A Tale Of Two Quarterbacks

Every devoted but insightful fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and this includes your's truly, knew it was only a matter of WHEN it would happen......not if it would happen. 

With America's Team battling the host Washington Redskins on pretty even footing Sunday night in a frigid do-or-die game to determine the final NFC playoff spot, Jason Garrett's team once again found a way to choke away its final hopes. The Cowboys have pretty much done this with regularity since 1996, the last season in which Dallas actually won a postseason game. The Cowboys have lost these pivotal type late-season games three times now in the past five years.

And it was not due to the coaching of Garrett, although he is certainly no Vince Lombardi or even a Dave Campo really as the Cowboys coach, the mammoth 200-yard rushing effort of Washington rookie Alfred Morris, or even the Mayans. 

Nope, the failure of the Cowboys once again mainly rested on the shoulders of Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, whose impact on the history of the NFL as a clutch quarterbacking legend is, I guess,  comparable to the no doubt significant impact that Justin Bieber has had in the annals of music history.

After once again teasing Cowboys fans by helping to lead a late drive which cut a 21-12 Redskin advantage to 21-18 , and with Dallas later getting the ball back with a chance to actually pull the game out of the fire, Romo instantly broke the hearts of the Cowboy Nation by subsequently throwing a lame duck floater of an interception. The Redskins added an insurance touchdown and thus yet another painful chapter was written in what has truly been an up and down saga since Romo became the starting quarterback in Big D.

Of course Dallas fans first got their first taste of the Romo roller coaster ride in 2006 as he helped lead the Cowboys to the playoffs, only to see Dallas fall in that infamous first-round postseason game at Seattle when Romo botched the snap on an apparent game-winning field goal against the Seahawks. Since that time, it has been flashes of brilliance by Romo followed by even more periods of frustration. 

I hate to just come out and lambaste the 32-year-old NFL veteran, as I have always found him to be a classy and accountable individual, a quarterback who has battled numerous injuries and a quarterback who has been with a revolving door of coaches, linemen and skill position players since he gained the starting role in Dallas. He has also set all kinds of Cowboys passing records and recorded a number of amazing highlight moments.

Unfortunately, however, Romo usually folds when the games take on increased pressure and significance, and is the perfect poster boy for a franchise which has basically just seemed mentally fragile over the past 6 to 7 years.  And Dallas continues to disappoint despite its status as the NFL's most valuable franchise and a franchise that plays its home games in arguably the most impressive venue in all of sports.

This season is the perfect example as the Cowboys got off to a slow start, found themselves battling from behind in most of their games and had to use a late run toward the end of the season just to set up the pivotal winner-takes-all game against the Redskins. 

In Sunday's game, the Cowboys found themselves in an early offensive hole due to turnovers and then had to turn it on again late when they found themselves down 21-12. Before the first quarter was over with, Romo had already been running for his life most of the period, but had also thrown two interceptions and was fortunate that the Cowboys defense was doing a good job early of controlling the high-octane Redskin offense. 

Slow starts by the Cowboys have been commonplace during the past few years and I think that reflects very much on the leadership of its on-field general, or lack thereof. 

While Romo is a good guy, he has never seemed like a great or fiery leader in the huddle, like a Peyton Manning, Dan Marino or Tom Brady. Of course that is not always imperative to be a great quarterback as signal-callers such as Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers have proven that you can have success and lead a team to big success with somewhat subdued personalities. 

But then again, quarterbacks such as Manning and Rodgers have not consistently killed their team's chances and playoff aspirations with lethal miscues at the most inopportune times. 

Cowboys fans have had a love/hate relationship with Romo ever since he became the man in the spotlight in Dallas.  Cowboys fans,including myself, have always appreciated his classy nature, his significant talents and his courage in playing through some pretty severe and nasty injuries. 

Those same fans, however, have been frustrated by his consistent inability to lead Dallas to the postseason, his penchant for disastrous miscues and his overall persona on the field that tends to lean more towards the humdrum than fiery, passionate and energetic. 

The beleaguered Romo has been scorched often by the Dallas and national media, and also often by a frustrated Cowboys fan base The heat figures to be more unpleasant now than ever after the latest Dallas debacle. 

One has to wonder now if owner Jerry Jones will finally decide to make some major changes to shake up this underachieving franchise, and whether those changes might involve the departure of Garrett and perhaps finally Romo. 

