Rader: Don't blame Shula in Johns case

[DKW 86 7,437]

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/i....xml&coll=2

Rader: Don't blame Shula in Johns case

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dave Rader is 18 months and 600 miles removed from the Alabama football program, but he reacted to this week's Jimmy Johns arrest as if he still were the team's offensive coordinator.

"I was shocked," Rader said Thursday from Tulsa, where he has moved and gone into private business.

His reaction to Johns being charged with five counts of distributing cocaine and one count of possessing it, along with ecstasy pills, isn't that different from most people's in this state.

His perspective is.

Rader, who also coached quarterbacks at Alabama under Mike Shula, recruited Johns as a quarterback out of Brookhaven, Miss. Knew his mother. Invited him into his home.

"My wife saw the news online," Rader said. "She knew him. We were really, really sad."

In the inevitable post-arrest finger-pointing, some fingers have pointed back at the previous staff, which signed Mississippi's Mr. Football of 2004 and coached him for two years, until Alabama fired Shula.

Rader reminded me that Johns "could've gone to a number of colleges, not only because of his talent, but also because of what everybody in Brookhaven would tell you about him.

"His background check was good. The town of Brookhaven loved him. People we knew who knew him all said, `You're going to love having Jimmy Johns on your team.'"

Rader said he did, even though Shula suspended Johns for one game in 2006.

"There were times I thought Jimmy should've been ticked off about a situation but wasn't," Rader said. "He was so team-oriented."

People have pointed out Johns' critical fumble in last year's Louisiana-Monroe loss, but Rader remembered that Johns forced a key fumble in the 2005 win over Mississippi State as a member of the kickoff team.

"That's the guy we knew," Rader said. "Whatever you asked him to do, he did it."

Rader acknowledged, without going into detail, that Johns "did need some mentoring." He added, without naming him, that one Shula assistant in particular "was an excellent mentor for Jimmy."

There are people who will comment, on and off the record, who believe Shula bears some responsibility for the 10 Alabama players arrested in the past 12 months.

Rader said the judgment that Shula and company left behind a bunch of thugs who've since run amok "is not fair, for sure, and it's not accurate."

"How many times did (players get arrested) while we were there?" Rader said. "Now we've had 10 in 12 months."

For the record, according to a search of The Birmingham News archives, five Alabama players were arrested during Shula's four years as head coach.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to say, `We've been gone for 18 months. Look at the staff that's there now,'" Rader said. "But it's for sure not Mike Shula's fault."

Rader insisted that Shula's gotten a bad rap on discipline because he kept most of those decisions private.

"Maybe he should've put out press releases," Rader said. "He wasn't going to do that. That was between him and the young man."

So, who's to blame for the path Johns has taken? Johns, Rader said.

"What he did, it was Jimmy's decision."

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com

Look, they are paying $4M a year to win games. He doesnt have time for people, players, image, etc. In truth, doing anything but winning games really doesnt matter.

Question: If Bama had won 10 games last year, would this even be a story? Heck no!

[Bama My Heart 5]

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/i....xml&coll=2

Rader: Don't blame Shula in Johns case

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dave Rader is 18 months and 600 miles removed from the Alabama football program, but he reacted to this week's Jimmy Johns arrest as if he still were the team's offensive coordinator.

"I was shocked," Rader said Thursday from Tulsa, where he has moved and gone into private business.

His reaction to Johns being charged with five counts of distributing cocaine and one count of possessing it, along with ecstasy pills, isn't that different from most people's in this state.

His perspective is.

Rader, who also coached quarterbacks at Alabama under Mike Shula, recruited Johns as a quarterback out of Brookhaven, Miss. Knew his mother. Invited him into his home.

"My wife saw the news online," Rader said. "She knew him. We were really, really sad."

In the inevitable post-arrest finger-pointing, some fingers have pointed back at the previous staff, which signed Mississippi's Mr. Football of 2004 and coached him for two years, until Alabama fired Shula.

