Tony's take: Taking a look at Mark's Madness and football's March momentum
- Champions Lounge
- 5 Replies
Nate Oats is trolling, Alabama basketball is rolling, and Roll Tide Willie is still rocking a perfect bracket.
While the rest of the state tripped over the starting line in the NCAA Tournament, No. 4 seed Alabama avoided an early upset by rekindling its shooting touch during a 109-96 win over No. 13 seed Charleston on Friday night. The Crimson Tide will now have to sidestep another Cinderella team tonight as it takes on No. 12 seed Grand Canyon with a second straight trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
Meanwhile, Alabama football is more than a third of the way through spring camp and appears to be picking up its own March momentum.
There’s plenty to discuss from the past week, so pour yourself a drink and let’s dive in.
Drink of the week — Alabama Slammer
Unlike its doctoral programs, Grand Canyon’s basketball fans come as advertised. Nicknamed the Havocs, GCU’s fans are known as some of the rowdiest in college basketball. They certainly played the part Friday night, flooding Spokane Arena to cheer their No. 12 seed Lopes to a 75-66 upset over No. 5 seed St. Mary’s.
The sea of purple and white drew national attention as more than 200 GCU students made the trip from Phoenix for the game. After witnessing its first NCAA Tournament win in school history, best believe the Havoc will let Alabama hear it Sunday as it looks to spur on another upset in the Round of 32.
“We’re gonna kind of have a road game it seems like, at least with the crowd they had last night,” Oats told reporters Saturday. “Good thing is, we played a lot of tough road games.”
The problem is, Alabama is just 8-9 in games away from Coleman Coliseum this season. With the Tide more than 2,200 miles away from Tuscaloosa on Sunday, here’s a drink that will at least make its fans feel right at home.
The Alabama Slammer is said to have originated in shot form at the University of Alabam somewhere between the 1960s and 70s. The Tide’s going to need more than a few shots Sunday night, so I’ll be crafting it up in cocktail form instead.
For this drink, you’ll need an ounce of Amaretto, an ounce of Sloe gin, an ounce of Southern Comfort and two ounces of orange juice. Every recipe I looked at made sure to specify freshly squeezed OJ. Bu in the spirit of wishful thinking for Alabama, I suggest using SunnyD.
Combine all of your ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice before straining into a highball glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange and enjoy.
Cheers!
Welcome to Mark’s Madness
Lameka Sears cheered from the stands Friday night, donning her signature sparkle attire. Her son might as well have worn a cape on the court.
Mark Sears saved one of his best performances of the season for the biggest stage, recording 30 points on 9 of 13 shooting during Alabama’s first-round win over Charleston.
The senior guard scored 20 points during the first half, as he dug the Crimson Tide out of an early hole. Seven of those came during the span of 2:20 when he turned a 17-11 deficit into a 20-19 advantage. Later in the half, Sears provided a personal 5-0 run, coming up with a layup before draining a 3 to extend Alabama’s lead to 40-31 with 3:28 to play. He also came up with 4 points in the final minute of the half as Alabama entered the break on a 16-2 run.
Sears’ big night brings him to 706 points on the season, moving him into second on the school’s single-season list. The sharp-shooting guard now sits 42 points away from passing Reggie King’s record of 747 points set in 1979. Assuming Sears can lead Alabama to another victory tonight, he should be in a good position to reach that milestone. After all, he has scored 20 or more points in 15 of his last 16 outings and has reached the mark 23 times on the season.
Who knows how far that consistency will carry the Crimson Tide this month?
Lameka’s shimmering shirt Friday night was emblazoned with the words “Mark’s Madness.” Perhaps she’s onto something.
Could Sears be the next hot-handed guard to take over the tournament and lead his team on a deep run?
Kemba Walker carried No. 3 seed UConn to a national title in 2011, averaging 23.5 points with 6.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Carson Edwards, who shares Sears’ shorter, stocky frame, averaged 34.8 points while leading No. 3 seed Purdue to the Elite Eight five years ago. Neither of those two started their tournament runs quite as hot as Sears did against Charleston.
