We were into The Alabama Shakes back when they played at Egan's.

As we near the one year anniversary of the horrific tornadoes that ripped through Alabama on April 27, 2011 it's important to remember that there is still much work to be done in getting the impacted areas back on their feet. A drive down 15th Street in Tuscaloosa (and other parts of the city) is a sober reminder that we still have a long way to go. Thankfully, the good folks at WellThatsCool.com and The Tuscaloosa Arts Council recognize that the need is still great and have sprung into action to create a spectacular event that will hopefully raise a trainload of cash to build a Habitat for Humanity house and let you have a heck of a good time in the process. (For those of you unaware, Well That's Cool is run by RBR's very own Chinese Dentist...aka @bohicks, gameday bartender at Egan's and overall Tuscaloosa entertainment guru.)

TUSCALOOSA GET UP is a charity concert that will take place at the historic Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa on Friday, March 23rd and will feature musicians from across the state:

The Dexateens from Tuscaloosa are a well known force of nature to anyone who spent their college years at The Capstone (and far beyond Tuscaloosa for that matter)

Alabama Shakes from Athens are on a meteoric rise to fame garnering accolades from nearly every critic, publication and blog in 2011 and many have tapped them as "one to watch" in 2012. Basically, you'll be paying big bucks to see them sooner than later.

Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires from Birmingham round out the bill with their soulful Southern rock.

Tickets for the all ages event are $15 or $50 for a VIP ticket. Those can be purchased HERE.

Doubtlessly, many of you are sitting there at your computer saying, "Well Nico, that does look like a rocking good time, but I live in California (or Chicago or _______ place that isn't close to Tuscaloosa) and can't realistically make that show." No worries friends, you can participate in this event too. While you may not be able to come to the show and have your eardrums pummeled, you can still help TUSCALOOSA GET UP by making a fully tax-deductible donation to help make "The House that Music Built" a reality. The goal is to raise $15,000. We have so many readers at RBR that we ought to be able to meet that ourselves. If 1,500 of you give $10 we can make it a reality today. If 3,000 of you can pony up $5, it can be done in no time flat. Seriously y'all, let's light this thing up and meet the goal. Do it in celebration of the national championship if nothing else. Let's make that tornado's ass quit and rebuild!

You can make a tax deductible donation to the even HERE. If you can't make a donation, please retweet this or reblog or post it on Facebook or email it around to get the word out.

ROLL TIDE and we'll see y'all on March 23rd.

And just like that, Alabama's complete dominance over Auburn is once again affirmed. In the five years since Nick Saban arrived at the Capstone the Crimson Tide has outscored the intra-state rival 141-80. Which kind of explains how the folks in orange and blue cling so tightly to their desperately close wins in that span.

Here's the roundup of what the boys in the press are saying this beautiful morning. We've put the post-Iron Bowl items at the top and the BCSNCG navel gazing/hand wringing after the jump. Feel free to link any others you might find in the comments.

Alabama 'had that dominating look' in 4th quarter of rout of Auburn | al.com

A year after Auburn showed the gleaming eye of the Tiger during a tenacious comeback from a 24-0 deficit to an improbable, unforgettable 28-27 victory, this was the eye of the Tide. This was a stare. This was a glare. This was a dare.

Alabama defense regains its swagger - TideSports.com

A week after the word struggle was a charitable way to describe the University of Alabama's defensive performance against the run, the word that best described it in the 2011 Iron Bowl was, well, uncharitable.

And you will know Alabama’s closing BCS statement by the trail of blood - Yahoo! Sports

As usual, Alabama's dominance was so complete as to be almost casual. The defense held Auburn to its worst output in total yards (138) in more than a decade, didn't allow the Tigers across midfield until well into the fourth quarter and effectively pitched its third shutout of the year... For an 11-1, season-long frontrunner that was already outscoring opponents by almost four touchdowns per game, it was a thoroughly dominant end to another thoroughly dominant regular season.

It wasn't a classic Iron Bowl, but it was sweet revenge and a huge statement for Alabama | al.com

Not every Beatles song went platinum. Not every Tom Hanks movie won an Oscar. Not every Hemingway novel was a spell-binder. So, not every Iron Bowl is supposed to be some Instant Classic. Witness Alabama's 42-14 punishment of Auburn on Saturday, memorable mostly for the Tide's utter dominance.

Alabama football: Tide goes all out in convincing victory | The Montgomery Advertiser

The band sounded maybe a touch louder. The few thousand in crimson stayed just a little bit longer. It was chaos in Jordan-Hare Stadium early Saturday evening. All because the revenge tasted just a little bit satisfying for the Alabama Crimson Tide with everything riding on the preceding 60 minutes.

