The Folly of "What Might Have Been"
by billyzane on Jan 9, 2010 5:53 PM CST
in Texas Longhorns Football
Email
Print"When I was in school I studied biology. I learned that in making their experiments scientists will take some group--bacteria, mice, people--and subject that group to certain conditions. They compare the results with a second group which has not been disturbed. This second group is called the control group. It is the control group which enables the scientist gauge the effect of his experiment. To judge the significance of what has occurred. In history there are no control groups. There is no one to tell us what might have been. We weep over the might have been, but there is no might have been. There never was." - All the Pretty Horses (Cormac McCarthy)
"Who knows what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from." - No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy)
The Alabama Crimson Tide are the 2009 BCS National Champions. They deserve no asterisk nor any second guessing of their credentials as champions. They won according to the rules for winning and there is nothing else to be said on that front. They are the champions and I congratulate them on winning every single game they played this year against some tough competition to accomplish that feat.
But to grant that they are the undisputed champions is quite different from granting that they proved anything of any consequence by beating Texas on Thursday. I mean no disrespect to Alabama for what they have accomplished, but all that they proved was that they could score more points than a team playing without its star quarterback -- the unquestioned focal point of both the offensive system and the emotional psyche of this team -- and instead playing with an 18-year old backup quarterback who was so unprepared for even the idea that he might to have to play that, from the stands, it appeared as though he couldn't even find his helmet after Colt McCoy ran off the field on Texas' 5th play from scrimmage. 'Bama, of course, still had to win that game, and they deserve credit for doing so (even if their style of play in the second half did resemble the mid-90's Knicks), but to say that 'Bama proved they were a better team than Texas this season is folly.
Which is where we must take a step back and consider those above quotes from arguably America's greatest living writer and inarguably America's foremost purveyor of fatalistic melancholy.
I think Texas would have destroyed Alabama if Colt McCoy had played the entire game. We almost won the game with the aforementioned 18-year-old leading a monumental comeback so how badly would we have defeated Alabama with Colt? Our receivers (particularly Shipley) got separation from the 'Bama defenders on numerous occasions, only to have Gilbert overthrow them all but twice. How many times would Colt have connected instead? And more Texas points on the scoreboard earlier in the game would have forced McElroy to throw more often, forcing incompletions, potential interceptions and potential fumbles on sacks (we sacked the man 5 times and he only attempted 11 passes -- eventually he was going to lose his grip on one of them). These are all things that I passionately believe. But I am a Texas fan. Which makes me both biased and smart enough to know that I'm biased.
And the truth of the matter is that, as Cormac McCarthy says, there is no might have been. There is no "control game" to show how things would have played out if Colt hadn't gotten hurt. And of course, who knows what worse luck our bad luck has saved us from. 'Bama played the second half like Greg Davis calls games he expects to win by sheer force of athleticism: like a turtle crawled up into its shell, just trying avoid every single possible danger for as long as possible. If Colt plays and we score TDs on those first two Alabama turnovers, then maybe Alabama takes off the gloves and counterpunches the Horns with something they weren't ready for. Maybe Alabama blows Texas out of the Rose Bowl and sets the program back in the minds of the nation the way Florida's beat-down of Ohio State in the national championship game did to the Buckeye program. For the first five minutes before Colt got hurt, it certainly didn't look like that would happen, but who's to say what might have been? There's no such thing.
We as Texas fans cannot claim that we would have won that game had Colt been able to play. We can run through a million scenarios in our heads of how the game might have played out differently and ultimately gone in our favor, but none of them did play out. Only one history can unfold, and unfortunately that one developed into an Alabama national championship. Consequently, as sincerely as I believe that Texas had the better team and would have won with Colt McCoy at quarterback, I can't in good conscience convince myself that it is a fact because it didn't happen. What might have been is not what was. By the same token of course, Alabama proved nothing last night other than exactly what happened: they are capable of barely holding off a 4th quarter rally by an 18-year-old kid who didn't realize he'd have to play the entire game until halftime. Congratulations on that, Tide. It was enough to get you an 8th national championship and nothing and no one can ever take that away from you.* Again, I mean no disrespect but we can only go by what actually happened. So if you're up for it, I'd love to see a do-over -- a "control group" game, so to speak. And after watching that actual game in person, I'd take the Horns -3.5. What about you?
Random Notes:
- I am of two minds about Alabama fans after coming in contact with them in large quantities at the Rose Bowl on Thursday. First, and perhaps unfairly, they annoy the shit out of me. Half are trashy, half are uppity, and they all have the exact same damn haircut. They all seem like the type that would name their first borns "Saban" without any sense of irony, which is a roundabout way of saying that there is nothing more important in their lives than Alabama football. I'm sure that's true of some Texas fans too, but it's a bit depressing to see it manifest in the majority of an entire fanbase. But alternatively, I must say that when it comes to being in the stadium with them, they are uniformly some of the nicest, most respectful opposing fans I've ever come in contact with. I sat in a section that was about two thirds Bama fans and they cheered hard, maniacally, at all the right times in the flow of the game, and they understood and accepted that I was doing the same for my team. As I dejectedly filed out of the stadium after the game, all of them were congratulating each other rather than rubbing it in our noses. Only one drunk idiot outside of the stadium started to taunt me before his more sober girlfriend pulled him away before I could finish my retort (for the record: "I'm sorry, are you taunting me? After you barely beat our backup quarterback? Go fuck yourself!"), which may have devolved into something that would have me writing a different paragraph right now. So, thanks sober Bama girlfriend! I despise the word "classy" so I will call the Alabama fans that I met unfailingly polite, slightly on the far side of maniacal, and incredibly dedicated to their team and the game of football. I would have vastly preferred to hate you. Jerks.
- I'm also of two minds about how Greg Davis called the game for Gilbert. At first, Davis called the most predictable plays imaginable. Zone read that Gilbert was obviously not going to keep, zone read again, then on 3rd and long, a pass play. He refused to let Gilbert pass on any down other than 3rd and choreographing when you're going to pass isn't exactly a recipe for success (ask Greg McElroy). Eventually, Davis starting mixing in some wrinkles: a reverse to Chiles, a couple of wide receiver screens that actually worked, a deep shot to Malcolm that should have gone for a TD. And eventually, Gilbert came around. When Davis finally started letting him throw on 1st and 2nd down, and started spreading the field for him, the offense opened up. Make no mistake, Gilbert missed his receivers all over the place and often times their drops had as much to do with his placement as their traitorous hands. But it was working until we idiotically went 5-wide up against our own end zone. So where I'm torn is whether Davis should have realized earlier he couldn't baby Garrett, or whether Garrett's success in the second half was a direct result of the acclimation he got through the babying that Davis did in the first half. I don't know and we never will. But it's interesting to consider. All in all, I came out very impressed with Davis in this game. He gave his players a shot to win by making plays. Can't ask for much more in this situation.
- Jordan Shipley finally disproved the incessant nonsensical notion that he and Colt McCoy have a "special bond" as roommates. Jordan is just a supremely talented wide receiver regardless of who is throwing the ball to him. He consistently beat the Bama DBs deep and Gilbert was able to find him twice for touchdowns. Colt McCoy was certainly by far the most important player on this offense, but Shipley was arguably the best. He will excel in the NFL.
