Crimson Column presented by Mercedes-Benz
3/30/2017 7:37:00 PM | General
Welcome to the Crimson Column
Welcome to the debut of "Crimson Column." I'll use this blog as a vehicle not only to communicate directly with you, but also to let you know about a variety of things you may, or may not, be aware of while providing some context and insight that may not be evident at first glance.
In the first month on the job as your Director of Athletics I have been impressed and motivated by the unity and energy I have experienced by everyone in the University and our community. This is an incredible time to be a part of this University. I hope to give you an interesting, revealing look at what I see every day - our outstanding student-athletes, coaches and support staff working tirelessly to reach the top in their respective sports.
But there's one overriding theme that I've noticed – the passion and pride that all of you have in Crimson Tide Athletics is unparalleled in collegiate athletics. It's what separates us from the pack.
Thanks for taking a look at this week's entry. I welcome your feedback. Roll Tide!
Patrick Murphy's 1,000th Victory
Our softball head coach, Patrick Murphy, is a guy whose work I have admired from afar for a long time. He's a true coaching legend who has built one of the most consistently outstanding programs in all of college athletics. He reached an incredible milestone earlier this week, earning his 1,000th career victory Tuesday night in Tuscaloosa in a win over Kent State. With the win, Patrick became one of 16 currently active Division I softball coaches to earn 1,000 victories as a head coach, and the 23rd coach in Division I softball history to reach 1,000 wins. Patrick's teams have averaged more than 50 victories a year. Congratulations to Coach Murphy and the team!
Let's Fill Bryant-Denny For A-Day 2017
In a recent discussion with Coach Saban, he mentioned the importance of the crowd at A-Day and the positive impact it has on recruiting. The reality is your attendance makes such an indelible impression on recruits and our current team that it drives home the most important fact: each of us makes a difference in the outcome of games by showing up at every opportunity. A-Day is a prime example and I look forward to seeing you there.
#RollTideFridays
How do we separate ourselves from the competition?
The spirit and drive of Alabama fans is legendary, and it's been very evident in the short time I have been here. That pride has a tangible effect on our competitive success. We would like to initiate a new effort to make our impact felt everywhere – #RollTideFridays. The impact of seeing our fans wearing Alabama clothing, particularly with the script A, can help us in incalculable ways.
For example, on campus we host most of our athletics recruits and prospective students across campus on Fridays. Seeing the unity and pride that we have here, an element that I think most schools can only envy, will make a deep impression on prospective students in every avenue of our institution, be they coveted student-athletes or top academic achievers. Not only do we want to encourage our fans to show their support in Alabama but we hope fans will embrace this all over the world.
As part of that effort, we'd like you to show us your Alabama spirit by sending us your photos wearing your Crimson Tide apparel to ad@ia.ua.edu. We will select at least two photos to feature in each blog, and we will create a page on rolltide.com chronicling many of the photos we receive. We also want to encourage you to share your photos on social media from wherever your location is on Fridays with the #RollTideFridays.
Tide Swimming Excelling in the Pool and the Classroom
The outstanding performance of our swimming & diving program is all the more impressive after looking at the academic performance of the men who competed at, arguably, the fastest meet in collegiate history. Anton McKee, who finished second in the 200 breaststroke with a new school record (a time bettered by only the NCAA and American record holder), is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and the 2016 CoSIDA At-Large Team's Academic All-American of the Year with a cumulative grade point average of 4.0. Connor Oslin, the fifth-fastest 100 backstroker in swimming history, is also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, carrying a 3.9 and preparing for medical school. Pavel Romanov (another CoSIDA Academic All-American) and Luke Kaliszak – who carry a 4.0 and 3.9 GPA, respectively - were part of the Tide's 200 medley relay that finished second with a time that bettered the previous NCAA record. To top it off, sophomore All-America sprinters Robert Howard and Laurent Bams both carry cumulative 4.0 grade-point averages. Coach Dennis Pursley's men represent us very well in the water and in the classroom and we are very proud of them!
Upcoming Schedule of Events
To view the list of upcoming events, broadcast information, start times and stat links, click HERE. (Note: All times are listed as Central Standard Time, i.e. Tuscaloosa time.)
To access live stats from your desktop or mobile device, visit www.statbroadcast.com.
