I was sick today. So, I spent the day on the couch watching DVDs and CNBC. Erin Burnett is hot. Or maybe I just liked seeing Goldman up for a change, but my BP was still down. So, I think it was that she is hot. As for the DVDs, I watched Firefly and Felicia Day’s The Guild. Vork reminded me of one of my old newspaper co-workers. Scary. OK, that is enough of my semi-medicated rambling. On to this week’s roundtable.

Third Saturday in Blogtober asks the questions for this week’s Crimson & White Roundtable. You can follow the discussion about the Alabama Crimson Tide’s football team at the Roundtable’s website. My responses:

1. Whenever a media outlet evaluates the Tide heading into the fall, the first three questions are always ‘how will the Tide replace Terrence Cody?’, ‘will the secondary be a weakness?’, and ‘what sort of liability will special teams be?’ After these three obvious questions, is there another area not being discussed that could be problematic this fall?

I’m going to worry about the offensive line. It has been a strength the last few years, but if I have to pick something to worry over then it is the offensive line. I wasn’t thrilled with the pass protection in a few games last year, and I certainly wasn’t thrilled with the pass protection in the A-Day game. Of course, Alabama’s defensive line is among the best units in the nation, but there just seemed to be a few breakdowns in protection. I’m not saying it is a problem, but I want to see some improvement there.

2. Every season since Coach Saban showed up on campus, at least two true freshman have distinguished themselves either as starters or as standout contributors on offense or defense. In 2007, it was Rolando McClain and Kareem Jackson, followed by Julio Jones and Donta Hightower in 2008, and last year it was Trent Richardson and (arguably) Nico Johnson. Who do you see being an immediate asset for the class of 2010?

Likely, it would be one or more of the defensive backs like Fulton and Milliner. You could also see one of the tight ends get into a role to contribute.

3. We’re all hopeful that Alabama goes undefeated for the third consecutive regular season, but ‘unlikely’ doesn’t begin to describe the difficulty of that. If Alabama is going to lose at least one game, the question is not which is most likely, but which loss could you stomach the easiest?

Penn State. While it would suck to deal with the arrogant Big Ten fans (you know the school I’m talking about), the Penn State fans are among the classiest in all of football. In addition, they aren’t from around here. That means less trash talk. Of course, I’m not sure Penn State fans trash talk. They have too much class.

4. Lots of people are pointing to the Georgia State game as the functional equivalent of a bye week. Agree or disagree?

Agree. However, there are several pitfalls and almost all of the pitfalls relate to injuries from either practice or the game.

5. We’ve been talking about hypothetical expansion for weeks now and the consensus is that the SEC will expand if it feels so compelled by the moves of other conferences. For a few days a specious rumor has been circulating on MSM sources that the Big Ten has extended invitations to Nebraska, Missouri, Notre Dame, and Rutgers (one version includes Syracuse). If this group of invites were true, would this be enough to cause the SEC to attempt expansion? Why or why not?

The SEC will expand if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams, or it raids the Big XII for two teams. With the leaks from Missouri, it looks like Missouri has already shaken the dust off its shoes and headed for a new conference. If the story is true about Nebraska, then the SEC will try to raid the Big XII for 2-4 teams. Why? Because these schools value college athletics in the same passionate manner as the SEC. This creates tremendous value for television.

While people in college athletics like to pretend this isn’t about the money. It is all about the money. The Big Ten’s desire to expand the conference is all about getting a championship game (more money), and creating more programming for its Big Ten Network (more money), and expanding the footprint of cable services offering the Big Ten Network (more money!) These are reasonable goals. Of course, it will intensify the arms race that is already underway in college football. Does anyone think the SEC would stand still while the Big Ten and Pac 10 made major moves in this arms race?

10 thoughts on “Roundtable: Questions about 2010”

  1. Wrong, wrong and wrong again. No way in hell we could endure the sting of losing to the holier than thou Big 10. Especially not Penn St who’s own fans rate all four of their QB’s as incapable of beating Bama, and are conceeding the game and waiting on revenge in 2011. And don’t make me sick with that syrupy ass kissing you give their fans. They just aren’t traditionally blogosphere fans. But if you prickem’ they have their fair share of assholes just like everybody else. I know cause I’ve delt with them on a personal level ever since 1978. Florida – that’s the team we could stomach losing to and it might even happen. Then how sweet it would be to get revenge in the game that counts when rematched for the SEC Championship and a spot in the BCSNCG. RTR!

  2. Actually, I think South Carolina would probably be the easiest to take. It is a little late in the season, but it is a SEC West game so we would still control our own destiny in the East. It is a road game coming right after the Florida game and USCe always plays someone hard that they have no business playing with.

  3. Cappy, there really shouldn’t be ANY worries of injuries in the Ga. State game. Bama’s 1st and 2nd string should not even step on the field during that game, and should not do anything more in practice that week than they would using a bye week. The grad assistants can handle all of the game planning.

    We all make the jokes about some teams being “high school teams”, but it’s really true with Ga. State. This is Ga. State’s 1st year of playing football, and that’s in the FCS division. I have no doubt that Hoover or Prattville could beat Ga. State easily. That is absolutely embarrasing that Bama scheduled them.

  4. Somebody from the cow college embarrassed by Alabama? How absurd! You’re an embarrassment waiting to happen. I’d give good odds that Ga. State could beat Furman. Bama should be comended for her congieniality in helping a flegeling program get off it’s feet. The game will be sold out and will probably be the biggest pay check GS ever sees. I guess you retarded cocksuckers would like to see Bama play Notre Dame instead just before your shit team with only 5 days rest and at the end of the most fucked up schedule in SEC history. Screw you. Nothing will save the Barns ass in BDS! Bama 41 the Barn 13. RTR!

  5. EG, you think Ga State could hang with Furman?? Upon what delusion do you base that statement on?? Here’s a few established teams that Furman actually beat last year: Chattanooga, Samford, Ga. Southern, and Wofford. Here’s the murderers row that Ga.State will play this year before Bama:
    Shorter (who??); Jacksonville State; Campbell (who??); Morehead State (aren’t they in the SWAC??); Savannah State (???); North Carolina Central (who is that???); Old Dominion (they play football??) South Alabama (they’re the old man on the mountain now because this is their SECOND year of playing football.) and mighty Lambuth (I have no words). That’s right EG…Bama allowed themselves to be the final team on that schedule. If that’s not embarrassing, then there’s no such thing as a scheduling embarrasment.

  6. Auburn is afraid to play big games like the Chick-fil-A game, but Auburn fans dare to mock Alabama’s out of conference schedule. Auburn is an embarrassment to the SEC.

  7. No dontcare, unlike bammers I will freely admit that Jay Jacobs and AU were total chickenshi#s for not grabbing that game. Bammers will sit there and defend playing Ga State and act like they scheduled So.Cal.

  8. Julio….just shut up and grow a pair. You sound (or read) like a whiny Bitch.

  9. Snappy comeback 13. Maybe next time you can respond with “I know you are but what am I?”

  10. You Barners should pay more attention to your head coach Cheezwhizzer.And I quote, “We’re in the process of being exactly where we want to be.” Cheezwhizzer knows his team much better than any of you and doesn’t sound too confident.DWWD Y’all.

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