The Jumbo Package 06.11.13

5 Years Of Penalties: Which Teams Get More Flags On The Road Than At Home?

Once again, it’s hard to pin down anything that would lead someone to believe in conspiracy theories. No SEC school over the last five seasons has had a better homefield advantage in terms of its own penalties than… Ole Miss. Not Alabama or LSU or Florida. Ole Miss

I'm not so sure LSU, Auburn or any team not named Alabama agrees. Y'all remember when Alabama went almost an entire season without being called for holding? I don't want to encourage the conspiracy theorist out there but holding could literally be called on every play. The fact we went so long without one being called does seem rather odd.

Looking at the numbers Alabama averaged about 4.3ish penalties per game from '08- '12. None of the other SEC "elite" teams even came close to that. The REC is certainly living up to their reputation.

College football expert Phil Steele picks Alabama to win fourth BCS title in 5 seasons | al.com

"I feel this year's Alabama team is even stronger than last year's national championship unit," Steele wrote, "and the Crimson Tide are my pick to become the first school in history to win four national titles in five years."

Ho hum...no biggie...just another day in the office...Alabama is yet again the hot pick for winning the national championship. yippie...

After Alabama ran through it's first six or so opponents last year like a fat kid in abandoned candy store, College and Magnolia asked 'Bama fans if winning had become boring. A year ago the answer was, "I don't know about y'all but I'm having a blast." But has it? Is it now boring?

I will say there seems to be a sense of apathy from the fan base as a whole. This is just an observation, and I don't live in the state of Alabama but we just don't seem as enthusiastic as we use to be. Remember the 2008 spring practice? Watching video of the incoming freshman and drooling all over yourself? Are we still in awe? Remember when all this felt, new? We've noticed a dip in RBR page views. Is that due to the change over in power or a reflection on the fan base? Has winning made our passion subside?

In 2007 RBR went from this little unknown site where just a few of us hung out, to the next day being one of, if not the largest Alabama specific blogs on the web. Was this due to RBR being so awesome (and of course it is/was), the general growth of SBN or was a sleeping giant awakened? Are we as a fan base no longer desperate and have we forgotten what 2000-2007 felt like?

So the question that CRM proposed still remains, has winning become boring?

Saban's scheduled appearance in Tennessee causes stir

"We’ve gotten emails," Preston said. "We’ve gotten phone calls. Most of the phone calls happen at 2 o’clock in the morning or when we’re not here. They leave it on the machine."

Wait, Is this the same speaking engagement we've been talking about for what feels like a year now? Are UT fans still pissed Coach Saban, one of the current greatest minds in college football, has been asked to speak at an event in their precious state? Apparently so....

This is the ultimate disrespect to the University of Tennessee and all Vols fans, and it amounts to kicking us when we're down. It's the college sports equivalent of scheduling a Nazi to speak in Israel. I hope your power fails, your catering is illness-laden and that the backlash boycott sets Athens businesses back 25 years."

Former Alabama QB Freddie Kitchens released from hospital, could return to coaching soon | al.com

Kitchens, who underwent a nine-hour surgery to repair a defective aorta, released a statement through the Cardinals that focused heavily on the team's quick response to the dizziness and light-headed feelings that preceded his diagnosis. "There are so many people that I'll be indebted to for the rest of my life and 'thank you' just doesn't seem near enough.