Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

Alabama football is mere months a way, and there’s no better time than the present to plan your tailgating and adult beverage consuming. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been going week by week through the 2012 schedule and recommending our own favorite foods and spirits for each game. Feel free to read parts one and two before scrolling down to our final four games.

November 3: Alabama at LSU.  Not to oversimplify, but this is the season for all intents and purposes. LSU is absolutely loaded and will be in the hunt for the national championship. Much to my chagrin, the Tigers have gone and gotten themselves a competent quarterback. Zack Mettenberger is light years better than Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee were, and LSU’s defense should be ferocious. The game will be at night, and rare is the occurrence that a team walks into the shadow of the valley of death (yeah I know it’s not the exact quote, I’m no theologian) and walks out with a victory. My hope is that this past January’s mauling left a psychological impact on the Tigers. This game should decide who goes to Atlanta.

Suggested food and cocktail: Jambalaya and Abita beer. Say what you want about the corndogs, but those Cajuns can cook.

November 10: Alabama vs. Texas A&M.  The Tide has the distinction of playing both newcomers to the SEC in 2012. The Aggies are more used to big games than Missouri, so their transition to the big time should be a bit easier. What won’t be easier however, is the week in, week out gauntlet that is the SEC schedule. The Aggies won’t have Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor and assorted other Big 12 fodder to kick around anymore. The prospect of joining the toughest conference in the land may not be as exciting once they get a taste of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas every week. I expect the battle-tested Tide to be too much for the Aggies this season, either looking to clinch a trip to Atlanta following a big win at LSU, or looking to take out frustrations after a bitter defeat in Death Valley.

Suggested food and cocktail: Texas style chilli (no beans) and Lone Star beer.

November 17: Alabama vs. Western Carolina. Unlike the cowardly Tigers/Eagles/Cheaters, Alabama usually plays a game the week before the Iron Bowl. The Catamounts are about the next closest thing to a bye week, however. For WCU the day should go as follows: wake up, take beating, collect large sum of money, go home.

Suggested food and cocktail: Pulled pork and Fat Tire (Asheville, NC is getting a New Belgium brewery so it kind of makes sense).

November 24: Alabama vs. Auburn.  The. Iron. Bowl. Auburn usually and foolishly saves its bye until the week before the Alabama game. No matter that the grind of the season may cost them a win or two in October or early November due to injuries and fatigue, they continually prove the little brother complex to be true by going “all in” for a one-game season. While the barners did manage to make a sensible hire at defensive coordinator, one offseason will not be enough to make meaningful improvements to a unit that was comically bad last season. Making things worse for East Alabama Male College, their offense is still run by a young quarterback who couldn’t hit water with a pass if  he was stranded in the middle of the ocean. Look for Alabama to put on a show of dominance in front of the home crowd. Coach Saban does not like to be embarrassed in his own house and I expect him to extract swift and blinding vengeance for the last Iron Bowl played in Tuscaloosa.

Suggested food and cocktail: It’s the Iron Bowl, so eat and drink whatever your personal favorite delicacies happen to be. For me it will probably be a ribeye steak and Coca-Cola, followed by a nightcap of 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle.

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Just admit it; you keep voting for Auburn because you want to keep watching the video of the cute drunk chick. It’s okay, we understand. Cute drunk chicks make up 85 percent of all web traffic anyway. And 62 percent of all statistics are made up.

Be that as it may, the SEC West SuperFan Finals are now set; it’s time to turn our attention to the SEC East, and a Tennessee-based matchup that will send one of their teams into the Finals against the Wildcats.

Vanderbilt

Tennessee

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The Decatur Daily has obtained video that shows the incidents leading up to the arrest of former Crimson Tide and current Oakland Raider linebacker Rolando McClain.

The anonymously-submitted video is a composite of cell phone videos, and while it does not show the incidents that are being alleged against McClain, it paints a picture that may aid the prosecution.

The Daily reports that McClain is expected to appear in Decatur Municipal Court on Thursday on charges of third-degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm in the city limits.

The video is NSFW due to language.

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Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

AJ McCarron is unlike any Crimson Tide quarterback we’ve seen in a long time. In fact, he’s a bit of a throwback at Alabama. Only not in the way you think.

When sports fans hear the word throwback, they think of classic jerseys and leather helmets and players like black-shod, crew cut-wearing Johnny Unitas. In short, they think of the type of wholesome, quiet quarterback that has always stood under center at the Capstone.

McCarron doesn’t fit the mold of the traditional Alabama quarterback; you know, the quiet, humble game manager that trots onto the field to dutifully hand the ball off to his tailback. The Crimson Tide’s offensive leader is supposed to manage the game, give the defense a breather, and be on the field to take a knee when the game is well in hand.

