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

ANDRE WILL BE FINE

I hope you enjoyed Antoine Caldwell on the Dunaway and Brown Show Tuesday.  He is a great rep for not only Alabama Football but the College game in general.  

He and I have something in common, we both believe Andre Smith's draft status WAS NOT CHANGED by what happened this past weekend at the NFL Combines.

There is no doubt in my mind that Andre will still be a Top 15 pick (In fact, I still think Top 10).  I know there was discussion at one time of him being the first guy taken in the draft, but if you were paying attention, pre-combine conversations had turned to two other tackles being taken before him because of his body type etc.

Andre Smith was a big story at the combine, there is no denying that.  Andre has made a couple of major errors since the SEC Championship game.  Andre will also find out, that as the draft gets closer, his talents and potential will garner more interest from NFL Teams than a slip up in protocol at the NFL Combines.

I believe Nick Saban called longtime friend and NFL scout/analyst Chris Landry (Also on our show Tuesday) to get him and Andre together.  Landry has given Andre some solid advice that he will follow.  The March 11th Pro Day in Tuscaloosa will meet NFL teams expectations and Andre Smith will make millions of dollars.  

The NFL Combine will not hurt his draft status, two better prospects at tackles will.

The drama that seemed so big over the weekend was the product of a media gathering in Indianapolis with very little "real news".  Timing is everything, and there are those who pump a story for every drop to fill air time (both local and national on-air talent)

Andre joins recent college stars like Vince Young, Ted Ginn and Brady Quinn as guys not working out at the combine. 

It is now Andre Smith's job to make sure that his career starts better than those three.

OOPS! KIFFIN DID IT AGAIN!

Fresh off two secondary violations, Lane Kiffin seems to have done it again. Today (Friday) on Knoxville radio station WNML with host Dave Hooker, the Vols coach made a comment about prospect Bryce Brown. Kiffin was commenting about the momentum in recruiting, when one great recruit picks Tennessee, that opens the door for more and more top prospects to pick UT. Here's the quote that should have the UT compliance office talking with the SEC folks here in Birmingham, Kiffin says, "Great players like Bryce Brown are going to announce"...

This is Recruiting 101, easy stuff, you never mention a recruit. NCAA rules do allow you to say that you are recruiting an athlete, and you can use his name, but the violation comes when you make even a one word comment on his talent...in this case the phrase "Great player like Bryce Brown".

There should be no penalty, and Tennessee will be able to keep recruiting Brown (who was scheduled to visit Knoxville today) However, a large number of secondary violations does become a problem if they continue to stack up.

Coach Kiffin continues to stub his toe, and 11 SEC fan bases seem eager to pile on.

AUDIO Right Now online http://dandbradio.com

FOLLOW SPORTS HEADLINES AND D&B

I thought we'd give this a try.  If you are interested, go to twitter.com

When you search, look for Jim Dunaway or DandBradio

Here's what I'll do: Interesting stories I see during the day; Breaking Sports News; Instant Read on Coach and Players after interviews; Big Games; or my travel to and from stadiums... I'll update you with one or two lines on twitter.

Jim Dunaway

BLAKE BURGESS PICKS AUBURN

Vestavia Center Blake Burgess has picked Auburn.

The 6-4, 260lbs. Burgess committed to Gene Chizik's staff over the weekend. He picks Auburn over Clemson.

Burgess is projected as a defensive lineman in college, but with two years of offensive line experience at the 6A power will give Auburn coaches some options.

Burgess is expected to redshirt the first year while putting on weight. He voted All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and All-Metro Birmingham after the 2008 season.

Blake is the son of syndicated radio personality Rick Burgess of Rick and Bubba, and the grandson of Division Two National Championship, Jacksonville State Coach Bill Burgess who is also an Auburn Alum who played for the Tigers back in 1961-63.

DUNAWAY SUPER BOWL PARTY FUN

Here are a list of the BIG BOARD ITEMS at the Dunaway Super Bowl Party this year... all party goers must put a token on each prop bet... all in fun

1. Last Song Springsteen sings at halftime
2. What color will liquid be poured on winning coach
3. Length of National Anthem
4. Larry Fitz receiving yards
5. How many times NBC shows Bill Bidwell (Cards Owner)
6. How many times NBC shows Kurt Warner's wife
7. Promos for NBC Prime Time Shows
8. How many passing yards for Big Ben
9. Who will be game MVP
10. How many times announcers talk about any Manning
11. The yards rushing difference between James and Parker
12. Sponsor of 1st commercial after game kicks off
13. How long will the first touchdown be
14. The longest field goal yardage
15. First coaches challenge by who and over turned or not
16. Number of blimp shots
17. Number of Roger Goodell shots 
18. Cutaways of troops watching around the world
19. Number of sacks in the game
20. Winner and combine point total of the two teams

All bets are from the moment the game kicks off and ends once the clock hits zero unless it is a special category like national anthem, liquid color etc.

Price is right rules... closest without going over

ties move to the next category (for example if you tie on #16, it carries over to #17) If there is a tie on #20, it rotates back to the top of the board with #1 and moves forward from there

Have a good time