By Ken Rogers
My story in Friday’s Eagle is on Tide linebacker Rolando McClain and how Alabama is relying on him not just as an All-American player, but as a key team leader.
McClain was asked more than once about the SEC Championship Game, which top-ranked Alabama lost to Florida after Tim Tebow led a fourth-quarter comeback.
Asked if he gets sick hearing about Tebow, McClain wasn’t biting.
“You can ask as many questions as you want about Tebow. I like the guy,” he said. “I’ve never met him, personally — hopefully I’ll see him today — but I like him because of the competitor he is.”
McClain saw first-hand that competitive fire in Florida’s quarterback, who has two national championship rings flanking his Heisman Trophy.
“Last year in the SEC Championship Game, I’m sitting on our sideline and that defense is out on the field,” McClain recalled. “They call a timeout and he walks into the defensive huddle and says something.
“I don’t know what he said but it had to be something good. They go out and get like two or three sacks in a row. I’m like, ‘Man what did that guy say? What did he say?’ He’s such a good leader it’s crazy. I like him.”
Tebow, who appeared after McClain, was asked what he told the Gator defense at that moment. The quarterback thought a moment.
“I can’t even remember,” he said. “I don’t know. Probably so fired up I forgot. Honestly, I can’t even tell you what I said. But I’m sure it was something from my heart. That’s all I can say.”
McClain noted his style of leadership isn’t nearly as vocal as Tebow’s, but it’s hard to argue with results.
“Maybe I need to get his number and call him and see what he does, how he leads his team,” he said.
Posted by Ken Rogers on 07/23 at 11:37 PM
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By Ken Rogers
Alabama coach Nick Saban was asked about the attrition on the Crimson Tide’s roster as the team prepares to open football camp Aug. 6.
“We have a demanding program,” Saban said.
The coach said Alabama’s standards are high for its players in areas outside of football. Personal development and academic demands, in addition to lack of playing time, all contribute to a player’s decision to transfer.
My article in Friday’s Eagle has details. But Saban talked in-depth about the personal development programs Alabama football players go through.
“We have a personal development aspect to our program that there’s principles and values in the organization relative to developing a successful philosophy, creating the right kinds of habits, thoughts and priorities that are going to help you make good decisions, whether it’s the Pacific Institute coming in, whether it’s a peer intervention program that addresses behavioral issues, drugs, alcohol, gambling, spiritual development, how to treat the opposite sex, macho man stuff, running your mouth, getting in fights,“ Saban said.
“Most of the stuff you read about players having issues come in some of those categories from that personal standpoint. We spend a lot of time trying to develop personalities on our team, characteristics that will help them be more successful. And they’ll be more successful in life for having been involved in the program. It is demanding. We have some players in our program who have not met those demands.“
Posted by Ken Rogers on 07/23 at 04:25 PM
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By Ken Rogers
One common question posed to all four coaches at the outset of SEC Media Days is who they voted for on the preseason All-SEC Team at quarterback.
More precisely, the search is on for the coach who didn’t vote for Tim Tebow.
SEC Media Days:
Get the latest news from Media Days in Hoover, Ala. Stories, photos, videos, Twitter and more.
It was surprising when the team was announced that Tebow wasn’t a unanimous selection at quarterback. Apparently, his two national championship rings and Heisman Trophy weren’t enough to earn one coach’s vote.
Not surprisingly, none of the four surveyed claimed responsibility for the snub.
“I don’t know if y’all are going to find the culprit who didn’s vote (for him),“ Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. He then added, “You could tell him it wasn’t me.“
Kentucky’s Rich Brooks also got the point of the question.
“You guys are going to try to narrow it down to get somebody to spill their guts?“ he asked. “How could I not vote for Tim Tebow? We couldn’t stop him the last few years. I voted the other guy second. It isn’t me. I’m not the guy. Good luck in your search.“
Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen is certainly not a prime suspect. The former Florida offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach has the task of turning things around in Starkville. Not only did Mullen say he voted for Tebow, he choked up talking about his respect for the player.
“When you spend three years of your life ... when you spend more time with Tim Tebow than you do with your own wife, which I did, you get that close relationship,“ Mullen said. “... I probably have more respect for him than anybody I’ve ever met. Just an amazing kid. He taught me a very valuable lesson in life: If you can make an impact on someone’s life, it’s your obligation to do that. And he is one of the most amazing young people out there.“
That left Bobby Petrino of Arkansas to ‘fess up. The coach sounded a bit less certain about how he voted, but said, “I’m not crazy. I probably did (vote for Tebow), yeah.“
The search is sure to continue today and, if necessary, Friday.
Thursday’s lineup is power packed. Mark Richt, Nick Saban, Houston Nutt and Urban Meyer are on the schedule.
Posted by Ken Rogers on 07/22 at 10:30 PM
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By Ken Rogers
Times and TV assignments have been set for Alabama’s first two home games.
The television lineups for the first three weeks of the season were released Wednesday at SEC Media Days.
Alabama’s home opener against Florida International on Sept. 12 will be a 6 p.m. kickoff and will be a pay-per-view game. The next week, Week 3, Alabama plays North Texas at 11:21 a.m. in a regionally televised game on the new SEC Network, which will be aired on WTVY Channel 4 in Dothan.
