My problem with CNS

[TRU]

Looking back over the past few months, I now realize that I have posted some unkind things about CNS. I've even been accused of being a Barner as a result. I actually like CNS and think that he's going to lead Bama back. And everything that he says about this being a process makes perfect sense to me. So why do I seem to be unhappy? I thought about it, and well -

In 1992, I was a young faculty member just getting started in my career. I had a really cute 5 year old daughter with a gap toothed smile, and a two year old son who never went anywhere without his Mini-Mam pacifier. I'm now an old grey professor, one of the "senior faculty". That cute 5 year old is entering her senior year in college. That pacifier-sucking babe has turned into a 6' 3" tall monster who will be off to college himself very soon. From what I can tell, my daughter will graduate from college without ever getting to witness Bama winning an SEC championship during her college career, let alone seeing an MNC.

I know that it takes time to re-build a program. And that you need to be patient. But I had really hoped that CNS would be able to "Coach 'em up" to the top right away. But that turned out to not be the case. I've been patient for what amounts to most of a lifetime at this point. And I'm tired of being patient. In the words of the immortal philosopher Freddie Mercury, I want it all - And I want it now!

 

[InsaneMustang]

Impatient fans like yourself are the downfall of this program.

 

[lafella]

Looking back over the past few months, I now realize that I have posted some unkind things about CNS. I've even been accused of being a Barner as a result. I actually like CNS and think that he's going to lead Bama back. And everything that he says about this being a process makes perfect sense to me. So why do I seem to be unhappy? I thought about it, and well -

In 1992, I was a young faculty member just getting started in my career. I had a really cute 5 year old daughter with a gap toothed smile, and a two year old son who never went anywhere without his Mini-Mam pacifier. I'm now an old grey professor, one of the "senior faculty". That cute 5 year old is entering her senior year in college. That pacifier-sucking babe has turned into a 6' 3" tall monster who will be off to college himself very soon. From what I can tell, my daughter will graduate from college without ever getting to witness Bama winning an SEC championship during her college career, let alone seeing an MNC.

I know that it takes time to re-build a program. And that you need to be patient. But I had really hoped that CNS would be able to "Coach 'em up" to the top right away. But that turned out to not be the case. I've been patient for what amounts to most of a lifetime at this point. And I'm tired of being patient. In the words of the immortal philosopher Freddie Mercury, I want it all - And I want it now!

LOL that's actually understandable to a degree, everyone wants their kids to experience the best in life no one can fault you for that.

At least you get to look forward to what your son will be able to experience now, assuming he goes to the U of A.

 

[Tidewater]

Yesterday, a sports journalist on an afternoon talk show was making the point that CNS just came off a 7-6 season and seems likely to go 8-4 next year and Alabama fans are okay with that. That CNS, according to the "journalist" has done such a tremendous psyche job on the Alabama fan base, that they are okay was 7-6 & 8-4.
What he didn't mention (in the finest traditions of his profession) was the context. What has happened since the departure of Coach Stallings has been that the Alabama football program (and those associated with it) have not just shot themselves in the foot, but have taken a gatling gun to their foot. Over and over and over again. Letting Coach Stallings go. Hiring Mike Dubose. Keeping Mike Dubose when he was known as "dead man coaching." Means. Hiring Franchione. Hiring Mike Price. Firing Mike Price. Hiring Mike Shula. Now I don't doubt that every one of those decisions was made with the best interests of the program (at least I'm willing to be charitable in this assessment), but collectively these have added up to some very bad times for the program for a very long time.
Rising high school seniors in the state haven't seen Alabama win the Iron Bowl since they were in sixth grade.
The state of the program is such that 7-6 and 8-4 isn't good enough every year, but dadgummit, a little patience will see Alabama back in really good shape. The worst thing that Alabama can do is let impatience ruin the current trend. Coach Saban is righting the ship, and the last thing I want to see is members of the fan base living down to other's expectations and making life here unpleasant in any way for Coach Saban. The last thing Alabama needs right now is turmoil, for Coach Saban to say, "You know what. The critics are right. This place is too demanding. I'm going to retire to my home on the lake."
Relax. Your daughter will get to be an alumna of a school whose football team will make her proud in the years ahead. Your son will see an SEC Championship and maybe a national championship, unless we succeed in chasing Coach Saban off early.

 

[UAME]

I think most Alabama fans have had similar moments of enlightment sometime throughout the last few years. Some of them came to grips with reality much faster than others.

My first son was born in 2002. I remember telling a relative then, "My son will be 7 years old before Alabama even has a chance to be a healthy program again." That's not something I wanted to believe, but that's what all the evidence was pointing towards. That would have been in reference to 2009, and Bama is just barely going to be back to an acceptable level by then.

