Bleacher Report - Articles by BamaFreak

Mark Ingram: Heisman Hopeful

BamaFreak — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:56:10 -0500

Alabama has never had a Heisman winner, ever. This could be changed by a talent at running back who's name is Mark Ingram. His stardom is one of many college football shockers thus far this season.

Mark Ingram has had a tremendous year thus far, exceeding all expectations. His status in the Heisman race may be even more than even I expected. Is he the best running back in Alabama history? Maybe. Put him up against Bo Jackson or Adrian Peterson, and does he win? No, but it may just be closer than the experts think.

Now, Ingram is not the fastest, nor the best at shaking off defenders, but that doesn't matter to him. He has strength, and the ability to break tackles. He doesn't need to juke somebody; he'll just run right through them.

His speed, again, doesn't kill. But if he gets out in the open field, with only one man to beat, he will more than likely beat that one man.

His strength is amazing. He can push his way through the line, or just run over you in the open field. Mark Ingram is amazing. Is he the best player in the country though?

The Heisman Memorial Trophy is given out each year to honor the best player in all of college football for that particular year. Well, Mark Ingram is the Heisman front runner presently, and if my dreams come true, i'll see the first Alabama player be crowned Heisman winner.

Maybe, the plaque will have 2009 on it. Maybe it will have 2010, or maybe 2011. Nobody knows which year it will be, but everyone believes that Mark Ingram will win it in the near future.

With Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy gone, and assuming Sam Bradford goes into the NFL Draft, Ingram is a shoe-in next year, but I want to see him do it this year. It would be an honor for him to be only the second ever sophomore winner, and he would beat TIM TEBOW!

I know that may not seem like much to fans now, but imagine sitting in that room beside Tim Tebow, and the announcer about to call the name. All that would race through my mind is, "Tebow is going to beat me."

Then, in the split second you think that thought, you hear your name called over the microphone. Imagine that feeling. That would be incredible.

I believe Ingram is the best in the country. I'm ready to see his season stats, and him holding that Heisman trophy up as the first ever player to do it coming from the University of Alabama.

Roll Tide

Alabama-LSU: Who Wants it More?

BamaFreak — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:00:24 -0500

Let's start this one off with stating that Alabama has not knocked of the LSU Tigers In Bryant-Denny Stadium since 1999. That stat is huge.

Last year in Baton Rouge, Nick Saban was able to make his return to Death Valley a sweet one as the Tide knocked off the Tigers in a close over time win. Both squads played their absolute best, and both squads came out with something to be happy about. LSU was not the favorite then, nor will they be this year. It is simply going to be who wants it more.

I think that LSU needs it more. This may be their last shot at the BCS title this year. If they let this one slip, so does the title. On the other side of the ball is a team who maybe wants it a little more. Alabama wants it more simply because of revenge. They know that if this one slips there is a chance that their rematch on December 5 in Atlanta with Florida may be gone. That is not what they want.

Last season Florida ended Alabama's title hopes in the SEC Championship game. Alabama went in No. 1 and Florida No. 2. After a surprising 12-0 season, the Tide had all hopes up for the SEC title, but left the Georgia Dome empty handed in bitter defeat.

Now, they try to make their return to the dome, but this may be harder than experts think. Saturday, Alabama will have to go out on the field prepared for a LSU team that hasn't shown much thus far in the season. I believe that LSU will come out firing on all cylinders. They will not look like the LSU team the experts predicted would come.

Their offense is what they need to get motivated because it is going up against one of the best defenses in the nation. If they can get their team going then they may be able to keep it close and might be able to come out with the W.

Alabama will need to get their offense going. Greg McElory has kind of gone into a shell the last few weeks, and is not putting up the kind of numbers we Alabama fans would like. He started the season off with a bang, but that's about all he has done this year. Don't get me wrong, he is a good quarter back, but we need a little more if want to see that national title coming home to our old Alma mater.

This will be a well played game that which both teams will fight until the bitter end. Who comes out with the victory is anonymous, but if the experts are right then my Tide will be in the SEC Championship December 5 after clinching the SEC west Saturday.

Roll Tide!

A Saturday to Remember

BamaFreak — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:25:17 -0400

Well, I can honestly say that I had no idea that I would be writing this article Saturday before the game. I remember telling my wife, "I think the Tennessee fans know their team is about to get whooped."

I also remember one Tennessee fan saying, "Well mister, if you think that we lost hope, you may be in for the ride of your life." This is true: I was in for the ride of my life.

You see, where I was seated Saturday wasn't exactly "Bama Country." No, It was the Vols takeover of Bryant Denny. I was in more or less the worst spot for an Alabama fan to sit in the whole stadium. I was in the dead center of all of the Tennessee fans. I was worried after the game because I had rocky top stuck in my head, but you have to admit that it has a catchy tune.

The game was maybe the best game you will see all year, but for all of the wrong reasons.

The game was not supposed to be so close, but that is why the game is not played on paper. Tennessee was huge underdogs going into the rivalry game consisting of two strong SEC teams. Both teams have great defenses, but Tennessee's seemed to exceed past all expectations.

They held Alabama to not only 12 points, but did not allow a single touchdown the entire game. The only touchdown of the game was scored by the Volunteers in their attempt to make a fourth quarter comeback.

You would think, if you were reading this article before that game, that Tennessee had pulled off the upset. No, they did not win. The Tide won the game by a score of 12-10.

This was, in my opinion, the worst showing by Alabama all season. It was also the lowest margin of win by the Tide all season.

The Crimson Tide went into this game with the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll. It wasn't a mistake that they fell back down to the second spot after this game. I have really got to give Tennessee their credit. They played a good game, but this was a defensive battle. When you're in a defensive battle with the Alabama Crimson Tide you will more than likely lose.

Running back Mark Ingram was exceptional. With 99 yards on the ground, he had a pretty solid day. Nothing to put on the cover of the New York Times or anything, but it was a good day. The worse part for him was the fumble. His first ever fumble as an Alabama player that was not recovered by a teammate. I didn't think it could happen.

If I had to pick who the game ball went to though, it would without a doubt be defensive lineman Terrance Cody. The big guy blocked two field goals in the fourth quarter. This included the biggest one of them all, which was when Tennessee lined up with four seconds left. The game was close. All Tennessee had to do was make this field goal to pull off the upset, but big "Mount" Cody blocked the kick to end the game and put a "W" by Tennessee's name for the Tide.

Overall, the game was great, and I will forever remember this incredible game. It was again great for all the wrong reasons, but that is what makes college football so great.

ROLL TIDE

My Comeback Team of the Week: BYU Cougars

BamaFreak — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:35:17 -0400

So, to start this article, I would like to introduce you guys to what I will do after every college football game for the current week is over. I will be writing this to state who I think is the "comeback" team for the appropriate week. If you agree, please positively comment. If you don't agree, then please state why in a brief comment.

I know that this is a little late, but this is for the week(s) of Sept. 5-12.

Since I am starting after week two, I have chosen one team for weeks one and two.

Now to the article. I believe that the team I chose for these weeks was a very underrated team, and they proved it after a huge upset over the number three team in the nation, the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma was not only expected to win this game, but they were expected to blow the Cougars out. Now, this was very strange to me because BYU was a top 25 team. Now, how many top 25 teams are ever really blown out. But then again, this was only week one, and nobody truly knows anything at that point.

Which brings to my next point: Why would you ever count BYU out? This is a team who could dominate on the ground, and through the air. They have a fairly good defense but proved to be better than anyone ever gave them credit for in week one.

When your defense can hold a team who averaged 40+ points last season, has the reigning Heisman trophy winner on their team, and is a top 10 team to only 13 points in a game, you know your good.

