Alabama Weekly
March 8, 1999

March 8, 1999 -- Issue 2 -- Volume 2
AW Web Site: http://TideFans.com

HELLO BAMANATION CITIZENS!! Welcome to Alabama Weekly, your weekly E-Mail Newsletter about Alabama Crimson Tide sports. The purpose of this newsletter is to recap the week's events in Alabama Sports. We already have over 350 subscribers to Alabama Weekly for this second issue of Volume II with many new subscribers added daily!

Feel free to forward this email to your friends with a note for them to visit BamaNation.com to sign up and receive their own copy! Thanks for subscribing and we'll see you in a couple of weeks with Issue 3. Enjoy issue Number Two of Alabama Weekly - Volume II! Roll Tide!

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Alabama Weekly staff report

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Big Games Coming to Tuscaloosa

written by Jess Nicholas
Alabama Weekly staff / BamaNation.com Recruiting Editor

For a lot of Alabama fans, it couldn't have happened soon enough. For others, the decision brought back misty-eyed memories of heroic deeds of yore and a feeling that a part of the Tide's history is gone forever.

The decision in question was the announcement made by Athletic Director Bob Bockrath that the Tide would be moving the Tennessee games in 1999 and 2001 and the Auburn game in 2000 to newly-renovated Bryant-Denny Stadium. Next year's game with Tennessee will mark the first time since 1930 that the Volunteers will be visiting Tuscaloosa.

Lost among the announcement is the realization that last year's Iron Bowl was the last. While it was good for Tide fans to see their team go out the winner in the contest, it would have been nice to be able to build up to the moment. As it was, Alabama unwittingly bid the big-game atmosphere of Legion Field adieu in one of the strangest Iron Bowls ever.

Now for those of you labeling me a Birmingham apologist, hold on a minute. I love Bryant-Denny Stadium with a passion, and it is now a legitimate contender for the fictional "Most Attractive SEC Stadium" honors. Having the Tide's biggest home game of next season on campus is a big plus. But just this once, permit me to voice my compliments to the Graceful Lady of Greymont Avenue.

It was in that stadium where I watched Cornelius Bennett dissect Steve Beurlein. There was "The Kick", there was Bryon Holdbrooks' sack of Stan White, there was the Kitchens-to-Riddle march in the Iron Bowl of 1996. There are many, many fond memories of games at night, listening to the echoes of The Million Dollar Band bouncing off the venerable old steel structure that, despite its flaws, is fairly up-to-date considering its pre-1930 construction.

Certainly, there will be things I won't miss. Traffic is one. Uncomfortable seats is another. A scoreboard that has never worked properly. Traffic (did I say that already?). Unreliable ushers. The worst PA system in captivity. Did I mention traffic?

Many people have disparaged the neighborhood surrounding the stadium, but in the twenty years I've been going, I've met only pleasant, appreciative people. Many of the houses surrounding the stadium depend on the revenue from parking cars. The residents of one house used to meet us with freshly cooked ribs and snacks. One man in particular would guard the cars personally, sitting in a lawn chair listening to the radio broadcast while a shotgun rested across his lap.

During the high school football championships this year, I had an opportunity to go back and revisit the place. As I stepped onto the field, I remembered everything I liked about it. From field level, the stadium feels like a coffin trimmed in crimson and gray. It was easy to see why Birmingham, to me, represented an advantage of an extra field goal or more, as it intimidated the opposing team like a concrete-and-steel sentinel. On the PA system was familiar old Simpson Pepper, a man with a voice that could melt chocolate.

Alabama isn't totally through with the Gray Lady. As part of the new agreement, Alabama will play at least one game a year at Birmingham through 2007 or 2008. Whenever that last game comes, I will stop as I exit her doors, wipe away a tear, and tip my hat one last time to the stadium that, as long as the Tide played there, really was "The Football Capital of the South."

Tide Bats Still Haven't Warmed Up

written by Grif Carden
Alabama Weekly Staff

After beating tenth-ranked Cal State-Fullerton two out of three games Alabama is now ranked fifteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-third in the three major NCAA baseball polls. The lack of hitting, however, is getting to be a concern. The team batting average is around .260, a huge dropoff from the .320 the 1998 team posted. Additionally, home run production is down drastically. Not only is the batting average down, but timely hitting is even more troubling. Bama had one game this year in which it left 16 runners on base, and after 10 games Tide hitters were 0 for 13 with the bases loaded.