Alabama rolls over Auburn, eyes rematch with LSU in BCS national championship game in New Orleans - NY Daily News

Alabama’s 42-14 beatdown of Auburn Saturday was almost 10 months in the making. It started when Tide coach Nick Saban and his staff began placing those "Never Again" signs in his players’ dorms and apartments. It ended with Alabama reestablishing its dominance in this college football-crazed state and erasing the memories of last year’s "Camback"

Alabama 42, Auburn 14: The Tide States Its Case - Team Speed Kills

Alabama thoroughly trounced the other Tigers on Saturday, rolling up 402 yards of total offense on offense and limiting Auburn to 138. The Tigers had nine first downs on the game. The worst state line of the night belonged to backup quarterback Kiehl Frazier, who ended up with a passer rating of -50.0. Yes, that's possible.

QUICK HITS: No. 2 Alabama 42, Auburn 14 - CBSSports.com

Alabama's front seven and their rush defense is awfully, awfully good--No. 1 in the nation for a reason, mostly a reason like "held Auburn to 78 rushing yards, and less than 25 before two late garbage-time drives." But their pass defense? That's even better

Auburn was hoping for another comeback win, but the numbers didn't add up for offense in Iron Bowl | al.com

There was no Cam Newton to take Auburn to a miraculous comeback for the second straight year, like when Auburn rallied to beat the Tide in Tuscaloosa. 

Richardson powers No. 2 Bama past Auburn, 42-14  | ajc.com

Fans began chanting first "Heisman" and then "LSU" in the fourth, with a sizable contingent wearing crimson and white remaining in the stands afterward clamoring for a rematch. By then, there wasn't all that much orange and blue left.

Alabama makes its best case for BCS - ESPN

Who needs next week's BCS Selection Sunday when you have this week's See Ya Saturday? Seriously, who's kidding whom? Unless No. 1 LSU spends January abroad and No. 2 Alabama goes on Christmas break -- and doesn't return -- then we've got our Allstate BCS National Championship Game matchup.

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With the demand for tickets to Saturday's Alabama vs. LSU contest reaching somewhat insane levels, the liklihood of counterfeit tickets being circulated is high as well. Obviously, the university will not honor fraudulent tickets to the game. Several news outlets have listed a series of things to look for in order to check if the tickets you have are authentic.

• Real tickets have a script Alabama "A" on the back which is revealed by gently rubbing a coin on the ticket.
• Real tickets have a moving hologram on the front.
• Tickets that come from a season ticket holder have perforations on the top, bottom and right side of the ticket. The left side is smooth.

If you have purchased tickets to the game and want to ensure they are authentic you can go by the UA Athletic Ticket Office at Coleman Coliseum through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to have them verified. On game day tickets can be verified at the stadium by reporting to Gate 3 or Gate 32 (ticket windows typically open three hours before kickoff).

With the Saturday slate of games completed, the bye week has come to an end and the full-on frenzy for the Alabama Crimson Tide tilt with the LSU Tigers in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 5 can begin in earnest. And, boy howdy, has it ever.

Media outlets are already scrambling for labels to denote the rare regular-season tilt between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the land; "The Game of the Century," "The Matchup of the Millennium" and even "Armageddon in Alabama." Satellite vans are arriving as fast tailgating tents are popping up on the Quad. The insanity is upon us.

Rather than standing aloof from this, we at Roll Bama Roll encourage you to embrace it. Wholeheartedly, completely and without an ounce of shame. Drain every iota of enjoyment you can out of the upcoming week because it promises to be glorious spectacle. To start you off, here is a roundup of the stories previewing the upcoming contest from around the interwebs.

Game of the Century: No. 1 LSU at No. 2 Alabama have all the ingredients | al.com

The first ingredient for any Game of the Century is a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. A hot coaching rivalry and an historic venue can certainly spice things up. Alabama-LSU six days from now will have all that and more.

Can’t wait to get in? | The Associated Press

Two weeks of frenzied pre-game buildup. Behind the scenes TV maneuverings. Four-digit ticket prices. This 1-versus-2 showdown between LSU and Alabama has both the hype and the feel of a game played in January with a title actually on the line instead of just a potential shot and Southeastern Conference West frontrunner status.

Importance of game against LSU football team not lost on Alabama fans | NOLA.com

There's not an inch of wall space at Rama Jama that isn't covered with photos, posters, old newspapers, jerseys and other Alabama memorabilia. So there's no better place to start getting a handle on the local level of anticipation for the Game of the Millennium between the undefeated and second-ranked Tide and the No. 1 LSU Tigers, now just seven days away.

Bama fans infiltrating traditional LSU Tiger territory | NOLA.com

Many local 'Bama fans insist the rivalry mostly exists in the minds of LSU fans. Auburn, they gently admonish, is the most hated Crimson Tide enemy. But the LSU-Alabama rivalry has gained traction in recent years.

