice where we can finally put aside the navel-gazing and nostalgia and begin following our team's 2010 campaign in earnest. Of course these things will still occur over the next month as we await the kick off of the season opener against San Jose State but they'll be the sideshow. The main event is preparing to start and we're more than ready.

So here's the roundup of the news from over the past few days. There are prognostications, player features and all kinds of frothy goodness ready for your perusal. The DePriest signing and the Daniel Moore lawsuit also got a bit of attention as well. So get a cup of coffee and get reading.

High Expectations for Alabama in 2010

Coy Saban, Crimson Tide primed for repeat
David Brandt l Clarion Ledger

History won’t doom Bama in bid to repeat
Mark Edwards l Decatur Daily

Another winning season ahead for Tide
Josh Moon l Montgomery Advertiser

The Opposition Prepares for The Tide

So Why Can’t Penn State Beat Alabama?
Victory Bell Rings (blog) [Part I, Part II]

Phil Steele Examines Arkansas' Defense
Arkansas Expats (SB Nation blog)

Let the Anticipation Begin (Duke)
Al Featherston l GoDuke.com

With Cutcliffe staying, Alabama coming, Duke football ticket sales surge
Chris Baysden l Triangle Business Journal

2010 Crimson Tide Player Profiles

Ingram's historical run set to continue
Christopher Walsh l BamaOnLine

Ingram focused on improving, not on repeating as Heisman
Michael Casagrande l Ledger-Enquirer.com

Hightower ‘hungry as ever’
Justin Graves l The Cullman Times

Errata

Kent Waldrep Remembers George Steinbrenner
Kevin Sherrington l The Dallas Morning News

Former Birmingham News Bama writer now BP flack
Adam Kerlin | American Journalism Review

Miss State Coach, family walk away from collision with deer
Joe Biddle l The Tennessean

Turn Your Head and Cough: HS Players flock to mass physicals
Bryan App l The Times Daily

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Comments

So why can'tPenn State beat Alabama?

Only one I’ve had a chance to read so far.
It bothers me that everyone seems to forget about Richardson.I love and respect Ingram but I think Trent should get , at least, some love.We have a two headed monster in the backfield and after this season I think the world will know it.
As far as the long ball being their weakness , I hope GMAC can improve his touch with the long ball. I’m sure we’ll give it a try in that game. GMAC has a lot more confidence now after last year so that game should give us a good idea of his progress.

"Defense"

by rmathis on Aug 2, 2010 8:48 AM CDT reply actions

Did you really read that Penn State article? It’s hilarious! I’d suggest reading it aloud with a mid 90s Adam Sandler voice.

I appreciate that the guy is trying, and I think there are good points to be made, but “Nick Saben runs the nickel with 4 down linemen” then he shows a diagram of a 4-3, there is, like, nothing correct about that entire section. And he uses some weird logic to support the case “Mark Ingram did nothing overly special”. I do look forward to reading what the guys at Black Shoe Diaries come up with when the time comes.

by Alabama ManDance on Aug 2, 2010 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions

I was just about to post on this

the line “Ingram didn’t do anything that special” should be framed… right next to Ingram’s heisman trophy :)

In all seriousness, Ingram ran against some of the best run d’s in the country, see here.
Florida #5 run D
Texas #7
LSU #11

And for the most part he ran wild. He’s very special, and that guy is a total dufous. I’m sure Joe Pa would give a different answer :)

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Aug 2, 2010 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, that was more than a little stretchy

Gawd, I’m looking forward to this test. Loved watching Ingram and Richardson last year and how important it was to them to fall forward and finish runs. Our defense is the most no-name up here in years, but I absolutely cannot wait to see how they match up physically against your runners.

The Cover 3 is indeed age-old at PSU, and can most definitely be carved up by a pro-style QB and a serviceable line that keeps our ends off of him. I’m guessing you all be’d as surprised as me if Saban comes out with that kind of attack with your personnel. And if he does, I can’t wait to see how our equally no-name secondary starts snatchin up picks. Unless any of you think your boy’s got a bit of Mark Sanchez in him. Both of those being unlikely, I’ll look forward to see what kind of pressure our tackles and ends can bring and how physical young backers can be on your tailbacks.

Then again, we’ll have to score, too.

Ohio State has the worst fans in the Big Ten. Bar none. And it’s not even close. Humorless in defeat. Condescending in victory. Generally insecure all the time. I’ve partied and had fun with fans of every team in this league, save Ohio State.

by jtothep on Aug 2, 2010 5:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Our boy...

…threw a grand total of four picks in fourteen games last year, so we’ll all be surprised if your secondary starts snatchin up picks.

"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban

by NiceLittleSaturday on Aug 2, 2010 10:55 PM CDT up reply actions

That IS impressive

And indicative that your CNS don’t gameplan like no Sarkisian.

by jtothep on Aug 4, 2010 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

last year's turnover margin

was kinda insane.

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Aug 4, 2010 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions

His kung fu is strong....

"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban

by NiceLittleSaturday on Aug 5, 2010 11:29 PM CDT up reply actions

4-3 ???

wow, I need a job….at least I can pay attention…and vaguely understand the game. A few gems in there. And, as far as drills starting…I prefer the “no news is good news” angle, there.

"...because you've got your mind right, and that's the way we like it." Nick Saban

by SRGBama on Aug 2, 2010 1:02 PM CDT reply actions

To be nitpicky/overly critical of a good post...

Doesn’t “errata” mean a list of corrections of previous errors? Or am I missing an inside joke or something here?

by CarrotTop4 on Aug 2, 2010 1:23 PM CDT reply actions

nah...

the sense i was going for was the idea of an addition (and errata is usually an insertion into another publication). the ideal term is lagniappe but i’m not about to use that for obvious reasons. i’ll have something else for next week.

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Aug 2, 2010 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions