AlabamaGameday

What We Learned - Week One

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:07:00 +0000

The first week of the 2011 season is in the books. We know a little more than we did when we woke up yesterday about this Tide team, and the SEC in general. Here's our take on what we saw yesterday.

AJ McCarron is slightly ahead.
Splitting time under center yesterday had mixed results for the two quarterbacks. McCarron was 14 of 23 for 226 with a pick and two TDs. Sims was 7 of 14 for 73 yards with two INTs. McCarron has been in the system longer, but Sims at times seemed more fundamentally sound. Sims goes through his progressions much slower, but AJ seems to think there's no throw he can't make. In other words, McCarron may have a slight edge, this thing isn't settled.

We're loaded at running back.
Trent Richardson got the touchdowns, but didn't wow Heisman voters with his yards yesterday. He has the strength to run over defenders, and seemed to rely on that. Eddie Lacy, on the other hand, has the size to mow you down, but also the finesse to put a spin move on you. He still has trouble holding onto the ball, though.

There is no second receiver.
At least not yet. Marquise Maze had over 100 yards, but no other receiver came close.

Defense wins games.
We knew defense would be the strength of this team, and it shows. The secondary has great speed and fundamentals, and gets to the ball quickly. With an offense that's still figuring itself out, Alabama will need to keep opponents out of the end zone to hold onto a top ranking.

Elsewhere in the SEC, things shook out about like we expected. A few things that stood out:

LSU is very good.
Despite all the off-the-field controversy, LSU manhandled a lightning-quick Oregon team. It's already pretty clear the winner of Alabama-LSU will win the SEC West.

Auburn is very bad.
They rolled Toomer's Corner after a stunning comeback at home against Utah State. Longest winning streak in the country, Auburn fans will say. But this is a gimmicky, lucky team, and a lcuky streak can last a long time before it runs out.

Georgia is Georgia.
Let the vultures begin circling Athens. Mark Richt has yet again done less with more. He recruits elite talent, dresses them up in flashy gear, and sends them onto the field unprepared. He will not be back next year.

It's early in the season.
Most of the SEC played tuneup games yesterday, so it's hard to gauge where they really stand. Teams have time to make adjustments and ready themselves for the meat of an SEC schedule. For some teams, like Auburn and Georgia, there are more questions than answers. Once league play begins, things will come in much clearer focus.

SEC Week One Predictions

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Despite utter indifference by the blogosphere (is that still a word?), we're gonna give your our thoughts on the weekly slate of games. Sleepwriter will be playing the role of the studied analyst, whereas I will settle into my usual Corso-level wild guessing.All picks are for entertainment purposes only, and even that much is in doubt.

Kent State at Alabama
Sleepwriter: The #2 Crimson Tide begins with Head Coach Nick Saban's alma mater. Trent Richardson should shine early and give plenty of time for the rest of the RB fleet to get some carries. Which QB will start? I am comfortable with either one and I expect to see them both. Look for Alabama to lift the spirits of a storm-ravaged hometown with an opening statement.
Alabama 62 – Kent State 9

TonyOrlando: Neil Young needs to get ready for another Kent State Massacre (I swore I wouldn't make that joke...). QB auditions will be just another way this looks like a preseason game for the Tide. The defense should do its job, and plenty of folks should get to play.
Alabama 45 - Kent State 0

Missouri State at Arkansas
TonyOrlando: Speaking of defense, will bobby Petrino only coach one side of the ball this year, or will Arkansas make a serious run at the SEC title game? I'm going with yes, and no.
Arkansas 34 - 7

Sleepwriter: Arkansas continues to improve under coach Bobby Petrino. Fans are going to like QB Tyler Wilson. The loss of star RB Knile Davis is going to hurt the Razorbacks in the search for an SEC West title, but this game should help them get a clearer picture of who will step in for the injured Davis. Missouri State's Bears should not pose much of a threat. Arkansas 35 – Missouri State 6

