🏈 I hope I am not alone on this....

[joeman546]

Parts of this season have been exciting, and some discouraging. However, the win/loss record hasn't been a focus of mine. My focus soley resides in the team performing at a highlevel. This game was a mixed bag. We had the bigger names on offense perform well, yet it wasn't at a high enoough level to offset mistakes by certain indivuals on our team.

Deffensively, I thought the performance really declined in the second half. Blown coverages are something I can forgive, but it is when we leave guys open or we dont recognize a play fast enough to react that I have problems.

I think focus by the fans needs to shift to what Saban has been saying, that we need to play for 60 minutes. That includes playing with heart, and it is what leads to winning. You cant do much about a loss like we had to florida in 08, but the losses this year were all "woulda, shoulda, coulda"

It makes for a fun game to watch, and doesnt leave you wringing your hands in frustration at the end.

So basically, what I am saying is that maybe we fans have been a little result oriented ourselves. I feel that while you can brush that off when you deal with professional teams, fan attitude can dictate motivation in the college game

.“This whole year, everyone around us has been very concerned about the results in comparison to what was accomplished a year ago, and that has not been the best thing for the development of this team,” Saban said. “They have become too result-oriented, and we never have developed to become as good a team as we can be. … How we respond to this will show us what kind of character we have and what kind of pride we have.”

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

We have no impact on the players on the field aside from screaming and cheering them on in our home stadium. How a player responds and plays with emotion is directly related to him and him alone. I can't make him run the correct route, throw the ball or block and cover.

The only thing I think we can blame on ourselves might be sippin' too much of the crimsonaid and getting spoiled with what we accomplished last year.

The W/L record is what matters. The only bigtime player I've seen really push himself and perform better this year than any other year has been Julio. Part of which this is the first season he's been relatively healthy but even when he wasn't healthy in previous seasons he looked to give a ton of effort and played with heart. I can't say the same for some of our veteran "star" players who I won't name because this site understandably frowns upon that. These are 20-something kids afterall.

This year is disappointing to me not because of the W/L record but because there is no urgency, no drive, no emotion or leadership, no want to impose your will. Nothing. Just more of the same ho-hum vanilla effort weekend after weekend. It's not Shula-level but it definitely is pretty stale....like a box of Wheaties cereal left out for about 2 weeks in the open. What sucks is we have a ton of talen but it doesn't look like it's being used to the best of it's ability or advantage. Then again I'm just some average fanatical fan who isn't a coach by any means so my opinion means little to nothing.

I'm sure Saban is displeased. Any coach would be. I know the team is young, specifically on D, but at some point in this season you would of thought by now someone, anyone, would of stepped up and made the plays when they mattered most. I have YEt to see a full game played by us this season and I sure as heck haven't seen anything from the players attitudes that leads me to think we will see a game like that this season. Let's just try somehow to beat out a physical MSU, win what should be a tune-up game with GA ST, and hope to hell Newton doesn't play with us like Master of Puppets in the Iron Bowl.

 

[joeman546]

I see, well, I feel that there are a lot of players who make no money or anything that may lookk at message boards and get a little full of themselves at times because of the unrealalistic pride we take in our team at times. I think we had something like thatt happen in the sugar bowl....

 

['65 Cobra]

I don't mind losing as much as I mind losing b/c of a lack of heart and leadership. For this game I had to listen on the radio. I could "feel" and "see" as Eli called the game that there was no heart, no punch, no will to dominate. What worries me is that this has been lacking all season in varying degrees. These are young kids, but when you reach the pinnacle, you have to understand that it takes a new motivation to get back.

