A Tale of Two Programs

As I arrived in Athens, Georgia, last weekend to see old friends and experience one of the best gamedays in the nation, I could not avoid the welcome and hospitality that I received. Of course, Georgia was not playing Alabama, but it further solidified an SEC theory of mine. Alabama and Georgia are by far the closest friends in the conference. Every Georgia fan I met resounded that theory, and many of my fellow Tide fans have also stated their appreciation of Georgia. Georgia can best be compared to that competitive friend that everyone loves to beat themselves but no one loves to see beaten by others.

A number of reasons have grown and strengthened this relationship over the years. We have a mutual respect for the other’s program, history, and coaches. We have a mutual disdain for programs such as Auburn, Tennessee, and Florida. However, we have shared vastly different paths through the SEC over the past five years. No matter the amount of respect and camaraderie we share with the Bulldogs, it is extremely evident the impact we have had on each other.

The date was September 27, 2008. The game was between eighth ranked Alabama and third ranked Georgia. Athens was home that weekend to College Gameday, a blackout, and the most hyped SEC game in both team’s recent history. As Alabama fans, we are quite aware of the outcome. Alabama raced ahead to a 31-point halftime lead – stifling one of football’s most hostile environments – and held on to a 40-31 victory.

Thoughts of a national championship were then discussed; images of Julio Jones’ catch over Bryan Edwards were soon framed; the Tide had returned. In the last ten years, few games have been as monumental as that win against Georgia. Honestly, I believe it to be the biggest win in that span, greater than Florida in ’05, LSU in ’08, or Florida again in ’09. It was the Nascar-left turn into the final lap of Alabama’s recovery program, and the blown tire to Georgia’s quest for greatness.

Alabama had been through a mediocre 7-6 season with Nick Saban at the helms. Hype slowly built after a 6-2 start, but sank quickly when the Tide lost all four games in their November schedule, including an embarrassing loss to Louisiana-Monroe. The next year was the most questionable year in Alabama history. After a win in the opener against ninth-ranked Clemson, it was hard to keep the Alabama fan base from thinking anything other than national championship. The Georgia game fostered that belief and the mentality for the future of Alabama.

Since that fateful Georgia game, Alabama has been 33-5. All five of Alabama’s losses have been to school’s ranked inside the top fifteen. On the other hand, Georgia has been 20-16 since that defeat. Of those sixteen losses, five have been to unranked teams. The record is a far cry from the dominant Georgia team of the early and mid 00s.

Now, as Alabama walks amongst the elite of the SEC and the nation, Georgia is in a constant struggle to regain power within the anarchy that is the SEC East. ‘Hot Seat’ does not adequately describe the rising temperature under Mark Richt’s backside, and this season looks dismal for the Georgia Bulldogs. As an Alabama fan originally from south Alabama, I feel for the Bulldogs. Their loyal fans remind me of the loyalty that the Alabama fan base showed through the early 2000s, and their team boasts as many close losses as the Tide had during that period.

I believe that the Bulldogs still have a chance within the wide-open SEC East, and I hope that Alabama will play their old friend in the SEC Championship game – since they impacted our turnaround, maybe they can impact our jinx of only playing Florida in the SEC Championship game. My only request is that we cheer on our friends with a ‘Go Dawgs’ throughout the rest of their schedule. Given the opportunity that we play them in the SEC championship, respect them as our friends, but give them the hell that a good friend deserves.

The Real Housewife of Auburn

It has been a while, but I feel obligated to rant.

Earlier this summer, Auburn football coach Gene Chizik was given a raise and a contract extension after the Tigers miraculously won the national championship. His raise places his salary at 3.5 (up to 4.5 with incentives) million a year through 2015. This is the absolute dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life, which is an accomplishment.

List of other dumb things I've heard:
1. "I don't like sweet tea."
2. "It's just a water moccasin."
3. "Nah, you can go left on red."
4. Anything out of Michelle Bachmann's mouth.

