The Infamous Deleted Blog from Gentry Estes

[WAR-MATT 2]

For those who didn't get a chance to read it. I still don't understand why this upset the spuaters. So he challenged little Nicky's Hitler like approach to running a program.

The Infamous Deleted Blog from Gentry Estes

Waiting to see for myself...

by Gentry Estes

The Press-Register

You know, it was probably a great scrimmage.

We'll know more -- but not much more -- next weekend.

For the second time in eight days, Alabama simulated game action at Bryant-Denny Stadium without the media (and general public) there to witness it. For the second time, Alabama issued statistics (Yeah, I've got 'em listed below) as to what supposedly transpired. For the second time, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban was the only one made available to offer his take (Tide players do not address reporters after scrimmages and Saban's assistant coaches, of course, never do).

It can be frustrating. Those of us who cover this team would love to offer the kind of detailed assessments available at basically every other major program. Is that currently an option at Alabama?

No.

It's not that I'm complaining. This operation is Saban's baby. He has had success with his approach in the past. He can (and does) do as he pleases. I'm OK with that, and knew it when I signed on last August.

But in the interest of fairness ... I would like to point out a few things before fans delve too far into statistics and stories about any of Alabama's spring or preseason scrimmages. ...

Without the media present, there is no objective vantage point to the coverage. First off, the information you're receiving is only what Alabama wants you to know. This is not an ideal situation for a journalist who values a balanced account, and it's worth disclosure and a warning to readers: Take it for what it's worth.

Also know that in-house scrimmages are often molded into whatever the coaches want them to be. As I predicted last week on Scott Griffin's radio show, Alabama's offense would fare much better the second time. Lo and behold, they did.

How did I know that? Because I've seen coaches tweak the format to help a struggling unit. The first-team offense is doing poorly? Put them against the third-string defense for a while and see how those numbers turn out. Did that happen here? I don't know. Since I didn't watch the scrimmage, I can't tell you the circumstances behind John Parker Wilson's apparent 200-yard performance or Roy Upchurch's supposed rushing resurgence.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this: Scrimmages are glorified practices. Fans should digest them that way. They do not tell you much about an upcoming season. They are a hint, but far from the entire picture.

More substantial will be next weekend's A-Day Game, since there will be a gameday atmosphere with media and lots of fans again present (The tighter the information in the spring, the larger the crowd on A-Day. Think about it).

Alabama's team, predictably, will show little, thus giving future opponents few hints as to Jim McElwain's new offense or rising personnel.

There will be no solid answers for who's good? Who's not? What does the team look like? But at least we'll all have a chance to decide for ourselves. (As promised, here are the official stats from the second scrimmage ...)

PASSING

John Parker Wilson - 17 for 33, 216 yards, 1 Int., 1 TD; Greg McElroy - 7 of 19, 48 yards; Nick Fanuzzi - 9 for 15, 140 yards, 1 Int; Thomas Darrah - 5 for 8, 73 yards, 1 Int..

RUSHING

Roy Upchurch - 11 rush, 80 yards, 2 TDs; Terry Grant - 5 rush, 22 yards; Justen Santana - 5 rush, 17 yards; Demetrius Goode - 6 rush, 11 yards.

RECEIVING

Nick Walker - 8 rec., 57 yards, 1 TD; Earl Alexander - 5 rec., 62 yards; Colin Peek - 5 rec., 63 yards; Roy Upchurch - 5 rec., 34 yards; Mike McCoy - 4 rec., 92 yards; Darius Hanks - 2 rec., 39 yards, 1 TD; Tarence Farmer - 2 rec., 40 yards.

FIELD GOALS

Leigh Tiffin (1-1) - Made: 51; Corey Smith (2-3) - Made: 40, 26; Missed: 37.

PUNTS

P.J. Fitzgerald - 5 punts, 228 yards, 45.6-yard average, 1 inside 20. Heath Thomas - 6 punts, 230 yards, 38.3-yard average.

DEFENSIVE STATISTICS

Rolando McClain - 5 tackles, 1 PBU, 2 sacks, 1 QB hurries; Alfred McCullough - 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QB hurry; Jimmy Johns - 4 tackles; Marquis Johnson - 4 tackles; Corey Reamer - 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL.

SCORING

Touchdowns - 6 (Nick Walker 3-yard pass from John Parker Wilson; Darius Hanks 35-yard pass from Nick Fanuzzi; Roy Upchurch 16-yard run; Upchurch 46-yard run; Jeramie Griffin 2-yard run; Rob Ezell blocked punt for touchdown).

