The Jumbo Package | 11.7.11
by Todd on Nov 7, 2011 7:49 AM CST
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PrintMen's Basketball to Host UAH in Exhibition Contest - rolltide.com
The University of Alabama men’s basketball hosts its lone exhibition game of the 2011-12 season on Monday evening when it welcomes Alabama-Huntsville to Coleman Coliseum for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The contest will be the No. 19/17 Crimson Tide’s only exhibition before opening the season on Friday evening against North Florida. All tickets for Monday’s exhibition game are $6 and are available at the Athletics Ticket Office or by calling 1-877-TIDETIX.
“I think the main goal is obviously for us to take the next step in terms of our development and our progress as a team,” Grant said. “We have a tough opponent in UAH and they’ll put us in a position where we have to play extremely well to have a chance. I think it’s a good opportunity for our team.”
UAH will test Crimson Tide tonight in exhibition basketball game | al.com
UAH, ranked No. 2 in the preseason NCAA Division II poll, visits Coleman Coliseum for the second consecutive season. A year ago, the Chargers lost 73-68 in double overtime. "They're coming off a banner year - high expectations for the coming year," said Anthony Grant, who begins his third season as Alabama's head coach. "They'll put us in a position where we've got to play extremely well to have a chance. It's a good test for our team."
Alabama football notes: Tide wide receivers not scoring like Julio Jones did | al.com
Perhaps for the first time this season, Alabama truly missed Julio Jones on Saturday night. As a sophomore two years ago, the star receiver caught a game-changing 73-yard touchdown pass that helped Alabama rally in the fourth quarter for a 24-15 victory over LSU. Last season, Jones set single-season school records for catches (78) and yards (1,133). He caught seven TD passes in 2010, then skipped his season to turn pro. Alabama's wide receivers this season have combined for six touchdown catches in nine games.
SEC, meet Missouri; Missouri, meet SEC | al.com
But the most telling quote about the SEC's expansion plans is this from Slive: "We didn't really want to be more than 12." Yet the SEC expanded anyway because it bought into the very real notion that college sports is changing dramatically. You either adapt or risk getting left behind financially. "When we had the opportunity when Texas A&M contacted us and then Missouri, our people felt these were two such institutions that we wanted to take advantage of adding," Slive said. "It isn't a part of getting bigger. It's part of a plan to assure that over the next 20 to 30 years with the nature of institutions like Missouri, we'll remain the preeminent conference in the country."
Game of Century hasn't resolved anything in college football (Hicks) | al.com
It's also possible Alabama could still end up in the SEC title game. If Arkansas beats LSU and creates a three-way tie for the West crown, that scenario would likely lead to awarding the West spot to the team with the highest ranking in the BCS standings. But which team would be ranked the highest? If LSU lost to Arkansas in the final game of the regular season and Alabama remains at No. 3 in the BCS standings heading into that weekend, would that put Alabama, which lost to LSU, at a higher spot in the next-to-last BCS rankings than the Tigers, sending the Crimson Tide in the SEC title game? Or would LSU still be higher ranked? And what about Arkansas?
One item Sunday that stood out was a tweet by Tide punter Cody Mandell, who took to Twitter to defend place-kickers Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelley. Alabama kickers made 2-of-6 field goal attempts against the Tigers. The three misses and one block came from 44 yards or longer including Foster's 52-yarder that fell short in Alabama's lone overtime possession. The attempt was pushed beyond 50 yards after a third-down sack of AJ McCarron by LSU's Sam Montgomery, his second of the game. "If you are a fan bashing Cade or Shelley shame on you," Mandell wrote. "Win as a team (lose) as a team."
Lessons Learned | Tiffin Kicking
Kicking is a strange position. It’s unlike any other in all of sports. I’ve often described it as trying to play golf in a war zone. Unfortunately, for Cade Foster (Alabama’s long field goal kicker), Saturday night against LSU was a painful learning experience. This reminds all kickers everywhere that no matter how confident you may be, you too can fall victim to a bad game at any time. Anyone who kicks long enough will have a bad game– maybe even an awful one, I know I sure have. The key is to forget the mistake and remember the lesson. Another lesson here: it’s much less painful to learn from the mistakes of others. What are the lessons that can be learned from Cade’s experience and similar experiences that many of us have suffered at the hands of a treacherous position?
