SB Nation User Blog: Todd

"It’s kind of funny. I went home and had so many people come up to me and say, ‘I bet you’re glad yo...

Todd — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:34:55 -0000

"It’s kind of funny. I went home and had so many people come up to me and say, ‘I bet you’re glad you transferred now,’" Peek said. "But even if nothing worked out the way I thought it would, playing for this program and playing for Coach Saban … that was good enough in itself in that you learn so much from a man like that and being a part of this program and the tradition and the prestige that it has, you learn to love everything about Alabama and the Crimson Tide, which encapsulates the fans, the community. It’s such a wonderful environment.

Peek makes the most of transfer - ESPN

SEC Power Poll All-SEC Selections: The Running Backs

Todd — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:15:53 -0000

The SEC Power Poll gang got together to come up with our own set of All-Conference selections, and we'll be rolling them out throughout the next day (or so). Team Speed Kills will be keeping track as the rollout progresses, but now it's our duty to give you the running backs. Two were selected and our own Mark Ingram, with all 12 votes, was a unanimous selection, while Ole Miss's Dexter McCluster joins him in our dream backfield as the SEC Power Poll All-SEC Running Backs for 2010. Just missing the cut (I guess you can call them the second team) were Mississippi State's Anthony Dixon with 5 votes and Tennessee's Montario Hardesty with 1. In the interest of full disclosure, my ballot is after the jump.

WR A.J. Green, Georgia

WR Brandon LaFell, LSU

RB Mark Ingram, Alabama

RB Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss

QB Greg McElroy, Alabama

OL Ciron Black, LSU

OL Mike Johnson, Alabama

C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida

OL Mitch Petrus, Arkansas

OL Zipp Duncan, Kentucky (HOW DO YOU NOT VOTE FOR SOMEONE NAMED ZIPP?!)

TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida

DL Terrence Cody, Alabama

DL Corey Peters, Kentucky

DL Malcolm Sheppard, Arkansas

DL Carlos Dunalp, Florida

LB Rolando McClain, Alabama

LB Brandon Spikes, Florida

LB Eric Norwood, SC

DB Eric Berry, Tennessee

DB Javier Arenas, Alabama

DB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky

DB Mark Barron, Alabama

P Drew Butler, Georgia

K Leigh Tiffin, Alabama

RS Javier Arenas, Alabama

Brittany Rogers has been named a winner of the NCAA’s Top VIII award, collegiate athletics’ highest ...

Todd — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:50:12 -0000

Brittany Rogers has been named a winner of the NCAA’s Top VIII award, collegiate athletics’ highest honor for the combination of athletics, academics and community service.

Rogers, a four-time All-America outfielder from Dacula, Ga., is the first University of Alabama softball player to win the award.

Bama’s Brittany Rogers wins NCAA Top VIII award | TideSports.com

Shilling for a Good Cause: Alabama Crimson Tide BCS Title Game & SEC Title Football Raises Funds for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alabama

Todd — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:54:49 -0000

You may recall that last year we did a post for a limited edition football to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and they're back again this year with a new football to commemorate the perfect '09 season and berth in the National Title Game. There's more info at www.nikcosports.com (and the press release and ordering info is after the jump), but here's what they will look like:

Limited Edition Football & Display Case a Great Collectible for Bama Fans

Crimson Tide Celebrates "Perfect"Regular Season

And Hopes to Land National Title #13 in Pasadena

Only 5,000 BCS Championship Game Footballs Will Be Produced

Funds from Sales Will Benefit

Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Georgia and Alabama

            Tuscaloosa, AL – Is history on the side of the Crimson Tide? And is 13 Alabama’s lucky number?

Those are two questions being pondered today as Alabama’s 13-0 and top-ranked football team gets ready for a BCS Championship game date against the #2 Texas Longhorns, going against an opponent they have not faced since the 1982 Cotton Bowl. The last time and ONLY time Alabama won 13 games in a season they went on to win the national title,, defeating Miami in the January 1, 1993 Sugar Bowl game. This time around they hope to win the school’s 13^th national title and gain a school record 14^th win when they face Texas out in Pasadena, CA on January 7.

All these numbers and the history-making is also getting the attention of some youngsters who have some life-threatening medical conditions and look to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Georgia and Alabama to raise monies to get wishes granted for them, especially during the holiday season. That’s because Nikco Sports announced it will be working with them on a project to produce a limited edition, full-sized Alabama BCS title game football to help raise some funds for the local youngsters.

Just 5,000 of the officially licensed footballs, complete with the official BCS Championship logo on one of the three white panels, will be produced. Each football comes with a handsome acrylic display case and is priced at $99 each. In recent years, Nikco Sports has raised more than $1.7 million for children’s charities.

