From left, Emma Stone, and Oscar nominees
Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis star in “The Help.”

Hollywood has been reaching deep into Alabama’s past, present and future this week …

• Last week, “Red Tails” opened nationwide. The George Lucas-produced action movie follows the story of Alabama’s Tuskegee Airmen in their aerial battles against German pilots and their ground war against discrimination. The stars include Terrence Howard and Method Man. “Red Tails” reached No. 2 last weekend in box office take.

• Black history also plays a role in Tuesday’s Oscar nominations, which included two state connections. Montgomery native and Auburn grad Octavia Spencer earned a spot in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as Minny Jackson in “The Help.” Earlier this month, she won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

The movie, based on Kathryn Stockett’s novel of the same name, follows the relationship of a young white woman and two black maids in Jackson, Miss., in the 1960s. “The Help” earned four nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Viola Davis and another Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Chastain.

In the Best Documentary Short category, “The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement” scored a nomination. The 25-minute movie tells the story of James Armstrong, who marched carrying the American flag at Selma on Bloody Sunday in 1965. He was the first to file suit to desegregate Birmingham’s schools. Armstrong died at 86 in 2011 of heart failure.

Director Robin Fryday of San Francisco teamed up with director Gail Dolgin, who received a previous Oscar nomination for “Daughter from Danang” and died from breast cancer in 2010. “The Barber of Birmingham” had its Birmingham premiere in March at the Alabama Theatre.

The Academy Awards airs at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 on ABC 33/40.

• “A Smile as Big as the Moon” tells the true story of Mike Kersjes, a high school football coach and special education teacher who leads his special needs students to Space Camp in 1988. Kersjes and Joe Layden co-wrote the original book of the same name. The movie, filmed at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville and also in Wilmington, N.C., stars John Corbett, Moira Kelly and Cynthia Watros. It has its Huntsville premiere  at 7 tonight and airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC 33/40.

Video: Minny (Octavia Spencer) gets a taste of revenge
in a scene from “The Help.”

Video: George Lucas discusses the struggle to find funding
for “Red Tails.”

Video: interview with director Robin Fryday and
James Armstrong’s grandson Darren on
“The Barber of Birmingham.”

Video: a look at “A Smile as Big as the Moon”

Video: a look at the storm damage in a Center Point neighborhood

Storms and tornadoes made an unwelcome encore following their devastating march through Alabama on April 27. A series of tornadoes and severe storms passed through the central portion of the state in the early Monday morning hours.

Two were killed, and hundreds were injured. Hardest hit areas in Jefferson County included Center Point, Clay, Oak Grove and Trussville. Center Point received so much damage that Center Point Parkway wasn’t cleared to reopen for 2 days.

Hundreds of houses were destroyed or damaged along the path, which mirrored the same path of the deadly April tornadoes. Center Point Elementary, built in 2003, was damaged beyond repair and will have to be bulldozed and rebuilt.

Gov. Bentley declared a state of emergency for all counties.

[See post to listen to audio]

Audio: storm survivor stories

ABC 33/40 viewer-submitted photo

An EF-3 tornado tore through Center Point Monday.

Relief efforts are under way:

• Texting REDCROSS to 90999 will donate $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.
• Those affected by the storms can call the Red Cross on a special line at (205) 439-7800, option 6.
• Donations can be made online to Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief fund and the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services fund (specify for ”January 2012 Tornado Relief”).
• The Junior League of Birmingham is collecting nonperishable foods, cleaning supplies and batteries at its office, 2212 20th Ave. S. [map] during office hours.
• Three Trussville churches are collecting water, food, toiletries, diapers, cleaning supplies and more.

Gallery: Jan. 23 storm aftermath

Video: Scott Douglas spars with Stephen Colbert
on the Jan. 16 “Colbert Report.”

“The Colbert Report” took up Alabama’s immigration law, HB56, once again. Monday, host Stephen Colbert “debated” Scott Douglas, executive director of Greater Birmingham Ministries.

The law has stirred debate over federal enforcement of immigration, labor rights, employment and more. Douglas spoke out against the law, saying the federal government should enforce a rewritten national law, rather than having local law enforcement uphold up to 50 separate state laws.

