What does ESPN stand for anyway? Extra Sensory Perception by Nincompoops (Who think they know football?)

Auburn's second team units are full of freshmen. Their talent level may be better from the good recruiting year last year; however, they are very young. Coach Saban has Alabama ready for 2010. Alabama is a well oiled machine.

It amazes me that the top sports company on the planet, ESPN, would have a guy like Kirk Herbstreit on the top of the food chain there. He is the face of college football for this mega media giant and he comes out with drivel like saying Auburn is going to win the SEC West? That’s like everyone last year saying Ole Miss was going to win the SEC. It seems to me that it is popular to try and predict an upsurge by a predictable play toy like Ole Miss & Auburn. Sure, Auburn played Alabama a decent game last year, but most of it was based on trickery. The overall best team finished 1st because of superior physicality & mental toughness.

Even a casual fan has to remember the Auburn team of last year that struggled with Ball State and then LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, & Kentucky took the Tigers out to the woodshed. Alabama also knocked the kitties out.

I predict Auburn this year will definitely lose to South Carolina, LSU, Georgia, & Arkansas. In the SEC West, 4 losses won't do it. Especially with Bama riding high. Expect Auburn to keep coughing up hairballs on gameday and for one Gameday announcer to start eating eagle, er... I mean crow. Chow down Kirk!

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This little clip came from ESPN's All Access where they take viewers to the behind-the-scenes preparations as well as shenanigans. For Alabama fans (and college football fans in general), this makes for some great TV.

In case you're wondering who Robert Ezell is, he is a backup senior originally from Athens high school. He is 5-10 and 172 pounds and was originally a quarterback. It is possible that he could get in the games this fall on special teams as a place-kick holder where he is been spotted working in fall practices.

Even Nick Saban had the knowledge how funny that Rob Ezell is at imitating him, but he did go on to say that Rob didn't like to do it in front of coach. For some reason, I don't blame him!!

Roll Tide!!!!!!

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Speak on the topic, Nick Saban said,

"How are they any better than a pimp?" said Saban of agents who break rules. "How would you feel if they did that to your child?"

Saban said that the agents should get penalized by the NFL cutting their agent license if they have improper contact with college players.  After all, if Nick Saban's $4-million-per-year salary was cut, he said it would be "straightening me out from whatever I was doing".

"I'm for doing something," Saban stated. "I don't think the system as it is right now is very good …It's something that's affecting college football in a negative way."

Talk about coming out and swinging at the "pimps!"  Way to go Coach Nick Saban!

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Can you see the wrestling match now?

The sleaze bag NFL agent slips into the corner of the ring (he's in black of course similar to the Georgia Bulldogs ... Coach Nick Saban is on the other side of the ring in his crimson & white wrestling trucks, vest, & straw hat. Terry Saban is very much by his side.

His gaze fixes on the opponent... ding.. ding.. ding..

The match begins...

Down CNS comes with a flying elbow... BAMM!

He kicks the guy in the face... WHAMM!

Then for good measure he picks the sleazebag up off the mat... and sets him up for the pile driver!

CRUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1-2-3 OUT FOR THE COUNT! Coach Saban WINS!

Of course, this will never happen.. but it is fun to think about. The truth, however, is that Coach Nick Saban is not a happy man. He is mad at NFL agents and the system that allows them contact his star football players

First.. Look at what happened with the Andre Smith fiasco back in Jan 2009 when he had to sit out his last game in the Sugar Bowl due to improper agent contact. You know what happened, and Coach Nick Saban hates to lose because of a key player like Andre Smith being declared ineligible .

Here we are again at the cusp of a new football season, a media day start today with Nick Saban coming to the podium to speak his mind on a new season with expectations for greatness. On the day before, news breaks that possible infractions have occurred with his super star defensive lineman, Marcel Dareus.

Man talk about screwing up the first day of media days!!! The boss man in Tuscaloosa can't be happy!

