Max
Member
That means starting at the beginning. So ā is the Alabama-Florida State game the greatest season opener of all time? Itās the first question of the season and it is just like opening the front door and stepping into a pit of quicksand.
For one thing, there is the problem of what āgreatā means. For another, there is the difficulty of judging any game before it has been played and placed in an historical context. Both those issues must be considered. For instance, any opener before the 1958 Alabama-LSU game, which people mention primarily because it was Paul āBearā Bryantās return, must be discarded. (That game would get far more credit if Alabama had won, but the 13-3 loss to an LSU team that went on to win the national championship was at least an encouraging omen.) Before that, the games are starting to slip from living memory of all but a few. They also tended not to be memorable ā Alabama had a long tradition of opening with cupcakes, although the 110-0 win over Marion Institute in 1922 was at least a historical footnote.
What defined greatness after that? If that means a surprising victory ā either by outcome or level of domination against a good opponent ā Alabama hasnāt had too many chances in the last 60 years. The Crimson Tide is often favored in games, opener or not, so it rarely āupsetsā anyone.
Two openers do stand out.
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For one thing, there is the problem of what āgreatā means. For another, there is the difficulty of judging any game before it has been played and placed in an historical context. Both those issues must be considered. For instance, any opener before the 1958 Alabama-LSU game, which people mention primarily because it was Paul āBearā Bryantās return, must be discarded. (That game would get far more credit if Alabama had won, but the 13-3 loss to an LSU team that went on to win the national championship was at least an encouraging omen.) Before that, the games are starting to slip from living memory of all but a few. They also tended not to be memorable ā Alabama had a long tradition of opening with cupcakes, although the 110-0 win over Marion Institute in 1922 was at least a historical footnote.
What defined greatness after that? If that means a surprising victory ā either by outcome or level of domination against a good opponent ā Alabama hasnāt had too many chances in the last 60 years. The Crimson Tide is often favored in games, opener or not, so it rarely āupsetsā anyone.
Two openers do stand out.
More here from Hurt
