🏈 World Cup, Tiger, and Lebron this summer. What story do you think ESPN's coverage of college football will "cram" down our throats this season?

[50+yeartidefan]

@TUSKtimes ....dont know if they do....but....we know...lol

 

[sean]

bowden's trial by fire in the sec west

Assuming you meant Jimbo here, right?

I'm reminded of Trae Young this morning and how he was pushed by the media as the next best thing for the NBA in his position. Did he max out 3/4's through the season? Or, was it the competition? (Feels like a Jalen question(s.)) I saw someone comment on his debut in the summer league and evidently he's not doing real well there--don't know.

I do know I was sick and tired of hearing about Trae Young AND Oklahoma (not vice-versa, mind you) last season.

yes, jimbo.

i'd just got out of the thread about bowden and i guess his name was on my mind when i posted, lol.

 

[alagator]

Our schedule is like that of big 12 teams or pac 12..... play who is in your conference... and really?.who is Clemson playing?... ACC is a one team conference
our crappie non conference ...now that’s something to behold....
And there is no defense for it.....period
And worse next year......
Seems we were afraid to give someone a home n home.... and got stuck with Louisville n Duke...
hell, Our conference opponents are returning unsold tickets.... awful

Even when it's been proven you still maintain a stance on scheduling that's wrong.

 

[planomateo]

I'm not a fan of our OOC schedule the next few years, but I wasn't all that thrilled about playing Clemson the first time (thunder and lightning days) nor was I excited about playing VaTech the first time.

It was nice to see Michigan and USC on the schedule, even though they weren't hitting on all cylinders. Penn State was great, wished I'd have gone to Happy Valley.

Even when you schedule games that are supposed to be big games, sometimes it doesn't pan out (FSU last year).

 

[TerryP]

Even when you schedule games that are supposed to be big games, sometimes it doesn't pan out (FSU last year).

If I may add I believe there's a huge misconception about these games as well even with the amount of money that's being paid. A lot of Bama fans want to see Bama schedule team A, or team B. A lot of fans of team A and team B don't want to see Alabama on their schedule. The same holds true for those administrations.

I don't know if it's intellectual dishonesty on their part or we're in a state of huge disparities in intellect.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Our schedule is like that of big 12 teams or pac 12..... play who is in your conference... and really?.who is Clemson playing?... ACC is a one team conference
our crappie non conference ...now that’s something to behold....
And there is no defense for it.....period
And worse next year......
Seems we were afraid to give someone a home n home.... and got stuck with Louisville n Duke...
hell, Our conference opponents are returning unsold tickets.... awful

Even when it's been proven you still maintain a stance on scheduling that's wrong.

How so @alagator ....
I said we play who is in the conference....and 75% of non conference is non power 5 ...and we loaded up 2018 & 2019with less then mediocrity in the one power 5...
How is that not true...
Yes...it will get some better....we do have some home n homes..if they pan out...
( remember we had mich state and ga tech home in home and they were canceled)
...so .......sir... how am i wrong?

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Even when you schedule games that are supposed to be big games, sometimes it doesn't pan out (FSU last year).

If I may add I believe there's a huge misconception about these games as well even with the amount of money that's being paid. A lot of Bama fans want to see Bama schedule team A, or team B. A lot of fans of team A and team B don't want to see Alabama on their schedule. The same holds true for those administrations.

I don't know if it's intellectual dishonesty on their part or we're in a state of huge disparities in intellect.

Do you really think fans of team A or Team B dont want to see Bama on their schedule? Is that why secondary tickets for FSU were 900-1550$ A pair....
O Administers or HCs may not but fans?????
But its the HCs and administration that schedules games....
I think fans would jump at it....to see thei team knock off the king of the mountain....

 

[TerryP]

Do you really think fans of team A or Team B dont want to see Bama on their schedule? Is that why secondary tickets for FSU were 900-1550$ A pair....
O Administers or HCs may not but fans?????

Yes. I do believe that's the case.

Do you honestly believe other teams haven't been approached about neutral site games? Home and home series? What's the advantage for a team like Wisconsin of '17 to play Bama? That would have given them two losses and out of the NY6 games. How many teams want to start their seasons with a check mark in the loss column before entering conference play? How many fans want to come see their team beaten, soundly, to start the season?

FSU went on to a seven win season.
USC is a lone exception due to their appearance in the Rose Bowl. I'm sure their fans are thrilled with a 10 win season considering it was their third since '08 (last Rose appearance.) Three ten win seasons in a decade...how would that sit with Bama fans?
WVU, Va Tech, Michigan...that loss sent their seasons to the mediocre category.

How many people want to see their team start off with a loss? I mean, seriously. It's a given for a decade now.