Rader reminded me that Johns "could've gone to a number of colleges, not only because of his talent, but also because of what everybody in Brookhaven would tell you about him.

"His background check was good. The town of Brookhaven loved him. People we knew who knew him all said, `You're going to love having Jimmy Johns on your team.'"

Rader said he did, even though Shula suspended Johns for one game in 2006.

"There were times I thought Jimmy should've been ticked off about a situation but wasn't," Rader said. "He was so team-oriented."

People have pointed out Johns' critical fumble in last year's Louisiana-Monroe loss, but Rader remembered that Johns forced a key fumble in the 2005 win over Mississippi State as a member of the kickoff team.

"That's the guy we knew," Rader said. "Whatever you asked him to do, he did it."

Rader acknowledged, without going into detail, that Johns "did need some mentoring." He added, without naming him, that one Shula assistant in particular "was an excellent mentor for Jimmy."

There are people who will comment, on and off the record, who believe Shula bears some responsibility for the 10 Alabama players arrested in the past 12 months.

Rader said the judgment that Shula and company left behind a bunch of thugs who've since run amok "is not fair, for sure, and it's not accurate."

"How many times did (players get arrested) while we were there?" Rader said. "Now we've had 10 in 12 months."

For the record, according to a search of The Birmingham News archives, five Alabama players were arrested during Shula's four years as head coach.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to say, `We've been gone for 18 months. Look at the staff that's there now,'" Rader said. "But it's for sure not Mike Shula's fault."

Rader insisted that Shula's gotten a bad rap on discipline because he kept most of those decisions private.

"Maybe he should've put out press releases," Rader said. "He wasn't going to do that. That was between him and the young man."

So, who's to blame for the path Johns has taken? Johns, Rader said.

"What he did, it was Jimmy's decision."

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com

Look, they are paying $4M a year to win games. He doesnt have time for people, players, image, etc. In truth, doing anything but winning games really doesnt matter.

Question: If Bama had won 10 games last year, would this even be a story? Heck no!

Dave Rader should be ashamed of himself for taking up for Shula now. He certainly didn't when Coach Shula was fired, because he wanted the job. One of the reasons that Coach Shula was fired was, because he would not fire some of his assistants, and Rader was a primary one. After Coach Shula was fired, he was quick to say that he wasn't able to call his own plays, and that he was a better coach than had been shown. I don't know if that was true or not, but he certainly was not going to be offered the job so he should not have said anything aganst Shula.

He certainly isn't going to say that any thugs were recruited during their time, would you? I don't know if they are or not, but I think previous coaches should not talk about what is going on here now. They know how hard it is for a coach to disclipine players. Why act like he knows what he is talking about now, when at the time we were said to have "ice cream disclipine". I think that too many people that have nothing to do with the Bama program, are not fans, students or supporters are too concerned about this. They don't care about our school, football program, or our players, so just quit making judgements about our players and our coaches. I assure you it will be handled by the people that need to handle it. If it is not done as it would be at your university, so be it. We are not your university.

[weagle251 1]

We are not your university.

Thank God for that.

<sacasm>

Anyone that started Chris Capps has no leg to stand on when trying to deflect the finger pointing that's going on. He obviously has no idea what he's talking about.

</sarcasm>

[WarTim 3,456]

Cheating-lyin'-stealin'-sellin' cocaine...Heck, the $4 mil boy has more games to lose, errr, I mean win. He can't worry about the LIVES of the young men that are supposedly under his "care".....right?

[OldNewby 27]

10/12 > 5/48

[WAR-MATT 2]

10/12 > 5/48

BINGO!!!!

The key word in that article to me was mentor. The current coaching staff is comprised of head hunting recruiters led by their recruiting coordinator Kevin Steele. If you want to see what bama will look like in the future, take a look at FSU. Team filled with highly ranked recruiting classes with zero character.

