WHAT YOU MISSED THURSDAY

First a note about last night’s Alabama softball game… Bama drops opener against Arizona State. Bama played good enough to win, but I don’t understand walking the ASU power hitter intentionally to start the final inning. Even if she hits a homer, the game is only tied. I wonder how long coach Pat Murphy will debate that. He walked her all night and it worked until the 7th. And Yes, the line drive double was a foul ball… bad call… Now

On the Dunaway and Brown show Thursday…

Great job by you guys with the PROGRAM THE SEC NETWORK segment Thursday. Here are some of the recommended shows from the guys on the shows and you the caller;

Two and Half Men: Starring Pat Dye, Tommy Tuberville and Terry Bowden
Real World Destin: 12 football coaches live together at the SEC Meetings
Quantum Leap: Bobby Petrino wakes up during every episode as coach of a different team
How I Met Your Mother: The Bill Belichick Story (I know, not in the SEC but the dude has a different date every year)
The Munsters: starring Billy Donavan
7th Heaven: The story of the Iron Bowl dominance of Auburn
Pee Wee’s Playhouse: The 1993 Auburn season starring Terry Bowden
Sponge Phil Square Pants: starring UT Coach Phil Fulmer
I Spy: again Bill Belichick (again I know, not in the SEC but still funny)
The Les and Butt Head Show: Les Miles and Butt Head discuss football in their basement
University Boulevard Blues: Police patrol The Strip in Tuscaloosa
Cheers: Starring UT Punter Dustin Colquitt
Freaks and Geeks: Inside Vandy’s Athletic Department
So You think you can Coach: Starring Mike Shula and Ed Orgeron
Scrub’s: The Mike Shula Recruiting Classes
Nowhere Man: Starring Jeff Lebo
Flip That House: Hosted by Bobby Petrino
How It’s Made: Nick Saban takes you inside the process
Dr. Tebow Medicine Man: The Florida QB goes back to the Philippines
Coach Swap: Take a good program and switch coaches with a bad program Saban and Vandy’s Johnson in episode one
Are You Smarter than a 5th grader? Starring over signed recruits destined for Hargrave

Great guest on Thursday:
Conredge Holloway joined D&B and the guys talked with him about:
1. The much talked about freshman game versus Notre Dame that drew over 30,000 as Neyland Stadium. Vols won over Tom Clements and Gerry DiNardo’s Irish.
2. Holloway is very excited to be in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame with his coach Bill Battle.
3. Caller McVee says the reason he is a Vols fan is because of Holloway
4. Holloway almost signed a baseball contract with the Expos. Gadsden listeners called in and shared stories of Holloway’s Lee of Huntsville team playing Gadsden in the state playoffs and Holloway hit two homeruns over 400 feet with wooden bats

Marty Blake director of scouting for NBA joined D&B:
1. Despite media reports, Marty told us Ronald Steele is playing well all things considered but that he should return to school
2. Hendrix is really impressive and could play right now either in the NBA or Europe and make a lot of money
3. Robert Vaden can really fill it up, and is better than expected on defense
4. Quan Prowell has been a big surprise. Marty thinks he’ll have a chance to make a squad even if he is not drafted.

Gil Brandt former Cowboys front office guru now with the NFL.com joined D&B:
1. Bama QB John Parker Wilson is a Top 5 QB of all Seniors in the nation
2. Gil thinks JPW will be more like 2006 season because of coaching. Another year under Saban and Jim McElwain the new QB Coach.
3. Dunaway wonders aloud if JPW has a good year, will that change the image of Major Applewhite as a good coach?

See you this afternoon from 1:00-6:00pm – Dunaway Out

WHAT YOU MISSED ON THE SHOW

On the Dunaway and Brown show Wednesday:

Chris Low (ESPN.com) tells D&B that the FOX Network is pushing to get a Broadcast deal with the conference. Not sure yet if this would end relationship with ESPN or CBS, but FOX brings a lot of money and a commitment to give the SEC Huge exposure.

Tony Barnhart was also on the show Wednesday. He told D&B that he has had conversations with the suits at FOX the last two years. Tony points out that FOX has wanted in the SEC game since they started broadcasting the BCS games. He also says FOX wants in the BIG 10 etc. just nobody is unhappy with their current deals. CBS sure isn’t. Tony works for them and he tells us the CBS execs love the SEC package especially after last season when every game was a classic.

