Alabama investigating Dareus involvement in Miami party

University of Alabama athletic department officials are investigating whether junior defensive lineman Marcell Dareus attended an agent’s party in Miami earlier this summer, and, if so, how the trip was funded. UA is interested in whether any NCAA rules were broken by Dareus, who was named first-team Preseason All-Southeastern Conference by league coaches Tuesday, or any other Crimson Tide players who may have attended the party. Under NCAA rules, student-athletes are not permitted to accept cash or anything of value from sports agents or their representatives. ESPN.com reported Tuesday that Dareus is part of an NCAA investigation into improper contact between players and sports agents. Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed to espn.com that the UA compliance department is “looking into it.” [More]

Saban has answer to problem with agents

Tuesday’s revelation that Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus may have violated NCAA rules attending an agent’s party in South Beach earlier this summer throws a dark cloud over what should have been a triumphant return to SEC Media Days for the soon-to-be newest member of the UA Walk of Champions. You can almost see the veins popping out in Saban’s neck just reading his rant to ESPN.com about college football’s lack of control over agents: “I’m about ready for college football to say, ‘Let’s just throw the NFL out. Don’t let them evaluate players. Don’t let them talk to players. Let them do it at the combine.’ If they are not going to help us, why should we help them?” Those would be drastic measures, but he’s right that something has to give. The NCAA, so skilled in regulating practically any and every facet of a student-athlete’s life, has no answer for dealing with unscrupulous agents. State regulations, enacted in well over half the country’s 50 states, also have largely failed to address the problem. [More]

6 positives from the Dareus situation

I often caught myself saying this off-season how refreshing it was to be without controversy. SEC Media Day marks the beginning of the football season, and well, we made it till the day before. However, for those either in depression or elation over the Marcel Dareus story, here are a few bright spots to keep in mind. 1. It’s important to note the difference between an eligibility issue and an institutional issue. This is crucial for those fearful/hopeful about this in relation to the NCAA probation window. If left unchecked an eligibility issue can become an institutional issue very quickly. That isn’t the case here. [More]

SEC Media Days: Let the circus begin!

Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive will take the podium today at the Wynfrey Hotel to kick off the 2010 edition of SEC Media Days, which officially begins the countdown to the college football season. For the next three days, coaches and players from each of the 12 SEC teams will parade through each room meeting with different TV and radio outlets and speaking at a press conference with all of the print media members in attendance. All three days of media days are always a circus, particularly on the day Alabama makes its appearance because it’s held in Birmingham. A few Crimson Tide fans usually populate the hotel lobby in hopes of at least a glimpse of the man that resurrected the Tide back to national prominence if not a photo and/or an autograph. [More]

Tuscaloosa renames streets after former coaches

Tuscaloosa City Council members voted Tuesday to rename 3 roads near Bryant- Denny Stadium after former Crimson Tide football coaches, honoring Frank Thomas, Harold “Red” Drew and Gene , Stallings. Twelfth Avenue becomes Frank Thomas Avenue, Thirteenth Avenue becomes Red Drew Avenue and Fourteenth Avenue become Gene Stallings Avenue. Renamed are the portions of those avenues between University Boulevard and Paul W. Bryant Drive. Councilman Lee Garrison, whose district includes the University of Alabama campus, introduced the street-naming measure, saying he was approached by community members after the Crimson Tide won college football’s national championship in January. [More]

Roll Tide!

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