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So here we are, eight games into the 2008 season, and both Auburn and Tennessee have boosters and alumni ready to pull the proverbial trigger. Both teams' seasons stand on the brink, and possibly have the careers of their respective head coaches in tow.
On the flipped side, Alabama stands 8-0, ranked number 2 in the land, and is playing at a high level. Based on the best performances thus far, Alabama is arguably the most complete team in the conference - if not the nation.
Delusion...
In the previous article, we looked at the different coaches who have been at Alabama since Bryant retired. Perkins, Stallings, Dubose, and Shula, had previous ties to the University. Curry, Franchione, Price, and Saban, had no prior connections to Alabama. While the tenures varied - from no games coached by Price, to 7 years with Stallings, a single thread unifies all these coaches' tenures. Every coach who actually coached a season after Bryant's retirement has led the team to at least one 10 win season. Under Stallings, Alabama had four seasons with 10 or more wins. Since Bryant retired in 1982, Alabama has posted 9 seasons of 10 or more wins, and appears to be on the way to a 10th season in 2008. Comparatively, Auburn has posted 8, and Tennessee has posted 11. This is important to note, because the most delusional fan base forgets these numbers quite often. In the post Bryant era, instability has been Alabama's greatest Achilles. When Alabama has stability and good coaching, Alabama wins.
Even Mike Dubose, hampered by lingering effects of sanctions, inexperience, and poor game management skills, Franchione during rebuilding from the DuBose mess, and inexperienced Mike Shula, hampered by severe sanctions and the Franchione - Price fiasco, managed ten wins at Alabama. The tradition and history of Alabama attracts quality athletes, and brings out a passion and will to win from players who may not have the physical ability. Former Alabama coach Bill Curry has often commented about the way that players wearing the Alabama Crimson play harder.
When Alabama coach Gene Stallings retired following the 1996 football season, Tennessee was emerging as a conference power. The success of Peyton Manning had a positive affect on the team as a whole. Tennessee's recruiting was on an upswing, and the change in coaching staff at Alabama did not hurt their cause. Tennessee was able to recruit a number of key prospects out of the state during this time frame - notably, Tee Martin. When Alabama went into football purgatory following the 1999 season, Auburn emerged as a divisional power. With Alabama going through coaching turmoil and NCAA probation, Auburn went from having back to back losing seasons in 1998 and 1999, to 9 wins in 2000. Over the next seven seasons, Auburn posted the most wins the program had ever posted during a seven year period - averaging over 9 wins per season. Tennessee coach Philip Fulmer appeared to become more occupied with extemporaneous issues, and from 1999 on, Tennessee has been inconsistent.
Auburn's most successful periods have been while Alabama was undergoing change or turmoil. When Bryant retired, Dye took advantage and Auburn gained the upper hand. Perkins' brief tenure did little to disrupt Auburn's success, and Perkins posted a 2-2 record against the Tigers. Another coaching change allowed Auburn to maintain the upper hand, and Curry was never able to out-coach Dye, but when Alabama brought in Stallings, Auburn no longer had the upper hand in coaching. With a stable Alabama, Auburn began to slide, going from 8-3-1 in Stallings first season at Alabama, to 5-6 and 5-5 in the following seasons. The similarity to what is happening right now is almost erie. From 1990 to 1996, Alabama held a 5-2 advantage against the Plainsmen, and even with the DuBose era, Alabama finished the decade holding a 7-3 advantage over Auburn.
Following the National Championship game at the start of 2003, an Alabama player signed with an agent (reportedly on a napkin) and accepted $100. When coaches asked him about it, he lied. Because that player played during the 1993 season, Alabama was forced to forfeit all wins on the season. Prior to 1994, Alabama had never had a run-in with the NCAA, and that inexperience showed in the way Alabama dealt with the NCAA, and perceived arrogance resulted in the NCAA leveling Alabama with penalties much worse than fit the crime. None of Alabama's violations were recruiting related.
In the NCAA infractions case under Mike DuBose watch, Alabama was as cooperative as possible. Even so, the scope of issues that occurred over the three year period resulted in Alabama being hammered. The scholarship reductions and attrition resulted in Alabama playing the 2003 season with less than 60 players on Scholarship.
Delusional...
When the NCAA was investigating Alabama in 2001, Tennessee and Auburn fans openly proclaimed their desire for Alabama to receive the death penalty - a penalty that Alabama was only eligible to receive, due to the diligence of boosters working with the compliance department in the issue of a first year basketball assistant soliciting funds for illegal recruiting. The university fired the coach and reported the incident. So deep is the hate for Alabama, that rivals actually wanted the NCAA to kill the program - that had never before been even been accused of recruiting improprieties.
Nick Saban has a history of being one of - if not THE best recruiter in the nation. Everywhere Saban has been, he has signed top classes - and he has never been accused of wrongdoing, yet if you listen to rivals from Tennessee and Auburn, they insist that Alabama's 8-0 start is fueled by Saban and Alabama's illegal recruiting, in spite of the fact that Saban has had just one complete recruiting class since his arrival at Alabama.
