SouthernPigskin
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Alabama legends Don McNeal and Keith McCants recently shared what it means for them to be a part of the Alabama football family.
http://www.southernpigskin.com/SEC/view/alabamas-recipe-for-success
It's been another banner year for the Alabama Crimson Tide, a season that's now ready for its main course.
When served right, Alabama football sticks to you like a hearty holiday meal. With so much keeping folks apart these days, it ties generations together like the bow on a neatly-wrapped Christmas gift. While excitement this time of year is nothing new for the Crimson Tide, this morning cup has stirred up memories both young and old.
āLet me tell you something, Iāve played football all my life, but those were the best years of my life at the University of Alabama," explained former Alabama All-American Keith McCants, the 4th overall selection in the 1990 NFL Draft.
Though more than a week has passed since this year's SEC Championship Game in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, the chaos stemming from that game's ending still lingers. Alabama has since advanced to the BCS National Championship Game and will meet undefeated Notre Dame in a battle of college football heavyweights on January 7th. Georgia, quite conversely, has slid back off of the national stage and will face Nebraska in an anticlimactic Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day. For a meeting decided by mere moments, the end results couldn't be more different.
"It was one of the most exciting games that has been played in a long time. The way those two teams played, they knew what each other was going to do," McCants, the 1989 National Defensive Player of the Year per CBS, continued. "You can't take anything away from Georgia because they executed just as well. The defenses gave up a lot of points but it came down the last second. That game could have gone either way."
One year after Alabama played for the national title despite not participating in their league championship game, the Crimson Tide claimed their first conference crown since 2009. Most impressively, with the victory, Alabama has now won 26-of-their-last-28 football games -- their two losses coming by a combined eight points. It's a remarkable run considering the schedule that has been played and the parity that consistently exists. In addition to the number of games they have won, how they've done so has resonated with the Crimson Tide family.
"The one thing about Alabama is they play as a team. Right now they donāt have a stand out defensive player like Derrick Thomas, Cornelius Bennett or myself. They play team ball and thatās stronger than any one player that can take over a game," McCants observed. "Donāt get me wrong, if you do have one of those players, itās nothing but a plus, like icing on the cake. But when they have to rely on each other, that Tide Pride, and come together to get a stop like they did last week, that is what Alabama football is all about.ā
That late defensive stand, coupled with 350 yards rushing, were defining efforts from a program whose secret ingredients have always been for forceful, physical play.
"Coach Bear Bryant always stressed defense," remembered former Alabama All-American Don McNeal, a member of the Crimson Tide's All-Centennial Team. "In the LSU game my last year we beat them 3-0, and we said we couldnāt let them pass the 50 yard line because they had a great field goal kicker. So, it's similar, you have to play great defense, thatās what we did. Thatās what they did the other day."
For many in and around Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban's brand of accountability has served as both a functional and philosophical recreation of an era long thought to have been beyond duplication. A win over Notre Dame would give Alabama three national championships in four years, a truly unfathomable accomplishment considering the traditional rarity of such dominance. Trade in the houndstooth for hair gel and Saban's style has a historical reach.
āCoach Bryant was successful because he got everyone involved, and we had a lot of respect for him. He had a lot of details and he always stayed cool. He didnāt want anyone to get flustered. He always had the right adjustments. He was cool in the clutch," the 1979 team captain McNeal added.
Bringing Alabama's throwback efforts full circle is Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish play a somewhat-similar style and have stewed their way to a perfect 13-0 record. The Crimson Tide are just 1-5 all-time in this series, the last meeting between the two coming back in 1987. No player on either roster was born when that game took place. Notre Dame and Alabama rank first and second nationally in scoring defense and both teams average over 200 yards rushing per game. This iconic title tout will be one of epic proportions.
āYou canāt take Notre Dame lightly" McCants, a freshman on the last team to beat ND, acknowledged. "I was a defensive player, I truly believe that offense wins games but defense wins championships. But Iāve never seen an offensive line like Alabamaās.ā
The opportunity to add yet another championship to the table aside, a silver anniversary rematch with Notre Dame has the Crimson Tide community ready to dig in.
"Itās great for college football. You have two great teams in Notre Dame and Alabama and they have so much tradition," the two-time national champion McNeal beamed. "Iām so excited to be a part of Alabama football."
It's been another banner year for the Crimson Tide, a season that's now ready for its main course. From a September manhandling of Michigan to an Iron Bowl shutout and the aforementioned drama in the dome, Alabama has pushed and shoved their way right back to where they have long been accustomed to being. By any and all measures, this is the recipe that has always hit the spot.
http://www.southernpigskin.com/SEC/view/alabamas-recipe-for-success
It's been another banner year for the Alabama Crimson Tide, a season that's now ready for its main course.