Other Tony Barnhart points from the show: Nick Saban is very comfortable in his own skin so he’s not the type of coach at the SEC meetings to be patting everyone on the back. Saban also is still a little miffed about the Saban Rule against spring evaluations. Tony also talked with both Bobby Petrino and Tommy Tuberville and both say all the right things about the failed JetGate in 2003 that almost had Petrino replacing Tuberville at Auburn.

Caller Jim from Crestwood got on me (Dunaway) for not defending Coach Bryant when AU fans call him the “dead drunk” (editor note: I do defend Coach Bryant when that happens 99% of the time) The callers and D&B shared great Iron Bowl stories from “Plow Bear Plow” to Tuberville holding up his “streak fingers”. We all decide that it’s all Bragging Rights and it’s up to the other side to win the right to brag.

Tom Luginbill (Scout Inc/ESPN) told us that he is also in favor of an early signing period and thinks coaches around the nation will support the SEC efforts to push an early signing period in football.

Luginbill also thinks Auburn’s early commitments are the real deal. Especially the RB Rodney Scott and TE Philip Lutzenkirchen.

Later in the show, Rodney Orr of TiderInsider.com reported that Alonzo Lawrence (Bama signee from Mississippi) had been cleared by the NCAA Clearing House which means he’s in T-town soon and ready to start play. I
E-mailed Luginbill back and he said Alonzo will be on the field for the very first game against Clemson… he’s that good especially as a legit six footer.

Nobody liked the no-call in Tuesday nights Lakers-Spurs game. Melvin called on the phone and expressed the NBA’s desire to have Kobe and the Lakers in the finals. Jam packed Phone Lines followed with a lot of the same NBA chatter.
See you Thursday from 1-6pm central – DUNAWAY OUT

DON’T EAT THE CHEESE

Like mice eating cheese in a trap, some fans get lured into the talk radio trap. Come on guys, don’t eat the cheese. Tommy Tuberville was helping the attitude of our troops on his tour of the Middle East (or middle east Asia). Here is what he said about raising seven fingers after helping his team of soldiers:

"That was just a fun time, and there was a lot of kidding going between by myself and all the Alabama fans. We went over there to have a good time. We didn't go over there to jab anybody. You are talking about people that every day do something that is pretty dangerous."

The fact that proud Alabama fans were there having fun giving the rivalry back and fourth with the Auburn coach shows that it was done in good fun. I talked 5 hours Tuesday on our show (not that our callers are more enlightened) and nobody had a problem with it.

Those that went on the trip said that the coaches were doing anything to make the men and women laugh and have fun. Tuberville was signing everything from every school and any coach would have done that.

My daughter wears a "GOT 12?" t-shirt. I think it's just the joy of the rivalry.

This trip was about one uniform... that of the U.S. Soldier.

SILENT PRAYER

One of our callers lost his wife to cancer this week. Funeral today. Harry from Trussville is a big Auburn fan and so was his wife. To paraphrase the late Jim Fyffe, “Say a silent prayer for Harry today”.

EARLY SIGNING PERIOD

Yes I agree with the SEC Coaches. I want an early signing period but it should come in August before the start of the season. The SEC coaches are discussing a period that would allow players sign in December.

JOHN PARKER WILSON

The Athlon Magazine cover boy is also being talked about as a difference maker for Alabama this season. I agree. If JPW returns to his 2006 form, Alabama will contend in the SEC West and I think it will happen.

GREATEST NBA PLAYER IN CRIMSON TIDE HISTORY

Great discussion Tuesday on this topic, here is how I rank them; 1. Antonio McDyess 2. Latrell Sprewell 3. Robert Horry 4. Derrick McKey 5. T.R. Dunn

-DUNAWAY OUT

RAYCOM SEC BROADCAST IN HD THIS YEAR

Several sources inside the broadcast industry told Dunaway and Brown Monday that the 11:30am Raycom broadcast of SEC Football will be broadcast in HD this fall.

That's great news! Early kicks are bad enough without the blurry picture on the big screen.