If you want to be disgusted with something, be disgusted with everything that happened between say 1995 and January 2007. Then, realize that none of us can change the past, Nick Saban is the man to get it corrected in the future, and get on board with supporting him.

 

[TRU]

We didn't have a single player drafted. What did you expect him to coach up?

I did not really expect that he would. But I HOPED he would. And my brain tells me that we need to be patient. But my heart wants it NOW. So I wait patiently, but dyspeptically.

 

[lafella]

I was at UA from 2000-2003. I pity no one for their years at Bama unless they were there from 1954-57.

Hey we had a 10 win season during those years, it could be worse I suppose, woulda been nice to go to Atlanta still.

 

[lafella]

I think most Alabama fans have had similar moments of enlightment sometime throughout the last few years. Some of them came to grips with reality much faster than others.

My first son was born in 2002. I remember telling a relative then, "My son will be 7 years old before Alabama even has a chance to be a healthy program again." That's not something I wanted to believe, but that's what all the evidence was pointing towards. That would have been in reference to 2009, and Bama is just barely going to be back to an acceptable level by then.

If you want to be disgusted with something, be disgusted with everything that happened between say 1995 and January 2007. Then, realize that none of us can change the past, Nick Saban is the man to get it corrected in the future, and get on board with supporting him.

Mu oldest son who will be 10 this weekend, isn't old enough to remember the last time we even beat auburn ( that was a tough conversation about why we don't ever beat auburn).

After the last two Spring Games though , he doesn't question it anymore. Even that little turd can tell there's a change brewing.

 

[TiderinMiss]

TRU:

I think I can say this for most fans, that we were MUCH worse off than I had thought.

We didn't get the death penalty...but with the sleuth work of other schools and our own bumbling with handling the situation (not to mention some of the coaching hires), we practically got really close to the death penalty.

It's been debated that Coach Stallings should have been named interim coach after Mike Price was fired. In hindsight, that might not have been such a bad idea, being Steve Spurrier would have been available the next season. Keep in mind, though, that I'm not saying I would rather have Spurrier over Saban, at all. I just know that at that particular time, Spurrier would have been available sooner than Saban.

But, it's all water under the bridge, now. All we can do is be patient and most importantly...learn from past mistakes to avoid them in the future.

 

[TiderinMiss]

Mu oldest son who will be 10 this weekend, isn't old enough to remember the last time we even beat auburn ( that was a tough conversation about why we don't ever beat auburn).

After the last two Spring Games though , he doesn't question it anymore. Even that little turd can tell there's a change brewing.

My son will be 14 this fall. He was an infant the last time Bama went undefeated in a season.

He ocassionally asks me when Bama will be as good as those clips I have on my youtube site. I keep saying, "Hopefully, this year, son."

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I actually think that CNS came very close to coaching them up to a nine or ten win season, despite the fact that it would have been the classic wine from water (infinitely above lemonade from lemons). While it would helped the state of my soul to win a few more, I'm of two minds as to whether it would have been for the best in the long run. (And, since I'll be 69 in a few months, the long run is getting shorter and shorter....)

 

[lafella]

I actually think that CNS came very close to coaching them up to a nine or ten win season, despite the fact that it would have been the classic wine from water (infinitely above lemonade from lemons). While it would helped the state of my soul to win a few more, I'm of two minds as to whether it would have been for the best in the long run. (And, since I'll be 69 in a few months, the long run is getting shorter and shorter....)

My grandmother is 84 this year and she says she can't wait to see us in contention again, so stop yer talk whipper snapper.

 

[GrayTide]

I apologize I thought your problem with CNS was going to be that he did not outfit the team with crimson pants. :conf2:

 

[Proxigean Tide]

When CNS was hired, I said to myself: "Now I won't have to get mad when we lose because we have a coach who will get mad for us and hates to lose more than we do".

I hate seeing Bama lose more than just about anyone, but I really hated watching Shula sleepwalk through the games and "ho hum" the losses. In 2007, I was just happy to see someone on the sideline with a desire to win and who brought an intensity to the contest.

2007 was disappointing overall, but that thrashing of the Vols was tonic for the soul of any true Bama fan.