Why Alabama kickers aren’t to blame for LSU loss | The Daily Bama Blog
Or not completely at fault for the four missed field goals in Saturday’s 9-6 overtime loss to LSU. Consider the 12 combined offensive plays that preceded the four misses. Here’s the rundown.
As Stanford's rise stalls, polls are hotly debated | sfgate.com
Will Stanford move ahead of Alabama if it beats the Ducks? Probably. Not only would a win over Oregon (No. 7 in the BCS) sway a lot of voters in the polls, it should help the Cardinal's computer ranking significantly. The fact that Stanford is only No. 7 in the BCS computers is what is holding the Cardinal back, because Stanford is No. 2 in the USA Today poll and No. 3 in the Harris poll, which make up two-thirds of the BCS formula. How decisively Stanford wins would be a factor. Some voters are still unsure how good Stanford is, but a big win over the Ducks might vault the Cardinal well ahead of Oklahoma State. The total number of votes a team gets in the polls is what matters in the BCS formula, not its rank. Stanford has only a slim lead over Oklahoma State in the coaches' poll, and increasing that would have a significant effect on the Cardinal's BCS standing.
College Football Plus: Now that LSU and Alabama have played, where do we stand? | NJ.com
Now that Missouri to the SEC is official, how will the Tigers — and Texas A&M — fit in as football members in their new leagues? Gary Pinkel is in his 11th year as Missouri’s head coach and has yet to win a Big 12 title. Now he has to contend with Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina? Good luck with that. Texas A&M hasn’t won the Big 12 since 1998. As irrelevant as Boston College has become in the ACC and as overmatched as Colorado is in the Pac-12, that’s what Missouri and Texas A&M will be in the SEC.
The Big Picture: LSU-'Bama II may be right call, but a popular one? - CBSSports.com
I'll admit I think Alabama is a better team that Boise. The Tide is much more physical and would wear the Broncos down by halftime. Trent Richardson would run all over Boise, which hasn't seen an O-line or a back anywhere near as tough as what Alabama has. But I am very curious to see what Kellen Moore would be able to do against an elite defense, especially one that Chris Petersen's staff would have a month to get ready for. The Broncos, after all, have held up quite well whenever they have gotten on the bigger stage. I also suspect there are a lot of people who feel the same way, and they don't only live in Idaho. This intrigue has only grown over the past two years. SEC folks hate it, but deep down, some of them probably would love the chance to snuff it out once and for all. But would the pollsters act accordingly and look to craft such a matchup?
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In regards to us reaching the SEC title game
It’s not quite that simple. There’s more to it than the writer said. Even if Arkansas beats LSU at the end of the season (assuming Arkansas wins out), we will need Arkansas to jump over LSU in the BCS rankings after the weekend. If they don’t, and even if we’re ranked higher than LSU, I doubt they drop lower than 5th, and we would need them to be at least 5 spots lower than us. If they are within 5 BCS spots of us, but ranked at least 1 position higher than Arkansas, LSU would still play for the SEC title.
I honestly don’t see Arkansas beating LSU with everything on the line, so it’s probably a moot point, but I didn’t see Houston Nutt using his final game at Arkansas to upset them in Tiger Stadium 4 years ago either. Perhaps Nutt will use his next to last game at Ole Miss to work his magic on Miles one final time. But even LSU drops the game to Ole Miss, if they beat Arkansas, then they’re in the SEC title game (Arkansas loses 2 SEC games, and LSU and Bama at 1 loss each, so it goes to the head-to-head).
Our only hope for the SEC title game is Arkansas winning and jumping over LSU.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Do you have a link to the formula for the tie-breaker?
I thought it was just straight up ranking in a three way tie. I didn’t realize there were all sorts of qualifiers as well.
