Offseason?

So I have to apologize for not doing any updates for a while, but things have been hectic. The wife and I promised ourselves that we would try and get into a new house before the start of the season, and we've done just that.

Short version: We found a house that we were really interested in, put ours on the market, ended up selling it, made an offer, couldn't come to terms, quickly looked around some more, found a house that had a very similar floor plan to the one that we almost once bought in Florida, got it, jumped through all the necessary hoops, did the Hokey Pokey and turned ourselves around, closed and finally moved (not necessarily in that order).

We love the new house and are still getting settled in, but all that on top of all the book stuff and work and you have the very definition of the word hectic.

So, here's the latest:

Sweet 16: Alabama's Historic 2015 Championship Season has been out now for a while, and I think it can be purchased in all formats. I just happened to notice that it's now available at Sam's Club in Tuscaloosa (photo at bottom), so thank you for that.

The new editions to the Triviology series, on the Cubs, Mets and Red Sox, are now out as well (photo above). I you can't find a copy in a bookstore you may want to try where you do all of your other shopping, Amazon.com.

Finally, the updated version of 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die,  which will include the 2015 season, is finished and should be out sometime around the season opener. When I get a copy of the new cover, which I believe is going to be a bit different from the earlier editions, I'll make sure to post it.

Meanwhile, I'll be unpacking, knowing that SEC media days is about, what, 6-7 weeks away?

Have a terrific holiday weekend, everyone!

Back for more ... again

So I have one final thing to announce regarding the 2015-16 college football season, we're going to be doing yet another update of 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know & Do Before You Die.

Fortunately for me I didn't have another deadline like Sweet 16: Alabama's Historic 2015 Championship Season, which was hours after the National Championship Game as the book went to the printer the next morning.

Actually, I spent a recent weekend making the final changes as we had to include both the 2012 and 2015 national championships, and players like Amari Cooper and Derrick Henry.

Plus the whole thing had to be re-orderd. For example, Derrick Thomas had to move up after being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, plus both Mal Moore and Kenny Stabler passed away since the last edition.

The biggest complaint about the earlier editions of the book was that there was no "To Do" list anywhere so we've added one at the end—but I still suggest that fans use the book to make up their own.

It'll be out in stores for the start of the 2016 season. So yes, with the three baseball Triviology books I'll have at least five releases this year and we're still talking about other possibilities. Regardless, I'm going to put all book projects down for a month and enjoy a little offseason down time while I can.

Sweet 16: Alabama's Historic 2015 Championship Season

First off, sorry for the delay on this as sometimes coming out of a season can be like a ship in your favorite science-fiction TV/movie re-emering from hyperspace.

That's normal. For me the end of the 2015-16 season has been like coming out of ludicrous speed and I'm still seeing plaid.

(For those who don't know, that's a Spaceballs reference.)

So as I previous mentioned I was working on a book on Alabama's 2015 season if it won the national championship, and it's now out in stores. It started to be available just four days after the game, which I can't seem to get over because the folks at Triumph Books did an amazing job finishing and getting it out.

As for how we did it nearly the entire manuscript was put together in December after Alabama won the SEC Championship Game. Basically I had to assume Alabama won the national title in putting all the stories together and then everything was edited during the days leading up to the Cotton Bowl.

Once Alabama despatched Michigan State and I wrote what was needed from that game all of the pages minus the national championship were laid out and proofed. After the game I wrote for Bleacher Report and then cranked out the two final stories for the book, which were turned in by about 3:30 a.m. (CT). While I stayed up all night because I had an early flight home the Triumph folks did as well, editing and putting the final touches on the book that went to the printer in the morning.

That was Tuesday (January 12th). By Friday copies started hitting stores. Pretty impressive.

If you haven't seen the book yet it can be found at Walgreens and Wal-Mart stores in the region, as well as Barnes & Noble, Sam's Club, Costco and a number of independent stores (MovieStop, drugstores, hospital gift shops...). With each passing day it'll be out in more stores. Other options include amazon.com and ordering directly from Triumph Books.

Thanks!

Hey, who's the tired-looking guy on the right?

Four books in four months?

First off, Happy New Year everyone!

Megan and I spent the holiday with a football blitz (I worked, she drove and hopefully had a little fun) as I covered Alabama in the Cotton Bowl on Thursday night and then the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans the next day.

