Crimson Tide stays at No. 8 with one week left in the regular season
With only one week left in the regular season, the mad dash for the post-season is in full effect. As things currently stand, the Crimson Tide are on the outside looking in, but ultimately they control their own destiny. If Alabama can go on the road and beat Auburn in Jordan-Hare and then beat Georgia in Atlanta in the SEC championship game I don’t see a way in which the committee leaves the Tide out.
Alabama ran wild over Chattanooga this weekend en route to a 66-10 victory to close out play in Bryant-Denny Stadium for the 2023 season. We didn’t learn a lot about the team this weekend facing little resistance, but I think the team as a whole is in a much better place than any of us ever thought they could be after the USF game. If Jalen Milroe had played better against UT or had the chance to stat pad against USF I think he would be the leading Heisman candidate.
There was very little movement in the Week 13 AP Poll as No. 10 Oregon State was the only top ten team to lose as they came up short against No. 5 Washington. Ohio State jumped Michigan for the No. 2 spot and Washington jumped Florida State for No. 4, but that was all of the movement on the day. The Crimson Tide still stand at No. 8.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, is one of the best towns for outdoorsy folks, according to Outside magazine. In fact, it’s won Outside’s “Best Towns” contest twice. Mountains, forests, parks, and so much more helped the town earn this distinction. On a recent trip to this scenic southern city, I visited a collection of Chattanooga’s top adventure attractions to find some of the best options available to nature-loving travelers.
My journey took me from the ridges to the rivers, and, along the way, I compiled valuable info on local trails, kayaking spots, and some more obscure points of interest. Today, I’m sharing all of the details in this outdoor adventurer’s guide to Chattanooga.
Photo by Tom and Pat Cory
What can you do in Chattanooga?
In short, a lot. Chattanooga offers something for almost everyone. Dive into the caverns of Ruby Falls and learn the romantic story of an underground waterfall. Take a beautiful drive over to Sequatchie, Tennessee, and go on a gorgeous hike to Foster Falls. Need to find an activity for the whole family? Drive up the adventure-packed Lookout Mountain and take a tour of Rock City.
After you’ve wandered through Rock City, stay on the mountain for a nature walk through Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center. And, if you’re on the mountain during golden hour, make the trek to Sunset Rock and watch the sunset over Chattanooga.
Find even more places to explore with these activity-specific recommendations.
Photo by Casey Fleser
Hiking
While the Foster Falls trail is an excellent option for hikers, Chattanooga is home to other great trails, too. For example, you can take the Craven’s House Trail to reach Sunset Rock. Hikers who don’t mind a little mud can visit Stringers Ridge and follow the Blue Trail.
A little further out, adventurers can find a challenging hike in Prentice Cooper State Forest. The Signal Point Trail to Bee Branch Trail route is a 4.2-mile out-and-back excursion with an elevation gain of 682 feet. AllTrails reviewers recommend ankle supports and visiting in autumn for spectacular fall scenery.
Water sports
With the Tennessee River curving through Chattanooga, you know there are options for everything from kayaking to tubing. One of the top water-based attractions in the area comes between March and April. In the evening, kayak to Nickajack Cave and watch gray bats fly out to begin their nocturnal hunts. These endangered critters make quite a scene!
Of course, if bats aren’t your cup of tea, there are other fun options. Enjoy free kayak and SUP put-ins in downtown Chattanooga. This map from Outdoor Chattanooga can guide you toward the best spots. You can also try a guided tour of the Tennessee River aboard the Southern Belle or with Chattanooga Ducks. Prefer fishing? Head to Booker T. Washington State Park and catch catfish on Chickamauga Lake.
Beautiful Nickajack Lake. / Photo by Bryce Edwards
Park hopping
Park-hopping isn’t just a Disneyworld activity. In cities like Chattanooga, there are tons of lush (and free!) parks worth visiting. For an afternoon art walk or picnic, hit up the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park. This funky park features over 50 massive sculptures on 33 acres. In October, you can watch a giant sculpture go up in flames during the park’s Fire Up The Fields event.