It will be interesting to watch, but I am thinking Dallas has gone as far as it will go with him taking the snaps, and Romo will never led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. If he ever proves me wrong, I will certainly be the first to admit it, and obviously I hope I am totally wrong with that prediction. 

While Romo has certainly been a polarizing figure at best in Dallas, another quarterback who has perhaps inspired even more controversy, discussion and flat out rancor has been New York Jets backup quarterback and former Florida Heisman Trophy superstar Tim Tebow

Tebow, of course, has generated national headlines going back to his high school playing days, which were even chronicled by ESPN, and the spotlight only grew bigger during his prolific career under Urban Meyer at Florida and of course the past couple of seasons in the NFL with Denver and the Jets. 

And the reaction to Tebow has always been varied, whether it be hatred, envy, skepticism, or admiration and devoted fan support. 

This is of course due to the fact that he has been so often in the media spotlight, the fact that he is often very demonstrative on the field and in media settings, the amount of success and popularity he has enjoyed and regrettably also because he is an outstanding and outspoken Christian young man. 

Whether you love Tebow or despise the 25-year-old star, there is no justification for the way he was treated by Coach Rex Ryan and the Jets this season. 

The Jets traded for Tebow, under the guise that he would be brought in to be the main backup to incumbent starter Mark Sanchez, but as the season progressed to its ugly end for New York, it became more apparent the trade must have been forced on Ryan, and that it was a sheer publicity stunt at best. On a quick side note, on what had to be called Bloody Monday today due to all of the head coaches and general managers that were axed, I found it incredible that Ryan was able to hold onto his job considering the shoddy way he coached his team in 2012, and more specifically his quarterbacks. 

Sanchez, who looks as though he is about to throw up every time he steps on the field for the Jets, has progressively gotten worse during his tenure with the team, is an interception or fumble waiting to happen, and who like Romo shows no semblance of leadership in the huddle. 

Meanwhile, Ryan, who seemingly has some type of personal vendetta against Tebow, refused to give Tebow the slightest opportunity to come in and bring some spirit to the Jets' moribund offense and Tebow was only allowed to participate in a few Wildcat plays. Yes, it is obviously clear that Tebow is not a great NFL quarterback and he proved that even during last year's magical run to the playoffs by Denver, but the fact is he really could not have been any worse than Sanchez, and with the magic that seems to follow the former Gator, he might have at least been able to have generated two or three wins for the Jets and maybe snuck them into postseason play. They were not that far off despite the horrendous play of the Jet offense.

Obviously, I am very pleased that former University of Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy was given a chance to start during Week 15 of the regular season, but of course that did not go well for the former Crimson Tider as he was sacked 11 times in another Jet loss, and it was really unfair overall that Tebow once again got passed over in favor of McElroy. 

Not only did Ryan refuse to start Tebow, but he could not help himself from going to the media and pointing out that Tebow was not happy about being put in Wildcat plays and that he was also upset about repeatedly being passed over for starting opportunities. 

Of course Tebow should have been upset about getting the least amount of playing time at quarterback since probably his youth football days, but then again it appeared that Ryan was also trying to smear Tebow's reputation as a classy team player in the process. For this alone I would have loved seeing Ryan get the axe. 

Of course, like many things in the NFL, it all really comes down to money, as Sanchez has a big contract with the Jets, and a contract that was recently extended for whatever ungodly reason. The Jets are pretty much stuck with the former USC Trojan no matter how ugly his play is most Sundays. 

It remains to be seen what happens with Tebow at this point, but just the few solid games he put together for Denver last season merits him another opportunity to start in the league. There is speculation that the Jacksonville Jaguars may try to obtain him, which really makes all the sense in the world. 

Tebow is a hero in Florida, and he would be a much-needed huge drawing card in Jacksonville, and would probably sell out most games whether they win or lose, or whether or not he really has any semblance of success. 

I sincerely doubt that he can ever be a top flight NFL quarterback as his mechanics and arm are just not of a pro football caliber, but he is a dangerous runner.  If he can't quite make the cut at quarterback, one wonders if Tebow would ever be adaptable to switching positions and perhaps be used as a fullback/tight end hybrid type. I personally think he could have some significant success in that type of role/position, but time will tell. 

One thing is certain about both Romo and Tebow, who have been through their share of jublilation and frustration during their NFL journeys. 

I think it is time for both to be in different places, sooner than later.