That brings me to another key factor for Oklahoma's loss, and that is Bradford's injury.

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma's starting quarterback, went down hard on his right shoulder. He is estimated to be out two to four weeks. That means if he does anything to aggravate this injury even more, he could very well be out for the Red River Rivalry against Texas. If he misses that game, it could spell trouble for the Sooners.

Some ask how one player's injury could cost a team their win. Well, not only did it take your star player off the field for the remaining time of the game, but it absolutely removed all momentum from that Oklahoma sideline. The whole team never got over one play, and it cost them the game, and possibly a national championship.

Back to BYU though.

This is a team who is slowly proving themselves for the long run, being the national championship. If this team can go undefeated this season, there is no way that we will not be seeing them in the title game, or at least a BCS bowl game.

They are my pick, and many others, to win the Mountain West. My honest opinion though is that if you were to give Oklahoma a rematch, they would not lose again. Not even without Bradford.

The team (Oklahoma) felt that there was nothing left to play for after the loss of Bradford, and after losing the lead later in the game, they lost all hope as well. Their motivation was not to win, but to not lose. You can't play not to lose, you have to play to win.

I believe that BYU will lose one game this season to Utah, and end up in the Sugar bowl. Depending on the team they play will be the deciding outcome of that game, therefore I will not make my decision on whether they will win that bowl or not. Either way though, BYU will have a good season.

SEC ALERT: Auburn's Good Again!

BamaFreak — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:35:00 -0400

Well, the title pretty much says it all. Watch out SEC, Auburn's back. As much as I hate it, it's true. They proved it against Mississippi State Saturday night.

Now, I know it seems weird. An Alabama fan writing about his arch rivals team in a good manor. Yeah, it's true. I have, even though I hate them more, respect for Auburn. I live in a town where the population is more Auburn fans than any other. Most of my friends are Auburn fans, some of my family, and my neighbors. I can't escape the dang people.

But back to the point of Auburn proving they are dangerous this season.

Auburn not only beat Mississippi State Saturday night, they did it with no problem. They just played, and the points came automatically. They reminded me of Auburn's 2007 team. Not their 13-0 team from 2004, but they played great. Now before you scroll down and start typing your statistical comment about how bad Miss State is, or how Auburn really didn't play great, here's what i'm saying:

Auburn played like the 2007 squad. That team beat Florida, Alabama, Clemson, and Arkansas. They finished 9-4. Yes, I realize they lost to Mississippi State that year, but I didn't say Miss State played like their 2007 squad against the Tigers. Auburn recorded their sixth straight win over the Tide, and they cruised past Clemson in a great Chik Fil-A bowl win to wrap up their season.

Sadly though, that was their last bowl game. Auburn didn't exactly have a "good" season in 2008. Not even mediocre. I doubt 5-7 and a loss to all your rivals is what your coach wants out of your team. Maybe it is, but i don't know what Tommy Tubby thinks about when he is walking the sidelines.

Speaking of Tuberville, he was fired at the end of last season. That brought on the old ball coach from Iowa State, Gene Chizik. Not a bad coach? Well that was apparently Auburn's decision for me to just sit back and laugh at. Well, he is proving me wrong so far. After wins over Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State, he is 2-0, and his team is looking pretty good.

If Chizik can pull of a win against West Virginia next week, Auburn may be on their way to a top 25 spot in the rankings. Not a bad start for Chizik.

I made my predictions in pre season for Alabama and Auburn. Well, I said Auburn would go 7-5 losing to West Virginia, LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama. Let's say after week one and two, they have changed slightly. Now I think they will go 10-2. Only losing to LSU and Alabama. They will end their season in a Cotton Bowl game or Capital One bowl, or another bowl of that prestige.

I still think Alabama will go 12-0, win the SEC, and then win the National Championship.

Auburn may make a big run this year. I think they are under rated, and nobody is really paying attention to the Tigers of Auburn. They get West Virginia, Ole Miss, and Alabama at home this season. Tough games will be the road games against LSU, Georgia, and Tennessee. If they can win those three and only lose to bama, they will be BCS material. If they beat bama, they will be in the SEC Championship. Not sure if they are good enough to beat Florida, but we shouldn't be to worried about that unless they actually make it there.

One things for sure, Auburn is becoming a threat in the SEC now. Watch out!

Alabama-Virginia Tech Showed Tide Ready to Roll

BamaFreak — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:49:05 -0400

Well, the college football season is finally upon us, and we had an excellent week one. Many surprising games, but the one that had to be considered the biggest surprise was the Alabama-Virginia Tech game, which was held in Atlanta, GA.

Now, before I even get started I want to point out a few great games I watched:

Notre Dame vs. Nevada

Ohio State vs. Navy

Georgia vs. OK State

Those were all great games that came down to the better team, in my opinion, winning.

Now, back to the headline game of week one, Alabama vs. Virginia Tech. This had to have been the best game of week one, with good reason.

Both teams played extremely great and competitive. Clearly, the outcome was no surprise, though. In a nationwide poll, Alabama was favored 78% to 22%, everyone on College Gameday picked Alabama, and Virginia Tech's star running back was out with an injury.

Let's start this article off right.

Alabama, though the favored team, wasn't buying any of the favoritism. Nick Saban never does. Everyone knew the Hokies had a chance to win, and they did. Both teams fought hard the whole 60 minutes.

Two BCS schools from 2008 were going head-to-head in the first week of the season. Already contention for the BCS Championship could be lost.

Let's talk about Alabama first. They lost their starting quarterback, running back, and two star offensive linemen. So, clearly, their offense was going to be tested.

It all came down to Greg McElroy's (QB) leadership on offense. He threw for 230 yards on the night. He handled the role great, but it was the running back Mark Ingram who made a bang coming into the season. He had 150 yards and a touchdown in that game. Another guy who made a big impact on the Tide's running game was Roy Upchurch. He had 90 yards in only 7 carries. He had a touchdown as well.

Julio Jones was my surprise of the night. He was heavily covered all night. He only caught four passes for only 46 yards. Darius Hanks was unknown by many before coming into this game. He had three receptions for 55 yards, but boy, were they momentum-building catches.

Alabama's defense shut down Tyrod Taylor's running attack. They allowed him -26 yards rushing for the night. Taylor had 91 passing yards, and completed only 9 of 20 pass attempts.

The Hokies could only get 64 rushing yards overall against the Tide's defense, and the Tide went on to get the win 34-24.

A ten-point win against the number seven team in the nation to start the season is a huge momentum builder. If Alabama can keep it up, we'll be seeing them in the Georgia Dome again on Dec. 5, 2009, in the SEC Championship. Maybe this year, they can beat the Gators and go on to, maybe, the national title game.

For the Hokies, they'll need to pick up the pace if they want to have any chance at the National Championship, or even a BCS Bowl bid.

Roll Tide!

The SEC West: Who Will Stand Out? My Predictions For The 2009 Season

BamaFreak — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:06:44 -0400

This article is going to be a very brief prediction for the 2009 SEC West division teams. Starting with who I think will be the worst team in the SEC West.

Yes, I will be ranking the teams along the way, and I will probably get a lot of negative comments after the first 100 or so reads, but it's ok. I can take a couple of of rocks getting thrown at me, but it is the bad comments from Alabama fans that hurt the worst.

The bullets.

Please though, send negative comments, positive, or any kind of comment for that matter. You can even make up a type of comment for that matter. Ok, here we go.

No.6—Mississippi State Bulldogs

Now, this was a tough choice believe it or not. It could very well have been Arkansas by that six right now, but it's not and here's why:

Before you get all mad Dawg's fans, I am not going by favoritism. If you look at Mississippi State's season last year, they ended with an Ole Miss loss, and I do mean ENDED.

