Alabama Football: Former Tennesee quarterback Erik Ainge tells Volunteers to step on AJ McCarron’s knee

Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

A rivalry game generally provides enough motivation as it is for a team, but for Alabama, they might have just got a little extra boost.

Former Tennessee quarterback and current radio host Erik Ainge made it clear on his radio show yesterday on Tennessee Sports Radio on what the Volunteers should do to help them defeat No. 1 Alabama.

I say it all the time. Nasty, attitude, get after it. Do something crazy. The first time AJ McCarron drops back, tell one of your boys you’ve got fifteen on this one. He’s got a sore knee, go step on it.

This comes just a week after a near-scary injury to Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron’s knee in a 42-10 win for the Tide at Missouri. It should also be noted that this comes just days after it was rumored that McCarron had a slightly torn meniscus; rumors that were put to rest by former Alabama quarterback Jay Barker and McCarron’s mother, Dee Dee Bonner.

This is what Bonner, who has already made quite a name for herself this week, said in an indirect reply over Twitter earlier today:

Trying to purposely injure someone isn’t football..thats called loserball with an our team sucks-we can’t win mentality. #getaclue

— Dee Dee Bonner (@DeeDeeBonner) October 19, 2012

Ainge offered a response on Twitter to the criticism received by Alabama fans over his comments:

Haha these bama fans are funny man. When a guy is banged up you go for his boo boo. That’s football you don’t like it…watch soccer #3rdSAT

— Erik Ainge (@ErikAinge3) October 19, 2012

BamaHammer spoke with Ms. Bonner Friday afternoon about the dust-up, and she was blunt in her assessment of Ainge’s comments:

It is sad that anyone, especially a former player and parent of a child would ever say such comments. Glad I raised my boys better.

It might be getting a little heated in Knoxville this weekend.