Happy Independence Day
Happy Independence Day, everyone....or happy Fourth of July, or July Fourth... as are all recognized as the official designations of this historical day.
This day is a federal holiday that commemorates the official adoption of the Declaration of Independence, occurring on July 4, 1776, and is the date on which the United States formally separated from Great Britain. Independence Day is the National Day of the United States, and itself has nothing to do with the military. It has to do with the actual declaration by leaders of a new and separate and free nation.
Many will celebrate the day today with fireworks, attending a nearby parade, going on a picnic and or cooking out, attending a baseball game or some other treat. There are those families that even plan their family reunions to coincide with the day. Of course politicians are out in full force, especially during an election year, in order to "press the flesh" of their constituents.
There are historians who have disputed whether or not the signing of the Declaration of Independence actually even occurred on July 4th, despite the fact that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all wrote that it had been signed that day. Most historians have come to the conclusion that the Declaration was actually signed on August 2, 1776.
Something of interest is that the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence to become President of the United States, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Another founding father who later became President of the U.S., though not a signer of the document, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, becoming the third President in a row to die on the holiday. Only one U.S. President was ever born on the holiday, that being Calvin Coolidge, the 30th, born on July 4, 1872.
Through the years numerous types of celebrations have taken place in observance of the date:
- In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in salute, once at morning and once again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.
- In 1778, from his headquarters at Ross Hall, near New Brunswick, New Jersey, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
- In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.
- In 1781 the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.
- In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy." This is recognized as the first recorded celebration and is still celebrated there today.
- In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day" occurred.
- In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.
- In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
No matter how you celebrate the date, remember the significance of the day. Remember we have and enjoy our freedom today because of what those men did. Remember the guts that it took to stand up to the most powerful nation on the planet at that time.
Enjoy today, and thank you for taking a few moments of it reading this. I appreciate it.
God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
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UA Athletics Self-Reports NCAA Violations
The University of Alabama Athletics Department has self-reported at total of 13 secondary NCAA violations. These violations occurred from July 1, 2014 through June 30th of the current year. None of the violations were significant, according to a report released by the University last night.
Five of the violations were committed by the football program. They are:
1. One player promoted/endorsed a commercial product through social media. This player was declared ineligible before being reinstated by the NCAA. Rules education was provided to the entire staff and team.
2. One player received an over-award of scholarship money due to a computer entry error, which was discovered after a routine audit following the semester. This player was declared ineligible before being reinstated by the NCAA. A real-time audit process was implemented. The player was required to replay the over-award amount, and a letter of admonishment was sent to the responsible staff member.
3. One UA player's friend sold complimentary tickets to a game after asking the player to include her friends on his pass list. This particular player was declared ineligible before being reinstated by the NCAA. The friend of the player and her friends were banned from receiving complimentary admission to any future games.
4. One player received aid and practiced with the team before later being deemed to have been a non-qualifier which resulted in the player's scholarship being revoked. The player was then ruled ineligible and must seek reinstatement. That player, freshman running back DeSherrius Flowers, was ruled ineligible in June after participating in the Tide's spring practice due to a "recently discovered eligibility issue."
5. An assistant coach inadvertently responded to a text message from a recruit. Rules education was provided to the entire coaching staff concerning permissible electronic communications. The coach at fault was prohibited from calling any recruits for two weeks. Anyone from the University of Alabama was not allowed to make contact with the recruit for 30 days.
There were three violations found in the sport of swimming/diving:
1. Head Coach Dennis Pursley called a recruit for a second time during a week. Only one call is allowed in a seven day period. The entire coaching staff was prohibited from calling any recruit for two weeks.
2. Coach Pursley replied to an email prior to the first permissible date that recruiting materials could be sent to that recruit. Rules education was provided. The staff will be prohibited from sending recruiting materials to the recruit for 60 days following the first permissible date to send materials. Pursley was sent a letter of admonishment.
3. An assistant coach replied to a text message sent by a recruit. Rules education was provided to the entire coaching staff concerning permissible electronic communications. The assistant coach was prohibited from calling any recruit for 14 days. The entire staff was prohibited from contacting the recruit for 30 days.
Two violations were reported by track & field:
1. Coach Dan Waters allowed a team member to travel and compete prior to requesting and receiving final amateurism certification. The athlete was withheld from the next competition. A letter of admonishment was then sent to Waters.
2. An assistant coach inadvertently texted a recruit while sending out a mass text to his cell phone contacts. Rules education was provided. The entire staff was prohibited from contacting the recruit for two weeks.
One violation was reported by women's soccer:
The head coach responded to an email from a recruit prior to the first permissible date recruiting materials could be sent to that recruit. Rules education was provided. The entire staff will be prohibited from sending recruiting materials to the recruit for 60 days following the first permissible date to send materials. A letter of admonishment was sent to the head coach.
One violation was reported by men's basketball and Crimson Tide Productions:
During an official visit by one recruit, his image was used to create a personalized recruiting aid. Rules education was provided to the entire Crimson Tide Productions staff and letters of admonishment were issued to involved staff members. The basketball staff was prohibited from contacting the recruit for 14 days.
There was one rule violation reported by rowing:
An assistant coach bought meals for parents of two recruits prior to the start of an official visit. Rules education was provided. Both recruits were required to repay the value of the meals to a charity of their choice. Both recruits were then ruled ineligible until proof of payment was provided.
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Quarterback Coach Believes Coker Is Ready
Longtime quarterback coach David Morris is singing the praises of Alabama quarterback Jake Coker. Coker has been working with the main who has trained such high-profile quarterbacks as Eli Manning, A.J. McCarron, and Matt Barkley.
Matt Zenitz of AL.com reports that the Tide senior quarterback "looks good" and "looks ready" going into the fall. He also reported Coker appears to the favorite right now to replace Blake Sims as Bama's starting quarterback.
Morris said, "I really feel good about where he is. I'm excited about the way he looks right now. He looks twitchy. It's not really a word, but that's how I would describe it. He's a great athlete. He's got his step back. I think his motion is a little quicker, and I think he's going to be in position to react fast and play fast.
"People don't realize that that doesn't happen overnight. That's a maturation process and an experience thing, and I really think he's in a position to hit his stride right now. I really believe that. I've had him for a long time and have always known his potential, and I'm really excited about where he is right now."
Of course Coker was expected to win the starting QB job last season after transferring from Florida State after serving as the backup to Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston. The battle for the starting job continued into last season before Sims got the starting nod.
Morris said consistency is the key, and in order to be a steady leader one must be consistent and balanced.
There are those in the media, bloggers, and armchair QBs who say Jake Coker will never start for the University of Alabama. They may be right. I trust the Alabama coaches. I'm waiting for one of the Tide staff, preferably Lane Kiffen or, of course, Nick Saban, to make the call. I'm good with whatever they decide.
It won't be long now. Nine weeks and counting and we'll see the fruits of his labor.