PATs - 4 (Tiffin 3-3, Smith 1-1).

---

[runswithscissors 33]

who says it was deleted because fans were upset? when was it deleted? i never knew anything about it until now. haven't seen anything about it anywhere else either.....

[WAR-MATT 2]

who says it was deleted because fans were upset? when was it deleted? i never knew anything about it until now. haven't seen anything about it anywhere else either.....

Comment made by Randy Kennedy yesterday on Slimebaum.

We decided to take it down becuase the guy that put it up (Ester or something) told me that he would rather pick and choose his battles and this one was just one he had rather not choose to battle with.

[runswithscissors 33]

who says it was deleted because fans were upset? when was it deleted? i never knew anything about it until now. haven't seen anything about it anywhere else either.....

Comment made by Randy Kennedy yesterday on Slimebaum.

We decided to take it down becuase the guy that put it up (Ester or something) told me that he would rather pick and choose his battles and this one was just one he had rather not choose to battle with.

it didn't really upset me. i don't really see where it would upset the usual fan either. all it sounds like is a whiney rant is all, but really thats his problem. he acts as if it is his God given right to see what is going on. we know its just a practice. we know its situational. we know its semi-scripted. its not like its a game or A-Day, so who really cares?

[WAR-MATT 2]

who says it was deleted because fans were upset? when was it deleted? i never knew anything about it until now. haven't seen anything about it anywhere else either.....

Comment made by Randy Kennedy yesterday on Slimebaum.

We decided to take it down becuase the guy that put it up (Ester or something) told me that he would rather pick and choose his battles and this one was just one he had rather not choose to battle with.

it didn't really upset me. i don't really see where it would upset the usual fan either. all it sounds like is a whiney rant is all, but really thats his problem. he acts as if it is his God given right to see what is going on. we know its just a practice. we know its situational. we know its semi-scripted. its not like its a game or A-Day, so who really cares?

That was the whole point of me posting this. Why would the Red Elephant Cartel care enough to have this blog pulled? Are you that paranoid of a group that you can't handle a little criticism? How is this article any different than the one Kirk McNair wrote about the scrimmage?

[runswithrocks 0]

who says it was deleted because fans were upset? when was it deleted? i never knew anything about it until now. haven't seen anything about it anywhere else either.....

Comment made by Randy Kennedy yesterday on Slimebaum.

We decided to take it down becuase the guy that put it up (Ester or something) told me that he would rather pick and choose his battles and this one was just one he had rather not choose to battle with.

it didn't really upset me. i don't really see where it would upset the usual fan either. all it sounds like is a whiney rant is all, but really thats his problem. he acts as if it is his God given right to see what is going on. we know its just a practice. we know its situational. we know its semi-scripted. its not like its a game or A-Day, so who really cares?

He doesn't care about the game and the stats. That was the whole point RWS. Actually, his point is, is that because of the way Saban has decided to handle the media, it will only be a big ol' story of what "MIGHT" be happening behind closed doors. What kind of journalism is that? It's exactly the type of journalism that Saban is trying to force onto the bammer nation, and the rest of any base that would really like to know what's going on with Bammer football. There are way too many questions about how things run over there to know whether or not things are good or bad, and Saban, in his typical oblivious fashion, only digs the hole deeper.

Even though every bammer, with the exception of the very few (which you claim to be) will clutch to these numbers as evidence to the proven resurrection of Tide Tradition, it is all still only BS.

That's ALL this was saying.

Oh, and all the "we's" and "me's" in your post is ridiculous. You don't represent, speak for, or play for Alabama, or any other fan.

...just sayin.

[runswithscissors 33]

who says it was deleted because fans were upset? when was it deleted? i never knew anything about it until now. haven't seen anything about it anywhere else either.....

Comment made by Randy Kennedy yesterday on Slimebaum.

We decided to take it down becuase the guy that put it up (Ester or something) told me that he would rather pick and choose his battles and this one was just one he had rather not choose to battle with.

it didn't really upset me. i don't really see where it would upset the usual fan either. all it sounds like is a whiney rant is all, but really thats his problem. he acts as if it is his God given right to see what is going on. we know its just a practice. we know its situational. we know its semi-scripted. its not like its a game or A-Day, so who really cares?