[AU Cav 0]

The easiest way to avoid people looking at your dirty laundry is to wash it, not tell everyone that it's not their laundry and don't concern yourself with it.

I will agree on one thing, thank goodness that is not my university. And I assure you of another, I wouldn't be on your message board trying to get you not to worry about it, I'd be talking to the people who needed talking to in order to fix it.

That's the difference though, right?

[AUChizad 0]

I will agree on one thing, thank goodness that is not my university. And I assure you of another, I wouldn't be on your message board trying to get you not to worry about it, I'd be talking to the people who needed talking to in order to fix it.

That's the difference though, right?

Hey, so what if they do things "differently"? So be it. This is not our university.

[Hoopie 6]

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/i....xml&coll=2

Rader: Don't blame Shula in Johns case

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dave Rader is 18 months and 600 miles removed from the Alabama football program, but he reacted to this week's Jimmy Johns arrest as if he still were the team's offensive coordinator.

"I was shocked," Rader said Thursday from Tulsa, where he has moved and gone into private business.

His reaction to Johns being charged with five counts of distributing cocaine and one count of possessing it, along with ecstasy pills, isn't that different from most people's in this state.

His perspective is.

Rader, who also coached quarterbacks at Alabama under Mike Shula, recruited Johns as a quarterback out of Brookhaven, Miss. Knew his mother. Invited him into his home.

"My wife saw the news online," Rader said. "She knew him. We were really, really sad."

In the inevitable post-arrest finger-pointing, some fingers have pointed back at the previous staff, which signed Mississippi's Mr. Football of 2004 and coached him for two years, until Alabama fired Shula.

Rader reminded me that Johns "could've gone to a number of colleges, not only because of his talent, but also because of what everybody in Brookhaven would tell you about him.

"His background check was good. The town of Brookhaven loved him. People we knew who knew him all said, `You're going to love having Jimmy Johns on your team.'"

Rader said he did, even though Shula suspended Johns for one game in 2006.

"There were times I thought Jimmy should've been ticked off about a situation but wasn't," Rader said. "He was so team-oriented."

People have pointed out Johns' critical fumble in last year's Louisiana-Monroe loss, but Rader remembered that Johns forced a key fumble in the 2005 win over Mississippi State as a member of the kickoff team.

"That's the guy we knew," Rader said. "Whatever you asked him to do, he did it."

Rader acknowledged, without going into detail, that Johns "did need some mentoring." He added, without naming him, that one Shula assistant in particular "was an excellent mentor for Jimmy."

There are people who will comment, on and off the record, who believe Shula bears some responsibility for the 10 Alabama players arrested in the past 12 months.

Rader said the judgment that Shula and company left behind a bunch of thugs who've since run amok "is not fair, for sure, and it's not accurate."

"How many times did (players get arrested) while we were there?" Rader said. "Now we've had 10 in 12 months."

For the record, according to a search of The Birmingham News archives, five Alabama players were arrested during Shula's four years as head coach.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to say, `We've been gone for 18 months. Look at the staff that's there now,'" Rader said. "But it's for sure not Mike Shula's fault."

Rader insisted that Shula's gotten a bad rap on discipline because he kept most of those decisions private.

"Maybe he should've put out press releases," Rader said. "He wasn't going to do that. That was between him and the young man."

So, who's to blame for the path Johns has taken? Johns, Rader said.

"What he did, it was Jimmy's decision."

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com

Look, they are paying $4M a year to win games. He doesnt have time for people, players, image, etc. In truth, doing anything but winning games really doesnt matter.

Question: If Bama had won 10 games last year, would this even be a story? Heck no!

Dave Rader should be ashamed of himself for taking up for Shula now. He certainly didn't when Coach Shula was fired, because he wanted the job. One of the reasons that Coach Shula was fired was, because he would not fire some of his assistants, and Rader was a primary one. After Coach Shula was fired, he was quick to say that he wasn't able to call his own plays, and that he was a better coach than had been shown. I don't know if that was true or not, but he certainly was not going to be offered the job so he should not have said anything aganst Shula.

