20 years ago 1996 at Alabama.

-Gene Stallings leads us to an SEC West Title and yet another date with UF in the Georgia Dome. End the year with a victory in the Outback Bowl over Michigan, defeating still new coach, Lloyd Carr in only his second year.

-David Hobbs finishes a bleh 19-13 with an NIT semis appearance, and ends what had been a decent decade for Bama Hoops in terms of tourney appearances... the Tide would not go dancing again until 2002.

-Rick Moody's Lady Tide make another sweet sixteen appearance in what was becoming a solid national contender in the world of women's hoops.

-Jim Wells leads the Tide to a #1 seed in the CWS, but is promptly battered by Miami and then outlasted by Clemson. Only a sign of things to come as the 1997 campaign would see Bama make it all the way to the final.

-Kalum Haack is hired to man a brand new title ix sport which will play their games in a weird combination of various parks and on-campus facilities. A stadium will be built if the sport lasts. The team will begin play along with several other brand new SEC program in 1997. Haack hires as assistants, Karen Johns and.... Patrick Murphy.





Highlight of the year was easily.....


-Alabama wins the bid to host the National Championships of College Gymnastics in Tuscaloosa. Alabama gives cause for worry by faltering in the SEC Championships (giving yet another to the hated Gym Dawgs) but rebound to wipe the floor with the competition at the national championship. Alabama roars to a 198 score in front of a roaring home crowd.... and finishes the night with 2 straight perfect 10s.


It would be Alabama's last National Championship until 2002 when Gymnastics would win again in Coleman Coliseum... and 2009, when Nick Saban ends football's wander in the wilderness.