CoachHal.com

As we prepare for the tailgate and celebration on Saturday, Coach has a few thoughts:

1. Thanks to so many who have contacted us and congratulated us.

2. The situation in Haiti really makes you think about what is important doesn’t it? The photos are terrible. Thoughts and prayers go to all involved with this horrific situation.

3. Have you noticed that when a head college football coach is reckless in his treatment of his own team’s rivals, that coach is actually showing his lack of respect for part of his own school, fans, and administration? Kiffin, Franchione, and Tubberville come to Coach’s mind. In no way are the latter pair close to Kiffin at all, but it is just a thought.

4. One thing that has made Coach laugh is the incessant chatter about Colt McCoy not playing in Alabama’s 14th victory, and how people are so sad he did not play. Well, a couple of points:

a. This is not “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”. It is not like Coach kidnapped McCoy and Bevo, and then hid them like Ray Finkle did with Dan Marino and Snowflake the Dolphin.

b. HE DID PLAY IN THE GAME. Coach repeats. Colt McCoy did play in the title game. And he got knocked out of the game because he was running the ball against a very physical defense that is designed to physically punish the opposition. We had been saying that for a month; in fact, we have been saying that all year. Saban also basically said this in his opening press conference in January 2007. It is football.

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9:20 am January 14, 2010, by Mark Bradley

Watching Lane Kiffin’s wretched introduction at Southern Cal last night — delayed 45 minutes by traffic, it should have been canceled to spare everyone involved– the thought occurred: “This guy is the biggest rat I’ve ever seen.”

Then, a bit later, another thought: “Wait a minute, son. Didn’t we in Atlanta happen across a rodent of our own not long ago?”

Well, yeah. His name: Bobby Petrino. He fled the Falcons in same harum-scarum manner that Kiffin left K-Town. And that terrible memory got me to thinking: “Kiffin or Petrino — who’s the bigger rat?” Here’s where I attempt to answer myself.

Category: Truthfulness. Petrino reaffirmed to Arthur Blank the day before he headed over the Ozarks, “You’ve got yourself a coach.” According to Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton, Kiffin at least informed him last weekend that he’d be interested in the USC job. Bigger lying rat: Petrino.

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By Adam Jones, Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 4:54 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 4:54 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | The idea of a parade to celebrate the Crimson Tide's national championship was nixed because of a host of factors, including logistics, weather and visibility of the parade route.

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For a sneak preview Click Here
Next SI Cover

Special Championship Issue

Tide Exploits Texas Weakness to Claim Title: Shock & Outrage Abound. by Richard Cotner

Written on January 09, 2010
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images As the final seconds ticked off the clock in Pasadena Thursday night, the Alabama Crimson Tide found itself in possession of the BCS National title and a whole boat load of criticism for having won it.

Apparently winning the BCS title is only going to be considered a worthwhile endeavour if the winning team is comprised entirely of moderately athletic blind players from the Sun Belt Conference and the game features a last minute come from behind victory by the "blind guys" over a Hall of Fame team straight out of Canton Ohio.

Armed with the information that this game did not meet those criteria, we can begin to understand why the University of Alabama had so many critics claiming they were not worthy of the title.

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Tailgate plan will be posted once we see the weather forecast closer to Saturday...Coach

National title celebration to be held on Saturday

Published: Monday, January 11, 2010 at 6:31 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, January 11, 2010 at 6:31 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | The University of Alabama will hold it national championship celebration on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium to honor the football team's victory over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game.

Bryant-Denny will open on Saturday at noon.

The festivities will begin at 2 p.m. and last an hour. The first 50,000 people into the stadium will receive a poster of the championship team at the Rose Bowl.

UA also announced there will be no parade or Walk of Champions. Also no autographs will be given.

The event is free to the public and seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis with the entire celebration occurring inside the stadium.

Parking options and street options will be similar to A-Day games. Streets on campus will be closed at approximately 11 a.m.