The Tide opens the season Sept. 5 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic against Virginia Tech in Atlanta. That game will be broadcast on ABC at 7 p.m. CDT.
The television lineups for the few couple games were released Wednesday at SEC Media Days. The season opener is Thursday, Sept. 3, when South Carolina plays at North Carolina State. ESPN will televise the game at 6 p.m.
Here’s the Week 1 TV lineup, all times Central:
Sept 3
South Carolina at N.C. State, ESPN, 6 p.m.
Sept. 5
Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio), ESPNU, 11 a.m.
Western Kentucky at Tennessee, SEC Network, 11:21 a.m.
Jackson State at Mississippi State, ESPNU, 2:30 p.m.
Georgia at Oklahoma State, ABC, 2:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at Auburn, ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Charles Southern at Florida, FSN, 6 p.m.
Missouri State at Arkansas, PPV, 6 p.m.
Western Carolina at Vanderbilt, CSS, 6:30 p.m.
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in Atlanta, ABC, 7 p.m.
LSU at Washington, ESPN, 9:30 p.m.
Sept. 6
Ole Miss at Memphis, ESPN, 2:30 p.m.
Week 2 TV and times:
Troy at Florida, SEC Network, 11:21 a.m.
UCLA at Tennessee, ESPN, 3 p.m.
South Carolina at Georgia, ESPN2, 6 p.m.
Vanderbilt at LSU, ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Mississippi State at Auburn, FSN, 6 p.m.
Florida International at Alabama, PPV, 6 p.m.
Week 3 TV and times:
Louisville at Kentucky, ESPNU, 11 a.m.
North Texas at Alabama, SEC Network, 11:21 a.m.
Tennessee at Florida, CBS, 2:30 p.m.
Louisiana Lafayette at LSU, ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, FSN, 6 p.m.
Southeastern Louisiana at Ole Miss, CSS, 6:30 p.m.
Georgia at Arkansas, ESPN or ESPN2, 6:45 p.m.
West Virginia at Auburn, ESPN or ESPN2, 6:45 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at South Carolina, PPV, 6 p.m.
Other dates set:
Thursday, Sept. 24
Ole Miss at South Carolina, ESPN, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Oct. 31
Florida vs. Georgia, CBS, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27
Alabama at Auburn, CBS, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 5
SEC Championship Game, CBS, 3 p.m.
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Posted by Ken Rogers on 07/22 at 02:21 PM
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By Ken Rogers
Times and TV assignments have been set for Alabama’s first two home games.
The television lineups for the first three weeks of the season were released Wednesday at SEC Media Days.
Alabama’s home opener against Florida International on Sept. 12 will be a 6 p.m. kickoff and will be a pay-per-view game. The next week, Week 3, Alabama plays North Texas at 11:21 a.m. in a regionally televised game on the new SEC Network, which will be aired on WTVY Channel 4 in Dothan.
The Tide opens the season Sept. 5 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic against Virginia Tech in Atlanta. That game will be broadcast on ABC at 7 p.m. CDT.
The television lineups for the few couple games were released Wednesday at SEC Media Days. The season opener is Thursday, Sept. 3, when South Carolina plays at North Carolina State. ESPN will televise the game at 6 p.m.
Here’s the Week 1 TV lineup, all times Central:
Sept 3
South Carolina at N.C. State, ESPN, 6 p.m.
Sept. 5
Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio), ESPNU, 11 a.m.
Western Kentucky at Tennessee, SEC Network, 11:21 a.m.
Jackson State at Mississippi State, ESPNU, 2:30 p.m.
Georgia at Oklahoma State, ABC, 2:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at Auburn, ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Charles Southern at Florida, FSN, 6 p.m.
Missouri State at Arkansas, PPV, 6 p.m.
Western Carolina at Vanderbilt, CSS, 6:30 p.m.
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in Atlanta, ABC, 7 p.m.
LSU at Washington, ESPN, 9:30 p.m.
Sept. 6
Ole Miss at Memphis, ESPN, 2:30 p.m.
Week 2 TV and times:
Troy at Florida, SEC Network, 11:21 a.m.
UCLA at Tennessee, ESPN, 3 p.m.
South Carolina at Georgia, ESPN2, 6 p.m.
Vanderbilt at LSU, ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Mississippi State at Auburn, FSN, 6 p.m.
Florida International at Alabama, PPV, 6 p.m.
Week 3 TV and times:
Louisville at Kentucky, ESPNU, 11 a.m.
North Texas at Alabama, SEC Network, 11:21 a.m.
Tennessee at Florida, CBS, 2:30 p.m.
Louisiana Lafayette at LSU, ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, FSN, 6 p.m.
Southeastern Louisiana at Ole Miss, CSS, 6:30 p.m.
Georgia at Arkansas, ESPN or ESPN2, 6:45 p.m.
West Virginia at Auburn, ESPN or ESPN2, 6:45 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at South Carolina, PPV, 6 p.m.
Other dates set:
Thursday, Sept. 24
Ole Miss at South Carolina, ESPN, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Oct. 31
Florida vs. Georgia, CBS, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 27
Alabama at Auburn, CBS, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 5
SEC Championship Game, CBS, 3 p.m.
.
Posted by Ken Rogers on 07/22 at 01:43 PM
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