So some of you already know about the three trivia books I have coming out on the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. It looks like you'll start seeing them around Opening Day, or shortly thereafter. I'll post more on that as we get closer to the official release.

Like last year, Triumph Books has asked me to put together a national championship book should Alabama win it all. That book is already completely done (well, my part is) except for the stories that will be added hours after the game. It'll then go to the printer the next morning and be distributed as quickly as possible.

Just to stress it again that's ONLY if Alabama beats Clemson. If Clemson wins there's no book.

So yes, I could have four books coming out the first four months of 2016.

Next up: A trip to Phoenix followed by lots of rest.

Three up, three down ...

Special thanks to the Huntsville Quarterback Club

I just want to give a special thanks to the Huntsville Quarterback Club, especially president Roger Coe and board member Mark McCarter,  for having me as a speaker on Tuesday night in advance of the Iron Bowl.

The questions were great, the food was terrific and everyone seemed to have a great time. I know I did. I even learned quite about about my co-speaker James Crepea of Al.com. For example, I did not know that he's the "My Cousin Vinny" of SEC reporters.

I should have known that the first question my way would be about why I got in the boxing ring with Deontay Wilder. Actually, I still kind of ask myself that all the time, but this might have been the first time I told the whole, complete story to a group. Yes, seeing the "You're an idiot" look from smiling people wanting to hear more never gets old.

Thanks again, it was fun!

Two down, one to go ...

A look at Steve Spurrier's place in history

This University of Florida photo was used in Who's No. 1?

Steve Spurrier’s resignation as the head coach at South Carolina didn’t exactly come as a shock, but leaves us without one of the true icons of college football.

All week people have been sharing their favorite Spurrier zinger from over the years (mine is “You can’t spell Citrus without UT”), and he’s already considered a slam-dunk for the College Football Hall of Fame.

But as for his place in history, here’s a look using the same process I utilized for my book Nick Saban vs. College Football:

We’ll start with his championships as a head coach:

1 National (1996)

1 ACC (1989)

6 SEC (1991, 1993–1996, 2000)

8 SEC Eastern Division (1992–1996, 1999–2000, 2010)

Among active coaches he’s just one of seven coaches to have won a national crown.

Active coaches national championships

Nick Saban 4 (3 at Alabama, 1 LSU)

Urban Meyer 3 (2 at Florida, 1 Ohio State)

Larry Coker 1 (Miami)

Jimbo Fisher 1

Les Miles 1

Steve Spurrier 1 (Florida)

Bob Stoops 1

When the Gators won the crown in 1996, they faced six ranked teams, and three in the top 5. That’s about average. The record is eight by Les Miles and LSU in 2007, and four by Joe Paterno and Penn State in 1982.

Here’s the updated Saban-Spurrier comparison chart I used in the book. Note that I’m not including the percentages and ratios that go with it because we’re midway through a season and that would thrown them off a little (and if you have no idea what I’m talking about you’re just going to have to buy a copy).

Nick Saban vs. Steve Spurrier

(Statistics through six games of 2015 season)

Category                                                       Saban            Spurrier

Seasons                                                         20-x                  26

Consensus national championships               4                      1                     

Record in BCS title games                             4-0                   1-1                 

Record in conference title games                   5-1                   5-3                 

Top five finishes                                              5                      7                     

Top 25 finishes                                               12                    16                  

Overall record                                                182–60–1         228-89-2

Percentage                                                     75.1                 71.8

Losing seasons                                              0                      1

Bowl record                                                    8-8                   11-10

Percentage                                                    50.0                  52.3               

Conference titles                                            6                       7         

Conference record                                         110-41-1          142-61-1

Consensus All-Americans                              25                    16      

First-round draft picks                                    22                    17

Record against ranked teams                        58-38               64-57-1

Percentage                                                    60.40                52.86

Record against top 10 teams                        29-18                27-34-1

Percentage                                                    61.70                44.35

Spurrier will go down as one of the few coaches who had a winning record against Saban, 3-1. His Florida juggernaut beat him twice at LSU, and they split two games at Alabama.

“This guy is probably one of the best college football coaches over a long period of time, winning at various programs from Duke to Florida to South Carolina,” Saban said this week. “Not always in great situations for college football and we're certainly going to miss him.”