No conference championship, and no bowl game.

Their record of 4-8 was the worst in the SEC. Yeah, they did beat Arkansas, but they also lost to teams like Auburn, Kentucky, and Louisiana Tech. I do see Mississippi State being a much improved team from last year, set aside the fact that they had a horrible season in 2008, but they will not be in the conference championship.

Maybe a bowl game if they can get that win column to at least a six. Wins don't come easy when you are in the SEC, and to be Mississippi State in these days makes it even worse.

No.5—Auburn Tigers

Again, no favoritism here, but Arkansas did beat Auburn, and they won their final game of the season. Unlike an unpredictable Auburn team that lost to the No.1 team in the nation at the time, Alabama Crimson Tide. A blowout wasn't good enough for the Tide, so they went for the also unpredicted shutout. A 36-0 final score took the Tigers out of bowl contention. Their season didn't go as planned, as they went 5-7, and lost to teams like Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Ole Miss.

Tommy Tubberville's final season at Auburn, was his only losing season. Not the best way to cap off a very successful career at an SEC school. He hung six straight wins over the hated Tide, and had an SEC championship under his belt.

The surprise firing shocked fans throughout the nation, and the hiring of Iowa State head coach Gene Chizik gave everyone a little confidence.

Coach Chizik has coached at the University of Auburn in his career before, under the Head coaching of Tommy Tubberville. His Iowa State career didn't go as planned, but he is considered 'Back at home' by Auburn fans all over. This is why they are at No.5 in the SEC West.

No.4—Arkansas Razorbacks

The Razorback's season didn't go great either. Their record of 5-7 was identical to Auburn's, but they were able to beat LSU in their final game of the season.

Many surprised faces could be seen in the stadium on that very day. Arkansas had not had a great season to that point, as they were 4-7 and looked to be going for 4-8, but the upset alert went off across the nation as they pulled off the win against the hated Tigers.

They should be a better team this coming season. They begin their season against their rival Texas A&M Aggies. Another upset may be on the horizon for the Razorbacks. We'll just have to wait and see.

No.3—Louissianna State Tigers

LSU got off to a good start last season, but the defending National champions just didn't have enough to claim successive titles.

Losses to teams like Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas really turned their season upside down. Though they did lose to hated rival Arkansas, they were able to beat Georgia Tech in the Chick Fil-A bowl in a surprising game.

The Yellow Jackets were on fire after beating Georgia in the last minutes in their annual rivalry. LSU, though, put that fire out in a hurry. The Tigers may be able to catch fire this year if they can win some key games. No telling what will happen with this team.

No.2—Ole Miss Rebels

No one saw the season they had last year coming.Beating the eventual national champions, Florida Gators, in the middle of the season, then beating the team that was also a big surprise in the Cotton Bowl, Texas Tech was just the beginning of the run that Ole Miss may be starting for the next decade or so.

They capped their season with an impressive win in their bowl game, that put them in the top 25 teams going into the 2009 season. This one game may have given them the hype to take them to a BCS bowl game this coming season.

Only time will tell.

No.1—Alabama Crimson Tide

Considered by many the most surprising team in the nation last season. They started the season with an impressive win over the ranked Clemson Tigers, and then only four games later defeated the pre season No.1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs to show the nation that Bama is back.

Alabama kept the No.1 ranking for the longest consecutive weeks in 2008. They were also invited to play in their conference championship game.

Though they lost to the Gators, they were able to keep up. Losing by two last quarter touchdowns. If the game were only played in three quarters, Alabama would have been in the National Championship game.

It was a loss though, and gave Bama an invite to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

It was set, Alabama vs. Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Both teams were having stellar seasons. Utah looked to be the huge underdogs. In a nationwide vote, 92 percent said that Alabama would beat Utah. Apparently that doesn't mean anything as the 12-0 Utes went on to beat the Tide, 12-1. Utah then became 13-0, and were the only undefeated team left in the nation.

How's that for 2009 hype?

Alabama WILL have an improved team this season. I stated in one of my previous articles that we would have a weakness at our QB position, but I stand today saying that there will be not weakness.

After attending the A-day game I realized that it may be an improvement. These reasons are why I see Alabama starting the 2009 season at the No.1 ranking in the SEC West.

Five Potential Upsets for Week One of the College Season

BamaFreak — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:22:01 -0400

After studying the Week One schedule closely and then checking up on each team, I have found five games that I think may have upset written all over them.

The list starts with No. 5 as the least impressive upset, and goes to No. 1, the most impressive upset.

Here we go.

No. 5: North Dakota State at Iowa State

I see this game being a surprising game for many reasons. First, Iowa State is not a very "good" team offensively, or defensively for that matter. Iowa State is on a 10-game losing streak, which is also not "good."

The biggest challenge for the team will be adjusting to its new coach, Paul Rhoads. It will take some time to get their new coach's game plan down.

I see Iowa State, in the next couple of seasons, playing in a bowl game again, but this just isn't the season.

North Dakota State isn't what I am making them sound like, though. In FCS, they aren't an Appalachian State, but they have proven they can keep it close against FBS teams. Last season they lost by only three points to the Wyoming Cowboys and finished the season with a decent 6-5 record—a winning season, which is more than Iowa State can say.

Even though the Bison are an FCS team and play FCS teams and Iowa State is an FBS team and plays FBS teams, there is an even possibility of either team winning.

If you don't already realize this, I see the North Dakota State Bison winning this game.

No. 4: Appalachian State at East Carolina

As seen in 2007, I see Appalachian State pulling off the FCS upset against an FBS school. This is a great squad, and I believe they will be invited into the FBS in future years.

In 2007, some of the same players on this team beat the nationally-ranked Michigan Wolverines by a field goal in the last seconds. This proved that the Mountaineers were the beasts of their conference.

On the other side of the ball, the Pirates had a great start to their season in 2008 but couldn't keep up with the hype.

They finished 8-4 at the end of the regular season. This wasn't a bad year, and they played in their conference championship and won. They were bowl eligible, and they went on to lose to the Kentucky Wildcats in the Liberty Bowl.

I think that Appalachian State will win this game in a tight battle.

No. 3: Maryland at California

Cal is going to be a ranked team going into this one, but not going out.

Yeah, that's right, I think the Terps can and will pull it off. This will be a barnburner, a classic, one of the best games of Week One. Just like last season, though, I think Maryland will pull off the close win and shock the world.

Nobody really expected the Terps to win last season either, but they did. They beat the nationally-ranked Golden Bears. The Bears' rushing attack will be the biggest problem for the Terps, but they will stop it just enough to pull off the win.

No. 2: New Mexico at Texas A&M

Texas A&M lives on hype, but they just don't have any coming into the 2009 season. New Mexico doesn't either, but how many upsets really go their way?

New Mexico is coming off a poor 4-8 season in 2008. They weren't even bowl-eligible at the end of the season. The Lobos have few good recruits, but I think that they can pull it off. This is the most passionate Lobos team there ever has been.

Texas A&M, on the other hand, has the hype of the Pittsburgh Pirates in pro baseball.

I'm not trying to put the Aggies down, because they have a great team, but there is nothing to work for. We all know with the strength of the Big 12 that they won't even get to win nine games.

Let's face it—they have everything and more to work for but just don't have the right tools to get the job done. This isn't the Aggies we have all grown to love and hate—for some, love to hate.

No. 1: Miami at Florida State

Miami may not have had the best season last year, but this is a whole new season with new teams to knock the pads off of and new players to help the team improve.