Trust me. The list is much longer, and I am possibly forgetting some priceless material. I also know that many people/barners may think that I am idiotic. Before you say anything:

1. Dude, He Won A National Championship.

Oh wait, did he? I am almost positive I stated that in the second sentence. I agree readers. That is a miraculous accomplishment. I am sure that his leadership, determination, and damn good looks secured his place among the gods.

He had to coach a poor, young quarterback to be an elite Heisman winner. He had to whip-in-to-shape a malnourished, humble nose tackle to become one of the country's best and still most humble. He called the plays, he made the shots, and he won the games.

If you have not been alerted to the sarcasm yet, I truly pity your life as an individual. I have never seen a coach so disconnected from the earnings of a team in my short twenty years on this earth. The offense's success was thanks to Cam Newton and Gus Malzahn. The defense's lack of success and minor victories were thanks to Nick Fairley only. Gomer Pyle could have coached this team to a national championship and would have been much more entertaining to watch.

2. Bro, He's Been Recruiting Well

Rivals.com has ranked Auburn in the top ten in recruitment over the past two years (#4 in 2010 and #7 in 2011). Okay, that is decent. However, their rival, Alabama (#5 in 2010 and #1 in 2011) have still outperformed them in this aspect. The only proof of how Chizik handles recruits once on campus is at Iowa State - the Vanderbilt of the Big 12 who can not even pride itself on academics.

Sure, the recruits look like potential NFL prospects, but giving a raise and an extension before knowing what will become of the first classes of the fighting Chiziks is beyond me. Take for example, Georgia is ranked #2 in the nation over the past ten years in recruiting. What do they have to show for it? Not a whole lot.

Alabama, who floundered in mediocracy for much of the 00s, rebounded off of the growth and development of a few strong recruiting classes. It is in the cards for Auburn, but it would have been wise to let things play out before offering the raise and extension. I doubt Chizik would have left the place if not offered a raise.

3. But...DudeBro, He Brought in Cam Newton.

Yeah.......Sure......I will handle this issue in another post around 2015.

PS. Who's going to save them during this year's schedule? I saw a more positive outlook in The Perfect Storm. If you have not seen it, everyone dies. Sorry.


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5 Lessons Learned from March Madness

The time is upon us. After electronically – or manually, if you lack technological savvy or friends – filling out your brackets, the weeks have advanced. Most individuals, including myself, ended up writing a death certificate along with a prescription for high blood pressure medication. Michigan turned my pick of Tennessee advancing to the Sweet Sixteen into the stereotypical blonde girl in the opening of any slasher flick. Other decisions, such as Kansas State in the Final Four, did not support my bracket, and I began my slow decline to the depths of my bracket standings.

But alas, like the metallic, shape-shifting policeman in Terminator 2, my bracket just would not die. I have the opportunity to win my bracket pool on Monday night if UConn and the fighting Kemba Walkers take home the trophy. It will not only be a victory for myself, but also a victory for the basketball world. I say this because the current leader in my bracket pool of twenty is from Canada, and she picked the winners based on the collaborative cuteness of their colors and mascots. However, she did teach me the first valuable lesson of March Madness, and I discovered more throughout this tournament.

Lesson 1: Don’t use your head.

Seeding does not matter. I am not condoning the picks of fifteen and sixteen seeds, but statistical strength of teams has meant little when deciding the advancement of teams over the past two years. Instead, be in touch with your feelings. That is your gut feelings. I had a feeling that an experienced Butler team would make a run into the late stages, but you could not tell me that a Gordon Hayward-less Butler team could match up against a dominant Pittsburgh team. Human intuition is much stronger than we know, and the most commonly used phrase of any NCAA tournament is, “I knew I should have picked them.”

Lesson 2: One player can carry a team.

Strong, fundamentally sound teams win championships. However, this tournament has taught the nation that strong, fundamentally sound players can win championships. I will admit that I have a strong ‘bromance’ for Kemba Walker, but his play on the court has amazed fans and confused critics. UConn has won an astonishing ten consecutive games including the Big East tournament. In those games, Walker has averaged 25.5 points per game. Sure, players such as Jeremy Lamb have stepped up to provide support for Walker, but it would be idiotic to believe that this UConn team would have won a majority of those games without Walker.

