Tag Archives: Sports

UPDATE: Birmingham will host the 2021 World Games

UPDATE – 4:45 a.m., 1/22/2015: The City of Birmingham will be hosting the 2021 World Games, important as its both its 11th edition and its 40th anniversary. It will also be the city’s 150th birthday.

The city is the first in the United States to host the Games since they were founded in 1981 when they took place in Santa Clara, California.

The International World Games Association (IGWA) announced the winning city of the 2021 World Games from Hotel Mövenpick in Lausanne, Switzerland beginning at 4 a.m. CST on Thursday, January 22. The decision, made via secret ballot by the association’s executive committee, was announced shortly after 4:45 a.m. CST.  Following the announcement, Birmingham City Council president Johnathan Austin upon taking the podium said, “I think I need to pinch myself… to make sure I’m not dreaming.” Austin continued by recounting part of a conversation from Wednesday evening: “…regardless of who wins, we’re all winners, because now we have relationships, we’re friends with all of the [competing] countries.”

He promised those in attendance at the press conference that “The City of Birmingham will make the World Games 2021 the best World Games that you all have ever seen.”

The following live stream was made available via YouTube  for those following from home.  There was particular interest in Birmingham, AL; Lima, Peru; and Ufa, Russia — the three finalists for selection.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3RmXfz9iM&w=625]

The announcement was made in the city that will now serve as the headquarters for the international, International Olympic Committee (IOC)-recognized association beginning in February. It had been previously based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The IGWA’s relationship with the IOC was further strengthened in November 2014 when recommendation No. 6 (PDF, page 9) was adopted during an Extraordinary Session of the IOC. It was one of 40 recommendations adopted to “shape the future of the Olympic Movement.”

The Birmingham delegation has been in Lausanne for the last few days and used the following video as part of their final presentation on Wednesday.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/117396024 w=623]

The announcement is only the first step in the process for the city. Now that the games have been awarded, contract negotiations begin next week. The member federations of the IGWA will meet in Sochi this April to confirm the decision of the executive committee. Birmingham is currently set to take over the World Games flag on July 30, 2017 — at the end of the upcoming edition in Wroclaw, Poland.

By the way, this is where we point out that American football was added as an invitational sport in 2017 (and that it’s still possible to add baseball for 2021).

Photo: via Johnathan Austin’s Instagram account.

Friends of Rickwood Field seek donations to help finish reconstruction of historic train depot

rickwoodshedunderconstructionA visit to Rickwood Field in recent weeks has meant seeing a structure being constructed out in foul territory around short left field where a metal shed once stood. Construction continues, with hopes of it being mostly complete in time for next week Wednesday’s Rickwood Classic between the Birmingham Barons and the Mississippi Braves, but they’re in need of $25,000 to do so.

The building, a train depot formerly located in downtown Birmingham along 14th St. N., has been given a new lease on life as a batting cage for America’s oldest ballpark. It was seen as a win for preservationists who’d wanted to see the structure preserved as part of a new Alagasco operations center after its demolition had been approved by the city’s Design Review Committee in January. The plans for the building were announced shortly after demolition had begun this spring.

Alagasco has worked with general contractor Stewart Perry Construction and the nonprofit organization the Friends of Rickwood on the building’s move — one that will include being used by Birmingham city high schools and Miles College. A Razoo donation page has been set up for several weeks now, and the campaign has one week left. They’re asking for people to share the link and the story with as many people as possible.

Why yes, that is Chris Pollone…

It’s hard not to use a sports cliché when talking about Chris Pollone‘s return to Alabama’s 13 this (Monday) evening. He’ll be doing so as one of the hosts of Alabama Tonight, the NBC affiliate’s new weeknight sports program, for the month of September. Pollone left Birmingham and Alabama’s 13 back in December after 11 years. News of his return was first shared via YouTube earlier this month:

Alabama Tonight is also the name of a blog already being regularly updated on the station’s website. The show plans to be “your source for SEC and High School Sports,” as shared in the bio section of the show’s Twitter account. It’s probably a lot more fun to hear Chris talk about it himself though, so watch that video up there – and then tune in at 6:30 p.m.