Miami had a decent recruiting class. This squad is trying to rebuild for the future, and that is not too long from now. In a couple of years, this team could very well be back in national championship contention.

Florida State had a great year last season, getting the job done on both ends of the field. Even though they lost two of their last three games, including the ACC Championship, they won their season finale against Wisconsin.

I don't think they will have as strong a team this coming season, though, and some may disagree. We will have to see how they fare against the rest of the ACC. This conference is only getting stronger every year.

I believe that if Miami can keep their minds on the right things and not worry about the Florida State crowd, then they can pull off the upset. They have to stay focused and practice, because this may be the best team in the ACC they are going up against.

I can't wait for this game!

The If's and Maybe's of Alabama's 2009 Season

BamaFreak — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:21:07 -0400

This article will be pretty short and simple, but to the point. I will break down some of Alabama's 2009 season, starting with the Virginia Tech game.

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

This will have the hype of the 2008 Alabama/Clemson game and will decide who will be a top five ranked team when week two rolls around, and maybe even who will be in the top 10.

Both teams will be in the top 10 to start the season, but who will be after this game is very unclear. IF Alabama can stop the explosive Hokies running game, they may be able to get out of the first half with a 14 point lead. IF our defense can't stop them, it will be a long game.

I say that our defense will shut down their passing game completely, but it will be much harder to stop their running game. IF we can, we may be able to win this game by double-digits. I think our offense is strong enough to fight back IF they get their running game going.

Alabama vs. Mississippi

This game will be a great one in many ways as both teams will have improved offenses, and defenses. It will be a better game than last season, which was a close game. Mississippi was the underdog, and are more than likely to be the underdogs this season as well.

This game, in my opinion, will decide whether Alabama or Mississippi will be in the SEC championship. If one team screws up in this game, and it could cost either team the title. It will be a very great game. And one to remember.

Alabama vs. LSU

This will be one of the most under rated teams of the season. Not only has the rivalry been great in recent years, but last season was the best in a long time. Nick Saban's return to Baton Rouge was a great one that took overtime to settle. Neither team wanted to quit, but one had to lose.

Alabama's Rashad Johnson picked off Jarrett Lee's pass in the back of the end zone on the third play of over time. Alabama then drove the ball down the field for a touchdown. After a one yard rush by John Parker Wilson the tide pulled off the win, and a very exciting one.

This will defiantly be a great game, and I'm ready to be sitting in Bryant-Denny Stadium watching it. Maybe this game will live up to the hype.

Alabama vs. Auburn

For the last 10 seasons, Auburn has dominated this great rivalry, winning seven of the last 10. Alabama still has the all time wins in a row record, when they won nine consecutive games against the hated Auburn Tigers.

Alabama has the all time record, but not by much.

Some call it the best rivalry in all of college football. Every year, the hype builds up more and more. Since the 2008 competition, Alabama had never beaten Auburn in Bryant-Denny stadium. A true feat for the Tigers considering Alabama's Bryant-Denny stadium is one of the loudest, and toughest venues in all of college sports.

Anyways, back to the future.

Auburn had a very unsuccessful, and surprising season in 2008, going 5-7 and not making a bowl game. No one saw it coming.

On the other side of the pig skin, Alabama also had a surprising season. They went 12-0 in the regular season, and 0-2 in the postseason.

If Auburn can get past Alabama's defense, they will definitely have a chance at glory. If Alabama can't defend Auburn's solid rushing game, and the O-line keeps the defenders off of the QB, they will have the win.

Both teams need to bring their A-game, but who wants it more? We will have to wait to see this great game.

I just want to thank all of you who read this, and all of my fans.

Rate***Comment***Be my Fan***Roll Tide

*Roll Tide

*BF

Why Alabama May Make a Run for the Title

BamaFreak — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:59:01 -0400

Let's face it, the 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team was the biggest surprise in college sports last year. In 2009 expectations will be higher, and the hunters will become the hunted.

The 2009 Crimson Tide will start the season, yet again, against a top-10 ranked Atlantic Coast conference team. This round, though, they will take on the Hokies of Virginia Tech.

The Orange Bowl champions versus the Sugar Bowl losers.

The main point of this article is that the Tide does have a chance to win the title this coming season because of their schedule. The Tide will play Virginia Tech, LSU, and Ole Miss who will all be ranked going into the 2009 season.

They also play South Carolina, Auburn, and Arkansas, who are expected to be better on both sides of the ball next season.

Alabama is, as of now, considered an elite team as they will start 2009 with the No. eight ranking. This is the best starting position since the 2000 season when they started at the No. three rank.

Alabama is expected to be the best team in the west, and most likely will play the expected best team in the east, the Florida Gators in the 2009 SEC Championship. This rematch for the title will be a better one than last season, in which the Gators ended up running away with in the fourth quarter.

The Gators made the last quarter comeback to win the championship in 2008, which really could have easily gone Alabama's way too. Florida eventually went on to win the national championship.

I believe that whoever wins the SEC Championship, whether it be Alabama or Florida, will go on to play in the national championship.

The Tide is expected to be stronger this year, but so is the rest of the SEC. Two teams they really need to watch out for are Ole Miss and LSU. One screw up could cost us the SEC and maybe the National title.

So this was just an early warning to all who play Alabama in 2009. I am ready to see my Tide get back out on the field. Roll Tide!

College Football: Is It Really The Game That We Enjoy?

BamaFreak — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:02:45 -0400

So, I was reading the comments on one of my articles recently, when I read a comment that really got to me. It read,

"I'm really tired of people who are so ignorant as to judge people they don't even know off of stereotypes. Seriously guys, it's football. Alabama. Auburn. It doesn't matter, because all football fans are obnoxious. I mean, you might as well be fighting about Pokemon or something...come on, grow up."

This got to me. Is there truly any fan of sports out there that does not have a favorite college football team. His comparison to Pokemon made me think one simple question: "Is it really the sport that fans enjoy?"

Most readers may not understand this statement quite yet, but that is the purpose of me writing this article.

I am a fan of my team, Alabama, because of not only the team in and of itself, but the tradition in it's pastime.

On Saturday nights we rally up the family and our close friends and sit down in front of the big screen so that we can watch our favorite college team in a gridiron match. Sometimes our team can be the under dogs, and sometimes the team expected to win. No matter what you are always loyal to your team, right?

When you are watching, and perhaps your team is losing, are you now rooting for the other team? No. We stay loyal, believing in our team even if it is a blow-out with five seconds left on the game clock. It's not all about the players on the field, or the game within itself. It's the pride in knowing that your team is out there every Saturday night.

It's the pride in your past tradition. Like Paul "Bear" Bryant, or your twelve national championships and twenty SEC championships.

I know that all Alabama fans have respect for Auburn fans. All Michigan fans have respect for Ohio State fans. All Notre Dame fans have respect for USC fans. Family's of one spouse being for the other team are in their opposite team colors on that Saturday. Fans enjoy trash talking other teams fans. It's the enjoyment of doing it. Not the immaturity. Every fan in the world is the same, and that is what makes the game so special.

It is that certain feeling in your heart, that your team can win. Western Kentucky fans felt the same feeling that Alabama fans felt in their 2008 contest. That feeling that your team is the best on the field.

The feeling of yelling your teams winning chant after each win is a great one. The yelling of " over rated" after your team pulls off the upset is an amazing one.

So yes, sometimes fans can get obnoxious, but that's what makes college football so exciting. From Maryland to UCLA, college football is great. There is no sport like it.

It is not the game that makes it great. It is the tradition, pride, and excitement that make it the best sport in the world.