I see two basic problems this year that ultimately lead to a fundamental problem. The first of the two basic problems fall on both coaches and players - playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. This manifests in conservative play-it-safe play calling and execution and it represses the the greatest strength of a young team that is otherwise exposed for lack of experience - aggression. Holding a team back and not playing balls to the wall ultimately fails. Most annoying is the amazing lack of creativity and adjustment on the offensive side of the ball. We are still running the same stuff that the whole SEC now knows how to defend against since the USC game. The second is - lack of leadership on both sides of the ball. On defense it's pretty obvious that the hole left by Rolando was bigger than we hoped. The sad thing is that no one has really stepped up to be the new on-field vocal leader and motivator of this defense. It just looks like everyone is going through the motions. No one is out there getting people fired up and laying the wood. Aren't we supposed to be physical and dominant? On offense it's just shocking the lack of leadership with all these returning players. GMac is super smart and a great interview, but does next to nothing to pump up the team during the heat of the battle. How much of this falls on the coaches to cultivate player leadership?

All of this leads to the single fundamental issue - complacency. The whole team just simply looks satisfied. They do not look hungry, they do not look mean, they do not exude a will to dominate. It's really a shame, because I think this year's team could have been really special. The defense could be really gelling by now and the offense should have been lighting up the scoreboard with 30+ point games all year. I mean, reallly? Couldn't we have scored more than 24 on LSU with our offensive talent even if the D gave up huge plays today?

Ah well, we all still love our Crimson Tide. I think we are all just stinging a little bit over what might have been with just a little more heart.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

This year is disappointing to me not because of the W/L record but because there is no urgency, no drive, no emotion or leadership, no want to impose your will. Nothing. Just more of the same ho-hum vanilla effort weekend after weekend. It's not Shula-level but it definitely is pretty stale....like a box of Wheaties cereal left out for about 2 weeks in the open. What sucks is we have a ton of talen but it doesn't look like it's being used to the best of it's ability or advantage. Then again I'm just some average fanatical fan who isn't a coach by any means so my opinion means little to nothing.

Very, very well said!

I'll add this: you can tell we don't have Rolando McClain or Arenas.

 

[joeman546]

I don't mind losing as much as I mind losing b/c of a lack of heart and leadership. For this game I had to listen on the radio. I could "feel" and "see" as Eli called the game that there was no heart, no punch, no will to dominate. What worries me is that this has been lacking all season in varying degrees. These are young kids, but when you reach the pinnacle, you have to understand that it takes a new motivation to get back.

I see two basic problems this year that ultimately lead to a fundamental problem. The first of the two basic problems fall on both coaches and players - playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. This manifests in conservative play-it-safe play calling and execution and it represses the the greatest strength of a young team that is otherwise exposed for lack of experience - aggression. Holding a team back and not playing balls to the wall ultimately fails. Most annoying is the amazing lack of creativity and adjustment on the offensive side of the ball. We are still running the same stuff that the whole SEC now knows how to defend against since the USC game. The second is - lack of leadership on both sides of the ball. On defense it's pretty obvious that the hole left by Rolando was bigger than we hoped. The sad thing is that no one has really stepped up to be the new on-field vocal leader and motivator of this defense. It just looks like everyone is going through the motions. No one is out there getting people fired up and laying the wood. Aren't we supposed to be physical and dominant? On offense it's just shocking the lack of leadership with all these returning players. GMac is super smart and a great interview, but does next to nothing to pump up the team during the heat of the battle. How much of this falls on the coaches to cultivate player leadership?

All of this leads to the single fundamental issue - complacency. The whole team just simply looks satisfied. They do not look hungry, they do not look mean, they do not exude a will to dominate. It's really a shame, because I think this year's team could have been really special. The defense could be really gelling by now and the offense should have been lighting up the scoreboard with 30+ point games all year. I mean, reallly? Couldn't we have scored more than 24 on LSU with our offensive talent even if the D gave up huge plays today?

Ah well, we all still love our Crimson Tide. I think we are all just stinging a little bit over what might have been with just a little more heart.