McCarron is no game manager. In fact, a case can be made that Tide fans haven’t seen his like around Tuscaloosa since a couple of guys named Joe Willie and Snake were on campus.

Joe Namath and Kenny Stabler were birds of a feather; hard-charging rebels that never saw a curfew they didn’t break. Barely able to contain their youthful, shall we say enthusiasm, Coach Paul Bryant had little choice but to suspend each of them at one time or another to bring them to heel.

But despite their hellraising ways, Namath and the Snake brought it on the field. Namath led the Tide to the 1964 national championship and was the player Bryant called the greatest athlete he had ever coached. Taking over after Namath went pro, Stabler was the leader of the undefeated 1966 Alabama team that was snubbed for the national title. Each won a Super Bowl after their days at Alabama, and both became counterculture heroes for their anti-authoritarian attitude.

McCarron’s stern head coach has, like Bryant, had to manage his quarterback’s emotional style of gameplay, eventually admitting McCarron plays better when he has a longer leash. And much has been written about the tattoos taking up increasing real estate on his chest, and the SUV that has Auburn fans stalking him like a jilted girlfriend.

But while McCarron’s swagger fits in perfectly with the culture at large, he’s an anomaly at Alabama; a cocky gunslinger cast in the role of a game manager. So far it has worked; McCarron has two national championship rings heading into his junior season, and a solid shot at a third.

If his career as a throwback to Alabama’s counterculture days continues at this pace, people will soon be talking more about his ink in the record books than the ink on his chest.

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It’s that time again, where we break the sanitized seal on the Auburn fanbase and see what it smells like, with a look at what they’re saying on the Auburn message boards. As always, spelling and grammar errors are in the original text.

It is amazing, the level we are recruiting at right now. I have only really followed recruiting for 4 or 5 years now. At first just magazines here and there, and now ITT.

why is it so hard for us to get a copy of the Aday game or even the highlights? Shouldnt these things be provided by this site?

We could have been college football’s laughing stock coming off the BCSNC. Just WHEW!!! How quickly we forget. Might have also ruined a darn good recruiting class. And NOW look at our momentum

Our O will match our D for the first time since CGC has been at AU.

Talked with ex-coach Ted Roof today. He was out recruiting our area for Penn St. Mentioned that State College reminds him of Auburn.

They know they are going to lose Foster. To save face, Liner just became even more important to them than he was before. If they are going to lose one (a BIG one at that) to AU, they will make it their mission to see we lose a BIG one to them. That is how their little brains work.

Reuben was over my house for the Mayweather fight with my gf’s brother..All of us were having heated, but friendly discussions bout AU & UA football and recruiting..When he spoke of Bama he said “We & us” & compared hisself to Hightower mostly BC of his size (RF is quite a big boy especially for a high school LB)..He did say he liked the AU coaching staff thou..Others were giving their opinions bout where he should go, but I told him both are good schools overall.They could get him to where he strives to get to in the future, and go where he felt the most comfortable with the players & coaches cuz he had to be there for 4yrs..Seemed to bea good, young man..He did say he thought GA high school football was better than AL’s.

I bet the coaching staff told him to commit to bama just so he could flip to us …for pay back

I dont see how that could be a violation. If he is best friends with them, the NCAA rules shouldnt affect his personnal life with his friends. I see a lot of pool and steak dinners at the Lupe and Troop houses over the next 10 months. I dont see anyway, unless something drastic happens, that Foster ends up anywhere but Auburn. Im sure Foster’s parents are going to have a STRONG relationship with the Taylors and Lupers after it is all said and done.

What to watch for. The M.O. of the rec [Red Elephant Club] is to improve the life circumstances of the recruit’s family. These guys love their moms and dads, as they should, and it’s difficult for them to say ‘no’ to a situation wherein the mom (and/or dad) gets cash, a stipend, a new job, rent free living, a leased vehicle, etc.
I have eaten human remains to destroy evidence before. Let me know if my services will be needed.

And finally, one fan thinks the recruiting shenanigans are a little over the top:

Good lord, this is like a super-secret first grade treehouse club with secret names and passwords to get in. A big retarded adult treehouse club. …Can I join? I want to be called Nightrider X because that sounds so awesome and sinister and awesome.

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Beth Hall-US PRESSWIRE

Darius Philon can be forgiven for assuming he was comparing apples to apples when choosing to attend Arkansas instead of Alabama.

The defensive lineman out of Vigor High School surprised recruiting junkies on National Signing Day by first donning a Crimson Tide cap, then announcing he was undecided. Shortly thereafter, he signed a letter-of-intent to attend the University of Arkansas.

Philon had been asked to grayshirt by Alabama, which would delay his enrollment until January 2013. It was reported that Alabama officials had offered to find him work in the interim. Philon chose not to wait for a spot on the Crimson Tide roster, hoping instead to shore up the Razorback defense immediately.

