First Picks of College Football Season

Well, we're here again. First week of football season. Bama on national TV.
Hurricane brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. Looks like things are back to normal.

This means picking football games. The USC Gamecocks and Vanderbilt Commodores started the SEC slate off on a positive note with decisive victories. This should continue, for the most part. Every team in the Conference has a good chance to be 1-0 before Conference play begins. Hopefully, the Tide can keep the trend alive. I'll probably be way off, but what the heck!

Without too much fluff or fanfare, here we go:
Look for Georgia to top Ga. Southern, 34-10
LSU will thump Appalachian State (no sneakin' up!) 42-17
Florida gets Hawaii (June! Come back, June!) 44-14
MSU should get by La. Tech 21-10 (we'll see if Croom's for real)
Arkansas most likely will overpower W. Illinois 29-6
auburn will pound La.-Monroe (no upset here!) 52-17
Ole Miss should to Memphis 17-14 (Nutt finds a way!)
Kentucky outplays Louisville, 27-24 (Brooks will bring consistency)
tennessee should finally win a big one over UCLA, 31-21

This brings me to Atlanta on Saturday night. ALABAMA plays Clemson on national network television Saturday night. The Tigers are ranked #9 and The TIDE is an underdog.
We match up pretty well, and we'll get a chance early to see how these highly-touted freshmen will do on a big-time, national stage. I'M DRINKIN' THE KOOL-AID! My pick: Bama's young studs out-jump, out-run, and out-muscle the Tigers.

UPSET SPECIAL!
ALABAMA 31 Clemson 21

WRONG.......AGAIN...!

WTF...?
Bama.
Arkansas.
Vandy.
auburn.
Can you say "Belly up"....?
The Tide slogged around and were beaten--again--by Mississippi State and Sylvester Croom. Arkansas apparently sent McFadden alone out to lose to the vols. Vanderbilt let Kentucky get by them. And the cow college looked helpless in the fourth quarter against Georgia.

It's official. I have proven again that I know absolutely nothing about college football, specifically SEC teams.
ROLL TIDE ANYWAY.

The TRUTH About the OLE MISS Mascot

Well, it's "Ole Miss" week again. The University of Alabama plays the Rebels in the annual SEC matchup in what promises to be a boring, low-scoring matchup between two evenly inept and mediocre programs. But the Tide should prevail. Again. And again. Heck, there won't be any Mannings for a couple of decades, so we should be safe for years to come. Why do I say this? Because we beat them regularly. Even in our worst campaigns ever, we beat Ole Miss. Always. Mike Shula beat them. Even Mike DuBose beat them.
Which brings me to my topic:

Colonel Rebel. The symbol of the University of Mississippi, the last vestiges of a dying culture, was actually inspired by this man:

"BLIND JIM" IVY was a concessions pioneer who sold peanuts at early Ole Miss football contests. (Editor's Note: Not to be confused with Blind Jim Brewer, the bluesman who fled to Chicago) So, to be historically accurate, shouldn't their mascot look more like this....?

I know it's not 'politically correct' but it is more accurate. And, after the Rebels lose a couple of more ugly games, the fans will be jumping ship. Sipping Mint Juleps and talking about the 'War of Nawthun Aggression'.
If they're gonna switch loyalties, my suggestion would be The Vanderbilt Commodores, with minimal mascot/merchandise changes other than color:

Actually, we're pretty evenly-matched. Not much difference between SEC teams. Bama-Arkansas-Georgia-Kentucky-tennessee. Mississippi State shut LSU down for three quarters, but were killed by their own quarterback. The cow college beat Florida. Heck, the Rebels even took the Gators to the wire...! It's that whole 'any given Saturday' thing....

PREDICTION: ALABAMA 24, Ole Miss 13

1 Day 'Til KICKOFF!

In the spirit of the season, and in anticipation of tomorrow, I have decided to post some tidbits to get everyone fired up. Like this classic:


And one of my personal favorites:


Who can forget this?


Or.....

And, although I know it's not The Crimson Tide, it's still football.... kinda.....


Hopefully, we can look forward to many more highlights and good memories of ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE FOOTBALL....!
ROLL, TIDE, ROLL...!

2 Days 'Til Kickoff!

Well, here we are, only 2 days away from ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE Football...! I am very excited, and can hardly wait! Tonight, SEC Football premieres on ESPN as the highly-overrated LSU Tigers visit the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a nationally-televised much-expected spanking.I sure hope that Sylvester Croom's Bulldogs can make a game of it. I would like for them to win, but that is highly unlikely.
PREDICTION: LSU 41, MSU 14

The Crimson Tide will take to the field for an expected drubbing of a cupcake opponent in a PPV telecast Saturday night. At least now we as fans don't have to be apprehensive about games we're SUPPOSED to win....! The Nick Saban era will begin, and hopefully will bring back the confidence and optimism in the team and program that has been missing.

Injuries and suspensions aside, The Tide simply will be too much for an out-manned and out-muscled Catamounts squad
PREDICTION: ALABAMA 49, West Carolina 7

Out of respect for tradition, I am also posting the Classic Alabama Logo, the one with which we ALL grew up, and my brother had prominently displayed in our bedroom when I was a kid:


ROLL TIDE!

PRIORITIES

Well, only 4 days 'til kickoff! (Only 2 for SEC college football, as ESPN will have a Thursday night SEC game featuring LSU and Mississippi State...!) As an ardent fan, I appreciate "All Things Bama", and wanted to share with you an image from someone whose priorities are CLEARLY in order.
Luke Coley, a University of Alabama Law School grad, got married recently. Below is a photo of his groom's cake:


I WANT ONE! Not necessarily a 'groom cake', but I like the idea of anything chocolate with a big ol' BAMA Logo! (Not sure how it will go with the customary beer and sausage on the menu Saturday, though.....) Maybe I'll get a cake decorating kit and start making and selling them.........!!
ROLL TIDE!