SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.

We still have a little more than 1 week before the first BAMA game. I thought I would just throw out some rumors and thoughts.

THE Master Plan.
Some parts of the master plan are coming into view. When Coach Shula was hired he said he had a plan. All of the assistants have said it, DR. Whitt and Coach Mal Moore. What is it?

Recruit the Florida panhandle.
Some of the best talent in the country every year comes from the Pan handle of Florida. It is very apparent that Coach Shula wanted to concentrate on it.

Quality and Quantity.
It is very apparent that this staff relies on their reviews of High School players. They absolutely do not offer anyone unless they have seen them in person or on a lot of film. I remember when they were recruiting Oakley Coach Shula said that there was a QB at Nease that he would do everything he could to sign. He met with this QB as a 10th grader while recruiting Oakley. I am sure Alabama was one of if not the first to offer Tebow.

Grades.
After so much of his first class failed to qualify adjustments were made. It is obvious that this staff puts major importance on the Student part of a student athlete. They recruit kids that they feel have a legit shot at making the grades. All of the kids have great up-bringing and morals.

No THUGS.
Some schools in the SEC have sold their soul to the devil for wins. While this approach has let them get the upperhand in the short term - it will be very bad for their schools in the long term. I am sure if one of our football players were brought up on felony assault, spousal abuse, rape, sexual assault, or robery charges they would not be on the Tide Team. They might could earn their way back - but they would have to do it while at Junior College.

LOVE Thy Neighbor.
With the apparent scheduling of DUKE in 2006 and 2008 (or 2009) and Florida State at a neutral site in Jacksonville in 2007 Alabama is trying very hard to make friends with the ACC. It is allways good to have friends. This leads me to the next paragraph.

NCAA and Friends.
It became very apparent in the court case in Tuscaloosa that UA had made some kind of deal with the NCAA. We all know that Myles Brand was at a Basketball game just weeks before we received our letter stating their would be no further investigation into the Last Alleged Violations by the University of Alabama. One has to wonder if There will soon be some language put in the Bylaws to allow for a super conference. I would not be surprised to see somthing happen soon. We know the BCS contract will run out in 2010. Just 4 years from now. It will take time to draw everything up.
Lets assume the NCAA allows for four 24 team super conferences. In that scenerio the best schools from the ACC and SEC could combine. The best from the BIG 10 and PAC 10, and Big 12 and Big East. And the best 24 mid majors could all combine into 4 super conferences. Sure there would be some re-alignment. But that would give 16 teams competing in first their conference championships and then give the bowl games a chance to have a true national champion.
I don't know how it will play out but if our outreached olive branch to some of the ACC schools, the Florida schools all having to play each other every year, UK and Louisville playing each other, as well as the continued UGA and Ga Tech rivalries are any indication I would not be surprised to see it happen. One thing for sure, some schools are definetly puting themselves into a very small corner.

Summary
To sum all this up. I think we are moving in the right direction. I see BAMA, UGA, UF, AU and UK all joining some kind of SUPER Conference in what is now called the ACC. We will continue to recruit kids that can help us achieve the APR. Not only that but as soon as we are back which could be this year Coach Shula will be very vocal for the new APR rules. He has allready started this year at the SEC Media Days. Some teams currently in the SEC will be left out. The Florida Pan handle will be a very important recruiting ground for UA for years to come. The FSU, UA game could become a yearly thing.

One thing is for sure, Cecil Hurt knows somthing is fixing to happen. The APR is here to stay. There will be some re-alignment very soon. The BCS will soon be a bad memory, and the Tide will once again Roll.

Roll Tide Roll.

Your Friend
Michael Clay