Utah State at Auburn
Sleepwriter: By any measure, this game should be an easy pick. Utah State is a traditionally weaker school in a weak conference. Auburn is the defending BCS champion. However, Auburn's depth charts have been decimated in the off season to the point where 8 walk-ons earned scholarships and they are still below the NCAA limit. They should have enough to take care of business at home, but I don't look for it to be pretty and the season will just get worse. If the running game steps up, this score will be higher.
Auburn 17 – Utah State 10

TonyOrlando: We're all still smarting from last year's Auburn game, but this should be a fun year to watch these guys. Running their sandlot offense worked with a guy like Cam Newton in the backfield, but this year should be a lot steeper climb. We'll get to see how much of last year was Cam, how much was OC Gus Malzahn, and how little was Gene Chizik.
Auburn 24 - 12

Florida Atlantic at Florida
TonyOrlando: The Boom MFer era begins as the Schnellenberger era draws to a close. Florida has recruited for the spread for a few years, so the new, hard-nosed approach may have some bumps in the road. Still, there's plenty of talent at the Swamp, so we're looking at another opening week tuneup game.
Florida 24 - FAU 9

Sleepwriter: I confess, I like FAU and Howard Schnellenberger. Maybe it's his Alabama connection, or maybe it is because his name is more cumbersome than my own. Either way, Florida should handle this one with ease. It will be a tough road to make it to Atlanta this season, but the Gators will do better than expected. Look for FAU to hang in there for the first quarter or so.
Florida 28 – FAU 10

Boise State vs. Georgia
Sleepwriter: With both teams sporting ridiculous Power Ranger-looking uniforms for this game, it will be the prime time matchup of week 1. Boise, the smurfs of the blue turf, will visit the Georgia Dome to take on Georgia, the perennial C student of the SEC East. Boise has a reputation for getting fired up for their one or two real games each season, but it might not help them this time. I look for the Red Power Rangers of Georgia to make a statement in defense of their coach and get him off the hot seat. It will be exciting to watch, even if the score does not sound exciting.
Georgia 24 – Boise 17

TonyOrlando: I loathe Mark Richt. He's got a hotbed of talent, good facilities, and has squat to show for it because he prefers style over substance. He's taken a traditional SEC powerhouse team and turned them into a school players come to for the exposure and the cool unis, not to win titles. Still, Boise losing is always funny, so we gotta pull for that.
Georgia 23 - Boise 20 in OT

Oregon vs. LSU
TonyOrlando: The marquee matchup for week one pits last year's runner-up with the luckiest man alive. LSU wants to make a statement, and is more experienced on the national stage, last year notwithstanding. Defense will be the deciding factor in this one.
LSU 17 - Oregon 14

Sleepwriter: This one is tough to pick. Both teams are loaded with talent and both have had some off-season controversy. LSU is a real contender and I don't think the potential loss of QB Jefferson hurts them that much. As usual with the mad hatter, this one could run down to the last minute.
LSU 28 – Oregon 24

Brigham Young at Ole Miss
Sleepwriter: BYU emerges from the Mountain West conference into a new status as NCAA Independent and (prediction) new media darling to replace Boise as a potential BCS buster. BYU travels to Oxford to open up the first date on the Houston Nutt farewell tour.
BYU 42 – Ole Miss 10

TonyOrlando: Houston Nutt farewell tour. I like that.
Ole Miss 23 - BYU 20

East Carolina vs. South Carolina
TonyOrlando: Look, Steve Spurrier is never going to win the SEC. But he could have back-to-back appearances in the title game.
South Carolina 38 - ECU 17

Sleepwriter: By all logic, South Carolina should take this one if they are not looking ahead. It won't be an easy game but it could be high scoring. East Carolina is a talented team with a very good passing game (8th in the FBS last season). The Gamecocks, on the other hand, have lost some talent on defense. This one could be an upset, but the South Carolina running game should save them in a high scoring game.
South Carolina 42 – ECU 30

Montana at Tennessee
Sleepwriter: Look for some improvement from Tennessee this season. They have a good coach, Dooley, who is trying to rebuild. It will be a few years before we know if he is an SEC caliber coach like his dad. I don't know if they will give him the time he needs but he will give them the early victory the fans need with this game.
Tennessee 36 – Montana 10

