RL TIIDE
HELP KEEP AMERICA CLEAN
FLUSH THE JOHNS
- Original Message -
From: Ricky Mc [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: RollTideFan [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2004 11:13 AM
Subject: [RollTideFan] keep on being Alabama fans
http://www.tidesports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040729/NEWS/40729008/1067
CECIL HURT: Shula stays above the fray and below the radar
HOOVER | University of Alabama football coach Mike Shula accomplished
what some others deemed impossible on Thursday. He came to metro
Birmingham. He talked about his football team and the upcoming season.
When the Alabama-Tennessee series was mentioned, he managed to be
gracious, not inflammatory.
While Phil Fulmer was erupting over the telephone in the other room,
Shula managed not to step in anything that Fulmer was spewing.
If his critics want to say that Shula passed under the radar screen on
Thursday, that might have been his preferred position.
The Crimson Tide head coach was more relaxed in his second SEC Media
Days appearance. Thats understandable, since last year, he had to field
questions about a team that he had inherited but had never even watched
in a practice session.
I was just trying to remember everyones name, and that included my
coaches, Shula joked.
Shula was asked numerous times, in tones ranging from angry to
understanding, about the future of the Alabama-Tennessee rivalry. He
always responded in a positive fashion.
Alabama versus Tennessee is what college football is all about, Shula
said. I think its great, and I am looking forward to this years game.
When pressed for more specific comments, Shula simply said, weve got
enough things to worry about in Tuscaloosa.
Thats true, as it would be for any coach looking to rebuild a 4-9 team
under the yoke of NCAA scholarship sanctions. Shula, though, didnt
sound worried. He seemed realistic about the expectations for Alabama
which was picked to finish fourth in the SEC West but was also
positive about the future.
He also talked in specifics about the numbers for the upcoming squad. He
said that the 105-man roster for the Aug. 9 reporting date was pretty
well set, and that he did not anticipate any academic casualties among
current players, although a couple still have some work to do. He also
said he was still waiting on word about one signee (Ezekial Knight,
although he couldnt use the name) and said that Alabama would
definitely have 19 eligible newcomers when practice begins.
That will give us 74 scholarship players, Shula said. Thats less
than most teams, but its about what we had last year. The thing thats
encouraging to me is that everything goes just right, we could be back
at 85 next year.
Those numbers would include a little stretching to incorporate walk-ons
who were awarded scholarships, but the point was that Shula was trying
to talk about positives, instead of spinning excuses.
He did the same thing when talking about the incoming class. He said
that the Tide could easily have 10 true freshmen receiving playing time,
and possibly as many as 13. That doesnt even include two junior college
signees that will be included in the group of 19 that reports on Aug. 9,
which means that there could be as few as three or four redshirts out of
this class (primarily on the offensive line, one would suppose.) When
asked if it was possible that two true freshmen could start at wide
receiver if the Tide opened in a four-wide formation, Shula didnt hedge.
Definitely two, he said. And possibly more.
Again, thats at last two true freshmen starting on offense. And, as
Shula says, possibly more.
Were not going to be afraid of playing guys, Shula said. We arent
going to play them if they arent ready, but we are going to do our best
to get them ready.
All morning long, Shula had ready-made excuses at hand. His team will be
short on depth. His team will be inexperienced at some key positions.
The ongoing bickering about the NCAA will be a distraction.
He chose to embrace none of them.
Our players have done a great job over the past few years, when they
could have been distracted, of keeping their minds on football, he
said. Thats what we want. Its nice to be bowl eligible, but we dont
want them thinking about which bowl we want to go to, we want them
thinking about the first game. If you win one week at a time, then the
bowl will take care of itself.
At one point, Shula was asked if he was under pressure to win.
Is this college football? he responded. Youre always under pressure
to win.
At another point, a well-meaning reporter asked Shula if he would
encourage Alabama fans to be patient in 2004.
I hope I never use those words be patient, Shula said. Our seniors
dont want to hear that. Im not predicting any number of wins, but we
are going to try to win every one of them.
My message to Alabama fans is not be patient. Its to keep on being
Alabama fans.
Cecil Hurt is sports editor of The Tuscaloosa News. Reach him at
[EMAIL
