| FTBL So has everybody

Kirk Van de Graaff

Gravity Checker
Staff
Gotten over the Tulane game yet? A win is a win, sure it was sloppy, sure it was Tulane, ( They came to play) and sure our star players missed assignments, blocking and had a overall horrble game. One good note, the Special Teams play.

Take each week one at a time, they will work on their problems. Coach Saban will address the areas of intrest, you can bet on that. IMHO we should look at the next game and see what happens. The season is still young.




Next up Western Kentucky. ROLL TIDE!
 
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.
 
RollTideinGA said:
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.

Everyones opinion matters, if we all agreed this board would be BORING. You have a right to say anything here as long as it goes by the rules. Hang in there man, we got next week. :)
 
Last night appears to just be a continuation of the problems we have seen since the day Franchoine left campus - the players thinking all they have to do is just play good enough. (To be clear, at that time Franchoine quit on the players who gave everything they had every game; since then our coaches seem to give their best - sometimes a lacking quality, but our players do not.)

We have been told all Summer (out of season and in-camp) and following the game last week that this bug-a-boo is gone. That our leadership will not accept that behavior.

And, yet, last night, there that same tired old habit was on display.

You cannot always control the outcome, but you can control the things that go into making the outcome rewarding and successful. Is anyone going to argue that Tulane fielded a team of sufficient quality that if you turn two plays around the result is an OT game and that the only thing that saved us was our 'pluck and grit' (isn't that a line from a song somewhere?)?

I am not from Missouri, but I have family there. I adopt their motto of 'show me' and not 'tell me.' I appreciate the victory, sure beats the result of the UL-Monroe game last Fall, but until our players decide to either 1) be so damned talented they can just show up and the other team will wilt or 2) exhibit total and complete effort in the try then I will be underwhelmed. And critical.

No you cannot be at a mental peak every week. But there is no excuse for being at the top of Mt. Everest one week and the bottom of Sipsey Swamp the next.

This was not just a 'one game' example. It is in reality combined with the Clemson game as a 'two game' example - and, as I stated, represents a pattern. Work our butt off, achieve some success, rest on our laurels. Repeat. Excuse me if I am skeptical because I have seen this movie before. Someone once told me 'good enough is never good and is never enough.' We were told our young men had bought into that understanding (or process). Seems that is not entirely the case.

And that alone is the cause of my disappointment today.
 
Can't argue with that alagator, I try my best to take each week one at a time. I am very guilty of overlooking the "cream-puff" teams. Its easy to fall into the same attitude as the team has. Heck I have walked the schedule all the way up to the Georgia game. 4-0, we may be 4-0 by then but I ain't overlooking these next two teams, you can bet your arse on that. This team needs to realise they dodged a bullet and take care of business. Their mulligan has been used.



I guess I got ruined on the Coach Bryant days, where we beat the hell out of every team, and if we lost, they put a effort on the field that atleast made you proud. I keep thinking we have that mentality only to be slapped back into reality again with the Tulane's and ULM's. Its going to take time, and I see that, I will not be complacent. Our team needs to focus each week on winning the game, and the rest will fall in place. Give forth 100% no matter what.
 
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.

Everyones opinion matters, if we all agreed this board would be BORING. You have a right to say anything here as long as it goes by the rules. Hang in there man, we got next week. :)

Sure. Just like each voice in the stadium that didnt yell last night. There is a reason I dont visit forums during the season.
 
RollTideinGA said:
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.

Everyones opinion matters, if we all agreed this board would be BORING. You have a right to say anything here as long as it goes by the rules. Hang in there man, we got next week. :)

Sure. Just like each voice in the stadium that didnt yell last night. There is a reason I dont visit forums during the season.
Do what ya gotta do.
 
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.

Everyones opinion matters, if we all agreed this board would be BORING. You have a right to say anything here as long as it goes by the rules. Hang in there man, we got next week. :)

Sure. Just like each voice in the stadium that didnt yell last night. There is a reason I dont visit forums during the season.
Do what ya gotta do.

Well, I was gonna walk away from the forum and quit. But that would be like the fans in the stadium last night. And I never boo the players or team.
 
RollTideinGA said:
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.

Everyones opinion matters, if we all agreed this board would be BORING. You have a right to say anything here as long as it goes by the rules. Hang in there man, we got next week. :)

Sure. Just like each voice in the stadium that didnt yell last night. There is a reason I dont visit forums during the season.
Do what ya gotta do.

Well, I was gonna walk away from the forum and quit. But that would be like the fans in the stadium last night. And I never boo the players or team.

The forum has nothing to do with the Progress of Alabama. This forum is a place where fans can discuss their opinons, and be a part of the process. Everyone has their way of being a fan. Alabama's fan base is second to no one. We pack that stadium year in and year out. That says something. Inner fueding among the fan base is nothing more than Rival bulletin board material. Thats my belief.
 
