For any of you who live in Memphis, or anywhere close enough to drive, we've got a pretty big showcase on Friday night at the New Daisy Theatre, so if you can make it out, please do.
Days 'til Season Kickoff: 53
There's more talk about how John Parker Wilson is ready to put Alabama football back on the map this year. Check it out here and here. Also check out Gatorsports.com's preview of the 9 SEC quarterbacks that have a shot to be all-conference players this year - yes, John Parker is one of them.
The Montgomery Advertiser lets us know how the SEC shapes up. It mentions that Saban will have to recruit hard for a couple of years to match talent with LSU and Auburn.
Apparently the Western Carolina game is high on the radar for Lincoln Financial Sports' telecast the first weekend. Alabama officials don't want to play an 11:30 game that weekend, partly because they could make more money on a pay-per-view broadcast since it is Coach Saban's first game, and partly because they have to play at 11:30 the next week at Vanderbilt. Looks like Florida and Western Kentucky may get to open up the LFS season.
Tommy Hicks decides that he wants to do some scheduling and come up with great overall SEC non-conference games, like Alabama vs Notre Dame or Florida vs Boise State. See his full list here.
And finally, here's a great example of why you shouldn't EVER schedule a wedding on a football Saturday. I've already made this point clear with my fiance. She understands that, during the fall, I am absolutely worthless on Saturdays. As I should be. Haha.
THE MIKE SHULA ERA
#21: Tennessee 16 Alabama 13Oct. 21st, 2006 in Knoxville, TN
This could be the game that sealed Mike Shula's fate. We'll never really know when the wheels got turning behind-the-scenes for what would be one of the most important coaching searches in Alabama history...but if I had to wager, it was giving up the lead in the 4th quarter of this game.
This game could really just come down to the fact that we had to settle for a 24 yard field goal in the first quarter (for those that don't know, that means we were on the 7 yard line), and an 18 yarder late in the 2nd quarter (for those that don't know, that means we were on the 1 yard line). Score touchdowns in those two situation and we're up 14-3 at halftime rather than 6-3.
UT tied it up midway through the 3rd, and we finally stuck it in the endzone with about a minute left in the quarter to take a 13-6 lead into the 4th quarter. That was our last points of the game.
Tennessee kicked a field goal with about 8 minutes left to cut the lead to 13-9. We then gave them the football back on a punt to their 30 yard line. They called pass interference on us, which gave them a first down midway through the drive. Then they steadily drove down the field and scored on a 1 yard over-the-pile dive by Arian Foster. They took the lead 16-13.
We had a chance with about 3 minutes left, but we looked so confused, disappointed, and panicked that I'm absolutely positive nobody could come through in the clutch.
So that was the final. 16-13. The beginning of the end for Coach Shula.
¶ 8:37 AM
