In a historic development, UAB football players tell ESPN that their entire roster has agreed to sign up for Athletes.org, a group that describes itself as “the players association for college athletes.” The Blazers will become the first Division 1 football team to publicly join the organization.
The move was announced by UAB quarterback Jacob Zeno in a video posted to multiple social media platforms.
https://twitter.com/AthletesOrg/status/1784979336346456500
“Me and my teammates learned about the future of college athletics and how the college football business has worked and will work in the near future,” Zeno stated. “Me and my team decided to make history by being the first entire team to sign up and become members of Athletes.org.”
“To all my friends in college football: join us as we prepare for the future of college athletics.”
“In a way, we’ve been cheated out of money, and decisions are being made behind our back. It’s not really fair because we do so much for the sport, for the school and the conference,” Zeno later told ESPN. “We should at least deserve to know what’s going on and what decisions are being made.”
“[The players are] going to have a seat at the table,” UAB head coach Trent Dilfer told ESPN. “I wanted to make sure I helped pour gasoline on something that is going to happen no matter what. I might as well use my influence to help it happen faster on behalf of our players.”
According to the players, “every member of the team signed up to join the organization after hearing its pitch.” UAB running back Isaiah Jacobs told ESPN he envisions a future in which “a broader group of players can push for a bigger piece of television revenue as well as other resources like increased mental health support from their schools.”
RELATED: Nick Saban, U.S. Senators want to regulate NIL before it’s too late
The move is not a formal unionization effort, like the Dartmouth’s men basketball team engaged in earlier this year. UAB players currently have no plans to initiate collecting bargaining with their university. Despite its nature, which is largely symbolic for now, the move marks a milestone in a college sports world growing cognizant of an impending athlete’s rights revolution.
Athletes.org founder Jim Cavale said his company is trying to “lay the groundwork” for whatever system develops after the NCAA’s current legal situation is resolved.
“We’re not in there to get them to boycott, but we do understand the power they can have,” he told ESPN. “When it is time to negotiate, we’ll be prepared to have UAB be a part of that negotiation. We’re building the pipes for the negotiation of the new deal for college athletics — the pipes for the athletes to be in that conversation.”
As of Monday afternoon, UAB has not yet released a statement on the matter.
Athletes.org, whose current membership consists of nearly 3,000 athletes, is one of several organizations trying to position themselves as the preeminent player bargaining representative. Shortly after the news broke, college sports business analyst Matt Brown said he “deeply” believes the selection of a bargaining representative will be “one of the absolute biggest stories in college sports this summer.”
I deeply believe this is one of the absolute biggest stories in college sports this summer. There can't be effective bargaining or revenue sharing without an athlete rep on the other side of the table. Who is that going to be…and who will pick it?https://t.co/tOfGpWsHqR pic.twitter.com/zUnuotXLAk
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) April 29, 2024
Competing bargaining organizations include The Collective Association and SANIL, each of which manage NIL-based collectives, and the College Football Players Association, which has built membership through traditional labor organizing methods like donations and dues.
Athletes.org is currently funded by venture capitalists, but “plans to make money in the future by taking a percentage of some group licensing deals they hope to strike on behalf of their members.” The organization says its members have access to “support services such as legal advice, medical second opinions and mental health professionals for free.”
Cavale said that the organization’s next goal is to sign at least half of the football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball players from power conferences — of which there are roughly 10,000. Cavale wants to do so by the end of 2024.
Athletes.org told ESPN that they are in conversations with “several” power conference schools about setting up visits in the upcoming months.
Charles Vaughan is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News.
Every week during the college football season, Alabama head coach Nick Saban joined the Pat McAfee show to discuss his team, the previous game, and whatever else came up. This week, Saban laughed off retirement rumors that have become louder in recent weeks.
When McAfee asked Saban why he thinks this gets brought up around this time every year, Saban responded with a smile. “Because I’m getting old I guess.”
https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1742977502497091842
Earlier this season, in one of Saban’s first appearances on the show, he referred to the speculation as “laughable” and that people have been saying that for at least five years:
https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1702372599777419756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1702372599777419756%7Ctwgr%5E4223ec0bc9b2a11343a980db3e0d2dcaeb1f194e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marca.com%2Fen%2Fncaa%2F2023%2F09%2F15%2F65039f60e2704e47b28b457f.html
“I think it creates some kind of advantages for people whether it’s in recruiting or whatever it might be but I love what I’m doing and I’m focused on the challenge. I’ve always said I don’t wanna ride the program down, I don’t wanna do this if I can’t do it anymore but I feel great right now, I love it and we’re all in,” Saban said back in September.