The comedy show had done a segment on HB56 in October, focusing on the law’s impact on state agriculture.

Video: “The Colbert Report” on Alabama’s immigration law
in October. 

Alabama

The Anniston Star

The Birmingham News

The Decatur Daily

The Dothan Eagle

The (Florence) Times-Daily

The (Fort Payne) Times-Journal

The Gadsden Times

The Montgomery Advertiser

The (Mobile) Press-Register

The Opelika-Auburn News

The Tuscaloosa News

Louisiana

The (Alexandria) Town Talk

The (Baton Rouge) Advocate

The (Lafayette) Daily Advertiser

(Lake Charles) American Press

The (Monroe) News-Star

The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune

The (Shreveport) Times

Zoom to full screen, zoom in on page details
and embed on your site.

Also:

• Auburn wins 2010 BCS National Championship: newspaper front pages
• Alabama wins 2009 National Championship as seen on newspaper front pages

Alabama coach Nick Saban celebrates the BCS
championship with the team Monday at the Superdome.

Alabama took care of business in 2012 what it couldn’t do in 2011: Beat LSU. The Tide, entering at No. 2, blanked the Tigers 21-0 in the BCS National Championship game Monday night in New Orleans.

Quarterback A.J. McCarron and linebacker Courtney Upshaw won the offensive and defensive MVP awards, while coach Nick Saban became the first coach to win three BCS titles, including 2009 at Alabama and 2003 at LSU. McCarron is the first sophomore QB to win a BCS title game.

Kicker Jeremy Shelley put up 15 points, tying the bowl record for five field goals. Trent Richardson tacked on something called a touchdown in the final 5 minutes. LSU hadn’t faced a shutout loss since 2002, losing to … Alabama; Saban was the Tigers’ coach at the time.

The state of Alabama brought home its unprecedented third title, following Auburn’s in 2010 and Alabama’s in 2009. And the SEC earned its sixth consecutive BCS championship, though technically also adding its first BCS championship game loss.

LSU and Alabama had already met once this season in November under similar circumstances, ranked at No. 1 and No. 2, and LSU coming away with the win in overtime 9-6.

Alabama finishes 12-1, while LSU finishes 13-1.

Video: highlights from the Alabama-LSU game

Alabama running back Trent Richardson will face off against
LSU again tonight for the BCS National Championship.

It’s déjà vu all over again.

No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama will face each other again, this time for the BCS National Championship. In their previous encounter Nov. 5, the Tigers won in overtime 9-6.

Since then, LSU (13-0) has remained undefeated, capturing the SEC Championship against Georgia Dec. 3 and … waiting. The Tide (11-1) returned to its winning ways, wrapping up with a win against Auburn in the Iron Bowl Nov. 26.

The title game is familiar territory for both teams, Alabama having captured it last in 2010 against Texas, and LSU over Ohio State in 2008.

A win by Alabama would make it the third consecutive year for the state to bring home a championship, following Auburn’s victory over Oregon in 2011.

The game takes place in the Superdome in New Orleans. Kickoff is 7:30 tonight, airing on ESPN and WJOX (94.5 FM) [livestream].

In other news:

• SMU defeated Pitt 28-6 Saturday in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham
• Auburn beat Virginia 43-24 in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on New Year’s Eve

Video: keys to the BCS National Championship for Alabama, LSU

Video: Alabama coach Nick Saban discusses his team’s
trip to the BCS National Championship Game.

In the 2009 season, it was Alabama. In the 2010 season, Auburn.

And this year, Alabama again plays for the national championship. The Tide faces LSU in a rematch, or perhaps, grudge match. Alabama lost to LSU 9-6 in overtime on Nov. 5.

No. 1 LSU was a lock for the game at a perfect 13-0. Alabama (11-1) waited until Sunday’s official announcement, just edging out No. 3 Oklahoma State in the BCS rankings. LSU beat Georgia Saturday 42-10 for the SEC Championship, while Alabama’s last game was the Iron Bowl, beating Auburn 42-14 on Nov. 26.