Feature Interview: Paul Finebaum

The following introduction and graphics come with permission from www.paulfinebaum.com

"Paul Finebaum is considered the leading sports authority in the South and the ``Voice of the SEC.’’ He currentlyserves as host of the Paul Finebaum Radio Network,  which is based out of Birmingham and currently runs on about 25 stations from South Carolina to St. Louis and also heard nationally on Sirius XM Radio (Channel 91).

He arrived in Birmingham in 1980 and became a columnist and investigative reporter for the Birmingham Post-Herald. Finebaum's work has earned him over 250 national, regional and area sports writing awards. Finebaum joined the Mobile Press Register in 2001 where he wrote a twice-weekly column with the column syndicated to other newspapers. In 2011,  Finebaum began writing a college football column for SI.com. His Christmas Eve column on a radio caller from Iowa suffering from cerebral palsy was among the most critically acclaimed stories of his career.

Finebaum's television contributions have been numerous. In Birmingham he currently appears as a sports analyst for WBRC Fox 6. He was sports director for WIAT-TV from 1997 to 2002 and co-hosted individual shows on WVTM-TV NBC 13 and ABC 33/40. Recently he has been a frequent guest on ESPN's Outside The Lines with Bob Ley commenting on national and regional stories.

Finebaum is a 1978 graduate of the University of Tennessee and resides in Birmingham with his wife, Dr. Linda Hudson, an internist, who currently serves as chief of medicine at St. Vincent’s Hospital."

Editor's Note, By Stan J. Griffin: Obviously what you read above is just a few testaments to the fact that Paul Finebaum is one of the most influential and popular sports journalists/personalities, not only in the state of Alabama, but nationally as well. 

He has been called controversial, provocative and arrogant, but whether you like Finebaum or despise him, there is no denying the impact that he has made in the arena of sports and news journalism in Alabama, and because of that he has been asked to contribute to several national programs, including 60 Minutes and numerous ESPN shows. His radio program is must-listen programming for any real sports fan in Alabama, especially during the college football season. While many in the state have a number of creative monikers for the University of Tennessee grad, I am blessed to call him friend. I first met him as a student journalist at the University of Alabama, and even then he was very encouraging to me and was quick to offer me advice, and since that time I have called on him several times to help me with various projects, including the inteview for this site, and he has never wasted any time before agreeing to help me. I consider him a very nice person and I hope you enjoy this interview that I recently did with him covering numerous subjects.

1. THE SPORTS CONNECTION: With the bowl season in full swing now, there has been a whirlwind of coaching moves recently. Closer to home, what are your general feelings about the hire of Gus Malzahn at Auburn?

PAUL FINEBAUM: I think Malzahn was safe. However, it could work out well. I think the issue for Auburn is moving up in the SEC West. Who does Malzahn help AU move ahead of in the division?

2. TSC: How would you gauge the overall reaction to the hire by the Auburn supporters you have talked to and the Auburn callers to your show. Do you feel the Auburn Nation is happy with the hire for the most part, or would you say they are just taking a wait-and-see approach?

PF: Auburn fans are the most loyal group in the SEC so they are happy. They were happy three weeks after Chizik as well and that worked out before it didn't work out. Now doesn't matter. Check back in three years.

3. TSC: Is there much room for patience at Auburn with Malzahn considering the divide between Alabama and Auburn is continuing to grow more and more, with Saban set up to win more championships if he elects to finish his career at Alabama?

PF: As long as Saban is around, Auburn is going to struggle to catch up. But Auburn can't worry about Saban. They need to worry about their own program.

4. TSC: What are your feelings about the Malzahn hire of veteran assistant coach Rodney Garner as an assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator?

PF: As for Garner, it is easily one of the best off-season hires. He is a great recruiter and will help. I also like  (new offensive line coach J.B) Grimes and (new defensive coordinator Ellis) Johnson. In some ways, these experienced coaches make up for a lack of experience for Malzahn.

5. TSC: Speaking of Saban, do you give any credence to any speculation regarding Saban's possible departure or do you have no doubt in your mind he will finish his career in Tuscaloosa? What would it take to lure Saban away? Obviously he already has all the power, money, tools to recruit and success he would seem to need now.

PF: Saban is a human being. Yes, I know that is breaking news. So is he sitting at home enjoying the speculation? Probably. However, I don't think he'll leave. He'll flirt. It may get crazy. But I think he finishes his career in Tuscaloosa.

6. TSC: With the national title game getting closer, not many national pundits and analysts are giving Notre Dame much of a chance to defeat Alabama. What are your general feelings about the game?