No SEC game equal to LSU-Bama '11 | Shreveport Times

It's another Game of the Century — "Armageddon in Alabama."

LSU, Alabama to join elite list | The Advertiser

Sports Illustrated's Dan Jenkins and others compare the Alabama vs. LSU game to previous regular season No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups.

LSU-Alabama, the Game of the Century of the Week | WSJ.com

As college football fans gear up for the big LSU-Alabama battle, a question about whether any colossal regular-season matchup can match the big games of old.

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The NCAA has released its annual report on graduation success rates and student athletes at the University of Alabama continue to shine academically.

The single-year graduation rate of 82 percent for Alabama student athletes who began college in the fall of 2004 and were given six years to finish was equal to the national average. The tally was third in the Southeastern Conference, eclipsed by Vanderbilt (92) and Florida (83). The results mirror strong APR rates tallied by UA student athletes in recent years.

In terms of individual sports, Alabama football continued an upward trend with 69 percent of the team's players in the 2004 freshman class receiving diplomas within the 6-year window. That's right at the national average and a slight increase over the past two years.

Alabama football GSR Scores 1998-2004

Source: NCAA

The 2011 Crimson Tide football team bosts no less than 11 players that already have degrees in hand. They include Hardie Buck, Josh Chapman, Nick Gentry, Brandon Gibson, Barrett Jones, Phelon Jones, Alfred McCullough, Morgan Ogilvie, Chris Underwood, William Vlachos and Alex Watkins. Over the past four seasons the Crimson Tide has had a total of 42 players compete after having already graduated.

Alabama basketball, meanwhile, took a step back from several years of stellar numbers to record a 67 percent graduation rate. Still, that number is just one percentage point shy of the national average.

Alabama basketball GSR Scores 1998-2004

Source: NCAA

In addition, Alabama's defending Southeastern Conference Champion softball and women's golf teams both lead the league with perfect GSR scores of 100 again this year. Alabama's soccer and women's tennis teams also led the SEC again this year with perfect 100 GSR scores.

To see how UA's football and men's basketball programs performed in comparison to the rest of the SEC you can check out my post over on Team Speed Kills.

"SEC Season' will define Tide | Cecil Hurt, TideSports.com

So far, it has been more questions than answers about this Alabama team. That isn't a criticism. It is true for a lot of teams, and only to be expected at this point. You can call this stretch what you want - prologue, or exhibition season, or a 3-0 start. But whatever you call it, it is over - and the real answers will have to start coming soon.

Decisive Win Was Not Very Pretty | Kirk McNair, BamaMag.com

When the number two team in the nation takes on a winless team from the Sun Belt Conference, there are going to be areas of disappointment. Bama didn’t get much work on punting, kickoff returns, and goal line defense. But that doesn’t mean Alabama doesn’t have plenty to work on.

Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy post career-best rushing nights | Michael Casagrande, Ledger-Enquirer

All or nothing. Big play or field goal. Sure, Alabama took care of North Texas 41-0 Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium, but it didn’t earn style points in the final tune-up before SEC play.

McCarron gives Bama what it needs | Mark Edwards, Decaturdaily.com

With a top-gun defense and a solid-and-sometimes-fantastic running game, the Crimson Tide needs somebody at quarterback who can handle things. That’s all. Just handle things. That’s what McCarron has done well in second-ranked Alabama’s first three games this season, including Saturday’s 41-0 home win over North Texas.

If McCarron goes down, can Sims step up? | Jon Johnson Dothan Eagle

It’s pretty obvious McCarron has distanced himself more from Sims in running the offensive show than most figured would be the case three weeks into the season. That’s not a knock on Sims, but instead a compliment to McCarron for taking charge when given the opportunity.

North Texas speed bump on way to Bama national championship run | Stan Veitch, CullmanTimes.com

AJ McCarron has quickly become a precision quarterback, especially on short routes. With the talented receivers on the other end of those passes, and with the talented running back corps that has already shown to be one of the country's best, the Tide should have no problems scoring on any team — except maybe LSU, which contends with Bama for the SEC's best defensive unit.

No. 2 Alabama wins 41-0 over North Texas | Izzy Gould, al.com

McCarron, who has started all three games, appeared to cement his place as the No. 1 quarterback completing 15-of-21 passes for 190 yards. Sims, who only played in the final two minutes at Penn State, looked more comfortable in his second game in front of 101,821 fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium. 

Tide follows the script in 41-0 rout of North Texas | Ken Rogers, Dothan Eagle

Alabama coach Nick Saban sounded less than impressed with the offense’s first-half execution, however, particularly when the offensive starters were lifted – or moved positions. For instance, left tackle Barrett Jones played at four of the five different spots on the offensive line in the first half. He saw action at center, right tackle and left guard as true freshman Kouandjio continued his crash course as a backup left tackle.

