West Alabama Monday Briefing
It is Monday, December 4, 2023. This is the beginning of a very busy week in Tuscaloosa/Northport:
The annual Christmas tree lighting is at 5:15 today followed the West Alabama Christmas Parade with the theme “A Hometown Christmas at 6:30...Bama men’s basketball hosts Arkansas State at Coleman at 7:00 tonight… tomorrow night between 5:00 and 8:00 is the Victorian Era themed “Dickens Downtown” in Northport…The Alabama High School Football Super 7 begins Wednesday and runs through Friday…Also on Wednesday, Bama Women’s Basketball is home to Coastal Carolina at 11:30 that morning...Then of course there is the Republican Presidential Debate 7:00 to 9:00 Wednesday night at the Moody Music Building.
Weather for all the week's events should be seasonal and near perfect. Rain-free conditions will be around through Friday. Then by the weekend a strong upper-level system will produce showers and thunderstorms Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning. Computer models are showing the possibility of severe weather, including tornadoes with this system.
The Forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 62. West wind 5 to 15 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 60. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 37. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 32.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 59.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 66.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Weekend: 60% Showers and thunderstorms Saturday night into Sunday morning with strong to severe storms and a possible tornado. Highs near 70 Saturday dropping to 46 overnight and a high of 57 Sunday.
Topping the News:
There was a tragic start to the new week on McFarland Blvd. this morning. McFarland Blvd has been closed most of the morning in both east and west bound lanes at James I Harrison Jr Pkwy due to an investigation into a fatality involving a pedestrian struck by two vehicles around 4:00am.
A woman walking in the middle of the eastbound lanes was struck by one vehicle, The driver stopped to help and while he was assisting the woman a pick-up truck struck her, but the driver did not stop.
Television production trucks and media coverage platforms are in place as UA completes final preparations for Wednesday's Republican Presidential Debate, sans front-runner Donald Trump. Alabama Republican Party Chair John Wahl believes the University of Alabama campus was chosen to host the fourth Republican Presidential Debate because the RNC is hoping to get their message to younger voters.
A block of tickets to the debate were provided to UA students. No tickets are available to the public. State and national party luminaries and multiple media outlets will make up the bulk of the attendees.
Security for the debate has closed Second Avenue from University Boulevard to the entrance to the Capstone Parking Deck today through Dec. 7. More roads around the Moody Music Building will be closed tomorrow and Wednesday.
Linden Firefighter Steven Diehl has lost his battle with ALS, a disease of the nervous system. The 52-year-old Marengo County firefighter passed away last month and lived long enough to see his daughter married. His wife Michelle told WAKA more research needs to go into ALS, especially for firefighters. Recent studies have shown that firefighters are more at risk of developing what is better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
It didn’t take long for the sports memorabilia website Fanatics to have Alabama/Michigan Rose Bowl game gear available. They are expected at local stores this week.
Crimson Tide SEC Championship paraphernalia is already available at several stores locally.
A Report from Alabama Arise claims auto workers at Mercedes in Vance and other non-union plants in the state are seeing smaller paychecks than last year. Alabama Arise worker policy advocate Dev Wakely told news partner ABC3340, the shortfall may result in fewer workers willing to apply for jobs or losing some current employees. The UAW is planning on a major push to unionize auto plants in Alabama and across the south after the first of the year.
In Sports:
The College Football Playoff Committee placed Alabama in the final four for the national championship. The Crimson Tide's upset win over Georgia propelled Bama to 4th in the final pre-playoff poll.
The Tide jumped undefeated Florida State to secure the playoff spot after missing it last season.
Final Regular Season CFP Poll:
- Michigan
- Washington
- Texas
- Alabama
Alabama faces Michigan in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena CA on New Year's Day. Texas and Washington square off in the Sugar Bowl also on Jan. 1.
The winners play for the CFP National Championship on Jan. 8 in Houston TX.
One loss Alabama being jumped over undefeated Florida State for the final playoff spot is not sitting well with FSU fans and SEC haters.
National SportsTalk shows are being inundated with angry phone calls while some of the talk show hosts are near apoplectic with indignation over the Tide jumping an injury riddled Seminole squad and a Georgia team whose only loss was Saturday to Alabama.
Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban reported he has received more than 250 phone calls telling his Alabama should not have been selected. Some callers have even demanded he turn down the selection.
From UA Athletics: Alabama men's basketball team will host Arkansas State tonight at Coleman Coliseum. Making the trip to Tuscaloosa will be the Red Wolves' first-year head coach Bryan Hodgson, who spent the previous four years in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide continue to have one of the best offenses in the country, as the tide's offenses ranks No. 1 in the country according to KenPom. Alabama has scored 664 points (94.9 ppg), which ranks No. 2 in the country and the most in program history through the first seven games of the season, surpassing the 2000-01 team (644 points).
Have a magnificent Monday and ROLL TIDE!! Beat Michigan!!
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