The weather’s beautiful, wish you were here.

I get that the Iron Bowl is always the pinnacle of sports in this state, and that newspapers have to staff it accordingly. I understand that good writers have to stick around for the Mike Shula death watch.

What I don’t understand is why nobody bothered to send somebody, anybody to cover the No. 10 team in America during their most important stretch of preseason games.

None of the big four papers (Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Huntsville) are staffing the Paradise Jam. Even the hometown Tuscaloosa News has gone the staff reports route. For those not familiar with newspapers, staff reports means writing the story off the box score while sprinkling in a few quotes from a quote sheet. No first-hand account, no expert insight.

Gee as in genius

It would be easy to dwell on the bad things from Sunday’s 72-60 win against Iowa in the Paradise Jam semis. But before I start griping about the disappearing bench, the poor free throw shooting or the ho-hum rebounding effort, let’s have a moment of appreciation.

Alonzo Gee is the freaking man.

Eight-for-13 from the field. 5-for-7 from the line. He had 21 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, a block, no turnovers and enough highlight-reel dunks to earn him a roster spot with the Globetrotters. Last years flashes of potential have gelled into an early all-SEC contender. He’s bypassed Richard Hendrix to become the No. 3 offensive choice, and is breathing down Jemareo Davidson’s neck for No. 2.