No matter who wins, the SEC will take home the national title for the sixth consecutive year. Auburn won the 2010 title, while Alabama won the 2009.

The game airs at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 on ESPN, in 3D where available.

• Heisman finalists will be announced tonight, and expected to make the short list is Trent Richardson, running back at Alabama. Mark Ingram won it at Alabama in 2009. Update: It’s official, as Richardson will be competing against Tyrann Mathieu of LSU, Andrew Luck of Stanford, Montee Ball of Wisconsin and Robert Griffin III of Baylor.

• Other bowl games:

• Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Virginia (8-4) will face No. 25 Auburn (7-5) on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta.
• BBVA Compass Bowl: Southern Methodist (7-5) will head to Birmingham for the Jan. 7 game, thanks to the SEC pulling out of the bowl this year, opening a slot for a Conference USA team. SMU will face Pitt (6-6) representing the Big East. Pitt defeated Kentucky this year at the first BBVA Compass Bowl.

• UAB finished its season 3-9, leading to the firing of coach Neil Callaway and Sunday’s hire of Garrick McGee, Arkansas’ offensive coordinator, as his successor.

• Hoover, the only Birmingham-area team to play in the state finals, lost to Prattville 35-34 Friday in Tuscaloosa.

Take a look at nearly 40 newspaper front pages from around the world on April 29 featuring coverage of the natural disaster.

• Newspaper front pages from Alabama and across the United States
• Ways you can help with tornado aid

(An embeddable version is included at the end.)

Clarin (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

El Territorio (Posadas, Argentina)

La Nacion (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Vorarlberger Nachrichten (Vorarlberg, Austria)

Jornal de Jundiaí Regional (Jundiaí, Brazil)

A Tarde (Salvador da Bahia, Brazil)

Jornal da Cidade (Bauru, Brazil)

Folha de Londrina (Londrina, Brazil)

Folha de S. Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)

Gazeta do Povo (Curitiba, Brazil

O Estado de S. Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)

Corriere Canadese (Toronto, Canada)

Calgary Herald (Calgary, Canada)

El Colombiano (Medellin, Colombia)

La Patria (Manizales, Colombia)

Phileleftheros (Nicosia, Cyprus)

Lidove Noviny (Prague, Czech Republic)

Diario El Universo (Guayaquil, Ecuador)

La Prensa (San Pedro Sula, Honduras)

Waspada (Medan, Indonesia)

Haaretz – Hebrew Edition (Tel Aviv, Israel)

La Stampa (Torino, Italy)

Arab Times (Shuwaikh, Kuwait)

Al Watan Daily (Shuwaikh, Kuwait)

L’Orient Le Jour (Beirut, Lebanon)

La Voix du Luxembourg (Luxembourg City, Luxembourg)

Star (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

La Prensa (Panama City, Panama)

El Comercio (Lima, Peru)

El Dia Nuevo (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico)

The Chosun Ilbo (Seoul, South Korea)

The Segye Times (Seoul, South Korea)

Today’s Zaman (Istanbul, Turkey)

The National (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

Stars and Stripes – European Edition (Kaiserslautern, Germany)

Stars and Stripes – Mideast Edition (Kabul, Afghanistan)

Stars and Stripes – Pacific Edition (Tokyo, Japan)

Zoom to full screen, zoom in on page details
and embed on your site.

Also:

• Newspaper front pages from Alabama and across the United States
• Ways you can help with tornado aid

Both recent national championships by the Alabama and Auburn football teams received some front page attention, but the weather-related disaster dominated many papers across the United States in the 2 days following.

• Newspaper front pages from Alabama and around the world
• Ways you can help with tornado aid

(Embeddable slideshow versions are available on the last page.)