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
Bama1966 said:
RollTideinGA said:
I was happy with the special teams and defense. Especially since they were on the field 40+ minutes.

I was dissapointed with the Offense, and the fans. but just ignore me, my opinion doesnt matter.

Everyones opinion matters, if we all agreed this board would be BORING. You have a right to say anything here as long as it goes by the rules. Hang in there man, we got next week. :)

Sure. Just like each voice in the stadium that didnt yell last night. There is a reason I dont visit forums during the season.
Do what ya gotta do.

Well, I was gonna walk away from the forum and quit. But that would be like the fans in the stadium last night. And I never boo the players or team.

The forum has nothing to do with the Progress of Alabama. This forum is a place where fans can discuss their opinons, and be a part of the process. Everyone has their way of being a fan. Alabama's fan base is second to no one. We pack that stadium year in and year out. That says something. Inner fueding among the fan base is nothing more than Rival bulletin board material. Thats my belief.

That's probably true but it happens with every fan base and ours is no different.

Rival bulletin board material = Hold out one hand and crap in the other and see what fills up first. :lol:
 
Bama1966 said:
...Everyone has their way of being a fan. Alabama's fan base is second to no one. We pack that stadium year in and year out. That says something. Inner fueding among the fan base is nothing more than Rival bulletin board material. Thats my belief.
This is something more worthy of a general discussion in June than now, but there is no way I would remember or think to bring it up in June. This is not to imply that I think UA football has all the traits I list below, but here goes...

Is a fan base that continues to pour money into a program mired in mediocrity that does not demand internal excellence really a 'good fan' of that program?

Is a fan base that continues to buy tickets and pack the stadium for a program that has a habit of hiring and/or retaining key personnel based on little (or nothing in some cases) qualifications or demonstrated accomplishments and that achieves very little respective to the amount of advantages and resources provided really a 'good' fan base? Or are they enablers instead?

Take the Chicago Cubs for instance. For decades Cubs fans filled Wrigley Field and bought Cubs merchandise in record numbers. Actually accepting the term 'The Loveable Losers.' Was that fan base truly helpful to the goal of winning championships? What motivation did the ownership of the Cubs have to spend money on scouting and player development and compete salary-wise for free agents? Revenues were virtually maxed out. Why take risks with the bottom line when there is little to no financial reward to be had. What personal consequences were applied to the owners and senior executives of the club for failing to produce a championship calibre club year after year after year after year...

Might we say the same with Alabama football over the last decade plus? Beginning with the probation scandal created by Stallings and Ingram, through the debacle of DuBose, through the failed coaching searches of Franchoine-Price-Shula our fans bought tickets in record numbers, bought jerseys in record numbers, and filled Bryant-Denny in record numbers. Did we ever really put any financial pressure on the people entrusted to manage 'our' program effectively?

In many instances, not only did we not hold our own people accountable for their destructive actions, we actually took efforts to support and defend and reward them because they were once touched by The Coach himself. We, like many other fans, are too quick to say 'because he is our guy you are not a real fan if you criticize his behavior/decision (there is a potential bitter discussion brewing on a UF forum about Meyer being classless last night by keeping the first-team offense in the game with under two minutes remaining and throwing the ball into the end zone - most are defending the indefensible conduct, so UA fans are not unique or alone). Would not a real fan of the program have been or be more openly critical of conduct/behavior that is unacceptable than excusing same? And demand more from everyone from the second-string waterboy to the star WR to the Head Coach to the Athletic Director to the Board of Trustees?

Again, I am not saying we are a 'bad' fanbase - or even different from many devoted to 'their team.' This is really intended more as a philosophical debating point on what is truly beneficial conduct and not.
 
alagator said:
Bama1966 said:
...Everyone has their way of being a fan. Alabama's fan base is second to no one. We pack that stadium year in and year out. That says something. Inner fueding among the fan base is nothing more than Rival bulletin board material. Thats my belief.
This is something more worthy of a general discussion in June than now, but there is no way I would remember or think to bring it up in June. This is not to imply that I think UA football has all the traits I list below, but here goes...

Is a fan base that continues to pour money into a program mired in mediocrity that does not demand internal excellence really a 'good fan' of that program?

Is a fan base that continues to buy tickets and pack the stadium for a program that has a habit of hiring and/or retaining key personnel based on little (or nothing in some cases) qualifications or demonstrated accomplishments and that achieves very little respective to the amount of advantages and resources provided really a 'good' fan base? Or are they enablers instead?

Take the Chicago Cubs for instance. For decades Cubs fans filled Wrigley Field and bought Cubs merchandise in record numbers. Actually accepting the term 'The Loveable Losers.' Was that fan base truly helpful to the goal of winning championships? What motivation did the ownership of the Cubs have to spend money on scouting and player development and compete salary-wise for free agents? Revenues were virtually maxed out. Why take risks with the bottom line when there is little to no financial reward to be had. What personal consequences were applied to the owners and senior executives of the club for failing to produce a championship calibre club year after year after year after year...