TonyOrlando: I can't disagree with you there. But I can't stress this enough; I hate Tennessee. Still, seething hatred won't force me into a stupid pick.
Tennessee 38 - Montana 9

Elon at Vanderbilt
TonyOrlando: I gotta be honest. Who cares.
Vandy 18 - Elon 3
Sleepwriter: Vanderbilt looks to go 1-0 to start the season by taking on the Elon Phoenix from the Southern conference. Elon finished with a 6-5 record last season. Vanderbilt did not. However, the 2-10 Vandy should get halfway to their season total for 2010 with a win at home.
Vanderbilt 24 – Elon 10

Texas Tech vs Texas State
Sleepwriter: In a battle of two former coaches from the state of Alabama, Dennis Franchione meets Tommy Tuberville on Saturday. The 1-AA Independent Bobcats should put up a good fight early against the Red Raiders of Tech. However, as it should be, depth will be an issue as the day wears on and the Red Raiders should pull away.
Texas Tech 42 – Texas State 12

TonyOrlando: Again, comedy level is off the charts on this one. Tommy Tuberville has changed the Red Raiders from swashbucklers to a hardnosed SEC-style team. Meanwhile, Dennis Franchione continues his what-might-have-been run through college football's Skid Row. Tubby goes 2-1 against Kim's hubby.
Texas Tech 38 - 7

Checking in

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 13:33:00 +0000

Like a lazy, sleep-addled bear lurching out of its winter cave, we shamble out into the sunlight of another football season. Our traditional radio silence during the summer almost over, we prepare to sporadically post on the goings-on in Tuscalooosa.Mucho gracias to Sleepwriter for his contributions to keeping this site's stats out of the negative numbers. If you've managed to stumble into this place from elsewhere, welcome. A quick primer: we don't break down film, we don't analyze depth charts. Hell, we barely even post at all. But when we do, it's with a fan's love of the game, a Southern zeal for the Tide, and a microbrew close at hand.

We're not on Facebook; don't ask. Our Twitter feed is lively during games, so feel free to follow.

We'll see you shortly with our prediction picks. Until then, Roll Tide.

Profit Sharing for Players

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:13:00 +0000

The injury that ended Tyrone Prothro's career was gruesome. I thought about that today as I sat in Full Moon BBQ eating a slab of ribs for the 4^th of July. On the wall, there was a series of photos showing the great catch Prothro made against Southern Mississippi. You know the one.

It made me think of how many times that image has been reproduced for profit and how a great college player never saw any of the money. Some would say he got a free education and I agree that he got one of the best available. Is that enough?

Every product that carries the logo of the University must be approved by the licensing office and royalties are paid to the school. What would be wrong with putting back a percentage of each of those dollars and dividing the gains among the players who graduate each year?

I have no idea what it would take to get such a thing approved by the NCAA or if anyone would be willing to try. However, it could serve as an incentive to get an education because I would limit it only to players who graduate within the allotted five year time of their scholarships. If a player leaves early to go pro, they get nothing. If they are dismissed from the team or transfer, they get nothing. The only exception would be for a player whose career ends due to injury.

Maybe it would work if someone smarter than me could hammer out a plan and get it approved. Maybe I am just ready for the season to begin and wanted to talk a little football. What do you think?

SEC commish Slive prepares oversigning legislation

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:06:00 +0000

SEC commish Slive prepares oversigning legislation | CollegeFootballTalk

According to the dictionary, slive is a verb meaning "to sneak." How excited should we be that the commissioner who lets everyone take a week off before the Bama game is introducing legislation on signing recruits?

Alabama Crimson Tide's Aaron Douglas found dead - ESPN

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:41:00 +0000

Alabama Crimson Tide's Aaron Douglas found dead - ESPN

Sad News.

Tuscaloosa Prayers

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Thanks to all of the fans from other schools who have sent comments and prayers for the people of Tuscaloosa. If you are seeking to give to help others, please do so where you feel led. The Red Cross is also seeking blood donations.