April 28

The Arizona Republic

Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The Fresno (Calif.) Bee

The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee

The Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain

The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal

The Washington Post

The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun

Northwest Florida Daily News

Panama City (Fla.) News Herald

St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times

The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger

The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune

The Villages (Fla.) Daily Sun

The Albany (Ga.) Herald

Savannah (Ga.) Morning News

The Indianapolis (Ind.) Star

The Garden City (Kan.) Telegram

The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle

The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal

The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader

The Winchester (Ky.) Sun

The Cumberland (Md.) Times-News

The (Minneapolis, Minn.) Star Tribune

Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune

The Kansas City (Mo.) Star

The (Columbus, Miss.) Commercial Dispatch

(Biloxi, Miss.) Sun Herald

The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer

(Hendersonville, N.C.) Times-News

Norfolk (Neb.) Daily News

Cortland (N.Y.) Standard

The New York Times

The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch

The Marietta (Ohio) Times

Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun

The (Toledo, Ohio) Blade

(Corvallis, Ore.) Gazette-Times

NEWSPAPER

(Spartanburg, S.C.) Herald-Journal

The (Rock Hill, S.C.) Herald

The (Memphis, Tenn.) Commercial Appeal

The Johnson City (Tenn.) Press

Austin (Texas) American-Statesman

Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram

Houston (Texas) Chronicle

Tyler (Texas) Morning Telegraph

The Roanoke (Va.) Times

The Virginian-Pilot

The (Vancouver, Wash.) Columbian

The (Spokane, Wash.) Spokesman-Review

Milwaukee (Wis.) Journal Sentinel

Watertown (Wis.) Daily Times

USA Today

• Newspaper front pages from Alabama and around the world
• Ways you can help with tornado aid

(Embeddable slideshow versions are available on the last page.)

Head to the next page to see the April 29 front pages …

• Newspaper front pages from across the United States and around the world
• Ways you can help with tornado aid

(An embeddable version is included at the end.)

April 28

The Anniston Star

The Birmingham News

Dothan Eagle

The (Florence) Times-Daily

The Gadsden Times

The Montgomery Advertiser

The (Mobile) Press-Register

Opelika-Auburn News

The Tuscaloosa News

April 29

The Anniston Star

The Birmingham News

Dothan Eagle

The (Florence) Times-Daily

The Gadsden Times

The Huntsville Times

The Montgomery Advertiser

The (Mobile) Press-Register

Opelika-Auburn News

The Tuscaloosa News

April 30

The Anniston Star

The Birmingham News

The Decatur Daily

Dothan Eagle

The (Florence) Times-Daily

The Gadsden Times

The Huntsville Times
(special double front page – click page to enlarge)

The Montgomery Advertiser

The (Mobile) Press-Register

Opelika-Auburn News

The Tuscaloosa News

Also:

• Tuscaloosa News photographer Dusty Compton’s tornado photo lands on the front pages of newspapers everywhere (a few examples).
• Newspaper front pages from across the United States and around the world
• Ways you can help with tornado aid

Zoom to full screen, zoom in on page details
and embed on your site.

A traffic camera shows a 1-mile wide tornado moving
across North Birmingham.

The death toll stands at 50 after more than 120 tornadoes tore through Alabama today. Those tornadoes followed a series of severe storms early in the morning, with the worst damage in Cullman, Tuscaloosa and near Birmingham in Pinson, Gardendale, Pleasant Grove and Fultondale.

Gov. Bentley and President Obama have declared a state of emergency in Alabama.

Take a look at the full report on Magic City Post, including ways you can help.

Video: Paul McDonald sings “Old Time Rock and Roll”
from “Risky Business” for movie night.

Lights. Camera. Action.

“American Idol” returns to one of its favorite recurring themes, movie songs. Huntsville’s Paul McDonald engages in some risky business.

“Help me, Jesus! Help me, Jewish God! Help me, Allah! Help me, Tom Cruise!”

• Song: “Old Time Rock and Roll,” by Bob Seger

[buy Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll"
on iTunes, Amazon; buy Paul's version — aff. links]

• Judges say: Steven: “I love your crazy, wild abandon. What you got back from (the audience), that says it all.” J. Lo: “Every time you come out here, it’s like you’re going a little bit further in your performance, in just letting go. You killed it. Good job.” Randy: “America, you just witnessed the first number in the Paul McDonald concert. I love that you are just not a typical singer — you’re definitely an artist.” 