The news is even better. Brownie exchanged e-mails with the folks at WTTO in Birmingham and they tell him they can broadcast the game in HD as well.

Other notes from Monday's show:

• Coca-Cola will return to concession stands inside Bryant-Denny stadium. Sources tell us that this is part of a major NFL LIKE concession make-over to improve the fan experience for Alabama games.
• That concession make-over will include a variety of new foods and some local favorites inside the stadium. All of this was taken from fan feedback and was a top priority of those charged with making sure the Bama fans game day's equal the traditions of the program.

-DUNAWAY OUT

RICHARD HENDRIX GOING PRO?

That sound you hear may be the air coming out of the basketball's in Coleman Coliseum. Richard Hendrix may be staying in the NBA Draft.

Read what his dad tells the hometown paper about his draft position.

What does some NBA Experts think? ESPN's Chad Ford projects him as a late 1st round, early 2nd round guy. It is doubtful Hendrix will be able to improve on that position barring a spectacular Senior season.

Ford think the NBA scouts will like his big strong hands with physical NBA body. He does point out the slow foot speed and indicates he could be a gamble, but a gamble worth taking. Ford projects him 35th overall in his ESPN.com TOP 100.

Two points from me: 1. If you and the team have a great year, your stock goes up which takes a big part of the gamble out of it 2. If I had to lose a player, between Hendrix and a healthy Ronald Steele... I think Alabama needs Steele more.

If both are back, great year. If both are gone, rut-roh.

-DUNAWAY OUT

SEC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (so far)

ABC Sports announced their prime time game for September 20th yesterday and it is Georgia at Arizona State. It's a rare Prime Time ABC game for the National Championship contender from the SEC. The ABC Prime Time game has been mostly USC or Ohio State territory the last two years.

The SEC gets a national audience every week with the best TV package in College football thanks to CBS and ESPN, but invading the ultra successful ABC Prime Time package with Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstriet is a great cross promotion for the conference and it will almost guarantee that ESPN's College Gameday will be in Tempe for the weekend.

Here are the games already locked into a TV slot from the SEC. I will update as others become available:

• (Thu) Aug 28th Vanderbilt at Miami Ohio 6:30p ESPN-U
• (Thu)Aug 28th North Carolina State at South Carolina 7:00p ESPN
• Aug. 30th Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech TBA ESPN 2
• Aug. 30th Alabama vs. Clemson TBA ABC or ESPN
• Aug. 31st Kentucky at Louisville 2:30p ESPN
• Sept. 1st Tennessee at UCLA 7:00p ESPN
• (Thu) Sept. 4th South Carolina at Vanderbilt 6:30p ESPN
• Sept. 20th Georgia at Arizona State 7:00p ABC
• (Thu) Oct. 23rd Auburn at West Virginia 6:30p ESPN
• (Fri) Nov. 28th LSU at Arkansas 1:30p CBS
• Dec. 6th SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TBA CBS

Jim's Update on his Dad

Thanks everyone for all the prayers and well wishes, dad is doing great!

Surgery Thursday. Dr. Riggins and Dr. Thomas had him on and off the lung/heart machine in 2 1/2 hours. 5 bypasses and everything went well. I just saw him and he looks good... ventilator should be out tonight and he should walk to the step down rooms tomorrow afternoon and be at home by Monday afternoon. Thank you again for everything you do for me and my family.

I plan on being back to work Friday afternoon with Brownie.

Dad's a big Alabama fan... the first game I went to was the 1969 Ole Miss-Alabama game at Legion Field. He and my uncle snuck me in the game as a 5 year old. The best thing about college football in the south is how we can always talk football to lighten the mood. We spent many minutes leading up to the surgery talking about past Alabama games and what we think will happen next season. He joked that it should have been JPW in the hospital getting heart surgery (I gave him a courteous laugh like Brownie always does me)

By the way... the picture is from the 1970's. Panama City, so we come by my Power Ballad Friday roots naturally. Yes, dad was apparently a HUGE Don Sutton fan with his tribute with his hair style. And I know, my mom was hotter than a firecracker, she actually won LT's Babe Bracket in 1965 and was denied the championship in 1966 when Raquel Welch and Playmate Judy Tyler January played to a tie.

See you guys Friday at 1pm - Dunaway Out