As a graduate of the Capstone, I have been to the effected areas thousands of times. It will never be the same. All that is left are memories. More important, please remember the local families, students, and businesses who have lost homes, stores, or lives in this once in a generation disaster.

Roll Tide and God bless.

Alabama and Auburn Have One Thing in Common

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:03:00 +0000

They both compare themselves to Alabama.

When Auburn Fans Descend On Walmart

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:52:00 +0000

When Auburn Fans Descend On Walmart

Jay Leno jokes about Cam Newton

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:32:00 +0000

ESPN Alabama Roll Tide Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 01:52:00 +0000

Roll Tide.

The Mishandling of the Newton Story

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:50:00 +0000

The Mishandling of the Newton Story: "There is no bigger story in college sports than the Cam Newton situation developing in the national media. As of now, no one knows how it wi..."

Weary Crimson Tide Outlasts Ole Miss 23-10

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:13:00 +0000

It was a late night for Alabama football. After gutting out a win against the Why-They-Gotta-Be-Black Bears of Ole Miss, everyone, from the fans in the stands to the players – as well as head coach Nick Saban – looks fatigued. This is a tired, banged-up team, weary from taking haymakers every week from rested, prepared challengers. It's safe to say we all look forward to the bye week more than to next week's matchup with the hapless Volunteers.

In his post-game comments, a clearly tired and frustrated Saban publicly questioned the toughness of his players, challenging them to perform at a higher level.
Asked about players laying on the turf, before leaving the field for one play, Saban said, "You're telling the other guy, 'You're beating me up; I'm gonna stay down here.'" Alabama has an elite strength and conditioning program, and Saban wants players as mentally tough as they are physically. At this point, some of the younger players have yet to buy into the Process.

Aside from inexperience and exhaustion, the fact is, Alabama's opponents have figured them out. Contain the run, walk up the defensive backs, and make Greg McElroy check down. Alabama has tried to counter this by becoming more pass-oriented. But the offense isn't making plays with enough consistency to back defenses off the line. If Alabama could punish a defense for loading the box, Ingram and Richardson would have more room to run, and each would have vastly better numbers.

"We’ve got to execute, Saban said. "At times we did, and at times we didn’t."

Say what you will about Jim McElwain's play calling, Saban has the right and the ability to veto any play called. Alabama is passing the ball because that's what Nick Saban thinks we should be doing. If Alabama were making the throws, nobody would be complaining.

This is in no way an endorsement of benching Greg McElroy in favor of the inexperienced AJ McCarron. GMac is a leader; a tough player that won't lose a game for you. AJ may be the more gifted passer, but Saban clearly values experience (read, seniority) to raw talent. But McElroy is clearly outsmarting himself, and needs to let the ball go.

Alabama has what should be an easier time with Tennessee next week, but nothing is guaranteed in the SEC. If this offense can show balance, confidence and toughness, a lot of other things will fall into place.

Great Call - Book Signing

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:09:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of attending a book signing for a friend this evening. Tom Ward's book on the Paul Finebaum show is called Great Call - Why the Finebaum Show Is America's Barbershop. From left to right: Tammy, Author Tom Ward, Me, Shane.

Now Everyone Knows Bama Is The Best

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:42:00 +0000

And now we know.

We know Alabama can start fast. Alabama came out swinging on the anniversary of the Thrilla in Manilla, and by halftime, it looked like the refs might stop the fight. Alabama capitalized on Florida miscues, and jumped out to a huge lead early, despite unimpressive numbers from Ingram and McElroy.

We know Urban Meyer coaches to his tendencies. Despite a center with more control issues than Nuke LaLoosh, Meyer thinks the jump pass is as indefensible as a Jabbar skyhook. At this point, the Florida coach should be the spokesperson for Rolaids.
We know it's still a long season, and Alabama has to deal with the Ol' Ball Coach, the insane luck of Les Miles, and an Auburn team that's being hyped well beyond their actual quality. But Alabama is improving by leaps and bounds on defense. The kicking game is not nearly as suspect as we assumed. And offensively, we just have more tools than any team can defend at one time.