After the Alabama Crimson Tide’s season came to an end last week, yesterday’s appearance is expected to be Saban’s final on the Pat McAfee Show. For now, that is.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP
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Former NFL player and Alabama football standout, Wallace Gilberry, has announced his Republican candidacy for the U.S. House, representing Alabama’s newly-drawn 2nd Congressional District.
Gilberry, who says he grew up as a Democrat, formally launched his campaign on Wednesday, pledging to support former President Donald J. Trump’s agenda, and in the meantime, “fire Joe Biden.”
I’ve played on great teams – at Bama, 9 seasons in the NFL. Now, my team is you! I’m fighting to hold our Republican Majority and I need you on my team to do it! Join us today — https://t.co/wk7F6RWbtG pic.twitter.com/U8087Wvhep
— Wallace Gilberry (@WallaceGilberry) November 29, 2023
After a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that threw out the 2021 reapportionment map drawn by the Alabama Legislature, federally-imposed district lines will go into effect in 2024 that encompasses the 2nd Congressional District with a Black voting age population of 48.7% — intended to enhance competitiveness for the eventual Democratic nominee.
RELATED: Albritton, Brewbaker, Dobson qualify for GOP primary in redrawn CD2
“A Black man is going to win this race – but it’ll be me, a conservative Republican who puts Alabama first,” Gilberry told FOX.
“My focus is on lifting up the people of Alabama. I’ve been blessed with incredible success, success that came from playing football. I’m running to have a platform to help create opportunities for young men who look like me that go beyond sports,” he said.
“More jobs at local businesses, helping entrepreneurs thrive, keeping our communities safe. In order to do that we have to get rid of career politicians, get rid of Joe Biden, and elect people focused on putting the people of Alabama first.”
RELATED: Anthony Daniels releases first video ad highlighting Bullock County roots
Gilberry played defensive end for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2004 to 2007. In the years since, he’s had an NFL career that’s brought him outsized longevity in professional sports, only recently retiring from the league in late 2017.
Gilberry’s journey began with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2008, before joining the Kansas City Chiefs later in the year. In 2011, during his time with the Chiefs, he earned a victory he can still appreciate to this day: Tackling New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
“I’ve sacked Brady, Biden won’t be a problem,” he says.
The Alabama Republican Primary election will be held March 5, 2024.
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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In a much-anticipated face-off, former Crimson Tide quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Bryce Young met on the field when the Miami Dolphins played the Carolina Panthers in Week 6.
While Tagovailoa emerged victorious in their first NFL encounter, he fully anticipates Young will have a successful career in the league.
They shared a powerful postgame moment and the Tide legends opened up about what they shared in passing.
WATCH:
“Bryce Young is doing a tremendous job,” Tagovailoa told reporters when the dust settled. “There are going to be rookie mistakes. He will continue to grow. I told him the naysayers are an external factor. Believe in yourself.”
https://twitter.com/schadjoe/status/1713652483380109823
“Yeah, the conversation that I felt like, if I was on the other side of the ball, I would want someone to tell me,” he said. “I think he’s doing a tremendous job. There’s going to be times where you’re going to make mistakes because you’re a rookie, and there’s things that when he plays the next game that he wished he knew this game, and he’ll continue to grow from that. I just told him to keep the press, the naysayers, other people, that’s just external factors.
“They’re going to say what they’re going to say, but you continue to believe in yourself, you continue to do the right things, you’re going to go far.”
Young said of Tua, “Great player, great person. Obviously, there were things said between us that I’ll keep between us.
“But again, great guy, great competitor, great player.”
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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Following a loss to Texas A&M last week in its SEC opener, it was apparent that the Auburn Tigers had massive problems on offense, especially at the quarterback position.
As a result, with the 2x defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs coming to town, not many gave Auburn any shot at toppling the Dawgs.
But the Tigers were able to give Georgia quite the scare in a 27-20 loss that came down to the final possession at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Auburn came out in the first half with a very specific game plan in mind. They were going to run the ball on the Georgia defense. Given that second team pre-season All American defensive back Javon Bullard was returning from injury, it was likely a sound decision.
