Congratulations to the Alabama Crimson Tide, Southeastern Conference champions.
Correction: Congratulations to the Alabama Frozen Tide, Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference champions.
For those who had their worlds rocked when you saw hockey in the same sentence as Alabama: Yes, Alabama has a hockey team, and a good one at that.
Crimson White sports reporter Marc Torrence and I have broadcasted many of the Frozen Tide’s games for 90.7 WVUA-FM and had the pleasure of witnessing some great hockey from the Tide throughout the season.
I saw Clay Link, a freshman who came to play hockey for Alabama from Wildwood, Mo., place in the top five on the team in both goals and assists. Sophomore Zach Dailey accumulated 40 points in only 32 games played.
The team did what every Alabama squad has to do to win approval: beat Auburn. Alabama went to Auburn’s home ice and won all three games by a combined score of 19-7.
Alabama even traveled across the country to East Lansing, Mich., to play the Michigan State Spartans. If the name doesn’t strike fear in you immediately, the Spartan program has appeared in the NCAA tournament 23 times, made it to nine Frozen Fours and won three national championships.
Players come from all across the country to play hockey for Alabama. Freshman Cody Colbert hails from Wisconsin. Freshman Kenneth Grabeldinger followed senior captains Christian Edge and Sean Keeler to the Capstone from the state of New York.
That being said, I was under the impression that Alabama was a school that supported winners. All the ingredients are there for a serious student presence at the Frozen Tide’s home ice in Pelham.
Hockey is a sport that combines aspects of the two most popular sports on campus: football and basketball.
Hockey is a very physical sport that showcases players going full-speed and slamming each other into walls, dangerously close to your face if you’re positioned correctly. But, it takes out the long lulls in action that come between plays in football and incorporates the faster, nonstop action that we see in basketball.
Long story short, this team has proven itself as one of the best in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division 3 by earning a trip to the national tournament in Vineland, N.J.
The team is even backed up by the voice of Alabama football, Eli Gold. What’s stopping you from making the easy drive over to Pelham and watching a sport that combines all the things we love about our favorite sports? Sometimes, the team will even get you and other students a bus to Pelham.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I would love it if you all would listen to me and Marc call the games on 90.7 WVUA-FM. But, I would rather see you all packing out the ice rink in Pelham and watching the Frozen Tide beat archrival Tennessee 25-1 over the course of three games. Sounds fun, right?
Good luck in New Jersey, boys. Bring home another national championship for Alabama.
