My name is Trae Lockwood. I have been an Alabama fan since I was seven years-old. I became a fan when I heard a story of a great coach benching his starting QB before a bowl game because the QB didn't adhere to the team rules. Even at that young age, I was impressed by the guts it took to make that decision, and even more impressed that the team still won without its number 1 QB.
Many years later, I am dissapointed that the University that prides itself on having the greatest coach in history fails to immulate him in any way. Alabama officials have shown no class, loyalty, or integrity to any of the coaches since Coach Bryant retired. Coach Bryant would have never accepted the ineptitude that has been shown since his retirement. If he were able to contact any single official associated with the University of Alabama, I am quite sure he would share his displeasure with the actions that transpired after his retirement.
No coach is safe here. Not one single one. Winning 10 ballgames is not enough. If memory serves me correct, there has only been one coach to not do so at Alabama since Coach Bryant left. In fact, winning a National Championship is not enough. You people ran Coach Stallings off when he was poised to become the next great coach at BAMA. You have, simply put, been waiting on Coach Bryant to return. I would have hoped that after 20+ years you would have figured out that he was not coming back. I know of only one time in history that a dead man came back to life, and that happened close to 2000 years ago.
If I sound a little irritated by your inability to maintain the standards of excellence that were set so long ago, you are correct. Time and time again I have seen you fire/run off a coach waiting on the second-coming of Coach Bryant. Allow me to state the obvious again. HE AIN"T COMING BACK!!! I wish he was, but he isn't. I know I already stated this, but allow me this as I have allowed you to repeat yourself repeatedly by firing/running off good coaches.
I would also like to point out that many of the coaches were not given ample time to prove themselves. Respectfully, I submit that either Curry or Perkins never had a snowballs chance. Bebes was run off for what ever stupid reason/excuse you can come up with. Dubose was his own worst enemy. Fran ran. Price, well he was never going to get a shot was he? And poor Mike Shula had only a little better chance than Price. In case you can't, I see a pattern in there.
In closing, your firing of Mike Shula was a classless act that is now reaping what you have sown. Any person with just a little comon sense knew that this (2006) would be a down season for the Crimson Tide. Every pre-season show in America that talked about Alabama basically said the same thing; Bama won't be much this year, but wait till next year. You could not do so, and now we are once again the laughing stock of college football. If this was your mission, congratulations on your success. I hope the rest of your dreams come true.
Respectfully Submitted,
Charles M. Lockwood, III
"Trae"
PS...For what its worth, money is not the solution to the problems at Alabama. You can not simply throw a bunch of money at a coach and expect him to come and win anymore. Alabama is not the football program it once was. I blame you for this. I suspect this will take you another 20 years to learn this as well.
Many years later, I am dissapointed that the University that prides itself on having the greatest coach in history fails to immulate him in any way. Alabama officials have shown no class, loyalty, or integrity to any of the coaches since Coach Bryant retired. Coach Bryant would have never accepted the ineptitude that has been shown since his retirement. If he were able to contact any single official associated with the University of Alabama, I am quite sure he would share his displeasure with the actions that transpired after his retirement.
No coach is safe here. Not one single one. Winning 10 ballgames is not enough. If memory serves me correct, there has only been one coach to not do so at Alabama since Coach Bryant left. In fact, winning a National Championship is not enough. You people ran Coach Stallings off when he was poised to become the next great coach at BAMA. You have, simply put, been waiting on Coach Bryant to return. I would have hoped that after 20+ years you would have figured out that he was not coming back. I know of only one time in history that a dead man came back to life, and that happened close to 2000 years ago.
If I sound a little irritated by your inability to maintain the standards of excellence that were set so long ago, you are correct. Time and time again I have seen you fire/run off a coach waiting on the second-coming of Coach Bryant. Allow me to state the obvious again. HE AIN"T COMING BACK!!! I wish he was, but he isn't. I know I already stated this, but allow me this as I have allowed you to repeat yourself repeatedly by firing/running off good coaches.
I would also like to point out that many of the coaches were not given ample time to prove themselves. Respectfully, I submit that either Curry or Perkins never had a snowballs chance. Bebes was run off for what ever stupid reason/excuse you can come up with. Dubose was his own worst enemy. Fran ran. Price, well he was never going to get a shot was he? And poor Mike Shula had only a little better chance than Price. In case you can't, I see a pattern in there.
In closing, your firing of Mike Shula was a classless act that is now reaping what you have sown. Any person with just a little comon sense knew that this (2006) would be a down season for the Crimson Tide. Every pre-season show in America that talked about Alabama basically said the same thing; Bama won't be much this year, but wait till next year. You could not do so, and now we are once again the laughing stock of college football. If this was your mission, congratulations on your success. I hope the rest of your dreams come true.
Respectfully Submitted,
Charles M. Lockwood, III
"Trae"
PS...For what its worth, money is not the solution to the problems at Alabama. You can not simply throw a bunch of money at a coach and expect him to come and win anymore. Alabama is not the football program it once was. I blame you for this. I suspect this will take you another 20 years to learn this as well.
