1994

scaloosa 10 ' for football

With fan interest a• = CN level , as indicated in last year's game with Northwest M1ssiss1ppi, East Central Com:::;: College has tina . ;::ded the 10 players from Tuscaloosa (Ala ) County that the state juco association ap;~;e:: back in 1990.

state jucos were allowed 16 out-of– staters. That number was trimmed to 10 in 1992. " Once they cut back on that, a nd the quality level kept skyrocketing at all the other s chools, we had to do something to be compe t itive," Bridgman said. " Probably this year. if we did not have Tusca loosa Coun– ty, we would really be in a bind, not from the quality of the players, bub. just from the sheer numbers a spect. We just would not have enough peo pie to practice if we did not have the Tuscaloosa County kids." By adding the Tuscaloosans, those good players from ECCC's district s hould have a better chance to be seen a nd recruited by four-year schools. Scouts don't watch 1-9 teams very much. And at the college level, shouldn't the better players be the ones given highes t consideration? This isn't flag footba ll or T-Ball where everybody plays. College foot-

ball isn't for everybod) Y have to look far to see wba ta;;p::::s when who you are is more im:DGl't£::::l than how good you are m au...:~:~o., Prior to his first fall at Bridgman said.· If you want· good players you 're goi.n,l:! to spend some money to get them. we had the money last spn -. we could have probabl) p three or four big-time players. is, we picked up a few. but \\ re not anywhere close.' · H0\'1' prophetic. ECCC o,rent 1 a llowed a school-record 339 Too bad that team and the three since ECCC wa::. allu.\-ed help itself weren t ghen the chance the '94 squad will ge And it's too bad the ot.ber spans at E CCC (basketball, sof baseball, tennis, golf) v.-eren t eluded in the Tuscaloosa ~-~­ proposal. After all, thel.l' l'l><=:tn.~ population is the same as the ball team's.

the local kids ,., L .. nt to go there. "Even using T..scaloosa County, we're limited to .. e:tam number so it's not like you c.. sa~ we have free reign to get .at we want," Bridgman said : ut it's definitely a boost. ' 'We're not takmz JUSt any player from Tuscaloos.. ..mty. We're on– ly taking players tl:at fit into posi– tions where we on't have very many in the disi.Jit't ''The sad thine probably when you don't do well, gets to that point to where people are .,·iJling to help you and do what . · can do to help you do better. Pr\lbably in this time econ mically, pecl!p!t> a re going to try to do onl~ \\ -· they have to fmanClall) I t.'l had gotten to the pomt where : realize that we re -~ to ·v spend more mane;) and do · hmgs that we d1 l do the past we're going be oeut1ve." Bri~::;a;[f: s arnval. the