PIG'S PICKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhh yes, another addition of Pig's Picks. Hopefully you took my advice last week and made some cheddar from my 3-1 record against the spread. Since I have to head out of town early for my boy Brian Burton's wedding this week in Virginia here is an early addition of Pig's Picks.




South Carolina @ Kentucky (Kentucky by 1)

I have to admit I was impressed with both Kentucky's defense and Gamecock QB Chris Smelley last week as he lead South Carolina to an impressive road win at Ole Miss and UK made Alabama sweat at home. I feel pretty good about the Wildcats in this one. This makes back to back road games for South Carolina and I think Kentucky is a good, underrated team. Plus, it is real tough for me to respect a team that has a chicken on their helmet. Take the Fightin' Rich Brooks' in this one.


PIG's PICKS: BIG BLUE








#13 VANDERBILT at MISSISSIPPI STATE (Vandy by 2 1/2)

You might be thinking 2 1/2 is a very small line for team ranked # 13 playing at a terrible Mississppi St. team that comes into this one really struggling. My inside sources (Beano Cook) told me there is a reason this line is so small. Vandy is coming off one the biggest wins in school history, they are due for a let down, and they have to travel a good distance to beautiful downtown Starkville, MS (I'm kidding about beautiful and downtown) for this one. There were a few folks who were on the Miss St. bandwagon before the year ( I even thought they would be better than this) but something has gone wrong for Sly Croom's boys thus far. I see Mis-Stake keeping this one close throughout, but think Vandy will win by at least a FG.

PIGS PICK: SHOW YOUR GOLD (Barely)








Arkansas at # 20 Auburn (Auburn by 19)

Wow ,I really do not know what to say about this one. First of all, how is awwwburn still ranked with 2 losses and no wins over quality teams? Auburn still has a good defense but their offense has been turrrrible. Arkansas has just been brutal in every aspect, even the awful hats Bobby Petrino wears ( I think he went to the hometown Wal-Mart for the one he wore last week). The game is in Auburn but Arkansas has historically given Ears Tubbervile fits...but that was Houston Nutt's old Hogs, not this weak Petrino bunch. I like Auburn to win, just not by 19 plus. Another 3-2 win for the the war buzzards?

PIGS PICK: PIG SOOIE (To cover, not win)








Tennessee @ # 10 Georgia (Georgia by 12)

Ohhhhhh what a year for the Vols. Coming into this game a dozen point underdog Rocky Bottom is looking at a 2-4 start and 0-3 SEC record in the face, so you know they will come out desperate. It wont matter, as they have been that bad. Tennessee got a HUUUGE win over Northern Illinois last week (sarcasm) in a 13-9 blowout that many Vol fans considered a "moral defeat". Georgia is coming off a bye week after an embarrassing loss to Alabama and should be ready for this one. I still do not think Georgia is as good as we are told before the year, but they are certainly better than Tennessee in Athens.

PIGS PICKS: HUNKER DOWN DAWGS









# 4 LSU at # 11 Florida (Florida by 6)

A team that has alrady lost to Ole Miss and ranked # 11 favored by six over an undefeated defending national champion ranked # 4? This does not make sense to me. I realize the game is in the Swamp, but LSU has won 2 out of the last 3 in Gainesville. I have watched both teams a few times and agree that neither has looked unstoppable but are both very talented and quality teams. This one comes down to the wire and while I do not think LSU will win (I really hope they don't for Alabama's case), I think they keep it within 6 points and cover.


PIG'S PICK: GEAUX TIGERS (To cover, not win)

Finally...A Decent Act for Homecoming

As the bye week random article train keeps rolling along here is some more good news for Alabama football fans. After years of questionable musicians playing Homecoming, Alabama has gone out and got a sure crowd pleaser...Mr. Hank Williams Jr. More details in the article below.


Bocephus at the Capstone

Even Vandy Fans Hate Auburn and Tennessee!!!

Here is a little Wednesday morning humor for you on a bye week. These pictures was taken last Saturday in Nashville as # 19 Vanderbilt upset # 13 Auburn 14-13. It is always great when a historical SEC bottom dweller can make fun of your two biggest rivals for you. Nice work Dore fans, nice work.

AP Voting Breakdown

We are off this week so you will find a lot of reaching for material since we have no opponent to talk about. Below is a link to see how each AP voter had Alabama this week. An interesting find is that one gentleman had us ranked # 4 in his poll while he had LSU at # 2. What is interesting about this? He is from Baton Rogue, LA.

13 voters had Alabama # 1, 27 had us at # 2, 15 had us at # 3, 9 had has at # 4, and one guy who must not watch college football had us at # 5. College Gameday host Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit both have the Tide # 2. Anyway attached is the poll.




