AJ McCarron meticulously examines Alabama’s latest BCS trophy for any cracks. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

You might recall that Alabama’s 2011 BCS national championship trophy suffered an unfortunate and painful ending during last season’s spring practice. Carleton Tinker, the father of former Tide longsnapper Carson Tinker, mishandled the crystal ball, allowing it to shatter into several assorted pieces.

But the broken trophy made headlines again over the weekend. A bidder reportedly paid $105,000 for its remnants at the University of Alabama celebrity golf tournament’s auction on Sunday:

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Time enough at last. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Here follows an account of the reign of Nick Saban from the years 2015-25, commonly referred to by better historians as the Wilding Tuscaloosa era.

The year is 2015. The season, midwinter. Flush with six national titles, four of them consecutive, five at Alabama, even the agile football mind of Nick Saban atrophies with boredom. Staring listlessly at a commitment list that’s a unanimous pick for tops in the nation, a list that will bolster a roster that’s already a consensus national title favorite, in the predawn dim of National Signing Day, the crafter of college football’s most unassailable modern dynasty crumples a piece of copy paper into a wad the size of a golfball with the density of sandstone. It’s time at last, time to turn on the cheat codes, Saban’s last defense against the dulling of his edge. He needs to be tested again.

But the codes are not for his benefit. They’re for yours.

And from now on, everything’s gonna be different. Well — almost everything.
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Nick Saban makes $5.3 million per season, but his economic impact on Alabama is much greater. (Morry Gash/AP)

By Zac Ellis

Critics and fans alike have used many words to describe Alabama coach Nick Saban’s salary, which leads the nation at $5.3 million per year. But “modest” likely wasn’t been one of them — until now.

That’s how Forbes writer Tom Van Riper recently described Saban’s pay. The logic? Given the economic impact Alabama football has made on Tuscaloosa during Saban’s tenure, that price tag isn’t so bad. The Crimson Tide’s success has indirectly caused an upswing in university enrollment, faculty employment and athletics revenue.

“Powerhouse football is nothing new at the school, of course. But powerhouse football in the modern media age means, thanks to games beamed across the country on a regular basis, a national marketing platform unlike anything Bama enjoyed in Bear Bryant’s day.”

Saban has won three national titles in Tuscaloosa and compiled a 68-13 record since taking over at Alabama in 2007. The school’s revenue flow has increased accordingly: According to Van Riper’s data, taken from USA Today, Alabama recorded revenue of $124.5 million and a profit of $19.4 million in 2012, an increase from $67.7 million in revenue and $7.1 million in profit in ’07. The football program is the money-driver, accounting for around two-thirds of all athletics revenue and $45 million in profit.

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By Holly Anderson

If you’re anything like us, gentle readers, you’re no stranger to seeing your prom plans in ashes after a heartless school board vetoes your suggestions of a Pink & Green Pirate Promenade, Jurassic Prom or Prom.com.* We’re here to help, with 10 free formal templates for use in a variety of states. Who’s going to say no to Kliffykins? Nobody with a human heart and a pulse.

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By Holly Anderson

Dale Jr, Chipper & AJ McCarron hanging. Or as I like to call it, Alabama's Modern Day Mt Rushmore: http://t.co/EU4UbzywKo—
Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) May 05, 2013

AJ McCarron ably represented Alabama’s formidable ground game at this weekend’s Talladega festivities. In this case, that means keeping his pace car on the ground and headed in the correct direction, unlike some people.

By Holly Anderson

For The First Time This Year We Wish We Worked Offseason Weekends, Vol. 1: Congratulations to all recently minted graduates of the University of Alabama! Especial congratulations to Bradley Harris, whose commencement snapping produced this irreplicable gem:

@SECfootball Nick Saban is great at winning championships and now….photobombing? http://t.co/pki2LPaMCk—
Bradley Harris (@bradleyrharris) May 04, 2013

Saban is presumably standing in this shot to sneer so many empty seats, the likes of which he has not seen in Tuscaloosa before.

Nick Saban expresses his approval of Alabama’s opening week line. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Betting lines for the first week of college football were released this week by 5dimes Sportsbooks, and it appears Alabama’s streak of dominance extends all the way to Las Vegas. The Crimson Tide opened as 24-point favorites over Virginia Tech for the teams’ Aug. 31 opener in Atlanta, marking the 42nd consecutive game in which Nick Saban’s program will enter as the favorite.

According to AL.com, Alabama has not been an underdog since the 2009 SEC Championship Game, when the Tide went on to beat favored Florida 32-13. Roll Tide, indeed.

Other notable first-week lines, as of Thursday:

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D.J. Fluker, before becoming ‘Bama’s 14th first-round NFL draft pick in Nick Saban’s tenure. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

The SEC hogged the spotlight once again in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night. Twelve SEC players were selected on the draft’s opening night, a total that tied the 2007 ACC for the most ever from one conference in the first round. And while the SEC was setting new heights for the league, Nick Saban was doing the same for his tenure at Alabama.

Three Crimson Tide players — cornerback Dee Milliner, offensive guard Chance Warmack and offensive tackle D.J. Fluker — were picked consecutively in the first round, with selections No. 9, No. 10 and No. 11. The picks upped Saban’s total of first-round draft picks to 14 during his six seasons at Alabama.

That mark is significant: Saban’s 14 first-rounders pushes the coach past legendary Crimson Tide coach Bear Bryant in that regard, as Bryant produced 13 first-round picks with Alabama. The difference? It took Bryant 25 seasons to get to that number in Tuscaloosa, according to AL.com’s Jon Solomon.

Saban and Alabama have recently dominated the rest of the SEC in first-round picks as well. Since 2009, Florida’s seven first-round selections are the league’s second-highest total behind Alabama’s 14.

By Holly Anderson

"Halftime it was 28-0, that is when I stopped watching" -@BarackObama—
Patrick Claybon (@PatrickClaybon) April 15, 2013

By which we mean “They, too, started to really tune out about halfway through that title game.”

The Alabama football team visited the White House for the third time in four years on Monday. (AP)

By Zac Ellis

For practical purposes, it might be a good idea for the Alabama football team to purchase a timeshare in Washington, D.C. The Crimson Tide made another visit to the White House on Monday to celebrate their BCS title win over Notre Dame, ‘Bama’s third championship — and third visit to D.C. — in four seasons. It’s becoming a near-annual tradition for Nick Saban and Co.

Saban and President Barack Obama must be getting pretty close at this point. The coach presented Obama with a personalized No. 15 jersey, a helmet and an autographed football, joking that the Commander-in-Chief must be collecting a full uniform at this point. Obama offered remarks in praise of the Tide’s accomplishments, mentioning Saban, returning quarterback AJ McCarron, outgoing center Barrett Jones and late Alabama athletic director Mal Moore.

Though Saban has been present for all three of his team’s recent White House trips, he said being honored by the president is always a momentous visit. “This is a really special occasion and something you never really get used to, so we really appreciate it,” Saban said.

Obama, who won re-election last fall, said he might see Saban’s crew again before he finishes his second term. “Since I’ll be around for four more football seasons,” Obama said, “I expect I just might see these guys again before I leave.”