SEC Football

Disagreement among teams on new SEC schedules

Wed, 30 May 2012 15:44:16 -0500

DESTIN, Fla. (AP) - With the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M, the Southeastern Conference is tweaking its football and basketball schedules.

Football coaches are having a much tougher time deciding on what changes to make.

They are debating whether to play an eight- or nine-game conference schedule and whether to maintain cross-division rivals like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia.

The hoops coaches seem to agree on an 18-game league schedule that would keep all 14 teams together instead of moving back to divisions. Teams would play everyone at least once (13 games) and have one annual home-and-home series with a designated rival. Those rivalries are Kentucky-Florida, Tennessee-Vanderbilt, Georgia-South Carolina, Alabama-Auburn, Mississippi-Mississippi State, Arkansas-Missouri and LSU-Texas A&M.

The remaining four games each season would be filled by the other 12 teams on a rotating basis.

Alabama to kick off 2012 on WAAY 31

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:58:33 -0500

DALLAS, TX (WAAY) - The Alabama Crimson Tide are hoping to defend their 2011 BCS National Championship in 2012. They begin the season taking on the Michigan Wolverines in Dallas.

Tuesday, it was announced that the big game will be on ABC-TV live on September 1st. Coverage of the game will begin at 7:00 p.m. Central time.

Alabama will be considered the home team, while Michigan is the away team. The officials will be from the Big 12 conference.

Alabama has faced Michigan three times in the past - all in bowl games.

Michigan defeated Alabama 35-34 in overtime in the 2000 Orange Bowl. In 1997, Alabama won the Outback Bowl over Michigan by a 17-14 score. The teams first met in the 1988 Hall of Fame Game, where the Wolverines won 28-24.

Updyke seeks another trial delay

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:31:21 -0500

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Lawyers for a University of Alabama fan accused of poisoning the iconic oaks at Toomer's Corner in Auburn are seeking to delay his trial.

The Opelika-Auburn News reports that defense attorneys for Harvey Updyke Jr. say more time is needed to review data about damage to the trees.

Updyke, a University of Alabama fan, is accused of poisoning the trees with a powerful herbicide shortly after the 2010 Iron Bowl. He has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony and misdemeanor counts in connection with the case.

His trial was scheduled for the criminal term beginning June 11, but Updyke's attorney Everett Wess requested more time for independent analysis of data.

Alabama fan pleads not guilty to sexual assault

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:28:32 -0500

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Alabama fan, seen on a video apparently committing sexual battery on an unconscious LSU fan after the BCS championship football game, has pleaded not guilty in Orleans Parish Criminal Court.

Thirty-two-year-old Brian H. Downing, of Smiths Station, Ala., was arraigned Monday on one count each of sexual battery of a male victim and obscenity.

A video that went viral on the Internet appeared to show someone in a University of Alabama jacket abusing an unconscious Louisiana State University fan after Alabama beat LSU for the BCS football championship on Jan. 9.

A man appears to perform a simulated sex act on the LSU fan.

Dre Kirkpatrick signs with Bengals

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:15:31 -0500

CINCINNATI (AP) - The Bengals have signed cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama, their top pick in the draft. It's the fastest they've gotten a top pick under contract since 2003.

Kirkpatrick was the first of Cincinnati's two picks in the opening round, going 17th overall. He's expected to compete for a starting job, teaming with Leon Hall at cornerback. Hall is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon but is expected back.

It's the fastest Cincinnati has reached agreement with its top pick since quarterback Carson Palmer was the first overall pick in 2003, allowing the Bengals to negotiate a deal before the draft.

The Bengals got the extra pick in the first round by trading Palmer to Oakland last season.

Cincinnati now has six of its 10 picks under contract.

Big 12 / SEC bowl game set

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:14:02 -0500

The Big 12 and the Southeastern conferences have announced a deal that will pit their football regular-season champions against each other in a bowl game for five years beginning in 2014.

The agreement between two of the most successful BCS conferences was announced Friday.

If one or both of the league champions are selected to play in what is expected to be a four-team national championship playoff, another team would be selected for the Big 12-SEC matchup.

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive says a new January bowl tradition has been born. Incoming Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby says he's excited by the prospects for the game.

Specific details, including host sites, will be announced at a later date.

Alabama meets West Virginia in 2014 season opener

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:10:24 -0500

ATLANTA (AP) - National champion Alabama will face West Virginia in the 2014 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome.

Chick-fil-A Bowl officials made the announcement Thursday. The Aug. 30, 2014, game will mark the first meeting between the teams.

The Crimson Tide is becoming a regular in the season-opening series, winning the first two games against Clemson (34-10 in 2008) and Virginia Tech (34-24 in '09).