- I have never liked Nick Saban's personality (though I will readily accept his coaching resume as one of the best of the past 20 years) and the end of this game made him a mortal enemy of mine for life. After Gilbert fumbled, Bama scored the TD to go up 10 with two minutes to go, and Gilbert threw another interception to effectively seal the game, the Tide took over at the Texas 27 with 1:48 to go in the game and a 10-point lead. Texas had one timeout remaining. The play clock in college football is 40 seconds, which runs immediately from the end of the previous play. So if Alabama takes a knee on first down and Texas calls a timeout (which isn't a guarantee given that the game was OVER), that takes maybe 3 to 5 seconds. So we're in the 1:44 range. Then, if Alabama takes a knee again, they can run about another 43 seconds off the clock, putting us at 1:01 on 3rd down. Then Alabama takes another knee, runs off another 43 seconds to put us at about 18 seconds (give or take a few) on 4th down. Eighteen seconds with a 10 point lead and the ability to either kick another field goal or take another knee and run even a few more seconds off the clock. Maybe if Richardson doesn't go out of bounds on the first play from scrimmage (at the 2 yard line with the facemask penalty) then Saban takes a knee, but that didn't happen. He pounded in another touchdown, maybe because he miscalculated the time, maybe to get Ingram another superfluous TD, maybe to impress the history books with the margin of victory, maybe just because he's a dick. I don't know why he did it. But "respecting the explosive Texas offense" is not a valid reason, Alabama fans. Eighteen seconds with a 10 to 13 point lead and the #1 ranked defense in the country and an 18-year old opposing QB? Bullshit excuse.
- I realize that I sound completely bitter right now, and that I haven't given Alabama a lot of credit. Both sentiments are likely true. But I don't mean to disrespect them. I think they did everything they needed to do to win (plus scored a completely unnecessary touchdown just for good measure!) and that's all that matters in the end. I understand that they didn't really even try to do anything on offense in the second half other than kill the clock, and it's impossible to judge the quality of a team based on that (just as it's impossible to judge a team playing without its star QB). I also thought that Ingram and Richardson did an excellent job rushing the ball. We managed to bottle up the inside pretty well (other than Richardson's long TD run, in which the Bama O-line opened up a huge hole and we for some reason had no safeties in the middle of the field; that should have been a 10-yard gain at most, I'm still not sure what happened), but the Tide RBs deserve a lot of credit for being able to bounce outside and make positive gains out of nothing. In the end, Alabama is a very good team that, in my personal opinion, is in a battle with 2002 Ohio State for the title of worst undefeated national champion of the decade (and for the record, if Texas had won the game, I'd probably say the same thing about us; we were a very good but flawed team in a year with nothing but flawed teams). Among all champions of the decade, I would put them ahead of only 2006 Florida, 2007 LSU, and possibly 2003 LSU and 2002 Ohio State. A huge part of winning championships is luck, however, and Alabama can't be blamed for being the beneficiary of that luck and combining it with some exceptional skill and good coaching into a magical year. Congrats again to the Tide. Let me know about that rematch.
*Except for the NCAA after the inevitable next cheating scandal. Sorry, cheap shot. Totally uncalled for. I apologize. No, I will not retract it.
422 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
BZ I agree but...It's a hard one to swallow...We Lost
I’m all for dreaming about what could have been. We need to put this one to bed and let our tortured souls rest.
There are no answers to the question….just an infinite number of “could have been” answers.
Out heart and soul of the team got hurt early. Bama wins. Texas loses. End of story. Time to root for the B-ball team.
Go Horns!
BZ, I have only one question for you
Are you going to be glued to your TV watching this? The only answer can be yes.
Nice write-up, but still too painful for me to talk about.
It'll be just like my life!
Just as Grey’s Anatomy is just like the lives of young doctors everywhere!
I see the sarcasm
however, Scrubs is actually VERY close to real life.
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
That is one of those shows I will miss...
…years down the road. I know there is a version now but it is missing many of the key ingredients that made it a show I loved. Much like the last season of That 70’s Show.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
God
I couldn’t watch the last couple seasons of That 70s show. It was a sad, mutant version of its former self. I tried the first episode of this Scrubs season but I don’t think I can watch any more of that either.
by billycthulhu on Jan 10, 2010 3:11 PM CST up reply actions
What I loved about That 70's Show was it reminded me...
…of my years growing up. FWIW, I was in HS in the 80’s but we lived more like the 70’s depicted in that show.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
I agree
The last episode on Season 8 was just outstanding. It was the perfect ending, and I never thought ANY sitcom could have a perfect series finale.
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
Cheers and MASH also deserve a nod for their finale.
Also, the final episode of Newhart was a nice touch. Scrubs, That 70’s Show, MASH, Cheers, Newhart, Sanford and Son and All in the Family are my favorite sitcoms of all time. Family Guy gets it’s own category as my favorite cartoon comedy.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
You do realize
this is most intelligent conversation on this thread, right?
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
You are looking for intelligent conversation on the internet...
…heh.
We all have our trolls. I just came over here originally to give some props to Texas and it’s fans that attended the game with me. Found this sub conversation and it is near and dear to my heart. I have said before on here that I do not trash talk, that does not mean I do not appreciate some humorous trash talk. I enjoy humor above all else. EDSBS is my other daily check besides the SBN blogs, just for the humor.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
You have the greatest sig, by the way
Well….except for mine.
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
Feel free to use it for OK and TamU
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
Not much of a hurdle kriess.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 4:42 PM CST up reply actions
I've heard that.
But I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this will be more Greys than Scrubs.
I had a dream once.
That one day in the future, for every sporting event, instead of playing it once, we would open up a statistically significant number of parallel universes in which that sporting event would be played. Then, we would aggregate the stats somehow (mean, median, sum etc.) and determine a winner. This would truly determine who the better team was, eliminating noise due to big plays, injuries, what people had for breakfast that morning, etc. Sigh. The mathematician inside me really, really wants this to happen.
Other Receiving Votes: Oklahoma
by pleaseplaykindle on Jan 9, 2010 6:38 PM CST reply actions
That's some funny stuff
If there had not been so many players on opposing teams injured because of clean hits by this Alabama defense this season, I might think that luck was involved. Was it an option play when McCoy got hurt? Before the game, I suggested to friends who are Texas fans that it would be unwise to run many plays that expose McCoy to hits by Alabama’s defenders. Before the game, I also wondered how many times Dareus would beat UT offensive linemen and then deliver bone-jarring tackles on McCoy — I expected several. My definition of luck is very different than yours. By the way, when Mack Brown said there were three Suhs on the Alabama defense on of the players he had to be referring to is Dareus, a true sophmore who will probably be a top-five pick in the 2011 draft.
Having said said all that, I expect to meet the ‘horns again in a championship game during the next few years and I’m hoping your quarterback plays the entire game. I generally like Texas fans, except for the trashy and uppity ones.
clean hit? not so fast
spearing is an illegal hit, look it up
the Big East officiating wasn’t used to the speed of the game either, they weren’t prepared for it, bad draw to get big east officials, Big 10 or Pac 10 would have been better
by Ryan2907 on Jan 9, 2010 7:19 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
C'mon
Emotions fly high after a big game but it was clearly a legal hit. It’s just something you risk when the QB carries the ball.
