Nov. 18, 2007 - The Iron Bowl

Alabama and Auburn football programs were less than a year old when the schools staged the first game of what was to become the most intense intrastate college rivalry in the nation.

Other states boast great traditional rivalries … games such as Texas-Texas A&M, Georgia-Georgia Tech, USC-UCLA and Florida-Florida State … but the Iron Bowl seems to generate a passion like no other.

Crimson Tide and Tiger loyalties run deeper than than any bloodline. The passion is so great in the hearts and minds of Alabamians it can cause health problems. Friends can turn into enemies during the course of the game and entire business deals can actually depend on the outcome of what has become known nationwide as the Iron Bowl.

In a state that has had a century-old love affair with college football, this one, 60 minutes of football determines bragging rights in Alabama for the next 364 days. The losers have only "next year" to cling to because the scores of other games during the season really do not matter.

There are few people in the state who have not committed to one school or the other for the Iron Bowl, so named for its traditional Birmingham home and birthplace. Birmingham, of course, was built around huge iron ore deposits in Alabama's hill country.

Perhaps the unusual fact that, after 1907, the two schools did not meet for 40 years, added to the intensity of the series when it was resumed. That intensity has not relented. Maybe the fact that, until 1989, it was held every year in Birmingham with the tickets split between the schools, has added to the passion and electricity of the game. Whatever the reason, the Iron Bowl has incredible impact on the state and its people.

http://www.angelfire.com/al/bamacrimsontide/ironbowlhistory.html

Since 1893, The Crimson Tide and Tigers have played 71 times. Alabama leads the all-time series, with 38 wins to Auburn's 32, with one tie.

Yea Alabama (Bama Fight Song)

Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you,
Hit your stride.
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave.
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For Bama's pluck and grit have
Writ her name in Crimson flame.
Fight on, fight on, fight on men!
Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then.
So roll on to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride,
Crimson Tide, Roll Tide, Roll Tide!!

Nov. 11, 2007 - Alabama falls to Miss. State 12-17

Nov. 5, 2007 - Close, but not close enough.

LSU vs. Alabama 41-34 Final
"We Played a very physical game, and it was close, but not close enough.
For a #17 team playing #3 in the nation, I'd say we gave it our all......and we're still #1 here at Bama".

By Scott Latta
UA Media Relations

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – In a game that featured five lead changes and five turnovers between the two teams, a late Alabama fumble made the difference as the No. 3 LSU Tigers defeated the No. 17 Crimson Tide 41-34 Saturday in front of a sold-out Bryant-Denny Stadium.

With the game tied at 34-34 and Alabama facing third-and-12 at its own 30, LSU safety Chad Jones broke through on a blitz and forced an Alabama fumble, which the Tigers recovered at the Alabama three-yard line.  Two plays later, LSU tailback Jacob Hester broke through the goal line for the game-winning touchdown.

"I was proud of the way our players competed," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "LSU has a good football team, especially defensively.
They had seven sacks in the game and a lot of pressures...They have an outstanding team, but we didn't do as good of a job at executing the way we needed to, to be able to have success at what we need to do to get the job done."

LSU had tied the game before the turnover after a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown from Alabama sophomore Javier Arenas gave Alabama a
34-27 lead.  The return tied the Alabama career record for punt returns for a touchdown at three, equalling the total achieved by former Alabama player Harry Gilmer (1944-46). It was the sixth time this season Arenas broke a punt or kick return for more than 45 yards.

"Javy works hard every game," said Saban on Arenas, who also played significant time in the Alabama secondary. "It's important to him.
We're going to reinforce that with more playing time."

After Alabama took a 20-17 lead into the locker room at halftime, the teams traded five punts before Wilson orchestrated a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior Keith Brown. The score gave Alabama a 27-17 lead with 1:19 left in the third quarter.

Two plays later, however, LSU quarterback Matt Flynn hit Demetrius Byrd on the left sideline for a 61-yard touchdown pass to pull to within three at 27-24, and after an Alabama punt, Flynn led LSU on a five-play drive that kicker Colt David capped with a 49-yard game-tying field goal to pull the Tigers even at 27-27 with just over
11 minutes left in the game.

Most of the damage on offense for Alabama came through the air, with Wilson going 14-of-40 for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Senior DJ Hall caught two passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, Brown caught two passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns, and senior Matt Caddell had three catches for 55 yards.

On the ground, senior Jonathan Lowe had 10 carries for 31 yards and freshman Terry Grant had 13 carries for 23 yards.

