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A necessity in the scheduling process, a bye week can be a lonely thing for college football fans. As the Alabama Crimson Tide takes a week off before resuming play against the LSU Tigers next weekend, here’s a few stories related to athletics at The Capstone.
Rolando McClain’s Exile on Main Street
Expectations were high for Alabama great Rolando McClain. A clear team leader, McClain was a unanimous choice for All-American in 2009 and was a first round draft pick entering the NFL – the highest pick for a UA defensive player in six years. After that, McClain’s personal life began to unravel publicly. After a series of arrests and a change of venues from Oakland to Baltimore, McClain abruptly announced his retirement from football earlier this year. Currently, he is finishing his degree in Tuscaloosa and looking for the peace that evaded him in the limelight of pro football.
"“Football was my mask. It was the cover-up. You got problems — go break something, work it out that way. I never really dealt with the problem.”"
Josh Casher Verbally Commits to Alabama
Only six people signed up for Obamacare on the first day it was available. Six is not very many. When St. Paul’s 4-star center Josh Casher offered a verbal commitment to the Tide this week, he increased the current number of OL commits for 2014 to seven. Seven is huge, especially when you consider the number of scholarships available in a given recruiting season. Casher is the second center to announce for The Tide in this class, leaving many to wonder what Nick Saban and Mario Cristobal have up their sleeves. It’s no big secret that Coach Saban builds depth on his roster and likes players who can slide up and down the line as needed.
Eddie Lacy: NFC Offensive Rookie of the Month
After a very scary hit that resulted in a concussion, Eddie Lacy has returned to the Green Bay backfield with the dominating style of play that made him a fan favorite at Alabama. Lacy has three consecutive 100-yard games (rushing and receiving) since the early injury. For those playing fantasy football, Eddie Lacy has been a solid player. For Tide fans, Lacy has been exactly what we expected – a winner.
Nick Saban Celebrates 62nd Birthday with Players, Ray Charles
For fans and foes alike, it might be an interesting point of conversation that Nick Saban was born on Halloween 62 years ago. Yesterday, he took a little break to celebrate with the team. Here’s a story about the celebration. Be sure to check the link of team comic Christion Jones impersonating Ray Charles.
Alabama Golf: The Capstone’s Newest Dynasty
As a Bama grad, I like to see the school win at every level. Golf is fun, but it is a hard game for most people. The Tide has built a powerhouse of a program over the last decade with national titles in the men’s and women’s programs. Last week, The Golf Channel called the Alabama program a dynasty. The Tide men have started the season in fine fashion, winning three straight tournaments and setting a new course record along the way.
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