The Nick Saban Era | Why He Will Be Remembered By Alabama Fans Forever

BamaFreak — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:18:25 -0400

The University of Alabama's Head Coach Nick Saban has brought back a team who in recent years has fell down on the respect polls dramatically. From Toledo to LSU to Miami to Alabama he has been an effective head coach.

When he arrived at the University of Alabama in 2007, he knew that he had a big task ahead of him. Since Coach Mike Shula was fired and he brought in his recruiting class for the upcoming 2007 season, Coach Saban was not allowed to recruit any further until the start of the season.

Therefore, he had to work with the team he was left with, and that would not be easy.

Coach Shula's class was nothing better than usual, bad. He didn't bring in one five-star, and only three four-stars. Terry Grant was his top recruit, and he was Coach Saban's choice for a starter in 2007.

Grant played fair, but not as good as Saban's choice for 2008, which was the junior Glenn Coffee. Coffee had two outstanding games against Auburn and Arkansas. His stats were great, but his decision to not return for his senior year hurt Coach Saban.

Coach Saban has a great deal of starters from last season that will return, but the loss of Rashad Johnson, John-Parker Wilson, Glenn Coffee, Andre Smith, and Antoine Caldwell will surely hurt him in 2009.

He will have to replace Wilson at quarterback, which will be tough. He chose Greg McElroy to start, which may have been the better choice.

Darrah and Jackson were his other two choices for QB, and they both did well in spring training, but McElroy shined. He put up better stats in the spring A-Day game, and he was the back-up in 2008.

McElroy was put into a couple of games in the fourth quarter, but he had his better game against Auburn when he threw his only touchdown in 2008. He was the only one out of the three QB's that actually has experience in a college game.

Saban has done great as the head coach at Alabama. In his first season he went 7-5 and in his second he went 12-2.

Now, no coach will ever have a "great" first season. Saban had a fairly good season in year one. He beat the No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks in the final seconds of the game. He only lost by a touchdown in his first ever Iron Bowl. He also took a great Georgia team into over time.

The Tide eventually went on to beat the Colorado Buffs in the Petro Sun Independence bowl. Again, not a great season, but remember, he didn't recruit a single player, didn't make up the schedule, and it was only his first season at Alabama and back in college football.

In only his second year at Alabama, Coach Saban took his Tide to a undefeated regular season, an SEC championship, and a BCS bowl game.

He had the No. 1 recruiting class for 2008 and now 2009. He was also named the Home Depot Coach of the Year.

He went into Baton Rouge and beat his former team, LSU, in overtime. He had a great season in 2008, raising all hope for the Crimson Tide. In 2008, Alabama was considered the hunters. In 2009 though, Coach Saban will have to transfer over, and train his team because they will become the hunted.

This coming season the Crimson Tide will have every team in the SEC and college football coming after them. Every team will want to get a piece of Alabama, but all Coach Saban and his Crimson Tide have to say about it is, "Bring it on!"

Expectations are higher, we have a better team, and one of the elite coaches in college football. All of the materials of a successful team. We will have to see how Saban's third year will go. Expectations are high, but can the Tide live up to it? Roll Tide.

Alabama Crimson Tide | Top Five Best Plays in Alabama Football History

BamaFreak — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:23:38 -0400

Have you ever attempted to rate, in order, the best plays in Alabama history? It seems easy, but it's not. Think about the great plays produced by the many outstanding teams in Alabama's storied past. From 5 to 1 i will rate them. This was quite the challenge, but I was able to pull it off. If you do not agree with these, comment and tell me where the specific play should be placed. Also, don't forget to make my article the pick of the day.

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Magic-Cavaliers: Orlando Has the "Magic" in Cleveland

BamaFreak — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:14:57 -0400

So let's get down to the point from the start.

The whole reason I, and most other writers are writing about Orlando right now is because the Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night.

This was no "extra effort" either.

Orlando won because of skill and talent that Cleveland just didn't seem to be aware of. The way Orlando won was simple, and exactly the way they were supposed to.

They were not afraid of the Cavs. Cleveland didn't intimidate the Magic at all during this game—and in the end, it showed.

Now this wasn't a blowout game, though I realize that is how I am making it sound. It was actually only won by a single point. Both teams showed up prepared for the other. It just looked like one completed all their homework while the other one only got 95 percent completed.

It was, all in all, a great all-around game. Both teams seemed to do well on offense—meaning neither did "great" on defense. And they really didn't. Every now and then Dwight Howard would block some one's shot, or LeBron would get the bounce pass off of a Cleveland steal, but it wasn't the defense that won the game.

Offensively, Orlando made .551 of their field goals. Also, passing the ball didn't seem to be to much of a hassle, as they had 32 assists. This is one of the reasons they escaped with the win. They were cooperating, and had no problems with a little thing called teamwork.

Orlando has always been a team that has great chemistry, but usually in the playoffs the players want the lights to be on them. Not in Orlando—and that's just where the Magic comes from.

Offensively, Cleveland made .489 of their field goals. If a few more of those were made, they would have pulled off the win. Also, they only had 23 assists. This being nine less than the Magic. This shows more teamwork for Orlando. Maybe this is perhaps the reason Orlando won. Again, it was not a blowout, either, so there couldn't have been a big difference between the two teams.

If you watched the game, you remember LeBron James' missed free throw that could have tied it up. Then he drove baseline. He could have kicked it up for a lay up and drew the foul, but didn't. Instead, he kicked it out to Delonte West who then missed the three-point shot tha lost the game for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After a long leap for the lose ball, LeBron James took three minutes to limp off of the court with a cramp, and a small cut that was bleeding. He was fine afterwards.

There is a lot of hype now going into Game Two of whether Orlando can go into Cleveland again and get a win to bring the series to 2-0 Orlando's way. This is exactly what they would need in order to get the amount of hype riding with them going into their own court.

If they can pull it off, then there is no doubt that Orlando can take the "Magic" with them all the way to the Finals. If they do, there would be a lot of mad faces on those in Cleveland. I can't wait for Game Two.

If you want to Win in the SEC

BamaFreak — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:35:33 -0400

The golden question for 2009 is, "What's the key to success in the 2009 season for Alabama?" To answer this question I will try to answer with my best effort.

The first thing that has to happen for the Tide to be successful is the training of our offensive line. With an inexperienced quarterback, McElroy will need great protection coming from our line.

Alabama lost most of their line to the draft this past season: (TE) Nick Walker, (TE) Travis McCall, (G) Marlon Davis, (G) Andre Smith, and (G) Antoine Caldwell. Filling in these positions will be hard, but coach Saban looks to have done a great job. Filling in are Evan Cardwell, John Michael Boswell, James Carpenter, Adam Fuller, Mike Johnson, Barrett Jones, Tyler Love, Alfred McCullough, Bryan Motley, Taylor Pharr, David Ross, Allen Skelton, Chance Warmack, and David Williams. It is unclear who the starters will be.

Another key element is the training of the quarterback. Like I stated before, we have inexperience at that position, making it critical to train for the season.

Greg McElroy seams to be good when it comes to closing out the game, but now he is the starter. This is bigger than what he has been trained to do, and more training is necessary in order for him to lead us to a good season. All of the pressure is really put on his shoulders. He has a great running back lining up behind him, and great receivers are on the other end, so all he needs is protection and accuracy. With the right preparation, he could be a great QB.

Enough about our roster, though; how about our schedule? We will need to get off to a good start, and obtain hype in order to be successful. Last season, we had so much hype it was crazy. We can't afford to lose any of our first three or our games or we could lose all of the small amount of respect we have going into the season. We have to have a good start, or we could have a bad finish.

Our coaching staff will need to make changes, for there are different skills at the many positions this year. Also, the plan to continue to better our defense against the spread offense will need to continue as there are many SEC teams starting it.