PF: I respect Notre Dame. Yet, they are not in the same class as Alabama. I don't like to predict until right before the game. You never know about last minute events. But right now, I like Alabama.

7. TSC: Do most of the Alabama callers seem to have a cocky attitude going into the game? I know that some of your older callers probably have strong feelings regarding Notre Dame due to some of those past classics between the two traditional powers.

PF: Alabama fans would be cocky if the Tide was up against the Patriots. But they are very confident about this game. Last year, it was different.

8. TSC:  Should Alabama win this game, and claim its third national title in four years, where would this current Tide dynasty rank in the annals of college football, and do you see Alabama contending for 3 or 4 more titles down the road if Saban elects to stay for, say 7 more years.

PF: With a victory, we are witnessing the greatest modern-day dynasty in memory. I am in shock every time I think about what Saban has done. I think Bama will keep winning if Saban stays. Perhaps, not every year. But there will be more.

9. TSC: ESPN recently scored high rating with its documentary about the legendary Bo Jackson. What are your feelings about how the network chronicled Jackson's career, and where does Bo rank on your list of great athletes you have been fortunate enough to have covered in this state. What could he have accomplished if not for his baseball and football careers ending prematurely due to his hip injury?

PF: Had Bo remained healthy, ESPN would have needed more than 90 minutes. Because he would be the most famous player of all-time. I liked it because it paid tribute to the greatest athlete I've ever seen. I'm glad young people are now more familiar.

10. TSC: On a personal note, do you still get as much enjoyment hosting the radio show as you've always had? Are there people that you still have a strong desire to have on the show that have never been on, or are there any changes you would like to make to the show at some point?

PF: I enjoy the show now more than ever. It's a part of my life. In the past, it was a job. I can't say I really think about people who aren't on the show. I prefer callers to famous guests. Most big-name guests are not very interesting.

11. TSC: Would you say you still get the most pleasure and contentment from hosting the show, or with your writing, or do you enjoy both equally?

PF: I think deep down writing is more personally satisfying. But it means a lot to me when I run into someone who says they plan their commute from work around the show.

12. TSC: The world of sports media has changed so dramatically over the past decade or so with the greater emphasis of online journalism, social media, blogs and all of that.....Your feelings about those changes and whether you think those changes are a good or bad thing, and did you ever foresee such a major shift away from traditional print journalism, with many newspapers ceasing operation or decreasing publish dates and even magazines such as The Sporting News shifting totally toward online publications?

PF: I think they are good changes. A lot of my friends lament the days when you had paper in hand, but you can still do that. I read several real papers a day. Unfortunately, I've already seen most of the information online. It's a  changing world and the newspaper/magazine biz did a poor job keeping up.

13. TSC: Have you thought much about how much longer you want to continue doing the radio show, and also do you ever get overwhelmed with all of the demands I know you must face between the show, your columns, television appearances, speaking engagement and all that.

PF: Well, that's a good question. I  enjoy radio very much. I would say the last year has been the most demanding, but in some respects, it's also been the most rewarding.

14. TSC: Any plans for other special projects such as new books in the near future?  I always enjoyed your best of books with your columns.....

PF: There is a project I am currently looking at very closely.

15. TSC: What are your feelings regarding some of the other coaching hires in the SEC, and the hire of Bobby Petrino by Western Kentucky?

PF: I think Butch Jones could be a surprise at Tennessee. The process was ugly but he is a very good coach. Same for Brett Bielema at Arkansas. Shocking hire, but still a strong coach. Petrino is interesting. He'll do fine at WKU but will be gone quickly. Auburn may regret passing on Petrino.

 

Alabama or Notre Dame: Which Tradition Is Greater?

As of Sunday, there were only 15 days remaining until the BCS National Championship showdown between the top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide.

The megahype is in full gear for a matchup that has both the national media and rabid college football traditionalists drooling.

And why not,  as you are only talking about the two biggest name programs in college football history.  Although fans from programs such as Michigan, Southern Cal, Oklahoma and Ohio State may have conniption fits protesting that statement, there is really little argument that any real and significant discussion about the history and lore of college football begins with Alabama and Notre Dame. In fact, there have been some pretty classic games between these two storied programs, although the Tide and Irish have not met since a 37-6 rout by Notre Dame in South Bend in 1987.

The Jan. 7 matchup to decide the 2012 national title is already being tagged with creative billing such as "Catholics vs Cousins," "Catholics vs Champions" and even "Forrest Gump vs Rudy," and peripheral noise such as that only serves to fuel the fire for the ever growing hype machine regarding this marquee championship event.