He seems excited about it too

The latest on the USFL and Birmingham? We’ll find out tonight

USFL July 2012 logoWith so much focus in recent weeks on one group’s hopes of landing an NBA franchise for Birmingham, we’ve been ignoring talk of plans to bring football back to the Magic City this spring.

As mentioned on the site and others back in May, the USFL has been looking at Birmingham as a possible location for one of eight franchises as the league is reimagined in 2013. A Birmingham News article filed on July 3 cites league president and CEO Jaime Cuadra as stating that there had not been significant talks with city officials as of yet.

This brings us to this evening, when Cuadra will join Steve West on 101.1 FM at approximately 7:15 p.m. (according to the league’s brand page on Facebook) to discuss “potential” plans for a team in Birmingham, AL. The league did release a new logo last Friday (seen to your left) along with unveiling a new website. They’ve also been touring cities long considered options for franchises in recent weeks.

Incidentally, another thing to keep in mind as all of this talk moves forward is NBC Sports reporting that the UFL (the league that tried to enter the Birmingham market back in 2007) may announce plans for a comeback with four team later this week. Their official website makes it look like it could be all but certain…

What’s all this talk about the USFL being back?

USFL Logo 2012There have been posts written about the All-American Football League and the United Football League wanting to bring football back to Birmingham (and, as a result, to historic Legion Field) during the early days of the sites existence. For some reason there were not posts talking about the potential launch of the American Football League in 2011 and our potential franchise, the Birmingham Yellowhammers (though that one never got off the ground either).

For some reason though, there’s a little more hope tied to the most recent effort to bring back professional football to Birmingham – especially since its tied to the return of the USFL – sort of. Who knows, it could even mean a return of the Birmingham Stallions.

The Washington Post filed a report late last week about the pending return of the league next spring as a developmental league – an announcement originally made by EndZone Sports Management, LLC, the league’s owners, during the Vegas Unwrapped show (and the company’s website) back on February 15. It was also reported by NBC Sports in April, though considering what day the story ran, we could see why folks wouldn’t necessarily believe it.

Something adding to the increased attention in recent days may be the fact that the cities selected for the relaunch are expected to be announced this summer. Considering that according to the WP story (as well as the pieces from the Birmingham Business Journal and The Birmingham News) there were only 10 cities being looked at for eight slots, the Magic City’s chances are looking pretty good so far.

UPDATE: Joe Webb wins his first NFL start

Joe Webb. Courtesy of Minnesota Vikings website.UPDATE: Joe Webb won his first NFL start this evening, beating the Philadelphia Eagles 24-14.

He threw for 195 yards and ran for 31 yards and a touchdown (and yes, he did the Birmingham Walk afterwards).

-#-

If you missed UAB adjunct professor Alice Jackson’s appearance on Jeopardy this evening (we’re still trying to figure out how she did), don’t worry…

There’s another chance to see a member of the UAB alumni community in action on television tonight.

Joe Webb will follow up his performance last week – including his first NFL regular season touchdown – with his first career start. Incidentally, that touchdown last week made Webb the first UAB Blazer to score an NFL touchdown at quarterback. The start will be against the Eagles in Philadelphia after it was postponed on Sunday night due to concern for public safety.

It’s going to be historic in another way too; this will be the first NFL regular season game played on a Tuesday since 1946.

Photo: Joe Webb. Courtesy of Minnesota Vikings website.

Joe Webb scores 1st NFL touchdown during MNF

Birmingham native and former UAB starting quarterback Joe Webb ran 13 yards for the Minnesota Vikings to record his first career NFL touchdown during Monday night’s 40-17 loss to the Chicago Bears at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.

The Wenonah High School graduate was originally scheduled to start last night for the Vikings but future NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre had other plans, starting for the 298th time in his career instead after his consecutive starts streak ended last week.

A sack knocked Favre out of the game in the 2nd quarter with a head injury, leading to Webb taking over behind center. He finished the game completing 15 of his 26 pass attempts, good for 129 yards. He had one fumble, two interceptions and three sacks to go along with that touchdown.

Saturday’s Birmingham News interview of Webb covered not just the understandable nervousness about this game, but also the unusual conditions associated with it.