Delusional...
According to rivals, Alabama - a tradition rich program with 12 National Championships and 21 SEC championships (or even if you are a rival who hates Bama and refuses to recognize 12, Bama has at least 6 more national titles than you have) has to cheat in order to recruit well. Alabama has the best facilities in the SEC, and one of the nicest stadiums in the nation. The University of Alabama has a beautiful campus, and the city of Tuscaloosa is a really nice college town with a lot of charm. It is big enough to have stuff to do, and small enough to be bearable.
The question for rivals is this...if Alabama has to cheat to win, in spite of having a national championship caliber coach, great tradition, facilities, location, national presence, and reputation as the flagship institution in the state, how does Auburn ever win? How does Tennessee ever win? What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Tennessee has the same number of major infractions cases as Alabama and the same number of probations. Auburn has a reputation as one of the worst repeat violators in the nation, with an SEC leading 7 major infractions cases - 6 of which were recruiting related...yet when they won 13 games in 2004 - the most wins EVER in a season by Auburn, it was legit. Auburn is a rural campus with a history of racial problems (in the modern era). The town is small and not overly charming. The facilities, while better than some - are nowhere near the level of Alabama. When Alabama out recruits Auburn, it should be expected...the real question is, how can Auburn EVER out recruit Alabama?
As for Tennessee, it is a state that produces HALF the NFL caliber talent that Alabama does. Where Alabama shares a large border with Mississippi (also a top level talent producer), Georgia, and Florida, Tennessee has to travel a lot further. The campus lacks the appeal of Alabama's, and the facilities, while good, are not the level of Alabama's. Again, how does Tennessee ever recruit better than Alabama? With Tennessee's history of player arrests and widespread drug use, it cannot be attributed to reputation. The "Fulmer Cup" is called that for a reason.
Auburn and Tennessee have had their best runs against Alabama, following NCAA sanctions against the Tide. When Alabama has stability and coaching, they dominate. What is happening now is not the result of Alabama skirting NCAA rules, it is the result of normalcy returning to the Capstone. Delusion is thinking that the ten years from 1997 to 2007 would become the norm.
Alabama may never again dominate the landscape of college football the way they did in the 1970's, but as Oklahoma, USC, and Ohio State have shown - it is possible to return to a high level of play and sustain it. In the SEC, Florida, Georgia, and LSU have been at a high level for some time now. Alabama fans are not delusional to think that is possible at the Capstone.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are delusional for thinking it impossible...improbable...or even unlikely.
On the flipped side, Alabama stands 8-0, ranked number 2 in the land, and is playing at a high level. Based on the best performances thus far, Alabama is arguably the most complete team in the conference - if not the nation.
Delusion...
In the previous article, we looked at the different coaches who have been at Alabama since Bryant retired. Perkins, Stallings, Dubose, and Shula, had previous ties to the University. Curry, Franchione, Price, and Saban, had no prior connections to Alabama. While the tenures varied - from no games coached by Price, to 7 years with Stallings, a single thread unifies all these coaches' tenures. Every coach who actually coached a season after Bryant's retirement has led the team to at least one 10 win season. Under Stallings, Alabama had four seasons with 10 or more wins. Since Bryant retired in 1982, Alabama has posted 9 seasons of 10 or more wins, and appears to be on the way to a 10th season in 2008. Comparatively, Auburn has posted 8, and Tennessee has posted 11. This is important to note, because the most delusional fan base forgets these numbers quite often. In the post Bryant era, instability has been Alabama's greatest Achilles. When Alabama has stability and good coaching, Alabama wins.
Even Mike Dubose, hampered by lingering effects of sanctions, inexperience, and poor game management skills, Franchione during rebuilding from the DuBose mess, and inexperienced Mike Shula, hampered by severe sanctions and the Franchione - Price fiasco, managed ten wins at Alabama. The tradition and history of Alabama attracts quality athletes, and brings out a passion and will to win from players who may not have the physical ability. Former Alabama coach Bill Curry has often commented about the way that players wearing the Alabama Crimson play harder.
When Alabama coach Gene Stallings retired following the 1996 football season, Tennessee was emerging as a conference power. The success of Peyton Manning had a positive affect on the team as a whole. Tennessee's recruiting was on an upswing, and the change in coaching staff at Alabama did not hurt their cause. Tennessee was able to recruit a number of key prospects out of the state during this time frame - notably, Tee Martin. When Alabama went into football purgatory following the 1999 season, Auburn emerged as a divisional power. With Alabama going through coaching turmoil and NCAA probation, Auburn went from having back to back losing seasons in 1998 and 1999, to 9 wins in 2000. Over the next seven seasons, Auburn posted the most wins the program had ever posted during a seven year period - averaging over 9 wins per season. Tennessee coach Philip Fulmer appeared to become more occupied with extemporaneous issues, and from 1999 on, Tennessee has been inconsistent.
