Congratulations to Softball's Charlotte Morgan, the SEC Freshman of the Week:
Helped lead Alabama to a series sweep over Mississippi State to start the SEC season. She reached base in five of her eight plate appearance for a .625 on-base percentage. She scored four runs in the three games and drove in three others. In the opening game she scored twice. She reached base on two walks in the second game and then was 2-for-2 with a three-run home run and a sacrifice bunt in the series finale. In Sunday's contest she put the Tide in front with her three-run home run and then moved runners over to second and third with a sacrifice bunt to set up a two-run single that made the score 5-0. Also came in to finish the second game of the series and recorded her first collegiate save after pitching 1.2 innings with two hits allowed and one strikeout. She entered with runners on first and second and one out in the sixth inning.
Eight in the Box has an excellent piece up about Alabama Basketball and what they think is necessary for the Tide to finally get over the hump and truly become "Not Just a Football School."
So who should we look to for comparison to determine how successful our program is and can be at any particular time? How about Florida, Texas, or Texas Tech? These schools don't have a long or storied history of basketball prowess beyond the present. Since 2000, Florida has reached 2 Final Fours and won a National Championship to go with three SEC Tournament Championships. Texas made the Final Four in 2003 and is looking like a strong contender in this year's tournament. Texas Tech is coached by a basketball legend in Bobby Knight, but Tech is probably considered less of a basketball power than Alabama. All of the above teams are in the Tournament this year. Alabama is not. Why?
Go read the whole thing.
Paul Westerdawg takes a look at some of the "name" teams that didn't even get into the NIT.
Coach Saban landed a pretty good recruiting class with very little time to put one together, and for that he is to be commended. But conspicuous in it's absence is the lack of a future "All-Namer," like Boston College prospect Masengo Kabongo. Until we have a player who's name we can be both proud of and amused by, I say he's a failure.
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio Prince Wimbley, a nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.
Next year's New Year's Resolution: Get on ESPN's enemies list.
ALABAMA MFER! The completely awesome "It's Just Like...a Mini-Mall" commercial that made the rounds a while ago made it into the Top Ten of the Phat Phree's 50 Greatest Local TV Commerials. If you've got a little time to kill, watch them all. I'm partial to #6 myself.
Well, it's not as bad as the time I shoved a girl out of bed because I was dreaming about recruiting, but it's close.
Guess what I just got off iTunes?