Alabama Crimson Tide and the Go-Nowhere Dream Season

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Ah, my poor, beloved Crimson Tide. After watching several years of piss-poor college football from a school whose fans are historically uncomfortable with a 9-3 season, I thought this year was it. A decent developing quarterback in Tyler Watts, an amazingly solid defensive team, a bulldozer-like offensive line. I was looking forward to seeing Bama competitive in the BCS this year.

Then, WHAM. NCAA sanctions. Goddamn boosters. Even though none of the current players or staff were involved in the infractions, UA got smacked with a heavy 3-year no-postseason ban.

Don’t get me wrong. The NCAA was penalizing the program for the infractions. I understand this. As much as I hate what it will do to my team, the booster situation needs to be cleaned up and ironed out once and for all.

Anyway, I became resigned to the fact that all our really great players…Odom, Moorehead, Croyle, Williams, Collins, Luke, etc…would abandon the team like rats from a sinking ship. Hell, who could blame them?

But you know what? They stayed. Unbelievable. They’re showing amazing loyalty to the school, the team, the fans, and Coach Franchione, and in spite of the sanctions and the fact that the Coaches’ Poll and ESPN in general won’t even acknowledge their existence, they have indeed made it a Dream Season.

We are 9-2, and have only lost to Top-5 teams. In fact, I wish we could have those two losses back, because the way the Tide is playing right now, I’d put them against any team in the country. I honestly don’t think either Georgia or Oklahoma would have a prayer. My boys are walking out there and winning games with no hopes of any kind of championship title, but they’re winning nonetheless.

31-0, against the best defense in the country. Whereas LSU gave up an average of 113 yards on the ground before the Bama game, we gained over 300 yards rushing. Shaud Williams wore defenders like a light windbreaker at times. It was amazing.

I know, we still have Auburn (and Hawaii, who is sitting at the top of the offensive heap.) I’m not underestimating either team. I’m just sayin’, is all. :slight_smile:

Coach Fran has done a wonderful job of turning an ailing program around, and I hope he sees fit to sign an extended contract. I’d love to see him establish a legacy at Bama. The Tide is playing cleanly, with a minimum of fuss or showboating, and I’m happy to see it.

I’m so pleased with Brodie Croyle, a FRESHMAN QB, I can hardly stand it. He plays like a veteran. And Lane Bearden. How tough is that kid? Torn ACL, and he still rips 55 yard punts.

My poor Crimson Tide. :slight_smile:

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Sounds like what the men’s basketball team at my beloved University of Michigan is going through. Something needs to be done about the problems created by college boosters, but I think it is a shame when this season’s team is punished for something that happened before they were even around.

Didn’t something similar happen to Auburn a few years back? Seems like they had a very good season (undefeated or only one loss) but were ineligible for the bowl games and the national rankings because of NCAA rules violations.

I defintely know that Michigan State missed out on the Rose Bowl in 1978 for this reason.

3

Yeah, that happened at Auburn a few years ago. I think they may have gone undefeated. It might very well have been Aubie’s first National Championship, had they not been under NCAA sanctions. It was a damn shame. Terry Bowden still wears a “championship ring” that the school had made for him and the players after that season.

I understand that Coach Fran is considering a similar ring for this year’s Tide. It was also brilliant scheduling to have them wind up this season at Hawaii. Nice touch, Coach. Good job.

It is frustrating, jerrybear, but I don’t see what choice the NCAA has. It’s a terrible thing to punish this season’s team for something that happened a couple years ago (especially in this case, since there has been a nearly universal changeover in the staff as well as the team,) but unless you punish the program, the boosters will never get the idea. Since this is not the first time UA has been under the knife (I remember hushed talk about the Death Penalty at one point. Yikes!), I can only conclude, in fact, that the freakin’ moron boosters still aren’t getting the idea.