 

[TommyMac]

Yesterday, a sports journalist on an afternoon talk show was making the point that CNS just came off a 7-6 season and seems likely to go 8-4 next year and Alabama fans are okay with that. That CNS, according to the "journalist" has done such a tremendous psyche job on the Alabama fan base, that they are okay was 7-6 & 8-4.
What he didn't mention (in the finest traditions of his profession) was the context. What has happened since the departure of Coach Stallings has been that the Alabama football program (and those associated with it) have not just shot themselves in the foot, but have taken a gatling gun to their foot. Over and over and over again. Letting Coach Stallings go. Hiring Mike Dubose. Keeping Mike Dubose when he was known as "dead man coaching." Means. Hiring Franchione. Hiring Mike Price. Firing Mike Price. Hiring Mike Shula. Now I don't doubt that every one of those decisions was made with the best interests of the program (at least I'm willing to be charitable in this assessment), but collectively these have added up to some very bad times for the program for a very long time.
Rising high school seniors in the state haven't seen Alabama win the Iron Bowl since they were in sixth grade.
The state of the program is such that 7-6 and 8-4 isn't good enough every year, but dadgummit, a little patience will see Alabama back in really good shape. The worst thing that Alabama can do is let impatience ruin the current trend. Coach Saban is righting the ship, and the last thing I want to see is members of the fan base living down to other's expectations and making life here unpleasant in any way for Coach Saban. The last thing Alabama needs right now is turmoil, for Coach Saban to say, "You know what. The critics are right. This place is too demanding. I'm going to retire to my home on the lake."
Relax. Your daughter will get to be an alumna of a school whose football team will make her proud in the years ahead. Your son will see an SEC Championship and maybe a national championship, unless we succeed in chasing Coach Saban off early.

This post should be a stickey.

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

Yesterday, a sports journalist on an afternoon talk show was making the point that CNS just came off a 7-6 season and seems likely to go 8-4 next year and Alabama fans are okay with that.

Tidewater,

I am not OK with 8-4. But I know a lot of fans are. It comes honestly. In Little League in four years we only lost 3 times that I can remember. I got to High School and only lost twice in the three years I played varsity. I hated losing in the worst way. After winning two State Titles back to back (Banks HS) my senior year saw a loss to West End and Homewood. It took me several months to shake off the awful feeling of losing.

I know what you are saying but I have a hard time with accepting a loss even if I am not playing. In the military playing softball and football I refuse to lose. The Ship I was assigned to won 4 straight Multi-Service Football Championships. In the forth year I had to sit out after the first game. I broke my hand. The Navy said no to my efforts to play. At 33 I never played football again. Quick note: before the first Championship held in Norfolk the Marines had not been beaten in 5 years. Five Years! Admiral Mac ask me to coach that first team and we beat the unbeatable Marines 36-6 in the Annual Turkey Day Bowl. As we say in the Navy "WE SMOKED THEM". We ran the Wingbone right down their sorry throats. ooohaaaa.

Called ourselves Southern Fried Pride. Our RB played some at GA, our QB played at Troy St two seasons and sixteen others were from BAMA, MS, LA, TX, AR, TN. We hated losing and only lost twice in those four years. Then I transferred to my next duty station which did not have football.

To say I am satisfied with 8-4 is not correct. No one should ever except that.

Gene Stallings said it best " "The expectation level is high at the University of Alabama and it should be. What's wrong with people expecting excellence?" Coach Gene Stallings upon his hiring as head coach in 1990. AMEN

"I Ain't Never Been Nothing But A Winner" Coach Paul William Bryant. 6 Time National Championship Coach. None better.

"If you have the desire and the will to win as a team, its hard to lose." John Wooden. 10 time National Championship Coach. None better.

I am not flaming but pointing out a truth. I can not stand losing. I am not proud but humble. I fear no Man only God almighty.

Winning in life is important. Expecting others to win is not a sin only a desire. TBI

I do not know how to be any other way. That is the Truth. :BigA:

 

[ecra-joe]

I was at UA from 2000-2003. I pity no one for their years at Bama unless they were there from 1954-57.

how did you get out in 4 years? whatd you do.....study?!

 

[TRU]

"Your son will see an SEC Championship and maybe a national championship, unless we succeed in chasing Coach Saban off early."

I think that if anything good has come from the last 12 years, it is that the Bama nation has seen how bad it can ge, and appreciates what it has nowt. I seriously doubt that anyone is even going to think about trying to run CNS off. With the exception of Tubby and Fat Phil, of course.

 

[Tidewater]

BAMA IRISHMAN,
I'm with you bro, but the "journalist" was muckraking and ignoring the context of the last 12 years.
In five years will 7-6 be okay? Of course, not, but I don't believe that Coach Saban will ever have another 7-6 team. Next year will be better than last, and the year after that, better still. Last year at his introductory press conference Coach Saban said, (and this year Rashad Johnson reiterated) that opposing teams will soon be saying, "Man, Alabama. I hate playing those guys."
Coach Saban inherited a mess and is cleaning it up as we speak.
Congrats on smacking the Jugheads, by the way.
My office used to be about a half mile from the piers where the Navy docked the carriers at Sewell's Point. I also enjoyed my time in Key West. It is an unusual place.

 

[Tidewater]

Tuesday, I saw a young co-ed on campus wearing a ULM Warhawks t-shirt. On the Alabama campus! I am too much of a gentleman to say anything to her, but that really frosted my backside.