Baseball and frostbite....a winning combination.

I covered the AHSAA 5A, Area 8 (baseball) championship game Monday night with the Briarwood Lions taking on the Chelsea Hornets. With Briarwood blowing a crucial area game to Shelby County and Chelsea beating John Carroll, it was winner take all.

Due to heavy rains in previous days, Chelsea's field was too soggy to play on and the game was moved to Briarwood's field. However, Chelsea was the home team. Weird, I know.

Here is what I gathered during the game:

• If you weren't there, you cannot comprehend how cold it was. It was bitter cold and too dang cold to be playing baseball! They had to get it in, though. Luckily, I was able to be in the press box for the most part, but I was on the field at the end of the game and, gosh almighty, I was shivering uncontrollably while doing post game interviews. No joke. Mother nature marches to the beat of her own drum.
• High school baseball should be played on into May to be able to play in better weather...baseball weather. We'll save that argument for another day.
• Both Chelsea and Briarwood carried themselves like baseball players. They both had that swagger in their step. Both are great programs with great coaches.
• It was a better game than what the 14-4 score reflected. Seriously. Chelsea self destructed late in the game and couldn't gather themselves; they had their opportunities to position themselves for a win. Yet, Briarwood hit the ball well and made (big) hits when they needed to.
• It was the first time I had gotten to see Ben Bracewell, a Miss. St. signee, throw. He is as good as advertised! He brings the heat and has nasty junk. I was able to speak with him and his Dad--both are very class acts.
• It was fun to see good baseball.
• I've always loved Briarwood's old gold & navy blue color scheme. Still do!
• It was cold!

Lions earn Area 8 crown

All the best,
Ricky

Shelby County Coaches Of The Year Announced....

And the winners are:

• Charles Dickinson of Shelby County High--23-7 season & a 5A, Area 8 Championship
• Kevin Smith of Shelby Academy--AISA State Championship
• Tena Niven of Montevallo High (girls)--30 win season, 4A Regional appearance

My story on the game (with Chris Megginson contributing): Dickinson, Smith, Niven named Coach of Year

Congrats to all three coaches!

Ricky

Magette wins the Freshman "big one."

Say whaaat?! Yep, the Gulf South Conference's Freshman Player of the Year. What a good story for Josh and his family. I can say that because I know them very well and they are a great bunch of folks.

His brother, Jay, taught him well....(I'm sure he'd tell you that).

I wrote this piece on Josh Magette earlier in the year that tells the story. Ever since Magette headed to the Rocket City of Huntsville, AL to play for the UAH Chargers, it has been all gravy. It's been a picture perfect year for him. Now, he has the hardware to always remind him of it.

Him getting the top GSC honor for Freshman is just icing on the cake. He has his team, family, and friends riding high. You can tell that by the support he has. He'll just be faced with the pressure of being an All Conference guard and/or All American the next three years. No biggie. Ha.

Lastly, his coach, Lennie Acuff, is top notch. Great guy, great coach, and he seems like someone you'd like to play for.

Congrats, Josh! Well deserved.

Magette named GSC top freshman

High School Basketball...the new WWE or MMA?

Click here for just another sickening occurrence of what gave the Alabama High School Athletic Association a national black eye yesterday.

Alabama State University was the place, Carver Montgomery and Valley High School were the leading cast. The crowd had a strong supporting role as well.

Read yesterday's script here: Lovely. See today's action here: Carver and Valley out and rightfully so!

The whole thing is a shame and has no place in sports, especially high school events. Moreover, it is scary. I don't ever think about this type of thing happening when I go to a sporting event, especially high school. Do you? Maybe I should from now on.

What would you do if this was going on around you? Run, hide, join in, pray for your safety? It''s worth a thought.

Here are my thoughts on what happened:

• Valley was getting drummed by Carver late in the game and took out some frustration with a hard foul. The Carver player didn't like it. The benches AND the stands cleared.
• The refs were "letting them play" and the game got out of hand very quickly with a hard foul.

So who's fault is it? In my opinion, it's the refs, players, the crowd, Alabama St. University, & the AHSAA. Everyone involved; you can't place blame on one person, place, or thing. The crowd just poured gas on the fire coming onto the floor. Some arrests have been made and should be. Bans should be enforced. Period.

Here is one thing good about it all, no guns or weapons were brought out and no one got severely hurt. Sheww!

I just covered Carver is a sub-regional game last Friday and this is crazy to see this. Night and day I tell ya. Congrats to Talledega High for advancing to the Final Four as result of a double forfeit.

There is no room for this in athletics, but can it be prevented from happening again (to any team/school)? I hope so. Lessons learned and stuff.

Ricky

Winning is everything....

Yet, a program must have quality recruiting and hire good coaches to succeed. Right now, Gene Chizik has done that only being on the Auburn job for approximately 2 months--in my opinion.

Chizik has had some major wins since accepting the Auburn job on December 13, 2008 despite the initial onslaught of negativity. He's done it without coaching a game as the head man at AU.

Those "wins" are merely on paper at this point. However, it is a solid foundation of what could be great things on the horizon for the Auburn Tigers by hiring great position coaches and, most importantly, coaches that recruit like there is no tomorrow. A much larger, all around upswing than the previous regime. Now, they have to win on the field.

The list below list of coaches excites me as Auburn fanatic. Check it:

• Head coach: Gene Chizik
• Offensive coordinator: Gus Malzahn
• Defensive coordinator and linebackers: Ted Roof
• Receivers and assistant head coach: Trooper Taylor
• Running backs and recruiting coordinator: Curtis Luper
• Tight end and special teams coordinator: Jay Boulware
• Offensive line: Jeff Grimes
• Defensive line: Tracy Rocker
• Secondary: Tommy Thigpen & Phillip Lolley

I'm excited about Malzhan's offense bc he'll be allowed to run Malzhan's offense. Trooper, Luper, Boulware & Grimes are all on board with the schemes of the offensive unlike the previous BBQ squad (one position coach in particular that doomed AU's offense and Franklin). They have coached & recruited some great talent at their previous stops.

Defensively, I am most excited at Rocker being back at AU as he was one of the first players I remember hearing about as a little boy. Roof brings intensity and hard nose football to an athletic AU linebacker corp that was much needed. The late addition of Thigpen and Lolley to coach the secondary with Chizik...I know the AU secondary is in good hands and will be ready to play.

I'll gladly take Thigpen to replace James Willis (who left for Bama) and have Roof coaching LB's. Fact.

If you think about it, Chizik held AU's 2008 recruiting together with himself, Trooper, & Luper. They had the help from Joe Whitt, Sr and Lolley, but, for the most part, those guys were relentless from the day they could recruit for AU. They had about one full month to fully recruit for AU.

After Tubs' departure, I believe AU lost around 7 commitments. Yet, they backed off some as well to go after others. For a situation that could have been a lot worse recruiting wise, I think AU ended up very well considering the change in staff. Auburn filled some key needs at the skill position that will be able to contribute immediately.

Trooper, Luper, Thigpen, and Rocker are some of the best, most relentless recruiters in the country and I am excited what they, along with the whole staff, can do with a full year to recruit. Lolley is pivotal in the recruiting aspect bc he has coached at the high school level in Alabama.

With that said, Chizik has done everything right up to this point. Now, he must go into spring training and implement his plan that will get some wins on game day in the fall.

Ultimately, that will be where he will be judged. Rightfully so.

War Eagle,

Ricky