That is probably more exact than what I was saying. I dont care aabout winning or not, playing with heart and imposing your will, no matter the aspect od it, are the things that reall seperate a team. Honestly, we look like a bad NFL team, in that we only out talent people, and bad in that no college team can compare with an nfl team. Honestly, I felt that if we had came out and played 30 more minutes like did in the first half, we couldve won going away. But yes, the effort that seperates college teams isnt there

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

I see, well, I feel that there are a lot of players who make no money or anything that may lookk at message boards and get a little full of themselves at times because of the unrealalistic pride we take in our team at times. I think we had something like thatt happen in the sugar bowl....

Don't get me wrong. I understand your point and opinion but I just don't see it in the same way. Didn't mean to sound like I shot down your idea or anything so please don't take it that way.

These players I'm sure read message boards, tweet and all the stuff we like to do in our spare time. Thier time is of course much more spare being a college student in general plus being a football player in this division. However I don't think they read "as much" as you and I do or the average fan. But I'm sure they aren't dumb either and know what people think.

That being said what happened with Utah and the Sugar Bowl was directly related to the deflating loss to Florida. We had our hopes high that year and were so close to making it a National Championship run. If it weren't for the final efforts of Tebow in that game we would of made it. After the loss the team (and most of us fans) felt as though that was it for the season. The Sugar Bowl might as well been the Peach Bowl aka Chik-Fil-A Bowl....as crazy as that probably sounds to most other conferences outside the SEC. It's Alabama Football so it's SECCG's and NG's or bust for most people. Alabam simply didn't show up because they didn't care to be there. They wanted a NC that year and were denied in the SECC. Add that plus all the coach leaving and Smith issues and it was just a recipe for disaster.

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

I don't mind losing as much as I mind losing b/c of a lack of heart and leadership. For this game I had to listen on the radio. I could "feel" and "see" as Eli called the game that there was no heart, no punch, no will to dominate. What worries me is that this has been lacking all season in varying degrees. These are young kids, but when you reach the pinnacle, you have to understand that it takes a new motivation to get back.

I see two basic problems this year that ultimately lead to a fundamental problem. The first of the two basic problems fall on both coaches and players - playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win. This manifests in conservative play-it-safe play calling and execution and it represses the the greatest strength of a young team that is otherwise exposed for lack of experience - aggression. Holding a team back and not playing balls to the wall ultimately fails. Most annoying is the amazing lack of creativity and adjustment on the offensive side of the ball. We are still running the same stuff that the whole SEC now knows how to defend against since the USC game. The second is - lack of leadership on both sides of the ball. On defense it's pretty obvious that the hole left by Rolando was bigger than we hoped. The sad thing is that no one has really stepped up to be the new on-field vocal leader and motivator of this defense. It just looks like everyone is going through the motions. No one is out there getting people fired up and laying the wood. Aren't we supposed to be physical and dominant? On offense it's just shocking the lack of leadership with all these returning players. GMac is super smart and a great interview, but does next to nothing to pump up the team during the heat of the battle. How much of this falls on the coaches to cultivate player leadership?

All of this leads to the single fundamental issue - complacency. The whole team just simply looks satisfied. They do not look hungry, they do not look mean, they do not exude a will to dominate. It's really a shame, because I think this year's team could have been really special. The defense could be really gelling by now and the offense should have been lighting up the scoreboard with 30+ point games all year. I mean, reallly? Couldn't we have scored more than 24 on LSU with our offensive talent even if the D gave up huge plays today?

Ah well, we all still love our Crimson Tide. I think we are all just stinging a little bit over what might have been with just a little more heart.

Exactly! Good post.

 

[TheChief]

BammaJamma, I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that my actions have little or no effect on the outcome of games. Fans SHOULD be results oriented. It's the only thing we've got.

I know players don't make money off the college game. I don't either. Maybe the ones who make the cash should be a little more result oriented.

 

[BamaCore]

BammaJamma, I agree wholeheartedly with the idea that my actions have little or no effect on the outcome of games. Fans SHOULD be results oriented. It's the only thing we've got.

I know players don't make money off the college game. I don't either. Maybe the ones who make the cash should be a little more result oriented.