One player who definitely is not having problems hitting is freshman first baseman Jeremy Brown. The Hueytown standout has the highest batting average on the team at .442, leads in runs batted in with 11, and is tied with shortstop Dan Chavers for most home runs with four. He was unstoppable in the Fullerton series, going seven for 10, with a school record tieing five hits in the final game.

Outfielders Derek Wigginton and G.W. Keller have also been hitting well. Unfortunately, second baseman Sam Bozanich is hitting only .122 after batting .333 as a freshman last season. Jayson Cox, who was another reliable hitter last year is also batting under .200, as is Chavers.

On a more positive note, pitching has been superb. Justin Smith, Manny Torres, and Jason Moates seem to have solidified their positions as starters for the crucial week-end series games, although B.J. Green may still regain his spot in the week-end rotation that he held last year. Green and Kevin Marzion look tough as starters in the mid-week games, an area that was weak last season. Freshman Lance Cormier has earned the vital role as the team's closer. He got a save and a win in the two victories over Fullerton, and has been very impressive in all his appearances. Jonatham Blankenship got off to a rough start in his first three outings, but has now pitched very strongly in his last three. Scott Murphy, a 6-6 freshman, also has shown promise.

This year's team continues its tradition of come-back wins, with three of its nine victories thus far coming in its last at-bat. This makes 39 times Bama teams have done this since Coach Wells assumed the reins in 1995. Bama also has posted a perfect 4-0 record in games decided by one run in the early season.

Alabama reached a milestone with its 6-3 win over Austin Peay on March 3rd, getting its 800th all-time home victory (against 370 losses). Additionally, Coach Wells got his 200th career win at Alabama this week; his Tide record now stands at an impressive 203-78. The two wins over Fullerton pushed his record against teams ranked in the top 10 to a sparkling 32-16.

Bama has four consecutive games at home, a three-game week-end series this past weekend with Niagra University in which the Tide won all three games by a combines score of 60 to 5, including a 27-0 rout on on a record breaking Sunday, and a Tuesday night game with Southern Mississippi, before opening up SEC play on the road at Tennessee on March 12th. That will be the first of 10 consecutive week-ends in which the Tide will play a three-game series against SEC opponents - the only SEC team not on the schedule is Kentucky. After Southern Mississippi there will be nine more Tuesday and Wednesday non-conference games.

Tide Makes Strides in Basketball

written by Jess Nicholas
Alabama Weekly staff / BamaNation.com Recruiting Editor

If you didn't see any Tide basketball games from the past two years, you probably wouldn't notice the difference. After all, the 1998-1999 Tide made only a slight improvement in record from the 1997-1998 team. Again, Alabama missed the NCAA tournament, although they did get an invitation to play in the NIT against Wake Forest. (The game will be played this Tuesday at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The game will not be televised). However, a look beneath the surface shows that new coach Mark Gottfried has made an impact in his first year at his alma mater.

Tide teams under former coach David Hobbs had one thing in common: uncertainty as to their state of mind during a game. In-game adjustments bordered on the questionable at times, and the Tide rarely seemed to play with the emotion that teams like Duke, North Carolina, and Kansas possess. Under Gottfried, Alabama made strides in each area, particularly in terms of in-game coaching. Gottfried's instinctive ability to get his team in the right defense at the right time and to make timely and effective substitutions have shown through.

The biggest improvement, however, has been in the area of recruiting. The Tide already has four signees and could sign as many as four more. The four in the bag---forward Kenny Walker, guard Terrance Meade, forward/center Erwin Dudley, and forward Rod Grizzard have already given Alabama a recruiting class that ranks in the top 10 nationally. The Tide is also pursuing guard Corey Hughes, guard Derrick Zimmerman, guard Antonio Jackson, and forward Marcus Haislip, among others. Under Hobbs, the Tide's efforts ran from the obscure to the spotty, and the lack of depth on this year's team bore that out. With Mike DuBose handling football and Mark Gottfried handling basketball, Alabama can count on several victories in the recruiting wars over the next few years.

Next year's team may or may not make a noticeable improvement. The Tide must replace go-to guy Brian Williams along with the steady Chris Rollins. Starting point guard Chauncey Jones will also move on. The Tide will be thin, and, aside from Jeremy Hays, will lack a proven scorer.

