Augusta Roundup: Former Tide Golfer Beats the Cut
Justin Thomas, an Alabama alumnus, carded a two-over-par 74 in the second round of the Masters, leaving him tied for 39th at +2. This marks his ninth made cut in 11 Augusta starts. Defending champion Rory McIlroy leads at 12-under. Meanwhile, former Tide assistant coach Antoine Pettway earned a contract extension at Kennesaw State, Alabama track and field celebrated Senior Day at home, and alumna Karly Weathers tossed the first pitch at a baseball game. Friday’s action saw Alabama tennis split results (a win over Austin Peay, a loss to Vanderbilt), a baseball series opener loss to Arkansas, and a softball win over Auburn. Saturday’s schedule featured softball at Auburn, women’s tennis at South Carolina, the football A-Day scrimmage, and baseball against Arkansas. On this date in Tide history: In 1961, Denny Stadium’s capacity expanded from 31,000 to 43,000 with a new press box. Former safety Rashad Johnson praised Coach Saban’s NFL credibility.
Look, we all knew Alabama would infiltrate every sport—next up: Tide synchronized swimming. But Justin Thomas sneaking into the weekend at Augusta feels like finding a camouflaged elephant in a pink tutu. Meanwhile, Karly Weathers proving she can both catch and pitch inspirational vibes, and Pettway extending his tenure is Alabama’s way of saying, “Our dynasties don’t end, they just get more contract zeros.” And that stadium expansion from 1961? Clearly they foresaw they’d need extra seats for all the bandwagon fans dragging their lawn chairs out of winter hibernation.
Down Under to Diamond: John Lemm’s Transcontinental Journey
In Brisbane, Sharryn and John Lemm Sr. endure 15-hour time difference to watch son John Jr., Alabama’s starting catcher, on SEC Network+. John discovered baseball by chance, switched from soccer, and thrived behind the plate. Facing lack of coaching in Australia, John Jr. moved to the U.S., redshirted at New Mexico Junior College, then transferred to South Suburban CC, where he blossomed into a .300 hitter. He later starred at Southern Illinois, earning All-MVC honors with 19 homers. A robust transfer portal drew him to Alabama, where he overcame a crowded catcher room to claim the starting job. Now hitting in the five-hole, Lemm blends Aussie pride (“Down Under” pump-up song, flag displays) with SEC confidence, aiming for Omaha and beyond while two early-morning fans in Brisbane never miss a pitch.
Behold the world’s furthest commute to a ballpark, minus the frequent-flyer miles. The Lemm family has turned jet lag into a competitive advantage: sleepwalking through innings is the real secret to a .300 average, obviously. And nothing screams “cultural exchange” like an Aussie kid teaching American catchers how to wrangle curveballs while cracking jokes about vegemite. Alabama’s next All-American might need to field his own Zoom fan club at 3 a.m.—but hey, nothing says “commitment” like parents powered by Vegemite coffee and Sheilas who’d wrestle a kangaroo to see a homerun.
Crimson Chaos: QB Battles Ignite A-Day Scrimmage
Alabama’s 2026 A-Day returned to full-scrimmage format in Bryant-Denny Stadium, with offense in crimson and defense in white. Austin Mack and Keelon Russell split QB reps across four drives. Defense showcased a turnover with Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. intercepting Mack’s deep pass. Russell’s scrambles and short passes yielded two touchdowns; Daniel Hill’s runs hinted at a backfield revival. Offense-defense drills featured both rising freshmen and veteran transfers. No TV broadcast means fans must refresh for live updates. Pregame included QB-RB pairings, injury note on EJ Crowell, and a brief tunnel run. Kalen DeBoer emphasized offensive versus defensive focus.
If embracing chaos is an art form, Alabama’s coaches are Jackson Pollocks of scrimmage planning. Two quarterbacks duking it out like frat bros in a dodgeball tournament, only with helmets and overpriced popcorn. Fans get whiplash from drive recaps—“Wait, who scored? Did someone actually score?”—but hey, who needs live TV when you can tire your scroll finger refreshing for highlights? And seeing the offense ditch last year’s plodding rush for Russell’s K-state-style scramble? It’s like swapping a Model T for a Tesla—just pray for battery life.
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