College football. You gotta love it!!! The Tide has been hurting for the last two years because of internal problems. But I am proud of the Tide for canning Mike Price for the error of his ways. No matter how much I like sports there must be accountability.
But now with a new man, with character too, is at the helm. Matching wits with ole Spurrier . . . and simply putting a thumping on the "cock and fire" South Carolina chickens. I watched the game in pure delight.
With Arkansas coming up next week (and I believe Bama should do well against them) the question is . . . is Bama good enough to take out Florida, Tennessee and LSU.
I believe that if Bama plays the nearly flawless game they did against SC they can beat TN and likely Florida and LSU. The offensive line still needs to grow and mature and we need to get TD's not just FGs but I can feel a good year coming.
What do you think?
Roll Tide,
Bobby Valentine
The Tide does look good. I believe that in a few years Shula will the be the hot young coach that Spurrier was.
The O-Line needs to mature some, but how encouraging it is to see these young men (fresh and soph) dominating the line of scrimmage!
Bama made South Carolina's "Cock n Fire" look more like a "Cock n Fizzle."
It WAS fun to watch!
How far will Bama go? I checked the schedule, and it looks like not very far. South Carolina was the farthest they'll travel all season. From here on out they only play in Alabama and Mississippi. :O
Yeah, but after the regular schedule they'll be headed for Atlanta and then Pasadena.
Ken
That's a big if. If they make it past Tennessee, Florida, and LSU.
And there is always the situation of 3 teams without a loss, and the SEC being snubbed ala Auburn.
FLORIDA DOWN
TENNESSEE DOWN!
(http://www.bamastuff.com/images/abs_2004/a645.gif)
The sad thing is they won't get a chance at the National Championship if they go undefeated through the SEC, if Texas and USC, and VA Tech also go undefeated.
The National Championship is a myth.
::woo::
Roll Tide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We've got a couple of big games left, LSU and Auburn, and a couple of not so big games, Utah State and Mississippi State.
Truth is, I'm more worried about the not so big games...
But even if we are undefeated, we won't get to play for the national championship, and the fault lies squarely on the heads of the university presidents and chancellors.
OD
Naw, the fault is because Alabama isn't beating weak teams by 60 points like Texas, and it hasn't been No. 1 for the past few years like USC.
Va Tech is another team that should be playing for the National Championship if they win the ACC. The ACC and SEC are better conferences than the Big 12.
The ACC and SEC are better conferences than the Big 12.
Blasphemy! Blasphemy! Blasphemy!
::lalala:: ::lalala:: ::lalala::
I refuse to listen to that blasphemy any longer. The Big 12 will always be a stronger conference as long as Texas A & M is in that conference. (By the way, watch for Texas A & M to win out and take the Big 12 crown)![/color]
What passes for the Texas A & M coach (I have vowed never to speak his name again) is a liar, a sneak, and a coward.
And I mean that in the best possible way...
OD
I predict (hope) that T A&M will lose 2 of their last 4 - to Tech and Texas.
Might be time to apologize to R.C. Slocum...
OD
Spurly, here is some more blasphemy for ya:
The Big Ten and PAC-10 are better as well. But the Big 12 has something on the Big East and MAC and Conference USA.
I predict (hope) that T A&M will lose 2 of their last 4 - to Tech and Texas.
Might be time to apologize to R.C. Slocum...
OD
I always liked Slocum.
Forget everything I wrote previously about Texas A & M. They have no passing defense.
Spurly, here is some more blasphemy for ya:
The Big Ten and PAC-10 are better as well. But the Big 12 has something on the Big East and MAC and Conference USA.
I'm not sure how you determine which conference is best, but the Big Ten is the deepest conference in college football this year.
As usual, the ACC is overrated, as was proven yesterday.[/color]
:cry:
:applause: :clap: :noworry: :thumbsup: ::jumping::
GEAUX TIGERS!
That really hurts!!! :cry:
I believe that while God cares nothing about football He does care about me enough to allow LSU to win so I wouldn't have to get ribbed from all four of my Alabama Loving Elders.
So no offense to you Connie, I know that you wouldn't have rubbed it in.
What I don't like is that this leaves us with two undefeated teams, giving the BCS an undeserved air of legitimacy.
What I don't like is that this leaves us with two undefeated teams, giving the BCS an undeserved air of legitimacy.
A side effect of the BCS, rather than a playoff, is that all of those 'other teams' who have one loss are shut out with no chance to play for a championship.
Leads to a diminishing of all of 1-A college football IMO.
I really don't pay much attention after the regular season and conference championships.
The bowl structure is mythical, made of money.[/color]
What I don't like is that this leaves us with two undefeated teams, giving the BCS an undeserved air of legitimacy.
A side effect of the BCS, rather than a playoff, is that all of those 'other teams' who have one loss are shut out with no chance to play for a championship.
Leads to a diminishing of all of 1-A college football IMO.
I really don't pay much attention after the regular season and conference championships.
The bowl structure is mythical, made of money.[/color]
Perhaps the National Champion ought to be the team that raked in the most money from advertisers on television, regardless of win/loss record.
Ken
What I don't like is that this leaves us with two undefeated teams, giving the BCS an undeserved air of legitimacy.
A side effect of the BCS, rather than a playoff, is that all of those 'other teams' who have one loss are shut out with no chance to play for a championship.
Leads to a diminishing of all of 1-A college football IMO.
I really don't pay much attention after the regular season and conference championships.
The bowl structure is mythical, made of money.
Perhaps the National Champion ought to be the team that raked in the most money from advertisers on television, regardless of win/loss record.
