Who Are We?

[bamaga]

I know it's nice to think that, but he quit for a reason...

Things change.

"No Country For Old Men"

I think that reason is mostly coaches, a little the players with their hands out . I agree with BigTide, he would have found a way to dominate, if he could hire the Kirby Smarts , Will Muschamps or Steve Sarkisians . Those type of young coaches can now get the Saban like training in Athens, Eugene and Austin . Why put up with his demeanor and the constant threat of retirement?

 

[davefrat]

I think I might not even watch us anymore the rest of the year. I have way more important stuff to do than drive myself crazy and raise my blood pressure while Tennessee and/or LSU absolutely evicerate our defense. Whatever this team is, it’s NOT Alabama. That, plus the overall state of the sport these days is laughable compared to what college football should be.

My wife quit watching because she doesn’t want the extra stress (she’s a super-competitive former D1 athlete).

I still watch because at the end of the day, it’s still just a game (and I’m just another middle-aged slob).

 

[B1GTide]

I still watch because at the end of the day, it’s still just a game

When I get here, I won't watch anymore.

 

[colbysullivan]

When I get here, I won't watch anymore.

Exactly. The “it’s just a game” stuff may work for some people, and that’s fine. Not for me though.

 

[64met]

A MESS! That is all

 

[davefrat]

When I get here, I won't watch anymore.

Do you watch any games that you’re not emotionally invested in?

And if so, why?

 

[davefrat]

Exactly. The “it’s just a game” stuff may work for some people, and that’s fine. Not for me though.

Same question to you, do you only watch games that you’re emotionally invested in?

Do you watch any games just because you like watching football?

 

[graydogg85]

First off, I think a lot of what we are seeing is the byproduct of NIL, the transfer portal, the expanded playoff - and the increased parity that you'll continue to see with those dynamics at play. A lot of folks have used the term "NFL Lite" and I think that's exactly what college football is becoming. The powers that be are getting their wish. CNS said at the beginning of this season that the NFL's dream is for every team to be 8-8 at the end of the year - all the fans are still engaged and playoff hopes are still alive, and revenue keeps flowing in. At the end of the day, that's what this is really all about. The days of an elite group of 10-15 teams dominating the sport year in and year out are probably coming to a close.

As far as our team goes: I understand the frustration that comes with a loss on the road to Vandy and a struggle win against an average South Carolina team. We've had 16 years of mostly dominance and frankly have become a very spoiled fan base.

Here's my take: a drop-off after the retirement of the greatest coach in the modern era was inevitable. The team looks messy at times. Raw talent all over the place, but not a ton of consistency. I think the fact that we are 5-1 with a blowout road win against Wisconsin and a home win against UGA is still a lot to celebrate. The issues that have reared their head in the last couple of weeks are fixable for the most part, but this team was never going to run the table. Too much inexperience at key spots coupled with wholesale changes in offensive and defensive schemes, and a really tough schedule to boot. I think it's way too premature to make definitive judgements about this coaching staff. I'd take our 5-1 record any day over what we're seeing this season from say, Florida State or Auburn.

At this point in time in the Dubose and Shula regimes, the wheels had already started to completely come off and we had home losses to teams like Louisiana Tech and Northern Illinois. I had the misfortune of being in the stands for both of those games. Neither of those guys had a single minute of head coaching experience prior to Alabama, so I don't think the comparisons are relevant. DeBoer might have a learning curve ahead of him, but this is far from his first rodeo. His career record is indicative of a guy who knows how to win. It's a different style than we are accustomed to, but in the long run he may end up being a guy that's much more suited to the modern game. Too soon to say, but to compare him to Shula and Dubose is ridiculous in my opinion.

I think we still probably drop another couple of games this year from the group of Tennessee, LSU, Mizzou and Oklahoma. All four of those teams have different sets of issues and all four are very beatable, but three of them being on the road doesn't help. Two more losses puts us at 9-3 which is exactly where I had us going into this season. Probably on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned, but in my opinion this was never going to be a playoff team. I know it's not the standard we are accustomed to, but a 9-win regular season with the kind of wholesale changes we've seen, following the retirement of a legend, is nothing to snub your nose at. My overall message is to give our staff time before rushing to judgement.