Lesson 3: Do not pick all five seeds to defeat twelve seeds, as well as all one seeds to make it to the Final Four.

The first has always been a rule of thumb, which I decided to break this year. A twelve seed has advanced to the second round 23 of the last 26 years. Vanderbilt has played poorly in their NCAA tournament past. Richmond was considered by many to be one of the smartest Cinderella picks. This is just one of the many mysteries of the tournament that must be respected. The second rule applies mostly to Barack Obama, and the sheer stupidity of the concept. The only year in which all four one seeds made the Final Four was in 2008. If you think about it, each one seed must play a cupcake team, a mediocre team, a strong four seed, and a team that just missed being that one seed – disbarring upset – in order to make it to the Final Four. In reality, seeds one through four all have legitimate claims to being a one seed. The percentage chance of all four teams advancing is next to zero.

Lesson 4: Alabama would most likely have made a run in this tournament.

It is very disappointing that Alabama did not make the NCAA tournament this year. The selection committee proved again that conference and late-season wins mean little if the team had not come together at the beginning of the season. Through watching the tournament, most fans should feel even more jilted due to the success of the underdog. I compare Alabama to Florida State in this tournament. Florida State showed the nation what good defense provides come tournament time. Besides VCU’s recent loss to Butler, the only team that had a chance to beat them was Florida State. They held Texas A&M to 50 points, as well as favorite Notre Dame to 57. Seeing these results by a team, which many analysts considered the purest defensive team in the tournament, shows how well Alabama could have played in the tournament. This lead to my last lesson learned.

Lesson 5: Alabama has a bright future ahead of them with Anthony Grant

No disrespect to Shaka Smart, but the VCU team that made a run in the tournament is mostly Grant’s recruits. Star players, Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess, are signs that Grant can attract shooters to a program, which is dire for the growth of the Alabama Crimson Tide. With the resources and recruiting base available for Grant, expect this team to be a consistent contender within the next few years.

As this tournament winds down, remember these lessons for future brackets as well as keeping faith in the Alabama Crimson Tide team. Hopefully, the UConn Huskies can bring me a bracket championship as well. Thank goodness Huskies are cuter than Bulldogs; it is a definite win now.

Old Money vs. New Money in the NBA

Following last week’s controversial article in the Crimson White concerning Old Money and New Money on our very campus, I would like to state that I do believe in the divide. It is a divide that has deepened as of late. However, it is all out of state due to Alabama’s inefficiency to bring in any professional sports. It is a divide that has split the NBA into two distinct groups. Confrontation is at hand.

These two sides are set for battle. With bounce passes that cut like knives and dunks that can deface any poor soul, the Old Money/New Money divide has gained notorious teams on both sides. While one side is looking towards retirement and the other looking past high school, the NBA and its fans stand in awe.

Old Money, such as the Lakers, Spurs, and Celtics, are listed as favorites year after year. Their production usually comes from rehabilitated knees and old-fashioned technique. They speak of times when they played against the likes of John Stockton and Michael Jordan. In those days, they had to walk to the arena, uphill both ways. The end of their tenure is fast approaching. They’ll most likely retire within the next five years, only to come back, play two years for the Raptors, and further stain their careers.

Fans of Old Money teams have more often than not always been fans of those teams. These fans speak of team experience and live in past championships. Watching Old Money teams play the sport is about as exciting as watching sea urchins procreate. I would rather watch Nicholas Cage act than Tim Duncan bank shots. For some basketball god-forsaken reason, they are at the top at the end of the year. This then means that my sports choices are spring baseball or the 1969 rematch of the same damn Lakers and Celtics team. I am just hoping that it is Sunday so I can aimlessly watch three hours of left turns instead.

New Money, such as the Heat, Thunder, and Knicks, have newly acquired talent that has catapulted them to the top. Their production comes from youth and finesse. They rely on highlight-reel dunks, alley-oops, and trick shots to overcome their opponents. They speak of the time when they went to college for one year (or just high school) and averaged 30+ points a game while taking their team to the Final Four, only to leave and piss off a whole fan base. Their tenure has no end in sight. They’ll most likely grow and develop into Old Money and continue this whole ‘Circle of Life’ with less appealing characters.