Spearing? Get real.
Read EVERY article about the game. It was a clean hit. Sorry if you Texas boys can’t play tough football like they do in the south.
As for the article get over it. Injuries happen in football. Perhaps Texas needs to play a control season since Bradford (you remember him last years Heisman winner) was injured in the first quarter of your game or is that somehow different?
ColtKilla...really?
This is a perfect example of BZ’s point re: Bama Fan. You guys are marginally thin up there between the ears. And arguably the most arrogant fan base I have ever come into contact with. Hope that next meeting comes soon so we can pound sand up your asses ’cause I will tell you this, ColtKilla, there will be a day of reckoning. Guaranteed.
WAR EAGLE and Hook ’em Horns!
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Hello Troll
Go join RBR and party it up. Honest analysis is good for you. There is a still shot of “alleged spear” here on BON. It is not why the Horns lost. Perhaps you should be thankful Colt was out…not all, but many people, believe the outcome would have been different.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Jan 10, 2010 10:15 AM CST up reply actions
TXStampede = Ridiculous
I love how TXStampede made no attempt to refute ColtKilla’s valid point; it was a CLEAN hit. Anyone who says otherwise is simply a whiner. Every sports analyst and sports fan in the nation agrees that it was a perfectly legal and clean hit, except for a handful of delusional Horns fans. Mack Brown made the decision to let Colt dance around the field, with arguably the most physical defense in college football. The result was a freak accident, from a clean hit, that knocked Colt out of the game. Besides, the X-rays were clear, so Colt could have gone back into the game (albeit, not at 100%). The decision was made not to put Colt back into the game, but to instead preserve his NFL career. Greg McElroy wasn’t playing at 100% for the ENTIRE game, with two cracked ribs that resulted from the SEC championship game (and that were also re-injured while practicing for the NC game). McElroy (a FIRST-YEAR-STARTER) could have sat out and not endured the pain, but he chose to play through the pain and win another NC for the Tide. Who knows what would have happened if Colt played the entire game, or if Ingram played the entire game, or if McElroy wasn’t hurt, or if Hightower was in the game. All I know is that the better, more dedicated team won that day. Roll Tide!!!
What an absolute whiny thread.......
Seriously billyzane, quit whining man……Man up. Texas lost. Get over it. I’ve dealt with three MNC losses so I’ve have absolutely no pity for you. Plus, you’re my football enemy which in turn makes me really enjoy all of this Texas whining……………Oh yes, the what if’s……..Here’s a couple……..What if Sam Bradford didn’t get reinjured against Texas, would Texas even have played against Alabama? What if Suh didn’t rush McCoy on the finaly play against Nebraska, would things have turned out the way they did? Would Texas have that miraculous one second put back on the clock? Quit playing the what if game. Maybe, just maybe if Mack Brown didn’t have Colt stat padding as UT fans like criticize Stoops for and instead had Gilbert in, maybe Gilbert would have performed better………Karma sucks. I read on cbssports somewhere in which Mack Brown said that if McCoy was in the game, the game wouldn’t even be close…………To me thats pathetic. I’m glad Mack Brown lost. What a whiner. That’s the difference between Stoops and Brown. I have yet to see Stoops whine. Seriously. He threw a fit after the 06 Oregon game/onside kick fiasco, but never whined as I’ve seen from Mack. Anyhow, I agree with you on a couple of things……I like Biology, I enjoyed the movie “No Country for Old Men,” and Jordan Shipley as hands down the best WR I have seen from Texas. But seriously man, get over it and quit crying. Injuries are part of football. And I really enjoy seeing a Texas fan calling Bama fans trashy………..
Why are you here? Isn't Crimson and Cream calling? When was the last post over there anyhow?
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Jan 9, 2010 6:54 PM CST up reply actions
i thought i smelled brut...
thanks for clearing all that up for us.
+1
Outstanding.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:22 AM CST up reply actions
And another
Amazing.
"If you think you can be stopped, this isn't the place for you."
by austintexasbaby on Jan 11, 2010 1:10 PM CST up reply actions
Did you even read this post?
The whole point was that there’s no point dwelling on “what might have been.” It sucks that McCoy got injured. The game would have played out differently had he not been injured, obviously. But that doesn’t mean Texas would have won, as I said.
Please read before you comment.
don't you have meth to cook? a sister to pimp?
piss off.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
A staggeringly ignorant comment, even for a man going by EnragedOUFan
We as Texas fans cannot claim that we would have won that game had Colt been able to play. We can run through a million scenarios in our heads of how the game might have played out differently and ultimately gone in our favor, but none of them did play out. Only one history can unfold, and unfortunately that one developed into an Alabama national championship.
proud to swim home
Bradford
Bradford’s hit was clean plus he reinjured the shoulder that wasn’t fully healed, can’t compare the two.
by Ryan2907 on Jan 9, 2010 7:21 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
GOOD Comparison!
Actually, you can compare the two. I just watched both in slow motion; you should try it. The hit that took Colt out of the NC game in the first quarter looks almost identical to the one that took Bradford out of their game against TX in the first quarter. “Unblocked Longhorns cornerback Aaron Williams jerked Bradford down while he was running backwards trying to get away from the defender on Oklahoma’s second drive.” http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4569611 Take a look at the replay on Colt’s hit and you will see Dareus’s left hand around Colt’s waist, as Colt is running backwards, trying to get away from the Alabama defender. Same situation, same hit, the only difference is that Bradford was actually injured, while Colt simply had a pinched nerve. The other main difference has to be the much slimmer margin of victory that TX had over OK (16-13), compared to that of Bama’s over TX (37-21). Any Horns fan that says TX would have won the game if Colt didn’t get hurt must admit that TX would have lost to Oklahoma if Bradford had not been injured. For a more detailed explanation of that point, read: “No style points in Horns’ messy win” http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4571492&sportCat=ncf
Look, You Miserable, Pathetic LandGrabber Troll, Here's a Question For You...
I was in the stands in Pasadena listening to Alabama’s chant’s of “SEC!, SEC!, SEC!” in the waning seconds of the game, and all I could think of is what an amazing putz your coach Stoops was to actually travel to Alabama for some innocuous ‘peer meetings’ before the MNC game. Not that the visit could have helped ‘Bama since ou can’t win lately on any consistent basis againt us, but Stoop’s effort raised many, many eyebrows.
To be a fan of a Big 12 football program whose head coach actually put in an effort to cut the throat of it’s own conference’s chance at glory and success astounds me to lengths that I cannot comprehend. What do you think the Big 12 Commissioner thinks of your program, you pathetic, miserable troll?
"Please God, Send us a Stable of Running Backs!"
Yeah get out of here inbred,
Why dont you just “man up” and admit that the game would have been COMPLETELY different had mccoy been in the game. were up 14-0 after a retarded choice by saban to fake the punt and a special teams mistake within the first 3 minutes with an unbelievable amount of momentum. im not playing the what if game im playing the common sense game. but have fun reminiscing on your football national championship, us here however are looking forward to the final four and omaha.
