Alabama Crimson Tide Championship History Screen Print by Anthony Zych x Phenom Gallery

Phenom Gallery has launched a new line of officially licensed college sports screen prints and they’re kicking it off with one of the most storied college football programs of all time – and The Blot’s alma mater – The University of Alabama!  The school claims 17 national championships, some more valid than others, but they sure do look cool on a screen print.  Roll Tide!

Alabama Crimson Tide Championship History by Anthony Zych is an 18”x24” signed and numbered 6 color screen print.  Limited to 200 pieces, this University of Alabama poster is available now at PhenomGallery.com for $60.

2010 BCS Championship Game - #1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs #2 Texas Longhorns

Tonight is the matchup The Blot has been waiting for his entire life. Not only are my two favorite teams playing each other for the first time since I’ve been alive, but they’re playing for all the marbles, i.e. the BCS National Championship, at the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. It’s hard to put into words what this match-up means if you’re not a sports fan.


Growing up in Alabama you were forced at birth to choose a side, Alabama or Auburn. I, of course, picked Alabama, but since my parents are both from Texas and attended the University of Texas, I too had to be a Longhorn fan. And that’s where my split allegiances began. Since then I’ve actually attended both schools and like to think of myself as being a part of a pretty small group of people with degrees from both Universities (I went to Texas for undergrad and Alabama for law school).

So where does that leave me? Some might assume it’s a no lose situation since either way one of my two schools is winning the national championship, but not so fast my friend! I’m a Longhorn fan first and a Bama fan second. I’ve had Longhorn season tickets for the past four years and there is nothing I want more than for Colt McCoy and the Horns to destroy the Crimson Tide. Sounds harsh huh? Well that’s just how you have to be when your family and friends are split down the middle and trying to pull you in different directions. Plus, if Texas wins tonight, I win my college football pick ‘em league!


It’s been a tense month in The Blot’s family, as I mentioned above both my parents went to Texas, but my Stepmom is an Alabama alum. Even my Stepdad is trying to get into the action as a newly converted Alabama fan. I’ve been hearing for years from my high school friends how dominant the SEC is compared to the Big 12, and I’m sick of it. Tonight’s the night Texas proves to the world it is one of, if not the, elite program in college football.

While I had the opportunity to attend tonight’s game, at the last minute I decided to cancel my trip. I’m none too happy about it, but sadly I’ve come to the realization that sometimes you just have to make the hard, unpopular choice in life. And boy was this an unpopular decision, I think I’ve been told by every friend I’ve discussed it with that I made the wrong choice. Oh well, what can I say. I consider myself very lucky to have been able to attend Texas' two previous trips to the Rose Bowl and both were unbelievably memorable games. Regardless, I’ll be sitting on my couch all night, peeled to the screen in the biggest bowl game of the decade (I can say that with confidence since only a handful of bowl games have been played this decade).


Stats you may need to know before tonight’s BCS Championship game: The University of Texas is 2-0 in games played at the Rose Bowl; Texas is 3-0 in BCS bowl games; The University of Alabama is 0-3 in BCS bowl games; and Bama is 0-7-1 all time in games against the Longhorns.

The BCS Championship game between the #1 ranked University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the #2 ranked University of Texas Longhorns airs tonight, Thursday, January 07, 2010 on ABC at 8/7c.

U.S. News Ranks The University of Alabama School of Law 11th Among Public Law Schools, 32nd Overall

The Blot doesn’t usually like to talk about his personal life on The Blot Says…, but I felt like I could make an exception for this one. The 2009 U.S News and World Report Law School Rankings came out today in the magazine’s “Best Graduate Schools” edition and my alma mater, The University of Alabama School of Law, was ranked 32nd in the country and 11th among public law schools. 32nd is the school’s highest ranking in the top tier (i.e. top 50 law schools) after having been “ranked among the top 50 law schools for 10 consecutive years.” (link) The University of Alabama is currently tied in 32nd place with Ohio State University, The University of Colorado – Boulder and The University of Georgia.

This year’s ranking “is the highest ever for the UA Law School, eclipsing last year’s mark of 15th among public law schools and 36th among all law schools.” (link) A particularly interesting statistic found on the Univ. of Alabama School of Law’s website is that “the UA Law School’s bar passage rate during the period surveyed was 97.2 percent, well above the state average of 79 percent. Additionally, some 96.5 percent of 2006 UA Law graduates were employed within nine months of graduation.” (link) The 97.2% bar passage rate statistic alone is really staggering.

I’m really only publicizing this because I usually feel like the University of Alabama School of Law is highly overlooked nationally. Many attorneys around the country have either only heard of the university because of its football program or just assume the law school falls under the same types of stereotypes as the state. In reality the Alabama law school is a shining beacon in the state and one of the best things going on in my home state of Alabama. Not only that, but the law school is continually ranked the #1 or #2 best law school for the money/price by many publications.


Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate The University of Alabama School of Law on another great year and for their continued effort in making the law school one of the best in the nation. I will now get off my soapbox and return you to The Blot Says…’ regularly schedule content.