Ironically, most people hate New Money teams as well. They claim this hatred is due because of the selfishness of the players and disrespect for the game. This can be seen through the formation of ‘super-teams’ for the purpose of ‘nuclear basketball.’ Also, hosting your own selection show in order to tell the world where you plan on taking your talents is usually looked upon as selfish. The love for the game that has been documented by Old Money and shown through their predecessors is not evident with New Money. It’s as though they took the love for the game and contorted it into self-interest, similar to the way MTV takes love and lets soulless individuals such as Flava Flave and Tila Tequila own it.

One area that was left out of the campus struggle for power between Old Money and New Money was a certain section titled ‘No Money.’ Well, No Money has its own particular place in the NBA. The Kings, Raptors, and Nets all fall under the title. All there is to know about No Money is that they are terrible. They most likely will not rise to power in our lifetimes. Watching them play is about as attractive as Nicholas Cage, if he were cast as the leading role in Black Swan.

The sides are ready. As you recline in your dorm, apartment, or living room as the playoffs approach, notice the differences between Old Money and New Money. Do not hope for compromise. Do not hope for conformity. Only hope for heightened tension and hatred. After you hope for those things, sit back and enjoy, and may Blake Griffin have mercy on your soul.

Review of National Signing Day

ESPN has always been the most innovative entity at marketing the random. Spanning channel upon channel, they have unearthed ratings through a multitude of sporting outlets. The general public visits ESPN. The leftovers visit ESPN2 for their specified, offbeat interests. Those in need of a quick sports fix or just love an unsalted SportsCenter flip to ESPNews. Fans searching to relive ‘better times’ or failed ESPN originals find ESPN Classic. Hell, who doesn’t enjoy a good re-run of Stump the Schwab at two in the morning? Those suffering from dementia enjoy ESPN’s variety of alternate channels, which play more soul-draining background music than sporting events. And usually, seventeen students at Dartmouth are intently watching their men’s squash team on ESPNU.

However, ESPNU’s ratings rose infinitesimally this Wednesday thanks to the development of a relatively new market. The center of attention in the sporting world had deserted February basketball for the sport of hat selection with a side of awkward banter. That could only mean that National Signing Day had come. For hours, the general public, including myself, were glued to their televisions anxious to see where the next big recruit would go, his potential on the college field and his selection antics.

At times during the day, it could be described that I was watching Spike TV, Soap Net, and Animal Planet all conglomerated onto ESPN. It was manly, drama-filled Darwinism at its best. The athletes were physical beasts. Some of them, including Cyrus Kouandjio, involved plot twists that would leave LOST writers scratching their heads. Then, there was Isaiah Crowell, who brought out a miniature bulldog in some sort of Snuggie after he chose Georgia over Alabama. The awkward conversation that followed may have been the most unbearable of the day.

Speaking of Alabama, how did they fair in signing day? ESPN ranks the Tide as the number two recruiting class in the nation following Florida State. The tricky aspect of their ranking is the added weight that they attach to ESPNU 150 recruits, which Florida State had twelve and Alabama had ten. Rivals, which I believe to be a more legitimate recruiting source, has Alabama as the top ranked recruiting class based on the average talent of all of the players acquired to this point.

As dominant as the state of Alabama has been in football recently, the same can be said for Alabama and Auburn on the recruiting trail. Both teams finished in the top five in recruiting, but Alabama was by far more impressive. Think about it. Alabama has a young, experienced team. Auburn has a young, non-experienced team. For Alabama to out recruit the defending national champions is one thing, but for Alabama to out recruit the defending national champions when they can offer playing time is another thing. While it may take Auburn two or three years to rebuild, Alabama will constantly be near the top thanks to consistent recruiting.

Great recruits always have the hype, but which ones will show the potential their first year on campus? Looking at Alabama’s committed class of players, I see three athletes that have the ability to be stand out when they arrive to campus. If Jadeveon Clowney (who will break someone’s heart with his decision on February 14th) and Kouandjio commit to Alabama, it would be easy to say that they would be early impact players, but you can’t count your unsigned emotional teenagers until they sign.

