🏈 Remember this pearl of wisdom?

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

"The people making the decisions, I hope they evaluate the evaluators"

Epic Fail, Don... Epic Fail.

 

[Argo]

More wisdom....

Alabama has been passed
Wednesday, November 08, 2006

By Neal McCready

Mobile Register

Some Alabama fans are really funny. I mean, Eddie Murphy-at-his-peak hilarious.

In the wake of Mississippi State's win over Alabama, many Crimson Tide fans came out of the woodwork demanding immediate change.

So bring on Nick Saban. Bring on Rich Rodriguez. You can interview Bobby Petrino, too. Maybe Rutgers' Greg Schiano would make a good coordinator, a coach-in-waiting if Jimmy Johnson isn't willing to commit more than, say, five years to bringing Alabama football back to where it belongs. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to come stalk the same sidelines that the Bear once patrolled? Who wouldn't want to coach in the shadow of greatness? After all, if you're going to fantasize, take it the distance.

The problem, however, for the dreaming Tide nation is that when it wakes up to the real world, Mike Shula's still the coach and the hard truth is he just might be the best Alabama can realistically hope for. The line of prospective coaches just dying to come to Tuscaloosa isn't as long as Tide fans think.

Before every home game, there's that voice. I still can't understand what he says, but it's something about "class," and "we got class," or "win with class." Then the elephant roars and another voice says, "This is Alabama football."

No, that was Alabama football. Those days are long gone and until the powers that be at the Capstone recognize that, all the Tide is going to be able to embrace is history. The people who Alabama football is selling to -- the current high school recruits -- were born in 1988 or 1989. They were 3 years old when Gene Stallings led Alabama to an upset over Miami in the Sugar Bowl and the national championship. Their experience with Alabama football mostly has been controversy, scandal, NCAA sanctions, losing seasons and mediocrity. The ardent Alabama fans among that group remember Shaun Alexander and Chris Samuel leading Alabama to the 1999 SEC title, but they were 11 or 12 then. Since that national championship night in New Orleans, a lot of water has flowed under the proverbial bridge.

Here's reality: Alabama has been passed. Ask the kids. They're the only ones who really matter. They'll tell you Florida is cool. So is LSU. Ask them about winning tradition and they'll tell you about Auburn, Tennessee and maybe Georgia. South Carolina has Steve Spurrier. Arkansas kids are staying home. Ole Miss has built a great indoor practice facility. Kentucky has fabulous facilities. Mississippi State probably isn't far behind. Jimmy Johns would probably never admit it even if someone could extricate his foot from his mouth, but had the Brookhaven, Miss., native stayed home and gone to Mississippi State or Ole Miss, he'd be a hero in his home state and a starter on the field. Oh yeah, he would have won a football game Saturday. Instead, he went to Alabama, where he's now a highly publicized backup playing behind an underachieving senior.

So why would Saban leave sunny Miami for Alabama? Petrino might be preparing for the national championship game in early January. Why would he give that up to take on a rebuilding project that goes well beyond the football field? Rodriguez might leave his native West Virginia one day, but Alabama's a lateral move at best.

But if Alabama is intent on making that sort of splash, here's two pieces of advice: Ante up and get your eyes out of the rear-view mirror because the men the delusional Tide fans talk about are forward thinkers with healthy egos. In other words, if you expect them to come to Tuscaloosa and walk in a shadow, you'd better hope for nothing but sunny days because guys like Saban, Petrino, Rodriguez and the others aren't going to walk in a shadow that isn't their own

 

[planomateo]

all hot air now huh....Don lost alot of my respect a few years ago during this time. I understand it's his son and all, but damn, let Mike deal with his own stuff like a man. He doesn't need his dad's help...last I checked, Mike was a grown man.

I don't want my dad fighting any of my battles/wars for me, period.

 

[alagator]

Is this McReady fellow still writing for the Mobile paper? Or if not, is he still employed in the profession of journalism?

Would be oh so interesting to hear him spin and weave his way out of his ranting.

But, his last paragraph does give him an angle. After eight paragraphs of telling Alabama people they are stupid and their beloved program is a relic heaped on the ashpile of history, he does outline two ways out. And you know what, those were the exact things Mal Moore did to entice Saban to Tuscaloosa. So, after all that, McReady would still try to tell you "I told you so." Only problem for him is he either explicitly stated or strongly implied neither the leadership nor the general fanbase was as smart as he and would not do what was necessary.

But if Alabama is intent on making that sort of splash, here's two pieces of advice: Ante up and get your eyes out of the rear-view mirror because the men the delusional Tide fans talk about are forward thinkers with healthy egos. In other words, if you expect them to come to Tuscaloosa and walk in a shadow, you'd better hope for nothing but sunny days because guys like Saban, Petrino, Rodriguez and the others aren't going to walk in a shadow that isn't their own

Frankly, I have to agree with that last paragraph. It did take our people (leadership and Regular Joe to quit reliving the glories of the past and instead looking for ways to make NEW glories possible.

 

[bamafan4ever]

alagator,

Sorry for the thread hijack here but where have you been? I was looking to you for some sage, pregame comments before the BAMA/UF game and you were nowhere to be found. So, did you find yourself happy or disappointed Saturday?

 

[KRYMZENTYDE]

Well i woke up this morning and read about BAMA beating FLA.
for the 2009 S.E.C.championship game coached by non other than CNS.
And it felt COOL really COOL to be a Alabama fan and i suppose just my opinion that the players think its COOL too.....

 

[ExiledTidefan]

Neal wrote that scathing article at a time when we were weak. We were 3.5 years removed from the NCAA dropping the hammer on us, and we still had no depth. Nothing in that article convinced me that he recognized that as a fact.

To the point though, I'd like to defend bama fans some, even though we don't always deserve or ask for it. Alabama fans are loyal to the school and the program. We don't put any one player or coach above it. But we are willing to elevate people if they show the passion and drive to succeed that we expect. That expectation was there even before Bryant was hired. He showed that intangible that Saban talked about the other night. Coach Stallings showed that intangible. I can honestly say that no one else showed me that until Saban got here. I didn't see it from Perkins. I thought I saw it from Curry, but it was all hot air. I saw a love for the school from Dubose, but little of the skills it took to lead. I never saw it in Franchione, and Price wasn't here long enough to know. Mike Shula = ditto to Dubose.

Alabama fans like myself won't put any player or man before the University. I went to school there, got my degree, and worked pretty dam hard for it (i would have had to work hard anywhere I went ). But we are willing to prop up individuals who show that committment to the school and winning.

 

[RollTideinGA]

But if Alabama is intent on making that sort of splash, here's two pieces of advice: Ante up and get your eyes out of the rear-view mirror...

I do kind of agree with this statement. I know far too many Bama fans stuck in the Bryant era. Its one thing to respect and admire his accomplishments, but different ball game to live there. I have heard "Bear wouldnt have allowed that" on recent occassions. The game has change, times have changed. I know I'll get flamed but we as a group need to move on. Not forget, but move on.