You mean like winning a national championship and producing a Heisman winner. Man, if only our coaches could ever do that. I guess we as fans know best.

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

You're right 'core. We should just continue to rest our laurels on last years accomplishments and be content with that. /End sarcasm.

No matter how much people want to try and put under the rug, there ARe problems with this years team. It starts at coaches and trickles all the way down to the water boy. This team has no desire or drive. Period. But believe what you want. As long as we won a NC and got a Heisman monkey off our back last year all is golden in the land of crimson.

Sorry if I come off brash but it pisses me off to no end to see this team have the talent to be something special yet continues to unimpress anyone because they show no pulse. A wasted year is what this season is/was. It would be one thing if the team showed ANY marginal improvement over the course of the season but if you pull the glasses off you'll see we have regressed, not progressed, as time went on. If there's nothing wrong with that than I don't know what to tell ya.

Do I still bleed Crimson? You damn right I do 'til I die. But to see a team with this much talent and coaching behind it look so stale and predictable is disturbing to put it nicely. I'm not calling for heads but there is A LOT of maturing and changes needed to be made for next season. MSU may very well knock us to a 3rd loss. The ONLY thing worth salvaging for a moral victory is somehow, some way, beat the boogers of the east polytechnical institute.

 

[BamaCore]

You're right 'core. We should just continue to rest our laurels on last years accomplishments and be content with that. /End sarcasm.

No matter how much people want to try and put under the rug, there ARe problems with this years team. It starts at coaches and trickles all the way down to the water boy. This team has no desire or drive. Period. But believe what you want. As long as we won a NC and got a Heisman monkey off our back last year all is golden in the land of crimson.

Sorry if I come off brash but it pisses me off to no end to see this team have the talent to be something special yet continues to unimpress anyone because they show no pulse. A wasted year is what this season is/was. It would be one thing if the team showed ANY marginal improvement over the course of the season but if you pull the glasses off you'll see we have regressed, not progressed, as time went on. If there's nothing wrong with that than I don't know what to tell ya.

Do I still bleed Crimson? You damn right I do 'til I die. But to see a team with this much talent and coaching behind it look so stale and predictable is disturbing to put it nicely. I'm not calling for heads but there is A LOT of maturing and changes needed to be made for next season. MSU may very well knock us to a 3rd loss. The ONLY thing worth salvaging for a moral victory is somehow, some way, beat the boogers of the east polytechnical institute.

Yes, because that's exactly what I was suggesting. I wasn't calling for sanity or perspective at all.

I'm just as disappointed that we didn't win yesterday as the next guy, but when people start acting like Nick Saban doesn't know what he's doing it's just plain laughable. Our coaches and players are human, but you and others seem to forget that. This stuff will unfortunately happen from time to time. It sucks but it's the truth. We're going to have down years. Now quit acting as if we're going through the Shula years again.

 

[Bulldozer]

It's only going to get worse next year. Kirby Smart won't be here. Mcelwain will continue to stink up the offense. Florida looks to have woken up and we gotta play them at the swamp. Cam will be back and he is unstoppable.

 

[BamaCore]

It's only going to get worse next year. Kirby Smart won't be here. Mcelwain will continue to stink up the offense. Florida looks to have woken up and we gotta play them at the swamp. Cam will be back and he is unstoppable.

How sad are you? You can't even enjoy your season with your own fans. You have to come poorly troll your rivals forum.

 

[Bulldozer]

Not trolling. Just being realistic.

 

[BamaCore]

Not trolling. Just being realistic.

Mmhm. Okay. So how old are you again? I'm gonna guess 15.

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

Yes, because that's exactly what I was suggesting. I wasn't calling for sanity or perspective at all.

I'm just as disappointed that we didn't win yesterday as the next guy, but when people start acting like Nick Saban doesn't know what he's doing it's just plain laughable. Our coaches and players are human, but you and others seem to forget that. This stuff will unfortunately happen from time to time. It sucks but it's the truth. We're going to have down years. Now quit acting as if we're going through the Shula years again.