3 Players to Make an Immediate Impact

1.Xzavier Dickson (4 star recruit, DE) is the player who I believe will have the most impact upon joining the team. In an Alabama defense with a wealth of experience and talent, the defensive line is possibly the weakest area. It will be interesting to see, due to his size, whether he will add bulk to play the line in a 3-4 defense or focus on speed to play both linebacker and down lineman where Donta Hightower and Courtney Upshaw excel.

2.Trey DePriest (5 star recruit, MLB) has received much hype this offseason as the number one middle linebacker in the nation. He is the stereotypical Alabama linebacker due to his strength and quickness. However, Alabama is extremely deep at the linebacker position. It will be interesting to see how Nick Saban and company use him in the defensive rotation.

3.This may come to many as a surprise, but the third player that I believe can have an immediate impact is Marvin Shinn (4 star recruit, WR). With the exit of Julio Jones, Alabama’s receiving core will mostly consist of faster, quick-strike receivers. Shinn, 6’4 180 lbs, has the opportunity to add weight during the offseason and become the possession receiver in a group of explosive receivers. It would also be an added benefit for an inexperienced AJ McCarron to have a possession receiver reminiscent of Jones.

The Winning Team

The team that benefitted most from this recruiting season is the Georgia Bulldogs. They finished in the top ten of the standings, largely based upon the wealth of talent that the state of Georgia delivered this year. Honestly, I predicted them to be a top ten team next year which I admit is far-fetched, but given a strong, young quarterback in Aaron Murray and an excellent coach in Mark Richt to lay the foundation of this team, I expect Georgia will re-enter the national spotlight within the next few years.

This year’s signing day has come and gone, but the media fiasco, hype and excitement of that day will live on as these young players make the transition to the football field. Those athletes who prevail will forever bask in the glory, and those who bust will forever be the butt ends of the jokes. Just remember; it all spawned from the selection of a single hat.

A Tale of Two Streaks

When I sat down to begin this article, I had a clear vision of the argument in which I wanted to support. Everyone knows of the Connecticut women’s basketball team and their streak of ninety consecutive wins. Everyone also knows that it surpassed the previous record of eighty-eight wins held by legendary John Wooden led UCLA Bruins men’s team. An identity crisis soon ensued for the entire sports world.

The argument that I wanted to back, being of the sexually dominant male side of sports, was that there was no way on God’s polished hardwood that UConn’s streak could be more impressive than UCLA’s. However, in today’s world it is not enough to simply say that UCLA’s streak is more impressive because men are better athletes than women. I needed a formula. I needed something that could take away the biased nature of our media.

I decided to look at the argument through three frames: difficulty, emotion, and time period. Basically, I wanted to compare the numbers, compare the respective meaning of each streak, and compare the streaks with respect of the time period in which they were accomplished.

As far as difficulty was concerned, there were a number of facts and accomplishments in which I could compare. Both teams handily defeated their opponents. However, was there a difference in the strength of schedule?

For the UConn women, the only obstacles on their road to ninety wins lied mostly in out of conference play and the occasional Big East teams such as Georgetown and Notre Dame. Also, they were rarely tested in the NCAA tournament with the one exception being last year’s championship game against Stanford.

For the UCLA men, the Pac-10 was a relatively weak conference during their streak with the exception of USC and an up year by Arizona. Out of conference play was where their streak was untouchable except for Notre Dame who bookended the streak. UCLA did have a tougher road to the championship than the UConn women, but it was much easier than any team in men’s basketball has ever encountered.

The emotion of the streak was the one ambiguous, subjective concept that I wanted to add to this ‘formula.’ Emotion can capture, stamp, and authenticate moments. Emotion is the one aspect that can simultaneously fuel a rivalry, rebuild a program, and gain public appeal. I decided to take one aspect from both streaks that seized the emotion of the nation as well as basketball and its future.