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
You were up 6-0
You are making a HUGE assumption you would have scored two TDs twice had McCoy been in.
And that fake by Saban…if the punter hadn’t underthrown by three yards, it was a Bama TD. Your cover guy was completely unprepared, he just had the ball gift wrapped to him by a weak throw.
If McElroy wasn’t playing with broken ribs, we would have had more passing yards. Fact. See how ridiculous that sounded?
If Ifs and buts were candies and nuts…ya’ll probably/maybe/possibly/somewhat would have played better.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:09 AM CST up reply actions
To fake a punt on your opening possession is arrogant. Fact.
"If you think you can be stopped, this isn't the place for you."
by austintexasbaby on Jan 11, 2010 1:12 PM CST up reply actions
God, Nick Saban is one Unpleasant Douche Bag
Seriously, sheesh. Just looking at this face, you know living with this guy is just living hell.
In-VINCE-able.
Most Alabama players love him
because they say he cares about them and prepares them for the NFL and other endeavors.
by BamafaninTexas on Jan 9, 2010 6:53 PM CST up reply actions
His contract must state that he is fined $50,000 per smile...
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Jan 9, 2010 6:55 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I almost snarfed my drink on that one
Classic, and most likely true.
"Please God, Send us a Stable of Running Backs!"
unreal, that is so funny ...
Longhorn humor at its finest. Toast. +1
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:24 AM CST up reply actions
Mack Brown does too, but he also doesn't take himself too seriously...
"If you think you can be stopped, this isn't the place for you."
by austintexasbaby on Jan 11, 2010 1:13 PM CST up reply actions
Hey Bama and OU fan...
Go play on you own blogs. Let us whine and sulk by ourselves. If you didnt agree deep down with our thoughts on the game you would not be here. Adios.
by Dawnpatrol on Jan 9, 2010 6:57 PM CST via mobile reply actions
During the third quarter
I definitely got the sense Saban had gone into a shell. At that point there was absolutely no need to press the issue. When we started to land some blows, he threw some of his own and they knocked us out.
Impossible to say the Horns would have won with Colt, but there is no question it was looking good before he went down.
Vomit.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
I didn't get that sense at all...
He was running the same plays that scored 20-30 yard gains and TD’s in the second quarter, but they only took him for 3 and outs in the 3rd.
Just because those plays are basic power runs, doesn’t mean that he wasn’t hitting us with what was working.
Now if he was trying to help out the longhorns, he would have gone to the air more…
You know
one of the underrated plays of that football game was the 3rd and 25 screen that went for 37 yards. It didn’t get points for Texas, but it forced Bama into a hole for the entire quarter that they never got out of. Curious if they get the ball out of the shadow of their end zone, if they open it up a little bit more.
The question...that has an answer.
Did Colt getting hurt make it easier for Bama to win. Hell yes. You would have to be a complete moron to think not.
No you don't.
Odds are, you’re right. But saying that a counterfactual has to be fact is inherently dumb.
To some Texas fans......
Seriously, get a grip on things. I’m not downgrading anyone, or name calling, or insulting an entire state, etc……..I’m simply stating the obvious, having a little fun, and I enjoy debate. Some of you can’t handle the pressure.
The presure of his overbearing ellipses.
I can’t help but wonder what nuggets of wisdom have been omitted.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 9, 2010 7:26 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
woah slow down there...
You have to use smaller words for him. and nice i love seeing ou fans making no sense on their posts. seriously though im interested what pressure? haha
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
oh, my ...
“overbearing ellipses” … +1
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:27 AM CST up reply actions
No need for a debate with you
Last time I checked, you didn’t have a dog in the fight on Thursday night. Instead of debating, can you instead tell me how to cope with the pain of losing to an SEC team in the national championship? I’m having trouble, and I’d like to consult an expert (you)
"Stats are for losers, I like winning games."
by SuperBentley on Jan 9, 2010 7:33 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I'm still not ready to think about this one too long, but great read BZ
To follow on the Cormac McCarthy theme: “Anything that doesn’t take years of your life and drive you to suicide hardly seems worth doing.” Hopefully none of us have been near suicide, but college football certainly takes some years of ones life.
proud to swim home
If Colt was still in the game you think realistically he would run twice and throw once on 3 sequences of plays!
The guy was working off so much momentum 2/2 on passing working the ball down field and the whole team offense as well as defense was feeeding off i. After the injury kind of like BZ said the team was a little deflated because our Boobie Miles was hurt leaving us with an inexperienced Chris Comer at QB
Great write up, BZ, but...
One minor quibble. I don’t think we have a right to bitch about the late touchdown. Was it unnecessary? Sure. But so what? I get as pissed as anyone when I see Miami or OU or someone run up the score on some patsy. But we’re Texas. The loss hurts just as much either way. I just think that we have too much resources, talent, etc. to ever bitch about someone running up the score.
That’s the way Saban carries himself, and the way he coaches his team to carry itself. That’s why 6-11 with 5 sacks is throwing the horns down at the end of the game. I’m just proud that Mack would never do it. And I’m proud that Colt would never do something like McElroy did. That’s enough for me.
I’m trying to find a photo, but it has been reported that McElroy made a Horns down sign when he took the knee. Does anyone know if this happened?
Now that would be classless.
I was in the Texas End Zone When McElroy Flashed Them (Yes)
He flashed them after the first of those two last ’Bama touchdowns in the end zone. I was cursing him with all the venom and spit I had in me too.
"Please God, Send us a Stable of Running Backs!"
Yeah hes a real winner...
considering he didnt do jack shit in the game except getting owned by kindle, acho, etc. and handing the ball of to the backs.
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
He's undefeated as a starter in HS and college
winner comes to mind.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:11 AM CST up reply actions
Um, wow...
By that logic, our running game won 13 games this season.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Jan 10, 2010 1:13 AM CST up reply actions
By "that logic" you mean reality and actual, factual records?
no, really.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:16 AM CST up reply actions
he comes from a power house high school
not like he brought some no name team and went undefeated with them, and sorry i didnt hear that much about him this year except that he was undefeated. not saying he didnt have good games just saying ingram outshown him and his performance thursday didnt look the best to me
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
I agree with that, UT107
I’m not saying he is an elite QB, but at some point he becomes extremely lucky or intelligent, savvy enough to know his limitations and not make mistakes. he is not a Colt McCoy, but he is very smart and confident QB, and quite tough to boot. He didn’t win games by himself, for sure, but he did manage games this year and, at times, make big plays that we needed. And he was the best QB on the field in the SECCG (for that night).
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:18 AM CST up reply actions
Game Manager
and better than tebow? as much as i hate the jesus of the new mellinium i think he was the better of the two. and yes he managed games which leads me to think that he isnt a huge threat. and when teams have to focus on a rungame like you had that of course opens up the passing game.
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
McElroy was near perfect in the SEC CG.