Important part bolded
In the event of a tie for the division championship, the following procedures will be used to break all ties to determine the SEC Football Championship Game representative. All Conference versus Conference Games (both division and non-division) will be counted in the Conference Standings.
A. TWO-TEAM TIE
1. Head-to-head competition between the two tied teams.
2. Records of the tied teams within the division.
3. Head-to-head competition vs. the team within the division with the best overall record (divisional and non-divisional) Conference record and proceeding through the division. Multiple ties within the division will be broken from first to last.
4. Overall record vs. all common non-divisional opponents.
5. Combined record vs. all common non-divisional teams.
6. Record vs. common non-divisional team with the best overall Conference (divisional and non-divisional) record and proceeding through other common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish within their division.
7. The tied team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings following the last weekend of regular-season games shall be the divisional representative in the SEC Championship Game.
B. THREE (OR MORE) TEAM TIE
1. (Once the tie has been reduced to two teams, go to the two-team tie-breaker format.)
2. Combined head-to-head record among the tied teams.
3. Record of the tied teams within the division.
4. Head-to-head competition vs. the team within the division with the best overall (divisional and non-divisional) Conference record and proceeding through the division. Multiple ties within the division will be broken from first to last.
5. Overall record vs. non-division teams.
6. Combined record vs. all common non-divisional teams.
7. Record vs. common non-divisional team with the best overall Conference (divisional and non-divisional) record and proceeding through other common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish within their division.
8. The tied team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings following the last weekend of regular-season games shall be the divisional representative in the SEC Championship Game, unless the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the SEC Championship Game.
What a convoluted pile of bullshit
Here’s how a three way tie should be broken:
Point differential of the aggregate score of the games between the three teams. In the case of the famed Oklahoma / Texas / Texas Tech tie of 2008, it would play out like this in my proposal:
Here are the three games in question:
Texas 45
Oklahoma 35
Texas 33
Texas Tech 39
Oklahoma 65
Texas Tech 21
You now add the aggregate differentials for all three teams:
Texas: +10 – 6 = +4
Oklahoma: -10 + 44 = +34
Texas Tech: +6 – 44 = – 38
Oklahoma had the best aggregate among the tied teams and would’ve gone ahead (which they did anyway.) I don’t think pollsters think in these terms, but there’s a decent chance it could play out that way in our favor.
LSU and Arkansas would both likely finish with minuses (or LSU with a 0 or a + 1 or 2) and Alabama would finish with a +21.
Obviously, this debate achieves nothing, but I like circulating the idea because it’s better than a bunch of pollster and computer generated bullshit.
As bad as the humans and computer are
The good thing about the humans is that they can take into account extenuating circumstances for things such as fluke plays (Wisconsin’s loss to Michigan State for example), losses that occurred on the road, key injuries/suspensions during a loss, etc. that the computers can’t quantify.
On the flip-side, the good thing about the computers is that it takes the emotional aspect out of the equation (the point differential/margin of victory isn’t included in the computer tabulations if I’m not mistaken), which helps with the Boise State factor, even if some humans try desperately to put them in. The lowest and highest ranking of the computers is dropped for BCS calculation purposes to try to help alleviate potential bias in the system.
With all that said, now that I’ve defended the BCS rankings, let me say that I think that the BCS system sucks and needs to be replaced.
Margin of victory in your calculation (basically a “Points For” and “Points Against” system) could certainly be a factor in that, but I think it needs to involve many other variables than that.
I actually like the head-to-head if within 5 BCS spots of each other, because that can help eliminate the “timing” aspect of the equation. If they only used the highest ranking, then the teams that lose earlier would have a built-in advantage. While I think that may be good, since you want the best teams at the END of the season instead of the BEGINNING, it still needs to be mitigated to prevent the TX/OU/TT debacle.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
I'm reading that as
if three are tied…it’s the top two that really matter. If the Hogs beat LSU and jump LSU – Bama is ATL bound (presuming we win out). If the Hogs beat LSU and Jump both LSU and Bama is ranked ahead of LSU and within 5 of Arkansas – Bama is ATL bound due to tie-breaker w/ Ark. If Ark Beats LSU and LSU stays ahead of Ark and within 5 of Bama – LSU is ATL bound. Basically Ark is not going to ATL unless Bama loses to Ga Southern and beats LSU. Got that right?
