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SEC Media Days begins Monday, July 13th and continues through Thursday, July 16th. Here is the schedule of events:
MONDAY, JULY 13
8 AM - 5 PM
Registration ( Wyndsor II - First Floor)
10 AM - Noon
Brunch (Wyndsor I/Ivory - First Floor)
11:30 AM - 2:20 PM
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey
Auburn - Coach Gus Malzahn & Student-Athletes
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Florida - Coach Jim McElwain & Student-Athletes
Vanderbilt - Coach Derek Mason & Student-Athletes
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Reception (Wyndsor I - First Floor)
Sponsored by The Hyatt Regency Birmingham - The Wynfrey Hotel
TUESDAY, JULY 14th
8 AM - 3 PM
Registration (Wyndsor II - First Floor)
8:30 AM - 9 AM
Steve Shaw, SEC Coordinator of Football Officials
9 AM - 12:20 PM
South Carolina - Coach Steve Spurrier & Student-Athletes
Texas A&M - Coach Kevin Sumlin & Student - Athletes
11 AM - 1 PM
Luncheon (Wyndsor I/Yorkshire - First Floor
1 PM - 4 PM
Mississippi State - Coach Dan Mullen & Student-Athletes
Tennessee - Coach Butch Jones & Student Athletes
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15th
8 AM - 3 PM
Registration (Wyndsor II - First Floor)
8:30 AM - 8:50 AM
National Football Foundation
9 AM - 12 PM
ALABAMA - Coach Nick Saban & Student-Athletes
Kentucky - Coach Mark Stoops & Student-Athletes
11 AM - 1 PM
Luncheon (Wyndsor I/Yorkshire - First Floor)
1 PM - 4 PM
Missouri - Coach Gary Pinkel & Student-Athletes
Arkansas - Coach Bret Bielema & Student-Athletes
THURSDAY, JULY 16th
8 AM - 11 AM
Registration (Wyndsor II - First Floor)
8:30 AM - 8:50 AM
Football Writers Association of America
9 AM - 1:30 PM
Georgia - Coach Mark Richt & Student-Athletes
Ole Miss - Coach Hugh Freeze & Student-Athletes
LSU - Coach Les Miles & Student-Athletes
11:30 AM
Box Lunches (Wyndsor I - First Floor)
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3-Star QB Jay Jones Still Looking At Bama
Three-star McAdory quarterback Jay Jones say that Alabama is still in the mix when it comes to making his selection of a college to continue his football career. Jones earned an offer from the Crimson Tide back in the spring, but a fluke ankle injury has kept him from being able to throw for the coach.
The 6' 1", 190-pound quarterback prospect is a dual-threat quarterback, but is listed as an athlete by recruiting services. Those services tout his athletic ability, saying he would be able to play other skill positions if not selected as a quarterback. Jones says that Saban and Alabama are recruiting him as a quarterback.
Jones has prepared a list of his top four, of which the Crimson Tide is one. The other three schools that has the standout quarterback seriously considering are Auburn, Mississippi State, and Florida. He recently slid a fifth possible onto the list, Louisiana-Lafayette.
The kid has a good head on his shoulders. He has said that he realizes if he wants to eventually play in the NFL it would probably have to be at a position other than quarterback. He says he also plays wide receiver.
The youngster from McAdory says he likes the atmosphere at the Capstone. He also spoke highly of coach Mario Cristobal.
Jones has said he is looking at making an announcement on August 1st.
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How Bama Got Its Fight Song
Many people don't realize this, but for nearly a century the University of Alabama had no "fight song." Kind of hard to believe, right? Seems like "Yea, Alabama" has been around forever.
Of course, for many years after the University of Alabama opened its doors (April of 1831) no fight song was needed. Seems that sports were banned by the University Board of Trustees. They said that sports had a deleterious effect on the young men enrolled at UA. It was rumored that students could even be suspended for showing such athletic abilities as swinging from a tree branch on weekends.
It wasn't until 1892 that the University of Alabama began playing varsity sports. That year both the football and baseball programs were begun.
In 1901 the Crimson-White, the student newspaper at UA, called for more good college music, and that a song should be composed especially for the University of Alabama "so that it would send a thrill of patriotism through the veins whenever heard."
Numerous songs over the years were tried, with some lasting longer than others. All, however, fell by the wayside.
In October 1925, the Rammer Jammer, an Alabama student humor magazine, offered a $50 prize in a contest for the best college fight song, with over a dozen song-writers participating. The deadline for submissions was set for January 15, 1926.
The winner of the contest was announced March 1926 by the Rammer Jammer. That winning song was "Yea, Alabama" and was written by Ethelred Sykes of the class of '26, and editor of the Crimson-White student newspaper. Incidently, Sykes donated his prize money to have an arrangement of the song made for the Million Dollar Band.
And so today, "Yea, Alabama" is one of the most-recognized college fight songs in Amercia. Now you know.
