🏈 Report: Alabama declines offer to play home-and-home series with Wisconsin

[252BAMA]

Damn, step away from the ledge for a minute.

A fun and entertaining match-up we'd have had with a neutral site game. They didn't want to go that way.

It'll be replaced by another team with a neutral site game when we don't have a marquee out-of-conference game scheduled. There's no reason to believe otherwise. Remember, it was ESPN that put together the idea of the Wisconsin vs Bama game. They'll simply move on and look for another team.

Out of the next eight seasons, we only have three with dates open; '14, '15, and '18. There is sufficient reason to believe we'll be discussing moving to a nine game in conference schedule as well next spring when they begin work on the 2013 season.

By the context of what you've stated here with revenue being a concern why would you be in support of a game in Madison where the very fans you mention won't be contributing to the bottom line? The only team that benefits is Wisconsin.

Actually 2015 and 2018 are the only years open before 2021. Bama plays WVU in Atlanta in 2014. Therefore, Bama did not have two consecutive years open in which to schedule a home and away series. Who wants a two year series spread out over four years? We had enough of that crap with the five year deal with Duke. Played them at home in 2006 and then at Duke in 2010. And, with the byes in 2010, that turned out to be the worst possible year in which to end that series. Because of it, SC wound up being the third road game in four weeks, and LSU was the fifth road game in eight weeks. How did that turn out?

I have some probables as to why the original neutral site proposal fell through. The location was probably Atlanta. The date was probably 2018 and not 2015 because Bama is already scheduled to play there in 2013 and 2014. Wisconsin was probably opposed to the location and the date. No deal. But Wisconsin doesn't want to be thought of as the deal killer here so they throw out the home and away thingy knowing full well that Bama is not going to do that.

 

[TerryP]

Ah, I had forgotten about scheduling WVU.

Are you still involved in the ATL sports council? If so, that would be a good question to ask. With ESPN in the mix and starting the idea I assumed they'd probably go after a different venue than the Kick-off Classic.

 

[252BAMA]

Ah, I had forgotten about scheduling WVU.

Are you still involved in the ATL sports council? If so, that would be a good question to ask. With ESPN in the mix and starting the idea I assumed they'd probably go after a different venue than the Kick-off Classic.

I gave up my membership in the ASC a couple of years ago. Was not getting the inside info I thought I would get when I joined.

 

[bamafan4ever]

Ah, I had forgotten about scheduling WVU.

Are you still involved in the ATL sports council? If so, that would be a good question to ask. With ESPN in the mix and starting the idea I assumed they'd probably go after a different venue than the Kick-off Classic.

From my understanding, Saban did have a big part in scheduling this matchup too. This from a former teammate of Saban's at Kent that happened to also be from WV.

 

[silvermetalflake]

I'd love to see two Tide games each year, but can't afford 2 trips down into the remotess regions of Alabama. So I vote a home-and-home game with a team close to Ontario, Canada. Penn State would be fine, or the Syracuse Orange would even be better. LOL. Both are a day drive away; no need for flights, overpriced motels, and rental cars for at least one game. Yeah yeah I know... Syracuse Orange as if !!!

 

[TerryP]

I'd love to see two Tide games each year, but can't afford 2 trips down into the remotess regions of Alabama. So I vote a home-and-home game with a team close to Ontario, Canada. Penn State would be fine, or the Syracuse Orange would even be better. LOL. Both are a day drive away; no need for flights, overpriced motels, and rental cars for at least one game. Yeah yeah I know... Syracuse Orange as if !!!

If the rumblings of Chicago were indeed true, that wouldn't be too bad of a trip for you would it?

When I considered this in more detail there are four teams I'd rather play than Wisconsin. One we've played, the second we have scheduled in 2017 against Sparty. The other two are Nebraska and #1 on my list would definitely be Ohio State.

 

[LBS]

... and #1 on my list would definitely be Ohio State.

I wonder if CUM would want any part of that. It would be interesting because the Buckeye fans that I know all would want a part of Bama, as if somehow CUM was the missing part to their winning formula. I'm not sure CUM would want the exposure, and that is exactly what I think it would do - expose that OSU still is not ready for the elites.

 

[TheTruth]

Agreed, RollTideRandy. 'Bama - and SEC schools in general - do not travel outside of the south or play tough non-conference games, unlike the other power conferences that travel all over the country. It would be great to see 'Bama play Wisonson.

 

[252BAMA]

What irks me is that we even know about this. The great majority of these schedule discussions between schools end in a no deal and no one ever knows the difference. Why did Wisconsin take this to the media making Bama out to be the bad guy? Some of you may recall that the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic had a tentative agreement with USC to play in either 2013 or 2014 (their choice) and that their preferred opponent was Bama. When all of that went out the window with the HC and AD changes there, did Bama run to the media whining and crying about USC bailing out? No, of course not. They kept their mouth shut and wound up being contracted for both years. VT in 2013 and WVU in 2014.

IMO, Wisconsin made a big mistake. Who the hell would even want to have a schedule discussion with them now?

 

[LBS]

What irks me is that we even know about this. The great majority of these schedule discussions between schools end in a no deal and no one ever knows the difference. Why did Wisconsin take this to the media making Bama out to be the bad guy? Some of you may recall that the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic had a tentative agreement with USC to play in either 2013 or 2014 (their choice) and that their preferred opponent was Bama. When all of that went out the window with the HC and AD changes there, did Bama run to the media whining and crying about USC bailing out? No, of course not. They kept their mouth shut and wound up being contracted for both years. VT in 2013 and WVU in 2014.

IMO, Wisconsin made a big mistake. Who the hell would even want to have a schedule discussion with them now?

And they did this to a team 1) from a conference that clings tighter than any other -- we root for each other for Heaven's sake, and 2) from the most respected conference in football. Is this the formula for getting yourself blackballed out of having a shot at real respect or what. No thanks, we'll take our Crystal-Ball and stay at home. Good luck getting to the Rose Bowl.

 

[TerryP]

What irks me is that we even know about this. The great majority of these schedule discussions between schools end in a no deal and no one ever knows the difference. Why did Wisconsin take this to the media making Bama out to be the bad guy? Some of you may recall that the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic had a tentative agreement with USC to play in either 2013 or 2014 (their choice) and that their preferred opponent was Bama. When all of that went out the window with the HC and AD changes there, did Bama run to the media whining and crying about USC bailing out? No, of course not. They kept their mouth shut and wound up being contracted for both years. VT in 2013 and WVU in 2014.

IMO, Wisconsin made a big mistake. Who the hell would even want to have a schedule discussion with them now?

Damn good point!

 

[252BAMA]

Damn good point!

If I was an AD, I wouldn't talk with them. We wind up with a no deal, and as soon as I hang up they call the media and stab me in the back. No thank you!