The ship isn't sinking. I repeat the ship isn't sinking!

Yes every team is going to have down years. That's a given. But with all due respect I think you're missing the point some are trying to explain is that we "shouldn't" be having this down year when you have the talent AND coaching staff we have. Or at least not to the extent we're seeing. Let me see if I can explain it a different way. I could understand if we lost every game this season BUT we lost in a fashion where players looked to be giving it their all. However that is not the case. The only time we saw our team look "impressive" was with inferior opponents that were grossly outmanned and/or outcoached. See Penn State, San Jose, and Florida for prime examples. We looked 'dominant' in those games simply based off the other team sucks, to put it bluntly. Then look at the games where we played decent opponents and look how marginal and dismal we performed at times. The word stale best describes it. This team with all it's talent and coaching staff simply hasn't performed to the level their capable of. I think CNS would say the same thing. In fact I believe he already has numerous occassions this season in a few hints.

Nobody is saying CNS doesn't know what he's doing. It's laughable to think otherwise. But there is obviously a disconnection from coach to player that isn't hitting on all cylinders. Why? Nobody knows. But it IS there.

Is this the Shula era part deux? Hardly. But I think the reason why many fans are at unrest is because it brings back bad memories of the shear disappointment in seeing your team have zero heart or effort given on the field for most of the season. That my friend IS indeed one common thing relative to the Shula era and how this team has looked from an emotional standpoint. Saban is on a level Shula couldn't even imagine in terms of coaching abilities. However I'd be lying if I said these players weren't playing with the same attitude and lack of pulse like I saw many do during those bleak years. Does that mean this is a Shula era? Certainly not.

 

[BamaCore]

I'm sorry, but to me you're just unfairly questioning the heart of this team. What I saw was a hard fought game between two good teams. Our lack of experience was the cause of our loss, and that showed. It's just going to take time. You think they don't care and there's nothing I'm gonna say that's going to convince you otherwise. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this.

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

There have been spurts of heart shown but I have yet to see us take someone to the woodshed, "dominate" our opponent, play for 60 minutes, impose our will, or any other phrase we like to hang our hat on when talking about Alabama Football. Remember when CNS was hired and at his first presser said he wants to make teams "hate to play us"? He wants them to "fear" playing us? Do you think anyone is scared to play us in our league? I'm sure the players care or they wouldn't be on the team, but how much is the question. How far are they willing to go in 'buying in the process' and executing like they're supposed to? Saban has mentioned it all season long and I've been paying attention to the little things he hints on. Often this season he has brought up words like maturity, emotion, drive, willingness, effort when speaking about things the team needs to do. All of those words could be used to describe one's own heart or desire to play to a level they're expected to play. A gut check is what he's saying. I think CNS has hit it spot on with an ugly issue we've had all season long on this team. We'll just have to agree to disagree. I respect anyone's opinion. In the end we're all fans of the same Bama Nation. Roll Tide.

 

[BamaCore]

There have been spurts of heart shown but I have yet to see us take someone to the woodshed, "dominate" our opponent, play for 60 minutes, impose our will, or any other phrase we like to hang our hat on when talking about Alabama Football. Remember when CNS was hired and at his first presser said he wants to make teams "hate to play us"? He wants them to "fear" playing us? Do you think anyone is scared to play us in our league? I'm sure the players care or they wouldn't be on the team, but how much is the question. How far are they willing to go in 'buying in the process' and executing like they're supposed to? Saban has mentioned it all season long and I've been paying attention to the little things he hints on. Often this season he has brought up words like maturity, emotion, drive, willingness, effort. All of those words could be used to describe one's own heart or desire to play to a level they're expected to play. I think CNS has hit it spot on with an ugly issue we've had all seaons long on this team. We'll just have to agree to disagree. I respect anyone's opinion. In the end we're all fans of the same Bama Nation. Roll Tide.

I can definitely see what you mean. Anyways, Roll Tide my friend!