‘Bama Link Dump: Both Tide QB commits invited to Elite 11

Today’s link dump, have at it:

• Alabama basketball has had a great start in the class room under Avery Johnson:

• This story is so perfectly bizarre: 2018 in a nutshell. An aide in the Trump administration is a ‘Bama grad and had Saban autograph a ball, ostensibly for Gov. Kay Ivey. Then, the ball went missing. Unsurprisingly, it was last seen in the aide’s office. Chief of Staff Gen. Kelly has been called in to intervene.
• Both Paul Tyson and Taulia Tagovailoa (‘Bama NSD 2019) received invitations to the Elite 11 quarterback camp. If you’re keeping track at home, that pair join Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones as E11 QBs. Five-for-the-last-five is pretty good, I’d wager.
• The kickoff time has been announced for the godforsaken miserable game in Orlando at the end of August. Fortunately, it’s a late start. Unfortunately, I doubt the weather will be much better in the evening.
• But, there are still plenty of tickets available for that. Also, Alabama has unveiled a mini-plan this season that includes several home games. It looks like you get the A&M game, but not Auburn. Still, at $250, that’s a great deal.
• Softball tickets for tomorrow’s regional are also now on sale. I’m not certain how long they will last. Give 205-348-BAMA a ring, and you may still get a seat in cozy Rhodes stadium.
• Costco Clay Travis Danny Kannell is tilting at some windmills when he says “Alabama was gifted a national championship.” You know, because defeating two teams with top three defenses, on the road, with a bunch of freshmen, and a billion injuries, is surely a gift. That dude is unemployed for a reason.
• More from Greg Byrne on the sudden home-and-home scheduling of Notre Dame and Texas. I’m not going to look this gift horse in the mouth. Do you, Big G.
• Legendary SEC Commish and BCS architect, Mike Slive, passed away yesterday at the age of 77. He was an exceptionally good person, probably better of a human than commission — and he was great for this league. Here is the joint statement from Coach Saban and AD Greg Byrne.
• Nick Saban is golfing at the Region’s pro-am. Yesterday, he had a few words to say about transfers...specifically dropping the phrase “free agency.” Look what you’ve done, NCAA? Happy yet?

Annnnnnd, that’s about it for today. We are fast approaching the deadest of dead season. Hold me.