Coach Saban will need to take a great team and make it an elite team. He will need to get the losses in our post season out of the teammates' heads, and let them know that is a new season.

We can be the best if we try to be the best, not by thinking we are the best. That is our problem. We think we are the best, but don't give 100 percent. That was our problem during the Sugar Bowl. We thought that Utah was just a little MWC team, and we lost. Our attitudes got the better of us, and that's what happens. Saban needs to work on that.

How Auburn's Reaction Has Changed Everything

BamaFreak — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:41:08 -0400

Auburn University has had one of the elite football teams in college football for quite some time now. The team beat the University of Alabama six straight times and were really doing quite well. They had a great coach, a great team, and a great fanbase.

This past year, though, everything changed.

It was Alabama's best year in a while, and Auburn's worst—an 11-0 season for the Tide, and a 5-6 season for the Tigers. They already seemed to be out of the bowl hype, but they didn't want to give up.

The Tide had a lot to play for in that game and got what they came for. They obtained their first win over the Tigers in seven years, and a big win at that.

When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard had a 36 on Bama's side, and a zero on Auburn's.

This was all the Tide needed to get their revenge on the Tigers and clinch the SEC West. They later went on to the SEC Championship.

This loss really changed the whole atmosphere in Auburn. The fans have turned (more) obnoxious.

The University has fired their old head coach, Tommy Tuberville, and hired the worst coach of the Big 12, Gene Chizik. After only one bad season Tuberville was fired and replaced by a coach much worse than himself.

Auburn hasn't been the same since their 5-7 season. This could be good for the Tide.

Most fans in Tuscaloosa have been excited for next year's Iron Bowl, thinking it will be a better Auburn team they go up against, but with the immaturity on the other side, I believe Auburn will come prematurely. This means that Chizik will not be prepared for Nick Saban's Crimson Tide.

You see, Chizik is not as great a coach as many might think. His 5-19 record isn't all that "impressive," and he only has two years of college coaching experience. This will more than likely favor Saban's side.

We will just have to see what Chizik has to offer in the 2009 Iron Bowl. Can't wait!

Roll Tide.

NBA Playoffs: First-Round Throwdown

BamaFreak — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:20:14 -0400

The excitement of the playoffs has been quite magnificent this season.

The courts of the NBA have all been lit up with great moments, and have brought new life to the playoffs.

Every team has earned their way to this position, and have proven it as well.

Of everyone else though, these few teams have proven themselves like no one else has: the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic

These teams have been really surprising factors for the postseason, and if they would have played as good in the regular season, they probably would have more respect.

Only two of these three made it to the second round of the playoffs, though Chicago played excellently in the first.

Only God knows who will win it all this year—but as I have said plenty of times before, if you think you can do it, you can do it.

I wish every team could win it all, but since that can't happen, i believe that Cleveland will take home the trophy and be crowned champions. They have all the skill that a team needs to go all the way.

Most of the other teams lack one or two key elements that allow them to go all the way, and it will and has really hurt them. If the Lakers could step it up two or three notches on defence, they could go all the way.

The true test is within your mind. It depends whether you have the heart and mental stability it takes to win a championship, and Cleveland has just that. As coach Mike Woodson said, "You need to go out there and defend a team, not just one player," and that is exactly right.

Cleveland dominated in the first round with barely a sweat, and did the same in the first game of Round Two against the Hawks. It takes more than one player to make a team, and LeBron James knows that. With plenty of assists to go around, his presence on the court against Atlanta was a great help as they went on to win—big time.

Dominance and precision are the best words to describe Cleveland's playing style, and if they can't go all the way, no one can. This may be Cleveland's best team ever in some people's eyes.

I can't wait to see who is crowned champion when the smoke is cleared!

Top 5 Best Players in the NBA

BamaFreak — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:17:11 -0400

These are the best 5 players in the NBA, in my opinion. I believe that these 5 players are the best in the league and on their teams. without these few, the NBA would be dull and boring. They make great plays every week, and provide excitement for their many fans. These guys are the players to beat, and they make their teams the team to beat. The NBA and all of it's fans truely respect you guys. KEEP PLAYING HARD GUYS!

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KG To Play In The Final Game Of The Regular Season?

BamaFreak — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:32:52 -0400

Everyone knew that Kevin Garnett would be back on the court in time for the playoffs, but nobody expected the news that was recently mentioned.

Garnett will most likely be playing in the final game of Boston's regular season against the Wizards. It will be easier, nonetheless, but the Garnett-less Celtics could win it without Kevin.

Is it possible though that he will play in it?

He has put up plenty of great stats in his career with Boston and he hopes to continue to put them up.

Garnett is arguably the best player on this Celtics team and is the perfect teammate for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. He led Boston to a championship last season, and hopes to do the same this one.

He has been out for weeks with a knee injury, yet coach Doc Rivers has made the announcement that he will play in the Washington game. This will most likely just be a warm up game for the 6-11 beast. His presence on the court comes as no surprise to Washington, as they have already ruined their playoff chances.

Garnett will most likely sit on the bench most of the game so that he will not make what is left of the injury any worse. They will need him for the playoffs.

The Celtics are looking for the repeat and, without Garnett, I doubt they can accomplish that feat. It will be tough to keep Garnett off the court though considering he makes huge plays every time he steps foot on the hardwood.

Doc Rivers will have to watch out! If he loses Garnett, he may lose the title.

Alabama Strikes The Golden Season: But Where Is the Love?

BamaFreak — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 22:27:58 -0400

Alabama has produced many great teams in their strong history as a Division 1 football team.

The most shocking of all was the 2008 squad.

They had a break through season, yet there is still no respect from the rest of the college world. In fact, I believe we actually lost a little respect.

It seems like everyone has hated Alabama that much more ever since the 2008 season kick-off. This doesn't make any since to me.

The coach?

Could it in any way be because of our coach for two seasons, Nick Saban?

Is he drawing to much hate to our program?

How could he though? I mean, he has had two excellent seasons at the University of Alabama!

It may not seam like it to some, but he has brought Bama back to one of the elite teams of college football.

Is it that he left LSU, even after having a great season with them, and after promising he would stay a couple more years?

It is a confusing factor, but I doubt that is why Alabama has drawn so much hate towards them.

The Team?

Could it be the team?

We have few Jucos on our team, and those very few never got much playing time on their old teams. It couldn't be them.

Maybe it's the recruiting class, and how we got some of our prospects instead of teams like LSU and Texas signing them.

If this is so, then why are they hating the whole team? I don't understand this concept at all.

The Money?

Two seasons ago, Bryant-Denny Stadium added a new south end zone, which allowed the stadium to hold 92,138+ fans.

This spring, they are starting on the lower North end zone. As you can see, this will cost millions of dollars.

Could it be because of us getting all of this money, and then spending it on our stadium?

That couldn't be it, because they shouldn't care where our money goes. In the 2008 post-season, Forbes Magazine recognized Coach Saban as the most powerful coach in sports.

Could this be it? Are they jealous of how much we pay the head coach?

The Fans?

Is it because of us? Are we bragging and taunting to much? Are we the reason Alabama is getting so much hate? If so, LET'S KEEP IT GOING!

I don't know about you, but I am enjoying all of the attention. I mean think about it, at the beginning of 2008, nobody had Alabama on their "Teams to Beat" list.

In 2009, EVERYONE WILL!

Alabama has to much hype going into the season to just throw away all hopes. The fans need to be stronger than ever, and we can be.

The addition of the North end zone will help make Bryant-Denny one of the toughest venues for the opposing teams.