Tebow was average.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Again, agreed
I didn’t say he was better than Tebow, I said he was better than tebow on the night of the SECCG. He outplayed him, out passed him, out hustled him. Tebow is not a very accurate passer, and I would say McElroy is better in that respect in general.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:25 AM CST up reply actions
McElroy vs. Tebow? Are you kidding?
That’s like arguing about whether ou or aggie is the finer learning institution. They both suck; but even a shovelfull of suck can shine if it’s surrounded by enough diamonds. Tebow doesn’t start for probably 4 or 5 Big XII teams; McElroy starts for even fewer.
This is a stupid thing to argue about.
If the world was a school, we'd be homecoming king...
by adt2 on Jan 10, 2010 9:23 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
READ the statement!
For the last time, he said that McElroy was better than Teebow on the night of the SECCG. Just like McElroy was better than Colt on the night of the NC game. Roll Tide!
I wish he hadn't done that
I know he has dislike for Texas cause they spurned him, but it wasn’t a cool move. I didn’t like it when Houston Nutt did it to you guys, don’t like it with McElroy.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:11 AM CST up reply actions
Thanks for saying that BamaReturns07
You know, people always are quick to mention that we have a famous hand sign, and that because of that, we deserve every horns down sign we get. Truth is, I only buy that argument if Colt or Shipley or Kindle, or anyone else on the Texas squad publicly mocks anyone’s else’s team’s traditions while on the playing field. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Texas players mock anybody else’s team’s traditions, so I expect better from McElroy, even if he was spurned by Texas.
Thanks for the post.
"Please God, Send us a Stable of Running Backs!"
Fair enough.
I certainly wish we had stopped them and as football players that’s what our defense’s job was and they didn’t do it.
But my points were merely that (i) I hate Saban even more than I already did for not taking a knee, and (ii) the explanation being espoused by Bama fans about “respecting our offense” is total crap.
I know. I just read that about McElroy today and wanted confirmation that it happened.
I can’t believe he would do that. That is just bad sportsmanship. I would never want any of our players to do something that classless.
I saw it on tv when it happened.
He was coming onto the field to take a knee.
BZ,
Both of those points are completely valid. What he did just didn’t change my opinion of him, as it was pretty low to begin with.
I'm no Saban fan
but I don’t care about the last TD. Doesn’t matter to me if it’s 1 or 100, a loss is a loss and they all count and feel the same.
The notion of “class” (which I hate also) obviously has no place in the landscape of modern college football. It’s fast becoming archaic.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
well, I agree
but it seems like it matters less and less to those with an opportunity to display theirs publicly.
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
About that last touchdown
I have been to hundreds, if not north of 1000, sporting events in my life, and I have never been as utterly enraged as I was when I realized Bama wasn’t taking knees. I’m pretty sure I finally became “that guy” for a few minutes, probably unknowingly embarrassing myself with a few loudly-thrown f-bombs while thankfully not sitting close enough to a Bama fan that there was any risk of a more heated confrontation. (Though I was close enough to receive a dirty look when I shouted “S-A-T” in response to the “S-E-C” chant.)
Since the game and having time to reflect, I’ve wondered why that enraged me so. It wasn’t the type of play calls — the calls were rather conservative running plays, not downfield heaves into the endzone a la OU against Mizzou when up by a bazillion late in last year’s Big XII Championship Game. And I’m also pretty sure that I would have merely rolled my eyes if Bama marched into the endzone by running the ball up by 40 or so.
I think what enraged me so was that it was pretty clear that our hearts had finally and irrevocably been ripped out on the previous play after the extraordinarily gutty comeback. If this had been a championship boxing match, this was the point at which the trainer would have thrown in the towel without anyone thinking for a moment that his fighter was quitting.
And in that light, if Saban had done the classy thing in this battle of two evenly-matched heavyweights in offering the olive branch of taking knees in those closing seconds, I have no doubt that Brown would have accepted the offer and not unnecessarily prolonged the game by taking the time out. As soon as I saw Bama line up in a normal formation, though, I had no doubt in my mind that Bama would score, and score quickly, even though this same defense had just forced Bama to take three plays to march three yards, as we were mentally dead. You can say that it was the defense’s job to stop them, but there was no chance in the world that was happening in that specific situation.
I though Saban would be smart enough, or classy enough in this battle of two classy, historical powers, to recognize that. I guess I was wrong.
I no longer necessarily believe that it was “running up the score,” but it still rubs me the wrong way a few years later.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 9, 2010 11:08 PM CST up reply actions
And one unrelated thought . . .
If the Bama argument that Saban was actually showing us respect by not taking any chances is correct, then Saban in fact made a very unwise decision.
Take four knees, even factoring in the time out which I do not believe Texas would have taken, and Texas would have had the ball, as BZ pints out, on its own 30 with 15 or so seconds to go. Even playing 11 on zero, it’s almost mathematically impossible to score a touchdown and a field goal in 15 seconds.
Saban, though, opened up his team to unnecessary risk by running real plays. Anyone remember the Baylor-UNLV game a few years back? Baylor had a four-point lead and the ball on the UNLV five with a few seconds left. Instead of taking one last knee, Baylor instead tried to punch it in for one last unnecessary score. Baylor fumbled, though, and UNLV returned the fumble the length of the field for an improbably victory.
Because of a scenario like that, Saban had to know that there was more of a risk running plays than taking knees. That’s why I don’t buy the “respecting Texas too much” argument.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 9, 2010 11:13 PM CST up reply actions
I felt pretty much the same
When we turned the ball over with 1:40, down by double digits, we all knew it was over. The 85 Bears defense couldn’t have stopped that last touchdown. Our defense was done.
I was all kinds of pissed off at that moment. I really wish Saban hadn’t done that. At the moment of the interception, I was ready to take a 31-21 defeat and congratulate Bama, but that last sequence left such a bitter taste in my mouth.
I imagine many horns fans feel the same. Saban sort of deprived us of the opportunity to be good sports in the waning moments, and maybe that’s the worst part of it.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 12:43 AM CST up reply actions
Exactly
Saban sort of deprived us of the opportunity to be good sports in the waning moments
I’ve been at one other event where my team lost the championship (2000 Stars), and I made a point of congratulating the handful of Devils fans I saw. I had every intention on being as good a sport this time around, but I instead found myself to be a expletive-spewin’, finger-entendin’ fool.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:49 AM CST up reply actions
Duplicity
So basically, “If Saban was a good sport, then I’d be a good sport.”
Weak sauce.
Lee Corso: How would you describe tailgating at Alabama?
Kirk Herbstreit: Barbecue and Ralph Lauren
by animalcracker on Jan 10, 2010 10:22 PM CST up reply actions
I've admitted that I'm not proud of my behavior
Has Saban?
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 10:36 PM CST up reply actions
So, your #1 rushing defense
couldn’t stop three straight runs up the middle? Should we also be playing flag football or tackle?