Tide fans can order the footballs while the supply lasts by calling 1-800-345-2868 or visiting www.nikcosports.com. Each football is accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity, suitable for framing, to enhance the value.

The football will feature three distinct and attractive white panels, each one full of historic and important information. These will not be sold elsewhere, making it a "must-have" for any diehard Bama fan, something that can be displayed proudly at home, in an office or used as a fundraising gift at golf events or silent auctions. A special gift flyer that includes a photo of the football can also be downloaded off the Nikco Sports website so fans can use as a holiday gift idea immediately.



            Here’s a quick overview of the 3 white panels on the football:

Panel One will contain information about the school’s stadium history, including the date of the first game played there on Sept. 28, 1929. In the center of this panel is the traditional school logo and to the right side of that is a listing of Bama’s championship history, including a listing of all 12 national titles, and recognition of 26 conference championships, 10 undefeated seasons and 57 bowl appearances.

Panel Two will recap the 2009 regular season, game-by-game, with opponents and final scores of each contest, and also will be framed around another Alabama school logo. It also has a printed inscription that reads "Perfect Regular Season."

Panel Three is reserved for the official BCS championship game logo, and includes the venue of the January 7, 2010 game (Pasadena) along with the two opponents (Texas vs. Alabama). If the Crimson Tide goes on to win the national title, the final score of the game and the words "National Champions" will be added to this section of the football.

Fans will need to purchase the football before the January 7 game to lock in their opportunity to own this historic piece of Alabama football history.

"Alabama certainly has posted an impressive run to an unbeaten regular season, including that dramatic SEC title game win over top-ranked Florida," noted Nikco Sports CEO Craig Bidner, whose company has continued to give back to the community since its inception in 1992. "When you think of Bama football, which dates back to 1892, you think of their rich history, the 12 national titles and their consistency—the only SEC school to win a league title in each decade since the SEC began in 1933. Very impressive.

"Impressive is another description I would use to describe the work being done by the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Georgia and Alabama, as they help out youngsters who have some life-threatening medical conditions. We’re honored and pleased to be a part of a project that can salute both the great football history of Alabama, and help out the youngsters at the local Make-A-Wish Foundation, especially during the holiday season."

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation^® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Born in 1980 when a group of caring individuals helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 65 chapters in the U.S. and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants more than 12,600 wishes a year and has granted more than 168,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception.

The RBR Friday Random Ten...

Todd — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:59:36 -0000

...is doing it's best Bamagrad impersonation.

Can't wait to see the explosion of quotes in the comments now...

For those that don't know how to play, put your iPod/iTunes/Zune/whatever on the shuffle and list the first ten songs that come up. No cheating to make yours look cooler.

What sort of "Best Buy Party" has a $420 limit? Passing out the SEC bowl gifts

Todd — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:10:34 -0000

What sort of "Best Buy Party" has a $420 limit?

Passing out the SEC bowl gifts

I don’t think the SEC Championship Game won him the Heisman. Granted, I watched him just about e...

Todd — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:28:39 -0000

I don’t think the SEC Championship Game won him the Heisman. Granted, I watched him just about every week and have seen the things that he was doing. But I don’t think that one game alone sealed it for a lot of the voters. I think a lot of the voters recognized what he brought to the table before that game.

Bobby Humphrey:
Heisman Shouldn’t Come As Any Surprise To Those Who Watched Mark Ingram All Year

"I'm playing my role," Kirkpatrick said, "and if my role is to sit on the sideline and chill,...

Todd — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:48:55 -0000

"I'm playing my role," Kirkpatrick said, "and if my role is to sit on the sideline and chill, that's what I'm going to do because we're going to Cali. Ain't nobody going to change that."

"Next year is going to be my time and my number," he said. "I'm going to be ready to ball."

UA freshman Dre Kirkpatrick: 'Next year is going to be my time' | The Bama Beat

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (TSK) -- The University of Tennessee has hired Tigers Woods to serve as recruiting...

Todd — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:05:46 -0000

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (TSK) -- The University of Tennessee has hired Tigers Woods to serve as recruiting co-coordinator, head coach Lane Kiffin announced Friday.

"We felt like we really needed someone else to help Ed [Orgeron], but it had to be someone who understood our methods and what we were trying to do here," Kiffin said. "This is a perfect fit."

Woods told reporters he knew the job was the right one for him when he saw stories about the NCAA's inquiry into the Vols recruiting methods.

Tennessee Hires Tiger Woods - Team Speed Kills

Sometimes it causes the RBR Gospel Hour to tremble...

Todd — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:32:16 -0000

Sometimes it causes the RBR Gospel Hour to tremble...