Merry Christmas, Everyone

Alabama football players, coaches and staff have been on the move. The Crimson Tide is expected to be together on Christmas, in Shreveport to begin final preparations for its Sunday evening Independence Bowl game against Colorado.

Alabama Coach Nick Saban has an appreciation for the importance of family, and Crimson Tide players will be arriving in Shreveport today from all over. They have been with their families in cities and towns from coast to coast, but now they are the Alabama Football Family for one final week, one final chance.

The Independence Bowl will be the only college football game Sunday. Kickoff will be shortly after 7 p.m. CST with national television coverage by ESPN.

This is a time of year when gifts are prominent, and we hope the Bama football team can deliver a nice gift to itself and the Crimson Nation with a victory over Colorado. Alabama is playing in its national record 55th bowl game and seeking its national record 31st bowl victory.

It’s the nature of sports – particularly big-time sports, the arena in which Alabama participates – that preparation can hardly take a holiday. The Alabama men’s basketball team is fresh off the championship of the Las Vegas Classic with an impressive win over Iowa State. The women’s basketball team has been enjoying recent success. They have been given brief breaks before getting back to work.

And we trust that you are having a joyous celebration, hopefully time with family. This is a season of joy and a time of hope.

Those of us at ’BAMA Magazine and BamaMag.com wish you all a Merry Christmas.