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:34 AM CST up reply actions
*by our backup running back, a true freshman FYI
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:35 AM CST up reply actions
amazing
that you would defend the final TD. And Richardson is a damn good back, the real deal. The D was deflated and the game over. Take your championship and act like you’ve been there before. Texas would not condone or defend such behavior. Satan, er Saban, on the other hand (I am not going to coach Alabama) is okay with it, against his friend Muschamp.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:41 AM CST up reply actions
Amazing that Texas is complaining about running up the score
which wasn’t the case at all. We didn’t throw or try anything other than running the ball (as was pointed out earlier). Man, how many times did Mack leave Colt in this year passing in order to pad his Heisman stats – and ya’ll complain about something that isn’t even close? Man up, dude lol
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:47 AM CST up reply actions
OK, I was tolerating you up until now . . .
. . . but you really are just being an obnoxious troll, whether you know it or not. Please leave, and please learn how to spell “y’all” like a true southerner.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 1:51 AM CST up reply actions
how the hell was that a trolling comment?
wow…thanks for tolerating me, and thanks for getting super sensitive when a comment is made that you have no rebuttal for. You guys are so damn sensitive, making mountains out of molehills.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:56 AM CST up reply actions
how many times did Mack leave Colt in this year passing in order to pad his Heisman stats
A completely irrelevant (and inaccurate, I might add) assertion that has nothing to do with the subject at hand.
ya’ll complain about something that isn’t even close
Our ball, three minutes left, down by three. But it wasn’t “even close.”
Man up, dude lol
Mocking, plain and simple.
Don’t you have a Wal-Mart to visit?
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 1:59 AM CST up reply actions
A completely irrelevant (and inaccurate, I might add) assertion that has nothing to do with the subject at hand.
Innaccurate? I think not. Irrelevant? Was the subject not complaining about Bama running up the score?
Our ball, three minutes left, down by three. But it wasn’t "even close."
Dude, by “even close” I meant the situations, not the score. wow.
Don’t you have a Wal-Mart to visit?
Yep. Maybe next year you can visit Wal-Mart too.
You complain about the trolling, but you are a baiter.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 2:04 AM CST up reply actions
I'm a master
Please enlighten us on the specific situations this season in which Mack left Colt in solely to pad his stats for the Heisman race. I’m curious.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 2:12 AM CST up reply actions
470 passing yds vs. UCF
comes to mind
Lee Corso: How would you describe tailgating at Alabama?
Kirk Herbstreit: Barbecue and Ralph Lauren
by animalcracker on Jan 10, 2010 10:24 PM CST up reply actions
Considering that the score . . .
. . . was 21-3 entering the 4th quarter, and the Horns’ last points came with over nine minutes left, I’d hardly call that leaving him in to pad stats for the Heisman race.
Try again.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 10:34 PM CST up reply actions
Like I have mentioned before...
You didnt pass, because you couldnt pass. Please dont act like an alabama passing play is anywhere near as productive or dangerous as a run.
I personally think that Saban knew a lot of the media were going to play the what if game, and insinuate that Texas ‘would have won’ with McCoy, so he wanted to get as many points as possible for the history books.
You might be right . . .
I have to partially agree with you Thor84. We couldn’t pass like we did in the SECCG, because McElroy was playing with two cracked ribs (that resulted from the SECCG) in the NC game. But even if McElroy didn’t have two cracked ribs in the NC game, I wouldn’t suggest that our passing game is as dangerous as our running game. In fact, I don’t believe that anything in college football is as dangerous as Alabama’s running game!
I also have to partially agree with you about Saban’s motive for that last TD. It might have been a precautionary measure because Mack had not used his last time out, but it’s more likely that he wanted as convincing a win as possible. If the latter is true, I don’t have a problem with that because I know that Horns fans would be throwing out even more ‘what ifs’ if the score was any closer.
Great comment
You nailed the outrage of the final TD. And you, sir, are my hero for the SAT chant.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:33 AM CST up reply actions
I no longer necessarily believe that it was "running up the score," but it still rubs me the wrong way a few years later.
Interesting take. It’s cool that you’re being honest and introspective. Basically you all felt like you were being kicked while you were down. Now, I didn’t have a problem with the TD. You can check my post near the bottom of the thread to get my full take on it. Regardless, Saban’s not the kind of person that’s going to take your feelings into consideration when he’s doing his job. But he’s not malicious either, and he will shut it down in most cases.
We Alabama fans are testy when it comes to people talking negatively about Saban. The media dumped all over him for leaving Miami to the point where it seemed a lot of the pundits had a personal grudge against him. Then you add incidents such the media misrepresenting and taking out of context his comments following the UL Lafayette loss. From our perspective, he’s consistently and unfairly being treated as a punching bag. So when UT fans on this blog start calling him a classless douchebag, that pisses us off. Especially when we look at your schedule and see a bunch of 70-3, 65-7, etc scores over the past few years.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Basically you all felt like you were being kicked while you were down.
Maybe it’s just semantics, but it wasn’t so much that we were kicked when were down as that we were kicked when we were out. To use the boxing analogy again, it was that the fighter I was rooting for was knocked out, it was that the fighter I was rooting for was knocked out after the trainer had thrown the towel into the ring that wasn’t seen by the ref or the other boxer.
Obviously, no towel was literally thrown in, but any educated football fan knew at that moment that the game was over. Combine that with the emotional ringer we had been through, and I hope you understand why we took great offense to those plays at that moment.
Especially when we look at your schedule and see a bunch of 70-3, 65-7, etc scores over the past few years.
If Bama fans get testy about criticisms of Saban, we get testy over unsubstantiated accusations of “running up the score” by those who infer such things merely looking at final scores. Please find a game in which we were still punching it in the last minute of the game. The Colorado game was 70-3, for example, halfway through the third quarter.
And to think about it for a minute, we might have been in a much better position if we had run up the score a bit this season and given Gilbert a few more reps in end-of-game situations. But Mack was too classy to do that.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 10:10 AM CST up reply actions
I could understand being annoyed, but it seems like many of you were overreacting greatly.
I have never been as utterly enraged as I was when I realized Bama wasn’t taking knees.
I find that ridiculous as I do insulting our coach over it. As I said elsewhere
Finally, all this talk about running up the score is getting pathetic. That’s just my opinion. I know some Bama fans that didn’t like it, so I’m not speaking for everyone. But I say don’t be such freaking babies. Were we up by more than 2 scores? No. Could you get the ball back with us taking a knee? Yes. Were we calling timeouts, intentionally running out of bounds, throwing the ball, or doing anything whatsoever to extend the game (and thus get more points)? Hell no. Did we use any type of gimmick play or trickeration? No. We just ran it up the gut with our BACKUP running back.
That’s pretty much a case closed IMO. You’re freaking TEXAS. You’ve got a great defense. If you would have preferred to lose by 10 than 17 (or 16 as it happened), then load up the box, bring everyone, and stop our vanilla runs. It’s really that simple. If we turned around and burned you with a deep ball, then I would say you’d have a reason to be upset. I don’t think that would have happened.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Why is it ridiculous . . .
. . . for me to admit that I was more enraged at that moment than at any of the countless other sporting events I’ve been to in my lifetime?
Just admit that we have a difference of opinion and that it’s impossible for you to fathom how we felt at that particular moment in time and move on.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 11:35 AM CST up reply actions
Okay, feeling outrage when it happened it understandable from an emotional perspective, irrational as I find it.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
One could argue . . .