I'll leave you with this: records of major programs in the year after replacing a long-term coaching legend (in the relatively modern era, 1980 and on):

Alabama 1983: 8-4 (Ray Perkins)
Florida State 2010: 10-4 (Jimbo Fisher)
Oklahoma 1989: 7-5 (Gary Gibbs)
Southern Cal 2010: 8-5 (Lane Kiffin)
Georgia 1989: 6-6 (Ray Goff)
Penn State 2012: 8-4 (Bill O'Brien)
Michigan 1990: 9-3 (Gary Moeller)
Tennessee 1993: 10-2 (Phillip Fulmer)
Florida 2002: 8-5 (Ron Zook)

Auburn in 1993 produced an undefeated team, but I would add an asterisk given how the remainder of Terry Bowden's tenure turned out coupled with the overall decline you'd seen in the last few seasons of Pat Dye's tenure.

It's just hard to do, folks. If we finish 9-3 with a win over Auburn and at least one victory over either Tennessee or LSU, I would be elated and would consider it a great success.

 

[bamaga]

So why do we believe we have so much parity in CFB? Teams just aren’t separating like years past? Coaching? NIL? I keep hearing NIL has evened the playing field, talent is spread out. But I don’t think that’s the case, if you look at 247 recruiting, it’s pretty much the same teams. Just like their total team talent list is the same. Maybe the transfer portal?
I think it’s both NIL and the portal. Not because talent is spread out more , but because players don’t put the work in like they use to, they have power, they have money at a young age. Maybe They feel like they have ‘made it’ somewhat. And if things go awry , there is always the portal.

 

[colbysullivan]

Same question to you, do you only watch games that you’re emotionally invested in?

Do you watch any games just because you like watching football?

Until recently, I watched most of the games because of my love for college football. It’s just not the same now.

 

[bamaga]

My wife quit watching because she doesn’t want the extra stress (she’s a super-competitive former D1 athlete).

I still watch because at the end of the day, it’s still just a game (and I’m just another middle-aged slob).

I really try to think like this, but I can’t . Sometimes I wished I was a fan of Kansas St , or South Carolina or such. Enjoy the game without the life or death stress levels. Be enthusiastic after a big win instead of relieved. I guess after nearly sixty years of fandom, seeing 13 national titles and about 13 near misses for titles it’s engrained in me.

 

[davefrat]

Until recently, I watched most of the games because of my love for college football. It’s just not the same now.

I love the game too, which is why I watch pretty much any games that are on, be they major college games or small college games.

Bama doesn’t have to be winning every game for me to enjoy the sport.

I would prefer we smash every opponent to bits, but it really isn’t important enough in my life to really matter too much either…did when I was younger and had fewer things to take up the mental and emotional storage space I have.

Now that I’m older and dealing with major life issues like aging parents, kids with life problems, etc., it’s way down my list of serious priorities.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

The title was misleading. I thought it was reflection of who we are in our life as a person. I was getting ready to write a huge assessment of who I am based on my counseling sessions with my therapist.

 

[davefrat]

I really try to think like this, but I can’t . Sometimes I wished I was a fan of Kansas St , or South Carolina or such. Enjoy the game without the life or death stress levels. Be enthusiastic after a big win instead of relieved. I guess after nearly sixty years of fandom, seeing 13 national titles and about 13 near misses for titles it’s engrained in me.

Near the end of the Saban era I really started to cheer as much for the old man as I did for the team…which I know is kind of weird.

 

[bamaga]

Until recently, I watched most of the games because of my love for college football. It’s just not the same now.

Saturday was a great day for college football with all the near upsets and close game, In the evening I watched little football , but I watched the movie Ride or Die and 2 episodes of House of Cards with my wife . I did watch Colorado Kstate until about 12:30. My overall football interest is waning.

 

[colbysullivan]

I love the game too, which is why I watch pretty much any games that are on, be they major college games or small college games.

Bama doesn’t have to be winning every game for me to enjoy the sport.

I would prefer we smash every opponent to bits, but it really isn’t important enough in my life to really matter too much either…did when I was younger and had fewer things to take up the mental and emotional storage space I have.

Now that I’m older and dealing with major life issues like aging parents, kids with life problems, etc., it’s way down my list of serious priorities.

That’s great, but none of this has anything to do with the “it’s just a game” crowd. People say that to try to downplay the passion of other people, when they clearly don’t get it.

 

[NationalTitles18]

Alabama 1984: 8-4 (Ray Perkins)

Bryant's last year was 1982. Bama went 5- 6 in '84.

