Tide Tidbits – March 9, 2010

Alabama Crimson Tide honored at White House ceremony
In a city best known lately for bickering and partisan strife, everybody assembled Monday afternoon in the White House’s East Room could happily unite on one point: That the University of Alabama’s national championship team represented a pinnacle of college football achievement. “I think it’s safe to say the Tide is back,” President Barack Obama proclaimed after entering the ornate reception room, where the squad had gathered a few minutes before. At Obama’s side was Coach Nick Saban, lauded by the president as a major force behind the Crimson Tide’s revival. Among the players, Obama singled out running back Mark Ingram as the first Heisman Trophy winner in the university’s history and Rolando McClain for winning the Butkus award as the nation’s best linebacker. “One of the trademarks of this team has always been its unwavering focus on what’s important,” Obama said. The president accepted a football, helmet and personalized jersey before taking a few minutes to mingle and shake hands. [More]

Obama’s gift from Tide forever linked to former player Cory Reamer
Javier Arenas may have presented President Barack Obama with a University of Alabama football helmet with the number 13 on it, representing the number of national championships the Crimson Tide has won, but as far as Cory Reamer is concerned, Obama’s token was a Cory Reamer special. “I give everybody a hard time about the No. 13 being all over everything,” said Reamer, who wore the No. 13 for his entire Alabama career. “I tell them it’s always going to be there until we win another one.” With Reamer a graduated senior, however, not everyone on the team is allowing him to stake the claim. “That ain’t his number any more,” joked Arenas. The President also received a commemorative football and a jersey with the No. 1 and his name on the back. And with the jersey bearing a different number than the helmet, Reamer didn’t have the joke all to himself. “They gave him Reamer’s helmet, but they gave him my jersey,” said senior Chris Rogers, who wears No. 1. “So it’s all good. I guess the President will always have a Chris Rogers jersey.” [More]

Where Are They Now, The Alabama Signing Class Of 2006
Four years ago, Mike Shula was inking what would be his final class as the Alabama head coach. Four years and a coaching staff removed, where are they now? On that day all attention nationally was focused on super recruit Tim Tebow. Bama lost out to the Florida Gators for Tebow but Bama fans were still pretty darn happy to get the highest rated lineman in the country in five-star rated Andre Smith. Smith started his first game at the capstone and became a three-year starter, earning All-SEC honors and the 2008 Outland Trophy. Smith opted to enter the NFL draft after his junior year and was drafted sixth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. [More]

Recruiting: Several recruits spend some time in Tuscaloosa this past weekend
The University of Alabama coaching staff has hosted numerous 2011 prospects since winning the 2009 BCS national championship. This past Saturday was not a scheduled Junior Day, but another opportunity for recruits to visit campus. The prospects watched the Tide play Auburn in basketball Saturday afternoon as well. Brent Calloway, Scout.com four-star outside linebacker and Tide commitment from Russellville High School, was among the group of prospects in Tuscaloosa. Calloway traveled to the Capstone on Friday night to spend time with future teammates such as Alabama freshmen Phillip Sims, Demarcus Milliner and John Fulton. Alabama is involved with several of the top offensive tackles in the country. One of the best in the Southeast is Watts Dantzler from Dalton High School in Georgia. Dantzler has named his favorites as Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. He has traveled to Alabama several times and returned Saturday for another look. [More]

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