. . . that this entire universe of allowing a bunch of 18-to-21-year-old-men determine the status of our emotional state, for better or worse, is inherently irrational.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:08 PM CST up reply actions
It is
and sometimes when I watch how excited fans get trying to get close to these “kids” I realize from an outside perspective, it is quite odd and can be rather creepy when they are pushing and shoving to get close to said kids.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:10 PM CST up reply actions
I have been a BAMA season ticket holder for 6 years now
I have upper deck seats and we have a spiral ramp to the different decks. I have the attitude that by the time I reach the bottom of the spiral, I am over the game win or loss. Do I still talk about the game afterward, yes. Do I let my emotions be affected after I reach the bottom of that spiral, no. For me, Alabama is a very enjoyable temporary distraction from the norm. I do not let it affect my sense of self-worth or happiness. I admit, I was a happy camper when I walked out of the Rose Bowl Thursday night. I did not trash talk any UT fans. In fact, I tried to congratulate any I came across. They all seemed appreciative. I have been there before and had LSU fans try and pour salt on an open wound. Did it annoy me, sure but it didn’t continue to bother me. I have never been a trash talker but I will take up for my team/coach when they are attacked.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
Congratulations on the win
and I don’t care about the runs up the middle at the end. We couldn’t stop them, our bad.
The issue I have with Nick Saban is employing Bob Stoops and Bo Pellini for advice on how to stop the Texas offense. Now I agree that ‘friends’ talk to ‘friends’. And that is my point. It puts Saban on very shaky character ground in these parts.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 1:44 PM CST up reply actions
What's the difference between them actually going to Alabama
or just texting or calling Saban on the phone? You know all of these coaches have each other on speed dial. If your coach (Muschamp) and our coach (Kirby Smart) played together at Georgia.. don’t you know they were talking to each other all the way up to the championship games? I’m certain at the very least they called to wish the other well after each others victories!!
You know
I find it a very rare occasion in life when two people actually disagree. There do exist circumstances in which an issue is so complex and nuanced, and differs so greatly from experience to experience, that common perspective is genuinely difficult. But most of the time that men “disagree,” one of the two is being truthful, and the other is simply being a dick, because it protects his agenda, and because he can.
I witness this happen every day, and I let it go, because frankly, most battles aren’t worth it. But I’m calling bullshit here. These Bama fans that are arguing that 1) there was legitimate need to score an extra touchdown for strategy’s sake, 2) our defense should have been able to stop simple running plays, and 3) that it was not at all classless to do so, don’t believe a word coming out of their own mouths.
People love to be dishonest to protect their own agendas. The problem is that facts often preclude them from doing it. So they just love an opportunity to be dishonest when it cannot be proven so. This is such a case. We can’t prove that the 85 Bears wouldn’t have stopped that last touchdown, but if you’ve ever played football, you’ll know that it requires a ton of focus and discipline to complete any assignment, and when 11 guys have all lost their focus, then their size and talent mean nothing. Texas was not going to stop that score, and Saban knew it.
We can’t prove that Texas might not have been able to enact a miraculous comeback. But we all know that wasn’t going to happen either.
Bama fans a are clinging to technicalities so they can profitably engage in their dishonest agenda-protection. Consider that if the shoe were on the other foot, and somewhere deep down (hint: try looking beneath the crusty, obnoxious layer of defense mechanisms) you know you’d be saying the same things we’re saying, and yet you keep arguing your points regardless, then you are being dishonest.
I dare say you are trying to convince yourselves more than you are trying to convince us, and good luck with that, by the way, because you sure won’t convince us.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 12:35 PM CST up reply actions
I never said the score was necessary. I just don’t see the big deal. It seems to me this is more about the fact that we crushed your heart by knocking out your QB and spoiling your dream season than it is about us running the ball up the middle with our backup RB at the end of the game.
Reading what you guys are saying, it seems like you expect us to psychoanalyze your team to assess what your state of mind is and then hand you the ball back because we don’t want to hurt your feelings by extending the margin beyond 10 points so we can “extend an olive branch”. Jesus Christ. Like I said, I can see getting emotionally upset at the time, but GET OVER IT. You guys have done similar things in similar circumstances.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
In the grand scheme of things, the last TD wasn't a big deal. Bama decided to try to score again and we didn't stop them.
But the game was over. Everyone knew it. To try to score a touchdown when the game is over is something that I don’t want to see and I reserve the right to be upset about it.
You're awfully testy
for someone who just won a Championship, and is now VOLUNTARILY visiting the losing team’s blog. Hmmm. Could it be that we hit a nerve?
I offer that you simply can’t stand that the game was tainted by unfortunate circumstances, and in an effort to validate that this championship was, in fact, legitimate, you intend to argue yourself blue.
Perhaps it is we who should have sympathy for you. Bama did not get to prove its greatness on Thursday night, and Tide fans will forever have to deal with that. I’m sorry that upsets you, but we actually lost the game, and we feel just as bad about it. So if you are desperatley looking for someone to hold your hand and tell you its ok, that Bama would have won regardless, then you’ve come to the wrong place.
You’re simply going to have to live with the lack of closure to the 2009 campaign, as will we, as will every other college football fan.
I’ll say it again: It is painfully obvious you are trying to convince yourself.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 1:59 PM CST up reply actions
It is as legitimate as any other MNC where other teams have the same record as the champ.
What happened happened.
Bama did not get to prove its greatness on Thursday night, and Tide fans will forever have to deal with that.
I sort of agree with this, but it doesn’t matter. They are MN Champs.
if you are desperatley looking for someone to hold your hand and tell you its ok, that Bama would have won regardless, then you’ve come to the wrong place.
I completely agree with this.
What he said, plus..
you guys apparently didn’t watch us virtually hand a game to Tennessee, a game that we had dominated, but never got the ball into the end zone.
With 3 minutes left, our (now Heisman) fumbles for the 1st time in his career, Tennessee scores a TD, (the first one we had allowed in 3-4 games), then Tennessee recovers an onside kick.
The game we had “in control” now had Tennessee lined up for a game winning kick within 45 yards, a very make able kick. If Cody doesn’t block it, we wouldn’t have been playing you in the 1st place.
You go ahead and call it classless. I call it paranoia..
Same difference.
Do your HW
If knealt, Bama would’ve handed the ball back to Texas around the Texas 30 yardline with roughly 35 seconds remaining.
Yep, I still liked our chances for a comeback.
by DaGoose on Jan 12, 2010 10:21 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
The word 'class'
might imply not making fun of people who shop at WalMart.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 1:16 PM CST up reply actions
I really prefer Target...but Walmart is cheaper....errrrrr...more affordable.
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Jan 10, 2010 3:07 PM CST up reply actions
i'm sorry, that's just funny
would any sponsor ever put a trophy in a walmart in austin? even walmart might not do that had it been sponsoring.
But... it *was* in an Austin Wal-Mart
According to this post at RBR:
http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2010/1/10/1244678/2006-trophy-was-also-shown-at-wal
hahaha
i just about died. this made my day.