"We play one play at a time," Brown said. "Every play has its own history. We just play our game. We just have to execute. Those guys made great plays. We have great receivers who can make great plays.
That was our thought the whole game.

"They would get up and it was like 'Let's go answer the phone and go back out there and do what we do best.' It was just a great game all around."

After Alabama took the opening drive of the game 44 yards and capped it with a 36-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal, LSU scored 17 unanswered points to take a 14-point lead in the second quarter.

Alabama then closed out the first half with 17 unanswered points of its own, getting a 67-yard touchdown from Wilson to Hall to draw within seven at 17-10 before the Alabama defense picked off Flynn passes on three consecutive drives. An interception by junior Ezekial Knight at the LSU five led to a 21-yard field goal from Tiffin to pull the Tide to within four at 17-13, before an interception from freshman Kareem Jackson set up a touchdown from Wilson to Brown to give Alabama a three-point lead with 46 seconds left.

After LSU moved the ball deep into Alabama territory, Jackson then blocked a 46-yard field goal attempt from David as time expired in the second quarter.  Johnson led the Alabama defense with nine tackles, including one for loss. Senior Wallace Gilberry had eight tackles and three sacks and forced one fumble.

"We just couldn't finish the little things," senior Darren Mustin said. "It hurts pretty bad but you can't have a hangover from this for the whole season. We have to get our stuff together and learn from this over the next 24 hours and get ready for the next few games we have."

Alabama travels to Starkville, Miss. next Saturday to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-4, 2-3 SEC) at Davis Wade Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and will be broadcast on Lincoln Financial Sports.

ROLLTIDE.COM

Oct. 30, 2007 - Alabama17 gears up for LSU3

Alabama and LSU meet on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports, with Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter) calling the action.

Oct. 24, 2007 - Pictures: Fishing Trip

Oct. 20, 2007 - ROCKY TOPPLED

Oct. 17, 2007 - Alabama to play Tennessee on "Third Saturday in October"

The Alabama-Tennessee game will be televised regionally by Lincoln Financial Sports with an 11:34 a.m. (CDT) kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium.  Dave Neal (play-by-play), Dave Archer (analyst) and Dave Baker (sideline reporter) will call the action to 62 stations in the nine-state SEC region.  The game will also be available on ESPN GamePlan, excluding the nine-state SEC region.

Oct. 13, 2007 - Crimson Tide wins 27-24 against Ole Miss Rebels

Oct. 8, 2007 - A More Personal Entry

Oct. 6, 2007 - Alabama wins Homecoming game vs. Houston Cougars

Sep. 29, 2007 - Alabama now 3-2 after River Sity showdown to Seminoes: 21-14

Sep. 28, 2007 - Alabama @ Florida State tomorrow.

 Tomorrow, Alabama is going to be playing @ Florida State.

The Alabama-FSU game will be aired by CBS Sports with Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter) calling the action.  The kickoff time is set for 4 p.m. (CDT).

Saban addressed the media during the SEC Head Coaches teleconference Wednesday morning and again following practice.  Here are some of his comments:

On Florida State
“We are certainly going to have to continue to improve playing a national power with a lot tradition like Florida State.  It is an opportunity for us to play and out of conference game.  It gives a lot of exposure to both teams and certainly both teams have national reputations.  Florida State has a great football team.  Defensively, they are the best we have played against all year, relative to their players and how they play.  Offensively they have good enough players to score points.  They have excellent skill guys.  They are outstanding on special teams.  This is going to be a very challenging game for us and our focus needs to be on what we need to do to improve and get right ourselves.”

On the excitement surrounding this game
“We are excited about the game.  I think it’s a great game for us from a program standpoint.  It’s a great opportunity for our players to play against a great football team from a great league. We are representing the SEC.  It’s almost like a bowl game.  It’s a national television game.  We are playing at a neutral site.  We are playing against a team that is a national power and has great tradition and a great coach, who is the winningest coach of all time and a great person.  He is certainly someone I have always tried to emulate in this profession; relative to his class and the way he has as done things. I think it’s an outstanding opportunity for our players.  We are very excited about playing the game.”

On whether knowing FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and having Kevin Steele on staff gives some added insight
“They may know a little bit about what we do and we may know a little bit about what they do, but you never know when they are going to do it, so you always have to adjust and play the game and it’s going to come down to the execution of the players on both sides of the ball.”

*courtesy of rolltide.com

Sep. 26, 2007 - Welcome to My New Blog

Sep. 25, 2007 - Blog is under construction.