He doesn't care about the game and the stats. That was the whole point RWS. Actually, his point is, is that because of the way Saban has decided to handle the media, it will only be a big ol' story of what "MIGHT" be happening behind closed doors. What kind of journalism is that? It's exactly the type of journalism that Saban is trying to force onto the bammer nation, and the rest of any base that would really like to know what's going on with Bammer football. There are way too many questions about how things run over there to know whether or not things are good or bad, and Saban, in his typical oblivious fashion, only digs the hole deeper.

Even though every bammer, with the exception of the very few (which you claim to be) will clutch to these numbers as evidence to the proven resurrection of Tide Tradition, it is all still only BS.

That's ALL this was saying.

Oh, and all the "we's" and "me's" in your post is ridiculous. You don't represent, speak for, or play for Alabama, or any other fan.

...just sayin.

i really don't see where as a fan it is my business to know every little thing that is done in the program. i certainly don't see what right fans of other fanbases have to know every detail of the program either. if things are good or bad, we will know when we see it on the field. if Terry Grant starts next year, fine. if he doesn't, fine. i'll know when the season starts. i just don't see how it changes anything whether i know who is starting or who isn't. i think its silly that you suggest that i should be upset. most fans i know aren't upset about it.

your last statement is almost the dumbest thing i have ever heard. the "me's" in my post refer to my opinion as a fan. basically you are trying to say it is ridiculous that i have formed an opinion on the matter. i do believe as a fan i am entitled to an opinion about my team. and i can speak for other fans, such as friends of mine that have conveyed the same feelings as i have about this. generally amongst most people on most boards i have been on i never really see many complaints about the closed practices. while i'm sure some fans do get upset about it, personally i don't really see how it is a big deal.

[runswithrocks 0]

i really don't see where as a fan it is my business to know every little thing that is done in the program.

But boy oh boy do you try. You try SO hard. HAHA...

i certainly don't see what right fans of other fanbases have to know every detail of the program either. if things are good or bad, we will know when we see it on the field.

..and you're telling ME what I said was stupid. Okay, so as long as "on the field" is okay, anything else doesn't matter. Got it. Pretty typical Bammer response.

if Terry Grant starts next year, fine. if he doesn't, fine. i'll know when the season starts. i just don't see how it changes anything whether i know who is starting or who isn't.

Trust me.... You care, and the sheer fact you act like you don't only makes you, as a bammer posting on an Auburn board in the depths of the OFFSEASON, saying "i don't care" is pure BS.

Please stop. You're killing me.

i think its silly that you suggest that i should be upset. most fans i know aren't upset about it.

I didn't say you should be upset. You're confused. I don't know where anyone said that a bammer fan WOULD be upset. In fact, just the opposite. Their blind love for this coach only leaves them to accept whatever news and practice that comes from him. They're happy I guess, because he's done nothing to make THEM upset.

your last statement is almost the dumbest thing i have ever heard. the "me's" in my post refer to my opinion as a fan. basically you are trying to say it is ridiculous that i have formed an opinion on the matter.

Wha????? I didn't say you shouldn't have an opinion, you just don't represent the base, and if you give an opinion, you should state that it is only that. You don't represent squat, and don't speak for anyone but yourself. State your opinion scissors, I don't care how stupid it is.

i do believe as a fan i am entitled to an opinion about my team. and i can speak for other fans, such as friends of mine that have conveyed the same feelings as i have about this. generally amongst most people on most boards i have been on i never really see many complaints about the closed practices.

Again scissors, this article wasn't written about you and your oblivious fans, but in typical arrogance, you read it and write opinion on it as if it was. It doesn't surpise me in the least.

while i'm sure some fans do get upset about it, personally i don't really see how it is a big deal.

Of course you wouldn't. Drink that koolaid. Driiiiink it up.

[AUesquire 1]

Finebaum made a good point yesterday by saying that what it comes down to, is Bama fans don't want to hear anything else about how the media feels mistreated by Saban.

Don't dare criticize the man as long as he's winning. Well, let him go 7-5 or even 8-4 this year with another loss to Auburn. Let's see how much longer Bama fans refuse to hold him accountable for being a turd with ears.

[runswithrocks 0]

Finebaum made a good point yesterday by saying that what it comes down to, is Bama fans don't want to hear anything else about how the media feels mistreated by Saban.

Don't dare criticize the man as long as he's winning. Well, let him go 7-5 or even 8-4 this year with another loss to Auburn. Let's see how much longer Bama fans refuse to hold him accountable for being a turd with ears.

Figures that F-baum would get it right. He's exactly right here, let's see how long they "don't care" about everything if he screws the pooch over this next season.

