Baseball: Cubs on verge of clinching NL Central Division. 5C
Sports
T U E S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 25, 2007
SECTION C
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
UA RECRUITING
ALABAMA FOOTBALL
Saban speaks out on Tide fans’ bad behavior
Recruits upbeat after visit to UA
T
here was no surprise of the prospects who were in Tuscaloosa for the Crimson Tide’s game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Signs held up during ESPN’s College Gameday let everyone in the country know of Julio Jones and Arthur Brown appearing in Tuscaloosa for the SEC game. Jones, Scout.com’s top rated receiver in the nation from Foley, made his second visit to the Capstone. The backto-back trips to Tuscaloosa have the Alabama coaching staff and ANDREW fans hopeful of a BONE signing day signature for the Crimson Tide. Brown, Scout.com’s top overall prospect and linebacker in the country from Wichita-East, Kansas, was in Tuscaloosa for his official visit. Brown announced his five official visits last week with Alabama as one of the finalists for a visit. His recruiting liaison, Brian Butler, indicated during the summer, “Alabama will play a major factor in Arthur’s decision.” Brown returned to Kansas on Monday after a positive experience in Tuscaloosa. He will take all five official visits before the end of the season and will graduate from high school in December. He is scheduled to annouce his college decision December 17 and enroll for the spring semester at one lucky school. Other news coming out of the weekend is from Antoine McClain (Anniston), Scout.com National 100 offensive tackle. McClain was a heavy lean to Auburn during the early stages of his recruitment, but the momentum is possibly shifting in favor of Alabama. McClain was in Tuscaloosa for both SEC match-ups with Arkansas and Georgia. “I was going to announce my decision Monday, but I changed my mind,” McClain said. “I need to make sure I am on the right page with everyone. Right now I don’t know when I am going to make my decision, but it’s going to be soon.” McClain’s decision could help with Jerrell Harris (Gadsden City), Scout.com National 100 weakside linebacker. Harris and McClain have formed a tight bond since the early spring and talk a weekly basis. Cordy Glenn, Scout.com four-star offensive tackle from Riverdale, (Ga.), was in Tuscaloosa for an unofficial visit. He has delayed his college decision and expects to decide between Alabama and Georgia. “Alabama has real good tradition,” Glenn said following the trip. “They are going to get better every single year. They have a good staff, and they play hard. I would have to say it’s dead even between Alabama and Georgia.” Three of Alabama’s five out-ofstate commitments confirmed their attendance: Damian Square (Houston-Yates, Texas), four-star linebacker, Melvin Ray (TallahasseeNorth Florida Christian, Fla.), fourstar wide receiver, and Devonta Bolton (Norcorss, Ga.), four-star wide receiver. The Georgia game was the first time all three prospects have ever attended a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Ray was impressed with the atmosphere of his future home emphasizing, “My feelings about Alabama are even better than before. I was already convinced it was the place for me, and now I was finally able to experience the game day atmosphere.” Bolton said, “The atmosphere was crazy. It was amazing. The fans and the people are great. People knew who I was. They take it serious over there. It was just a tough loss for us.” Tyler Love (Mountain Brook), National 100 offensive tackle and Alabama commitment, has already accepted a leadership role for his recruiting class of 2008. SEE BONE | 3C
By Tommy Deas Sports Writer
STAFF PHOTO | DAN LOPEZ
Alabama secondary coach Kirby Smart talks with linebackers Eryk Anders, left, and Demarcus Waldrop during the Tide’s A-Day game in April. The Tide plays Florida State this weekend. Smart served as a graduate assistant at Florida State under Bobby Bowden in 2002-03.