When served right, Alabama football sticks to you like a hearty holiday meal. With so much keeping folks apart these days, it ties generations together like the bow on a neatly-wrapped Christmas gift. While excitement this time of year is nothing new for the Crimson Tide, this morning cup has stirred up memories both young and old.
āLet me tell you something, Iāve played football all my life, but those were the best years of my life at the University of Alabama," explained former Alabama All-American Keith McCants, the 4th overall selection in the 1990 NFL Draft.
Though more than a week has passed since this year's SEC Championship Game in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, the chaos stemming from that game's ending still lingers. Alabama has since advanced to the BCS National Championship Game and will meet undefeated Notre Dame in a battle of college football heavyweights on January 7th. Georgia, quite conversely, has slid back off of the national stage and will face Nebraska in an anticlimactic Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day. For a meeting decided by mere moments, the end results couldn't be more different.
"It was one of the most exciting games that has been played in a long time. The way those two teams played, they knew what each other was going to do," McCants, the 1989 National Defensive Player of the Year per CBS, continued. "You can't take anything away from Georgia because they executed just as well. The defenses gave up a lot of points but it came down the last second. That game could have gone either way."
One year after Alabama played for the national title despite not participating in their league championship game, the Crimson Tide claimed their first conference crown since 2009. Most impressively, with the victory, Alabama has now won 26-of-their-last-28 football games -- their two losses coming by a combined eight points. It's a remarkable run considering the schedule that has been played and the parity that consistently exists. In addition to the number of games they have won, how they've done so has resonated with the Crimson Tide family.
"The one thing about Alabama is they play as a team. Right now they donāt have a stand out defensive player like Derrick Thomas, Cornelius Bennett or myself. They play team ball and thatās stronger than any one player that can take over a game," McCants observed. "Donāt get me wrong, if you do have one of those players, itās nothing but a plus, like icing on the cake. But when they have to rely on each other, that Tide Pride, and come together to get a stop like they did last week, that is what Alabama football is all about.ā
That late defensive stand, coupled with 350 yards rushing, were defining efforts from a program whose secret ingredients have always been for forceful, physical play.
"Coach Bear Bryant always stressed defense," remembered former Alabama All-American Don McNeal, a member of the Crimson Tide's All-Centennial Team. "In the LSU game my last year we beat them 3-0, and we said we couldnāt let them pass the 50 yard line because they had a great field goal kicker. So, it's similar, you have to play great defense, thatās what we did. Thatās what they did the other day."
For many in and around Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban's brand of accountability has served as both a functional and philosophical recreation of an era long thought to have been beyond duplication. A win over Notre Dame would give Alabama three national championships in four years, a truly unfathomable accomplishment considering the traditional rarity of such dominance. Trade in the houndstooth for hair gel and Saban's style has a historical reach.
āCoach Bryant was successful because he got everyone involved, and we had a lot of respect for him. He had a lot of details and he always stayed cool. He didnāt want anyone to get flustered. He always had the right adjustments. He was cool in the clutch," the 1979 team captain McNeal added.
Bringing Alabama's throwback efforts full circle is Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish play a somewhat-similar style and have stewed their way to a perfect 13-0 record. The Crimson Tide are just 1-5 all-time in this series, the last meeting between the two coming back in 1987. No player on either roster was born when that game took place. Notre Dame and Alabama rank first and second nationally in scoring defense and both teams average over 200 yards rushing per game. This iconic title tout will be one of epic proportions.
āYou canāt take Notre Dame lightly" McCants, a freshman on the last team to beat ND, acknowledged. "I was a defensive player, I truly believe that offense wins games but defense wins championships. But Iāve never seen an offensive line like Alabamaās.ā
The opportunity to add yet another championship to the table aside, a silver anniversary rematch with Notre Dame has the Crimson Tide community ready to dig in.
"Itās great for college football. You have two great teams in Notre Dame and Alabama and they have so much tradition," the two-time national champion McNeal beamed. "Iām so excited to be a part of Alabama football."
It's been another banner year for the Crimson Tide, a season that's now ready for its main course. From a September manhandling of Michigan to an Iron Bowl shutout and the aforementioned drama in the dome, Alabama has pushed and shoved their way right back to where they have long been accustomed to being. By any and all measures, this is the recipe that has always hit the spot.