[runswithscissors 33]

Finebaum made a good point yesterday by saying that what it comes down to, is Bama fans don't want to hear anything else about how the media feels mistreated by Saban.

Don't dare criticize the man as long as he's winning. Well, let him go 7-5 or even 8-4 this year with another loss to Auburn. Let's see how much longer Bama fans refuse to hold him accountable for being a turd with ears.

and that may be due to the simple fact that maybe most fans know he isn't so nice to the media. i know he's a prick to the media. its been well established at this point i believe. it seems like Estes isn't really complaining about that in his article, he seems to be mainly complaining about the availability of players and coaches and access to practices. and i don't really care if the team goes 0-12 or 12-0, i'm not going to criticize him if he wants to close practices or scrimmages.

[runswithrocks 0]

i don't really care if the team goes 0-12 or 12-0, i'm not going to criticize him if he wants to close practices or scrimmages.

Isn't that so nice of you. I'm sure he's happy to have your undying support.

Made me feel all fuzzy inside.

[SouthLink02 8]

Wha????? I didn't say you shouldn't have an opinion, you just don't represent the base, and if you give an opinion, you should state that it is only that. You don't represent squat, and don't speak for anyone but yourself. State your opinion scissors, I don't care how stupid it is.

You care if AU fans use "we" and "us" during football talk?

Or is it just Bama fans?

Because, I think everyone uses those phrases when discussing the season/team including myself

[runswithrocks 0]

Wha????? I didn't say you shouldn't have an opinion, you just don't represent the base, and if you give an opinion, you should state that it is only that. You don't represent squat, and don't speak for anyone but yourself. State your opinion scissors, I don't care how stupid it is.

You care if AU fans use "we" and "us" during football talk?

Or is it just Bama fans?

Because, I think everyone uses those phrases when discussing the season/team including myself

Relax, I'm just messing with scissors a little. It's gonna be okay.

Use all the "we's" and "us's" you want.

[The Prowler 1]

So, Why did $abban call the reporter and ask for it to be removed?

Before you question that $abban would Ever waste his precious recruiting time to call a reporter, he has called reporters on a few occasions when he was at LSU. If anyone here knows anyone that's in the "Know" over in Baton Rouge, they'll tell ya the same thing.

Also....Rock has been beating scissors since 200 BC.

It originated in Japan, where the game was, and still is, referred to as "Jan-Ken."

Learn something new every day....That and runswithrocks has been beating runswithscissors since 200 BC.

[runswithscissors 33]

So, Why did $abban call the reporter and ask for it to be removed?

Before you question that $abban would Ever waste his precious recruiting time to call a reporter, he has called reporters on a few occasions when he was at LSU. If anyone here knows anyone that's in the "Know" over in Baton Rouge, they'll tell ya the same thing.

Also....Rock has been beating scissors since 200 BC.

It originated in Japan, where the game was, and still is, referred to as "Jan-Ken."

Learn something new every day....That and runswithrocks has been beating runswithscissors since 200 BC.

and just where does anything say he called to have it removed? or is this another one of your "inside sources"?

[runswithrocks 0]

and just where does anything say he called to have it removed? or is this another one of your "inside sources"?

Hmmm ... I'll play!

So.. just where does anything say he DIDN'T call to have it removed? ..or is this another one of your "inside sources"?

How would you know either? Yet... here you are on a daily basis defending your blurbage turf. Very nice.

[runswithrocks 0]

How bout this little gem scissors.... Is it STILL just one guy whining about things? It also appears Prowler knows what he was talking about while you blindly blab your way around here like you own the joint.

What a joke...

Happy reading:

Randy Kennedy: Nick Sucker

Last weekend, Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register posted a short article about a recent Alabama scrimmage to the Register's "Bama Beat" blog. As you might guess from the title, Estes is the Register's Alabama beat writer, and in the post he discussed the frustration of being assigned to write about a scrimmage that he hadn't actually been allowed to watch, and about players and coaches he isn't able to interview:

For the second time in eight days, Alabama simulated game action at Bryant-Denny Stadium without the media (and general public) there to witness it. For the second time, Alabama issued statistics (Yeah, I've got 'em listed below) as to what supposedly transpired. For the second time, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban was the only one made available to offer his take (Tide players do not address reporters after scrimmages and Saban's assistant coaches, of course, never do).

It can be frustrating. Those of us who cover this team would love to offer the kind of detailed assessments available at basically every other major program. Is that currently an option at Alabama?

No.

It's not that I'm complaining. This operation is Saban's baby. He has had success with his approach in the past. He can (and does) do as he pleases. I'm OK with that, and knew it when I signed on last August.

