From the desk of Mal Moore
10/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Dear Crimson Tide Fan:
As our football team prepares for its annual SEC game against Tennessee this weekend in Knoxville, preparations for next weekend's Homecoming festivities are certainly a focal point on campus this week.
Homecoming is always a special time for all the alumni of the University who come back home to visit old friends and see all the expansions and improvements on our campus. From a personal standpoint, it is gratifying for me to see one of my old quarterbacks Jay Barker chosen to serve as this year's Grand Marshal.
When I came back to Tuscaloosa with Coach Gene Stallings back in 1990, we only had a couple of quarterbacks on the roster. One day I was looking at some film from Trussville and I wondered why Alabama hadn't offered Jay, because he had the size and arm strength to play for a University he grew up loving.
Of course, he was a raw talent but he worked hard and ultimately became a starter midway through the 1991 season and led us to the memorable 1992 season. Jay was a winner on the field and not surprisingly has continued to be one in his personal and professional life since he graduated.
Special Thanks
I can't express in proper words how grateful I am for the support you the fans have given us this year, turning out in record numbers each weekend. We have sold out all the games this year, which speaks of how much our fan base loves their Crimson Tide.
One of those fans that shows his support is a former star back for us, Paul Ott Carruth. Paul signed with us out of McComb, Miss., as a quarterback but he developed into a quality running back during the early 1980s. He didn't quit after a serious injury and came back in 1984 and closed his career by being the SEC Player of the Week when he led Alabama to an upset win over Auburn.
Recently, Paul pledged to endow a full athletic scholarship for his University, demonstrating not only how much he cares about Alabama but showing he understands that our athletic future depends on such endowments. Paul has been a successful businessman since finishing a pro career with the Green Bay Packers, and it is especially gratifying to me to see him support our University with such a generous gift. There will be an official announcement about Paul Ott's generosity in an upcoming release.
Congratulations
Two of our sports' teams have achieved notable successes during the fall semester, our men's golf team and our volleyball squad. Jay Seawell's golfers are ranked No. 1 in the nation, the first time ever for a Crimson Tide golf squad. Amazingly, they won three straight tournaments this fall, which is pretty much unheard of in this sport.
While our golf team is enjoying some lofty achievements, so are Judy Green's volleyballers. Currently, we are No. 1 in the SEC West and scored victories on back-to-back weekends over nationally ranked LSU and Tennessee.
One of Judy's star players, Crystal Hudson, was selected as the National Player of the Week, which I understand is the first time that we have had an athlete so honored in volleyball. This week the team will be on the road to Ole Miss and Miss. State but we will be back home during Homecoming against Auburn Friday night and Florida Sunday afternoon. I hope many of you will take the opportunity to drop by the CAVE and support our program, as we battle for the SEC Championship.
Another one of our sports' teams that is enjoying some national attention is our men's cross country team, coached by Joe Walker, that has climbed to No. 15 in the nation. Joe We compete in the SEC Championships next Friday.
While most of our teams will be on the road this weekend, Don Staley's soccer team will conclude its home slate with a Friday match against Tennessee and a Sunday contest versus Georgia.
Special Guests
Not many schools have the opportunity to host as many national figures as the University of Alabama. When we hosted Ole Miss last week, two prominent military leaders were in attendance, retired four-star General Wesley Clark and General John R. Vines.
General Clark was the guest speaker at the Frank Nix Speaker's series last Friday at the Bryant Conference Center and sat in President Robert Witt's box for the game. His one request while visiting the University was to get an autographed football.
General Vines has just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, where he was the top American operational commander. A native of Bessemer, he attended the University and graduated in 1971. He is currently at Fort Bragg and it was certainly special to have this war hero and Crimson Tide supporter at our game versus the Rebels.
There are always a number of our former players who make time to come to Tuscaloosa and visit. Joe Namath was one of my guests last week, and he took time to visit with Coach Shula and many of the players. Lee Roy Jordan was also here to lend his support, and it's always great to have him back on campus.
Shaun Alexander and Wesley Britt attended games during their bye weeks with Seattle and New England respectively and it is always great to see these men and knowing how well they represent their University.
Compliance Update
Chris King, our Associate Athletic Director in charge of the compliance area, has published his latest newsletter and we have linked it for you to read. Chris has done a great job of educating our staff, coaches and athletes on compliance issues and it is our stated goal to make sure our supporters are also well informed on the rules and regulations in which we all must abide by.
Again, thanks to every one of you who supports our athletic programs. We hope to see many of you during our Homecoming celebration.
Sincerely,
Mal Moore
Athletic Director
