I am just waking up in Phoenix where I got to witness Alabama play in its first Final Four game in history. I thought it was an incredible game and as valiant of an effort as you could hope for. They didn’t get punked like Illinois or Northwestern did. They were tied with 10 minutes left, as despite a massive talent disparity, gave UConn fits for 35 minutes. They just went cold shooting for a four minute stretch and that was is.

UConn is as elite of a team as you’ll see in college basketball. They have two lottery picks, and the other three starters will get drafted this season as well. They’re experienced, talented, and extremely disciplined. I thought Bama had a great gameplan and majority of it worked, but UConn made a ton of plays. Castle was given the green light to shoot, and he made a couple, but his play making ability is why he is a solidified top 10 pick. Clingan is unstoppable (that Grant dunk tho!), and the other 3 play their roles so well.

Sears played arguably his best game in an Alabama uniform last night given the circumstances. He was lights out. Grant Nelson played his best game in an Alabama uniform. As gutsy or a performance as you’ll see from him. Estrada, Griffen, Wrightsell all played their roles so well. It was about as good of a game that Alabama could play considering their shooting from 3, the paint, not turning it over that much, and close to even on the boards. UConn is just a machine.

So what next? Alabama players have decisions to make. Will Sears go pro? Will Nelson go pro? Will other guys transfer? All this will be discussed in the next week or two. I personally think both Nelson and Sears are gone, just my gut feeling. I think Wague and Cosby will transfer. I can see Pringle transferring, but I think he may stay one final year. Other than that, you’ll likely have the rest of the roster back, unless someone like Walters or Parker leaves which can happen.

It’ll be a time of reflection this week and then could see decisions made in two weeks of what will happen. Regardless, these guys deserve to be celebrated for a long, long time.

Softball tickets?

been on the game thread but damn at the ticky tack fouls.

This game was typed 23-23 late in the first half. It's 48-23 now.

Just getting completely dominated and beat up by Kentucky this weekend.

Losses of 6-2, 7-0 and now getting hammered 10-1 today in Lexington.

That is being outscored 23-3 over this weekend.

Bama pitching has so far issued 18 walks and hit 4 batters this weekend.

Ouch.

Greetings from Fort Lauderdale

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He is visiting Bama June 7 for an OV. Flip chances extremely high right now. He did a great job and won all but one of his reps against very good OLs.

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Carter visited yesterday and Bama playing catchup on him. Really likes Roach and DeBoer. He really enjoyed the scrimmage and how DeBoer got involved with the OL/DL 1v1s. Thinking fall OV

Good news….survived and advance
Bad news… South Carolina is waiting

Figured I'd start this a bit earlier than usual given the occasion. How are we feeling, Tide fans?

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Bama wins 5-1. Brisky gets the win allowing 5 hits 1 run ( unearned ) walking 2 with 4 k's. Game 3 tomorrow at 1:30. Bama now 28-8 overall and 5-6 in conference play.

I know it is not football season, but today is the day we beat UConn.

Roll Tide Roll from ‘Monkeytown’. Maybe we can all be sober for the victory celebration.

gaye said, let`s get it on.

I've confirmed with a source that Parker Brailsford was not at Alabama's practice today. It's a complicated time for him at the moment. Keep in mind, he's lost a national championship, lost his head coach, traveled across the country to a new school, lost his offensive coordinator, lost his position coach.... all since January.

I've heard some possible reasons concerning Brailsford's troubles, but none of them have come from his camp. Until they come out with something, I don't feel comfortable going with that information.

One thing to keep in mind is that these are just kids, and they can go back and forth on these things. I know of a couple of notable players who were talked out of entering the transfer portal following Nick Saban's retirement. We've also just seen Kadyn Proctor change his mind and plan to rejoin Alabama.

When I get information that is sharable I will let the board know.

I think this was earlier in the season. Who is that? It’s good stuff.
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FYI - As mentioned on many posts (especially Ducky's Game Day Roll Call!) I live in Bluffton, SC just outside of Hilton Head. I had to get a new battery in my car today and went to the local dealership that I go to. While talking to the service department guy that usually takes care of me, I mentioned that I didn't want to come back from my trip to the Final Four and have a dead battery at the airport. He said are you going to see my cousin play? I said who is your cousin? His reply - #23 Nick Pringle! Needless to say, we had a great conversation and he told me that his 22-year-old daughter texts with Nick all the time. He told me to try and connect with Nick after the open practice on Friday. We'll see what happens there. I had forgotten that Nick is from Seabrook, SC and attended Whale Branch HS in Beaufort, SC which is very close to Parris Island for all you Marines out there that may have had your basic training there! All these places are about 30 minutes from where I live.

I mentioned in a post before the SEC Championship game in December that, I went to Marrietta, GA (where I once lived) a couple of days before the game and I had a tire that needed some air, so I went to a Jiffy lube type location to get some air put in. While waiting to get service, I saw a guy wearing a Bama hat and I struck up a conversation with him. He said that his son played ball at Alabama, and he thought that we were going to beat the Dawgs on Saturday. I agreed with his prognostication and asked who his son was. His reply - Collin Sexton!

My point on all of this is that I'm starting to get the same type of vibes about the Final Four as I did before the SEC Championship game! Hopefully Karma is on our side once again and we win it all in Phoenix! Roll Tide!