But in the interest of fairness ... I would like to point out a few things before fans delve too far into statistics and stories about any of Alabama's spring or preseason scrimmages. ...

Without the media present, there is no objective vantage point to the coverage. First off, the information you're receiving is only what Alabama wants you to know. This is not an ideal situation for a journalist who values a balanced account, and it's worth disclosure and a warning to readers: Take it for what it's worth.

Also know that in-house scrimmages are often molded into whatever the coaches want them to be. As I predicted last week on Scott Griffin's radio show, Alabama's offense would fare much better the second time. Lo and behold, they did.

How did I know that? Because I've seen coaches tweak the format to help a struggling unit. The first-team offense is doing poorly? Put them against the third-string defense for a while and see how those numbers turn out. Did that happen here? I don't know. Since I didn't watch the scrimmage, I can't tell you the circumstances behind John Parker Wilson's apparent 200-yard performance or Roy Upchurch's supposed rushing resurgence.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this: Scrimmages are glorified practices. Fans should digest them that way. They do not tell you much about an upcoming season. They are a hint, but far from the entire picture.

That's not a bad piece, as such things go. As somebody who writes about college football, I think that's pretty interesting stuff, but obviously others may not agree.

Well, scratch that. "Others," allegedly including the highest-paid employee of the state of Alabama, emphatically did not agree. You may have noticed that I didn't link to Estes's post. I didn't because I can't (or rather I couldn't; keep reading). The post inexplicably vanished from the al.com site the Register shares with several other newspapers, and only reappeared yesterday when Register columnist and all-around gadfly Paul Finebaum posted it to his own website.

Finebaum interviewed Register sports editor Randy Kennedy on Wednesday, and among other things asked why the rather mild criticism of Alabama Coach Nick "I am not going to be the Alabama coach" Saban had vanished from Estes's blog. Per a quote at the Capstone Report blog, Kennedy replied,

"We just decided it was more trouble than it was worth…this was not necessarily the battle he wanted to pick with the people who were supposed to be our customers."

Now, that's lame.

Take it from me, you've got to have thick skin if you're going to write about either Alabama or Auburn, and the Estes post didn't even register on the invective scale in that state. If anything, it was a pretty toned-down look at the growing undercurrent of dislike among state sportswriters who have to deal with Saban's trademark petulance.

Pulling such a milquetoast post over alleged public reaction would be bad enough, but according to Montgomery sports radio personality Doug Amos, as quoted from Finebaum's radio show today, the demand to spike Estes's post came from none other than "Flipper" himself. According to Amos, a source has told him that the article was yanked after Saban personally called Estes to complain (for the record, Estes is a Georgia graduate who, in his student days, wrote of being "Born and raised a die-hard Crimson Tide fan in Birmingham").

If accurate, that goes beyond lame. If that's true, Kennedy hung a young employee of his out to dry to mollify the hurt feelings of a spoiled-brat football coach who makes more in a month than he and Estes combined make in a year (heck, it's probably more than the entire Register sports staff makes in a year).

Even if it isn't--but given Saban's history of trying to intimidate the media, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is--Kennedy should still be ashamed of himself. What kind of self-respecting journalist spikes an accurate article because his "customers" are complaining? That's the action a corporate flack, not a reporter. If Kennedy disagreed with Estes, he should have said so, either in a column or a blog post of his own, but going out and trying (unsuccessfully, as it turned out) to flush the column down the memory hole was an act of abject cowardice, and one that goes a long way towards discrediting the Register sports section as anything resembling responsible journalism.

So, Randy Kennedy, this is your big day. You are now the latest recipient of the FTB Nick Sucker Award.

Wear it in shame.

[WAR-MATT 2]

And he did this to one of your own.

Auburn, get ready to feel the bite of sweet revenge

Issue date: 11/9/01 Section: Opinions

PrintEmail DoubleClick Any Word Page 1 of 1 No matter who wins, the best thing about this weekend's game is that it's not in Auburn, the lousiest village on the plains. I hate your town.

Depending on the wind, it smells like either Southpaw or cow. You can't sleep without hearing a car horn play, "Dixie." You always feel like you're two seconds away from fighting somebody.

Maybe I'm giving Auburn too much credit. After all, blink and you've missed it.

Athens must seem like paradise to an Auburn student. I hope you all come Saturday just to experience what a college town is supposed to be like.