Is there any doubt who the number one team is? Who else can honestly claim it? Oregon doesn't play defense. Boise State doesn't play anyone. We'll hear from now until December that it's a down year in the SEC, because one team is running roughshod through the conference. Don't believe it; I'd take Florida over Ohio State right now, straight up.

We knew Alabama was good. After running over the Gators, we know they're far and away the best team in the SEC, and likely the nation.

Alabama defeats Arkansas 24-20

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 14:51:00 +0000

It's been a while since we've been this worried about the game, and for good reason. Arkansas jumped on Alabama quickly, and mistakes by the Tide had Arkansas ready to pull a huge upset. But Alabama didn't buckle, and showed why they're the champs.At halftime, several friends texted to ask if the lucky coaches' shirt was on (it wasn't), and what was going to be done about it (it was quickly put on). Out of curiosity, did you do anything different in the second half to give the Tide some mojo?

More importantly at the half, Nick Saban made adjustments and began pressuring Ryan Mallet into making mistakes. Mark Ingram continues to dominate with the ball, and Greg McElroy overcame early mistakes.

In all, the Tide played like a team that's been there before, overcoming mistakes and showing that they know how to win. Were you ask scared as we were at halftime?

Follow You, Follow Me

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:24:00 +0000

This is where we are: Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno and ESPN's College Gameday are all in Tuscaloosa on the birthday of Coach Bryant. Alabama are the defending champs, and are prepared to put it on Penn State.

As the beer flows like wine and the pork butt slowly smokes this afternoon, we'll be Tweeting as often as it hits us. Come follow us, and let us follow you too.

Alabama Gameday 2010

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:19:00 +0000

When we last checked in, Alabama had ascended to the mountaintop after a generation of wandering in the desert. Mission accomplished, right? No reason to keep blathering on about why being a Crimson Tide fan is a way of life; we get it already.

And yet, with football season upon us once again, we realize we're just too full of Alabama.

Others cover stats, news and rosters. Roll Bama Roll is truly the gold standard of Alabama blogs in that regard. All we do is occasionally talk about the media that cover Alabama football, Tide fandom itself, and try to explain why every Fall our mood, attire and very lives revolve around the actions of a group of college athletes.

So with no promise of consistency, objectivity, or even regularity, we have returned. Come say hi if you get a chance. Check in on the Twitter feed during games, where we likely have more to say about the commercials than the game itself. And save us a rib, willya?

College Playoff? Be careful what you ask for

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:31:00 +0000

The BCS is flawed, but it does meet the goal it agreed to accomplish - pitting #1 against #2. I think it needs major reform, but if you think a playoff is the answer to fairness, be careful what you wish for. Either way, I think it is not the business of government to interfere.

Right now, the NCAA is an organization with voluntary membership which allows each member organization to vote on the rules and regulations - including how it picks champions. The member schools, voting in their own interests, have voted almost unanimously against a playoff for a reason. A playoff would severely harm most of the member institutions and damage some permanently.

The first question is: how do you pick the teams? By using the polls, which people already think are flawed? Or by forcing all conferences to add a game to get a conference champion and then add wild cards to fill out a bracket? Does anyone think every conference champion is really one of the best 16 teams in the country? Boise beat UC Davis this season, a 6-5 Conference champ. Some conference champs did not even finish in the top 25. Why should they be there instead of teams with tougher schedules? Even Boise St, media darlings of the awful blue turf, went undefeated on a schedule that featured two teams with respectable records and 3 teams with a combined 6-31 record. Most of the teams they played were losing teams in weak divisions. Hardly worth jumping over anyone.

Let's look at the SEC as an example. This season, 10 teams made it to bowl games. While that may be too many, there is a lot of money in it for those schools. Football money pays for academic programs at the schools. These are schools, after all. Bowl schools share revenue with each school in their respective conference, so Alabama making a bowl game (or Auburn) paid for programs at schools that did not go to bowls. So, Alabama winning the BCS gave lots of money to the MSU English department (hypothetically). In a 16 team playoff, at best two SEC teams would participate in post season action. Why on earth would the SEC vote to voluntarily harm the majority of its schools by removing bowl money? Don't fall for the argument that we could maintain the bowls. All tv contracts have a clause releasing them from bowl coverage in case a playoff is in place. There would be no money to share by maintaining both systems.

