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Rolando McClain named finalist for Butkus Award

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama junior linebacker Rolando McClain was named one of five finalists for the 2009 Dick Butkus Award on Friday. The award has been presented annually to the best linebacker in college football since 1985.

McClain is joined by Sergia Kindle (Texas), Eric Norwood (South Carolina), Brandon Spikes (Florida) and Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) as this year’s finalists. McClain, Spikes and Weatherspoon were all finalists last year.

The Butkus Award is named after Dick Butkus, who is considered one of the greatest football players in history. Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, following an illustrious career with the Chicago Bears, University of Illinois and Chicago Vocational School.

The Decatur, Ala., native is the heart and soul of the Crimson Tide defense this season, anchoring a unit that leads the SEC and ranks second nationally in rushing defense, allowing 2.4 yards per play and 72.8 yards per game this season.

In addition, the Tide defense ranks second nationally in scoring defense (10.9 ppg) and third nationally in total defense (239.3 ypg). The Crimson Tide has held eight of its first 10 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing and five opponents to less than 215 total yards in a game. Alabama has also held five teams to a touchdown or less this season.

McClain leads the team with 77 tackles and has also added 10.0 tackles for loss (-45 yards), three sacks (-26 yards), two interceptions (21 return yards), one pass breakup, eight quarterback hurries and a forced fumble that led to a touchdown.

McClain’s play has garnered him extensive national recognition. He was the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week after his 12-tackle performance against Kentucky on Oct. 3. He was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Defensive Player of the Week following the Tide’s 20-6 win over South Carolina on Oct. 17.

Earlier this season, he was named a midseason All-American by Sporting News and is also a semifinalist for the Walter Camp National Player of the Year, along with the Lombardi Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes to the best defensive player in the nation.

Former Alabama All-American Derrick Thomas won the Butkus Award in 1988. This year’s winner is to be announced on Dec. 8, 2009.

Kobe Gets 100th 40 Point Game

LOS ANGELES (AP)—When Lamar Odom(notes) pondered why the Los Angeles Lakers have been able to avoid losing three straight games for nearly two years, he instinctively glanced across the room to Kobe Bryant’s(notes)locker.

“That’s a big reason,” Odom said with a grateful nod.

Bryant scored 40 points for the 100th time in his career, and the Lakers stopped a mini-skid with a 106-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.

Andrew Bynum(notes) had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who took a 28-point lead before surviving Detroit’s impressive fourth-quarter rally. Although Bryant had just five points in the final period, he did enough damage early to push the Lakers to another win while moving himself further into rarefied company with the greatest scorers in NBA history.

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Bryant didn’t appear to be slowed by his strained groin while scoring 27 points in the middle two quarters before reaching 40 on a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left. With four 40-point games already this season after getting just four all last year, Kobe trails only Wilt Chamberlain (271) and Michael Jordan (173) in 40-point games in NBA history.

“It’s a true honor,” Bryant said. “A lot of work went into it, and when I look back on that, I (can’t believe) I had 100 of those games. It’s just a good feeling.”

Bryant led the Lakers in scoring for the 10th time in 11 games while frequently taking Ben Gordon(notes) and other Detroit defenders into the low post. Bryant also played with a noticeable edge, jawing with several Pistons before and after scoring on them.

Bryant scored 13 points in the second quarter, making six of his seven shots while the Lakers went ahead 57-42 at halftime. He was 6 for 8 in the third, scoring 14 more points while Los Angeles gradually increased its lead to 24— and he wasn’t thrilled by the extra work necessary after Detroit made things interesting late.

“We just have to talk to that second unit about maintaining that defensive intensity,” Bryant said. “The focus and energy should be on the defensive end.”

Coach Phil Jackson felt Los Angeles played only two strong quarters following its back-to-back losses to Denver and Houston, but he couldn’t complain much. The Lakers still haven’t lost three straight games since before Pau Gasol(notes) joined the club on Feb. 1, 2008, although Gasol again was out of the lineup with a hamstring injury.

“Some of that is just talent, and some of it is resiliency,” Jackson said. “They were embarrassed with the losses, and they want to feel good about themselves, so they worked hard to change that.”

Will Bynum(notes) scored 10 of his 24 points in the final period for the Pistons, who opened a four-game West Coast trip with their second straight loss. Largely using reserves, Detroit chopped the Lakers’ lead to 98-91 with 1:55 to play before former Michigan State guard Shannon Brown(notes) made three free throws and a soaring dunk to seal it.