Y'all should be happy to leave Auburn, if only for a weekend. It's a hellhole littered by racist frat boys who dress like Klansmen and have mock lynchings for fun. I haven't decided yet if that little tale is completely horrifying or just plain sad, but it fed a lot of negative stereotypes about the state of Alabama.

I should know. I'm from there. Born and raised a die-hard Crimson Tide fan in Birmingham, I have a groomed hatred for Auburn.

I've lost sight of a sister, a high school sweetheart and several of my closest friends who vanished into the smelly sinkhole in lower Alabama.

It's better here, I promise. Georgia is twice the state Alabama is, what with the paved interstates and all.

Athens is everything Auburn will never be. We've got more than two bars! Amazing isn't it?

For you Tigers who still don't believe me, Widespread Panic is from here. Is there any better way to interest a group of Auburn students than to mention the holy WSP? You know what? They were cool here first.

Auburn deserves credit for one thing. It's a serious football town, or at least it used to be. The younger generation seems more concerned with Ritalin, backward hats, SUVs and violence.

Tiger fans don't have class anymore. After all, Sanford Stadium has no cheesy PA system blaring "Eye of the Tiger."

Georgia doesn't need a crowd meter. It's all about tradition here. But I guess it's difficult to be distinguished when you're playing in "The Jungle."

A girl I encountered outside Jordan Hare last season best represented the Auburn attitude. "Who whipped the Dogs ass? Ha, ha, ha," she sneered (after Auburn snuck by in overtime).

I sincerely hope she's here Saturday when the Bulldogs get sweet revenge.

I want this game bad, and I'm not alone.

Be warned Tigers. This year the Bulldogs are ready. No more predictable play calling. No more not showing up until halftime. Georgia will be ready to play.

These Dogs have bite, and Auburn has it coming.

How in the hell did Auburn beat Florida? I still don't understand. The Syracuse game can be written off because the Baltimore Ravens would have had a tough time playing in New York on that particular weekend.

But since Syracuse, all of Auburn's wins were a play or two away from being losses.

And then Arkansas, following a near-loss to Louisiana Tech?

Looks like Auburn left its best on the field against the Gators.

I know some of you Auburn types have illusions of celebrating an SEC championship in the Georgia Dome. I've got news. That won't happen.

Tuberville is an excellent coach, but the best thing Daniel Cobb ever gives Auburn will be Rudi Johnson.

The Tigers may go to Atlanta, and they'll probably beat Alabama. But Auburn will not beat Georgia. The Bulldogs are better. They've been better for years, and now Georgia has a coach that has brought it all together.

This should be no surprise. Everything else here is better too.

-- Gentry Estes is sports editor for The Red & Black.

[runswithscissors 33]

How bout this little gem scissors.... Is it STILL just one guy whining about things? It also appears Prowler knows what he was talking about while you blindly blab your way around here like you own the joint.

What a joke...

Happy reading:

Randy Kennedy: Nick Sucker

Last weekend, Gentry Estes of the Mobile Press-Register posted a short article about a recent Alabama scrimmage to the Register's "Bama Beat" blog. As you might guess from the title, Estes is the Register's Alabama beat writer, and in the post he discussed the frustration of being assigned to write about a scrimmage that he hadn't actually been allowed to watch, and about players and coaches he isn't able to interview:

For the second time in eight days, Alabama simulated game action at Bryant-Denny Stadium without the media (and general public) there to witness it. For the second time, Alabama issued statistics (Yeah, I've got 'em listed below) as to what supposedly transpired. For the second time, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban was the only one made available to offer his take (Tide players do not address reporters after scrimmages and Saban's assistant coaches, of course, never do).

It can be frustrating. Those of us who cover this team would love to offer the kind of detailed assessments available at basically every other major program. Is that currently an option at Alabama?

No.

It's not that I'm complaining. This operation is Saban's baby. He has had success with his approach in the past. He can (and does) do as he pleases. I'm OK with that, and knew it when I signed on last August.

But in the interest of fairness ... I would like to point out a few things before fans delve too far into statistics and stories about any of Alabama's spring or preseason scrimmages. ...

Without the media present, there is no objective vantage point to the coverage. First off, the information you're receiving is only what Alabama wants you to know. This is not an ideal situation for a journalist who values a balanced account, and it's worth disclosure and a warning to readers: Take it for what it's worth.

Also know that in-house scrimmages are often molded into whatever the coaches want them to be. As I predicted last week on Scott Griffin's radio show, Alabama's offense would fare much better the second time. Lo and behold, they did.