In the North Shore neighborhood, stop by Renaissance Park to stroll through 23 acres of wetlands. At Coolidge Park, visitors can go sightseeing along the Riverfront. On the opposite side of the Tennessee River, Ross’s Landing is a great place to learn about Native American history.
A view of the river from Renaissance Park.
Disclaimer: While this article was not sponsored, Outdoors Wire did visit Chattanooga during a press trip with Chattanooga Tourism Co. As always, Outdoors Wire operates independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
In less than an hour, adventurous hikers can go from the city streets to a lush and vibrant forest. On a recent visit to Chattanooga, Tennessee*, I tackled this scenic trek and was rewarded with magnificent waterfall views. Those in the know about Tennessee’s best waterfall hikes may already know where to find all this natural beauty. For tourists (and locals looking to expand their horizons), here’s a quick guide to discovering the magic of Foster Falls Recreation Area.
The region’s namesake waterfall greets visitors after a short but steep .6-mile out-and-back hike. With an elevation gain of 154 feet and a moderate ranking on AllTrails, most hikers will be able to handle the journey. Even so, visitors will need to watch their step on the downhill climb to the falls. During my recent hike, I saw families with young children manage the trek with no trouble. However, another hiker found the descent too steep. Without a rope or handrails to hold, the trail may not suit guests with balance and mobility issues.
Above and feature photo by Casey Fleser
Get a preview of the Foster Falls path and learn more about the area in this photo guide. Curious to explore even more cool hikes from throughout the United States? Peruse Outdoors Wire’s collection of hiking guides here. If you’re a hiker planning a trip to Tennessee or Georgia, you’ll also want to check out this article on Rock City.
Alabama football has announced kick times for the remainder of the Crimson Tide’s non-conference opponents in 2023!
The 2023 season is a crucial one for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide after missing out on the playoffs last season. The Tide will face one of the toughest schedules in the country with two new coordinators and a quarterback.
Alabama already announced that their non-conference game against Texas will be in primetime at 6:00 p.m. CST on ESPN. Today, the Tide announced the kickoff times for their three remaining non-SEC games.
Middle Tennessee comes to Bryant Denny Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. kick-off under the lights on Sept. 2. Then, the Tide travel to Southern Florida for a 2:30 p.m. start against the Bulls on Sept. 19. Finally, the Tide will host Chattanooga at 11 a.m. on Nov. 18, the week leading up to the Iron Bowl.
The Longhorns will without a doubt be the toughest test for the Tide of those four games, but it is imperative Alabama doesn’t drop any games outside of SEC play. Texas gave Alabama a scare in 2022, but with it back in Tuscaloosa now, the game will be really interesting.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.
A new round of prospective Celtics have worked out for Boston ahead of the 2023 NBA draft.
The Boston Celtics are working very hard to work out as many prospects seen as likely to go somewhere in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft ahead of the big event, with the ball club bringing in quite a few prospective targets seen as likely to end up somewhere outside of the first round of the annual affair.
With a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) giving contending teams like the Celtics a new two way player slot on rosters to raise the total to three per team at the same time it puts up new barriers to teambuilding for teams over the so-called “second apron,” it is more important than ever to make the most of the draft to onboard talent around the roster’s margins.
Adding to our previous reporting of the team’s known workouts comes a new wave courtesy of our sister sites Rookie Wire and HoopsHype — let’s take a look at who Boston has been scoping out.
We’re looking at ten potential undrafted free agents the Philadelphia Eagles could target after the 2023 NFL draft
The 2023 NFL draft is almost complete, and the Eagles are just getting started with filling their 90-man roster for this summer’s intense training camp sessions.
Four eventually found their way onto the 53-man roster at some point.
We reported last week that Philadelphia led all teams with $1.8 million spent in the previous year in post-draft contracts, and Howie Roseman annually is known as one being the biggest spenders after the draft.
