Good Monday morning update

It’s that time again to take a daily look at what is making news in the Alabama athletic universe.

• Check out the Alabama stories in today’s paper here and here.
• The search for Brandon Fanney is apparently over. The former Crimson Tide linebacker turned up in Florence and will play for Terry Bowden’s UNA Lions. For more about the transfer, read this story.
• ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low offered his preseason conference power rankings. See where Alabama landed by clicking here.
• Now an update on the video I posted last night (Alabama fan runs with baby to meet Nick Saban). There is a story from the Tuscaloosa News that identifies the first people on line as being from Florence. Read the story here.
• Look! There is a new poll question posted to your left. Let us know with which Alabama football player you’d most sit a mean? Vote away.

Good Tuesday (afternoon) update

It’s that time again to take a daily look at what is making news in the Alabama athletic universe on the day before players report for football practice.

• The trailer for Nick Saban’s film debut was just released. Click here to see the preview of “The Blind Side” but don’t expect to see the Crimson Tide coach wearing his old LSU gear. Saban’s cameo did not make the preview. After watching it, I know where I will be when the movie is released in November. It looks like one of those truly inspiring movies based on a true story only sports can produce.
• Paul Finebaum and Mike Bianchi continue to disagree over Urban Meyer’s status as the next Bear Bryant. Click here to see how the Orlando Sentinel columnist views Finebaum’s column.
• New UNA coach Terry Bowden compared his first season with the Lions with Nick Saban’s at Alabama. Click here to read the column from the TimesDaily.
• If you need any more help getting excited about the season, watch this video.
• Don’t forget to vote on the poll to the left.

Good Monday morning update

It’s that time again to take a daily look at what is making news in the Alabama athletic universe as we approach the one-month-to-go point in the countdown to kickoff.

• First, an NFL note. It appears as if Andre Smith still hasn’t signed a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. A long hold-out won’t do much to repair the image of the former Crimson Tide Outland Trophy winner. Stick with the blog for updates.
• All the transfer news over the summer was hard to track. Linebacker Brandon Fanney was one of the Tide players said to be on the way out. He was reportedly headed to Terry Bowden’s UNA program, but the Times Daily is saying he isn’t on the roster and practice begins today. Read more here.
• Could ESPN’s College Football Gameday be at Alabama’s Sept. 5 opener with Georgia Tech? It’s a good possibility according to the Atlanta Journal -Constitution. Read more here.
• The Washington Times says Alabama is the No. 6 team in the country. To see the rationale, click here.
• You also may have noticed the new poll posted on the left-hand side of the site. Vote today.
• On a final note, please check out one of the funniest YouTube videos ever posted. It never gets old.

Terry Bowden talks about young Nick Saban

Somebody get me another Mountain Dew. It was an early morning for this night-owl sports writer. But the assignment was worth it. Terry Bowden (formerly of Auburn now of North Alabama) was speaking at the Decatur Country Club this morning so I was there to talk football with the coach.

He was eager to get the season started in his first season on the sideline since 1998 and UNA is obviously excited to have him. I also asked him about Alabama’s Nick Saban and whether or not they had spoken. Bowden was a player at West Virginia when Saban was an assistant coach.

Saban was coaching defensive backs for the Mountaineers and Bowden said it was clear the assistant was headed for big things in the future.

Bowden said Saban was “a little different from the rest of the guys.”

“He got up a little earlier and worked a little later and didn’t ever seem to get off of coaching,” Bowden said. “As a young guy, my dad had just left to go to Florida State, I was going to study my coaches and it was clear that guy was going somewhere.”

The new UNA coach kept up with Saban’s career as a broadcaster and said he admires what the Crimson Tide coach has done.

“I don’t think his way is the only way to be a winner because he does it his way which isn’t the Steve Spurrier way, it’s not necessarily the Bobby Bowden way or the right or wrong way. It’s his way. There is no secret to it — its hard work. He believes in hard work and dedication and he does that as good as anybody.”