I'm hoping that the investigation proves that more so Darius did not take any money in transportation, lodging, or any other expense because he is a star player and he can make a difference in a ballgame.

Look what the sleazy agents have done to Reggie Bush and USC and the NCAA is just looking for an excuse to come after Alabama again! Yeah that's right there is no good blood between Alabama and the NCAA!

Hopefully Coach Nick Saban doesn't ever have get into a wrestling match with them! Reggie Bush even has had his Heisman Trophy revoked and games from a national championship year have been vacated! None of that is going to happen in this case, however the NCAA is not anyone you want to tangle with. It is why Nick Saban stays on their good side!

In the South, we take our football (and our wrestling) very seriously!

Keep in mind that here in the South, we take our football (and our wrestling) very seriously!  Heck, you know we take it seriously here in the South when Tennessee fans are mugged by their own football players and they don't want to press charges because "that's just the way it is in Tennessee!" And most likely, you'll see that mugged fan cheering on the UT football team! You'll find it throughout the Southeast that football fans here take her football dead serious.

Going back to what Nick Saban is dealing with right now with football agents, he is requesting that the NCAA looks at how agents can interact with college football players. He is asking if it really makes sense to throw open the doors of the colleges to the NFL if they're not going to help them out about punishing the agents for illegal contact of college players.

But what is the college to do? They already educate athletes and their families about the perils of dealing with agents. There is a possibility that they can lose their eligibility through agent contact. The university and the coaches cannot be in the back pocket of every player on their team. It is ultimately the player's responsibility to do the right thing.

Right now, the NCAA is trying to determine who paid for the trip for Marcel Dareus to Miami. That is to be determined. But one thing is for sure, Nick Saban is not happy!

In a statement by Coach Saban on the Dareus incident, "What the NFL Players Association and the NFL need to do is if any agent breaks a rule and causes ineligibility for a player, they should suspend his (agent's) license for a year or two," Coach Saban said. "I'm about ready for college football to say, 'Let's just throw the NFL out. Don't let them evaluate players. Don't let them talk to players. Let them do it at the combine.' If they are not going to help us, why should we help them?"

Can you feel the love?

I have a feeling if a bad agent was to come around Nick Saban in Hoover, he might be willing to lay him out with a piledriver!

Wow...wouldn't that feel good?

ROLL TIDE!

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Dareus is considered one of top 10 NFL draft prospects for next year and is allegedly one of numerous college football players to have contact with NFL sports agents.

The NCAA is investigating the matter to determine who paid for the transportation to Miami and other expenses while Marcel Darius was there.  This comes on the heels of the incident with Maurkice Pouncey of Florida that allegedly accepting $100,000 from an agent's representative prior to last year's Sugar bowl.

Let's all hope that this ends up being nothing and that Marcel Dareus can play all next year and there is no effects on Alabama football program. I really think Bama is fine, but possibility that Dareus could lose time waiting on a NCAA decision. We will see.

Roll Tide!

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The Alabama / Georgia State football game has been moved up two days to Thursday, Nov. 18 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The kickoff time and television coverage is still to be announced. Alabama requested the game to be moved to make for more preparation time before the Auburn game.

Georgia State is a brand new football program that is in its first season. It is lead by the former head coach of Alabama, Bill Curry. "This whole Alabama opportunity has been a huge boost for our program from the very beginning," Georgia State head coach Bill Curry proclaimed. "We are fortunate to be able to play a game in Tuscaloosa, and we believe that moving from Saturday to Thursday can give it added appeal for our players and our fans because Thursday night games have become so special in college football. We'll make the necessary adjustments and go play the game."

Georgia State is set to join CAA Football of the FCS in 2012.

