Sports Editor

And a hardy welcome to Mike Dubose.

Northview High School once again thrust Mike Dubose’s name into the state spotlight on Tuesday when it tabbed the University of Alabama’s unfavorite son for its vacant head football coaching job.

By now the story has been run into the dirt, but to recap: Alabama backers of all shapes, colors and sizes, single out Dubose as the man responsible for the Tide’s current NCAA woes. The Opp native took a football team in 2000 that was supposed to compete for a national championship and turned it into everybody’s favorite doormat.

Lows that year?

A homecoming loss to Central Florida.

A shutout loss in the final game of the season in Tuscaloosa to Auburn.

A sixth straight defeat at the hands of Tennessee.

LSU finally breaking the Tide jinx in Baton Rouge.

Oh, and not to mention Alabama’s California coming-out-party being spoiled by a nasty band of Bruins.

Prior to the 1999 season Dubose had also admitted to having an affair with a university employee. That wasn’t as bad as losing though. Dubose’s Tide team that season was SEC champs.

So now Dubose has chosen to follow in the steps of Doug Barfield, (Barfield had to follow Shug Jordan. Man named Dye followed Barfield soon after), and drop back down into the high school ranks. It’s a pretty safe bet that after the debacle that was Alabama football a few years back, teeny-bopper land was the safest place for Dubose to retreat.

There’s no comparison between high school football and college football. The games are different. Mike Dubose can come to Northview, crunch a David Palmer clone down behind center, and win with the triple-option. A majority of high school football teams around the state lack the talent and depth to adequately field a competitive squad of players.

It’s also safe to say that Dubose certainly won’t feel the type of pressure to win at Northview as he did at the Capstone. The Cougars last won a state title in 1985. Northview didn’t win a game last season.

Dubose will have to fight off the challenge of the other city school, Dothan High, the surrounding private academies, and probably even Northview’s own baseball and basketball programs. Apathy towards any sport can start with a few and soon grow to include many. A Class 6A school, Northview dressed out – an unheard of – 35 players last season.

Only time will tell if Mike Dubose is able to resurrect his football coaching career.

I’d just tell him to concentrate on what he does best.

And don’t take a good long look at any of the women you meet in Dothan, Mike.

Another "Affair to Remember" may turn into the death of something that was once so promising.

And could be again.