Concessions will be available in multiple locations in the lower level of the stadium and licensed merchandise will be for sale outside the stadium.

http://www.tidesports.com/article/20100111/NEWS/100119924/1011?Title=National-title-celebration-to-be-held-on-Saturday

Thank you Rolo.

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2010/01/rolando_mcclain.html

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2010/01/nick_saban_says_kirby_smart_ha.html

Fellow tailgaters and tweeps,

The Process is complete.

Let get to Coach’s post BCS National Title Game thoughts (powered by vitaminwater):

1. As Coach sat in the stadium for two hours with Bobby before the game, he thought to himself “It doesn’t get any better than this.” Coach just sat and soaked up the setting of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl. The beauty of the pristine field, the San Gabriel Mountains in the background, a great traditional program in Texas, the paratroopers, the pregame show, the two college bands, the star singers, the flyover, the fireworks, the calls and texts of encouragement from colleagues and friends, the perfect weather, etc…it was emotional. Not a crying type of emotional. But a very fulfilling type of emotional.

2. And then Alabama won the game and completed the loop. From 1926 to 2009. Coach Nick Saban and his team delivered and it was emotionally overwhelming for the Alabama faithful. As the band stirred up “Yea Alabama” just after the game, the words echoing throughout the Rose Bowl got louder…and louder…and louder: “…And if a man starts to weaken, That’s a shame! For Bama’s pluck and grit have Writ her name in Crimson flame. Fight on, fight on, fight on men! REMEMBER THE ROSE BOWL WE’LL WIN THEN!!!!” LOUD. Folks with smiles and tears at the same time. Texas fans acknowledging the destiny. Alabama fans living the dream. Coach will never forget that moment. Never.

3. Coach plans to purchase some of the Rose Bowl turf that will be sold in the coming weeks. We understand that 3 inch by 3 inch squares of the field will be available; first to the players and then the fans.

4. Coach is so thankful to have been at this game. Thank you to my bride and the First Lady of the tailgate, Sharon, for encouraging Coach to go to the game and allowing Coach to live a dream. At one point during the post game celebration, Coach actually thought he was dreaming and was going to wake up to hear Sharon saying “Hal, Hal, Hal…WAKE UP…you are snoring again…”

5. After that moment, Coach, Bobby, and Kumar moved down to the front row of the Rose Bowl and watched the postgame celebration. That field is immaculate. We were congratulated by security staff on the win, and discussed the fan that ran onto the field during the game. We snapped pictures, cheered, hugged, soaked it all in, and we were literally forced to leave about an hour after the game. But not after Coach scarfed up some confetti. To say the least, this was a season that will be tough to top.

6. As Coach Hal looked ahead prior to the BCS title game at the Rose Bowl, his two questions involved the timing of the parade and when would Saban’s statue go up outside the North End Zone.

a. Sounds like there will be a celebration inside Bryant Denny or a parade next weekend. We will have a tailgate for this event and details will follow later this week.

b. As far as the statue, the greatest coach in current college football has agreed to support the statue being erected sometime in the near future in the open spot outside Bryant Denny. Coach is glad the University planned ahead when the new north upper deck opened in 2005. If the unveiling of the statue is a public event, we will have a tailgate for that also.

7. As far as our trip to Tinsletown, it was jam-packed and entertaining with this eclectic tailgate and group of people. Details follow:

8. Tuesday:

a. Coach was very anxious about traveling out to LA by himself, and Beebo agreed to be Coach’s “Travel Daddy” for the trip. Beebo had no idea the effect of this until Coach got confused in the parking area, but everything was pretty smooth after that.

b. Coach had a kung-fu grip on the tickets but was not patted down by TSA security. We were told by a Georgia fan/security agent that he should pat us down since we were Alabama fans. He said he would cheer for us, but wanted us to know that UGA was coming after Kirby Smart, so it’s all good.

c. There is nothing more humbling than seeing soldiers going back overseas after their short time home.

d. We ran into John Parker Wilson and Ross Wilson in the airport. Coach finally had his chance to tell John Parker what he thought, and here it is exactly:

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A long way away

Best team ever