The matchup, however, also raises an intriguing debate in my mind over which program actually has the strongest tradition. 

I feel it is a debate that has much merit, just in terms of creating a delicious and entertaining discussion about the sport that many of us have a deep passion for, and there is no doubt you would get equally heated arguments for both sides from two of the most passionate fan bases in the sport.

I am not really sure that anyone can make a defining statement regarding one program's tradition being superior to the other, as both programs are loaded with myriad iconic figures and symbols. And the amount of success enjoyed by both programs since their respective inceptions, both in terms of team success and individual accomplishments, have always tended to make the Fighting Irish and Crimson Tide programs that are either loved or hated on a national scale.

The following is a look at some of the most unique and significant aspects of each program's illustrious football history:

NATIONAL TITLES: A discussion about rating and poll services can be saved for another day, but the Fighting Irish claims 13 national titles while Alabama currently claims 14 such crowns. This makes this category virtually even, although of course the Irish aims to totally match the number of crowns by the Tide in Miami.

UNIFORMS: Another great element to college football is the fact that the uniforms for tradition-rich programs such as Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan and USC have remained basically the same and are as legendary as the coaches and players themselves for these fine football institutions.  The helmets for the Irish are among the most distinctive in college football history and set the gold standard (pun intended) for college football headwear along with others such as Michigan and USC. The blue and gold jerseys and pants are along the line of Penn State in that they are not really fancy but very distinctive and of course the Irish occasionally break out the famed green jerseys for big games as well.  Alabama also boasts some of the most iconic and traditional uniforms that have basically remained the same other than a few minor tweaks here and there through the years. Bama has basically sported the crimson helmet with the white numbers on both sides although at various times in its history Alabama has gone with white helmets. Alabama has stuck with the white pants with the crimson striping, and although the Crimson Tide's gear cannot be called flashy, it can be called classic.  Another category where I would rate the traditions basically even.

ICONIC COACHES: Any discussion about the coaches of these two fine programs has to begin with Alabama's legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant, who would no doubt be on the Mt. Rushmore of college football coaches, and who established the Crimson Tide program as a dominant one in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the sports all-time winningest coaches and a figure that had a significant influence and impact on the game for over 25 years, and whose impact can still be felt all over the Crimson Tide record books and in the state of Alabama. Bryant also won six national championships at Alabama.  Of course, even before Bryant arrived at Alabama in 1957, the Crimson Tide program had already been established by other famed coaches such as Wallace Wade, Harold "Red" Drew and Frank Thomas. Gene Stallings helped to revive the Crimson Tide tradition in the early 1990s after a period of struggle, leading Alabama to the 1992 national crown and is considered one of the most popular coaches of this football-rich school. Current Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is quickly establishing another dynasty at UA, as he has already won a pair of national crowns in Tuscaloosa and is hoping to lead Alabama to its third crown in four years with a win over the Irish.  Many claim that college football's greatest coach ever is Knute Rockne, who was chronicled in a famed sports movie classic in Knute Rockne All American, and who won six national titles in South Bend. Rockne would certainly also be included with Bryant on that aforementioned college football Mt. Rushmore. Notre Dame also enjoyed an immense amount of success with legends Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz. Current Irish coach Brian Kelly  seems to be on the verge of making the Irish program a relevant one again, as Notre Dame has not won a national title since 1988. A slight edge in the category would go to Alabama simply due to the long and successful reign of Bryant while in Tuscaloosa and his overall impact  as a power broker in many areas of the sport.

STADIUMS: Certainly two of the most legendary cathedrals in the sport although Notre Dame Stadium has pretty much remained basic other than a few expansions here and there while Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium has undergone numerous dramatic revisions over the past 20-plus years to become the stunning showplace it is today. Notre Dame's playing venue was given much of a spotlight in the movie Rudy as well as its historic campus setting which includes the nearby Touchdown Jesus. What Notre Dame Stadium lacks in flair and dazzle is more than made up for with pure history and tradition. Alabama has attempted to create a little more of that at Bryant-Denny with its plaza that documents the program's national championships and SEC titles and the statues of national championship coaches, but an edge goes to Notre Dame here in my humble opinion.

