OAK MOUNTAIN STUDENT INSPIRES YANKEES SKIPPER

Notice the yellow bracelet on Yankees ManagerJoe Girardi's left wrist. It was given to him by Oak Mountain High School student Mark Newton.

I've known Mark for about 6 months. He is battling cancer. He got a clean bill of health about a month ago, but the 11th grader and his family still want to help and encourage other young people who are fighting for their lives.

Mark's a big Yankees fan and went to the last two games in Atlanta. Thursday night, Braves GM Frank Wren brought the Newton's down to meet some of the Braves and Brian McCann spent a lot of time with Mark. The Yankees took the field and Derek Jeter talked with Mark about his sister who had Hodgkins just like Mark. Jeter started taking batting practice, and Girardi stepped down off the viewing step from behind the cage and talked with Mark. Then he let them watch batting practice from the step. After Jeter finished with his cage session, he tossed Mark his bat (awesome) Then Girardi got one of Mark's "Mighty Warriors of Prayer" yellow bracelets (Brown and I and many others are wearing them). The Yankees skipper wore it during the game and will keep it in a box of others he has received. He takes them to every game.

Great story.

As you see, Girardi is wearing it and praying for Mark and other children who are fighting the disease.

WHO WILL GET THE GUARD?

CBS 42 and Dunaway and Brown first reported Tuesday that Parker Guard Eric Bledsoe still has some interest in Memphis despite the departure of John Calipari.

Sources tell us that Bledsoe is scheduled to visit Memphis this Thursday.

Alabama's Anthony Grant, Calipari at Kentucky, UAB and others are still trying to sign the guard from the Birmingham High School. One source says grades may still be a major hurdle but if he qualifies, Bledsoe could play this season.

TV, RADIO IS ALL ABOUT "THE SPLASH"

The New York Times gives us this Tuesday morning: Fox and MSNBC surge in ratings because of their decision to "pound away at the poles" in politics. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/business/media/27cnn.html?8dpc

Sports coverage is no different.

Listen to talk radio any day, and it's all about the extreme.

Real opinions have been replaced by "extreme" statements and story lines that seem to be huge for four hours (maybe a week) and then fade into nothing, never amounting to anything.

Hey, I'm as a guilty as anyone. I've hosted the Alabama Football Show for 5 of the last 7 years. Surely there is an Alabama fan or ten that likes my radio show or TV sportscast more because I stand next to Coach Saban 14 times a year on his coaches show.

Here's where I try to be different. If I don't really believe it, I don't say it.

Shocking, I know.

There are times we get beat on stories and times we are wrong, but we are never wrong for ratings or phone calls.

Would our jobs be easier if we picked Nick Saban's every comment to pieces? You bet.

Would I need to know things about the other 10 SEC schools if I just bashed Gene Chizik every day to get Auburn fans mad enough to call? (Show prep would be easier)

As a conservative southerner, it's hard for me to really believe CNN is playing it down the middle, but I admire the attempt.

I admire strong, controversial opinions, but only if they are real feelings and not some fabricated attempt to try and get you to call the show.

My fear is this, you want to be played.

You want the host to say bad things about your team one day and your rival the next because it somehow makes life more exciting for you.

Much like the millions of WWE fans over the years who bought tickets to see Wrestle-Mania, even though they knew it was scripted. You tune in knowing it's all an orchestrated series of calls, comments, and make believe.

Don't feel shame. I used to cheer for the Washington Generals.

Just remember us when someone pulls the mask off Tommy Gallion, or stops hitting Andre Smith over the head with a metal folding chair. Don't forget to check in with us during commercial breaks between Tommy Tuberville taking the Texas A&M job and Nick Saban's handlers censoring questions he is asked by the media like he's coaching football in Bryant-Stalin Stadium outside the Kremlin.

Just remember those of us not screaming about Global Warming or Tea Parties.

We'll be here. Everyday, 2-to-6pm, in our own little world.

MIKE McNEIL UPDATE

Reports from Auburn Tuesday night were that Mike McNeil has surgery Tuesday. Doctors put a pin in his leg to help the healing process after Mike suffered what we are told was a complete break of his shin (tibia), about six inches above his ankle. A family friend in Mobile said some of his Auburn teammates visited him at the hospital and that he expects to be in a protective boot for almost 2 months. He does expect to be ready for the start of camp in August.

