Crimson Red Sports

Mal Moore tells Scottsboro audience he's optimistic about '11 Tide team


link (http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/07/mal_moore_tells_scottsboro_aud.html)


His duties led him to Scottsboro Thursday night to speak to the local Bama Club. During his speech and in a brief interview afterward, Moore touched on a variety of subjects.

-- The current controversy involving the T-Town Menswear store, whose owner Tom Albetar has collected autographs of Alabama players on merchandise, is a matter in which it has been reported the NCAA has not been involved nor has Alabama self-reported any violations.

"The university has responded to this maybe six months ago," Moore said, reiterating the university's past statements. "Meeting with the store owner, his attorney, our players, everybody that we could find that was involved. Our compliance people, Mike Ward, his people, have done an outstanding job with this. It was responded to properly.

"There are so many people so excited over college athletics, you have to school and coach your players regarding all this. It's just as important for our alumni and our fans to be knowledgeable (about) what they can and can't do."

"A lot of good things are happening," he said, "and we're on our way back."

-- Moore noted that Alabama is "steering more" toward neutral site games, like the 2012 date in Dallas with Michigan and the 2013 game in Atlanta against Virginia Tech, rather than home-and-home series because of 50-50 ticket allotments.

"It's better for all of you and for us," he said.

-- This year's Tide football team "has got a chance to be a good team and to play into being a good team," he said. Moore noted there is "a little uncertainty" at quarterback because of the inexperience of A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims, but "either one you could win with."

-- Moore is "extremely proud" of football coach Nick Saban. Indeed, Moore's legacy at Alabama could be the hiring of Saban.

"He believes in what he does, on offense, defense, kicking game, recruiting. And he does not compromise. And," Moore said, thinking of a guy who chose Joe Namath over Mal Moore, "I know another guy that was just like that."