It is already loud as crap in there, and the addition of 10,000 fans will deafen people. A-day game will be televised, so for all you Bama fans that read this, BE LOUD!

The Best College Coaches Today

BamaFreak — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:31:19 -0400

There are many great coaches in the college football world today. The best are yet to be reconized. In this small, but to the point, slide show, i will inform you who i believe are the best 5 coaches in college football today. It is obvious that the best teams have the best coaches, but who has THE BEST coach in football today? Well, read on to find out!

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NCAA Football: My Top Five Teams of the 2009 Season

BamaFreak — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:08:44 -0400

These are my top 5 NCAAF teams for the 2009-2010 season. I have changed things up a little bit because of news i have learned from other writers. These will not be the same top 5 as my other ones i posted. Please take the time to read why i have these teams at the spots i have put them at. I really believe that on of these teams will win it all this year. The others will get mighty close!

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A Way of Hope: Atlanta's Road to the Championship

BamaFreak — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:59:13 -0400

The Atlanta Hawks have waited a long time for this season.

Since 2003, they've been losing respect and pride in the basketball world, as they have not had a winning campaign in nine years.

But this past season has been quite a success, and they are taking advantage of the momentum they gained from last year's Playoff appearance.

The Hawks have a great team led by Joe Johnson, who was on the Eastern Conference All-Stars for the third time in '09. He has been explosive this year and is currently leading the Hawks in points and assists per game.

And alongside Johnson is Mike Bibby, a stellar player that Atlanta picked up from Sacramento near the 2008 trade dealine. Bibby has been the best point guard the squad has had in years; not since Mookie Blaylock donned the ATL uni back in the late '90s has the position been fortified.

Mike joining the club was been one of the best things to happen for the Hawks in decades. He has been incredible this seaso, and will be for seasons to come. He is one of the main reasons Atlanta has improved so much since 2007.

If the team renews Bibby's contract for at least another five or six years, the Hawks can look forward to a healthy future and the front office will make great strides in repairing their image.

Josh Smith is also a major factor for the Hawks. He too has had an explosive year and has stood out from the get-go.

When the team played the Magic in the season opener, Smith was stellar and has been ever since. If he can do well in the Playoffs, there's a chance this club can make some noise.

I'll spare you further ramblings and get to my point—Atlanta has had a breakthrough season, and it is all because of hope, passion, and a lot of skill, not to mention Mike Woodson's improvement as a coach. No luck is involved in this team's playbook.

Now, I bet some of you are asking, "What is he talking about?" and claiming that the Hawks aren't doing that well.

Well, compared to the last seven campaigns, this is an incredible season, as Atlanta went (2002) 33-49, (2003) 35-47, (2004) 28-54, (2005) 13-69, (2006) 26-56, and (2007) 37-45. Those were the worst seven years in Hawks' history.

I began to think it would never be like the old days when the Hawks were the best, but then 2008 came around, and here are my ATLiens, sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference with a guaranteed postseason berth.

Atlanta was put out of the Playoffs last season by the eventual champion Boston Celtics, but the C's had to go to a seventh game with the upstarts, and the Hawks were looking great.

Of course, Game Seven itself wasn't particularly pretty. The Hawks were blown out 104-81 and went home to lick their wounds for the summer. It was a sad day, to say the least.

But that kind of first-round exit looks improbable in 2009. They are second in the Southeast Division and the 12th-best team in the NBA.

They'll likely meet the Miami Heat in their first postseason series this year. Miami has also had a good season, but with the Hawks sporting a winning record (2-1) against the Heat this year, they look ready for D-Wade and his South Beach crew.

The Hawks should be prepared for anything Miami lays in front of them and are expected to put down their opponents in fewer than the maximum number of contests.

Of course, if Miami gets a good lead over the Hawks, watch out! They could still be a threat.

Even though it seems ludicrous and completely goes against my "official" predicitons, Atlanta may have a chance at the title this season. If they can get a lead over Miami, they will take the first round with no sweat.

In a potential second-round matchup with Cleveland (a much stronger team than the Heat) Atlanta would hopefully continue to exhibit what they showed in the regular season: that they can stay in it and keep it close against Bron-Bron and the Cavs.

If the Hawks can get comfortable in the Q, they might just make the Eastern Conference Finals and meet Boston yet again.

Atlanta wants its revenge against the Celtics, and with the way I see the Playoffs shaking out in terms of seeding and matchups,it would indeed be the defending champs staring down our Dirty Douth boys in the ECF.

Watch out, Boston! The Hawks have a great chance of getting there, and Atlanta has a rather large, year-old chip on its collective shoulder.

My 2009 NBA Playoffs Bracket

BamaFreak — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:04:34 -0400

What is so great about this year's playoffs? Well, we will soon find out. Here are my predictions all the way to the championship game. Hope you like them!(:)

1st Round:

Cleveland vs Milwaukee; Cleveland

Atlanta vs Miami; Atlanta

Orlando vs Philadelphia; Orlando

Boston vs Detroit; Boston

Los Angeles vs Dallas; Los Angeles

Denver vs Portland; Denver

Houston vs New Orleans; Houston

San Antonio vs Utah; Utah

Second Round:

Cleveland vs Atlanta; Cleveland

Boston vs Orlando; Orlando

Los Angeles vs Houston; Los Angeles

Denver vs Utah;Denver

Semifinals:

Cleveland vs Orlando; Cleveland

Los Angeles vs Denver; Los Angeles

Finals:

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Los Angeles Lakers

Winner: Cleveland Cavaliers

North Carolina vs. Michigan State: NCAA Finals Preview

BamaFreak — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:49:10 -0400

The final four is over, and we are down to the final two teams in the NCAAB tournament. Looks like my bracket is eliminated. Michigan State was definitely not a team that fans believed would be in the final two teams. The Spartans stuck in there and are on a roll!

The Spartans are on a huge roll. I mean, after you beat Southern Cal, Kansas, Louisville, and UConn all in a row, you know you are doing something right. But Michigan State is not doing something right, they are doing everything right.

Their defense is stellar, and their offence is great, but what they can do in transition is astounding. They are a complete team, but are they better than the Tar Heels?

The Hansbrough-led Tar Heels are a dominating team, maybe the most dominating in the whole league! They have had an incredible season, and with wins against LSU, Gonzaga, Oklahoma, and Villanova all in a row, they are rolling straight through the tournament. These guys are quick, but their offense is what stands out the most!

Tyler Hansbrough can do anything. He can run through the lane and lay it up/dunk it, or he can step outside and hit a three. North Carolina has other great players as well including: Ty Lawson, Danny Green, and Wayne Ellington. They all have an average of over 15 points per game.

They are the team to beat, and were since the start of the season, but can they handle the hot Spartans?

I believe that whoever can get off to a hot start, will be crowned national champions for 2009. North Carolina is my pick to win it all though. I am beginning to doubt though with the way Michigan State is playing. They are hot, and it will be tough for UNC to pass them by and become the champs.

Either team can do it though, and one team will win. Neither of the teams can afford to have an off night tomorrow. If they do, the other team will pass right through them. Both of these teams have proven themselves thus far, and they are both deserving of their spot in the title game.

Even though I am still mad that Memphis was beat by Missouri, I will live. Maybe next year.

This season has been a real treat to watch. I am sad that it's almost over. There looks to be a great season in store for next season. I am ready for it to start already!

Nick Saban: The Coach of the Year

BamaFreak — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:56:50 -0400

Nick Saban has become a "God" to most Alabama fans while also creating a huge target on his back that continues to grow. While some say that he is the best coach in the NCAA football world, others begin to wonder why he is even a coach.