“They were the aggressor, and we were reacting to everything they were doing,” said Ben Wallace(notes), who had five rebounds. “We were a step behind them for the entire game. The second group came in and played the way that we should have been playing all along. They made the game close, so we have to take a cue from our second unit and play hard from the start.”

Detroit is even more seriously injury-depleted than the Lakers, withRichard Hamilton(notes) (sprained right ankle) and Tayshaun Prince(notes) (back injury) still out of the lineup.

Gordon scored 18 points and Jason Maxiell(notes) had 13 for the Pistons, who committed 17 turnovers while Los Angeles compiled 12 more rebounds and 10 more assists than Detroit.

“I’m not sure how many times we turned the ball over, but we just didn’t match their energy,” Gordon said. “They played harder than us, they were more aggressive to the loose balls, and they did a lot of the small things that got them over the top. I think we just need to do a better job of competing throughout the game instead of in spurts.”

NOTES: Gasol might try to play for the first time this season Thursday night against Chicago. … Former Lakers big man Kwame Brown(notes) was roundly booed when he entered the game for Detroit. The former No. 1 overall pick had nine points in 27 minutes. … The Lakers honored Los Angeles Sparksstar Lisa Leslie at halftime. Leslie retired earlier this year. … Oliver Platt, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and baseball great Dave Winfield were among the courtside celebrities.

Ben Tate is not Better than Mark Ingram

According to Ben Tate, he is the best runningback in Alabama. He is good but I would say that he is no better than the third best back in Alabama.

Ben Tate: I'm the best back in Alabama 111309 - The Augusta Chronicle

"I know I'm the best back in the state," Tate said. "I bet if you went and broke down film and asked teams in the SEC who is the best back in the state, I mean I feel like it's me."

BCS Standings (11/15/09)

		Harris			USAToday			Computer		BCS
Rank	Team	Record	Rank	Pts	%	Rank	Pts	%	Rank	Avg	Avg	Last Week
1.	Florida	10-0	-	-	-	1	2793	1.8315	-	-	0.9800	1
2.	Alabama	10-0	-	-	-	2	2711	1.7777	-	-	0.9500	2
3.	Texas	10-0	-	-	-	3	2694	1.7666	-	-	0.9300	3
4.	TCU	10-0	-	-	-	4	2479	1.6256	-	-	0.8700	4
5.	Cincinnati	10-0	-	-	-	5	2349	1.5403	-	-	0.8500	5
6.	Boise St.	10-0	-	-	-	6	2317	1.5193	-	-	0.8000	6
7.	Georgia Tech	10-1	-	-	-	7	2168	1.4216	-	-	0.7700	7
8.	LSU	8-2	-	-	-	8	1960	1.2852	-	-	0.6600	8
9.	Pittsburgh	9-1	-	-	-	9	1895	1.2426	-	-	0.6600	12
10.	Ohio St.	9-2	-	-	-	10	1813	1.1889	-	-	0.6500	11
11.	Oregon	8-2	-	-	-	11	1699	1.1141	-	-	0.6300	13
12.	Oklahoma St.	8-2	-	-	-	12	1467	0.9620	-	-	0.4700	19
13.	Iowa	9-2	-	-	-	13	1408	0.9233	-	-	0.4500	10
14.	Penn St.	9-2	-	-	-	14	1176	0.7711	-	-	0.4100	18
15.	Virginia Tech	7-3	-	-	-	15	1134	0.7436	-	-	0.4000	21
16.	Wisconsin	8-2	-	-	-	16	976	0.6400	-	-	0.3600	20
17.	Stanford	7-3	-	-	-	17	946	0.6203	-	-	0.3400	NR
18.	USC	7-3	-	-	-	18	793	0.5200	-	-	0.2700	9
19.	Oregon St.	7-3	-	-	-	19	578	0.3790	-	-	0.2500	23
20.	Miami (FL)	7-3	-	-	-	20	576	0.3777	-	-	0.1900	14
21.	Utah	8-2	-	-	-	21	568	0.3725	-	-	0.1900	16
22.	BYU	8-2	-	-	-	22	492	0.3226	-	-	0.1900	22
23.	Clemson	7-3	-	-	-	23	484	0.3174	-	-	0.1800	NR
24.	Houston	8-2	-	-	-	24	442	0.2898	-	-	0.1200	15
25.	California	7-3	-	-	-	25	169	0.1108	-	-	0.0900	NR