Auburn's most successful periods have been while Alabama was undergoing change or turmoil. When Bryant retired, Dye took advantage and Auburn gained the upper hand. Perkins' brief tenure did little to disrupt Auburn's success, and Perkins posted a 2-2 record against the Tigers. Another coaching change allowed Auburn to maintain the upper hand, and Curry was never able to out-coach Dye, but when Alabama brought in Stallings, Auburn no longer had the upper hand in coaching. With a stable Alabama, Auburn began to slide, going from 8-3-1 in Stallings first season at Alabama, to 5-6 and 5-5 in the following seasons. The similarity to what is happening right now is almost erie. From 1990 to 1996, Alabama held a 5-2 advantage against the Plainsmen, and even with the DuBose era, Alabama finished the decade holding a 7-3 advantage over Auburn.
Following the National Championship game at the start of 2003, an Alabama player signed with an agent (reportedly on a napkin) and accepted $100. When coaches asked him about it, he lied. Because that player played during the 1993 season, Alabama was forced to forfeit all wins on the season. Prior to 1994, Alabama had never had a run-in with the NCAA, and that inexperience showed in the way Alabama dealt with the NCAA, and perceived arrogance resulted in the NCAA leveling Alabama with penalties much worse than fit the crime. None of Alabama's violations were recruiting related.
In the NCAA infractions case under Mike DuBose watch, Alabama was as cooperative as possible. Even so, the scope of issues that occurred over the three year period resulted in Alabama being hammered. The scholarship reductions and attrition resulted in Alabama playing the 2003 season with less than 60 players on Scholarship.
Delusional...
When the NCAA was investigating Alabama in 2001, Tennessee and Auburn fans openly proclaimed their desire for Alabama to receive the death penalty - a penalty that Alabama was only eligible to receive, due to the diligence of boosters working with the compliance department in the issue of a first year basketball assistant soliciting funds for illegal recruiting. The university fired the coach and reported the incident. So deep is the hate for Alabama, that rivals actually wanted the NCAA to kill the program - that had never before been even been accused of recruiting improprieties.
Nick Saban has a history of being one of - if not THE best recruiter in the nation. Everywhere Saban has been, he has signed top classes - and he has never been accused of wrongdoing, yet if you listen to rivals from Tennessee and Auburn, they insist that Alabama's 8-0 start is fueled by Saban and Alabama's illegal recruiting, in spite of the fact that Saban has had just one complete recruiting class since his arrival at Alabama.
Delusional...
According to rivals, Alabama - a tradition rich program with 12 National Championships and 21 SEC championships (or even if you are a rival who hates Bama and refuses to recognize 12, Bama has at least 6 more national titles than you have) has to cheat in order to recruit well. Alabama has the best facilities in the SEC, and one of the nicest stadiums in the nation. The University of Alabama has a beautiful campus, and the city of Tuscaloosa is a really nice college town with a lot of charm. It is big enough to have stuff to do, and small enough to be bearable.
The question for rivals is this...if Alabama has to cheat to win, in spite of having a national championship caliber coach, great tradition, facilities, location, national presence, and reputation as the flagship institution in the state, how does Auburn ever win? How does Tennessee ever win? What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Tennessee has the same number of major infractions cases as Alabama and the same number of probations. Auburn has a reputation as one of the worst repeat violators in the nation, with an SEC leading 7 major infractions cases - 6 of which were recruiting related...yet when they won 13 games in 2004 - the most wins EVER in a season by Auburn, it was legit. Auburn is a rural campus with a history of racial problems (in the modern era). The town is small and not overly charming. The facilities, while better than some - are nowhere near the level of Alabama. When Alabama out recruits Auburn, it should be expected...the real question is, how can Auburn EVER out recruit Alabama?
As for Tennessee, it is a state that produces HALF the NFL caliber talent that Alabama does. Where Alabama shares a large border with Mississippi (also a top level talent producer), Georgia, and Florida, Tennessee has to travel a lot further. The campus lacks the appeal of Alabama's, and the facilities, while good, are not the level of Alabama's. Again, how does Tennessee ever recruit better than Alabama? With Tennessee's history of player arrests and widespread drug use, it cannot be attributed to reputation. The "Fulmer Cup" is called that for a reason.
Auburn and Tennessee have had their best runs against Alabama, following NCAA sanctions against the Tide. When Alabama has stability and coaching, they dominate. What is happening now is not the result of Alabama skirting NCAA rules, it is the result of normalcy returning to the Capstone. Delusion is thinking that the ten years from 1997 to 2007 would become the norm.
Alabama may never again dominate the landscape of college football the way they did in the 1970's, but as Oklahoma, USC, and Ohio State have shown - it is possible to return to a high level of play and sustain it. In the SEC, Florida, Georgia, and LSU have been at a high level for some time now. Alabama fans are not delusional to think that is possible at the Capstone.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are delusional for thinking it impossible...improbable...or even unlikely.
