Tide Tidbits - December 27, 2008

Tide’s maturity faces test this week
Alabama has relied on its experience and maturity throughout the season — on and off the field. That maturity will be tested, displayed and expected in a city almost synonymous with, uh, “distractions” for college football players. Alabama players report for the final week of Sugar Bowl preparations Saturday in New Orleans. The team will practice late in the afternoon for the Jan. 2 game against undefeated Utah. “I’ve never been. It’s my first time. I’ve heard it gets pretty crazy. There are a lot of things that can distract you from playing football down there,” said Johnson, the All-American safety.

Alabama's small but tight senior class led turnaround
The group is tiny. Just nine of them on scholarship, the smallest contingent in the country. That becomes clear every time the Alabama seniors gather for a meeting. "There's just not a lot of guys there," senior quarterback John Parker Wilson said. Yet when they peel off their crimson for the final time on Jan. 2, they will be like proud parents. The process wasn't easy. Enduring two 6-6 regular seasons and a coaching change rarely is. But they believe the fruits of their labor resulted in the stunning rebirth of a program.

Recruiting: Athens High star Ming commits to play for Saban, Crimson Tide
Want to know what it feels like to be somewhat of a teenage celebrity? Ask William Ming. The Athens HIgh defensive end has been living in the spotlight since his sophomore year. Instead, he's a football player. And in Alabama, that's better than all of the above. "When I go down to (Tuscaloosa), people recognize me," said Ming, who has committed to play football at the University of Alabama next fall. "I'll just be walking around, and people will say 'Hey, that's William Ming.' It's pretty cool."

Back to the Big Easy
The last time the University of Alabama played in the Sugar Bowl, it won the 1992 national championship. If anyone can relate to what that’s like, it’s Nick Saban. The last time he coached a team at the Superdome in New Orleans, he too won a national title. You think there might be some good karma at work here? “Any time you’re in a (Bowl Championship Series) bowl game, there’s a great memory from that,” the second-year Alabama coach said last week. “This is a fantastic opportunity.”

Roll Tide!