In shorter words, opinions have been stated on the subject of coach Saban, some good, some bad, but to me he is one of the best people that the University of Alabama has ever had the honor of calling "coach." This statement may be also known by other fellow Crimson Tide fanatics. I believe this for many reasons.

My first reason is clear to all, even those who hate: He is coach of discipline and improvement. Saban is one of the best coaches in today's college world because of discipline. He believes that being on the football team is a right, and if you want to be on the team, you have to abide by the rules. The rules being his rules, the university's rules, and the NCAA's rules.

If you fail to behave in proper manor, and decide not to abide by these rules, Saban will 99 percent of the time punish you. This is why he such a great and honorable coach. His team knows just what to do in order to renew their membership on the team each season, and if not, they will most likely realize it soon.

Coach Saban seems to be honoring the famous quote of a famous coach, "Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself," by none other than Paul "Bear" Bryant. This definitely describes the coaching style of Nick Saban.

I really believe that Saban does a great job with the program. Another reason I think this is because coach Saban bases his program on improvement. He does not want to compete within the team to see who is the best at what position. In his program, you play your position. Not another one's position, yours!

This is why his teams are so successful. He is always looking to improve. Even after a huge upset victory, he lists ways that his team could have done better, and that is what they practice the next day. He really has built a stronger, more stable program by doing so.

We will need this in the upcoming season because we are going to be having a lot of new people, at the most important positions, that have never really had any playing time. This could mean more practice time on the fields for these few players. The list includes: quarterbacks Greg MacCelroy and Star Jackson, running backs Terry Grant, Trent Richardson, and Mark Ingram, and free safety Javier Arenas.

I believe that Saban is a stellar coach, and Alabama has long been in need of a coach of his caliber. He has brought the crimson and white back to one of the elite teams in the nation in only two years as head coach.

He has done a great job here at the University of Alabama, and I hope to see him on the sideline for a years to come. He will definitely get his name in the Hall of Fame one of these days. I am ready for the 2009 season now!

The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide

BamaFreak — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:48:11 -0400

Alabama had a tremendous year in 2008. 12-0, 8-0 in the conference, perfect year. Many began to wonder after the postseason, though. 0-2, 0-1 in conference play, what happened to the miracle that was granted upon the Crimson and White?

This question went through every Bama fan's head in the postseason. The loss to Florida in the SEC Championship was respectable, mostly because we had our ups and downs during that exciting nail-biter.

I, and many others, are not mad or griped up on that specific topic, because the Gators of Florida went on to become the true No. 1 team, beating the Sooners of Oklahoma.

This game was not a shocker because (and I'm not saying I saw it coming) I wasn't expecting it to be a huge win for either team. Alabama was just simply out-played in that game. That's all there really is to it.

The bowl game for Alabama was really a stunner. I remember telling my buddies, "Dang man! We are going to be playing Utah in the Sugar Bowl!" and after repeating "man," a couple of times loudly, i said, "they SUCK! Does the BCS think that's all Bama can handle? UTAH?"

It appeared to me that it was going to be an easy win for the Crimson Tide. My words backfired. Alabama and Utah were almost evenly matched in skill, but NOT on paper.

The upset-minded Utes were ready for anything Saban threw at them. This Utah team was not going home without a Sugar Bowl win. They didn't doubt themselves for one minute in that game.

I believe Alabama was not feeling the same. They were thinking it was going to be the easiest win of the season. Saban knew this, too. Saban tried to get them to stop believing this nonsense. He told them it was time to get their eyes on the prize.

Bama really had no answer for the Utes. In the end, when the smoke was clear, the Utah Utes were crowned Sugar Bowl Champions, making the Crimson Tide 0-2 in the postseason.

Now, let's get to the point. I explained what got us to 2009. It's time to talk about 2009, starting with the first game of the season, Virginia Tech.

This will be Alabama's third game straight away from T-Town, and their third straight in a dome. Last year at this time, Alabama beat Clemson on the same field. This year, it won't be so easy.

Virginia Tech is a top 10 team going into the 2009 season, and they very much deserve that spot. They won the Orange bowl over Cincy in January, making them 10-4 for the season.

This team is a dominant force in the ACC. They will be a huge match for the Crimson Tide. Alabama will have to fight hard, but i believe they can pull it off. I think the winner of this game will be in the top five.

Now, let's go on. The next four games will/should be easy wins for the Tide, but never under-estimate the Razorbacks of Arkansas.

They've proven themselves time and time again. They beat LSU last season in a dandy! They also beat Auburn (20) and Tulsa (19), who were supposedly good teams at the time. This proves that they are dominant when it is crunch time.

Kentucky may also be a challenge. In 2008, they put up a fight against Alabama. Although they did not win, it was a tough test for the Crimson Tide.

Ole Miss is the team to beat in the SEC West this year. They capped off their 2008 season with a huge upset over Texas Tech. This should raise some eyebrows for 2009.

Ole Miss also had another 2008 upset over Florida, as the Snead led Rebels triumphed over the Gators in the Swamp!

They are definitely one of the best teams in the SEC coming up this season, and they will give Bama a fit, but they may not come out alive. Playing at home will help the Rebels a lot, but Alabama has overcome plenty of road crowds in 2008.

Remember LSU in '08? Saban's first trip back to Baton Rouge, and Alabama won in over time.

What about the loud crown in Athens? Georgia was shut-out in the first half! Alabama will have no trouble with the crowd, but more trouble with the team.

Now, Saban will get LSU in Tuscaloosa; this time, both teams will be stronger! A great game will be in store for us on Nov. 7 as the Crimson Tide take on the Tigers! LSU had a great recruiting class, and I believe they have a serious shot at a great 2009 season.

LSU may come out of T-Town the winners, but I doubt it. With most of their starters coming back on offense, the Tigers will have troubles in this game.

Saban wants this win badly! He also needs this win. If Saban can get this win, it will give him a head start on his record against his old team. Becoming 2-1 against the Tigers is all Saban wants. I believe he can get it.

Finally, the Iron Bowl. The greatest rivalry in all of college football. This season's game should live up to the hype, as I believe both teams should have great seasons.

I think that if Auburn can get off to a hot start in their season, beating Louisiana Tech, West Virginia, and Ball State, they will have a good season and a respectable record going into the gridiron rivalry.

Both teams have a chance of being in double digit wins going into this game. If they can pull it off, this will be a great game. I doubt that Auburn will win, but then again, who said Alabama would ever be No. 1 last season?

I am not saying I am turning on Bama and becoming an Auburn fan, but this is a preseason prediction. Like I said, Alabama was not expected to even be in the top five last year, and neither is Auburn this year, but the college world can surprise you!

What A Start for the Atlanta Hawks

BamaFreak — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:22:15 -0500

The Atlanta Hawks have become one of the most surprising teams in the NBA during the start of the 2008-2009 season.

They started out with a 6-0 start. The Hawks began to look like they deserved to be one of the elite teams in the NBA. They had become what some would call “electrifying” as they began their triumph.

They began the season with a 99-85 win over the Orlando Magic.

Coach Woodson said “That was a huge win for our ball club. It was a total team effort from beginning to end.“

This had proving to be no more than a warning to all who dare try to play the Hawks. Surprisingly enough, the very next team they played, was the team that kicked Atlanta out of the playoffs in 2007.

This gave Atlanta even more reason to beat Boston. The game was very close, 103-102. With a one point loss, Atlanta would still not see the end of what began to look like a nightmare.

The Hawks then lost two more to New Jersey, Making them 6-3. Atlanta still looking strong though. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. That is exactly what Atlanta has started the season doing.

For More information on the Atlanta HawksÓ visit

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=atl

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