West Alabama Tuesday Briefing
Good morning West Alabama. It is Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Tuesday Morning Observations:
I admit I have, like many Crimson Tide Football fans, been critical of the job done by Coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff their first year in Tuscaloosa. There has been much to criticize. A lack of discipline, no sense of urgency, making the same mistakes over and over, losing to inferior teams, struggling against inferior teams. The thing about each of these issues is they are all correctable.
It is not like 2024 season was a total bust. The Tide finished this past season 9-and-4 and ranked 11th in the College Football Playoff Poll. Many schools would consider that a successful season. But when you are an elite program that is not good enough for fans, boosters and alumni.
There were major positives like beating then #1 ranked Georgia in prime time and blasting LSU in the vaunted "Death Valley". But the lows were the season's downfall, struggling against USF and South Carolina, losing to unranked Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, dropping winnable games to Tennessee and an undermanned Michigan.
Granted, DeBoer is fighting not just against other schools but also the Saban legacy. Everywhere you look something is named after the G.O.A.T. Saban continues to maintain a presence on campus, Saban is now a prominent ESPV analyst, sportswriters and broadcasters constantly compare DeBoer and Saban.
The comparisons are innumerable. Saban is intense, DeBoer gives laidback vibes (some fans consider it a lack of concern). But DeBoer knew, or should have known, what he was getting into.
Now national sports pundits are piling on, attempting to kill big bad Bama by questioning Kalen DeBoer's future at The Capstone. For instance, yesterday ESPN's Adam Rittenberg put out the list of coaches on the hot seat for 2025. He featured DeBoer prominently, even suggesting DeBoer might fit better at USC than in the SEC.
Athlon Sports' Sean Deveney wrote a story Monday about DeBoer's status in Tuscaloosa entitled "Alabama Football's Kalen DeBoer Gets Bad News on Job Security". It was a sensational headline, but it was not factual.
Every media and fan's public doubt about DeBoer's future at Alabama makes it that much more difficult for him to recruit, keep current players from entering the portal and build the program back to "the standard". Players and their agents are watching closely.
We Bama supporters need to be cautious about our public criticism. The last thing UA needs is to replicate the years in the football wilderness that followed the retirement and subsequent death of Paul "Bear" Bryant.
(Opinions expressed in Morning Briefing are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the ownership, management, staff or sponsors of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa)
Weather:
Temperatures are hovering right around the freezing mark this more with a wind chill in the 20s and a chilly day is ahead. Temperatures in the upper 30s to middle 40s most areas are in the forecast with from the lower 20s into the upper teens. That means winter weather caution is needed.
There is still uncertainty about end of the week weather. It mainly concerns where the dividing line between snow and freezing rain will be Thursday night. The current forecast places snow to the north of a Vernor to Fayette to Jasper line in West Alabama. South of that line to Demopolis will be freezing rain. That could lead to dangerously slick roads, bridges and overpasses.
Read More: Snow, Wintry Mix, Freezing Rain, & Icy Travel Expected in Alabama
Read More: Tuesday ‘Feels Like’ Guide for Each West Alabama County
The Forecast:
Ivey Declares Tomorrow An Official "Day of Mourning"
Gov. Ivey has issued a proclamation honoring UA Freshman Kareen Badawi and recent Auburn grad Drew Dauphin. They were both killed in last week’s terror attack in New Orleans. She has declared a Day of Morning tomorrow (Wednesday). The proclamation stated though the 18-year-old Badawi was a native of Baton Rouge he will be remembered as one of our own.
Badawi was a pledge of the Iota Iota UA Sigma Chi chapter and was a native of Baton Rouge.
Body Oasis Medical Spa Files for Bankruptcy
An investigation by news partner ABC 3340 has found that medical spa Body Oasis in Tuscaloosa and other Alabama locations has filed for bankruptcy and will not offer refunds, even though they still have been selling memberships. Carl Bates of the Better Business Bureau says upfront payments by customers of thousands of dollars have been lost. The Better Business Bureau has given Body Oasis an F rating.