Recent undrafted free agents who’ve had game action with Philadelphia include Reed Blankenship, Britain Covey, Josh Jobe, Corey Clement, Sua Opeta, Nate Herbig, Kayode Awosika, Joe Ostman, Jack Stoll, Brett Toth, Greg Ward, Marvin Wilson, T.J. Edwards, and future Hall of Famer Jason Peters, who originally signed with the Bills.
We’re previewing ten prospects Philadelphia could target at the draft’s completion.
We’re looking at 12 mid to late-round NFL draft prospects that could end up being steals for the Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have had success hitting on late-round picks in the past few years, with Jordan Mailata (2018), Kenneth Gainwell (2021), Jack Driscoll (2020), Quez Watkins (2020), Josh Sweat (2018), Nathan Gerry, Jalen Mills, and Jason Kelce being some of the late round picks who’ve played in a Super Bowl.
The 2023 NFL draft offers Philadelphia another opportunity to reload in the late rounds.
The expectation is that GM Howie Roseman will move around the board, acquiring draft assets and a large group of undrafted free agents.
With the draft just three weeks away, we’re taking an early look at 12 mid to late-round prospects that could end up as steals for the Eagles.
Chattanooga offensive lineman McClendon Curtis revealed that the Chargers “always” sent scouts his way.
Draft season brings with it countless reports that player X has met with team Y, stirring up a frenzy of discourse about how that player-team fit must now be considered a lock. In reality, most prospects meet with every team during the pre-draft process, and gleaning information from the simple report that a team has met with a player tends to be a losing proposition.
But sometimes, there’s more information than that. Sometimes, it comes out that a team is consistently meeting with a player, or has been monitoring him all season, or even longer. That’s been the case with prospects in this draft already as it pertains to the Chargers: UCLA guard Atonio Mafi said Los Angeles has been watching him since his freshman season in 2018.
Now, we have confirmation about another trip LA has been taking all season. In an interview with The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, Chattanooga offensive lineman McClendon Curtis revealed that the Chargers have “always” sent scouts his way and that in Mobile, AL for the Senior Bowl, Curtis was catching up with scouts he already knew.
Curtis mentioned a few other teams to who this applied as well: the Saints, Cardinals, and Jaguars. What makes LA’s interest in him well, interesting, is that Curtis has the versatility to play tackle or guard. The Chargers currently have some shuffling to do on their line, with an impending cap decision on guard Matt Feiler and free agency negotiations with tackle Trey Pipkins. 2022 sixth-rounder Jamaree Salyer will take one of those starting spots, but depth will be a huge concern. Adding a player like Curtis who can play four of five spots on the line allays those concerns to a large degree.
Curtis is currently projected to be a Day 3 pick by most major outlets.
The Jaguars “routinely sent scouts” to Chattanooga to watch McClendon Curtis.
The Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t shied away from showing interest in Chattanooga offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, according to a report.
According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Jaguars “routinely sent scouts” to Chattanooga to watch Curtis and had an “exceptional” meeting with the offensive lineman at the 2023 Senior Bowl.
Curtis started 38 games for the Mocs and earned FCS All-American honors in 2022. The versatile lineman started 30 games at right guard, seven at left tackle, and one at left guard. The 6’5, 331-pounder likely projects as a guard in the NFL.
McClendon Curtis (@McclendonCurti1) is going to be a really good NFL player. The 6-5 331 pound Guard is violent at the POA, has great footwork, and processes really well. He has crushed the senior bowl all week. pic.twitter.com/jCuyy41OiI
The Jaguars shored up the interior of their line last offseason by signing Brandon Scherff to a three-year, $49.5 million deal and drafting center Luke Fortner in the third round. Still, the team has some uncertainty at left guard with Ben Bartch and Tyler Shatley at the position. Bartch won a training camp battle for the role, but suffered a season-ending knee injury.