Sears’ next test comes tonight against a Grand Canyon team coming off one of its better defensive performances of the season. The Lopes held St. Mary’s to 38.8% from the floor and limited the Gaels top scorer, Aidan Mahaney, to 13 points on 5 of 21 shooting, including a frigid 3 of 13 from deep. Then again, they aren’t making shirts that read Mahaney’s Madness.
Stopping Sears is going to take something special this month. Just like his mother, expect the Alabama guard to continue to shine.
DeBoer’s red-hot recruiting run
Kalen DeBoer is on a bit of a heater himself. It remains to be seen how the head coach will fare in his first season with Alabama this fall, but he’s already proving a few doubters wrong on the recruiting trail this month.
So much for the narrative that the South Dakota native can’t bring top talent to Tuscaloosa. Last week, the Crimson Tide reeled in a pair of four-star recruits, adding linebackers Darrel Johnson (No. 46 overall, No. 3 outside linebacker) and Abduall Sanders Jr. (No. 215 overall, No. 19 outside linebacker) to its 2025 class.
That makes five 2025 commitments this month for the Crimson Tide, which had already netted a trio of four-star talents in defensive tackle Antonio Coleman, athlete Zymear Smith and wide receiver Derrick Smith. DeBoer could add to that tally today as four-star linebacker Luke Metz is expected to choose the Tide over LSU, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.
Alabama 2025 class features seven commits and sits at No. 8 in the Rivals team rankings. While the Tide currently trails in several schools in terms of volume, its 3.86 star average is better than all but two schools — No. 3 Ohio State (4.25) and No. 2 LSU (4.18) — ahead of it in the top 10.
While DeBoer and his staff previously put in the work on the recruiting trail, the majority of its March haul has come during a “quiet period” on the recruiting calendar when college coaches “may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college campus.” Instead, Alabama has hosted several top talents, who have come away impressed with the positive vibes emanating from the Tide’s spring camp.
“The best recruiters are the team and the players,” DeBoer said Wednesday during a radio appearance on Tide 100.9. “When (recruits see) the team is flying around and competing at a high level and doing it with a smile on their face … the culture is contagious.”
DeBoer does things a bit differently than his predecessor. That’s especially obvious on social media. Just look at his off-field staff.
Alabama made a couple of new hires his month, bringing on Walt Brock as director of football creative and production, and Dante Oliver as associate director of football cinematic and social media. Those positions seem like science fiction compared to the way things operated in the Nick Saban era.
DeBoer explained those moves this past week, stating that social media will be a “big deal" for his program moving forward.
"Not just what the average fan [sees], but what the recruits and prospects that we’re looking at — what they like and what’s attractive to them," he said. "Just trying to showcase our program. Also to get our message out and them to understand the culture we’re trying to build here and what all our resources are and who the people are that work here."
It’s a new age at Alabama, and an exciting one at that. While DeBoer has a healthy respect for Saban, it’s clear he’s taking his own route to recruiting success.
So far, it’s hard to argue with the results.
***
Are you a displaced corporate executive or want to put your career in your own hands? Or are you an experienced entrepreneur wanting to diversify? Well, Andy Luedecke can help.
Andy is a longtime Rival board member, diehard college football fan and franchise veteran. He owns multiple franchises and businesses and uses his expertise to help others find their American Dream through a very thorough and FREE consultation process.
Call Andy, and put your life and career in your own hands. 100% free, so what do you have to lose?!!
Find Your Perfect Franchise at MyPerfectFranchise.Net
Contact Andy Luedecke anytime at:
andy@myperfectfranchise.net
(404) 973-9901
www.myperfectfranchise.net
While the rest of the state tripped over the starting line in the NCAA Tournament, No. 4 seed Alabama avoided an early upset by rekindling its shooting touch during a 109-96 win over No. 13 seed Charleston on Friday night. The Crimson Tide will now have to sidestep another Cinderella team tonight as it takes on No. 12 seed Grand Canyon with a second straight trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
Meanwhile, Alabama football is more than a third of the way through spring camp and appears to be picking up its own March momentum.
There’s plenty to discuss from the past week, so pour yourself a drink and let’s dive in.
