*And the rest of you SEC-loving, Alabama Crimson Tide-cheering cretans, whom I love with the love of the Lord, of course!
I’ve never made much of a deal about it, but I’m not a fan of either the Southeastern Criminals (er, Conference – sorry) or of the Alabama Crimson Crud. I don’t like to make a big deal of sports, because I’m a uniter, not a divider. But this year has absolutely baffled me.
At the end of last season, the Crud was getting steamrolled by a clearly superior team from Clemson, which started the season at #1 and has won all of its games, though one of them was a near-miss against UNC – clearly a stinker. Every week they would win again and fall in the polls because “they hadn’t played anyone.”
Pretty soon, Nick Satan and his minions made it to the top of the polls, until they ran into a buzzsaw AT HOME against LSU and got their elephants handed to them. Yeah, they scored a couple of touchdowns at the end to make it look close but that game was a beatdown. The rest of their schedule has been the most pathetic collection of sad-sacks you can imagine. The ONLY ranked team they have played was LSU who spanked them hard.
- They have managed to beat Duke (4-7 in the “mighty” ACC), New Mexico State (2-9 – was able to recently get a close win over that powerhouse program Incarnate Word), Southern Mississippi (7-4 in Conference USA??), and the 1-AA Western Carolina (3-8 in FCS!). If anyone but Alabama arranged a non-conference schedule like that they’d be laughed out of the polls. Alabama got credit for beating up on these teams.
- But, you say, they have to play a “tough” SEC schedule. When is this nonsense going to end? The SEC schedule may have ONCE been tough but now there are about 5 good teams, a couple of mediocre teams, and the rest that couldn’t compete in the Big East. South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee (which seems to have climbed back to mediocrity), Arkansas, and Mississippi State? No one but the most loyal of SEC fans with the SEC blindness glasses on is going to call that a tough schedule. “Patty-cake, Patty-cake, bakers man.”
- The ONE team they played that was worth anything was LSU and they got whooped.
Granted, they have a game coming up against the 3-loss Auburn Tigers (and people of goodwill everywhere are saying, “War Eagle”) but even if they win that, why is Alabama still in the hunt for a spot in the tournament?
Dr. Scott (and other delusional, uh, devoted Bama fans), can anyone make a reasoned case for Alabama to be included in the discussion for the National Championship tourney that doesn’t include…
A) Well, they are Alabama, and
B) They play an SEC schedule! (because every one of the other contenders has played a more difficult schedule, except perhaps Clemson).
What has Alabama done, besides putting on a jersey with the letters A*L*A*B*A*M*A to deserve being considered ahead of Utah, Baylor, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and others? (By the way, I’m not a fan of any of those programs.)
So, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and here’s a Turkey Day Football question.
Why is Alabama even in the picture, CB?
Of course, I say this with all the love I can muster, Dr. Scott.
NOTE: The purpose of this post is to foster unity and further fellowship in the SBC.
Dave Miller has asked the question:
“. . . why is Alabama still in the hunt for a spot in the tournament?”
cb scott will give an answer:
Because we are the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. We are winners. We always have been winners. We will always be winners.
And then there is this: When BAMA plays, the stadium is sold out and the city we play in makes a lot of money taking care of our fan base. We fill stadiums. We buy stuff wherever we go.
There’s your answer, Dear Brother. The Alabama Crimson Tide is FOOTBALL. All others are PeeWee League and they know it. So watch us as we ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!
Some things never change.
Cornelius Beauregard Scott is one.
C.B. has conveniently forgotten all but a few years under Gene Stallings between the Bear and Coach Satan with the statement, “we always have been winners.” Ray Perkins, Mike Dubose and Mike Shula say hello. Maybe you’ll hire another coach who chases strippers after Nick descends to rule over the underworld. You ain’t gettin’ Dabo from little ole Clemson
99% of Alabama fans doesn’t even know when they won their first Rose Bowl and the Quarter Back name and who has the longest pass touchdown and who the receiver was that caught the pass and scored the touchdown
You can’t argue with ‘Bama. They have produced some of the best spokespersons for Medicare supplements in the modern era. Never forget: Seniors vote!
Gee, Dave. Tell us how you really feel! GO BUCKS!
I try never to be divisive about sports.
Dave Miller said, ” If anyone but Alabama arranged a non-conference schedule like that they’d be laughed out of the polls. Alabama got credit for beating up on these teams.”
Actually, most of the SEC has similar non-conference schedules like that. One of those schools goes into Tuscaloosa and comes out beaten up on the field, but with a check that is roughly equal to half of their entire athletic budget. They are also the only power five conference that doesn’t require their teams to play nine conference games.
I do feel sorry (ok, not a lot sorry but a little bit) for Clemson. They’re a good team, but the rest of the ACC stinks, and they didn’t schedule much non-league competition. By the time Ohio State gets through the Big 10 they will have played all six of the conferences ranked teams. But until there’s a true playoff, we live with the conference that pools its money being the one that gets all the attention.
