Gasoline spill, modern football recruiting: Down in Alabama
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Gasoline spill
Around 7,500 gallons of gasoline were spilled on Interstate 59 in Birmingham early Saturday morning when a tanker and an SUV crashed, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.
Two people were hospitalized after the crash.
Agencies worked the scene for hours and part of the interstate was shut down. The spill happened on the northbound side at the Fourth Avenue exit near Roebuck. I was on location most recently early Sunday morning and report that you could still smell gasoline pretty strongly from the No. 5 tee box of the Roebuck golf course.
Black Warrior Riverkeeper was tracking contamination of nearby Village Creek. There was enough gas spilled to put a sheen on parts of the creek and kill a yet-undermined number of fish.
Recruiting wars
We don’t cover a lot of college football recruiting here at Down in Alabama for a number of reasons. But this one I thought was kind of emblematic of modern football recruiting, for those who don’t follow closely.
Coleman originally made his commitment to play for the University of Alabama. Recruiting commitments aren’t binding until a letter-of-intent is signed. So on Dec. 23, Coleman changed his commitment to Auburn University. An Auburn assistant coach, excited at having flipped a player from Alabama, even went on a video holding an ornament that said “Merry Flipmas.”
But be careful how hard you celebrate a commitment, which has become an ironic word. Think of college commitments as Hollywood marriages. Celebrate ‘em when they happen but don’t get too attached.
Dec. 23 was so last year. Coleman now, according to recruiting outlets and his own RTR tweet, reconsidered the change and has un-recommitted from Auburn and re-recommitted to Alabama.
It’s just another way we get to experience the Iron Bowl rivalry all year long.
A voice for hunting and fishing
Outdoors advocate, radio host, podcast host “Big Daddy” James Lawler passed away on Feb. 13, reports The Lede’s Mike Bolton.
His show was called “Gettin’ Outdoors” and he based it first in Demopolis, then Thomasville, and finally Selma, but he had listeners all over the state and, especially during the podcast era, beyond.
James Lawler was 72 years old.
Quoting
“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, in Selma over the weekend for the 59th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday attacks on civil rights marchers. U.S. officials said that Israel had agreed to a six-week cease-fire if Hamas would hand over hostages categorized as vulnerable — including women, the ill or injured, and the elderly.
By the Numbers
$19,000
That’s how much University of Alabama freshman Ayvion Cooley won by hitting a half-court shot (he had 20 seconds to put up as many shots as he could) during ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcast Saturday at Coleman Coliseum.
More Alabama news
Born on this date
In 1913, Rosa Parks of Tuskegee.
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