He certainly isn't going to say that any thugs were recruited during their time, would you? I don't know if they are or not, but I think previous coaches should not talk about what is going on here now. They know how hard it is for a coach to disclipine players. Why act like he knows what he is talking about now, when at the time we were said to have "ice cream disclipine". I think that too many people that have nothing to do with the Bama program, are not fans, students or supporters are too concerned about this. They don't care about our school, football program, or our players, so just quit making judgements about our players and our coaches. I assure you it will be handled by the people that need to handle it. If it is not done as it would be at your university, so be it. We are not your university.

BMH...you are right that I don't care about your school, arrogant fans or coach. I do however care that the players (kids) are self destructing and ruining their lives because of a lack of discipline adjustment from the coaching staff and arrogant denial and excuses from the fans. Ya'll are letting those kids down.

SHULA: 5 ARRESTS IN 4 YEARS

CN$: 10 ARRESTS IN 1 YEAR

Why are you making excuses instead of screaming for something to be done to fix it??????????

Is it an ego problem or is it just stoopid arrogance?

[AUTiger1 0]

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/i....xml&coll=2

Rader: Don't blame Shula in Johns case

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dave Rader is 18 months and 600 miles removed from the Alabama football program, but he reacted to this week's Jimmy Johns arrest as if he still were the team's offensive coordinator.

"I was shocked," Rader said Thursday from Tulsa, where he has moved and gone into private business.

His reaction to Johns being charged with five counts of distributing cocaine and one count of possessing it, along with ecstasy pills, isn't that different from most people's in this state.

His perspective is.

Rader, who also coached quarterbacks at Alabama under Mike Shula, recruited Johns as a quarterback out of Brookhaven, Miss. Knew his mother. Invited him into his home.

"My wife saw the news online," Rader said. "She knew him. We were really, really sad."

In the inevitable post-arrest finger-pointing, some fingers have pointed back at the previous staff, which signed Mississippi's Mr. Football of 2004 and coached him for two years, until Alabama fired Shula.

Rader reminded me that Johns "could've gone to a number of colleges, not only because of his talent, but also because of what everybody in Brookhaven would tell you about him.

"His background check was good. The town of Brookhaven loved him. People we knew who knew him all said, `You're going to love having Jimmy Johns on your team.'"

Rader said he did, even though Shula suspended Johns for one game in 2006.

"There were times I thought Jimmy should've been ticked off about a situation but wasn't," Rader said. "He was so team-oriented."

People have pointed out Johns' critical fumble in last year's Louisiana-Monroe loss, but Rader remembered that Johns forced a key fumble in the 2005 win over Mississippi State as a member of the kickoff team.

"That's the guy we knew," Rader said. "Whatever you asked him to do, he did it."

Rader acknowledged, without going into detail, that Johns "did need some mentoring." He added, without naming him, that one Shula assistant in particular "was an excellent mentor for Jimmy."

There are people who will comment, on and off the record, who believe Shula bears some responsibility for the 10 Alabama players arrested in the past 12 months.

Rader said the judgment that Shula and company left behind a bunch of thugs who've since run amok "is not fair, for sure, and it's not accurate."

"How many times did (players get arrested) while we were there?" Rader said. "Now we've had 10 in 12 months."

For the record, according to a search of The Birmingham News archives, five Alabama players were arrested during Shula's four years as head coach.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to say, `We've been gone for 18 months. Look at the staff that's there now,'" Rader said. "But it's for sure not Mike Shula's fault."

Rader insisted that Shula's gotten a bad rap on discipline because he kept most of those decisions private.

"Maybe he should've put out press releases," Rader said. "He wasn't going to do that. That was between him and the young man."

So, who's to blame for the path Johns has taken? Johns, Rader said.

"What he did, it was Jimmy's decision."