🙂
Clemson scheduled two SEC schools, but playing SEC schools only helps you if you’re in the SEC
SEC schools are pretty weak overall outside of the top 4 or 5. The dropoff is huge.
We resemble that remark!
David Miller, your hostilities toward the University of Alabama and the SEC have distorted your rationality.. Alabama’s continuous appearance in the college playoffs and their achievement of constantly participating in the national championship game is all destroyed by losing to Clemson? Clemson won and exposed the defensive woes that Alabama still has. But they remain a very formidable team that could beat any team in the country. LSU won, but only by 5 points. Dave, that was hardly a blowout or a pigskin spanking, nor a “whooping.’ You say Alabama should not even be in the discussion; so where do you rank Alabama? What other teams in the top ten could easily take Bama down? Do you think Bama would be terrified to play Ohio State or Clemson? Even though I am a UGA grad, I have several close connections to Alabama and consider their football program as one of the best in the nation at this time. Dave, here is a proposal from an SEC fan and UGA grad, come on over to the dark side of SEC football. Rooting for mediocre teams over time can distort one’s sanity. I see this most problematic with Georgia Tech fans in our state. UGA plays Alabama next year in Tuscaloosa. Become a UGA fan and enjoy life more by rooting for the dogs against Alabama! We welcome you to the SEC! You will feel better in the Southeastern Conference. Your friends here at SBC Voices want you to be healthy and happy!
Here’s my rational, insults aside point.
Do I think Alabama is one of the top 6 teams in the nation? Yes.
But they have not EARNED a place in the tourney. Everyone else has to earn a spot. Alabams is gifted one and has to lose it.
They have ZERO wins against ranked teams.
They have played a soft schedule.
I am asking…why should they be in?
Shouldn’t they have to EARN their way in by winning games against tough teams?
I don’t disagree that they shouldn’t be in the top 6 teams. If they make it to the top four they will have to defeat Auburn, as you know. I do think Bama gets more love from the committee because of their consistent record. But I do think they have an excellent team. No insults intended; so I repent of my offensive language and ask forgiveness from you.
It’s like getting a sponsor’s exemption in the U.S. Open: It’s just a buy-in.
If we’re being completely honest, Alabama DID play Texas A&M on October 12; A&M’s ranking at the time was #24.
My response to the argument that Alabama hasn’t played any team of any account this season —that may hold some truth. However, consider the following: Team A can not control the win/loss records of Teams B, C, D, etc. They can only play the schedule that is set before them — a schedule that may have been created two or three years prior.
“At the time…”
That phrase must also be applied to when Clemson also played Texas A&M; at that time, A&M was ranked #12 — and it also appears A&M is the only ranked team Clemson has played all season.
If ‘soft schedules’ are to be used as a discussion point, it doesn’t appear that soft schedules are exclusive to any one team. But I allude to my previous point: Team A can control the win/loss records of Teams B, C, D, etc.
*cannot* control
That’s true within the conference schedule, though the SEC does allow its teams to schedule one more non-conference game than the other power 5 conferences do, and New Mexico State, Southern Miss, Western Carolina and Duke aren’t exactly much of a challenge. Of course, in all fairness, it’s rare for any Power 5 team to pick more than one tough non-league game if they can help it.
Words of wisdom, Dave Miller. Heed this wisdom and prosper as a football fan.
The Hedges, Toomer’s Corner, the Vol Navy, the Grove, Uga, Mike the Tiger, the 12th man, the world’s largest uhh party, the Iron bowl, the Egg bowl, the real Death Valley, Bear Bryant (who coached at 3 of our schools BTW), War Eagle, Smoky, Wooh Pig Suey (most years anyway), My Old Kentucky Home, Cowbells, the Swamp, Paul Finebaum, we could go on and on.
But the Big? 10 does have Rutgers.
Obviously, Dave has returned from Africa. Welcome home! When you bad mouthed Alabama, I did not mind; but when you impugn the SEC, you go too far.
Bad year to ask this…you mention Wooh Pig Suey and not the Zou?
This is about football, right?
48-45. There. We fixed the dilemma for everyone. You’re welcome. War Eagle!
And the rest of the college football world thanks you.
We will be back boys. I know. You know it. All the Football Universe knows it. Why do we all know it? Because the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE IS FOOTBALL. We are winners. We always have been. We always will be.
Nick SabIan begged for 1 second on the clock and a missed field goal run back for a touchdown cost Alabama to lose to Auburn a few years ago. Alabama missed a field goal this past Saturday and Auburn gets the ball and drives down the field when the clock ran out but due to a call being under review the whistle blew with 1 second on the clock. SabIan is clip board slinging mad because of the 1 Second put back on the clock . Auburn kicks field goal and wins the game *** Notice ***Alabama 1 second costs them the game , Auburn 1second wins the game the moral of this story is Alabama loses to Auburn 2 times in a total of two seconds . So the phrase “just a second “ Nick SabIan hates to hear.