Although Alabama probably won't contend for the national championship next year, Tide fans can take heart in knowing that things are definitely on the right track. With Mark Gottfried at the helm, Tide basketball is in good hands.

Nuggets Have Tide Ties

written by John Hinds
Alabama Weekly staff, Boston Bureau

BOSTON -The Denver Nuggets and the University of Alabama have a long and distinguished history. This year that history is being double-teamed.

T.R. Dunn joined the Nuggets in 1980 and played for the team 10 seasons. He scored 3,585 points, handed out 1,311 assists and stole the ball 1,070 times. Jim Farmer was also a member of the Nuggets. He appeared in 29 games over two seasons and averaged 8.7 points-per-game. Although both were fine players in their own right neither can match the talents of Antonio McDyess and his former college teammate Eric Washington. Both of whom don the Nuggets jersey this season. Both are natives of Mississippi and both distinguished themselves in the Crimson jersey.

Washington stayed for four years and earned All-SEC first team honors as he averaged 13.7 points and five rebounds per game in 112 games. He was selected by the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 1997 draft and traded to the Nuggets for the rights to center Jason Lawson. Washington appeared in 66 games last year for the Nuggets and scored 511 points with 53 steals and 25 blocks. He also had 78 assists. But, his most distinguished statistic was his 44 three-pointers the most ever by a Nugget.

Off the court and in the lockerroom Washington is characterized by his serious nature. He was anxious to get the NBA strike over and get back to the game he loved. "I put on about 10 pounds and had to play my way back into shape," said Washington.

The Nuggets broke out of the gate early in the shortened season and then fell victim to injuries as three of their best players went down. "That really hurt us and the fact that we are playing so many games in a short period of time doesn't help us when we are missing players," said Washington. But, with the strike behind him and the season in full swing, Washington had time to reflect back on his days in Tuscaloosa. "Just look at how many players we've put into the pros. Our program will be back and Mark Gottfried is the kind of man we need to lead us in that direction."

McDyess left Tuscaloosa after his sophomore season. The L.A. Clippers drafted him in the first round as the number two pick overall. But he was traded to the Nuggets before he stepped into a NBA uniform. His first year in the NBA he ranked fourth on his team in scoring, second in rebounding and second in blocks and he was named to the NBA's all-rookie first team. He followed that in his second year, the 1996-97 season by finishing second on the Nuggets in scoring rebounding and blocked shots. He scored in double figures 66 times in 74 games and grabbed 10 or more rebounds 22 times.

The Nuggets traded him to Phoenix for three first round draft picks and two second round picks just before the 1997-98 season tipped off.

McDyess was as hot as the Arizona sun in Phoenix as he averaged career high 15.1 points-per-game, 7.6 rebounds per game and 1.67 blocks per game. He also became one of only three Phoenix players in franchise history to record 100 blocks and 100 steals in a single season. The Nuggets signed him as a free agent just prior to this season and to say he was happy to be back in the Rockies is an understatement. "I feel at home here and the team has responded to my leadership," McDyess said following the Denver-Boston Celtics game in Boston.

Just the night before, McDyess was despondent to the point where he was crying after a tough loss in Miami. "This game means a lot to me and I didn't feel like I was doing my part to help my team."

After putting on 20 pounds waiting for the strike to end, McDyess said getting back into playing shape has been a major focus this season. "It wasn't all fat, don't get me wrong," McDyess said with a laugh. As for the fan reaction to the NBA being back McDyess had this to offer. "I can't blame the fans but they really support us in Denver."

McDyess is also a big Mark Gottfried fan. "All you had to know about his first year was we beat Kentucky and Arkansas and they played for the SEC championship to know the program is headed in the right direction." McDyess also said "Mark will bring in the recruits we need to build this program back to where it was under Wimp (Sanderson)."

Perhaps his last comments were the ones most Bama fans can build on. "I know that a lot of the fans and alumni were discouraged by the three losses to Auburn and the fact that Auburn had a number two ranking and top seed in the NCAA Tournament. But let's just say they were liberal with their interpretation of the NCAA rules on recruiting. We will get there and we will do it the right way."

EDITOR'S Note: John Hinds sat down with Antonio & Eric this past weekend as they made a whirlwind East coast tour in a 102-94 loss at Boston.