Might we say the same with Alabama football over the last decade plus? Beginning with the probation scandal created by Stallings and Ingram, through the debacle of DuBose, through the failed coaching searches of Franchoine-Price-Shula our fans bought tickets in record numbers, bought jerseys in record numbers, and filled Bryant-Denny in record numbers. Did we ever really put any financial pressure on the people entrusted to manage 'our' program effectively?

In many instances, not only did we not hold our own people accountable for their destructive actions, we actually took efforts to support and defend and reward them because they were once touched by The Coach himself. We, like many other fans, are too quick to say 'because he is our guy you are not a real fan if you criticize his behavior/decision (there is a potential bitter discussion brewing on a UF forum about Meyer being classless last night by keeping the first-team offense in the game with under two minutes remaining and throwing the ball into the end zone - most are defending the indefensible conduct, so UA fans are not unique or alone). Would not a real fan of the program have been or be more openly critical of conduct/behavior that is unacceptable than excusing same? And demand more from everyone from the second-string waterboy to the star WR to the Head Coach to the Athletic Director to the Board of Trustees?

Again, I am not saying we are a 'bad' fanbase - or even different from many devoted to 'their team.' This is really intended more as a philosophical debating point on what is truly beneficial conduct and not.

I have to say, that is a different take on things than I have ever seen stated in any article or message forum post. I can say that you gave me some pause thinking about the fan base being "enablers". I certainly don't think our fan base intends to be enablers. I think they just are very supportive of their team and cling to hope from the past and what the future may bring. It's that same spirit and support that has been around the football program since Wallace Wade took his Southern squad to the Rose Bowl in the face of media critics and haters of the South. Our fan base has seen Alabama defy the odds throughout her history and they just hope to be part of the "next time it happens".

I am afraid the enabling is just an unfortunate by-product and not the intention of a rabid fan base.
 
my thoughts of the fans at the game in section n5? If you want to sit down thats fine but dont ask me to, they actually asked the usher to see if the people would sit down and i gladly told him if I wanted to sit down I would have stayed my butt home on the couch
 
bamafan4ever said:
I have to say, that is a different take on things than I have ever seen stated in any article or message forum post. I can say that you gave me some pause thinking about the fan base being "enablers". I certainly don't think our fan base intends to be enablers. I think they just are very supportive of their team and cling to hope from the past and what the future may bring. It's that same spirit and support that has been around the football program since Wallace Wade took his Southern squad to the Rose Bowl in the face of media critics and haters of the South. Our fan base has seen Alabama defy the odds throughout her history and they just hope to be part of the "next time it happens".

I am afraid the enabling is just an unfortunate by-product and not the intention of a rabid fan base.
Well, I hope you do not think that different take is too far off the deep end.

It is even not really directed at or limited to UA - and I hope that is clear. I just use us as one of two examples.

It kind of goes along the line is it really poor fan conduct to actually sometimes STOP providing financial and emotional support for their team if that detachment causes long-term change. Would a little less short-term hope and clinging (to borrow your phrase) result in a more intense need to act NOW by the management of your favorite team. (For instance, would the Cubs ownership not have spent decades spending less money on scouting and player development if Wrigley Field was 1/3 full instead of sold out? Would our Board of Trustees have hired and retained ineffective athletic department leadership if 40,000 showed up at Bryant-Denny every on gamedays instead of 90,000?)

And I do not think fans intend to be enablers, but I would argue than many times the unintended consequence is just such behavior. Is this a clear example of 'The Law of Unintended Consequences?'

Again, I wish this had come up in the off-season when we would have the time to sit around and chat about the issues.
 
Bama1966 said:
I guess I got ruined on the Coach Bryant days, where we beat the hell out of every team, and if we lost, they put a effort on the field that atleast made you proud. I keep thinking we have that mentality only to be slapped back into reality again with the Tulane's and ULM's. Its going to take time, and I see that, I will not be complacent. Our team needs to focus each week on winning the game, and the rest will fall in place. Give forth 100% no matter what.

We are all ruined on that fact. We are not supposed to think mediocrity. We are supposed to have a National Championship state of mind always, There are very few teams in the nation that have that kind of tradition. Look at GA that is on top of the charts. They have one NC. Thats a long way away from our tradition. Yes the SEC is the best in the nation, however that only makes our case stronger.

"Get up your killing the grass" is a mantra that an old coach said to me many times when I was playing football. As a fan I can and will get up to support the team. The prize is the next NC. All we can do as a fan is to "give forth 100% "no matter what." Is there any other team in the nation that is working on number 13? We are not supposed to be satisfied with mediocrity. We're true winners in the flesh and blood. We can't accept anything less because we're Alabama.
 
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