Alabama Week 7 Breakdown

News from Nashville

Here is an update from the Music City for all those wondering.

-Vandy fans are on top of the world with their win over awwwwburn and new # 13 ranking.
-The Presidential debate here is tomorrow night so everybody is jacked up about that.
-The Titans are 5-0 so that is sick.

But this picture does a great job of summing up what is happening in the state of Tennessee.

Kentucky Game Thoughts

There are a few things we can take away from 2nd ranked Alabama's 17-14 win over Kentucky yesterday. First of all, the majority of Alabama fans I have spoke with need to relax and enjoy another SEC win. Kentucky came into the game undefeated, on the verge of being in the Top 25 and, in my opinion, better than most of America thinks they are. I predict the Wildcats finish higher than both South Carolina and Tennessee in the SEC East.

This said I am not trying to make excuses for Alabama. Did we play well? No. Were there times during the game where we looked bad? Yes. Are we the second best team in the country? I don't know, but it really does not matter. Halfway through the regular season Alabama is in the national title game conversation rather you think they should be or not. As for the rankings whether we are ranked 1st, 5th or anywhere in between it really does not matter because of the remaining schedule.

#1 Oklahoma, #3 Missouri, and #5 Texas of the BIG XII will begin to knock each other out in the next few weeks. Texas still has to play Oklahoma, so somebody is losing. Texas has to play Missouri, so somebody is losing. If Missouri beats Texas and everybody else they will have to play the BIG XII South winner(Texas or Oklahoma) in the Big XII Title game. Bottom line: One team comes out of the BIG XII.

#2 Alabama and #4 LSU have a date in Baton Rogue in November that will settle that debate if both teams are still unbeaten. LSU also has top-15 Florida and Georgia left on their schedule before they meet the Crimson Tide. Alabama has Auburn, Tennessee, and multiple other trap games left on their schedule. If we are sitting 12-0 or with 1 loss they then would have to go to the SEC Title Game against the East champ ( I hope its Vandy). Bottom line: One (or none) team gets out of the SEC undefeated.

I give you that mini schedule to prove the point that the rankings do not matter in week 6, so just enjoy it. Alabama has been down for so long why are we nervous/anxious about being ranked #2 in America? As fans we just need to enjoy it and our players just need to forget it and win one game at a time...that is all they can control.

Also, think about what a difference a year or two makes. A Mike Shula Alabama team losses that game yesterday (No offense Mike). With Kentucky having the momentum and our offense in a coma in the 2nd half we drove the ball downfield, ate the clock, kicked a FG and iced the game. A drive like that against a good SEC defense in that situation has not happened for us in years. Have we gotten such big heads we can not enjoy a nice SEC win? Sure we played bad but I cannot remember any undefeated team without close games along the way, but those teams find a way to win the games and move on, we did that. We have played 6 games and won 6 games, I am not a math major but you cannot do much more than that.

General point Tide fans.....Let's just enjoy our great season and being extremely relevant on the national stage and in the SEC Title race again.

p.s. I went 3-1 in my picks last week. Maybe Wall Street needs me to bail them out.

Not Such a Fantastic Finish

Glenn Coffee (38) rushes past UK defender on his way to a career high 219 yards

After Alabama jumped to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter as a result of Kentucky's quarterback, Mike Hartline's, fumble near his own endzone and Alabama's defense rumbling in for six and Glenn Coffee's 78 yard touchdown run, an eerie feeling of complacency seemed to come over the team and the entire stadium.

Heck, I even found myself feeling confident, even after all of the disappointment and disgust I have been put through over the last ten years. It was hard not to say to yourself, "Hey, we should have scored on every drive!"

“We’re certainly happy with the win,” Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said. “But we put on a clinic for how to keep the other team in the game.”

Kentucky's defense was very physical. It seemed as if when we hit them in the mouth, they hit right back. This is something the 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide has not been accustomed to.
If Alabama is to gain the success all Tide fans long for in this 2008 season, games like this will go a long way toward them doing so.

A great coach said, "You show me someone who is successful, and I'll show you someone who has gone through adversity" - Lou Holtz

In previous years, the Tide would have lost this game. We would have completely lost our focus and execution for such a length of time that we would have gift wrapped a win for the Wildcats and sent them riding an impressive 5-0 record and a defeat of the number two team in the country all the way back to Lexington.

But there comes the difference in mindset Saban has infused into our players. We no longer run from adversity, we embrace it.

The Tide showed heart on Saturday night, a champions heart. One many Tide fans haven't seen since Ben Matlock ruled the Hollywood courtroom.