This season, there will be opening games on back-to-back nights, with Tennessee facing North Carolina State and Auburn taking on Clemson. Alabama returns in 2013 for a repeat meeting with Virginia Tech, then will take part in another doubleheader the following season. The Chick-fil-A Bowl already announced that Mississippi will face Boise State in 2014.

Alabama fan indicted in sexual assault on LSU fan

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:40:56 -0500

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Brian H. Downing, the Alabama fan seen on a video apparently committing sexual battery on an unconscious LSU fan after the BCS championship football game, has been indicted.

An Orleans Parish grand jury Thursday handed up the indictment against the 32-year-old Downing, formally charging him with one count each of sexual battery of a male victim and obscenity.

A video that went viral on the Internet is believed to have been taken at a fast-food restaurant in New Orleans after Alabama defeated LSU on Jan. 9.

A man - said to be Downing, of Smiths Station, Ala. - wearing Crimson Tide attire appears to perform a simulated sex act on the LSU fan.

Video of Rolando McClain incident surfaces

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:31:48 -0500

DECATUR, Ala. (WAAY, Decatur Daily) - WAAY 31's news partner, the Decatur Daily has obtained exclusive video that claims to show an alleged incident involving Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain earlier this year.

Police claim that McClain threatened another man with a gun during an argument on November 30th. Court records show the victim claims McClain fired a shot next to his ear during the altercation. McClain is facing charges of third-degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm in the city limits. He's expected in court on Thursday.

Earlier this week, the video above was anonymously submitted to the Decatur Daily. It appears to be a composite of several cell phone videos of the incident in question. Some segments have audio, others do not. It's unclear if the video is in sequential order.

The video does not show Rolando McClain striking the victim, brandishing a firearm, firing it near his ear or threatening to kill him, though those allegations are among complaints filed by the victim in court. McClain's friend, Jadoriaus Willingham is also seen in the video. He was also arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

However, attorneys representing the victim say they've seen similar video and that it backs up what he told police.

“It’s obvious that McClain has been edited out of parts of it, but it matches up perfectly with (the victim)'s statements of it,” attorney Carl Cole said. “I think this shows that there may be cracks in Willingham and McClain’s circle of friends. They may not all be willing to hide what happened that night.”

The video lacks sound during the portion that shows McClain and the victim, Rishard Tapscott, inside a house, engaging in animated dialogue that ends when McClain grabs Tapscott by his shirt, pulls him toward the door and shoves him outside.

It cuts to another man, identified in other scenes as “Tweezy,” Willingham’s nickname, sitting on Tapscott, repeatedly punching him, then stomping him as others pull him away.

In another scene inside the house, the two are arguing, and Willingham and others repeatedly tell Tapscott to “fight back.”

Tapscott follows Willingham outside, and the two exchange blows briefly before Willingham winds up on top of Tapscott on the ground, punching him as Tapscott tries to cover his head.

In a portion of the provided video that is shown first but appears to have taken place after some of the other footage, Tapscott gets up and says, “I’m not fighting no more.” He begins to walk toward the door but turns and goes into the yard after Willingham steps into his path. After McClain steps out of the shot, someone off camera is heard saying, “Put the gun up, man. You ain’t gonna shoot, but I will. Put the f---ing gun up. I’ll shoot ...” and the video ends abruptly.

According to Tapscott’s statement to police, Tapscott took a box cutter from his car and McClain, mistaking it for a gun, yelled “Put that gun down.”

Then, Tapscott said, “Rolando pulled out his gun and started walking up to me, pointing the gun at me. Rolando yelled, ‘Pull what you got out.’ “I told him no; I said I wasn’t fighting no more.”

Tapscott said McClain then put the gun to his head and fired it by his left ear.

City prosecutor Emily Baggett said Tuesday afternoon she had also received a video but had not reviewed it and could not say what role, if any, it might play in McClain’s and Willingham’s trials.

Willingham’s 8:30 a.m. trial is scheduled to precede McClain’s. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Lawsuit filed in Bama/LSU assault incident

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:29:23 -0500

NEW ORLEANS, LA (WAAY) - The victim of an alleged sexual assault at a New Orleans fast food restaurant has filed a lawsuit.

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the victim is suing the alleged attacker, Brian Downing, and Krystal Restaurant.

The victim says he suffered what he calls "mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, anxiety and depression" along with "damage to reputation and lost tuition payments "for having to withdraw from school." He also claims the restaurant did not have staff in place to prevent the incident from taking place.

The incident happened after the BCS National Championship Game between Alabama and LSU. Video surfaced online showing the victim passed out inside the restaurant, and an Alabama fan - allegedly Brian Downing - putting his genitals on the victim's face.

Downing turned himself in to police a few weeks after the incident. The District Attorney is still weighing evidence and will decide by June whether or not to move forward with the prosecution.