• We say: Paul is becoming the good time guy, but can he really stir people, or will he always just be the party rock guy? And will it take him much further in the competition?

[See post to listen to audio]

Audio: “Old Time Rock and Roll,” Paul McDonald

Really rosy.

Sax with Paul.

“American Idol” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox 6.

Voting closes at 10:30 tonight.

Update April 14: After his second trip to the Bottom Three, Paul McDonald was eliminated in eighth place, making him the first male contestant gone from the Top 13.

Previous: Top Nine — Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songs
Next: Top Seven

Video: “Old Time Rock and Roll,” by Bob Seger

Also:

• Buy Paul McDonald’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” on iTunes [aff. link]

• • •

More “American Idol” at idol.wadeonbirmingham.com.

Video: Paul McDonald sings “Folsom Prison Blues”
for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night.

Are you ready to rock?

We said, are you ready to rock?

No? OK. Well, these nine “American Idol” contestants are ready, including Huntsville’s Paul McDonald. The quirky singer faced a close call last week as part of the Bottom Three in which two others were sent home.

This time, the man onstage took on the Man in Black, Johnny Cash.

• Song: “Folsom Prison Blues,” by Johnny Cash

[buy Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues"
on iTunes, Amazon; buy Paul's version — aff. links]

• Judges say: Randy: “I got three words for you: I loved it!” Steven: “You’re such a crazy character. You rocked the house.” J. Lo: “A perfect way to end the show. Good job.” 

• We say: High energy, maybe not our favorite version of the song, but should be enough to keep him out of the Bottom Three again.

[See post to listen to audio]

Audio: “Folsom Prison Blues,” Paul McDonald

“American Idol” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox 6.

Voting closes at 10:30 tonight.

Update April 7: Pia Toscano was sent home in ninth place.

Previous: Top 11 again — Elton John songs
Next: Top Eight — movie songs

Video: “Folsom Prison Blues,” by Johnny Cash

Also:

• Buy Paul McDonald’s “Folsom Prison Blues” on iTunes [aff. link]
• How Birmingham’s Taylor Hicks ended up singing Rebecca Black’s “Friday” on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”

• • •

More “American Idol” at idol.wadeonbirmingham.com.

Video: Alabama loses to Wichita State in the NIT finals.

The Shockers zapped the Tide.

No. 4 Wichita State took down No. 1 Alabama 66-57 to win the National Invitation Tournament on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. The champions finished 29-8 for the season.

Alabama, 25-12, has tied New York University and Notre Dame for the most NIT semifinal and final appearances — six — without winning a championship. For Wichita State, the victory marks the team’s first NIT title.

Also:

• NIT bracket
• More basketball coverage

Video: Alabama defeats Colorado 62-61 in the NIT semifinals.

The Alabama men’s basketball team faces its final challenge tonight: Beating Wichita State to win the National Invitation Tournament.

The top seed Tide (25-11) will face the No. 4 Shockers (28-8) after they crushed Washington State 75-44 in the semifinals. Alabama narrowly defeated Colorado 62-61 on Tuesday in the other semifinal match.

The game takes place at 6 tonight in Madison Square Garden in New York, airing on ESPN2.

Also:

• NIT bracket
• More basketball coverage

Video: Paul McDonald sings “Rocket Man”
for Elton John night.
[buy it on iTunes — aff. link]

If these 11 faces seem familiar …

As you may recall, Casey Abrams almost went home last week, but the judges used their only save to keep him on “American Idol.” And so, two contestants will be going home this week.

Legendary singer and pianist Elton John provides the hits for tonight’s show. Can Huntsville’s Paul McDonald continue his winning ways, with everyone facing double jeopardy this week?

• Song: “Rocket Man,” by Elton John

[buy Elton John's "Rocket Man"
on iTunes, Amazon; buy Paul's version — aff. links]

• Judges say: Randy: “A little pitch-y. When you get into that tender zone with that quiet soft voice, it’s very infectious. Allow yourself to go all the way.” J. Lo: “I wonder if you’re holding back, if there’s more to your voice than even you know. Push, push, push.” Steven: “When you start hitting every note, that’s the day I’m not gonna like you anymore.”

