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Author Rick Bragg discusses his 2007 SI cover story on Alabama football - College Football - SI.com
I've interviewed suspected serial killers. I've interviewed suspected terrorists. I've interviewed people who went to prison for killing men. I've interviewed a bunch of scary people, but Saban made me nervous.
Maybe there's something to OWB's "Dark Lord" nickname, after-all?
Where are the catches for Alabama TEs? Senior isn't worried about lack of looks early | AL.com
Much of the play calling has been dictated by the opposing defenses. They're playing loose on the receivers outside, freeing the screen passes that have netted so many yards. Vogler remembered the 2012 SEC Championship Game win over Georgia as an example of finding a look and sticking with it. Georgia failed to adjust to Alabama's play calling so they ran the same play six straight snaps until the Bulldogs. This year it's been the screen passes.
Like I said the other day, you don't fix something that ain't broken. If you throw a WR bubble screen and it goes for 51 yards and a TD, and then you throw another one and it goes for 41, oh and the next one gains 30 yards, you keep throwing it until they (the defense) stops it. I know people want to see Sims and Coker make the hard throws into coverage, proving to us all they can make those throws, but they weren't there against FAU early on.
Later in the game we saw Coker attempt a back shoulder pass to Amari (which was actually a good throw but the wrong read), another rocket to Amari in the end-zone that had he caught it would have been a TD, and he tried to go over the middle to Ty Flournoy-Smith (another good throw that was dropped). So I think we've seen from Coker the ability and willingness to make the tough throws, but I think, and this is just a guess, we are waiting to see the same from Sims.
Former Alabama O-lineman walks away from football after 2 games at Ohio State | AL.com
"As a result, and after careful consideration, I have determined that it is time for me to walk away from football," Lindsay wrote, according to Cleveland.com. "I have had a great career and I will always be grateful for so many wonderful experiences. I would like to thank Coach Meyer, the coaching staff, players and trainers as it has been an honor to be a part of The Ohio State University football family. I wish the team great success for the remainder of the season.
Alabama Has Lost Its Benefit of the Doubt - Team Speed Kills
Again, I don't care what the general public feeling for Alabama is. Every team is still a bit of a Rorschach test after only two weeks, but it is interesting to find out what people are seeing. In Alabama's case, they're seeing a vulnerable team rather than a sleepy monster that briefly had trouble waking up. It doesn't matter a ton now, but it might come December if a non-SEC champion Alabama is one of the teams fighting for the fourth playoff spot. Early season narratives never truly go away, after all.
Again, Alabama, for the first time in a while, is flying a bit under the radar this year. The Auburn and OU losses, coupled with the WVU game, has given the perception that Alabama isn't very good. OK.
Thing is, Alabama may not be a national championship caliber team (yet), and until they show up in a big game and prove they are, they'll continue to be doubted. But in the end, it doesn't matter, because with UF, A&M, LSU and Auburn (plus Ole Miss and MSU) coming up, the team will have plenty of opportunities to prove the naysayers wrong.
Alabama CB Cyrus Jones can laugh off near punt-return TD, Nick Perry's unfortunate hit | AL.com
The grin widened a bit when asked about another memorable second half play. It involved Tide safety Nick Perry and FAU running back Jay Warren. It was ugly. Perry got steamrolled trying to make a tackle in the open field. His Alabama teammates showed no mercy. "We definitely got on him a little bit in the huddle, but it was all in fun," Jones said. "He tried his best. Plays like that are going to happen when you're playing football, so we just moved on."
I'm sure film review wasn't very fun either.
After Evans dropped Hankerson, he ran toward the Alabama sideline and celebrated as the play continued behind him. The officials only blew the play dead once Tim Williams brought Hankerson down to the turf for a second time, though they later corrected the spot to where Evans tackled him. Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart quickly grabbed Evans and pointed to the Bryant-Denny Stadium video board, which showed the replay. Sophomore defensive end Jonathan Allen smiled Monday when he said "coach Kirby wasn't too happy about that." "Now he knows what it feels like, he's been there, so he knows what he has to do to get there," Allen said. "I really think it's good for his confidence and I feel like he can really helps us out on the defense."
By Repealing Penn State Sanctions, the NCAA Destroys Its Valuable Message - Team Speed Kills
Progress, apparently, was enough to make sure that Penn State's punishment was no worse than Southern Cal's for a violation of NCAA rules that, whether you agree with those rules or not, are not as basic and fundamental to our moral core as one person's responsibility to another. Because Penn State has not once again engaged in a cold-blooded campaign to cover up the actions of a twisted man who hid in their athletics department, their punishment should be eased.
But let's be totally clear about this: None of the players or coaches currently at Penn State were unwillingly or unwittingly punished by this. Not one. Players were allowed to transfer without sitting out a year, and the coaching staff that was in place when the penalties were handed down is gone. James Franklin and crew took over knowing full well that Penn State was facing additional penalties. The idea that poor, innocent players and coaches were punished is sophistry, and bad sophistry at that.
The people who were unwillingly and unwittingly punished by this were the fans and the community that had tolerated the behavior, who had deified Joe Paterno and continued to deify him after it was revealed that he at best sat silently as his superiors hid the actions of a monster and ensured that more children were victimized.
Actually, no...Why should the players be punished? What role did they play in the cover-up? What does James Franklin have to do with Jerry Sandusky? Did they break any laws?
The people who were punished for these heinous and unspeakable crimes were Joe Paterno (who is now dead), Jerry Sandusky (who is now in prison), and the people who were actually involved with the cover-up. The death penalty, which was basically what PSU was given, should have never been handed down by the NCAA in the first place. It was not their jurisdiction. The people who broke the law are either dead or are in prison. That's justice. The football team and coaches who had nothing to do with covering up the rape of young boys shouldn't have been punished.
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