ICONIC PLAYERS: Both programs can boast a huge number of All-Americans, Hall of Famers and players who later went on to star in the NFL, and really the only significant edge that either program can claim is the fact that Notre Dame has seven Heisman Trophy winners while Mark Ingram is the Crimson Tide's sole recipient of college football's most highly coveted award. The Heisman Trophy is a sometimes-subjective award, however, voted on by a national media that has always had a love affair with the Fighting Irish in my view, although it was certainly hard to argue against recipients such as Paul Hornung, Tim Brown and John Huarte. Still for every Hornung, Huarte, Raghib Ishmael, Bob Golic,  Aaron Taylor, Chris Zorich, Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Jim Lynch, Justin Tuck, Jerome Bettis, Johnny Latner and Leon Hart the Irish can offer up, Alabama can offer up such college football dignitaries as Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Lee Roy Jordan, Dwight Stevenson, Tony Nathan, Cornelius Bennett, Derrick Thomas, Mark Ingram, John Hannah, Don Hutson, Ozzie Newsome, Billy Neighbors and Demeco Ryans among so many other greats. This category is virtually a deadlock once again.

MYSTIQUE: As mentioned, the national media has always seemed to have a certain glow when it comes to the Fighting Irish program, and the national love affair has also made its way to Hollywood, which beautifully captured much of the charm of Notre Dame football in iconic films Rudy and Knute Rockne, All American. While Alabama has always been respected as a traditional name in college football, the national glow about the Crimson Tide has not been on the same level as that of Notre Dame. I don't know if that is due to the fact that there has often seemed to be a bias against southern schools due to the past issues of racism or whatever, or perhaps there being a longtime sentiment against Alabama simply because of its long tradition of success or maybe jealousy relative to Bryant's power and success.

There are many other things that can be weighed between the two schools.

Notre Dame is a traditional power that has gained its enormous success as an independent school while the Crimson Tide is the longtime powerhouse of the SEC, the nation's most traditional and successful football conference ever, and a conference that is even today seeking its seventh consecutive national title.

Notre Dame has its own television contract with NBC, but again that network has been able to document a lot of Notre Dame losses over the past few years as the Irish program has been largely irrelevant over much of the last 20-plus years. Alabama was creeping toward irrelevancy until the arrival of Saban in 2007, but even still the Crimson Tide was able to pick up a national title in the 1990s under Stallings and a pair of SEC titles in the 1980s.

South Bend has been the home of the College Football Hall of Fame, which is a nice showcase for college football and that campus, but the Paul Bryant Museum is a must-see attraction for all visitors and college football fans as well and Tuscaloosa is currently the home of the nation's most dominant college football program under Saban. Notre Dame is trying to get back to that point.

In conclusion, both Crimson Tide and Irish fans can make the claim that their program has the strongest overall college football tradition and it would be arguable with either side.

But, once again, that argument, and the combined level of excellence and success for both programs throughout the years is what makes this perhaps the most anticipated, intriguing and hyped national championship game in recent memory.

It is a dream matchup for purists who live and breathe college football.

GUEST COMMENTARY DAY: Former Alabama Basketball standout(final four team) - Betsy Harris

Editor's Note by Stan J. Griffin:  I would like to welcome Betsy Harris as our guest commentator for the Sports Connection today.  Betsy is a former University of Alabama basketball standout and current College of Coastal Georgia Basketball Coach.

 I first got to know Betsy Harris when I was a University of Alabama student working for the UA student newspaper The Crimson White. One of the first regular beats I was given while with the CW was covering the Crimson Tide women’s basketball program, which was just on the verge of growing under  Bama coach Rick Moody. What a great time to begin covering UA women’s hoops as the team became a regular fixture  in the NCAA tournament, and I was fortunate to be able to follow the team in places such as Iowa, Texas and Richmond, Virginia as the program reached the Final Four. I made a lot of friends with the coaches and players, but Betsy was always one of my true favorites, not only because she was a deadly 3-point shooter, but also because she was and is a very nice person. I am glad to still call her a friend and I think you will find her commentary interesting.

 My Alabama Days by Betsy Harris

I took my second visit to the University of Alabama my senior year of high school. I didn’t tell the coaches I was coming because I needed to see if Alabama was the place I wanted to be to play my next four years of basketball. I went to the heart of campus, the Quad, and walked the sidewalk around it. As I was walking, a feeling of home came over me and I knew Alabama was the place for me. I was a part of Head Coach Rick Moody’s first recruiting class in his second year of coaching the women’s basketball program. In his fifth year at Alabama we made it to the school’s first (men’s or women’s) NCAA Final Four. It was the beginning of many more NCAA Tournaments the program would make.