Drink of the week — Alabama Slammer
Unlike its doctoral programs, Grand Canyon’s basketball fans come as advertised. Nicknamed the Havocs, GCU’s fans are known as some of the rowdiest in college basketball. They certainly played the part Friday night, flooding Spokane Arena to cheer their No. 12 seed Lopes to a 75-66 upset over No. 5 seed St. Mary’s.
The sea of purple and white drew national attention as more than 200 GCU students made the trip from Phoenix for the game. After witnessing its first NCAA Tournament win in school history, best believe the Havoc will let Alabama hear it Sunday as it looks to spur on another upset in the Round of 32.
“We’re gonna kind of have a road game it seems like, at least with the crowd they had last night,” Oats told reporters Saturday. “Good thing is, we played a lot of tough road games.”
The problem is, Alabama is just 8-9 in games away from Coleman Coliseum this season. With the Tide more than 2,200 miles away from Tuscaloosa on Sunday, here’s a drink that will at least make its fans feel right at home.
The Alabama Slammer is said to have originated in shot form at the University of Alabam somewhere between the 1960s and 70s. The Tide’s going to need more than a few shots Sunday night, so I’ll be crafting it up in cocktail form instead.
For this drink, you’ll need an ounce of Amaretto, an ounce of Sloe gin, an ounce of Southern Comfort and two ounces of orange juice. Every recipe I looked at made sure to specify freshly squeezed OJ. Bu in the spirit of wishful thinking for Alabama, I suggest using SunnyD.
Combine all of your ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice before straining into a highball glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange and enjoy.
Cheers!
Welcome to Mark’s Madness
Lameka Sears cheered from the stands Friday night, donning her signature sparkle attire. Her son might as well have worn a cape on the court.
Mark Sears saved one of his best performances of the season for the biggest stage, recording 30 points on 9 of 13 shooting during Alabama’s first-round win over Charleston.
The senior guard scored 20 points during the first half, as he dug the Crimson Tide out of an early hole. Seven of those came during the span of 2:20 when he turned a 17-11 deficit into a 20-19 advantage. Later in the half, Sears provided a personal 5-0 run, coming up with a layup before draining a 3 to extend Alabama’s lead to 40-31 with 3:28 to play. He also came up with 4 points in the final minute of the half as Alabama entered the break on a 16-2 run.
Sears’ big night brings him to 706 points on the season, moving him into second on the school’s single-season list. The sharp-shooting guard now sits 42 points away from passing Reggie King’s record of 747 points set in 1979. Assuming Sears can lead Alabama to another victory tonight, he should be in a good position to reach that milestone. After all, he has scored 20 or more points in 15 of his last 16 outings and has reached the mark 23 times on the season.
Who knows how far that consistency will carry the Crimson Tide this month?
Lameka’s shimmering shirt Friday night was emblazoned with the words “Mark’s Madness.” Perhaps she’s onto something.
Could Sears be the next hot-handed guard to take over the tournament and lead his team on a deep run?
Kemba Walker carried No. 3 seed UConn to a national title in 2011, averaging 23.5 points with 6.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Carson Edwards, who shares Sears’ shorter, stocky frame, averaged 34.8 points while leading No. 3 seed Purdue to the Elite Eight five years ago. Neither of those two started their tournament runs quite as hot as Sears did against Charleston.
Sears’ next test comes tonight against a Grand Canyon team coming off one of its better defensive performances of the season. The Lopes held St. Mary’s to 38.8% from the floor and limited the Gaels top scorer, Aidan Mahaney, to 13 points on 5 of 21 shooting, including a frigid 3 of 13 from deep. Then again, they aren’t making shirts that read Mahaney’s Madness.
Stopping Sears is going to take something special this month. Just like his mother, expect the Alabama guard to continue to shine.
DeBoer’s red-hot recruiting run
Kalen DeBoer is on a bit of a heater himself. It remains to be seen how the head coach will fare in his first season with Alabama this fall, but he’s already proving a few doubters wrong on the recruiting trail this month.