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com

Look, they are paying $4M a year to win games. He doesnt have time for people, players, image, etc. In truth, doing anything but winning games really doesnt matter.

Question: If Bama had won 10 games last year, would this even be a story? Heck no!

Dave Rader should be ashamed of himself for taking up for Shula now. He certainly didn't when Coach Shula was fired, because he wanted the job. One of the reasons that Coach Shula was fired was, because he would not fire some of his assistants, and Rader was a primary one. After Coach Shula was fired, he was quick to say that he wasn't able to call his own plays, and that he was a better coach than had been shown. I don't know if that was true or not, but he certainly was not going to be offered the job so he should not have said anything aganst Shula.

He certainly isn't going to say that any thugs were recruited during their time, would you? I don't know if they are or not, but I think previous coaches should not talk about what is going on here now. They know how hard it is for a coach to disclipine players. Why act like he knows what he is talking about now, when at the time we were said to have "ice cream disclipine". I think that too many people that have nothing to do with the Bama program, are not fans, students or supporters are too concerned about this. They don't care about our school, football program, or our players, so just quit making judgements about our players and our coaches. I assure you it will be handled by the people that need to handle it. If it is not done as it would be at your university, so be it. We are not your university.

BMH...you are right that I don't care about your school, arrogant fans or coach. I do however care that the players (kids) are self destructing and ruining their lives because of a lack of discipline adjustment from the coaching staff and arrogant denial and excuses from the fans. Ya'll are letting those kids down.

SHULA: 5 ARRESTS IN 4 YEARS

CN$: 10 ARRESTS IN 1 YEAR

Why are you making excuses instead of screaming for something to be done to fix it??????????

Is it an ego problem or is it just stoopid arrogance?

Well said Hoopie!

[Ranger12 46]

Rader is full of it. Shula is to blame for the start in the decline in UAT's discipline. He is not fooling us and he is not fooling people in Tuscaloosa either. Saban and his staff are just continuing Shula's "just win baby!...at any costs with free ice cream to follow" philosophy.

[DKW 86 7,437]

10/12 > 5/48

BINGO!!!!

The key word in that article to me was mentor. The current coaching staff is comprised of head hunting recruiters led by their recruiting coordinator Kevin Steele. If you want to see what bama will look like in the future, take a look at FSU. Team filled with highly ranked recruiting classes with zero character.

And Kevin Steele came from...wait for it...

FSU!

[AUman43 5]

As ya'll know, I'm an AU alum but I have to say this about Shula. I believe that Shula was trying to do things right, unlike Saban. He was trying to get the Turds back on track and COULD have broke more rules for the sake of winning immediately, but didn't. It's hard to take over a program where you are EXPECTED to WIN every game and fight the effects of probation at the same time. I'm sure he gave some players a pass when he probably shouldn't have but Saban is paid three times what Mike was and has done a much poorer job of managing his team. Bammers are NOT tolerant when it comes to winning and despite that, Shula tried to do things right. Saban hasn't ! You have to respect the kid for that! That being said, War Damn Eagle!

[creed 1,642]

...bmh,"what are you selling today"? it sure isn't the truth or reality.

[SKCAUB 0]

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/i....xml&coll=2

Rader: Don't blame Shula in Johns case

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dave Rader is 18 months and 600 miles removed from the Alabama football program, but he reacted to this week's Jimmy Johns arrest as if he still were the team's offensive coordinator.

"I was shocked," Rader said Thursday from Tulsa, where he has moved and gone into private business.

His reaction to Johns being charged with five counts of distributing cocaine and one count of possessing it, along with ecstasy pills, isn't that different from most people's in this state.

His perspective is.

Rader, who also coached quarterbacks at Alabama under Mike Shula, recruited Johns as a quarterback out of Brookhaven, Miss. Knew his mother. Invited him into his home.

"My wife saw the news online," Rader said. "She knew him. We were really, really sad."