Tallahassee ties Tide coaches, players share link to FSU By Christopher Walsh Sports Writer
TUSCALOOSA | Growing up, University of Alabama sophomore left tackle Andre Smith lived in a house that had a room painted with the colors of his favorite college football team, only they weren’t crimson and white. Instead, the walls were garnet and gold. He was such a fan of Florida State that when the Seminoles offered a scholarship Smith told his mother that his recruiting search was over. Thankfully for Crimson Tide fans, she quickly put the kibosh on that idea. “It wasn’t that she said no,” Smith said. “It was that you’re going to take all your visits and make a deci-
sion after that.” Instead, Smith found 4 p.m., Saturday himself likin Jacksonville, Fla. ing Mike Shula and TV: CBS his coaching Radio: 94.1 FM staff, the 1420 AM Capstone and the idea of staying closer to home. But he’s not the only one on the Crimson Tide with some sort of tie with Tallahassee, and vice-versa. Far from it. For example, before he was one of Nick Saban’s head-turning hires as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, Kevin Steele was
Alabama vs. Florida State
Bobby Bowden’s linebackers coach, and named executive head coach in 2005. He left for Tuscaloosa in part to be closer to his parents, and because it’s Alabama, where his uncle Tommy White (1958-60) played for Paul W. “Bear” Bryant. SEE CONNECT | 3C
TUSCALOOSA | Nick Saban doesn’t want University of Alabama football fans to shower opposing players with garbage. He’s not too fond of late-night phone calls from irate fans, either. The head coach of the 22nd-ranked Crimson Tide spoke out on fan behavior at his Monday press conference in the wake of the aftermath of Saturday’s overtime loss to Georgia, where fans in the UA student section threw cups and other objects onto the field where Georgia players were celebrating their victory. “I don’t think it’s classy to throw something on somebody else,” Saban said. “I don’t think it’s classy to call somebody’s house at night and complain about something. I don’t think any of that’s classy. “If anybody out there that’s our fans and our supporters don’t think all the coaches here … work hard and want to win as bad as anybody, as well as the players, trust and believe in that. Trust and believe in doing it right. If you want to do something, do something positive to support the program or don’t do anything at all.” Saban didn’t get specific about the offending phone call, but said no one called him to complain, sparking speculation that a member of his coaching staff received a call from an unhappy fan. “I don’t answer my phone anyway,” he said. Saban, who praised Alabama fans for the atmosphere they created a week earlier for the Arkansas game, did make it clear that he feels strongly about how UA fans conduct themselves. “I think class is a real critical part of any organization,” Saban said. “It’s a word that I see comes up on our [stadium video screen] board when we do some of our traditional stuff here as a part of our university, as a part of our football tradition. SEE TIDE | 3C
Jimbo Fisher Joe Pendry UA Offensive line FSU Connection: Worked for Bobby Bowden at West Virginia from 1970-74.
FSU Offensive Coordinator UA Connection: Was offensive coordinator for Nick Saban at LSU from 2000-04.
Kirby Smart UA Secondary FSU Connection: Was a graduate assistant coach under Bobby Bowden at Florida State in 2002-03
Jody Allen FSU Defensive ends UA Connection: On Ray Perkins’ staff for three seasons. Named receivers coach in 1986.
Mickey Andrews FSU Defensive coordinator UA Connection: A football and baseball player on the Capstone in the 1960s, and won two national titles under Bear Bryant.
Kevin Steele UA Defensive coordinator FSU Connection: Bobby Bowden’s linebackers coach, and named executive head coach in 2005.
STAFF PHOTO | DUSTY COMPTON
Alabama coach Nick Saban said he disaproved of Tide fans showering the Georgia players with garbage at the conclussion of Saturday’s game. He went on to say, “I think class is an important part of what we do in terms of how we represent our state, our institution, and I want this program to always reflect class in how we go about doing things.
NEXTEL CUP
Tense competition has tempers flaring during Chase By Jenna Fr yer The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. | The tension in this Chase for the championship was evident after the first pit stop at Dover, where title contender Tony Stewart angrily bumped Paul Menard because the rookie crowded him. By the time Round 2 was over, an incensed Denny Hamlin wanted to fight Kyle Petty after an on-track acci-
dent led to an off-track confrontation. Emotions nearly erupted at Dover International Speedway, where the top half of the Chase field left Sunday’s race separated by a mere 18 points. The bottom half packed up their crumpled cars for Kansas Speedway, clinging to fading championship hopes. There’s little room for error in this year’s Chase, where a stout 12-driver field has ratcheted up the competition. A bad day better not be a finish in the
30s or below. With this talent level, anything outside the top 10 can seriously stall a drive toward the Nextel Cup title. It’s why Stewart was incensed following the first pit stop. Menard had the stall in front of him, and he didn’t give Stewart much room on the crowded service road. Stewart had to back up to exit his spot, and just as he tried to pull out, Menard slid in front of him.
The two-time champion made it clear he expected pit-road respect by bumping Menard several times as they traveled down pit road, then pulling alongside him and slamming into his right front fender. It was foolish on Stewart’s part — all that banging could have damaged his car — but he knew he couldn’t afford slow stops all day and needed Menard to be accommodating. SEE CHASE | 4C