Warming Station Will Operate for Remainder of the Week
A warming station continues to be open in Tuscaloosa as exceptionally cold temperatures and wind chills impact the area. The station is operated by the Compassion Coalition. Anyone in need of a warming shelter is encouraged to call 205-710-6766 and provide an operator with their name, a callback number, their current location in Tuscaloosa County and the number of people in need of shelter.
More information can be found on the Tuscaloosa County EMA Facebook page.
Tuberville Backs Trump Cabinet Nominees
Hearings begin next Monday for President-Elect Trumps cabinet nominees, many of which are controversial. But Alabama Senior Republican U-S Senator Tommy Tuberville tells CBS Morning that Trump deserves to have the team he has selected. He is promising Alabama residents he will only support nominees who he believes are good for Alabama.
Trump takes office in less than two weeks.
Costco Recall
The many West Alabama residents who shop at Costco should be aware of a brand recall. Costco has issued a recall for some severe cold and flu medications sold at certain stores due to potential contamination.
According to the Costco website, the recall of Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion involves item number #1729556 with specific lot code P140082, which was sold at select locations in the Midwest and Southeast.
The over-the-counter medicine was purchased by customers between Oct. 30 and Nov. 30, 2024.
The medications were recalled “out of an abundance of caution” for potential contamination with foreign material by supplier LNK International Inc., the notice said.
Rebuild Alabama Money Used on Resurfacing in Northport
The Rebuild Alabama Gas Tax program for high construction and maintenance requires an annual report on how funds are expended in local and county jurisdictions. Last night the Northport City Council was informed the city spent $1,038,723.04 from the gas tax funding. The funds were spent entirely on resurfacing projects within the city.
Topping Sports News:
Louisiana running back transfer Dre'lyn Washington has committed to transfer to Alabama. He rushed for over 13-hundred yards this past season.
Read More: Alabama Adds Experienced Depth at Running Back Via Transfer Portal
Bama Men's Basketball Remains 5th in AP Poll (SEC Teams Highlighted):
1 - Tennessee*
2 - Auburn*
3 - Iowa State
4 - Duke
5 - Alabama
6 - Kentucky*
7 - Marquette
8 - Florida*
9 - UConn
10 - Texas A&M*
11 - Kansas
12 - Houston+
13 - Illinois+
14 - Mississippi State*
15 - Oregon+
16 - Michigan State
17 - Oklahoma+
18 - Gonzaga
19 - Memphis
20 - Purdue+
21 - West Virginia
22 - UCLA
23 - Ole Miss*
24 - Michigan
25 - Utah State
*Indicates future Alabama men's basketball opponent
+Indicates past Alabama men's basketball opponent
Alabama Women Up One Sport in AP Basketball Poll (SEC Teams Highlighted):
- UCLA
- South Carolina
- Notre Dame
- USC
- Texas
- LSU
- UConn
- Maryland
- Ohio State
- Oklahoma
- TCU
- Kansas State
- Georgia Tech
- Duke
- Kentucky
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- Alabama
- North Carolina
- Michigan State
- North Carolina State
- Utah
- Iowa
- California
- Michigan
Others receiving votes:
Florida St. 18, Vanderbilt 18, Mississippi 14, Harvard 10, Minnesota 7, Oklahoma St. 5, Washington 2, Mississippi St. 1.
Staff Moves at Stillman
Stillman College is making some moves in its Athletic department. Nicholas J. Finch was appointed the role of interim director of sports information. This announcement comes as of Monday, January 6, 2025.
Finch is not a new face to the Stillman College campus, as he has served as the athletic department coordinator for compliance, facilities, and game day operations since September of 2022.
Chris Megginson, the previous sports information director, assumed the position of director of strategic communications in October 2024.
Read More: Finch Named Interim Sports Information Director For Stillman
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Have a terrific Tuesday and bundle up!