Some people argue that it works in the lower divisions. They would have a point if they were correct. However, those schools have few, if any, traveling fans. They lose money on the playoffs, have to subsidize their sports with academic budgets (instead of the opposite), and who remembers who won that epic matchup between Ithaca and Frostburg State? I love football, but this is about the schools and the fans. They probably have more band members traveling to the games than actual fans.

A typical SEC game can have 80,000 fans or more on a given Saturday. The logistics of planning for that many people to travel in a week's time to another playoff venue is impossible to fathom. There is almost no fan travel in lower divisions. Don't get me wrong, I love a good football game at any level and I have been to many Div II and Div III games, but they are not the same. Never will be.

But, what about the NCAA basketball tournament you might ask. It is what it is. They play tournaments in central locations and schools in the tournament get very few tickets to the dance and they almost never sell out of the 1000 or so tickets allotted to them. That would hardly work when you have 80,000 fans waiting to travel on a moment's notice in football. Logistically, it makes no sense. Fans want what they are being told they want.

What about the host cities? With the bowl system, the city makes millions of dollars in hotel, restaurant, entertainment, taxes, etc. In a playoff, that crowd is largely gone - or does the Stagg Bowl pump millions of dollars into wherever it is now that we don't know about? Bowls donate money to charities in host cities. Every bowl has a contract clause that releases them from their financial responsibilities in the event of a playoff. Why, because they will make no money because TV networks also get released from covering those bowls in the event of a playoff scenario. All of a sudden, most schools will find that football loses money for their schools and there is no reward for achievement.

Finally, the vast majority of players, like coaches and school Presidents, do not want a playoff. They get paid expense bonuses for bowl games and they get bowl swag that they will no longer get. On top of that, they will have to go through four more weeks of physical abuse, screw up their schedules for finals, and there is still no guarantee that the best team will win - even in a playoff.

A first round game in a 16 team playoff would have featured exciting matchups like Troy vs Texas. In the case of Alabama, they beat the previous four national champions last season on the way to winning their conference title and an undefeated season - should they have been forced to play one more game so that a 9-5 East Carolina could take a shot and try to claim a championship by winning one game? How is that more accurate than #1 vs #2? How would fans like it if, during the Iron Bowl, Saban benched all of the starters and decided the game didn't matter because he had to get ready for Florida in the SEC championship? Fans would be irate! However, Indianapolis did it during the final week of the NFL season so as not to risk injuries before the playoffs. I like the fact that every game counts in college. That's why the stadium is full every Saturday in the fall. Why try to ruin an amateur sport that everyone enjoys? Some fans cry about a playoff, but they show up and fill the stadium every week because the games mean something to them.

So, the question is - if a private governing body decides it wants to pit #1 and #2 in a game and call that a champion - and all member organizations agree to that goal - what purpose does the government have in sticking its nose into it? Can we agree on that point?

Some people will also point to the 2004 Auburn team and their "people's champions rings" as an example of a team who might have deserved a shot. They had a fantastic year. I do understand the frustration of Auburn fans (remember, Alabama had an AP title yanked out from under them in favor of Notre Dame in the late 70s), Auburn was in control of their destiny in 2004 and they shot themselves in the foot at the administration level when they let Bowling Green out of their contract at the last minute. The BCS game came down to two undefeated teams, USC and Oklahoma. Throw out the fact that USC beat Auburn at home 23 - 0 the previous season and that still leaves Oklahoma as a question mark. However, Oklahoma picked up Bowling Green from the Auburn schedule and Auburn had to scramble to get 1AA Citadel, which finished the season 3-7, to fill the slot. Oklahoma then went on to beat an undefeated Texas team, while only four Auburn opponents finished the season with winning records. So, while they can rightfully claim they got a bad break, it isn't the fault of the BCS.