Here are a couple of update charts from the book:

Consensus All-Americans, active coaches

(Through 2014 season)

Nick Saban 25

Bob Stoops 23

Steve Spurrier 16

Urban Meyer 10

Bill Snyder 10

Les Miles 9

Mark Richt 8

Frank Beamer 6

Brian Kelly 3

(Note: Mack Brown had 25)

First-round draft selections, active coaches

(Through 2015 NFL Draft)

Nick Saban 22

Steve Spurrier 17

Les Miles 14

Bob Stoops 13

Mark Richt 12

Urban Meyer 11

Frank Beamer 8

Brian Kelly 4

Bill Snyder 2

First-round draft picks, all-time

(Minimum 15 years, through 2015 NFL Draft)

Joe Paterno 33

Bobby Bowden 32

Woody Hayes 27

Nick Saban 22

Mack Bown 21

Lou Holtz 20

Tom Osborne 19

Paul W. “Bear” Bryant 18

John McKay 18

Steve Spurrier 17

Frank Leahy 16

Barry Switzer 16

Ara Parseghian 14

Les Miles 14

Bo Schembechler 13

Bob Stoops 13

Mark Richt 12

… and a couple of charts I haven’t had a chance to update yet:

Record against ranked opponents, active coaches

(Through 2013 season)

Bob Stoops 50-23 (68.49)

Urban Meyer 25-12 (67.57)

Jimbo Fisher 9-5 (64.29)

Nick Saban 51-35 (59.30)

Brian Kelly 15-11 (57.69)

Les Miles 40-31 (56.33)

Steve Spurrier 63-52-1 (54.74)

Mark Richt 34-31 (52.31)

Frank Beamer 43-50-1 (46.28)

Mack Brown 45-61-1 (45.52)

Bill Snyder 21-42-1 (33.59)

Record against top 10 opponents, active coaches

(Through 2013 season)

Urban Meyer 12-5 (70.59)

Nick Saban 25-16 (60.96)

Bob Stoops 18-13 (58.06)

Jimbo Fisher 4-3 (57.14)

Les Miles 16-17 (48.48)

Steve Spurrier 26-31-1 (45.69)

Mark Richt 11-16 (40.74)

Brian Kelly 2-6 (25.00)

Mack Brown 11-32 (25.58)

Frank Beamer 7-32 (17.95)

Bill Snyder 4-29 (12.12)

Winning percentage against top 10 teams (minimum 20 games)

(Through 2013 season)

Frank Leahy 86.54

Nick Saban 61.36

Paul W. “Bear” Bryant 58.77

John McKay 57.69

Barry Switzer 57.14

Bob Stoops 58.06

Woody Hayes 52.08

Les Miles 50.00

Darrell Royal 46.25

Bobby Bowden 46.39

Tom Osborne 45.76

Bud Wilkinson 44.64

Steve Spurrier 45.69

Bo Schembechler 42.31

Ara Parseghian 41.67

Mark Richt 39.13

Lou Holtz 38.57

Joe Paterno 38.16-z

Shug Jordan 36.36

Mack Brown 25.58

Frank Beamer 17.95

Bill Snyder 12.12

z- Without NCAA penalties, Paterno’s percentage was 42.7

Finally, Spurrier’s record against teams ranked No. 1: 2-4.

As for the historical context, in the book I had as my Mount Rushmore of college football coaches: Paul W. “Bear” Bryant, Knute Rockne, Bobby Bowden and Nick Saban.

My second team, if you will, was Frank Leahy, John McKay, Tom Osborne and Bud Wilkinson.

I also had a Mount Rushmore of the game’s pioneers featuring Fielding Yost, Walter Camp, Pop Warner, and Howard Jones (although Amos Alonzo Stagg is certainly deserving as well). 

Two more names have to be added: Joe Paterno and Urban Meyer. Since the book was published Paterno’s had his vacated wins restored and Meyer won his third national title. Where those two fit is a topic for another day, but they’re clearly in the mix. 

So that’s 15 names already and we haven’t gotten to Barry Switzer, Woody Hayes or Darrell Royal yet. 

If this was going to be a top 25 list, and that’s probably the next step for me to take with this, Spurrier would likely be listed among Ara Parseghian, Robert Neyland, Howard Jones, Red Blaik, Bernie Bierman ... but he'd definitely be on it. 

One down, two to go ...