Shula Sacked

Alabama Athletic Director Mal Moore

Interim Head Coach Joe Kines

My Monday started around 2:15am. That's when my cell phone went off with an incoming text message. Through eyes still half asleep I read these words: "Shula Fired!!". Not quite sure if I was dreaming, I checked my phone again and again. Those words still jumped out at me, "Shula Fired!!". Thanks again to the person that sent me that message, I'll keep your name a secret but you know who you are. So I call the TV station and tell the overnight producer the news. "Check it out, but my source is pretty darn good.", I say.

Fast forward several hours and lo and behold, I find myself in Tuscaloosa for the press conference officially announcing the firing of Mike Shula. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to be there for the hiring, firing or resigning of Alabama's coaches from Gene Stallings to Mr. Shula. So that's five coaches in my relatively short TV career. And this time, I'm not that upset by the leaving. From my last post I'm sure you were able to figure out I was not that big a Mike Shula fan. As everyone says, a nice guy, but not head coaching material. To those that say it looks bad for the university to run through this many coaches in such a short time: you are correct. But should we stay with a guy as coach just because he is nice? 'Fraid not. So, one short press conference later and I'm working on my 6th coach at Alabama. Can't wait until that presser.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Luckily, I am off work this Thanksgiving, so I will be home eating myself sick and watching football. Oh, and frying a turkey for the family so pray there is no need for the fire department at our festivities this year. Eat lots of turkey and see you Friday.

Iron Bowl 2006; or Man, This Stinks!!

Gotta love the thumb turkey!!!

Kudos to all you Aubies out there. You once again managed to ruin my Iron Bowl weekend. Although I can't give you all the credit or blame. I have to blame the coaching staff at the University of Alabama. Game after game I've been to this season, and I've been to almost all of them, I have watched the team fall apart. Yes, I know Bama is a young team, but I have to put this debacle of a season squarely on the shoulders of Mike Shula. Someone sent me these pictures and I thought I would share them with you. I especially like the one of Bear wearing a bag on his head, it kinda tells the whole story. Yes, I am an Alabama fan. Yes, I get to go to the games and stand on the sideline while covering the games for my station. Does that make me an expert on football? By no means, but I do think it gives me the ability to talk about this with some experience. Mike Shula may very well be a nice man, a good guy, but he appears to have about as much leadership ability as a rock. And unfortunately about the same amount of play calling talent as the aforementioned stone. Darby up the middle, again? And again? And again? The poor guy has 24 yards on 25 carries all day and you're giving it to him up the middle one the 2 yard line? With the other team in a goal line defense, 8 men on the line? Please. Their offense is way too vanilla, no imagination. None. Unfortunately, it's not just boring it hurts the team. Stalling's offense was boring, but he won a National Championship. Now I'm praying for the Liberty over the Independence Bowl. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.