In the inevitable post-arrest finger-pointing, some fingers have pointed back at the previous staff, which signed Mississippi's Mr. Football of 2004 and coached him for two years, until Alabama fired Shula.

Rader reminded me that Johns "could've gone to a number of colleges, not only because of his talent, but also because of what everybody in Brookhaven would tell you about him.

"His background check was good. The town of Brookhaven loved him. People we knew who knew him all said, `You're going to love having Jimmy Johns on your team.'"

Rader said he did, even though Shula suspended Johns for one game in 2006.

"There were times I thought Jimmy should've been ticked off about a situation but wasn't," Rader said. "He was so team-oriented."

People have pointed out Johns' critical fumble in last year's Louisiana-Monroe loss, but Rader remembered that Johns forced a key fumble in the 2005 win over Mississippi State as a member of the kickoff team.

"That's the guy we knew," Rader said. "Whatever you asked him to do, he did it."

Rader acknowledged, without going into detail, that Johns "did need some mentoring." He added, without naming him, that one Shula assistant in particular "was an excellent mentor for Jimmy."

There are people who will comment, on and off the record, who believe Shula bears some responsibility for the 10 Alabama players arrested in the past 12 months.

Rader said the judgment that Shula and company left behind a bunch of thugs who've since run amok "is not fair, for sure, and it's not accurate."

"How many times did (players get arrested) while we were there?" Rader said. "Now we've had 10 in 12 months."

For the record, according to a search of The Birmingham News archives, five Alabama players were arrested during Shula's four years as head coach.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to say, `We've been gone for 18 months. Look at the staff that's there now,'" Rader said. "But it's for sure not Mike Shula's fault."

Rader insisted that Shula's gotten a bad rap on discipline because he kept most of those decisions private.

"Maybe he should've put out press releases," Rader said. "He wasn't going to do that. That was between him and the young man."

So, who's to blame for the path Johns has taken? Johns, Rader said.

"What he did, it was Jimmy's decision."

Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com

Look, they are paying $4M a year to win games. He doesnt have time for people, players, image, etc. In truth, doing anything but winning games really doesnt matter.

Question: If Bama had won 10 games last year, would this even be a story? Heck no!

Dave Rader should be ashamed of himself for taking up for Shula now. He certainly didn't when Coach Shula was fired, because he wanted the job. One of the reasons that Coach Shula was fired was, because he would not fire some of his assistants, and Rader was a primary one. After Coach Shula was fired, he was quick to say that he wasn't able to call his own plays, and that he was a better coach than had been shown. I don't know if that was true or not, but he certainly was not going to be offered the job so he should not have said anything aganst Shula.

He certainly isn't going to say that any thugs were recruited during their time, would you? I don't know if they are or not, but I think previous coaches should not talk about what is going on here now. They know how hard it is for a coach to disclipine players. Why act like he knows what he is talking about now, when at the time we were said to have "ice cream disclipine". I think that too many people that have nothing to do with the Bama program, are not fans, students or supporters are too concerned about this. They don't care about our school, football program, or our players, so just quit making judgements about our players and our coaches. I assure you it will be handled by the people that need to handle it. If it is not done as it would be at your university, so be it. We are not your university.

Your statements are distasteful, at best...disgraceful at worst. You bamars have NO shame. 5 arrests in 4 years versus 10 arrests in 12 months??? Do you really want to defend that?!

[AUslug 1]

BMH, stop the spin and quit acting like Rader is some outsider. Rader was there, he knows what went down and where the skeletons are and he has every right to defend Shula if he wants. I dont' ever remember Rader being in the running or openly stating he wanted the HC job, so I think you made that up to put more spin out there.

[WAR-MATT 2]

BMH, stop the spin and quit acting like Rader is some outsider. Rader was there, he knows what went down and where the skeletons are and he has every right to defend Shula if he wants. I dont' ever remember Rader being in the running or openly stating he wanted the HC job, so I think you made that up to put more spin out there.

i'm with you. i thought Kines was the only one.

