BOL Round Table

...but I can't recall another that compares to the one we just encountered.

First, on Saturday, the Alabama basketball team came back from 11 points down with 7:07 remaining in the second half to get its first win at Vanderbilt's Memorial Gymnasium since 1990.

For some perspective on the time between wins in Nashville, consider that Michael Bolton had the No. 1 song on the charts on Feb. 3, 1990. Gene Stallings had been on the job as the Crimson Tide's football coach for less than a month.

As for the game itself, a future seven-time NBA champion by the name of Robert Horry led UA with 23 points. He got some help from one of my all-time favorite UA cagers, Melvin Cheatum, who pulled down seven rebounds.

Alabama's win over the Commodores that day improved the Crimson Tide to 7-3 in the SEC. Alabama's win over the Commodores 23 years later improved the Crimson Tide to 6-2 in the league.

That team went on to win the SEC Tournament before falling to destiny’s team (until it ran up on UNLV, at least), Loyola-Marymount, in the Sweet 16. This team? It’s taking a one-game-at-a-time approach that it can’t afford to deviate from.

As if basketball’s version of Halley’s Comet wasn't enough, word came later that evening of five-star linebacker prospect Reuben Foster, the one-time Alabama and Auburn commitment who sports an Auburn tattoo, leaving his official visit at Auburn to make his way to Tuscaloosa.

For a guy who thought he had pretty much seen it all, Foster’s Iron Bowl recruiting weekend was a first for even me.

On Sunday, the Alabama contingent of Courtney Upshaw, Terrence Cody and Ozzie Newsome became Super Bowl champions as members of the Baltimore Ravens.

For Cody and Upshaw, 24 and 23 years old, respectively, what’s left to accomplish on the football field? National champs and world champs, the both of them, all within a four-year window.

Not to downplay Cody’s impressive run since 2009, but here is a recap of Upshaw’s last four football seasons: two BCS titles, a Super Bowl championship and two post-season MVP awards (2012 BCS Championship and 2011 Capital One Bowl). That’s four careers worth of achievement for a guy who just finished up his rookie season in the league.

As for Newsome, he further cemented his status among the top NFL executives of the last 20 years. It seemed appropriate that his second world championship with the Ravens came in Ray Lewis’ final game. After all, it was Lewis who Newsome selected in his first draft as Baltimore’s top personnel decision maker.

And now for the kicker in all of this: the whirlwind events of the last two days were merely a prelude to another 48-hour stretch that will reveal plenty.

Just because Anthony Grant’s team won at Vanderbilt does not mean it will win in Auburn on Wednesday night (7 p.m. CT/SECN).

And just because Foster ditched the Tigers Saturday in favor of Alabama does not mean he won’t commit to Auburn tonight and sign with the Tigers on Wednesday.

Enjoy a little down time these next few hours. The next two days will be one hell of a ride.

TR