My freshman year was a year of learning and perseverance. I graduated from a small high school in Mississippi with 54 people in my senior class so when I began my first day of classes at Alabama I was overwhelmed. There were more people in my Biology class than there were that graduated with me in high school. My Math professor was from another country so it made it difficult to understand what he was saying. You have to understand, the closet people to foreign that I came in contact with back home were either the Choctaw Indians that I went to school with or someone coming down from the North. During pre-season workouts, I experienced my first taste of being burned out because of all the running we were put through on the track at noon, the hottest part of the day then, and it was the first time I had experienced lifting weights. My coach wanted to redshirt me but I told him I didn’t want to redshirt. I couldn’t see myself sitting out a year and not playing in Coleman Coliseum. I wanted to prove to him and to those back home that I was ready and I could help better the team right then. I called home, upset from how I was feeling and from being homesick. My parents are believers in toughing things out and always finishing what you start. I did, and boy I’m glad I did! I was the third leading scorer and started a lot that year.  We improved from the year before and the experience prepared me for my sophomore year. Not bad for a small town Mississippi girl who some people said couldn’t play in the SEC J

My sophomore year was much like my freshman year. I was the third leading scorer again and my team made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. By my junior year, we were labeled the “Long Rangers” because of our outside 3- point shooting. We were one of the top 3-point shooting and scoring teams in the nation. We scored over 100 points multiple times that year and we would have more people coming to see us play on the road then at our home games just to see our run- and- gun team. We made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament again. I was invited to Colorado Springs, CO after that season by USA Basketball to try out for one of their select teams. I didn’t make a team but I got the opportunity to go.

In the fall of my senior year our assistant coach, Dottie Kelso, passed away from a brain aneurysm. Her passing and the effect she had on each one of us made for a memorable season. We dedicated our season to Coach K and vowed to make it to the NCAA Final Four so that she could get the ring she wanted. We made it to the Final Four only to get beat by three to Louisiana Tech University, a team we beat in the regular season by double figures. We achieved our goal though and received 1994 Final Four rings and a final ranking of No. 4 in the Nation when it was over with. On an individual note, I had never received an individual award until my senior year. I was named MVP of the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament in Austin, Texas, All-Tournament Final Four in Richmond, Virginia, and made 2^nd Team All-SEC. I had averaged 21 points in the NCAA Tournament and scored 21 points in my last game at Alabama. My uniform number was #21. The countless hours of being in the gym shooting before and/or after practice also paid off. I still hold the record for most 3-pointers scored in a career…18 years later J

After my days at Alabama, I went on to play professional basketball overseas in Spain, Iceland, Sweden, Greece, and Switzerland and I was a part of the WNBA’s Detroit Shock Training Camp. At the age of 27, I became a Graduate Assistant at the University of West Alabama where I earned my Master of Arts in Teaching. I became the assistant coach and later the associate head coach for 9 years at UWA. I had coaching stints at Troy University, East Central Community College, and Meridian Community College. After being a college coach for 12 years I got my first head coaching job at the College of Coastal Georgia last year. Last year was the first year of the women’s basketball program since the 80’s when it was a junior college and the first as a 4-year school. I was hired in April of 2011. I had no players, basketballs, or gear. With the help of some of my contacts and colleagues, I was able to get a team together for the 2011-2012 season. I won my first game as a head coach on Halloween Day with six players. I had male practice players to make up for the lack of players I had so that we could have a full practice of 5 on 5. We played with seven players last season and finished with a record of 19-10. This season we are allowed to compete in the NAIA postseason tournament if we do well. So far, we are 9-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

Basketball has always been a big part of my life. I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunities that I have had but most importantly I’ve been blessed with a family that has always believed and supported me. I continue to keep up with some of my Alabama teammates as they will always be family to me…The new and old ones.

Always Rollin with the Tide,

Betsy Harris ‘94

A Nation Grieves For Newtown

As I listened to the rain outside my house Sunday evening, my thoughts continued to be preoccupied with Friday's heartbreaking tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, a senseless ordeal that not only shook and staggered that small community, but an entire nation that continues to grieve over the loss of 26 innocent people.  Some 20 of those victims were young children, either 6 or 7-years-old.

As I searched my mind for ideas for a blog idea this past weekend,  it did not even seem respectful to me to consider writing about anything  else other than what many people are calling our nation's most horrific tragedy. 

