My thoughts on this issue:

1. The guy making these accusations is in jail for running a Ponzi scheme - a Bernie Madoff type of fellow.  I've always been a bit skeptical of jail house confessions of this nature from convicted felons.

2. The accusations he is making has nothing to do with any recruiting efforts made by Alabama - this story is about Miami - not Alabama.

3. The two Bama staff members mentioned in the article might (I emphasize "might," because nothing has been proved, other than accusations made by a convicted felon serving time right now) have done something wrong at Miami, not Alabama. With these accusations becoming public, you can bet these two will keep their noses clean like never before, even if they are prone to doing this kind of stuff.

4. With the climate currently exisitng in college football, I would be willing to bet money that Saban and the UA compliance staff have been vigilant in vetting coaches and players. Accusations that Saban knew something and ignored it are ludicrous, in my opinion.

5. Saban's comments the other day about message board bullcrap seems relevant to this issue. Wringing hands and worring about this seems to me to be a waste of time. After all, no one on this board really knoiws what is going on in South Florida.

In my humble opinion, the absolute worst that can happen is these two individuals are forced out at the end of the season. Firing them now or mid-season makes no sense, unless they run to Saban's office and make full confessions of their subterfuge.

Even if this does happen, it makes Bama's staff look good - we're cleaning house of coaches who have done wrong at other institutions - who else in the college football world has done anything remotely similar?  Certainly not USC, who hired Lane Kiffen (the last time I checked he is still there, notwithstanding his shenanigans in Tennessee).

He left Florida for the NFL for more glory and accolades - it didn't happen , so now we're seeing his response to his lack of being in the limelight - an immature child, in my humble opinion - it's a shame he is still a coach in the sec - but maybe I'm overreacting to a guy I never liked because of his arrogant attitude.

God Bless right back at you!!!

I guess this guy doesn't remember the 90s and how the media treated Florida while he was coach there - I remember comparisons to the Bear at the time and how he was going to break all the records - a true media darling at the time - I'm losing respect for him everyday

I believe all of this is bunk - simply a way A&M can manipultate Texas and their TV network.  There is no way A&M divorces Texas, any more thaqn Bama divorces Auburn - simply isn't going toi happen.

Do you guys really think that a star player under Saban could consistently wear new suits every single game(brazenly given to him illegally by a booster no less)without getting Saban's attention, especially knowing how he pays attention to details (remember, these players walk out WITH Saban - he has to see how they are dressed)?  He knows the economic background of these players and their families - I find it hard to believe, unless Saban doesn't care, which I highly doubt.

Can any of you name a specific major violation like this that has occurred at any school Saban has been head coach?  I can't think of one, but maybe I'm wrong.

I tend to believe what Cecil Hurt stated in his column the other day - this is not an "Ohio Sate" case. I find it almost idiotic to think someone in our coaching staff (ala Tressell) is covering something up.  Alabama did exaclty what they should have done in ths case.

Thanks - RTR right back to you!!

How about Fancy Dan?

Auburn at #22 - that's about right

The newspaper views the forum as content - some people come to their site because of the discussion boards just like some come for the articles - again, its simply a way to monetize their site, which has harmed their circulation revenue.

What is interesting is that newspaper readership (if you include the pageviews and unique vistors to their sites) has gone up over the past ten years. The industry is trying to figure out a buisness model to monetize this readership.

What you are seeing and experiencing with Tide Sports is probably going to increase (look at what the Wall Street Journal, owned by News Corp has been doing for two or three years).

The industry can survive due to the potential huge expense savings with shutting down the press and laying off all the workers associated with that aspect of the operation (not to mention huge savings in paper and ink costs, etc...) plus the fact their content is still desirable.

We're just right at the beginning of the transition to an all digital "newspaper" industry



 

Deciding to erect a pay wall probably has more to do with revenue than anything else.  I work for a media company, and I can tell you that digital ads do not produce anything near what print ads do for a newspaper - believe me, it's not even close.. 

The key problem is giving away content for free over the web.  As web traffic increases on a  free site, the paid print circ goes down, thereby decreasing circulation revenue - which also negstively affects print ad revenue as well.. The amount of money gained by ads on a free site does not offset the loss. 

Thr model of a free site producing ad revenue has failed.  That is why you will see more and more newspapers who have websites erecting paywalls - simply a means to generate cirulation revenue.

The Tuscaloosa News is simply trying to make money of its most desired content - which is Bama football.



 

My feeling is that State will treat us with class - they always did in the 80s.  I never had hard feelings for them back then - I also remember a group of Bama fans from Pennslvania that were kind of famous at that time - they were always interviewed during the televised games - kind of a strange phenomenon of Bama fans that far North - as I recall, they started to follow the Tide because of Bear..  I wonder if they are still around? 

Thanks for the welcome.  I lurked on Tide Sports for years (probably started visitng in 2006 - the end of the Shula era) and never posted. When TS crashed, I went to Wooley, registered, and started posting, but not much.  I saw the thread about this site today, and thought I would check it out.  I'm a family man myself, and  appreciate what you gentleman (and ladies) are trying to create here.  I look forward to getting to know you all in the forthcoming months.

Probably a site to buy tickets, maybe like Stubhub.