Rivals coaching searches: Be careful what we ask for.

[ncbama]

Many posters on TideFans are hoping that our rivals crash and burn in their efforts to hire new coaches. Right now some of the issues are settled and we will not know if they were successful or "crashed and burned" until a year or so after the hire. Auburn is still up in the air, and most of our posters are hoping they "bomb" completely in their search.

Do we really want that to happen? If all those schools (Tennessee, Auburn, Mississippi State) do indeed "crash and burn" what will that do to the reputation of the SEC? In many ways, on a national level we will be judged by the level of competition in our conference. Are we willing to sacrifice our own reputation just to enjoy seeing our rivals languish in mediocrity. My thinking is that all those schools should have very good football teams, just not as good as ours.

To demonstrate my point, did you not notice that the entire nation assumed that the winner of the SEC would play for the national championship? That would never have happened if our competition had been mediocre. Case in point, consider Ohio State, Penn State and USC. No such deference was paid those schools as they were not playing in a conference considered as good as the SEC.

To summarize: To be considered the best you have to beat the best.

 

[bama119]

Point well taken and I agree. We all want to say the SEC is the toughest conference, but on the other hand we want our rival teams to loose every game. We can't have it both ways. What good does it do to win every game if our competition is is considered weak? I for one am very disappointed in our out of conference schedule for next year. It is way to weak. To be the best, play and beat the best.

 

[GulfCoastTider]

I really don't think we have to worry. With the money, facilities and traditions associated with SEC programs, they will almost always attract top-quality coaches. All three of the current SEC programs making new hires are unlikely to hit home runs with the 2008-09 carousel. But money talks and the SEC is swimming in cash. At least one and maybe two of the new guys will turn out to be good hires.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

I actually want Aubie to hire a good HC, one who will go 7-5 to 9-3 every year. If they hire a loser then their backs will be to the wall (like ours seemed to be) and they might be forced to find a great HC (as we did.)

 

[chuxlee]

I want the SEC to be strong, but on the other hand i could care less if Auburn ever went to another bowl, that would mean that Bama would recruit every great 4 and 5 star from the State of Alabama.. On a side note Protho was in the mall in Huntsville singing autographs last night, the kid has a great outlook, was very nice to see

 

[exiledNms]

I want the SEC to be strong, but on the other hand i could care less if Auburn ever went to another bowl,

This is my point. I hope the Barn becomes a very distant 3rd in AL behind us & Troy. (seems to be in the works as we speak...) I just want to laugh at them for, oh, the next 20-25 years or so... Not very noble of me, but there it is, aight? :biggrin:

 

[rolltidescott]

Look at USC. Their conference stinks, but THEIR rep is good. Look at PSU, their cof is down, but they were in the NC chase - and would be in the NC game if undefeated. NO WAY they would have been kept out.

 

[ncbama]

Look at USC. Their conference stinks, but THEIR rep is good. Look at PSU, their cof is down, but they were in the NC chase - and would be in the NC game if undefeated. NO WAY they would have been kept out.

I am not sure what point you are making, but I think you are supporting my original premise. Right now all the majors have one loss. But, Oklahoma and Florida are playing for the marbles. Why? Just as I said, it has to be relative/perceived strength of the competition as in the respective conferences. Right now the SEC and Big 12 (or whatever Ok is in) are perceived to be stronger conferences than the Big Ten and Pac whatever it is. Therefore, with most things being equal, we need to have a big year in a strong conference to get chosen for the NC game. Our rivals need to be strong, just not as strong as we are.

Actually, I am a little concerned about next year. If the SEC does not fare very well in this year's bowls, then we cannot play that trump card. I hope the SEC wins every bowl it is in. Then, next year if we are 11-1 or 12-0 or even 10-2 we might have a chance for the championship. If our conference is perceived as weaker than some, then the 10-2 or even 11-1 won't get us much.

 

[bayoutider]

The only undefeated teams this season were mid majors. It that continues to be a trend maybe the mid majors will be considered the power conferences. I think the BCS still works to a certain extent and they pick teams regardless of what other teams are in their conference. Notre Dang doesn't even have a football conference and they were still being ranked till Weiss started stinking the program up. Most conferences only have 2-3 teams that have a pulse so it wouldn't bother me if only Bama had a pulse in the SEC. Recruits will still come to Bama because of climate, tradition, academics and who the coach is.

 

[bamaeleven]

If the SEC does start to go down, then we could always play out of conference teams like Oklahoma, Texas, or Penn State. If we win these out of conference games then run through the SEC unscathed, then we still have a shot at the title despite the weakened state of the conference.

But just because the barn lays a dud dosen't mean the entire conference will become a joke. Ole Miss has Nut and Arkansas has Petrino, those teams will be competing with us in the west on a yearly basis. LSU still has a great talent pool and if Less can't right the ship then the next guy that the bayou bengals hire will certainly have them at national power status again.

So I don't believe the conference is doomed to pac-10 or big-10 status, it's been a down year for some teams, but it seems that this conference will still be competetive for years to come.

 

[lynyrd skynyrd]

After the way the rest of the SEC treated us in our down years and acted as secret witnesses against us I couldn't care less about the rest of them. I hope they all go down the toilet just like the crap they are...

 

[AdamMc2003]

If we are the best of the West year in and year out, I don't care if the rest are bottom feeders... with the talent in Florida, I don't see UF going anywhere for a while, so let us two battle it out in ATL every year, fine by me...

as far as Auburn, I hope in a couple of years Troy is the #2 Program in the State :biggrin:

:BigA:

 

[p'colabamaman]

Just saw a crawl across the ESPN screen that Chizik has been named Auburn's coach. No info other than that.

 

[CullmanTide]

I want the barn to hire the most incompetent Mike Dubose clone they can trick into wading in the manure with them. They deserve nothing more. Now as for their records and how they are perceived, enough wins will come from playing the other slime at the bottom.

 

[bayoutider]

I want the barn to hire the most incompetent Mike Dubose clone they can trick into wading in the manure with them. They deserve nothing more. Now as for their records and how they are perceived, enough wins will come from playing the other slime at the bottom.

I think Auburn just met your expectations.

 

[CullmanTide]

Do yall think they will roll gomers corner tonight?

 

[TexasTideFan]

After the way the rest of the SEC treated us in our down years and acted as secret witnesses against us I couldn't care less about the rest of them. I hope they all go down the toilet just like the crap they are...

I could not have typed a greater masterpiece.

 

[bamafloyd]

:BigA: One of the things that hurts Ohio State, Penn State, and USC is the fact they do not play a conference championship game. It is a wonder to me USC gets the players, recognition, and are allowed to get by breaking NCAA rules without punishment like they do. Then they get beat by teams like Oregon State.
RTR

 

[bayoutider]

Do yall think they will roll gomers corner tonight?

It might be a while before Goober's Corner gets rolled again unless a rival does it in their school colors.

This opens a lot of new threads.

How many wins will Auburn have next season?
Which SEC team will be the first to fall to Chizik?
Which Division 1 team will be the first to fall to Chizik?
Where will Auburn be ranked?
How many stars will their recruiting class have?
How many Auburn fans will become sidewalk Bama fans?

 

[bayoutider]

:BigA: One of the things that hurts Ohio State, Penn State, and USC is the fact they do not play a conference championship game. It is a wonder to me USC gets the players, recognition, and are allowed to get by breaking NCAA rules without punishment like they do. Then they get beat by teams like Oregon State.
RTR

The Pac 10 plays all their members therefore saying they need no championship.
The Big 10 (11) needs another member to have a championship. They do not play a full conference schedule like the Pac 10 does.