Women's Hoops Heads to MidWest

by Brett Young
Alabama Weekly Editor

The Crimson Tide women have achieved one of their goals for this season: Play in the Big Dance.

Sunday night the Tide women found out they will be heading to North Carolina as the fifth seed in the Midwest Regional to take on No. 12 seed Grambling (25-4), the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion. The game is to be played at 5 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Tide (19-10) are one of a record-breaking eight SEC teams to make the tournament. Unfortunately, the women won't be hosting a tournament game--that's only for the top 4 seeds in each regional. However, Coach Rick Moody sees the tournament in a different light. "When I think about where our basketball team was some three or four weeks ago, we were almost on the brink of elimination," Moody said. "I'm just excited to be in the tournament."

The Tide seniors are making their fourth trip to the tournament and senior Dominique Canty is one of the top players in America. While this team does not own the record that Alabama women's teams are accustomed to, it is looking something else: A fifth straight berth in the Sweet Sixteen. As winners of five of their last seven, including two against archrival Auburn, the Tide is on a ROLL.

First Impression of Coach Bryant

From 'The Capstone Collection: Memories in Crimson'

by Joe Bivona, Alabama Class of 1964

Special to Alabama Weekly & BamaNation.com

I was 15 years old and went with my father to the annual Jefferson County Senior FB banquet at the main Ball Room of the Tutwilier Hotel in Birmingham. It was Saturday following 1957

Alabama-arbarn FB game. It was the 1st Saturday in December, probably Dec. 7th, because the Arbarn game was played on November 30, 1957.

The Ball Room was packed, probably 300-400 Alabama Alumni & friends to THE University. Coach Bryant had announced earlier that week that he was coming back HOME to be HEAD COACH & ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. Everyone was excited and was hoping that he would be there, but it was announced in The Birmingham Papers that he would not be present due to some scheduled comments.

At each person's seat there was a Program Card that listed all the speakers and events of the evening. In the middle of the program there was, in bold print, MYSTERY GUEST. You could hear the people sitting around you making comments, as soon as they read their program, and saw, "MYSTERY GUEST." Everyone was saying, "It's Coach Bryant."

You could feel the emotion building as the banquet started and progressed to, "The MYSTERY GUEST spot. Everyone was emotional, and there were no dry eyes in the Ball Room. (I, even to this moment, get a lump in my throat as I remember that special night).

I cannot recall the MC'S name, but as he walked to make the announcement of what was fixing to take place, his voice started cracking, and he had tears in his eyes. He announced to the crowd that the Ball Room had been specially wired to receive a SPECIAL LONG DISTANCE CALL FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS FROM COACH BRYANT.

At that very moment everyone stood up and started clapping their hands. Then the voice of COACH BRYANT filled the room. He stated that he was with, UA President, Dr. Frank Rose and members of the selection committee. COACH repeated his Famous, MAMA'S CALL remarks, and told everyone how humbly honored he was to be COMING BACK HOME to THE University of Alabama, and that now he had the chance to repay THE University for all that he had received, as a student and former player. He recalled all the LOVE that he had for ALABAMA and that he would restore the past glory that belonged to THE University of Alabama.

He also mentioned his wife, Mary Harmon, and how they met as students and got married, and that she was thrilled about coming HOME to ALABAMA. COACH then closed his talk by saying, "that their bags were packed and that he would be in Tuscaloosa ASAP, to get to work bring BAMA back.

Everyone then stood up started cheering, crying with tears of hope and joy, and started yelling......"ROLL TIDE, ROLL!!!"

As everyone began to leave, I think that everyone HUGGED each other as ONE BIG FAMILY, THE, "ALABAMA FAMILY."

It was an evening that I WILL NEVER FORGET. GOD BLESS COACH BRYANT and MARY HARMON; two very special people and former students of THE University of Alabama.

ROLL TIDE!

Joe Bivona

UA '64 & PROUD OF IT

MDM

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Capstone Collection: Memories in Crimson is available at BamaNation.com. BamaNation.com presents its finest collection of short essays on what it actually means to be a part of the University of Alabama. 