What a difference a few months make.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino left in disgrace, having been fired for a relationship with an employee whom he hired in order to continue the affair. The legal ramifications for the university are still in question, and interim head coach John L. Smith is tasked with holding the team together through the next season.

Then last week, three Arkansas players were arrested and charged with residential burglary. This makes six Arkansas players arrested in the last three months.

All of which points to a lack of discipline in Arkansas football, which started at the top with the head coach. While a coach can’t watch over his players twenty-four hours a day, it’s clear Petrino was at times busier watching over his own shoulder than minding his young charges.

Which brings us to Darius Philon. As we reported shortly after Signing Day, Philon had failed to have surgery to repair an injured knee, which might have had an effect on Alabama’s decision not to open a spot for him. He has since had the work done, and is rehabbing with hopes of making the starting lineup.

The Razorbacks team he is joining is one in disarray, and it remains to be seen if it will live up to the hype after just last year being in contention for a spot in the BCS Championship game. The culture of instant gratification has claimed numerous players and one head coach at Arkansas, and Philon is on hand to witness it all.

Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide are the defending champs and are preparing to make a run at a repeat. And Darius Philon will be watching the Tide on TV after all, and perhaps wondering what might have been.

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Patrick Murphy was named the SEC Coach of the Year earlier this year for a reason. He has led the Alabama softball team to another great season, which got a little sweeter Saturday.

The Crimson Tide routed the Florida in the SEC Championship Game 10-1 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama is the only team to run rule Florida, doing it twice in the last two weeks. With the NCAA Regionals right around the corner, how does the Tide stack up with the nation’s best softball teams?

College softball is a sport that has traditionally been dominated by teams from the Mid-West and West. Although teams from the Southeastern Conference have risen to prominence, the sport is still dominated by teams from the Pac-12 and Big 12. In fact, an SEC team has never won a national championship in softball.

Taking a look at the NCAA Softball RPI it is apparent the West is still the most dominant region. Seven out of the top ten teams come from either the Pac-12 or the Big 12. The other three teams in the top ten – Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee – are all members of the SEC.

What does the Crimson Tide have to compete with? As of May 7, Alabama sits in third in the NCAA RPI with California and Arizona State in front of them.

Alabama is a very well rounded team. The Crimson Tide leads the NCAA in several offensive categories and has one of the nation’s top pitchers in Jackie Traina.

California has dominated a tough schedule on their way to a 50-3 record (21-1 in Pac-12), including a dramatic walk-off victory over Arizona State in the Pac-12 Conference Championship Game. The Bears are expected to be the named the number one overall seed on Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show.

The Arizona State Sun Devils are the reigning national champions and are looking to become the first team to go repeat as champions since Arizona in 2006-2007. Clint Myers is one of the best coaches in the country and has proved himself once again with another great regular season. Although the Sun Devils lost in the Pac-12 Championship, expectations are still very high for the tournament.

Keep in mind; the NCAA Softball Tournament is all about getting hot at the right time. Alabama is one of the hottest teams coming in, but it is a mystery if they can keep rolling.

Alabama has the makeup of a team that could make a deep run in tournament play. Great leadership and coaching from Patrick Murphy, a high-powered offense, and one of the best pitchers in Jackie Traina gives Alabama the makeup of a championship team. This could be the year that Alabama brings home the first softball national championship to the SEC.

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Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

Since I was a little girl, I have known the names and numbers of football players. When someone has a passion and makes it a priority, they tend to become knowledgeable on the subject. I don’t have all the stats of third-string players and high school recruits memorized, but my knowledge on current players and positions is pretty fair. My grasp of Alabama football history is even more refined.  So I take offense when someone suggests Alabama fans don’t know their history:

Directions on how to shut up a Bama fan: Ask them what years their “titles” were and If they won or lost their bowl game that year. #NoClue

— War Eagle (@bama_jokes) April 10, 2012

Are you serious?!

First of all, I know the years for both Alabama national championships and Auburn national championships.

Alabama: 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009 and 2011.

Auburn: 1957, 2010.  In 1957, the year Auburn claims a national championship game, they played no bowl at all.

Can I look this all up on Google? Absolutely. I can assure you that I check my resources before posting anything and with good reason. We wouldn’t want to go saying things without backing them up, would we?

In any argument, I think it’s imperative to be educated because you run the risk of looking ignorant. This is the downside to social media. Never has there been more brave people stepping up to talk trash without a single consequence. Sure, I have the opportunity to argue in this forum but I don’t think many people ever truly learn their lesson.