• We say: An interesting take, but not a compelling one. Where’s the intensity, the uplift?

Gone Hollywood: The magazine photo shoot.

Back in the day: Paul McDonald plays with his original band.

[See post to listen to audio]

Audio: “Rocket Man,” Paul McDonald

“American Idol” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox 6.

Voting closes at 11 tonight.

Update March 31: Paul landed in the Bottom Three, in a week in which two contestants would be eliminated. But he escaped, as Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia, “Idol’s” youngest contestant ever at age 15, were sent home.

Previous: Top 11 — Motown songs
Next: Top Nine

Video: “Rocket Man,” by Elton John

Video: “Rocket Man,” by William Shatner

Video: “Rocket Man,” by Stewie Griffin

Also:

• Buy Paul McDonald’s “Rocket Man” on iTunes [aff. link]

• • •

More “American Idol” at idol.wadeonbirmingham.com.

She went from fearing a villain, to bonding with a villain, to being dragged down by said villain.

After 14 days, Fairhope native Krista Klumpp exited “Survivor: Redemption Island” in 15th place.

What went wrong? How did she come into such a controversial alliance? And what didn’t get shown on television?

The Columbia, S.C., pharmaceutical sales rep dished on her 2 weeks in Nicaragua during a conference call.

On aligning with Russell Hantz, the three-time notorious contestant: “I have a tattoo on my foot that says, ‘Saved by grace.’ And (Hantz) said, ‘I like your tattoo.’ And I was like, ‘I like yours.’  That’s where our conversation started and where we got to know each other.”

(Hantz has an arm tattoo that reads, “Keep Hope Alive.”)

Klumpp and Hantz shared some things in common, including Christian beliefs, a love of SEC football (he attended LSU, she was head cheerleader at Auburn) and being Southerners. She was drawn to this side that wasn’t shown on television.

But having seen his cutthroat moves in two previous “Survivor” seasons, she feared he would just unload on her at any moment. Instead, she connected with him personally, leading to their ill-fated alliance on Zapatera that included Stephanie Valencia.

On what she wish had been aired: “I did a lot of behind-the-scenes work for our alliance.

“Being an alliance with Stephanie and Russell, they’re such big personalities and so dramatic, (so the footage focused on them). I was a big part of a lot of our decisions that we made and a lot of the strategic conversations.

“I did a lot of mediating between Stephanie and Russell. Me being a mediator, me calming Stephanie and Russell down to not be so brash to the others is not as entertaining.”

On the Redemption Island duel with Matt Elrod: “I was doing really well staying focused, and I thought I was way ahead of Matt. I thought I had it by a long shot.

“To hear Jeff (Probst) say that Matt wins, it was like, ‘No way.’ I thought for sure that I had won it. It was over, very emotional for many reasons.”

On looking back at her alliance with Hantz: “I really feel like that was my only choice. None of the others were there to play the game like I wanted to.

“I knew I had to be aggressive from the beginning. I had to come in ready to play, and the only people ready to do that were Stephanie and Russell.

“When you’re approached by Russell to get in an alliance, I don’t believe there are many choices that you have.” (laughs)

“Survivor: Redemption Island” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on on CBS 42.

Previous: Episode 6 — So it is written

• • •

Back up for grabs … more “Survivor: Redemption Island” at survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com.

Video: Alabama’s Senario Hillman with the dunk after a 3-pointer
miss. The Tide defeated Miami to advance to the NIT semifinals.

The post-season continues for Alabama. The No. 1 Tide defeated No. 2 Miami 79-64 Wednesday in Tuscaloosa to advance in the National Invitation Tournament. The win marked a school record 19 wins at home, undefeated in Coleman Coliseum all season.

Next stop: New York’s Madison Square Garden to face fellow top seed Colorado on Tuesday. The game airs at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

The winner will face the victor in the following game, No. 2 Washington State vs. No. 4 Wichita State.

The NIT championship game will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, also on ESPN2.