This Week in Tide Sports

Tide Sports Master Schedule Mar 8 - Mar 21

Alabama Weekly Staff Reports 

March Sport Opponent

9 Baseball Southern Miss

9 Women'sTennis South Carolina

9 Men's Basketball at Wake Forest (NIT)

11 Men's Tennis Ole Miss

12 Baseball at Tennessee

12 Women's Hoops vs Grambling (NCAA Tournament)

12-14 Softball vs Winthrop (Frost Cultery Tournament)

12-14 Softball vs UCLA (Frost Cultery Tournament)

12-14 Softball vs UT Chattanooga (Frost Cultery Tournament)

12-14 Women's Golf LSU/Fairwood Invitational

13 Baseball at Tennessee

13 Gymnastics Utah State

13 Softball vs Mercer (Frost Cultery Tournament)

13 Softball vs Charleston Southern (Frost Cultery Tournament)

14 Softball Semifinals (Frost Cultery Tournament)

14 Softball Finals (Frost Cultery Tournament)

14 Baseball at Tennessee

14 Women's Tennis LSU

16 Baseball West Alabama

17 Women's Tennis Tennessee

18-20 Swimming/Diving NCAA Zone Championship

18-21 Men's Tennis Blue-Gray Classic

19 Baseball Georgia

19 Softball at Arkansas

19-21 Men's Golf U of A spring Invitational

20 Baseball Georgia

20 Softball at Arkansas

20 Women's Tennis Vanderbilt

20 Women Track/Field Jamaican National Relays

20 Women Track/Field Auburn Relays

21 Baseball Georgia

Soup's Jokes

by Dennis "Soup" Campbell
Alabama Weekly Staff

Taxiing down the tarmac, the awbum Air jetliner abruptly stopped, turned around and returned to the gate. After an hour-long wait, it finally took off. A concerned passenger asked the flight attendant,

"What was the problem?"

"The pilot was bothered by a noise he heard in the engine," explained the flight attendant, "and it took us a while to find a new pilot."

<><><>

You're probably an awbum fan if ...

* A Peeping Tom asks you to lower your shades.

* If your barber charges you $4.00 for a haircut ... $1.00 a side.

<><><>

What's the difference between an awbum fan and a dog?

* When a dog gets sick you can put it to sleep.

<><><>

What's the difference between an awbum fan and a savings bond?

* The savings bond will eventually mature and make money.

<><><>

What's the difference between awbum fans and pigs?

* Pigs don't turn into awbum fans when they drink.

<><><>

What's the difference between awbum fans and the weather?

* Nothing. You can't change either one of them.

<><><>

What's the difference between an awbum fan and a Dumpster?

* One is smelly, sticky, has flies all over it, and trash all around it.

The other is a refuse collector.

Obligatory Bama Comment: " I LOVE BAMA !!! "

ROLL TIDE ROLL !!!

Soup

SOUND CHECK

QUOTES FROM FANS, COACHES AND PLAYERS

Tide Hoopster, Jeremy Hays on the NIT Invitation:
"It's New York or bust."

Coach Mark Gottfried on the upcoming NIT game against Wake Forest :
“Wake Forest is a good basketball team from one of the best leagues in the United States and we’ve got to play them in their home gym. It will be a big challenge for us. We are going to see if we are good enough to go down there and get the job done.”

Coach Mark Gottfried on how he wants the Tide Hoops Program to develop:
"Once this gets planted right, it will last, Gottfried said. ''We want to develop oak trees, not shrub bushes."

Former Tide Hoops Star Antonio McDyess on the future of Tide Basketball under Coach Mark Gottfried:
"All you had to know about his first year was we beat Kentucky and Arkansas and they played for the SEC championship to know the program is headed in the right direction. Mark will bring in the recruits we need to build this program back to where it was under Wimp (Sanderson)... We will get there and we will do it the right way."

AND THE BAMANATION SAID: "ROLL TIDE!"

Newsletter by: Brett Young and Jess Nicholas

Guest Article by: Joe Bivona

Special Thanks to: Jess Nicholas, Grif Carden, John Hinds

and Dennis "Soup" Campbell for their contributions.

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ROLL TIDE ROLL!

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<>(c) 1999 TideFans.com(tm) / Alabama Weekly(sm) <>

<> <>

<>DISCLAIMER: <>

<>All content courtesy of the respective authors <>

<>may not be the official position of BamaNation. However, <>

<>BamaNation does have ultimate editorial authority, so <>

<>it's pretty much in line with how we feel! ;) ROLL TIDE!

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