The UCLA men’s streak intrigued the nation to the world of college basketball and life. Of course, college basketball was an exciting, popular sport during the time, but the lasting effect of the streak and John Wooden’s overall legacy will always be linked to shaping basketball. Although it may not have had the immediate impact on basketball that the 1966 NCAA Championship game possessed when an all-black Texas El-Paso squad defeated Kentucky as well as racial barriers, the streak will always be remembered as a legendary figure (Wooden) leading a squad to be not only better basketball players, but also better human beings.

The UConn women’s streak destroyed barriers of gender in sports while setting the standard for excellence to a higher bar. Geno Auriemma, the Susan B. Anthony and John Wooden hybrid of sports, has fought for this team to be considered among the best while developing his players into acceptable citizens of society. Although he has openly made statements proclaiming his disgust for modern media and fans who are only along for the ride because it is a men’s record, not once has he declared the dominance of UConn’s streak compared to UCLA’s. He does not compare himself to the late Wooden or his team to UCLA, but, like most coaches, demands excellence on and off the court, which is comparable to Wooden. While women’s athletics will never pass men’s in popularity with the public and media, this streak will forever be remembered, at least until it is broken down the road.

While the two streaks have been comparable thus far, I believed that the last frame of judgment would provide all of the proof needed to proclaim the UCLA men’s streak far more dominant than the UConn women’s. Looking at college basketball in the modern era, men’s and women’s basketball has an apparent difference. Whereas women’s basketball has a powerhouse of four to five teams that are seemingly the only teams in the chase year-in and year-out, men’s basketball appears more level across the playing field. I attributed this fact to the recruitment in both sports and the disparity between athletes in both sports.

For example, take the NCAA tournament from both sides. Double-digit seeds are more frequent in the men’s tournament during the later rounds. Since 2007, seeds of ten or higher have advanced thirty-two times in the men’s tournament compared to only seventeen in the women’s. As for the Final Four, thirteen teams have been represented on the men’s side compared to only nine on the women’s side. Also, a greater amount of teams have represented the men’s final top ten over this span.

I credit much of this to the rise and predominance of a select group of women’s basketball teams. Teams such as Connecticut, Tennessee, Stanford, and Duke have ruled the recruitment universe with the occasional Rutgers or Baylor rising for a year or two. These teams consistently acquire the top tier athletes on a yearly basis. Also, the top tier of women athletes has been far greater than the other tiers. The disparity between the tiers of athletes in women’s basketball is much greater than in men’s basketball, or, perhaps, there are more athletes in men’s basketball that reach the ‘Maya Moore’ tier if one were to compare the two.

Alas, the present meant nothing when comparing it to the past. Upon further evaluation of the UCLA men’s streak, one component struck me. Looking at the top ten rankings for men’s basketball between 1970-1974 and women’s basketball between 2007-2011 which included a majority of both team’s streaks, there were twenty four different teams in the top ten for men’s basketball and twenty different teams in the top ten for women’s. For the top five, eleven different teams represented men’s basketball compared to nine for women’s. So, the disparity that is relevant when comparing the two in today’s basketball world is non-existent when comparing it to the past. The UCLA men’s season and tournament consisted largely of the same predominant forces that women’s basketball faces today.

Examination of the three frames has led me to this unexpected conclusion. If one were to compare them as equal, the difficulty was similar, the emotional effect was great, and the disparity was comparable. There is nothing that I can see to prompt one streak as more impressive than the other. To my fellow bros, I am sorry. I have failed to answer the ultimate ‘gender domination’ call. With an unbiased, objective, media-disbarring goal, I have finally broken down the mental barrier that our male-dominated sports world has created.

The Downside to Having So Much Talent

Like the ever-lurking, slasher-flick terror that it is, the NFL draft is looking for new stars to write out of the college script. Alabama is near the top of its A-list with five key juniors who have the potential to make a huge impact in the NFL. Marcell Dareus, Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Dont'a Hightower, and Mark Barron have all expressed their interest in the NFL. Who will be written out, and who will return to star in another year?

*This is a strictly subjective look at what I think each player will choose.

