CHA CHING!!!!

And as if to verify my previous post on the economic impact of the Alabama fan base:

http://blog.al.com/huntsville-times-sports/2009/12/crimson_tide_turns_38_million.html

"Nick Saban's eight-year, $32 million contract looks like something of a bargain, considering University of Alabama athletics turned a profit of $38 million in the last academic year.


The Associated Press reports that's almost 40 percent more than the year before Saban was hired in 2007.


The windfall doesn't include this fall's football success, which has the top-ranked Crimson Tide (13-0) heading to Pasadena, Calif., for a BCS championship showdown against No. 2 Texas (13-0). That sure-to-be-record profit won't be counted until the end of the current academic year in May."

And with the certainty of the tide rolling in, Alabama state representative John Rogers is now once again clamoring for an Alabama v. Alabama/Birmingham matchup.

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2009/12/legislator_urges_alabama_aubur.html

"At the legislative budget hearings on higher education today, Rep. John Rogers Jr., D-Birmingham, urged the presidents of Alabama and Auburn to schedule UAB in sports events."

Why?



And why bring up this request at a budget hearing? A "higher education" budget hearing???

A similar thing happened in 1947. Officials at the Alabama Polytechnical Institute (Auburn) lobbied the Legislature to re-institute a football game between the University of Alabama and API. Why? Auburn historian David Housel will tell you it's because their athletic dept. wanted us to (say it with me) "show them (me) the money". He's freely admitted in the past that Auburn's coaches were stealing money from the Coke machines to buy helmets and pads. They needed that game for the money. And if you look at what they have in Auburn now, it's not hard to see what our money did and still does for them.

The game at Legion Field, you know..... the REAL Iron Bowl, was moved for more than just the recruiting or the fans psychology, but for the economic impact we have everywhere we go. Our money has built more than just a stadium, it's built Auburn. Alabama could easily replace Auburn in our season ticket package and move on. Remove it from theirs and go hide. Nothing's changed in 61 years. In the best of times for Auburn, they need us, we don't need them.

(Remember what I told you in the past about Auburn's 61 game winning streak. Doesn't matter what the final score is, when they take the field with us, they're automatically winners)

The school colors are green and gold, ironic considering Mr. Rogers interest in procuring this money-maker for his "other" employer, UAB.

Don't believe for two seconds Mr. Rogers isn't keenly aware of the economic windfall the Alabama athletic department currently enjoys thanks to Coach Saban.

And he wants his piece of the pie. (like Mr. McGregor says, "you can be a winner too!" Cashin' in on a 'Bama game is better odds than Larry Langford playing Uncle Miltie's bingo, lot's better! It's the surest of sure things)

And he wants it for more than just the money for UAB. He wants the Crimson Tide back in Birmingham.

Crimson Tide football is the ONLY sporting endeavor to ever be financially successful within the city limits of Birmingham. From the towel-wavers on Graymont parking cars to the businesses to City Hall, money was made by all. Over time, the city's leadership lost sight of that. From the near constant state of dis-repair of Legion Field to the financing of UAB athletics (that begs the question: did UAB ever repay the 2.2 million the city loaned it back in the late eighties???) with money Crimson Tide athletics helped it make, Birmingham didn't make it a hard decision when the City of Tuscaloosa started lobbying the University to bring it's games home where they'd be more appreciated.

Is Rogers planning an "instant replay" of Auburn's playbook in 1947?? Does Rogers plan to use his political influence to force a game, basketball or football, with Alabama?? (and don't be distracted by the Auburn thing, he wants a game with ALABAMA, a FOOTBALL game with ALABAMA)

If so, you really couldn't blame him, it's an old weakness.

Sing it, Tanya.




But take some advice from Glen, John, it ain't gonna be without a fight.