The game plan Hugh Freeze came out with proved extremely successful, with the Tigers rushing for 145 yards in the first half and 61 of them coming from the legs of Payton Thorne. This strategy continued well into the second half.
It is obvious, however, that Hugh Freeze just does not fully trust Thorne to throw the ball. Several specific examples stood out. The most obvious was during the first drive, after the 61 yard run, with Auburn bogged down inside the red zone and facing a 3rd and 4.
After a timeout, Auburn chose a running play and settled for an opening field goal. It was a curious play call to say the least.
Auburn only threw for 88 yards total today (82 of them from Thorne, 6 of them from Ashford). Once again the Tiger defense was strong and gave Carson Beck plenty of trouble.
Unfortunately for Auburn, however, Brock Bowers exists, and very well may be the best player in all of college football. After a quiet first half, the Georgia superstar tight end accounted for 148 yards as well as what proved to be the game winning touchdown in the final minutes:
Brock Bowers is a freak. Single handedly took over this game
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 30, 2023
Bowers simply took the game over and Auburn had no answer for him whatsoever. Not many teams do.
For everything that Auburn did well today, the same problems persist. They flat out cannot throw the ball right now. In 2023 college football, especially in the SEC, you cannot hope to defeat any team with a pulse without a passing threat on your offense.
It’s hard to see anything changing significantly with the personnel that the Tigers currently have on offense.
All this being said, let’s give Auburn some due credit. They fought for 60 minutes in a game where nobody gave them a shot and took the 2x defending champs to the wire.
While it may take some time, it’s never been more clear that Hugh Freeze was the right hire for the Auburn Tigers.
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After a gritty win to Ole Miss on Saturday, Jalen Milroe shared where he credited the win – and where he received the strength to pull it off.
RELATED: Alabama earns gritty win vs. Ole Miss
Milroe started in the SEC home opener against Ole Miss after a week on the bench against USF. Especially after a second-half rally, Milroe’s 225 passing yards, 28 running yards, one touchdown, and only one interception, the progress was evident.
After the game, here’s what he said:
Jalen Milroe said Phillipians 4:13 is his favorite Bible verse, which says “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” (NIV)
Said Milroe: “I can always lean on my Lord and Savior. I’m good.” pic.twitter.com/1Hw00qeAl2
— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) September 23, 2023
“I get my strength through my Lord and Savior. I surrender my throne to Him, and I know I can lean on Him no matter the circumstances. I put my trust in Him no matter what,” Milroe said.
“I can always lean on Him, so I’m good.”
RELATED: Auburn offense sputters in tough loss to Texas A&M
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In a candid moment on “60 Minutes,” Deion Sanders said he might be the best coach in college football right now.
But he quickly shifted focus to Nick Saban.
The first-year University of Colorado head coach has led his team to a 3-0 start, one year after the Buffaloes finished 1-11.
When asked who’s the best coach in college football today, Sanders said:
“Let me see a mirror so I can look at it.”
Here’s what Coach Prime had to say about Nick Saban during his appearance on “60 Minutes” Sunday night.
🎥: “60 Minutes” pic.twitter.com/A7vKMCTC9b
— Tuscaloosa Patch (@TuscaloosaPatch) September 18, 2023
Sanders also had another legend in mind.
“I love and I adore and I respect, and every time I do a commercial with Coach Saban – it’s a gift,” Sanders said of their Aflac TV commercials. “Just sitting in his presence and hearing him, and throwing something else out there so I can hear his viewpoint on it.
“Because he’s forgotten more things than I may ever accomplish.
“So I’m a student looking up to this wonderful teacher, saying ‘just throw me a crumb of what you know.’”
RELATED: Saban turns it around on caller on ‘Hey Coach’
Saban previously said he has “as much respect for [Sanders] as anyone in our profession.”
“We’re both interested in trying to improve our program, how we sort of motivate players, how we inspire people to do things at a high standard and a high level all the time,” Saban said this year. “So that interaction has been positive for me.”
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
Barstool Sports founder and president Dave Portnoy spent the weekend in Tuscaloosa, hosting a live college football gameday show, making the rounds on the sidelines for the Alabama-Texas matchup, and even taking his infamous One Bite pizza review segment to two local hotspots.
Portnoy put cards on the table about who he was pulling for.
“I gotta get me some Bama gear,” Portnoy said.
