Alabama Greats Go For Gold at Rio 2016 Paralympics

Alabama legends will go for gold at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, and I can't wait to see what happens.  Here's the deal, the Canadian men are the reigning Paralympic champions and six athletes will be returning from the team that won gold four years ago at London 2012. Of the six returning, Bo Hedges, former UA point guard/captain will lead Canada again in Rio. Team Canada placed second at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games last summer to Australia.

Australia is known around Tuscaloosa for it's kangaroos and Jannick "the BIZZ" Blair, our 2016 UA team captain. While playing at Alabama, Jannick taught many that Auzzies seldom drink Fosters Beer and he'd never heard of a dang blooming onion either.

Team USA will feature Jared Arambula, another former Bama point guard, known for his incredible speed and press defense.

(pictured below is Jannick and Jared celebrating after upsetting Texas-Arlington to win the 2013 National Championship)

As Alabama fans, Bo, Jared, and Janick gave us our 1st National Championship in 2013 in men's wheelchair basketball.  On team trips, they roomed together, they ate together, and basketball simply brought 3 young athletes from different sides of the world together in Tuscaloosa.

All 3 have GOLD already hanging around their necks.  All 3 have Alabama National Championship rings on their fourth fingers.  All 3 have 100% confidence in returning home with some bling-bling and we aint talking Silver or Bronze.  As you read this, all 3 are preparing for a showdown coming later this summer, and only 1 that we watched while wearing CRIMSON can win GOLD in Rio!

ROLL TIDE.  For more about Adapted UA athletes visit AlabamaAdapted.com

Wild Bill Final thought:  In my opinion, Wheelchair Basketball is kinda a mix of Football and Basketball together.  To put things into an Alabama football perspective, these young men remind me of Mark Ingram, David Palmer, John Hannah and Derrick Thomas.

Bo Hedges reminded me of Mark Ingram with his ability to be fast when needed, powerful when needed, and always seemed so smooth while doing so.  You want the ball in his hands when it really counts.

Jared Arambula is a David "the Deuce" Palmer with his ability to juke and jive, this guy is the quickest you'll see and you can smell his tires burning. (for real)  Jared brings an incredible personality and is a crowd favorite everywhere he goes.  Jared once coasted pass me during a game, reached out for a high 5 and said "We're gonna score 100 on em today!"(Dallas actually scored 96 that day & Jared sat out the final 5 minutes waving to the crowd)  Jared plays at a different level, just like Bama Great David Palmer.

Jannick Blair is an cut from the same kinda cloth as John Hannah, known by some since 1971 as America's best lineman EVER.  Jannick creates shots for other teammates offensively and leads the team in the huddle.  Defensively, he is a Derrick Thomas type with a ferocious attack and perhaps the greatest "one" to EVER play the game.  (WC Bball uses a classification system to evaluate the functional abilities of players on a point scale of 1 to 4.5.  Individuals with the highest degree of disability receive lower numbers and the total combined number allowed on a court at any time is 14 points)