The Out

1. Marcell Dareus (DL)

With the size,speed, and athleticism of Dareus, many believed after the Crimson Tide's championship run that he would be the top defensive player in 2011 draft. His stock has decreased slightly due to injury and questionable play at times during this season. Also, the exceptional play by other defensive players across the board such as Clemson's DaQuan Bowers and LSU's Patrick Peterson have helped them climb to higher projected spots than Dareus.

Dareus is projected as a top five to mid first round pick. Most see him going to either the Arizona Cardinals or the Dallas Cowboys.

I see no reason for him to stay or why he should stay. Honestly, I do not blame him either.

Confidence: 95%

2. Mark Ingram (RB)

2009 Heisman Trophy recipient Mark Ingram was projected as an early first round pick entering the 2010 season. Injury, split time with Trent Richardson, and decreased line productivity have hindered Ingram from having the breakout season of a year ago. Still, he is the premier running back in this draft and is an explosive force on the field.

All projections have him as the top running back, and all dispute his place on the 'big board.' Some have him as early as fifteen while others believe that he will linger into the second round. The Miami Dolphins are the most frequent team put beside his selection.

With a national championship, a Heisman trophy, rushing records, and a stable backfield behind him, Mark Ingram will only be risking injury should he return to finish his senior season.

Confidence: 98%

The In

1. Dont'a Hightower (ILB)

A season ending injury cut Hightower's sophomore year short, but most believed that he would return for his junior year in prime form to take over for first round pick Rolando McClain. However, Hightower has not lived up to the hype, and, in some eyes, had a less than stellar season.

He is valuable at the next level for his size and athleticism, but he lacks the 'football-smarts' that made his predecessor McClain that much better. He is projected as a second round pick and a top five player at his position.

I believe that Hightower would benefit if he returned for his senior season. One more year under Nick Saban and, hopefully, Kirby Smart will polish his game and possibly boost him to an early first round position.

Confidence: 75%

2. Mark Barron (S)

As Hightower had a season ending injury his sophomore year, Barron experienced the same through a torn pectoral muscle during the Iron Bowl this season. Barron, the expected leader along with Hightower and Dareus for the Tide's young defense, did not live up to his standards for most fans.

Again, just like every other player in this article, Barron has a tremendous amount of talent. I believe that he has a great amount of potential that surpasses his second round projection.

The kicker for him staying is the torn pectoral. Being limited to advancing his stock through the combine due to injury is enough motivation for him to return for his senior season.

Confidence: 85%

The Potential Shocker

1. Julio Jones (WR)

Quite possibly the best skill player in this year's draft, Jones exhibits many characteristics of the NFL's elite receivers. He is built like a graceful tank. He has a superb ability for lateral playmaking such as screens, outs, slants, and even sweeps, and he also can extend his playmaking downfield due to his speed and size. He has the spectacular catch ability, but does drop his fair share. Like the NFL's superb tight ends, he's a potential match-up problem, but one can move him around.

After mediocre productivity and a broken hand in the South Carolina game (which he did record over 100-yards of receiving even after the first quarter injury), Jones went on a tear during the rest of the season. Due to a more versatile Alabama offense and better chemistry between him and Greg McElroy, Jones finished the season with over 1100 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns.

He is projected as early as the seventh pick in the draft to late first round and the second best receiver behind Georgia's AJ Green. Some projections have him going to either the Washington Redskins or the Cleveland Browns.

Julio Jones has stated that if he was not a top five draft pick that he would not enter the draft. It is clear that he most likely will not be, but this season has propelled him to premier draft status. There are so many intangibles to consider in Jones' choice, but I think he will leave due to the sole fact of not risking injury. His sophomore year was plagued by a resilient knee injury followed by a broken hand his junior year. I believe those two injuries are big enough for him to leave for the NFL.

Confidence (that he will leave): 60%

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Again, there is a ton of gray area inside all of these player's choices. I would not be surprised if they all decided to enter the draft, and I would say there is a .05% chance that they all remain for their senior season.

Of course, the NFL lockout would be the best solution for any Tide fan, but the great thing about this Alabama program is that the talent is in place to fill whatever necessary holes.