Ken[/color]
I think you're onto something.
How else would a 2-loss team be #6 in the human polls --
Ahead of two other teams whose only loss is to a top-5 team?
(Rhetorical question, BTW... :D )
:eatingpopcorn:
BCS aside, a TX vs USC game in the Rose Bowl would be an extraordinary game.
I would love to see a playoff though. If I had my way, I would force each Conference to have a Championship Game. Then each Conf Champ would begin the playoffs by competing in the Dec Bowl games (i.e. GMAC, Insight, Alamo, etc), progressing to the bigger Bowl games, and culminating in the NCAA Championship Game.
I would love to see a playoff though. If I had my way, I would force each Conference to have a Championship Game. Then each Conf Champ would begin the playoffs by competing in the Dec Bowl games (i.e. GMAC, Insight, Alamo, etc), progressing to the bigger Bowl games, and culminating in the NCAA Championship Game.
But what if you only have enough money to go to one bowl game. Then which one would you choose? The smaller games would not sell out and the almighty dollar would be lost.[/color]
::stir::
Any Bama fans miss that coach that went off to Texas A&M?
I thought at the time he left, "good coach, but tactless".
Now I'm not so sure about the first part...
Bama is 9-1
Texas A&M is 5-5, with a must win game against... Texas up next.
Ow.
Texas A&M fans, what's the 'read' on your coach if he loses to Texas and doesn't make it to 'bowl eligible'?
I do not miss the former Bama coach, "he-whose-name-shall-not-pass-these-lips-again."
He's a weasel. And I'm extremely happy with his success this year.
On a more positive note, I think Bama has had a great year...especially since they have no offense other than Prothro. I've got a bad feeling about the Auburn game.
BTW, Coach Bryant once said something like "Offense wins games, but defense wins championships." If I can only have one, I'll choose D every time.
OD
I would love to see a playoff though. If I had my way, I would force each Conference to have a Championship Game. Then each Conf Champ would begin the playoffs by competing in the Dec Bowl games (i.e. GMAC, Insight, Alamo, etc), progressing to the bigger Bowl games, and culminating in the NCAA Championship Game.
But what if you only have enough money to go to one bowl game. Then which one would you choose? The smaller games would not sell out and the almighty dollar would be lost.[/color]
On the contrary, i think all the playoff games would sell out.
USC vs GA; TX vs Miami; MI/OSU vs West VA; etc. I think the games would sell out easily. Perhaps the home town folks couldn't travel to three different games, but other fans would grab up those tickets just like NFL fans do.
Hard to believe that the "Bama" thread is dead silent on Iron Bowl Friday.
Skip, I think it has to do with the awful realization that we are not a very good offensive football team.
Brody has shown a basic inability or unwillingness to adjust to the loss of Prothro. I know he is having to force the ball upfield or throw off the wrong foot because he's not getting much support from the line, but it also seems like if his receiver is not EXACTLY where he is supposed to be the ball won't get to him. I'm also getting a little weary of Brody being treated like a fragile porcelain mouse. I don't want the kid to get hurt, but if he can't take a lick, he will not make it in the pro's. Well, maybe in arena football.
Pre Prothro's and Closner's injuries, we had an outstanding receiver, good running backs, and a middling QB, and so-so OL. We now have young inexperienced receivers, same good RB's, the middling QB seems to have taken at least a step backwards, and a dismal OL. Does anyone think we could beat Florida or South Carolina again if we had to meet them in the conference title game? Not likely.
If we're going to win tomorrow, it will be because of Auburn mistakes and great defensive play. I expect a low scoring affair, maybe 10-3 or so.
I've held my breath all year waiting for the balloon to burst. It hasn't, but it has surely deflated quite a bit. Obviously, we are not "rebuilt" completely, just yet.
OD
Good analysis, IMO.
I'm a midwest transplant who roots for Alabama, Auburn, and Tennessee -- unless they play each other, in which case I head for a bunker...
I had really hoped that Bama would pull off the undefeated season (admittedly with extra motivation being that the BCS would be again exposed for what it isn't).
Right now, as an 'outsider', if I had to pick 'em I'd go with Auburn as a slight favorite because I think they are on the upswing, and Bama is on the downswing (mainly unsolved offensive woes).
In a rivalry game, anything can happen, but I don't think that Bama can score enough points to win, and I think that if Auburn can put up 10 points, they're in OT at the least. Assuming that there aren't defensive / special teams points scored -- a big assumption. No one expects a shootout, but a blowout either way wouldn't surprise me much -- if one side gets a big edge (say, 14 points), I think their offense can basically run the clock, and the other side will probably take risks to get back in it and lose big.
I will be watching the BEST rivalry game. Ohio State vs. University of Michigan. I will be rooting for the Buckeyes. To be a Spartan fan, means to cheer for the opponenents of the Wolverines.
Watching Big Ten football is like watching two mules fight over a turnip - mildly entertaining, but does anyone really care?
OD
Of course, people care, its the best football conference out there.
Oh, that must be why the Big Ten has had two teams win national championships in the last 30 years.
7 in the SEC in the same time span.
Enjoy the Turnip Bowl!
OD
Well, thank goodness it's over.
Bama loses 28-18, and the game was nowhere near as close as the score might indicate.
I missed my call on the score, the Tigers got happy on us in the 1st quarter before the defense tightened up a little. But I was dead on in the rest of my call - An awful OL (I know they're young), dropped passes by the receivers...
I don't know what bowl we're heading to, but they need to find a way to protect the QB.
All in all, a miserable day.
I'm gonna go lay in the bed and stare at the wall...
OD