Barstool Pizza Review – Heat Pizza Bar (Tuscaloosa, AL) pic.twitter.com/N78ogUIXgu
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 11, 2023
“When the plane landed, I was on Texas plus the points [but] I had been swayed by all the people here, I had been drinking all the Alabama Kool-Aid, the guy at the pizza place told me better win the national title, at home, under the lights – Bama, you can’t go against that – I think they’re gonna win by double digits tonight.”
Portnoy held up a Mac Jones jersey during Barstool’s gameday show, saying he’ll lead the Patriots to the Super Bowl this year.
As one of the country’s most prolific pizza critics, he stopped by two of Tuscaloosa’s hot spots during his visit. In the pecking order of notoriously critical scores handed out by Portnoy, Heat Pizza Bar (7.1) and The Standard (7.3) represented Alabama strongly.
Owner of Heat Pizza Bar, Frank Fleming, said he’s proud of the score. Even though they serve up fan-favorite exclusive pizzas like the chicken-bacon-ranch, he knew what Portnoy was looking for.
“It was a really cool, surreal moment. I’m just really thankful that he came in and put us on the map like that,” Fleming said. “The 7.1, if you know him and how he grades, that’s a really solid score. So we’re very happy with it and thankful that he came back.
“Maybe I put an extra 10 or 15 seconds more than we normally do because I know he likes the crisp.”
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
7. Alabama and Auburn are looking at their position in the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness ratings and seeing what they have been seeing on the field – Alabama over Auburn. While Auburn struck first, Alabama has seven players in the top 100 but, fittingly, former Auburn QB and now Oregon Duck Bo Nix is ranked third on the list with $1.7 million in value.
6. 61% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck with inflation crushing families while the Biden administration brags about “Bidenomics.”
5. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign says he is not expected to appear at any debate in Alabama, tentatively expected for late October/early November. Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said, “I would take that as his position until he says otherwise.”
4. With the normal clarity and intelligence that the Biden administration shows on a regular basis, spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre was unable to explain the administration’s position on men playing women’s sports. The super-hard topic was raised followed a U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) tweet declaring, “It’s time for the Senate to pass my bill to save Title IX and save women’s sports.”
3. Tax relief starts today and Alabama will no longer fully tax groceries (joining 47 states) while heading down the road to removing two of the four cents of the previous tax. This tax cut has been talked about for decades and it is now finally happening, even if not a total cut.
2. State Rep. David Cole (R-?) pleads guilty and becomes disgraced former State Rep. David Cole (R-Madison County Jail) and now there will be a special election. Cole will serve 60 days in jail and 3 years on unsupervised probation.
1. Gov. Kay Ivey announces that six miles of road will be six-laned on I-65 for roughly $300 million. This came in an announcement of additional road projects and after a concerted push by Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth and others.
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Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
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Every Wednesday right here you can read Across the South, where we’ll get into a different topic on the SEC, break down the biggest matchups of the previous week, preview the coming week’s slate, and talk about where things stand in the best conference in the land!
In this week’s edition, it’s finally game week! While SEC play doesn’t officially start for a few weeks, there are plenty of exciting matchups to keep your eye on this weekend. Let’s break down some of them here:
Florida at No. 14 Utah (Thursday)
What better way to kick off week one than seeing an SEC team hit the road tomorrow night against a ranked opponent with a star senior quarterback and one of the most underrated coaches in college football?
This will be the second leg of a home and home after the Gators defeated the Utes 29-26 in an opening game thriller where Florida came back to win in the fourth quarter.
Utah got their season back on track after the loss and quarterback Cameron Rising was able to help defeat USC twice and lead Utah to a PAC-12 title. Kyle Whittingham always seems to have a solid team at Utah, and this is going to be quite a challenge for a Florida team that will be starting Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz at QB.
But, Rising’s health is in question after a torn ACL in the Rose Bowl against Penn State and it’s a question mark whether or not he even plays, but either way, Utah is still the better team.
Virginia at No. 12 Tennessee (Nashville)
On paper, this game should be a beatdown, with the Vols favored by 28 points. Virginia is coming off a 3-7 season after its final two games of 2022 were cancelled in the aftermath of an on-campus shooting that tragically saw three players on the team killed and another wounded.
While Tennessee is the much better team, it is a week one power-five matchup and an opportunity for fans to see the new look offense in Knoxville. All eyes will be on Joe Milton III, who is taking over QB1 duties from Hendon Hooker after Hooker’s marvelous 2022.
Milton III has the strongest arm in college football and was fantastic in the Orange Bowl against Clemson, but thus far is still unproven.