And yes, schools have turned down the opportunity for the pay day. Wisconsin did just a few years ago.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Do you really think fans of team A or Team B dont want to see Bama on their schedule? Is that why secondary tickets for FSU were 900-1550$ A pair....
O Administers or HCs may not but fans?????

Yes. I do believe that's the case.

Do you honestly believe other teams haven't been approached about neutral site games? Home and home series? What's the advantage for a team like Wisconsin of '17 to play Bama? That would have given them two losses and out of the NY6 games. How many teams want to start their seasons with a check mark in the loss column before entering conference play? How many fans want to come see their team beaten, soundly, to start the season?

FSU went on to a seven win season.
USC is a lone exception due to their appearance in the Rose Bowl. I'm sure their fans are thrilled with a 10 win season considering it was their third since '08 (last Rose appearance.) Three ten win seasons in a decade...how would that sit with Bama fans?
WVU, Va Tech, Michigan...that loss sent their seasons to the mediocre category.

How many people want to see their team start off with a loss? I mean, seriously. It's a given for a decade now.

And yes, schools have turned down the opportunity for the pay day. Wisconsin did just a few years ago.

Yeah....schools may have but the fans want the best....i think anyway....
I know i do...with a magic wand i would rather see Michigan on the schedule then ark state....there...here i dont care...of course all that’s about money....
Me....9 conference games and a power 5... 2 money games...
Ohio State played va tech n lost bit came back to win NC...
And...there is no reason for my team to think...o shit we play Bama..we lose.... fans don’t think like that ( although...historically its fact)

 

[TerryP]

Me....9 conference games and a power 5... 2 money games...

Let me dust off a seat for you. I've been on this bandwagon for awhile now.

And...there is no reason for my team to think...o shit we play Bama..we lose.... fans don’t think like that ( although...historically its fact)

Take a look at fan forums of the schools Bama will face this season. How many will you find putting a W on that weekend? 1 of 10, maybe.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Me....9 conference games and a power 5... 2 money games...

Let me dust off a seat for you. I've been on this bandwagon for awhile now.

And...there is no reason for my team to think...o shit we play Bama..we lose.... fans don’t think like that ( although...historically its fact)

Take a look at fan forums of the schools Bama will face this season. How many will you find putting a W on that weekend? 1 of 10, maybe.

Well...looking at schedule....but if it was a power 5 ...upper level..instead of a c- usa team....
They would not be conceding.....
Do you think?

 

[TerryP]

Me....9 conference games and a power 5... 2 money games...

Let me dust off a seat for you. I've been on this bandwagon for awhile now.

And...there is no reason for my team to think...o shit we play Bama..we lose.... fans don’t think like that ( although...historically its fact)

Take a look at fan forums of the schools Bama will face this season. How many will you find putting a W on that weekend? 1 of 10, maybe.

Well...looking at schedule....but if it was a power 5 ...upper level..instead of a c- usa team....
They would not be conceding.....
Do you think?

Again, I do think.

I vividly recall Beamer talking before Va Tech's first meeting with Bama and he was addressing how his team would do with a loss to open the season--before the game was actually played. I've also got a real clear memory of offers out to Wisconsin about playing in a neutral site game which they didn't walk away from, they ran. Then, when word came out Barry Alvarez started his "we offered a home and home." Pure BS there.

There's another side to this story as well--Alabama's position. There are 60+ P5 teams and out of those you'll find a dozen, maybe a few more, that would be worth the trip for the Tide in a home and home--20 at the most I'd think without counting. Playing a team like Kansas, or Utah, or any number of schools offers absolutely no benefit for the program.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Again, I do think.

I vividly recall Beamer talking before Va Tech's first meeting with Bama and he was addressing how his team would do with a loss to open the season--before the game was actually played. I've also got a real clear memory of offers out to Wisconsin about playing in a neutral site game which they didn't walk away from, they ran. Then, when word came out Barry Alvarez started his "we offered a home and home." Pure BS there.

There's another side to this story as well--Alabama's position. There are 60+ P5 teams and out of those you'll find a dozen, maybe a few more, that would be worth the trip for the Tide in a home and home--20 at the most I'd think without counting. Playing a team like Kansas, or Utah, or any number of schools offers absolutely no benefit for the program.

Then he's a moron to just figure in a loss. And a double moron for repeating his mistake a few years later. I thought Beamer brought in a very competitive team both times and in the first contest had no way of knowing he was playing a budding dynasty in early 2009. If I remember correctly he got Ohio State in that same early season scenario and beat them.

It would make sense for HCs to worry if their team would get blown out by Alabama. That's why the Duke game just feels like a money grab, twice. I'm sure it was the last thing on USC's mind when they agreed to play us but it happened. There's a lot to be gained if a team can show they can compete with a national powerhouse besides a win. A home and home would enhance the odds of getting national recognition for your program and at least one win, make mucho money and building great fan support with a marquee game on campus. But a lot of the teams we've been opening with had every right to believe they could upset the Tide.