TWITTER UPDATES TO dandbradio about BRACKETS

KaraKennedyWhy did I have to say anything about my bracket? I jinxed it. Look at what happened to FSU. Or did their President jinx them?

lazludThe losses by West Virginia and Stephen F Austin killed my 6-year-old daughter's bracket

jarspikeGlad I chose Siena, so much for the "amazing" ACC teams and how good they are

rlfordWhy is CBS referring to the BCS during the NCAA basketball tourney?

(*Dunaway Note: I totally agree, BCS is strictly a football reference)

palladinotNot a bad night for my bracket. Siena, Cleve St, Mich St win, FSU loses. Final Four still alive. #madness

msudawgdang. i knew I should have taken cleveland state and wisconsin.

vulcansmuse#NCAA bracket count: 23/32 no thanks to Wake, OSU, WVU, BC, Tennessee, VCU, FSU, Clemson, & Miss State. FSU/VCU/BC ruined my Sweet 16.

WolfeReportsMy bracket is teh suxxors. Many thanks, Wake. Demon Deacons? More like Demon Douchebags. Argh.

(*Dunaway Note: Preach it brother, I had them in Final 4)

btaylor1978lost a Final Four team in the first round, but that's OK! Go CSU!

iRDR"Frontdesk (of hotel)"..."Um, yeah, this Wake Forest and we're gonna need an EARLY checkout" LOL, Wow

Thanks folks! If you are not signed up on TWITTER yet, go to Twitter.com and stay informed and intheknow...don’t forget to “follow” dandbradio

ESPN to Televise A-Day

ESPN to Televise A-Day Spring Football Game on April 18

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama’s annual A-Day Game will be televised live to a national audience by ESPN on Saturday, April 18. A-Day is the 15th and final practice of the spring with kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (CDT). Admission will once again be free to the public.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase the University of Alabama and our football program,” said head coach Nick Saban. “A-Day is a special weekend at Alabama and our fans have responded with two of the largest crowds to ever watch a college football spring game the last two years. That positive energy and enthusiasm by our fans has had a significant impact on our success. I encourage all of our Crimson Tide fans to fill Bryant-Denny Stadium on April 18th and show everyone why we have the best fans in the land. There’s nothing better than coming out of the tunnel to a full stadium, whether that is A-Day or at our home games in the fall.”
Over the last two years, Alabama leads the country in spring game attendance with a combined total of 170,338. UA set a college football record in the spring of 2007 as a capacity crowd of 92,138 watched Saban’s first A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Last year’s attendance of 78,200 led the SEC and was the second-largest in the country. Florida (61,000), Arkansas (40,200), Auburn (35,000) and LSU (33,624) rounded out the top five in terms of 2008 spring game attendance in the SEC.
ESPN reaches more than 98 million households and has partnered with the SEC for 26 years. Coverage will be expanded this year as the 11:30 a.m. (CDT) league match-up will now be an ESPN Regional Television syndication game. On-air talent for A-Day has not yet been determined by the network.
“College football fans follow the sport year round and as proven in the past, Alabama has some of the most loyal and passionate followers in the country,” said Dave Brown, vice president, ESPN programming and acquisitions. “We look forward to capturing the exciting atmosphere at Bryant-Denny Stadium and to provide a preview at the 2009 Crimson Tide. We thank Alabama for their cooperation in making this work.”
Alabama made 10 national television appearances last season, which was tied for the most in the country. Three of those games were on ESPN (Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State) and four Crimson Tide games were the site of ESPN Gameday (Clemson, Georgia, LSU and Florida).
Alabama starts spring practice on Friday, March 13 and then will take the next week off for spring break. The second practice is scheduled for Monday, March 23.

RESURRECTION MORE IMPORTANT

Dear Misguided Souls,

I have heard your comments that Nick Saban thinks he's a god. Turns out, he doesn't.

The Alabama Coach is portrayed as a guy who puts football ahead of everything. He just changed his spring practice schedule. The reason? The April 11th practice was on Easter Weekend and he did not want to interfere with family plans of his players and coaches. Now Alabama will practice just once before Spring Break and resume after spring drills.

So if you are scoring at home, Nick Saban sees The Resurrection as MORE IMPORTANT than Resurrecting a Program.

How many of us will clear our schedule that weekend?

Sincerely,

Often Misguided Radio Host