Another season is gone. Another missed opportunity for excellence. This season should have been substantially better, but the malaise hanging over the Alabama program is more substantial than the malaise days of Jimmy Carter. This Alabama team underachieved not just because of lack of talent, but because a lack of character.
Given time it will change. But patience isn’t always easy when season after season after season after season are squandered. Years and years gone—over a decade that the locust hath eaten.
But there is little choice other than patience. The problems around the athletic department and in the football program were profound—perhaps even more profound than even Mike Shula’s most vociferous critics imagined.
For the first time since Gene Stallings walked the sidelines, Alabama has a competent head coach. A coach worthy of the program. A coach competent on and off the field. A coach not likely to shock us with tales of strippers or sexretaries.
He will shock and awe us with his hard work, and success in recruiting.
The focus now switches from the gridiron to the recruiting lists. Everyone will eagerly watch the recruiting rankings, because it is there where a new hope resides.
There are other areas of interest to fans during the long stretch into post season, national signing day and spring practice. One major area is the national coaching searches, and the disgraceful manner in which Tommy Tuberville is treating Auburn.
Tuberville is a mediocre coach who has developed into an above average coach over the last nine years (largely helped by Alabama’s NCAA troubles.) He is despised by Auburn’s inner circle for a host of reasons. But simply put, Tuberville is more about Tuberville than Auburn. Nothing proves it more than the manner in which Tuberville and his camp have promoted the rumors of his possible exodus from the Plains. Even in the world of self-centered coaches, Tuberville seems excessively narcissistic.
First Tuberville was promoting himself as A&M’s first choice, but as that bargaining chip came undone over the weekend, the Tuberville camp began floating this story about Arkansas being interested in the Auburn coach.
I find it laughable, and will enjoy the fighting between factions around the Auburn program. It couldn’t happen at a more fortuitous time. Auburn is poised for continued power struggles as Alabama’s base is unified.
Tuberville will remain at Auburn. He’s not the first choice of any of the major job openings—despite the Tuberville press assertions. A stalemate has developed on the Plains. Tuberville is strong enough to prevent a coup, but how long that lasts remains to be seen. Next season Tuberville will lose his third straight to Georgia, and face a more substantial challenge from Alabama. His days are numbered, but it is unlikely he would escape this year despite the substantial number of coaching jobs open this season. Why? Good question, but none of the major powers seem to have serious interest. That could change, but I find it doubtful.
Les Miles may stay at LSU as rumors are heavy around Michigan and Iowa that Kirk Ferentz is a possibility for the Wolverines. That seems a bizarre choice. However, Miles is a buffoon at LSU. He’s done less with more than any other coach in the nation. He has managed to lose games he should win. I’ll be happy if he stays at LSU. I’d hate to see Michigan take a step down like that. Plus, I’d like to beat him several times after his stupid remarks following the Saban hire.
7 thoughts on “Another season…gone”
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I agree this season could have been better. Wins against MSU & LaMonroe would have helped the record. Looking at the game Saturday night, it would be arguable that Bama had a talent advantage in any facet of the game. In the areas that really make a difference, O & D lines, we were vastly out-manned. It will take some time before Saban can catch up in those areas. We have all waited 6 years to beat AU, we can wait 1 more.
This Alabama team lost because it’s coach lost his team. You cannot throw your players and assistant coaches under the bus over and over without them noticing. Arent’ you bammers wondering WHY Saban can’t get any decent assistant coaches? It’s because he has a HABIT of throwing them under the bus at the first hint of trouble. He is far more concern with getting better national press than he is with impressing the UAT faithful.
You guys have to look at the FACTS and realize that you back the WRONG horse in this race. Saban is NOT worth $4 million a year. He will not substantially improve next year, and he will be GONE. It’s already clear that the bammer fans are questioning his value. He lost to a ULM team that Shula easily beat. No decent assistants will work for him, and his current players have been in a virtual mutiny. If I had a son playing for him, watching him blame his players for the team’s losses, listening to all the stupid bammer fans parroting him and complaining about the “untalented” bammer team, I’d be in Saban’s face FREQUENTLY. It’s incredibly classless as a coach to behave this way, But I don’t expect you kool aid drinkers to agree with that.
Kevin that comment is just plain out stupid. Saban has had every chance in the world to down John Parker Wilson for his inconsistent ball control, but he just keeps taking up for him. You need to know a little bit about what you are talking about before you start commenting about these topics. I am a diehard BAMA fan and know that John Parker Wilson looked a lot better last year than this year. Yeah he played great against Tennessee, but take that game away and most of the LSU game and he has been less than average. Give Saban a break and give him some time. WE WILL BE ON TOP AGAIN.
I AM TIRED OF US USING PROBATION AND COACHING CHANGES AS EXCUSES. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LOSING TO LA MONROE. THE BARNERS HAD 3 DIFFERENT COACHES AND 6 YEARS OF PROBATION DURING OUR 9 YEAR STREAK ON THEM. SHOULD WE NOT COUNT THOSE WINS? MISS STATE I CAN LIVE WITH;THEY BEAT AU AND KY,BUT COME ON. LA MONROE?
I do apologize for my precarious comment, you guys.
I’m just an inferior Barnie living in this hell hole known as “Aubarn” in the luxurious Wire Road Double Wide suites, and I’m also a current Alabama Polytechnic Institute student, majoring in sociology. I’ve been attending Alabama Polytechnic Institute for 7 years now and I almost have my freshman year behind me!!
I just have these uncontrollable jealous outbursts toward you guys that I can’t seem to handle myself at certain times.
I realize Alabama is on the way back up, while simultaneously, Alabama Polytechnic Institute is on their way back down — where they belong. I along with the Barnie family, have made a fortune off of poking fun at ‘Bama during their weakened state, because I realize prior to 2002, the year Alabammer was sentenced to a five year period of probation, API lost 8 out of 12 games against Alabama. I also refuse to admit that in 4 of those 6 games, Alabama had a myriad of key players out due to injuries.
I touched base on class, but I refuse to observe my very own coach’s impeccable amount of class in which he has displayed on numerous occasions including: holding up 4, 5, and 6 fingers, taunting the loser of the Iron Bowl; Allowing his players to stomp UA’s midfield logo; Taking the field first in Bryant-Denny; Allowing his players to stomp LSU’s midfield logo while he fires a fat one.
Anyway, I’m about to head off to another API rodeo, seeing how there’s no other proper method of partying down here other than hearing Trotline, Northern Railroad, or Corey Smith at the only bar we have in this redneck infested hell hole known as Aubarn.
Good luck to you guys or y’all next season. It really sucks to be me!
Whhar damme ighul hay!!