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.

If people across the globe didn’t know much about Alabama before, they have an all-too-compelling glimpse of the state after tornadoes tore through the landscape April 27.

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

A look at national newspapers, with nearly 300 front pages showing coverage of the April 27 tornadoes that rampaged across Alabama.

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 …

A look at Alabama newspapers, with front pages showing coverage of the April 27 tornadoes that rampaged across the state.

• 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?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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.

Episode 6 recap

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]

(more…)

‘Survivor: Redemption Island,’ episode 6 preview

survivor.wadeonbirmingham.com

Video: Preview of tonight’s episode.

For Fairhope native Krista Klumpp, her journey on “Survivor: Redemption Island” has come to an end.

Or has it?

Tonight, she faces the formidable Matt Elrod, the three-time champion at Redemption Island. She stays only if she defeats him, and every other castoff after him.

Last week, Zapatera booted her over her ally Stephanie Valencia. The question is: Does Krista have what it takes to beat all challengers from here on out?

Check out the action tonight, and look for the recap here.

Episode 5 recaps:

• Wade on Birmingham
• Jeff Probst: “Krista is a farm girl and is a legitimate threat to beat Matt in a challenge.”

“Survivor: Redemption Island” airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on CBS 42. Look for the full recap tonight following the show.

• • •

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