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If you are looking for some Tide Pride Season Tickets this year, it can be very hard! Tickets for this alabama football season are in high demand, the ticket list is long, but don't worry, we have your Alabama season tickets for sale right here! The coveted 2010 season tickets will fill your Saturdays with fun at Bryant Denny stadium in Tuscaloosa. Coming back as reigning 2009 National Champions, you won't regret getting season tickets to see the follow up on a big year of big time college football. There is no doubt that it's going to be an exciting season! You need Bama season tickets to see it all up close! Whether you are looking for seats in the north, south, east, or west sections...or great seats at the 50 yard line or in one of the end zone, in the aisle. It don't matter, there are many to choose from here at AlCrimsonTide.com! Tickets are shipped by the Tide Pride program on August 1st, so keep that in mind when buying them from a third party on ebay. Enjoy your trip to Bryant denny stadium on every home game! ROLL TIDE ROLL !!!

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Two of the winningest coaches in Alabama history had their own styles and pyschological devices to motivate college football players. Bear Bryant & Nick Saban are very motivational in talking their players at in the locker room to get the best out of players. There are two videos that you can see below that provide a sample of what you would see in those pivotal moments when head coach speaks directly to the players.

It is no wonder that in both cases, you find that the players are hanging on every word that is spoken. They are fixated not only on the x's and o's, but the emotion of the moment.

Bear Bryant: Mastermind of Psychology

Bear was the mastermind of psychology. Even when Bama was down at halftime, Bear would make it look like we have them just where we want them. If we were winning, he would light into the players like we were losing. It was reverse psychology at its finest. He once said, "Don't give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half." He had a way of bringing players up when they were down and bring them down when they were up. There wasn't any big heads or dragging heads, players conducted themselves with class.

His presence alone was electric. Even his peers were in awe of the man, let alone the young men he coached. Joe Paterno was quoted as saying "Even his peers in the coaching business felt in awe of him.. He had such charisma. He was just a giant figure."

In the video, you can hear him say...

"Now, listen. This just makes it perfect. This just makes it perfect. We're behind. They're all fired up."

He essentially was saying that Alabama had the opposing team, which was actually Florida State (who we trailed 24-22 at halftime), just where we want them. It puts in the minds of the players that they control their own destiny.

"We got class, we're going to find it out. We got class, and I know we got it. First place, our defense has got to go out there and take the ball. Our defense hasn't been taking the ball. Then, when we get the ball, we got to have 11 people -- 11 people that's just going to do their job, whatever it is. Just go do their job, and try to score every time you get the football.

If we do that, we'll be all right. If we do that, we'll be all right.

"OK, can we get together? All we need is somebody who wants to show some leadership out there! Now we go! Everybody's a leader!"

Nick Saban: Intense Motivator

Nick is intense like a drill sergeant preparing the troops for war. He is the master of bringing forth the passion of the moment to hype the players up to a frenzy that carries over to the field. Both him and Bear speak to the pride of the players. Where Bear called it “class”, Nick says that “they want to take what you got.” He pulls the bravado out of the players. His words are almost poetry made for war. The result are players coming out ready to bang heads with the opponent. He says his goal is to “dominate.”

"Passion, intensity, a sense of urgency... killer instinct ...its got to be coming from your heart... from your mind… in terms of how you are going to play… 60 minutes in a game… you gotta be ready to go out there and earn it guys... they want to take what you got, you gotta out out there and earn it. Every guy in here has to get it, whatever his goal is!"

Both coaches seem bigger than life when they are talking to their players. The end result is winning.

Watch the Bear Bryant and Nick Saban lock room videos below

Roll Tide!

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So order your 2010 Alabama San Jose State game tickets safely here! Here is a handy layout of Bryant Denny Stadium.

Bryant Denny Stadium Layout

Order Alabama Football vs. San Jose State Tickets Online! Buy San Jose State at Alabama Tickets at Bryant Denny Stadium on Sept 4, 2010. See the Alabama Crimson Tide football game live in Tuscaloosa! It is the debut of newly renovated Bryant-Denny Stadium! Even though Nick Saban's statue won't be there yet, you can! Buy your Alabama football tickets here!

Roll Tide!

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