How did I know that? Because I've seen coaches tweak the format to help a struggling unit. The first-team offense is doing poorly? Put them against the third-string defense for a while and see how those numbers turn out. Did that happen here? I don't know. Since I didn't watch the scrimmage, I can't tell you the circumstances behind John Parker Wilson's apparent 200-yard performance or Roy Upchurch's supposed rushing resurgence.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this: Scrimmages are glorified practices. Fans should digest them that way. They do not tell you much about an upcoming season. They are a hint, but far from the entire picture.

That's not a bad piece, as such things go. As somebody who writes about college football, I think that's pretty interesting stuff, but obviously others may not agree.

Well, scratch that. "Others," allegedly including the highest-paid employee of the state of Alabama, emphatically did not agree. You may have noticed that I didn't link to Estes's post. I didn't because I can't (or rather I couldn't; keep reading). The post inexplicably vanished from the al.com site the Register shares with several other newspapers, and only reappeared yesterday when Register columnist and all-around gadfly Paul Finebaum posted it to his own website.

Finebaum interviewed Register sports editor Randy Kennedy on Wednesday, and among other things asked why the rather mild criticism of Alabama Coach Nick "I am not going to be the Alabama coach" Saban had vanished from Estes's blog. Per a quote at the Capstone Report blog, Kennedy replied,

"We just decided it was more trouble than it was worth…this was not necessarily the battle he wanted to pick with the people who were supposed to be our customers."

Now, that's lame.

Take it from me, you've got to have thick skin if you're going to write about either Alabama or Auburn, and the Estes post didn't even register on the invective scale in that state. If anything, it was a pretty toned-down look at the growing undercurrent of dislike among state sportswriters who have to deal with Saban's trademark petulance.

Pulling such a milquetoast post over alleged public reaction would be bad enough, but according to Montgomery sports radio personality Doug Amos, as quoted from Finebaum's radio show today, the demand to spike Estes's post came from none other than "Flipper" himself. According to Amos, a source has told him that the article was yanked after Saban personally called Estes to complain (for the record, Estes is a Georgia graduate who, in his student days, wrote of being "Born and raised a die-hard Crimson Tide fan in Birmingham").

If accurate, that goes beyond lame. If that's true, Kennedy hung a young employee of his out to dry to mollify the hurt feelings of a spoiled-brat football coach who makes more in a month than he and Estes combined make in a year (heck, it's probably more than the entire Register sports staff makes in a year).

Even if it isn't--but given Saban's history of trying to intimidate the media, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is--Kennedy should still be ashamed of himself. What kind of self-respecting journalist spikes an accurate article because his "customers" are complaining? That's the action a corporate flack, not a reporter. If Kennedy disagreed with Estes, he should have said so, either in a column or a blog post of his own, but going out and trying (unsuccessfully, as it turned out) to flush the column down the memory hole was an act of abject cowardice, and one that goes a long way towards discrediting the Register sports section as anything resembling responsible journalism.

So, Randy Kennedy, this is your big day. You are now the latest recipient of the FTB Nick Sucker Award.

Wear it in shame.

so, wait......let me get this straight. since a guy on a sports radio show in Montgomery says CNS demanded the article be pulled, then it is 110% cold hard proof that he did.

well, in that case CTT to Arkansas. CTT to aTm. CTT to the Atlanta Falcons. CWM to Arky. CAB to UCLA. CNS to LSU. CNS to WVU. CLM to Michigan. these all MUST be true, because they were all reported on radio! CTT to Arkansas was even on TV, so that must be super double true. the article you posted doesn't even say it is 100% fact, it "alleges" and gives an if true and if false scenario.

of all the journalists in the state that have written something negative, out of all the articles that have been posted, out of all the newspapers in the state....CNS picks poor Gentry Estes to pick on. because he closely monitors every single blog of every single newspaper in the state. its funny how you guys discout EVERY SINGLE THING said on Finebaum, until its something convenient for you to attack. then its the most accurate information ever. if something pans out that it can factually be proven that he demanded it be pulled, then so be it and i'll be happy to admit that i'm wrong. but until then, it just seems like something convenient to say by a Montgomery sports radio guy catering to an AU audience. but i know you guys will NEVER see it that way.

btw, whats the link for the article you just posted? i would like to see where it came from.

[runswithrocks 0]

so, wait......let me get this straight. since a guy on a sports radio show in Montgomery says CNS demanded the article be pulled, then it is 110% cold hard proof that he did.

