Stormy early Monday

Keep an eye on the weather during the early part of today. As of this recording much of the state was still under some kind of risk for overnight severe weather. Numerous school systems have even delayed school today, and at least a couple have canceled in-person classes.

Also, if it turns out that it applies to you and your area: Don’t drive down flooded streets.

Alamodome-bound

Auburn is back in the Final Four.

It’s only the second time the Tigers have made it this far. They did it by beating Michigan State 70-64 Sunday in the Elite Eight.

Things were a little unsettling when leading scorer Johni Broome left the game with a hurt right elbow. He was cleared to re-enter the game, however. Coach Bruce Pearl said they’ll know more today about his condition and will, of course, be monitoring him this week.

He has nearly a week to feel better. The Tigers play Florida in the NCAA Tournament semifinals Saturday in the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Also over the weekend, Alabama fell to Duke 85-65 in another Elite Eight game.

Slow-speed chase

For this next story, I’ll first need to explain what a track loader is.

It’s a lot like a skid steer, or what people often mean when they say “Bobcat,” although Bobcat is a brand name.

It’s usually a compact tractor with a wide bucket on the front. A skid steer has wheels and tires, while a track loader runs on a pair of tracks. That difference makes the track loader a smoother ride that’s less likely to bog down in the mud or sand but a little less nimble with a lower top speed (remember this downside).

It’s great for a lot of landscaping and excavation jobs, moving dirt around and hauling heavy stuff from one part of your property to another.

It’s not, however, awesome for running from the law.

AL.com’s Patrick Darrington reports that an arrest has been made in a January low-speed police chase involving a stolen track-loader making its way along I-10.

Video of the event was widely shared on social media at the time. You can see an orange Kubota track loader crawling along the interstate, law-enforcement vehicles following and at times even facing the tractor and backing up to avoid contact. The tractor finally exited the interstate as the widely seen video ended. Police say the pursuit culminated with the suspect attempting to drive into an officer and multiple officers opening fire.

Reports from police in February stated the suspect was in critical condition at the time. The 36-year-old man is now charged with attempting to elude, first-degree assault, theft of property, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest.

What’s in a Name?

Jordan-Hare Stadium

Particularly, the pronunciation of Jordan/Jurden.

This one comes to us courtesy of AL.com’s Creg Stephenson, who got the scoop from Shug Jordan’s son, Ralph Jordan Jr.

Obviously, this place name is really about a person’s name. Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium is partly named for Ralph “Shug” Jordan, who coached on the plains from 1951-75.

Because of Jordan’s status as an Auburn legend, a lot of folks in this state will swear that Michael Jurden mispronounces his own name.

Ralph Jr.’s own study revealed that his family’s pronunciation of Jordan goes back many generations, with a number of headstones even spelling the name more phonetically. And it appears that the pronunciation dates all the way back to a Welsh pronunciation of the word, and the desire of recent generations to maintain that identity, that has given Auburn, our state, and college football such a distinct pronunciation for the name.

Also, for those who don’t know, the “Hare” in Jordan-Hare, is for Cliff Hare, who played on Auburn’s very first football team, in 1892, and later served as president of the old Southern Conference in pre-SEC days. He also was an influential chairman of Auburn’s Faculty Athletic Committee as well as a professor.

Today’s Barkley-ism

Kenny Smith (on the “March Madness” show after Alabama’s Elite 8 loss): “It’s hard to believe that the state of Alabama is the capital of basketball when the biggest airport is Birmingham. It’s hard to get to.”

Charles Barkley: “You don’t have to fly into Birmingham. You can fly into Leeds. … I’m stretching now.”

More Alabama News

Alabama News Quiz results/answers

Overall results

• Five out of five: 28.6%
• Four out of five: 32.0%
• Three out of five: 21.5%
• Two out of five: 14.4%
• One out of five: 3.1%
• None out of five: 0.3%

Some in Alabama have recently received unsolicited packages in the mail containing this.

• Tomato and onion seeds (CORRECT) 90.1%
• Chicken feed 5.4%
• Bass and bluegill eggs 2.3%
• University of Florida diplomas 2.3%

Alabama health officials issued a warning after this rabid animal attacked a hunter.

• Fox (CORRECT) 75.4%
• Coyote 21.0%
• Otter 2.8%
• Sandhill crane 0.8%

What exhibit recently opened at the Birmingham Zoo?

• Cougar Crossing (CORRECT) 68.0%
• Bear Branch 16.4%
• Moth Mania 9.3%
• Aardvark Acres 6.2%

Local school officials recently announced that Flat Rock School will close after 120 years. In what county is Flat Rock located?

• Jackson (CORRECT) 75.1%
• Jefferson 11.6%
• Washington 10.8%
• Reagan 2.5%

Deer Valley Elementary School fourth grader Snigdha Pati will represent Alabama at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. What word did Snigdha spell correctly in the final round to secure the win?

• Jurisprudence (CORRECT) 59.2%
• Paraphernalia 34.6%
• Camouflage 5.7%
• Lawfare 0.6%

Born on This Date

In 1901, Negro League star and Baseball Hall of Famer Mule Suttles of the Edgewater area in Jefferson County.

In 1958, actor Tony Cox of Uniontown.

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