Tinker out of hospital, still much to heal

BIRMINGHAM | University of Alabama football player Carson Tinker has been released from the hospital after a wrist injury suffered in last week's catostrophic tornado in Tuscaloosa, according to UA coach Nick Saban.

But the Crimson Tide's long snapper, whose girlfriend was among 40 confirmed dead, has far more to heal from than his wrist.

"He's doing great. I talked to him today. He got out of the hospital. He's doing very well," Saban said. "He's got a lot of trauma to go through physically in terms of healing up but also emotionally in terms of the loved one he lost. Our team has been very supportive of him and will continue to be supportive of him as well."

Tinker was thrown from his home when the tornado hit and suffered a concussion along with a wrist fracture. His home was destroyed. His girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, was one of the UA students who died in the storm.

Saban said arrangements have been made to help players who need psychological therapy following the diaster.

"A lot of our players are affected by this psychologically in a little different way," Saban said. "We've set up kind of a medical center for our guys in the training room so that if they have psychological issues with some of the things they've encountered or they've seen, or tried to help with, that they can get the help they need."

Reamer, Dareus raise funds

Two starters from Alabama's 2009 national championship defense, Cory Reamer and Marcell Dareus, attended Saban's Crimson Caravan stop at Birmingham's Cahaba Grand Conference Center Thursday to help raise funds for tornado relief. Both have witnessed the devastation in Tuscaloosa first-hand and have volunteered their time as well. Reamer said areas outside of Tuscaloosa, however, should not be forgotten.

"When I went down there to volunteer, the place we went was Holt. Outside Tuscaloosa, places are just as bad. Even places up here around Birmingham - we went to Pleasant Grove and saw that - it's just as bad," Reamer said. "Tuscaloosa's always got such a spotlight on it because of the football team, it might cast a shadow on some of the small towns that are in just as bad a shape or worse."

Moore status unchanged

The status of suspended defensive lineman Brandon Moore, whose suspension cost him all but the first two of 15 spring practices, remains uncertain.

"I have not talked to Brandon. We had plans to talk to all these guys when school was out. The fact that school got cancelled has made it a little more difficult," Saban said. "So the plan now is to wait until grades come in to further assess the situation. But he's suspended indefinitely."

Defensive back Robby Green is also under suspension.

Quotable

"This is the most devastation I've seen in my life. I forget the names of the hurricanes but we lived through one in Miami. We had a small one in Louisiana, not Katrina, but one before that when we were there. But nothing like this." - Saban on whether Tuscaloosa's tornado damage compares to what he saw from hurricanes while he was coach with the Miami Dolphins and at LSU.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.