If Milton III can reach his ceiling, there is no limit to how good the Tennessee offense can be this season. He will get a chance on Saturday to display whether or not he has improved his accuracy enough to be a reliable signal caller for the Vols.
No. 21 North Carolina at South Carolina
The Tar Heels and Gamecocks have not played against each other since 2021, with South Carolina winning 38-21. The Gamecocks were able to turn their season around in year two of the Shane Beamer era with back to back wins over Tennessee and Clemson to end the regular season where Spencer Rattler was brilliant in both.
With some momentum headed into year three, a home game against a ranked Tar Heels team offers a great opportunity to start the year.
UNC leads the all-time series 35-20 and has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Drake Maye.
Head coach Mack Brown has been very impressive in his four seasons in Chapel Hill, leading the Tar Heels to bowl appearances in each season as well as an appearance in the ACC championship last year after a 9-3 year.
This is one of the most fascinating matchups in week one.
No. 5 LSU at No. 8 Florida State (Orlando)
Another rematch of last year’s opener, this was one of the wildest games of the season in 2022. Jayden Daniels struggled all night for the Tigers before leading a 99-yard touchdown drive in the game’s final minutes that should have sent it to OT, but a blocked extra point ended the game in regulation.
Neither team was ranked in last year’s edition, but after great seasons for both teams, this is now a top-10 matchup.
This is the marquee game of week one, and it will be played Sunday night. Even though it is just week one, both teams have playoff hopes, and this game could go a long way towards determining who ultimately will qualify for college football’s Final Four.
Michael Brauner is a staff writer with WNSP Mobile.
Sometimes the worlds of politics and sports intersect. Like the recent effort to keep college athletics fair by regulating name, image, likeness (NIL), Congress is getting in the game with a new caucus to preserve and improve stadiums across the country.
Four SEC universities are on the list of 18 historic stadiums: Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Ole Miss, and Davis Wade Stadium at Mississippi State.
The Historic Stadium Caucus will bring together a bipartisan team of officials to work on preserving the legacy of these venues while enhancing their capabilities so they’re able to continue to host world-class sporting events and concerts for generations to come.
“When Tiger fans walk into Death Valley on Saturday nights, they do more than watch a football game – they walk into a 99-year-old local icon that supports our regional economy. Every bowl of jambalaya scooped and Tiger Dog served injects jobs and resources into our community,” said Rep. Garret Graves, whose congressional district includes LSU.
RELATED: The Auburn Corner: Realistic expectations for year one of Freeze era
The caucus will bring much-needed attention to historic stadiums that were among the first major athletic venues in the United States and continue to host some of sport and entertainment’s most marquee events each year.
Stadiums are economic catalysts for local economies as well as emergency preparedness centers for local, county and state agencies.
Built in 1939, along with five major expansion projects throughout the 20th century, the stadium on the Plains now seats over 87,000 – making it the 10th-largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA.
LSU’s Tiger Stadium has seen multiple NFL superstars jumpstart their careers, from quarterbacks Y.A. Tittle in the 1940s to Joe Burrow in the 2010s.
LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward said, “Historic stadiums, such as Tiger Stadium at LSU, play an important role in the environment that makes college athletics special. The game day traditions in iconic venues around the country are unique and are worthy of discussion.”
RELATED: PASS Act: Tuberville, Manchin tackle NIL regulation
The 18 stadiums are:
- Beaver Stadium (Penn State University)
- Camp Randall Stadium (University of Wisconsin)
- Cotton Bowl
- Davis Wade Stadium (Mississippi State University)
- Franklin Field (University of Pennsylvania)
- Husky Stadium (University of Washington)
- Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn University)
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (University of Southern California)
- Memorial Stadium (University of California)
- Memorial Stadium (University of Illinois)
- Memorial Stadium (Clemson University)
- Nippert Stadium (University of Cincinnati)
- Rose Bowl Stadium
- SJSU Spartan Stadium (San Jose State University)
- Tiger Stadium (Louisiana State University)
- Vaught–Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field (University of Mississippi)
- Wallace Wade Stadium (Duke University)
- Yale Bowl (Yale University)
The co-chairs of the Historic Stadium Caucus, Reps. Graves and Pocan (D-Wisconsin), are gearing up to rally more members of Congress to back the initiative.
Forthcoming enhancements to the stadiums will include security and safety measures, technology upgrades and infrastructural improvements.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270