Jumbo Package: Monday, 7 March 2016

Happy Monday, everyone. We will start with some comments from Avery Johnson following Saturday's loss to UGA that effectively eliminated the Tide from consideration for an at-large NCAA bid:

What's next for Alabama? SEC tournament picture gains clarity | AL.com

"A lot of times, a lot of our weaknesses pop up and sometimes we just can't overcome it," Alabama coach Avery Johnson said. "It was a good learning year for us. The season is not over. We're a team, obviously, if you won four or five in a row in conference, you have the capability of getting hot. That's what we're banking on."

This sums it up perfectly. Coming into the season, the flaws on this roster were obvious: no scoring threat on the inside, no pure outside shooters, no established leadership at the point guard position. The team has gotten by on salty defense and Retin Obasohan having an unexpectedly great season. Hey, it's highly unlikely that the 10th-seeded Tide win the SEC tournament, but stranger things have happened. May as well watch, just in case.

Alabama Spring Football Preview: Defensive Backs

Analysis: Jackson was one of several Tide players who elected to skip the NFL draft and return for his senior year. His presence will provide valuable experience to a secondary that will be lacking in that department.

Projected starters Fitzpatrick, Humphrey and Harrison all have NFL potential and made impressive contributions on the field last year, but the trio — all sophomores — were still prone to their share of rookie mistakes in 2015.

Brown is a wild-card; he wound up deep in Saban's doghouse after a pair of late-season incidents — one on-field, one off-field — that made headlines. If he can stay out of trouble, he'll have plenty of opportunities. Sheffield is a redshirt freshman who veteran players say is poised to break out this year.

Eddie Jackson has a chance to become an early-round pick at safety if he can show the ability to run things.

SEC spring football preview: Reaching for Alabama standard

Long live the mighty Southeastern Conference, which thanks to Alabama’s win against Clemson in early January returned to its place atop the Football Bowl Subdivision after a long and torturous two-year absence. Thanks, Alabama. The Crimson Tide have carried the flag for the SEC since 2009, when the program captured the first of its four national championships under Nick Saban, and is expected to do again so not just in 2016 but in perpetuity — or for however long Saban continues to find motivation in dominating the sport unlike any coach in history.

Just how valuable is football to Alabama sports? | AL.com

Bottom line: The $95.1 million in football revenue works out to 81 percent of the sports-specific income Alabama made in 2015. The men's basketball program was next with $12.8 million of revenue... Since football brings in such a high percentage of the revenue, it obviously funds large portions of the other sports. The football expenses ($48.6 million) represented 59.3 percent of the sports-specific total.

This is one rising Tide that truly lifts all boats.

Nick Saban returning to Mobile for Team Focus event | AL.com

Nick Saban will be the guest speaker for Team Focus' annual fundraiser for the ninth straight year when the Alabama football coach visits Mobile on March 24. "A Night with Nick Saban" starts at 7 p.m. CDT March 24 at the Arthur Outlaw Mobile Convention Center. The yearly event is the only fundraiser for Team Focus, a non-profit organization that aims to fill the gap for 10- to 18-year-old boys who are without fathers in their lives. The organization serves more than 4,000 at-risk youth from its headquarters in Mobile and chapters in Austin, Texas; Jacksonville, Fla.; Las Vegas, Lexington, Ky.; South Florida and Ohio.

If you're in Mobile and would like to hear Coach speak, it will cost you a mere $75 a plate that will go to a worthy cause.

Dear Nick Saban: Please Run For President | FOX Sports

I realize that I sound like the most idiotic Alabama fan on earth and I know that secretly you hate Alabama fans with every fiber of your being, but that's exactly why you're so perfect. Most politicians kiss our asses and tell us we're great, but you don't do that, you kick us in the ass and tell us we're fat and need to hit the gym. It's not even tough love, you hate us. We need a president who hates his constituents as much as you hate Alabama fans. It's so much more authentic. America gets the president we deserve. What if America got a president who told us we didn't deserve him? That's what we need, Nick, someone to tell us we suck and we're lazy and that the reason China is kicking our ass isn't because of our leaders, it's because of our own pathetic failures. We spend more money on education than any country in the world and fifty countries outperform us. That's like Vandy beating Alabama in football. No way that's happening with Nick Saban in charge.

I clicked on Clay Travis so you don't have to.

NFL Draft 2016: Top 50 prospects; Ohio State, Alabama football lead the way - UPI.com

49. Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama (6-2, 242, 4.54, Jr.) Since 2011, Alabama has had four running backs drafted in the first two rounds (with mixed results) and Henry should be the fifth. He is a powerful, yet graceful north-south athlete who can fit through tight spaces, using patience and instincts to gash defenses.

Good to see Henry getting some love here. Looks like he has a legitimate chance to go early.

Jim Harbaugh heading to Alabama high school for June 6 satellite football camp | AL.com

Harbaugh's use of satellite camps, including one in Prattville last summer, has been controversial, with Alabama coach Nick Saban calling them 'ridiculous.' Rose said the controversy didn't deter him from working out the deal with Michigan. "It gave me no pause whatsoever," Rose said. "To have a storied program like Michigan come to your campus and have kids be able to work one-on-one with their coaches, it's all positive for Bob Jones High School. It's not every day Michigan comes to your campus. We're excited."

One thing is certain: no one can question Harbaugh's work ethic.

North Dakota State ends Alabama's lengthy winning streak | AL.com

North Dakota State pitcher Jacquelyn Sertic induced a game-ending flyout to secure her team's 2-1 win over Alabama Saturday afternoon, which ended the No. 2 Tide's 18-game winning streak. North Dakota State scored in the third and fifth innings to go up, 2-0. Alabama finished with just four hits. That was the Tide's second game of the day as part of the Easton Crimson Classic. Alabama beat DePaul, 12-4, in five innings earlier.

Eighteen game winning streaks are always a good thing. The ladies are killing it this year.

That's about it for today. Have a great week, everyone.

Roll Tide.