[DKW 86 7,437]

BMH, stop the spin and quit acting like Rader is some outsider. Rader was there, he knows what went down and where the skeletons are and he has every right to defend Shula if he wants. I dont' ever remember Rader being in the running or openly stating he wanted the HC job, so I think you made that up to put more spin out there.

i'm with you. i thought Kines was the only one.

Kines would be a great HC, tho maybe not at bama. I think he would be awesome at Troy, Jax St, etc.

[WAR-MATT 2]

Josh Moon chimes in.

COMMENTARY: Maybe Saban needs a new approach in handling behavior issues

By Josh Moon ? June 29, 2008

What’s this?

These are all Mike Shula's players getting in trouble.

Nick Saban acted quickly and removed the problem player from the team -- that's all he can do.

Saban doesn't like to turn his back on kids and gives second chances.

Saban inherited a program completely lacking of discipline and is doing all he can to turn it around.

Sorry about that, I just wanted to get all of the excuses out of the way before getting started. This way, Alabama fans will have to come up with new material in order to e-mail.

And believe me, if ever a group needed new material, it's Alabama fans.

The excuses for the embarrassing discipline and behavior issues that have plagued the UA program over the last 18 months have been rotated in and out for the past year -- ever since four UA players were arrested on The Strip last July. By now, even hard-line 'Bama fans are beginning to roll their eyes when they hear them.

That's because if any of the excuses held even a small amount of truth, things would be better by now. The reality, however, is that things aren't. In fact, they're worse.

Jimmy Johns' arrest last week for allegedly selling cocaine proves that.

Prior to this, all of the other incidents could legitimately be written off as one-time things. Even Jeremy Elder's alleged robbery at gunpoint could be considered an isolated screw up that was completely out of character.

But what Johns did, he did for a while. It was a way of life. He was selling cocaine out of his house, out of his car and in the parking lot of the UA football complex.

There's simply no way -- not a chance in this world -- that at least a few of his teammates didn't know or have serious suspicions about his side job.

I don't care what the commander of the West Alabama Narcotics Squad says. If Johns going to "great lengths" to hide his criminal activity from his teammates includes him participating in that criminal activity in the football complex parking lot, I've got to question your definition of "great lengths."

The only way he could've been more open is if he hung a "Cocaine For Sale" sign on his locker.

That leaves two choices here. Either his teammates didn't know about his felonious endeavors -- in which case the university needs to take a hard look at its admission standards. Or, some of the other players did know -- in which case Saban has to take a real hard look at the way he's handling his team.

Because the way he's going about it now isn't working.

Half the campus had heard rumors about Johns' problems. Heck, half the media had heard troubling stories about Johns. His issues were not well-kept secrets.

Yet, it all slipped past the coaches.

I fail to see how that could happen.

Unless, of course, the coaches weren't paying attention. That would seem to be the only way they would have never heard the rumors. That's the only way they could have been caught off guard by Johns' arrest.

And if that's the case, you have to ask why? What was so distracting to the coaches that they missed the rumors and speculation that a lot of others on campus picked up?

Here's a thought: Recruiting?

I think we all know of Saban's reputation as a recruiter. He's driven. He's passionate. He's nonstop. He figures out ways around NCAA rules so he can do it better.

There is no better recruiter out there. And he makes sure there is no better staff of recruiters than his.

All of that is great if the program needs a serious upgrade in talent. But maybe it's not so great if the program also needs a strict disciplinarian who makes his players walk a straight line. Sound familiar

Right now, the UA program needs the latter. And that means Nick Saban might just have to make a personal change for a while. He might have to go from being Super Recruiter to Drill Sergeant in an effort to change the atmosphere around the Alabama team.

Because while there's absolutely no arguing that the UA program needs the talented players Saban has signed, it also needs those players to not be in jail. It needs the reckless behavior to cease and the stupid actions to stop.

