Iyamwidjew! RTR! Joe ...there is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit. - Ronald Reagan
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick McMahan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "RollTideFan-The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 10:44 PM Subject: RE: [RollTideFan] Britt: I will be at full-speed for fall practice > This is great news. Bama will certainly need a healthy Britt to increase > their chances of winning. I can't wait for the season to start. A lot of > folks have already written this season off, but not me. I have high hopes > that this team will find ways to win and in the end challenge Lswho for the > top spot in the west. After two years of wondering in the wilderness, this > team might be hungry enough to make this a much better year than most are > predicting. I'll cheer loud and long no matter what. I LOVE THE CRIMSON TIDE > BABY!! > > ROLL TIDE ROLL!!! > Rick > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 11:19 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [RollTideFan] Britt: I will be at full-speed for fall practice > > http://www.tidesports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040617/NEWS/406170333 > /1011 > > Britt: I will be at full-speed for fall practice > > By Cecil Hurt > Sports Editor > June 17, 2004 > > Email this story. > > TUSCALOOSA | It was a moment no Alabama football fan can forget. > > Thousands saw it at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Hundreds of thousands more watched > it on television. The injury that Crimson Tide offensive lineman Wesley > Britt sustained in the Tennessee game and his courageous departure from the > field have assured him a place in Alabama football history, even though he > still has a year of eligibility remaining. > > But, as Britt has learned, while all Tide fans recall those dramatic moments > last October, they don't all remember it in the same way. The bare > details -- Britt's badly fractured left leg, his exhortation of his > teammates, his skyward pointing as he was taken from the field -- remain > constant, but the effect varies from person to person. > > "I can't even count the times that people have asked me about it," Britt > said Tuesday in an interview at the UA athletic complex. "It has to be > thousands of times, literally. > > "But just about every person has something different to say about it. > There's a different point that almost everyone gets out of it. > > "Some people talk about fighting through pain, and some have told me that it > has helped them or helped a friend who was sick. Some people talk about how > I kept my helmet on through the whole thing or how I talked to my teammates, > and they say it was about teamwork. Some people talk about how I pointed up > to God, and they say it reminds them that we should be thankful to Him at > all times. > > "Obviously, I wasn't thinking about all that at the time. I was just doing > what was in my heart, but it is interesting to hear all the different > responses that people have." > > One other interesting reaction belongs to Britt himself, since he has seen > it, too. > > "I've definitely watched it," he said. "I've got the Tennessee game on DVD. > Watching that part hurts a little, but what hurts worse is the overtimes. We > had so many chances in that game where literally one more play would have > made the difference. That hurts worse than the injury." > > One thing that is apparent from Britt's injury is this: He is determined to > make the best of any situation. That includes his injury, the five-overtime > loss to Tennessee, and the Tide's 4-9 season. > > First, Britt discussed his current health as he recovers from the compound > fracture of his left tibia. > > "They went in just below the knee and inserted a titanium rod all the way > down the [tibia] bone," Britt said. "Then they to put two screws at the > bottom to secure the rod. I've had surgery to remove the two screws, but we > left the rod in there. I could have had it taken out if it was bothering me, > but it really isn't. Now, it serves as a support mechanism. It's like having > a titanium brace in there." > > At 6-foot-8 and 320 pounds, Britt can probably use the extra support, > although he says that he's regained full strength in the leg. > > "In the weight room, it is definitely 100 per cent," he said. "I put up some > big numbers in the squats and leg curls today. I did more weight than anyone > on the team, so I am back up to where I was in that respect. > > "My right leg is still a little stronger, because I have been working them > out in exactly the same way. I'll do curls with both, or standing jumps on > each leg. Now, I just have to test it on the mobility stuff." > > Britt is adamant that he will be on the practice field when the Tide starts > work in the first week in August. > > "If the first day of practice was today, I would be practicing," he said. > "If the first game was tomorrow, I would be playing." > > Since Britt can neither play nor practice at this point, like the rest of > his teammates, he is doing what he can -- studying. > > "We're teaching ourselves in the film room," he said. "I've gotten together > some things for the other OL's [offensive linemen] to watch. We concentrate > on runs one day and passes the next. It's tough because mostly we look at > what we did wrong. We're going to learn from our mistakes. > > "We'll be better on offense. We've had a full season with it, and a spring. > People ask if it was difficult to learn three offenses last year, and I say > 'Sure, it was difficult.' Football is not an easy sport. But we won't have > to deal with that this year." > > In fact, Britt says that he and fellow fifth-year lineman Evan Mathis are > taking a "no excuses" approach to the upcoming year. > > "The way we look at it, we are fifth-year guys so we are the team leaders," > Britt said. "Not just the O-line leaders, not just the offensive leaders, > but the team leaders. We want to lead on the field, and in other ways that > are necessary." > > Britt said that he never really gave strong consideration to passing on a > fifth year of eligibility and entering the NFL draft as 2003 teammate Justin > Smiley did. Instead, he has remained focused on the possibilities for 2004. > > "First, just playing for the most tradition-rich team in the country is > always special," Britt said. "Playing in a bowl game would be huge. Any bowl > would be great, but I would like to be a part of getting Alabama back to the > Orange or the Sugar. I think we can do that if some of our young guys step > up the way they can. And after everything we've been through, it would be > great to be a part of a championship." > > There is also a more personal incentive for Britt this year. For the first > time ever, all three Britt brothers -- Wesley, Taylor and incoming freshman > Justin -- will be on the same team. > > "When I was a senior at Cullman, Justin was just in the eighth grade, so > we've never all been teammates before, except in some no-blood, no-foul > basketball in the back yard," Britt said. "This will be the first time in > any organized sport. > > "All three of us are very close, so I'm really excited about it. It looks > like me and Taylor will be on the O-line and Justin will be on defense. > That's not set in stone yet, but I'm pretty positive that's where Justin > will be." > > That means that at some point in an intense August drill, Britt will find > himself staring across the line of scrimmage at his younger brother. > > "That's football," he said with a laugh. "I'm used to running over people, > so it'll be no different running over my little brother. I've gone against > Taylor before, so I'll be ready for it." > > Britt admits that there might be some added pressure in those situations. > > "I'm expected to win when that happens," Britt said. "If I don't, I'll hear > about it from my teammates, and then I'll go home and I'll definitely hear > about it from my brothers." > > Even if that happens, though, Britt will find a way to make the most of the > situation. He has already proven that, with every Alabama fan watching. > > Reach Cecil Hurt at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 205-722-0225. > > > > ______________________________________________________ > RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List > > "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" > > To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit > http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net > > > ______________________________________________________ > RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List > > "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" > > To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