A playoff could work in one scenario. The top 12 or 16 schools should break away from the pack and form a new league, play each other, crown a champion, and keep the money for themselves. Unfortunately, most people would never agree which elite programs in the nation would break away. There would likely only be one team from Alabama in that new super conference, for example. No one would be happy with that either when their teams were formally relegated to a second tier.

Going For Thirteen

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:42:00 +0000

We've come out of hiding for one reason only: on Thursday, Alabama returns to the national championship game for the first time since 1993. After years of sanctions, coaching changes and disastrous seasons, Alabama has a chance at redemption. In only three seasons, Nick Saban returned the Tide to greatness, and they are favored by nearly a touchdown.

To all Alabama fans – from Northport to Birmingham, Orlando to Seattle, New York to Afghanistan – this is the moment we have waited for. This is why we are Tide fans. This is our moment.

Let's get ready to Roll, Tide.

SEC Championsip Open Thread at AlabamaGameFace

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Our sister site, AlabamaGameFace, is hosting an open thread all day in honor of the Tide/Gators showdown. Members can stop in, make predictions, take part in live chat and smack talk before, during and after the game. Best of all, it's free to join up. See you there!

12-0... And Ain't Won Nothin' Yet

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:26:00 +0000

After taking Auburn's best shot, a flat Tide team drove the field and scored the go-ahead touchdown to beat Auburn 26-21. A brilliant pass call by Coach Saban led to the touchdown, and Alabama now can focus on Florida in the SEC Championship Game.

Auburn, And Back Where We Came From

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:35:00 +0000

About three and a half years ago, we posted some thoughts on the differences between Alabama and Auburn on a message board. It got a lot of good feedback, so we started this blog. It's time again for that annual contest, and look how far the Tide has come.

At the time, the country was abuzz with news of Nick Saban's arrival at the Capstone, and fans were crazed with anticipation over finally having a coach that could return the team to the title picture. Alabama football had fallen so far, over such a long period, that even true believers wondered if Saban could bring Alabama back to national prominence.

Meanwhile, Auburn fans were reveling in the streak of wins over Alabama, and adoring their smirking head coach, who was a master at tweaking his rival school. They had the edge in talent, the edge in coaching, and the edge in recruiting. In short, Auburn was the superior team.

What a difference a couple years make.

Last year, Auburn's collapse was total, and Saban's Alabama team administered a soul-cleansing beating in Tuscaloosa, exorcising all the demons that had plagues fans. Alabama now stands on the edge of a second consecutive undefeated regular season, and a real chance to play for the national championship. While rivalry games can be crazy, this one should be a Bama win, and then it's on to Atlanta, which in the last couple years has served as a second home field for Alabama.

Whatever happens to the rest of this season, it's truly good to be an Alabama fan again, and to see a new generation of fans understand the excellence that had almost become a distant memory. Wearing Alabama clothing once again gets you a respectful 'Roll Tide' in public. Alabama is again one of the top programs in the nation, and the bandwagon is filling up.

While we're not exactly riding off into the sunset, we've said just about everything we wanted to say about Alabama fandom. This has never been a news site, or an analysis of plays or players. It was simply a way for a lifelong fan to try to express love of the Crimson Tide. Now many people are beginning to share that love.

We'd love to know what makes you a fan of the Tide. Drop us a comment, an email, or come on over to AlabamaGameFace to talk Tide sports with us. Join up (free), and start a discussion. To everyone who has read, written, and supported us, we can only say, Roll Tide.

Far Too Late To Post An LSU Wrapup

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:31:00 +0000

But here it is anyway:

LSU has some fantastic athletes, but were physically whipped by Alabama. It's also pretty obvious Tiger players are coached to flop like Croatian soccer players when the team needs to stop the clock for a bit. LSU used about 12 timeouts in the second half.

All due respect to the greatness that is Julio; I certainly hope he's not short-arming catches and trying to draw flags instead of completions, all with an eye toward a future NFL payday.

You pass to set up the run. You run to set up the pass. It's that simple, Guy Who Just Wants To Give It To Ingram.

God bless ya, Leigh Tiffin.

LSU Week - Get Up & Dance

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:54:00 +0000