 

[bamaga]

First off, I think a lot of what we are seeing is the byproduct of NIL, the transfer portal, the expanded playoff - and the increased parity that you'll continue to see with those dynamics at play. A lot of folks have used the term "NFL Lite" and I think that's exactly what college football is becoming. The powers that be are getting their wish. CNS said at the beginning of this season that the NFL's dream is for every team to be 8-8 at the end of the year - all the fans are still engaged and playoff hopes are still alive, and revenue keeps flowing in. At the end of the day, that's what this is really all about. The days of an elite group of 10-15 teams dominating the sport year in and year out are probably coming to a close.

As far as our team goes: I understand the frustration that comes with a loss on the road to Vandy and a struggle win against an average South Carolina team. We've had 16 years of mostly dominance and frankly have become a very spoiled fan base.

Here's my take: a drop-off after the retirement of the greatest coach in the modern era was inevitable. The team looks messy at times. Raw talent all over the place, but not a ton of consistency. I think the fact that we are 5-1 with a blowout road win against Wisconsin and a home win against UGA is still a lot to celebrate. The issues that have reared their head in the last couple of weeks are fixable for the most part, but this team was never going to run the table. Too much inexperience at key spots coupled with wholesale changes in offensive and defensive schemes, and a really tough schedule to boot. I think it's way too premature to make definitive judgements about this coaching staff. I'd take our 5-1 record any day over what we're seeing this season from say, Florida State or Auburn.

At this point in time in the Dubose and Shula regimes, the wheels had already started to completely come off and we had home losses to teams like Louisiana Tech and Northern Illinois. I had the misfortune of being in the stands for both of those games. Neither of those guys had a single minute of head coaching experience prior to Alabama, so I don't think the comparisons are relevant. DeBoer might have a learning curve ahead of him, but this is far from his first rodeo. His career record is indicative of a guy who knows how to win. It's a different style than we are accustomed to, but in the long run he may end up being a guy that's much more suited to the modern game. Too soon to say, but to compare him to Shula and Dubose is ridiculous in my opinion.

I think we still probably drop another couple of games this year from the group of Tennessee, LSU, Mizzou and Oklahoma. All four of those teams have different sets of issues and all four are very beatable, but three of them being on the road doesn't help. Two more losses puts us at 9-3 which is exactly where I had us going into this season. Probably on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned, but in my opinion this was never going to be a playoff team. I know it's not the standard we are accustomed to, but a 9-win regular season with the kind of wholesale changes we've seen, following the retirement of a legend, is nothing to snub your nose at. My overall message is to give our staff time before rushing to judgement.

I'll leave you with this: records of major programs in the year after replacing a long-term coaching legend (in the relatively modern era, 1980 and on):

Alabama 1984: 8-4 (Ray Perkins)
Florida State 2010: 10-4 (Jimbo Fisher)
Oklahoma 1989: 7-5 (Gary Gibbs)
Southern Cal 2010: 8-5 (Lane Kiffin)
Georgia 1989: 6-6 (Ray Goff)
Penn State 2012: 8-4 (Bill O'Brien)
Michigan 1990: 9-3 (Gary Moeller)
Tennessee 1993: 10-2 (Phillip Fulmer)

Auburn in 1993 produced an undefeated team, but I would add an asterisk given how the remainder of Terry Bowden's tenure turned out coupled with the overall decline you'd seen in the last few seasons of Pat Dye's tenure.

It's just hard to do, folks. If we finish 9-3 with a win over Auburn and at least one victory over either Tennessee or LSU, I would be elated and would consider it a great success.

What are the records of Ryan Day after Urban Meyer, Lincoln Riley after Bob Stoops . Those are more modern examples. Build the program , hire the right successor and it will hum. JMO.

 

[theballguy]

This new CFB was set up to ensure we never see a run of dominance like we witnessed from 09-2020.

I think we have to keep this in mind. There's no conspiracy against Bama so to say but as Nick Saban has alluded to before, once a team is dominating, people stop respecting the work it takes to get there and then starts wanting to see other teams in the mix.

 

[colbysullivan]

What are the records of Ryan Day after Urban Meyer, Lincoln Riley after Bob Stoops . Those are more modern examples. Build the program , hire the right successor and it will hum. JMO.

Still, that was pre-NIL. It’s all different now.