It is hard to pinpoint where I would classify the Newtown nightmare in terms of comparison, as tragic occurrences in our increasingly troubled and lost nation, whether it be shootings or acts of terrorism or whatever, are becoming so commonplace now.  The lines are beginning to be blurred in terms of what makes one event worse than another one, especially when innocent lives are lost.

Obviously this tragedy has more emotional connotations than many of those other ones because it involved the loss of so many innocent angels, and children that had this Christmas and so many other ones to look forward to, as well as birthdays, graduations, marriages and so many other adventures in life still ahead. Even if you are a person who has been hardened by the somewhat harsh realities of life at times, the thought of beautiful and innocent children being gunned down and taken from their families and friends can only grip your heart in many deep ways, and it is almost too much to bear unless you truly have no soul.

It did not initially seem possible, but this story is becoming even more increasingly difficult, as we now are beginning to learn more about these innocent victims, and this not only includes the children who perished at the hands of a sick and evil person named Adam Lanza, but also the heroic adults who lost their lives attempting to save youngsters such as Dylan Hockley, Noah Pozner, Allison Wyatt and Emillie Parker.

We are now seeing the precious faces of those victims, and now we are going to have to watch funeral scenes. One thing is certain, and that is the town of Newtown, Connecticut will never be the same, and the people of this community will likely be scarred for life. Can you even begin to imagine what the surviving children will have to deal with the rest of their lives, especially the ones who experienced the terrible nightmare of witnessing the massacred bodies of their playmates and friends. No person should ever have to experience a scene like that, and especially a child. Some degree of innocence will be forever lost for these children, and for this town in general.

When and where does the healing begin for this friendly community? It is really hard to know.

Upon seeing a couple of the recent pictures of Lanza, all I could see was Satan, or pure evil incarnate. Let there be no doubt, there is a special place in Hell for any person who could kill his own mother, steal her gun and then go to the school where she taught and proceed to systematically and ruthlessly kill off people she held so dear to her heart. Lanza shot many of these victims multiple times and at close range. I also find it difficult to believe that the responders to this scene could ever really recover from what they witnessed either. 

While Lanza's actions were heinous, horrific, heartless or any other adjective you can use to describe the crimes that he perpetrated against this community, the troubling aspect to this whole story is,  as horrifying as this tragedy seems, it's hard to describe it as shocking because it is just the "latest" tragedy to grip our nation.

I guess I am more numb regarding this tragedy than anything else.  

I have shed a few tears, but at the same time I, like many others, am becoming increasingly desensitized by a nation and world which are seemingly losing more of their spiritual, moral, economic and political footing on a weekly basis.

While Satan was able to utilize Lanza as his tool to create this amazingly horrific and cruel situation in Newtown and make his statement that evil is truly alive and well in our world and nation, his power to pervert and defile everything that is good and pure in our world can be found in our schools, churches, homes, marriages and relationships, music, the Internet, video games, entertainment such as television and movies and of course the presence of pornography, abortion clinics and other significant menaces to our society.

As the events of this pre-Christmas tragedy emphasize to us once again, no one is promised tomorrow, and although I don't intend to sound overly preachy, the people of this nation need to seriously think about getting their "houses" in order.  And that definitely includes yours truly.

Cynics and non-Christians were no doubt ready to jump on this situation and shout out that a loving God would not allow such a horrible tragedy to occur, especially to children, and that He should have intervened.

Of course this comes from the same people who would prefer to have God removed from every significent facet of our lives, whether it be our schools, our traditions and holidays and even our laws and rules. Guess what, you cannot have it both ways.

There are still many good people in this world, and I love my country and my family and my friends and my church, but I am also resigned to the fact that this nation, and this world overall is nearing its end, and to say the thought of that upsets me would be disingenuous. 

The Newtown tragedy is just a small example of the fact that Satan and evil are continuing to win the battle for possession of our world, and Biblical scripture tells us that things are simply  not going to get better. It is definitely not a world that I am sure that I would want to bring a child into now, as defeatist and depressing as that might sound. 

Does that mean that I think the world is going to end in the next few years, or even the next few months or days?

Maybe not, but it would not shock me, as I think from a Christian standpoint that God has had just about enough, and I do think the end of times will occur at some point in my lifetime. 

Enough preaching for now, however, but I do want to end this commentary by expressing my total grief and heartbreak regarding this tragedy, and my condolences to everyone associated with this event, whether it be the victims, survivors, the families and friends of those lost, and the entire community of Newtown, Connecticut.

I also pray for God's mercy on our troubled and reeling nation and world.