And there's only one guy who can make that happen.

Josh Moon can be reached at jmoon@gannett.com. You can also hear him weekdays from noon to 2 p.m. as part of "The Roundtable" on WMSP-AM 740.

[Bama My Heart 5]

BMH, stop the spin and quit acting like Rader is some outsider. Rader was there, he knows what went down and where the skeletons are and he has every right to defend Shula if he wants. I dont' ever remember Rader being in the running or openly stating he wanted the HC job, so I think you made that up to put more spin out there.

Just because you do not remember something does not mean that it did not happen. I haven't made anything up, because I do not have to do that. I'm not putting any spin out there. All I can say is my personal opinions, and I am entitled to those. I do want strong disclipine for our team, and I think that Coach Saban has been working on that. I do not believe that anything could have helped Jimmie Johns.

The fear of being kicked off the team, missing a few games, I believe would not have discouraged him from selling drugs. The power of greed is a mighty thing. I believe he wanted the money more than he wanted to play ball.

[Airborne 0]

I do want strong disclipine for our team, and I think that Coach Saban has been working on that.

DJ Hall agrees with you. I mean, Saban's discipline was so strong that ol' DJ learned his lesson by halftime of the LaMo game last year, and since he showed Saban that he had learned the err of his ways, he was allowed to play in the second half.

The guy's a regular Patton.

[AUesquire 1]

I do want strong disclipine for our team, and I think that Coach Saban has been working on that.

DJ Hall agrees with you. I mean, Saban's discipline was so strong that ol' DJ learned his lesson by halftime of the LaMo game last year, and since he showed Saban that he had learned the err of his ways, he was allowed to play in the second half.

The guy's a regular Patton.

Exactly how much time did Deadrick miss for trying to remodel the interior of a TPD patrol car? I forget.

That Saban is a taskmaster, I tell ya'.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

FWIW.....I read a post on a prominent bama board by a well informed guy with obvious connections to the bama athletic program. He is also a senior Admin of the board. Referring to the JJ arest he said:

"I really wish I could say that this shocks me but I can't. This has been known for what, 3 years now?

Sad thing is, there has been a drug culture with some members of the team for tha last few years. Slowly but surely this is being weeded out."

This is just incredible to me. How could it be known and nothing done but "slowly" weed it out?

[AUesquire 1]

FWIW.....I read a post on a prominent bama board by a well informed guy with obvious connections to the bama athletic program. He is also a senior Admin of the board. Referring to the JJ arest he said:

"I really wish I could say that this shocks me but I can't. This has been known for what, 3 years now?

Sad thing is, there has been a drug culture with some members of the team for tha last few years. Slowly but surely this is being weeded out."

This is just incredible to me. How could it be known and nothing done but "slowly" weed it out?

Damnit, Nick's doing all he can. He's just one man.

Aiight?

[Hoopie 6]

BMH, stop the spin and quit acting like Rader is some outsider. Rader was there, he knows what went down and where the skeletons are and he has every right to defend Shula if he wants. I dont' ever remember Rader being in the running or openly stating he wanted the HC job, so I think you made that up to put more spin out there.

Just because you do not remember something does not mean that it did not happen. I haven't made anything up, because I do not have to do that. I'm not putting any spin out there. All I can say is my personal opinions, and I am entitled to those. I do want strong disclipine for our team, and I think that Coach Saban has been working on that. I do not believe that anything could have helped Jimmie Johns.

The fear of being kicked off the team, missing a few games, I believe would not have discouraged him from selling drugs. The power of greed is a mighty thing. I believe he wanted the money more than he wanted to play ball.

Your arrogance is showing again.....HOW ABOUT THE COACHES CATCH THE KID...KICK HIM OFF THE TEAM...HE LEARNS A LIFE LESSON.........QUITS DEALING DRUGS........AND DOESN'T END UP IN JAIL.

IT's about protecting the kids......not making excuses.....drop the ego and excuses.