Alabama

Dave Hart, former athletics director at Florida State, has been hired by Alabama as an aide to UA athletics director Mal Moore. Florida State UniversityDave Hart, Alabama’s newest hire Hart’s role as executive director of athletics will be to assist Moore in day-to-day operations of the department. “I am very proud and pleased to be able to add Dave Hart to our athletic staff,” Moore said in a a statement. “Dave is a proven leader with a strong administrative background. He is a former Crimson Tide athlete who is passionate about The University of Alabama and I am delighted to welcome him to our staff.” Hart, a former UA basketball player under C.M. (Read the full post about ‘UA hires former FSU AD Dave Hart’…)

Alabama finished the 2007-08 school year 25th nationally and seventh in the SEC, according the annual U.S. Sports Academy Director’s Cup competition that rates the overall performance of athletics departments.

The Crimson Tide had only one program win an SEC title — men’s golf — but it did reach the final stages of the postseason in softball and gymnastics (Read all about 2007-08 in the blog’s Year in UA athletics produced earlier this summer).

As for the Director’s Cup, Stanford won (again), beating out UCLA and Michigan. At No. 6 Florida was the highest SEC team, followed by LSU (No. 8), Georgia (No. 10), Tennessee (No. 16), Auburn (No.

(Read the full post about ‘Alabama ranks 25th in annual Director’s Cup competition’…)

After a relatively slow summer, Alabama’s recruiting results have picked up in a hurry. Rivals.com Now there’s late news tonight that Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban scored a commitment from Clarksdale, Miss., offensive lineman Anthony Steen. It made the second consecutive Tuesday that Alabama has received two commitments in one day. Read more about Steen here. He joins Sparkman defensive end William Orr, who committed earlier today. Alabama now has 13 pledges to its expected 2009 signing class, eight of which are linemen, a clear developing trend in this year’s haul. At 6-foot-4 and nearly 300 pounds, Steen could play on either side of the ball in college. (Read the full post about ‘Steen commits to cap another busy recruiting day’…)

Linebacker Zach Schreiber, who originally signed with Alabama and abruptly decided to transfer after the first game of the 2007 season, appears to have fallen on hard times at Louisiana Tech.

Schreiber, 22, was arrested recently and charged with three counts of principle to forgery and one count of simple burglary, according to the Shreveport Times. He had already been indefinitely suspended from Louisiana Tech’s team due to violations of team rules.

Police said the arrest was in connection with the July 1 burglaries of several vehicles, according to the story.

Ready or not, here they come. Alabama’s first practice of the 2008 season — for the returning veterans, at least — will be Friday afternoon. The Crimson Tide was looking forward to it so much, it will hold other one a few hours later with freshmen and other newcomers. The entire team joins together Saturday. It’s only the start to a busy preseason schedule leading up to the Aug. 30 opener against Clemson in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. So as strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran likes to bellow during stretching exercises, now is the time to, “GET YOUR MIND RIGHT!” There are is one rare treat in store for Sunday: The program’s annual fan day. (Read the full post about ‘Alabama kicks off preseason practice Friday’…)

The Jefferson County Commission will vote on a resolution Thursday requesting Gov. Bob Riley to call a special session of the Alabama Legislature to enact legislation allowing the county to restructure its sewer debt.

A shootout between Birmingham police and a motorist erupted today after officers tried to stop the man for not wearing his seat belt. The car he was driving was reportedly taken from Homewood in a carjacking earlier today. No one was injured in the exchange of gunfire. NEWS STAFF/JEREMY GRAYA car sits abandoned this afternoon at 12th Street and McMillon Avenue SW in Birmingham after its driver and passenger fled Birmingham police officers.   (Read the full post about ‘Shootout erupts between motorist, Birmingham officers’…)

An attorney for the state of Alabama in a filing today says he has been unable to locate a rape kit tied to the case of Death Row inmate Thomas D. Arthur.

Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry wants 37 new full-time employees to meet escalating demands for services, despite warnings from the county’s budget office that revenues are flat for the coming year.

Barber Motorsports Park and Zoom Motorsports had been hoping the 2.38-mile Birmingham road course would be added to the Indy Racing League’s 2009 schedule.

But that schedule was released this afternoon and Barber is not on it.

The IRL is dropping its Nashville race and adding a race in Toronto. The big race of the year for the old Champ Car Series in Long Beach is also on the schedule. The schedule also moves race dates for a number of existing races.

Gene Hallman, who had made the pitch to the IRL on behalf of Barber, has said he was hoping for a race date in 2009 but was much more confident of getting a 2010 date.

Speedway Motorsports Inc.

(Read the full post about ‘Barber Motorsports Park doesn’t get Indy race for 2009′…)