Alabama’s Ben Eblem tries to get past a Miami defender.

Also:

• NIT bracket
• More basketball coverage

Photo: Kent Gidley, Alabama Athletics

Video: Paul McDonald sings “The Tracks of My Tears”
for Motown night.
[buy it on iTunes — aff. link]

Motown never dies. At least, not on “American Idol.”

The Top 11 pick their favorite hits from the label, including Huntsville’s Paul McDonald, complete with guitar.

• Song: “The Tracks of My Tears,” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

[buy Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears"
on iTunes, Amazon; buy Paul's version — aff. links]

• Judges say: Randy: “You have a distinctive voice. You took it to a Rod Stewart level. When you sing tender, you’ve definitely got that husky, quirky voice quality. Bring more of that out.” Steven: “Like (Bob) Dylan, Willie Nelson, your voice is that different. I love it.” J. Lo: “You’re the most seasoned performer we have. You’re the complete package.”

• We say: The uptempo version charmed the audience and the judges, but where’s the sorrow, the longing, the true emotion of a classic? And yet, he’s growing on us.

Behold the power of the trucker hat.

Rehearsing for Motown night.

[See post to listen to audio]

Audio: “The Tracks of My Tears,” Paul McDonald

“American Idol” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox 6.

Voting closes at 11 tonight.

Update March 24: Casey Abrams was almost sent home, but the judges unanimously decided to use their one “save” to keep him on the show.

Previous: Top 12 — Songs from Your Birth Year
Next: Top 10 Top 11 again

Video: “The Tracks of My Tears,” by the Miracles

Also:

• Buy Paul McDonald’s “The Tracks of My Tears” on iTunes [aff. link]

• • •

More “American Idol” at idol.wadeonbirmingham.com.

survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com

Against the grains: Matt Elrod and Krista Klumpp share
a meal on Redemption Island.

Does Krista Klumpp have what it takes to defeat the three-time champion of Redemption Island?

For the Fairhope native, that’s the only question that matters in tonight’s “Survivor.”

Matt Elrod has sent other competitors packing, including one of the toughest players of three seasons, Russell Hantz.

And before they duel, will Krista and Matt connect on other level?

Find out after the jump …

[buy this episode — aff. link]

Video: Happier times: Krista and Stephanie Valencia
goof off while the rest of Zapatera hunts for food.

Overnight sensation: Krista’s first night at Redemption Island.

Almost paradise: Krista finds Redemption Island
more relaxing than Camp Zapatera.

Dueling believers: From the time Krista arrives in the Redemption Island camp, she and Matt develop an easy rapport. One reason? They’re both Christians at heart.

Krista receives her luxury item, her Bible, and prays with Matt before their duel.

Revelations: Krista receives her luxury item, her Bible.

Can they get an amen? Matt and Krista share a prayer.

The challenge requires each player to retrieve three bags with a grappling hook on a rope. Then, the player must take a ball from one of the bags and steer it through a table maze.

Hook, line and …: Krista hooks a bag at the duel.

On the table: Matt and Krista run the final leg.

Video: The Redemption Island duel between Matt and Krista.

[buy this episode — aff. link]

And like in previous contests, Matt falls behind early but never panics. Krista has a clear lead … until her ball falls through the maze. And like in previous contests, Matt wins, sending another challenger home.

A hug before crying: Matt beats Krista.

The moment hits.

To the victor: Krista gives her Bible to Matt.

Krista becomes the fourth player evicted, finishing in 15th place. Before she leaves, she tears up a little, and gives Matt her Bible.

“It’s a real reality, it’s emotional,” she says.

Should Krista have gone further in the game? What should she have done differently? Sound off in the comments.

The burning of the buff.

Video: Krista, the day after

[Videos and photos to be added.]

“Survivor: Redemption Island” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on on CBS 42.

Previous: Episode 5 — Thy fearful symmetry

Also:

• How does “Survivor” do in cleaning up after shooting a season?
• Buy this episode. [aff. link]

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Back up for grabs … more “Survivor: Redemption Island” at survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com.