No one said it was "110% cold hard proof". However, it does show it wasn't made up. It also shows your digging reallllllllly deep in an effort to act like people don't actually say this stuff about your jackass coach.

well, in that case CTT to Arkansas. CTT to aTm. CTT to the Atlanta Falcons. CWM to Arky. CAB to UCLA. CNS to LSU. CNS to WVU. CLM to Michigan. these all MUST be true, because they were all reported on radio! CTT to Arkansas was even on TV, so that must be super double true. the article you posted doesn't even say it is 100% fact, it "alleges" and gives an if true and if false scenario.

Wow. Way to bounce around and bring in another one of your "instabooby" responses by bringing up CTT in yet another argument that has nothing to do with him.

Besides, I've already established that that NOBODY here claimed anything about anything being 110% true. Keep bloviating as if someone did though.

It's funny!

of all the journalists in the state that have written something negative, out of all the articles that have been posted, out of all the newspapers in the state....CNS picks poor Gentry Estes to pick on. because he closely monitors every single blog of every single newspaper in the state.

Apparently it wasn't only Estes. Apparently maybe Saban DOES have a personal issue with media. It WOULD explain a lot. However, this is just another stop on the "silly train" you've taken us on with your angry rebutle based on something you've completely made up (110% fact statement).

its funny how you guys discout EVERY SINGLE THING said on Finebaum, until its something convenient for you to attack. then its the most accurate information ever.

Well, unlike you he has a few connections to writers involved with the program. You're just a firefighter, grocery bagging defender of the Crimson on a message board. F-baum stirs the pot, but he does it on purpose and therefore a lot of what he says is discounted. However, I find it hilarious when the same guy (F-baum) who blows up Saban as everything you bammers hopes he will be, has to acknowledge the absolutely ridiculous practices being utilized by Saban as well.

if something pans out that it can factually be proven that he demanded it be pulled, then so be it and i'll be happy to admit that i'm wrong. but until then, it just seems like something convenient to say by a Montgomery sports radio guy catering to an AU audience. but i know you guys will NEVER see it that way.

Well, color me silly MR, but isn't you always talking about "rights" here. We'll continue to that on this Auburn board. It happens here. Unfortunately for you, we're making more sense here.

btw, whats the link for the article you just posted? i would like to see where it came from.

It's located at "The Bleachers" ...a blog. I'm not digging it up right now, but the fact I'm not posting it at the moment doesn't mean I just made the whole thing up.

It still isn't one of US from AUnation peeing in Saban's cheerios here.

[runswithscissors 33]

It's located at "The Bleachers" ...a blog. I'm not digging it up right now, but the fact I'm not posting it at the moment doesn't mean I just made the whole thing up.

It still isn't one of US from AUnation peeing in Saban's cheerios here.

yes....a BLOG. a BLOG written by a guy with a degree from AU and obviously an AU fan. so, while it is not somebody from here, it is still written by an AU fan. for all i know it could be you that wrote it.

http://fromthebleachersblog.blogspot.com/

I attended and earned degrees from both Auburn and UT

HARDLY an unbiased article. it seems YOU are the one digging deeply here. you tried posting this article as if it were from a reputable source or columnist and you knew it came from somewhere as unreliable as a weblog and you knew it was by an AU fan. i have a feeling thats why you felt the need to post long replies to this thread, but just didn't have the time or energy to post the link. i already knew before you posted it the name of the site where you got it because i Googled the title of the article. i was waiting to see how forthcoming you would be about its origin.

[runswithrocks 0]

Okay then...

Let me shorten this up for you a little bit... Make it kind of like "paper or plastic?" for you....

You don't know, or have any facts that can prove what was written to be untrue either. So to keep arguing as if you do, and that WE are the incorrect people here is by your own word....."stupid".

So, we believe what we do here on an Auburn board as Auburn fans. You prove US wrong, not vice versa.

Ball's in your court killer.

[TexasTiger 12,958]

Wha????? I didn't say you shouldn't have an opinion, you just don't represent the base, and if you give an opinion, you should state that it is only that. You don't represent squat, and don't speak for anyone but yourself. State your opinion scissors, I don't care how stupid it is.

You care if AU fans use "we" and "us" during football talk?

Or is it just Bama fans?

Because, I think everyone uses those phrases when discussing the season/team including myself

It's okay in-season.

[AUesquire 1]

Just an FYI. Doug Amos is someone I grew up with and played sports with all the way through college. Know him very well and he's a BIG Bama homer. He's been in the sports broadcasting business for a very long time. He says without a doubt, Saban shot the blog down. I'll take his word over any yahoo on a message board.