 

[TerryP]

A home and home would enhance the odds of getting national recognition for your program and at least one win, make mucho money and building great fan support with a marquee game on campus.

A home and home enhances the odds of getting national exposure? I don't see how you come to that conclusion when you're talking games--like this year with Louisville, being broadcast nationally on ABC. If we look at this year the only competition is going to be Michigan vs Notre Dame on NBC. Which is going to carry the most viewers--ESPN affiliate or a Notre Dame sycophant network.

If you're making a comparison between neutral and home and home's with "make mucho money," it's empirically flawed reasoning. Granted, Bama is getting paid for one of the road trips on the schedule (1 million) but otherwise you've got a season with a lost home game and no neutral site game. It's likely, since these neutral site games are put together by Sports Council's for cities and TV networks that the home series would be regional, versus national. Lost exposure there.

Just one more example here from another teams' perspective. This notion about "let's go schedule the big boys" isn't based in reality. Let's take Ohio State. They've been adamant about whom they would schedule OOC games with under two criteria:

Noticeably absent, however, from the future slates is the school most associate with Ohio State from a national perspective: Alabama. According to the man responsible for putting together the Buckeyes schedule, that won’t change any time soon.​

​

“No. We’ve never talked to them,” Ohio State deputy director of athletics Martin Jarmond revealed last week.​

​

Jarmond explained the Buckeyes typically take a two-pronged approach when it comes to scheduling premier games:​

1. Does Ohio State possess a strong fan presence or alumni base in the prospective opponent’s region?
2. Is the Buckeyes coaching staff actively recruiting the area?

In the case of the Crimson Tide, neither factor applies.​

​

“You’re going to go to Alabama and you don’t have any kind of [fan] base there. You’re not recruiting Alabama,” said Jarmond, who recently was named athletic director at Boston College. “So two of the factors that we look at: alumni or fan support and then student-athletes, are we recruiting them?​

On a side note, I thought LSU's decision to play Wisconsin wasn't a good move. Outside of getting paid, what good did it do for LSU in terms of recruiting? What good for their fan base? It was a payday.

(I know people will continue to criticize the game against Duke. Yet, in this game Bama will face a team that's coached better than what...75% of the SEC?)

 

[TUSKtimes]

A home and home enhances the odds of getting national exposure? I don't see how you come to that conclusion when you're talking games--like this year with Louisville, being broadcast nationally on ABC. If we look at this year the only competition is going to be Michigan vs Notre Dame on NBC. Which is going to carry the most viewers--ESPN affiliate or a Notre Dame sycophant network.

Both types of events should bring national recognition and "much money" to your team, win or lose. The odds went up for the home team though and each team gets one of those. And getting a marquee game on campus with Alabama would build tremendous excitement. Seems straightforward enough.

Noticeably absent, however, from the future slates is the school most associate with Ohio State from a national perspective: Alabama. According to the man responsible for putting together the Buckeyes schedule, that won’t change any time soon.“No. We’ve never talked to them,” Ohio State deputy director of athletics Martin Jarmond revealed last week.Jarmond explained the Buckeyes typically take a two-pronged approach when it comes to scheduling premier games:

1. Does Ohio State possess a strong fan presence or alumni base in the prospective opponent’s region?
2. Is the Buckeyes coaching staff actively recruiting the area?

Could be that Urban Meyer wants no part of the Tide until they absolutely have to. He's running scared for his own unique reasons and it shouldn't reflect on the Penn States, Texas, or Notre Dames out there that do want a part of the Tide and our tradition. As far as recruiting an area, that's pretty lame as excuses go. We went to State College and are planning on invading South Bend. The land of the Catholics don't seem like a hotbed of recruiting activity. There are much better reasons to go.

On a side note, I thought LSU's decision to play Wisconsin wasn't a good move. Outside of getting paid, what good did it do for LSU in terms of recruiting? What good for their fan base? It was a payday.

Wasn't a great personal move for Les in that it's his only OOC regular season loss in the entire time at LSU. If we ever lose one of these opening neutral games and it cost us, you will hear many more negative things about why did we do that. Just human nature. Bama playing at Lambeau Field would be cool. Ever been to the Wisconsin Dells or the Northshore?

(I know people will continue to criticize the game against Duke. Yet, in this game Bama will face a team that's coached better than what...75% of the SEC?)

It's also a matchup that is going to get destroyed by the press and ESPN, and Bama fans are savvy enough to already know what we will hear endlessly for the entire season. Besides, it's hard to work up the excitement and energy for our fanbase to wade through Atlanta for Duke. It just is.

 

[TerryP]

Both types of events should bring national recognition and "much money" to your team, win or lose. The odds went up for the home team though and each team gets one of those. And getting a marquee game on campus with Alabama would build tremendous excitement. Seems straightforward enough.