So much for the narrative that the South Dakota native can’t bring top talent to Tuscaloosa. Last week, the Crimson Tide reeled in a pair of four-star recruits, adding linebackers Darrel Johnson (No. 46 overall, No. 3 outside linebacker) and Abduall Sanders Jr. (No. 215 overall, No. 19 outside linebacker) to its 2025 class.
That makes five 2025 commitments this month for the Crimson Tide, which had already netted a trio of four-star talents in defensive tackle Antonio Coleman, athlete Zymear Smith and wide receiver Derrick Smith. DeBoer could add to that tally today as four-star linebacker Luke Metz is expected to choose the Tide over LSU, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.
Alabama 2025 class features seven commits and sits at No. 8 in the Rivals team rankings. While the Tide currently trails in several schools in terms of volume, its 3.86 star average is better than all but two schools — No. 3 Ohio State (4.25) and No. 2 LSU (4.18) — ahead of it in the top 10.
While DeBoer and his staff previously put in the work on the recruiting trail, the majority of its March haul has come during a “quiet period” on the recruiting calendar when college coaches “may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college campus.” Instead, Alabama has hosted several top talents, who have come away impressed with the positive vibes emanating from the Tide’s spring camp.
“The best recruiters are the team and the players,” DeBoer said Wednesday during a radio appearance on Tide 100.9. “When (recruits see) the team is flying around and competing at a high level and doing it with a smile on their face … the culture is contagious.”
DeBoer does things a bit differently than his predecessor. That’s especially obvious on social media. Just look at his off-field staff.
Alabama made a couple of new hires his month, bringing on Walt Brock as director of football creative and production, and Dante Oliver as associate director of football cinematic and social media. Those positions seem like science fiction compared to the way things operated in the Nick Saban era.
DeBoer explained those moves this past week, stating that social media will be a “big deal" for his program moving forward.
"Not just what the average fan [sees], but what the recruits and prospects that we’re looking at — what they like and what’s attractive to them," he said. "Just trying to showcase our program. Also to get our message out and them to understand the culture we’re trying to build here and what all our resources are and who the people are that work here."
It’s a new age at Alabama, and an exciting one at that. While DeBoer has a healthy respect for Saban, it’s clear he’s taking his own route to recruiting success.
So far, it’s hard to argue with the results.
***
Are you a displaced corporate executive or want to put your career in your own hands? Or are you an experienced entrepreneur wanting to diversify? Well, Andy Luedecke can help.
Andy is a longtime Rival board member, diehard college football fan and franchise veteran. He owns multiple franchises and businesses and uses his expertise to help others find their American Dream through a very thorough and FREE consultation process.
Call Andy, and put your life and career in your own hands. 100% free, so what do you have to lose?!!
Find Your Perfect Franchise at MyPerfectFranchise.Net
Contact Andy Luedecke anytime at:
andy@myperfectfranchise.net
(404) 973-9901
www.myperfectfranchise.net
Football 🏈 Alabama's Jah-Marien Latham expects to break out in new Bandit role
- Champions Lounge
- 4 Replies
Alabama's Jah-Marien Latham expects to break out in new Bandit role
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jah-Marien Latham took one look at Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 defense and knew exactly where he’d fit in.
Hoops 🏀 How to watch: Alabama basketball vs. Grand Canyon in the NCAA Tournament
- Champions Lounge
- 1 Replies
TideIllustrated - How to watch: Alabama basketball vs. Grand Canyon in the NCAA Tournament
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Alabama's NCAA Tournament second-round clash against Grand Canyon.
alabama.rivals.com
Football 🏈 DeVonta Smith talks about 'phenomenal' play from the secondary this spring
- By Dean Harrell
- Champions Lounge
- 3 Replies
TideIllustrated - DeVonta Smith talks about 'phenomenal' play from the secondary this spring
Alabama safety DeVonta Smith breaks down what he has seen from the secondary so far this spring
alabama.rivals.com
Hoops 🏀 Nate Oats' Yale locker room visit had nothing to do with win over Auburn
- Champions Lounge
- 2 Replies
TideIllustrated - Nate Oats' Yale locker room visit had nothing to do with win over Auburn
Oats said the visit had nothing to do with the Bulldogs' win over Alabama's archrival.
alabama.rivals.com