For the most part
But if Bama loses any games, Arkansas will get to Atlanta if they win out. Another SEC loss (either MSU or AU) gives us 2 losses on the season, so Arkansas would win the head-to-head with LSU. If Bama loses to Georgia Southern, there’s no way in hell LSU would fall below us in the BCS with a loss to Arky, so Arky would still own the head-to-head with them. The only other possibility is if Arky beats LSU, and both Arkansas and LSU stay ahead of Bama in the BCS (won’t happen), then they would get to Atlanta that way.
Basically, if we win out, Arkansas doesn’t make it to the Atlanta, unless somehow, someway, LSU stays ahead of us with a loss and Arky jumps over us. The odds of that happening are slim to none. But crazy things happen with pollsters, especially if the humans get tired of all the Bama-LSU rematch talk and decide to punish us for it.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
Basketball game tonight
Is there anywhere to watch it online?
"What happens to everybody else has nothing to do with us, understand?" -Nick Saban-
Gametracker on ESPN might cover it.
So not really.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Nov 7, 2011 10:33 AM CST up reply actions
Julio Jones
Anybody else tired of hearing about how we don’t have Julio Jones on the team anymore? There are a lot of people we don’t have on the team anymore that it’d be nice to have. I understand if they say something like “they lack the physical presence of a Julio Jones type receiver,” but a sentence like this…
Perhaps for the first time this season, Alabama truly missed Julio Jones on Saturday night.
…is lazy at best. What’s the point in saying, Alabama missed having their once in a lifetime talent receiver?
A more relevant statement would be that perhaps for the first time this season we missed Duron Carter.
He could’ve been big (literally and figuratively) in this game
God bless our Dark Lord.
Right?
Or, you know, we could just design platform cleats for Marquis Maze.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Nov 7, 2011 10:33 AM CST up reply actions
AND GLITTER.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Nov 7, 2011 12:13 PM CST up reply actions
Oh, how we switch to the round ball so quick
"Two things were certain in our household: Alabama football and church on Sunday. We were raised to believe in God and root for anyone that was playing against Auburn" Pam Swinney
Our basketball coverage has been regular...
…and dependable since Matt’s come on board. There have been plenty of hoops post pre-LSU loss during the football season.
I love the Bama hoops, even when we win championships in football...CAG FTW....
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Nov 7, 2011 2:45 PM CST up reply actions
This just sickens me.
First quarter: Cade Foster 44-yard miss
1-10: Trent Richardson run (-5 yards)
2-15: Brad Smelley catch (8 yards)
3-7: Richardson catch (0 yards)
Net: 3 yards
First quarter: Foster 50-yard miss
1-10: Substitution infraction (-5)
1-15: Eddie Lacy run (1)
2-14: Lacy run (-6)
3-20: Incomplete pass
Net: -10 yards
Second quarter: Jeremy Shelley 49-yard blocked
1-10: Marquis Maze reverse (-6)
2-16: AJ McCarron sacked (-1)
3-17: Incomplete pass
Net: -7 yards
Overtime: Foster 52-yard miss
1-10: Incomplete pass
2-10: Substitution infraction (-5)
2-15: Incomplete pass
3-15: McCarron sacked (-5)
Net: – 10 yards
Total: 12 plays, -24 yards, 2 penalties, 5 negative runs
Four drives, only one run on a standard down and only two positive plays (an 8 yard catch on 3rd & 15 and a 1 yard run on 1st & 15). LSU destroyed us on standard downs, which is part of why I don’t blame the Bama kicking game as much as I credit the LSU defense for forcing is into crappy plays.
Plus dumbass penalties (on a penalty that I don't even agree is a good one)
But I guarantee that those negative runs were on sweeps. At least the early ones.
by Durdens Wrath on Nov 7, 2011 9:25 AM CST up reply actions
Yep
We got slaughtered on first down much of the night. We were playing in a hole and out of the script for a lot of the time.