How did a trip to Penn State, where Bama didn't get any money, equal "much money?" It's lost revenue. Period.

Could be that Urban Meyer wants no part of the Tide until they absolutely have to. He's running scared for his own unique reasons and it shouldn't reflect on the Penn States, Texas, or Notre Dames out there that do want a part of the Tide and our tradition. As far as recruiting an area, that's pretty lame as excuses go. We went to State College and are planning on invading South Bend. The land of the Catholics don't seem like a hotbed of recruiting activity. There are much better reasons to go

Ohio State is using the same criteria as Bama. If it doesn't benefit recruiting, there's no reason to go there. No reason to schedule a lot of teams.

You think Texas and USC want more exposure in the southeast? Why do you think Michigan scheduled a game in Texas? Or, why Harbaugh was having camps in the south. They get a lot out of these games. Teams from the south, traveling north, don't.

Why do you think the game with Penn State was scheduled? Look no further than Bama's roster and see the kids from the northeast. It was recruiting as the main driving force--part of Coach Moore's rebuilding.

Wasn't a great personal move for Les in that it's his only OOC regular season loss in the entire time at LSU. If we ever lose one of these opening neutral games and it cost us, you will hear many more negative things about why did we do that. Just human nature. Bama playing at Lambeau Field would be cool. Ever been to the Wisconsin Dells or the Northshore?

Yes. Beautiful country. Been there more than a dozen times in my lifetime.

What benefit is found playing there for Bama? Fans pleased? Okay, but that doesn't do much for the health of the program.

What benefit did LSU get from the game? Do you see names on their roster from that area of the country? Exposure? As I recall Auburn vs Clemson had higher ratings. The game of that Saturday was USC vs Bama. In other words, it was an also-ran.

It's also a matchup that is going to get destroyed by the press and ESPN, and Bama fans are savvy enough to already know what we will hear endlessly for the entire season. Besides, it's hard to work up the excitement and energy for our fanbase to wade through Atlanta for Duke. It just is.

One, who cares? It's only a few in the media that harp on that and it's a fed line. All you heard was Mercer, right? All you didn't hear was Bama finishing where in SOS rankings by season end? 6th. It's been higher in preceding years.

If I'm in the minority here I'll gladly, and proudly, remain. To me all of this reeks of bitching and it's not due to where Bama is, it due to where the rest of college football happens to be.

And, I'll repeat. This isn't our issue. It's high time for other programs to step up their game. There's nothing Bama can do about repeatedly killing teams in the SEC. Or, winning soundly against OOC teams.

 

[TUSKtimes]

How did a trip to Penn State, where Bama didn't get any money, equal "much money?" It's lost revenue. Period.

We got our home game the year before and our guys got their once in a lifetime trip to Happy Valley and our fans, including me, got to take in one of the rare treats in college football, a Penn State "whiteout" game. Every time I rewatch that game I smile and can say me and my family were some of those "red dots" in the crowd. Why not quit trying so hard to put a price tag on Bama football. You are starting to sound like Scrooge. Home and home is the right thing to do and most Bama fans are probably thinking its way past due.

Ohio State is using the same criteria as Bama. If it doesn't benefit recruiting, there's no reason to go there. No reason to schedule a lot of teams.

You think Texas and USC want more exposure in the southeast? Why do you think Michigan scheduled a game in Texas? Or, why Harbaugh was having camps in the south. They get a lot out of these games. Teams from the south, traveling north, don't.

Why do you think the game with Penn State was scheduled? Look no further than Bama's roster and see the kids from the northeast. It was recruiting as the main driving force--part of Coach Moore's rebuilding.

Not buying it as the primary focus in these home and homes. Neutral site game are self serving enough to see the recruiting advantage and the monetary advantage. Primarily scheduling ACC teams don't provide that much of anything else. We signed a 10-year contract with Penn State because Coach Bryant and Joe Paterno were buddies of a sort and wanted to get it on. Saban wanted to reignite the rivalry and it was on. Notre Dame will fit that same mode perfectly.

One, who cares? It's only a few in the media that harp on that and it's a fed line. All you heard was Mercer, right? All you didn't hear was Bama finishing where in SOS rankings by season end? 6th. It's been higher in preceding years.

If I'm in the minority here I'll gladly, and proudly, remain. To me all of this reeks of bitching and it's not due to where Bama is, it due to where the rest of college football happens to be.

And, I'll repeat. This isn't our issue. It's high time for other programs to step up their game. There's nothing Bama can do about repeatedly killing teams in the SEC. Or, winning soundly against OOC teams.

You are in the minority about Duke. This is just not going to be the same reaction the Bama fan base gets when we play Miami or USC coming up. It's Duke.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Awesome discussion.. @TUSKtimes and @TerryP .....allwe needed is a cold beer to make complete...