No. 2 Alabama 41, North Texas 0 | Jerry HinnenCBSSports.com

WHAT ALABAMA WON: A healthy portion of rest for the starters, and only a week before the Tide open their SEC schedule against highly dangerous Arkansas. And maybe just that extra ounce of preparation and confidence for McCarron as he gets ready for the biggest game of his young career.

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The Quarterback Battle

Not much resolved in QB debate | Cecil Hurt, TideSports.com

It's just that the two University of Alabama quarterbacks who played against Kent State on Saturday didn't generate that much heat. It's not that they were awful. AJ McCarron, the sophomore who started the game, did pretty well. Phillip Sims, the redshirt freshman who alternated with him, at least until he started the second half with two interceptions on two series, had good moments, too, mixed in with some plays where he looked as shaky as a tambourine in an earthquake.

McCarron makes strong case to start | Trent Moore, The Cullman Times

No one knew it at 11:19 a.m., but by around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, fans had a pretty good idea that the A.J. McCarron era at the University of Alabama might be underway.

AJ McCarron steps up in Tide opener | Edward Aschoff, ESPN SEC Blog

Coach Nick Saban will probably continue to rotate each quarterback throughout the practice week, but McCarron made the most of Saturday and should enter the week as the leader in the race to be the Tide's No. 1 quarterback.

Crimson Tide's results favor AJ McCarron in QB competition  | Randy Kennedy, al.com

McCarron and Phillip Sims were both given an equal chance to run Alabama's No. 1 offense against Kent State in what coach Nick Saban termed an audition for the starting quarterback position. The results, while not conclusive, clearly favored the third-year sophomore from St. Paul's.

QBs McCarron, Sims equally unimpressive | Matt Crossman, The Sporting News

Neither A.J. McCarron nor Phillip Sims did anything to clear it up on Saturday. It’s safe to say that no matter how well or poorly either played in the team’s 48-7 win over Kent State, both could play again on Saturday when Alabama travels to Penn State. But for fans looking for clues as to whom should or will get the bulk of the time, this game didn’t provide any.

Is Saban creating controversy? | Jeff McIntyre, The Times Daily

Saban doesn't want a quarterback controversy, but he could be creating one by not making a decision. Apparently he thinks he can avoid the controversy by shielding the players from the media. I halfway expected the quarterback section on the final stat book to be blank.

Alabama QB scoreboard: McCarron 35, Sims 6 | al.com

McCarron looked smoother in delivering more passes on time than Sims. Yet every now and then, McCarron got into gunslinger mode and forced the type of pass that got him spanked by Saban last year. Sims telegraphed one interception and apparently missed a hot read on another while getting hit.

Tide QB debate still unsettled | Jon Jonson, Dothan Eagle

Maybe we'll find out who the leader of the offense will eventually be during the heat of the battle next Saturday at Penn State. It’s when the pressure is on within a hostile environment that someone will have to step up and lead the way - basically sink or swim. At that point, maybe no more questions will be necessary.

The Roundups

No. 2 Alabama downs Kent St. 48-7 | The Associated Press

Kent State players got a warm welcome from Alabama fans after helping Tuscaloosa rebuild from the April tornado that devastated much of this college town, and they appreciated it. Once the game started, the Crimson Tide weren't nearly as welcoming.

Crimson Tide's defense more than good enough | al.com

The statistics shouted. The players shrugged. Alabama's defense dominated Saturday, the statistics said. "It wasn't perfect," free safety Mark Barron said. "We had some mistakes out there. I feel like we came out and had a good day, but it wasn't perfect."

Alabama disposes of Kent State 48-7 | al.com

Alabama helped to restore a sense of normalcy in this town simply by playing football. The second-ranked Crimson Tide disposed of Kent State 48-7 on Saturday, using the season opener to unveil a quarterback competition between AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims, though their performances were largely upstaged by the Tide's stout defense.

Tide roll in opener against Kent State | LATimes.com

"When you play with young players at quarterback, there's a lot of things that can happen," Saban said about his young signal-callers. "AJ, having a little more poise, having played a little bit more, probably played with a little more poise today, but we have a lot of confidence in Phillip and in most cases he plays extremely well. I think he learned a lot out there today and I think he will be a very good player for us here."

Crimson Tide defense plays well, can be better | GadsdenTimes.com

Nothing flashy for Tide | The Cullman Times

Now out of Ingram’s shadow, Richardson will look to anchor the Crimson Tides’ rushing attack. Even though he had three touchdowns, his 37 yards were bested by fellow running backs Jalston Fowler and Eddie Lacy. Early in the fourth, 63 of Fowler’s 69 rushing yards came on a two-play drive that ended on a lengthy 49-yard run. Lacy also contributed 58 rushing yards and a touchdown of his own.

Tide finds new weapon in Maze | The Crimson White

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