The main problems are
1) McCarron can’t hit a deep pass to save his life. They’re either floaters or ten yards ahead of the guy. (Though I’m not sure that Trent didn’t whiff another one like he did in the Iron Bowl last year)
2) We have THREE excellent running backs. Why we didn’t just pound them in the face and use the short passing game the whole time I’ll never know. We used it till we got to the 30, and then tried to hit a home run instead of just getting 10 and moving the chains.
3) While those were long field goals, there is no excuse for trying more than the first one. Either punt, fake, or go for it. Why we never even tried a fake, or tried to go for it is unbelievable. Either way, you don’t give them any better field position than our poor decisions did.
4) McElwain seems schizophrenic. He does a great job with play calling till we get on the opponent’s side of the field. Then Idiot Jed takes over.
5) Saban didn’t have any balls that night. Every time it was a good time for a risk, we played conservative, and near the end of the game we played for overtime, where WE NEVER DO WELL.
Why we never even tried a fake, or tried to go for it is unbelievable.
Well for most of those attempts, the problem was that it was 4th and more than 10. If we had ever had a makeable 4th down, the choice might have been different.
God bless our Dark Lord.
But it wouldn't have given LSU any BETTER field position than a miss.
We killed momentum several times.
Punting would have been the better option, rather than making our D have to stop them, and give us back horrible field position.
by Durdens Wrath on Nov 7, 2011 10:11 AM CST up reply actions
And nothing was as gutless as punting
on 4th and 3 with 5 minutes to go.
It was like our coached had given up and were playing for overtime.
by Durdens Wrath on Nov 7, 2011 10:36 AM CST up reply actions
Get out of my brain!
I just commented about that play right below this.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Nov 7, 2011 10:36 AM CST up reply actions
Not to mention we didn't even try a fake.
Like we should have on the second or third attempt.
by Durdens Wrath on Nov 7, 2011 11:08 AM CST up reply actions
There was definitely a punt that was on 4th and 2 or 3 and it was on like our 45.
I remember yelling myself blue in the face that we should go for it because we needed to do SOMETHING different.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Nov 7, 2011 10:36 AM CST up reply actions
While you make good points
I think point 3 is the most critical one. lsu is team that beats people with field positions, pinning them back and eventually capitalizing on playing on the opponent’s end of the field all game. We had an opportunity early to flip the script on them and keep the ball on their end of the field for the first half. We didn’t do that and essentially played lsu’s game. When it comes down to it, those decisions are what cost us the game, imo.
LSU's scores
Were a direct result of AWESOME field position WE GAVE THEM.
by Durdens Wrath on Nov 7, 2011 12:00 PM CST up reply actions
I just realized that the background graphic for SBnation
for the Liberty Mutual coach of the year
is a damn goal post hahahahaha
MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP
People who live in glass houses should not hang out with Charles Barkley.
Do we play UAH in basketball just to rub it in UAB's noses?
Seems like we play every team in this state except UAB.
God bless our Dark Lord.
As I was leaving after the loss.
I passed an official from the Chik-Fil-A bowl.
Interesting how many representatives from bowls that would never have either of these teams got the opportunity to get press credentials.
The SI writers mentioned that on twitter.
I think they mentioned the Pinstripe bowl and some other bowl who gets 6th pick of the SEC. Also, press credentials are given out a little to freely. Didn’t Clay Travis get one? I am going to start up an online media company now and try to get press credentials.
by Chuck Finley on Nov 7, 2011 11:22 AM CST up reply actions
College Gameday reported that some guy submitted a full application about his plans to cover the game
and then in the spot where you put the name of the media organization you’re with, he put “My Twitter account”. Nice try, buddy. LOL
God bless our Dark Lord.
They denied over 100 credentials
They also gave out like 550, though.
Dave Robertson is growing up to be the new Mariano Rivera. My two universes of fandom can finally unite!
by SoGladILeftTheACC on Nov 7, 2011 12:14 PM CST up reply actions
Yeah, that made me chuckle when I heard that.
The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his. ~General George S. Patton~
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