Mr. Saban goes to Washigton
President Obama apparently got over his opposition to the BCS long enough to recognize Alabama as the national champions.
"It's safe to say the Tide is back," said Obama, who later referenced Paul "Bear" Bryant and said, "I think this team would make him proud because they've got that winning attitude." ...
"There is no question this team is here in large part because of what Coach Saban has done," said Obama, who capped remarks with a "Roll Tide."
Obama likes crimson! THAT'S RED! HE'S A COMMUNIST!!!
Meanwhile, press secretary Robert Gibbs responded as a true Auburn fan should.
As Pres welcomes Red Elephants to WH, I prefer to remember the other 58 mins of Iron Bowl WDE!
So when you read the New York Times story quoting a "high-ranking administration official" as saying that Obama really is a secret Kenyan Muslim Soviet terrorist -- you know who it is. (HT: Dr. Saturday)
And at least Greg McElroy learned something from the trip.
Just got done at the Capital, heading to the mall. And I just found out that the mall is not actually a mall. Haha
Sigh.
AFTER THE JUMP:
- The hiccup heard 'round the Georgia football program
- Play Ball!
- John Calipari hands out tournament bids like candy
That's what you call overkill
Give Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger credit for one thing: When he breaks the law, he does it with style.
The 18-year-old also was charged with two counts of possessing false identification.
So what does it mean? Well, first, Mettenberger is unlikely to play against Louisiana-Lafayette. And by "unlikely to play," I mean he won't unless there was a case of mistaken identity. Um, identities. I mean ...
Georgia’s Athletics Association mandates a minimum one-game suspension for any players found guilty of an alcohol-related violation, which could cost Mettenberger a chance to play in the team’s opener against Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 4.
And that means Mettenberger is less likely than ever to be the starting signal-caller for Georgia this year, says Hale.
"Not to say it won’t go into the fall, but to wait until the second scrimmage, it’s a little bit difficult to get a guy ready to play for the first game. You’re trying to get them all an opportunity, but you’ve still got to get a guy ready for that first game."
Well, what if one of those quarterbacks is suspended for that first game? Then you've either got to eliminate that QB from the competition or you risk having to get two quarterbacks ready for two separate first games. That's a lot to ask.
Again, the "wide open competition" is the right thing to do this spring because competition helps everyone. But the truth is, this was likely Aaron Murray's job to lose from the start, and this only adds more fuel to that decision.
Play Ball!
Now with 100 percent more chartage.
| This Week (BA/CB/USA) |
Last Week (BA/CB/USA) |
Team | Today |
| 2/1/1 | 2/1/1 | LSU | vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| 6/9/8 | 5/7/6 | Florida | vs. Illinois State, 6:30 p.m. ET |
| 14/19/16 | 17/19/17 | Arkansas | vs. South Dakota State, 4:05 p.m. ET |
| 18/18/17 | 21/18/19 | Ole Miss | vs. Austin Peay, 7:30 p.m. ET |
| 19/23/NR | 15/22/23 | South Carolina | vs. Valparaiso, 7 p.m. ET |
| 22/24/22 | 23/25/NR | Kentucky | vs. Evansville, 4 p.m. ET |
| 24/27/20 | NR/30/NR | Vanderbilt | NA |
| NR/30/25 | NR/NR/NR | Alabama | vs. Auburn, 8 p.m. ET (Nonconference) |
| NR/NR/NR | 25/NR/NR | Georgia | vs. Kennesaw State, 5 p.m. ET |
| NA | NA | Tennessee | at Western Kentucky, 4 p.m. ET |
SEC BASKETBALL / TOURNAMENT
'You get a tournament berth! You get a tournament berth!'
John Calipari thinks your team has earned the right to go to the NCAA tournament. Florida:
"Florida is an NCAA Tournament team," Calipari said. "They have to win at least one in our league tournament and then they are in. If they win two games, it’s a lock that they are in and I’m rooting for them. They never quit and went right at us."
Kentucky coach John Calipari was Mississippi State’s biggest booster, propping up the Bulldogs’ NCAA Tournament at-large chances. And if they do make the NCAA Tournament? "They’ll win a couple of games, and maybe more," he said.
Calipari said his cell phone battery died when someone asked about LSU.
Should he stay or should he go?
"He" in this case being Jeff Lebo, head coach at Auburn. Track Em Tigers says yes.
A Lebo encore in 2011 will likely look similar to the previous six. With the loss of five seniors, Auburn will say goodbye next season to 73 percent of its scoring and 59 percent of its rebounding. Can there really be any rational argument for keeping Lebo another year?
It goes without saying that an Auburn football coach would never be given this much rope. A better question is whether even the girls soccer coach would be given this much time to succeed?
But he's only the fourth-worst coach in Auburn history by winning percentage!
Yes, I've heard the Kentucky rumor
No, I'm not going to dignify it with a link until someone presents some proof or the actual "story" appears. I've been no Calipari booster, but I like to wait to print something until I believe it, which I currently do not.
There's a first time for everything?
The top teams in the SEC East are 24-0 against the SEC West this year.
OTHER NEWS
Time to announce the coup
Steve Addazio is taking one of Urban Meyer's booster club speeches. (Bet Urban will really miss that one.) This is when I expect Addazio to announce he's taking over and hiring Lou Holtz as offensive coordinator.