Alabama Crowned National Recruiting Champions - 3 5-star players; 22 prospects 4 stars or higher. RFT!

Stephon Marbury’s $15 sneaker - I enjoy posting the anti-DotW’s I find. I just wish I could find more of them. Stephon Marbury has a $15 sneaker after passing on lucrative endorsement deals. The guy has plenty of money already and thinks that parents struggling to make ends meet should have an option as far as their kids’ footwear. That is pretty fucking cool. I wish more celebs and athletes thought like this.

Since the big game is tomorrow and my hatred for Peyton Manning is unending, let’s take it old school to my pick for the winners of the game..

Saban hires FSU’s Steele as DC - I am loving this.

FSU Executive Head Coach Kevin Steele, the nation’s top recruiter by Rivals.com, told Bobby Bowden he was leaving Florida State to join Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide staff as defensive coordinator.

OMFG! Listening to the Sugar Bowl, I heard Terry Bradshaw admit he could not “pass the ACT Test” [sic] to get into LSU. Way to go Bradshaw! I am not trying to be a snob but Bradshaw has rubbed me wrong for a while now. Just goes to show you that anything can happen in America and that everything they tell you as a kid is a bunch of lies.

I got an IM today from a source that I trust saying that Saban was definitely coming to Alabama. The official announcement should be tomorrow so I could easily regret this early post but I am just telling you what I heard. It is a hell of an offer to the guy. I have mixed feelings. Again I don’t think you can hire the magic. I would have like to have seen Mike Riley or Chuck Martin. But I will be much relieved when it is all over and if we have Saban I will be OK with that. He should be a helluva recruiter and restore some the prestige of Alabama. RFT!

OK everyone is throwing Spurrier’s name around. Mal Moore (the Alabama Atheletic Director) has sought official permission to speak to him. First of all, seeking permission to talk to someone seems about as opposite from the nature of football as possible. I have seen this quote quite often in blogs lately,

The devil has a name, and he has a price. Someone in Tuscaloosa should visit him in Columbia and ask him what it is.

But here’s the thing: They hadn’t won those championships when Florida and LSU, respectively, hired them. Pete Carroll had been fired by two NFL teams when USC hired him six years ago. Even Paul “Bear” Bryant himself had not won a national championship when he returned to his alma mater nearly 50 years ago.

It is rare that any coach who has won a national championship becomes available, and no coach has ever won a national championship at two different schools. You can’t hire the magic. You have to hire the right man, let him do his job without interference and hope for the best.

Link Emphasis added mine. Yeah we want to win. We had a shit season but if you think Spurrier is an easy answer then you’re dead wrong. Not only do I see a conflict of styles, Alabama is best with a strong defense and passing game (say it with me) to open up the run. Spurrier is a QB’s coach. Offense fills seats but defense wins games. I would hate to see Alabama go to more of a west coast offense. It is not in the DNA of our game. Spurrier is like the really pretty girl that you date because you can but you hate being with her because every word out of her mouth, you are embarrassed by or disagree vehemently with. But you’re not thinking with the right head because all you want to do is score. Anyway, feel free to comment. I could be wrong but I doubt it.

Looks like Alabama has fired Mike Shula. So the questions begin who will be the replacement. Aside from Larry Coker, I really have no idea who is out there to pick from. But here’s what I would like to see as far as lessons learned. Let’s look forward and not to the past. I know it is tempting to get someone who played under the Bear. That really has gotten us far. We need to adapt. But I don’t want to see Alabama attempt a West Coast offense sort of BS, I think we should be a classic defense/running game team. Also, note: if you are black, please don’t let Jesse Jackson or any outsiders attempt to pressure for your hiring. That will only backfire.

Any other ideas regarding possible replacements?

Update: Fanblogs has a list of top coaching candidates.

Two posts I read right in a row:

• The hole that Mike Shula’s made - After the Miss St game, eating my way to happiness was my strategy too.
• Should Tide send Shula packing? - Title says it all.

Shula has disappointed a fan base with the highest of expectations. Best case scenario, he gets one more year but even if he goes 11-1 and that one is to Auburn, he’ll be gone.

My close friends Jon and Paul are participating in the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. A good cause to run in really cold weather. If you can, please chip in to help them meet their goals.