Monday Musings: 'Crootin Ballers and Merit Scholars

• Ho, hum. Another year, another top-ranked recruiting class. According to Rivals, we ended up with four five-stars and 13 four-stars, while 18 signees were ranked in ESPN's top 300. Huge shout out to Slice of Life for all the outstanding coverage around signing day. It's been said many times around these parts, but we are truly living in a golden age of Bama football and should enjoy every second with the understanding that it won't always be like this. Seriously, people...

• The story of Reuben Foster's fugitive father getting caught and arrested 16 years after shooting his mother should serve as a reminder that we really know nothing about these kids and their backgrounds. Many of them are brought up in environments that are unfathomable to most of us. Try to reserve judgment when they appear indecisive, change commitments, etc. and have some empathy for the pressure of choosing between schools with rabid (read: often insane) fanbases in today's media climate. Coach Saban intimated that Foster was conflicted during the process and simply trying to "please everyone" when asked about Reuben's apology via Twitter to the Bama, Auburn, and UGA faithful. No doubt in my mind that some kids have a flair for the dramatic and try to milk the spotlight, but still think we need to try and maintain some perspective. They are teenage kids, after all. Give ‘em a break...

• If you want further evidence that the SEC is by far the best football conference in the land, check out the list of players invited to this month's NFL Combine. About a quarter of them, 79 total, played their college ball at current SEC schools. LSU leads the pack with a staggering 13 invitees underscoring the rebuilding job needed in Baton Rouge next season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Bama has 10 total: Dial, Fluker, Nico Johnson, Barrett Jones, Lacy, Lester, Milliner, Square, Warmack, and Jesse Williams. A bit surprising that Michael Williams failed to make the list, though it is still possible that he will hear his name on draft day...

• Speaking of LSU, looks like Cam Cameron will be hired as the team's offensive coordinator. Apparently he and Les Miles go way back- coached together as offensive assistants at Michigan and Cameron served as a groomsman in Les's wedding. He is noted for his work with some elite NFL signal callers including Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and Joe Flacco. Considering the strength of their running game, LSU has some serious offensive potential if Cameron can help Mettenberger find a little consistency. Looking forward to another epic battle with the Bayou Bengals in early November...

• Not much left to say about the basketball program at this point. I think Grant probably gets another year, but we need to see significant progress. Losing to that Auburn team in that fashion is simply inexcusable and leaves the NIT as the only semi-plausible postseason destination. The offense is still deplorable and we seem to have nothing inside. The baseball team isn't projected to do much either, it appears. Oh well. Guess we'll just have to get behind Jackie Traina and the defending national champion softball team for our spring entertainment...

• While we spend our time and space at RBR discussing the greatest run of athletic excellence in school history, it's worth noting that the University is also enjoying unprecedented success in the admissions office. It was reported this week that the fall 2012 freshman class included 241 merit scholars, most in the nation among public schools and fourth overall behind the University of Chicago, Harvard, and USC. Total enrollment is at an all-time high and applications have increased by over 200% since 2002. High times at the Capstone, indeed. Now, about that upper-level student section...

Roll Tide, everyone.