Both Alabama and Auburn have a tradition. Whether you look at the numbers, players, coaches or any other statistic, Alabama is better than Auburn in every way. On paper, there is no comparison. However, the fans at both schools have a rich spirit that keeps the rivalry fresh. Why must we continuously dwell on the same argument?

Alabama claims 14 national championships. This wasn’t something that Alabama fans invented. I hate to sound childish but in most cases when I tout the number of championships Bama has, it’s because an Auburn fan brought it up.

I would dare to say that there aren’t many that have every Alabama win memorized.  I do, however, remember games and wins from when I was alive. I also know the outcomes to many games that aren’t in my memory but they are fresh in my Dad’s brain as if the 1979 national championship game was yesterday. The point isn’t who knows more, it’s the experiences that make you a fan, the passion.  Please Auburn, get a new argument.

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Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

If Jim Delany were a poker player, he’d be one with a very short stack.

The 2-7 offsuit is the worst statistical hand in Texas Hold ‘Em poker. If a player chooses to play that hand, they’re either brilliant beyond measure or in a tight competition with an ill-tempered gerbil for the title of “Smartest Poker Player.”

By now, fans have been treated to Jim Delany’s snarky, passive-aggressive statement about the SEC in general and specifically Alabama. Delany has to know that his statement would not be taken well by anyone affiliated with football in the south. The choice, as Bruce Feldman recently said on Paul Finebaum’s radio show, to “tweak” people puts Delany in an even more precarious position as the BCS changes its postseason format.

Call the four team playoff what it is: A high stakes political poker game. As with any poker game some players have bigger chip stacks and can play the game differently. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has the most clout right now due to SEC dominance. What sort of chip stack does Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany have? What has the Big 10 done recently to accrue political capital?

Ohio State, arguably the flagship institution for the Big 10 over the past decade, lost BCS title games to the SEC and then got scandalized by former coach Jim Tressel and tattoos. Urban Meyer can return Ohio State to prominence, but not soon enough for Delany to use a strong Buckeye team as leverage.

Michigan has been in the doldrums under Rich Rodriguez, but Brady Hoke has the Wolverines trending up. They won a BCS bowl game against a Virginia Tech team that had no business sniffing the Sugar Bowl last year. The Wolverines will be a preseason top 10 team and face defending champion Alabama to open the season. Michigan does help Delany’s case.

What other teams have given Delany anything to work with? Wisconsin has a penchant for losing Rose Bowls to anyone. Michigan State ran into a Crimson Tide buzzsaw two years ago, and South Carolina planted a fresh field of Cornhuskers this past year in the Capital One Bowl. In short, he has next to nothing.

A short-stacked poker player cannot win a tournament in one hand, but they can definitely lose it. Jim Delany does have to play the hand he’s dealt, but needs to have the acumen to know when to hold, and when to fold. Tactless shots at the big-stack players have done nothing but earn him the honorific of “Offsuited 2-7 of Major College Football” at the feature table of BCS playoff changes.

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Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

The Crimson Tide had a stellar showing in the NFL draft, with four picks in the first round. Some players go on to excel in the league while others don’t quite pan out. Which of the top five players selected do you think will turn college success into NFL glory?

Andrew Luck

Drafted first to the Indianapolis Colts, Luck was a proven leader for Stanford and an amazing athlete. He has won numerous awards and was a runner up for the Heisman Trophy in both 2010 and 2011. How will that college talent spill over into the NFL? Many experts have said he is the best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning, so a lot of people have faith that he will be a shining star for the Colts.

Robert Griffin III

In addition to his charming socks and the Heisman Trophy sitting on his mantle, RG3 has the ability to make all the throws. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins and it will certainly be interesting to see if how his Baylor talent translates on the field with professional football players. RG3 seems to be a genuinely nice guy, but I’m not sure the NFL won’t eat him alive.

Trent Richardson

Obviously, I’m biased and wish nothing but the best for a player that could run circles around anyone with an entire defense on his back. Richardson will make his home with the Cleveland Browns, and although the NFL is a pass-first league, I have no doubt that he will make a quick and lasting impression on the world of professional football.

Matt Kalil

Kalil is an intimidating offensive tackle that played for the University of Southern California. He is now going to be protecting the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. At 6-foot-six and weighing over 300 pounds, Kalil has the size to do well in the NFL. He was an All-American in college and I think he stands a good chance at making the same kind of impact wearing purple.

Justin Blackmon

A game-changer for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, this talented wide receiver will get his chance to see what he can do for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Could he be the sleeper on this list? He won 2012 Offensive Player of the Year for the Big 12 and the offensive MVP of the 2012 Fiesta Bowl. He was considered the best wide receiver prospect in the draft.

Only time will tell which of these athletes will dominate the National Football League. They all earned their spot in the draft and now it’s time for them to earn the massive paychecks they are going to be receiving.

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