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
Woulda been in an Austin Wal-mart
so don’t get too happy ;)
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:18 AM CST up reply actions
Maybe, maybe not. Security concerns also come into play. (I have a friend that works for the parent company that owns the DP brand). The Walmarts in the Austin area are not necessarily in the parts of town where they might feel comfortable placing $30,000 worth of crystal. They have alternate locations.
Walmart works in Tuscaloosa.
by dimecoverage on Jan 10, 2010 9:34 AM CST up reply actions
When I was at UA
They had just opened the super wal-mart. Tuscaloosa is TINY compared to Austin, so we only had/have the one.
But it was the place to b elol
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:11 PM CST up reply actions
Tremendous
Given how it transpired, you probably just about buy it at W-Mart.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:42 AM CST up reply actions
Excuses...
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:48 AM CST up reply actions
We'll put it at Target next year.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Been here before so
I know time won’t heal the wound but it will make me appreciate the successes to come that much more.
I lived in Alabama from the age of 9-15 and I encountered numerous obnoxious UA fans and I know AU fans can be the same, their protestations that the other guy is different to the contrary. I won $5 on the ‘73 Cotton Bowl, a fiver I surely didn’t have to bet but I’d been called a yankee and endured enough of Bear Bryant’s walking on water. We never lost to the Bear, and the ’82 game was even much sweeter.
McElroy, indeed, gave the Horns-down sign at the game’s end as he did his little victory pirouette. I can only attribute this to McElroy’s dismay at not being at Texas overriding his pride at being a member of UA, clearly more steeped in MNC tradition than we are. He can call that what he wants, looks like a slap in the face to the Bama folks ready to adopt him as a native son.
Yes, Saban could have easily run out the clock instead of padding the score. Maybe that was the Stoops-Pelini pre-game advice for Saban. Karma is a worm that surely turns. Maybe Saban won’t ever have to pay his dues …
PS, is there any other kind of OU fan than an enraged one ?
im saying it to. It could have gotten ugly
"Dont yall think that crystal beautiful yall?" -Vince Young
by Texastriplecrown on Jan 10, 2010 12:43 PM CST up reply actions
Even a troll occasionally makes a valid point
And that is that it is pretty rich for us to complain about Colt going down after Bradford goes down in the OU game.
As far as Stoops not whining…I have rarely seen anything more ridiculous in print. After ‘06 OU vs OU, OU vs TTech, that’s easy (and throwing a fit IS whining). But don’t forget all the whining about the ND questions.
Anyways, enjoy another 300 days or so (at least) of having lost 2 in a row and 4/5 to us, OU fans….
don't forget being UNRANKED!
Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis.
bradford went down against us because he was playing hurt
it was not a new injury. landry jones had already had weeks of snaps practice by then. these two situations are not the same and shouldn’t be compared
The real parallel to Bradford
is the initial injury he suffered in the BYU game. As jtabor said, Jones was already somewhat experienced, and they certainly knew going in that Bradford re-injuring the shoulder was a high probability occurrence.
Easily the classiest post written on this site
I know you don’t like the word BZ, but I’m not a good enough writer to find another one.
I've said it on other strings...
…but you are all really helping me start to begin to try to figure out how to get over this. I doubt if BON was designed to be therapeutic, but it’s proving to be exactly that. Thanks.
41-38 !!
I think we win if Colt plays
but it’s disappointing to see a hit like that take him out for the entire game. Just like the Kansas St. game. Once is a fluke, but twice is a trend. While his career at Texas was tremendous, he didn’t exactly have the ideal body type for a QB that would have to carry the entire offense – both the passing and running game. He said before the game he’d run the ball 40 times if he had to. I know it’s blasphemy, but bigger QBs like Gilbert and Snead probably would’ve been better fits for what we’re running. That’s why Snead will most likely be drafted ahead of his former teammate in Colt.
The reason you have to credit Alabama is because their offense is much more balanced. McElroy had an awful game and it didn’t even matter because of their RBs. Ingram, Richardson, and Upchurch could all be our #1 runningback option. I hope for the sake of Gilbert’s health that our O-line play can improve and we get much more production out of our RBs next year. While Gilbert does have running ability we should certainly utilize, he shouldn’t even come close to leading the team in rushing. Developing the running game will be our most critical issue going into next season.
by goingforthecorner on Jan 9, 2010 10:23 PM CST reply actions
Spokesman: Obama called UT's Brown
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas spokesman says President Barack Obama called Longhorns coach Mack Brown to congratulate him on the team’s season that ended with a 37-21 loss to Alabama in the BCS championship game.
Obama first met Brown and the Longhorns in 2008 when the then-Senator from Illinois was on campus to debate challenger Hillary Rodham Clinton during the Democratic primary.
The president told Brown on Saturday he was disappointed for quarterback Colt McCoy that he was unable to play after injuring his shoulder on the Longhorns’ first drive.
Obama called Alabama coach Nick Saban on Friday to congratulate him on the Crimson Tide’s title, but said Texas would have won if Colt played the entire game.
to the question "would texas have won if colt plays the whole game" there are only two valid answers:
- yes
- there’s no way to know
I cannot fathom how some members of the media have said “I think Bama would have still won.”
Everythihg happens for a reason
perhaps the experience Gilbert gained from this game helps turn next year’s team from a BCS bowl contending team to a MNC contender.
by goingforthecorner on Jan 9, 2010 10:48 PM CST reply actions
I thought the same exact thing
What can faze/scare him now? Playing OU? Are you kidding me? He walked point on Iwo Jima in his first firefight.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:47 AM CST up reply actions
Yeah
That kid is going to be ice cold from here on out. I feel better about him in the RRR this year now
Good point about the RRR
I think the media would have given the edge to Jones with his experience. But Jones has never played in anything like that.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 12:38 PM CST up reply actions
Great thinking
If this kid can keep his cool, in the biggest game of the year, suddenly thrust into the situation, against one of the toughest defenses in the country, then he will be a good one for you the next few years. Sorry for the very long run-on sentence, heh. Hope he gets another shot at us in the BCSCG next season. ;)
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
Ronald Powell MVP - Powell steals the show in West triumph
This dude is a stud…wish we could have landed him…
- Ht:6’4"
- Wt:230 lbs
- 40:4.52 secs
- Bench Max:355
- Squat Max:495
- Vertical:37 inches
- SAT:1380
- Class:2010 (High School
Is 1380 good?
What’s the equivalent on a 1600 scale?
by DaGoose on Jan 12, 2010 10:55 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I just got back from Pasadena
I am not here to respond to any postgame trash talk or to produce any postgame trash talk. I am here to congratulate Texas and it’s fans. I did not meet one single obnoxious UT fan in Pasadena. That is a rare feat. Your fans were the loudest I have heard all year(aside from our own, which I sometimes have trouble gauging while I am screaming my head off). The VaTech fans in Atlanta didn’t even come close. Congrats on a great season and for your team never giving up, even under trying circumstances. We will never know how it would have turned out if Colt didn’t get hurt early. If he played, you may have had more success but we probably wouldn’t have come out flat after halftime either. I say that because it would probably have been a much closer game at that point. I think our players thought the game was over after halftime. Your team disabused them of that notion. You look to be setup pretty well for next season. Your replacement for Colt looks like a winner. Here is to a rematch next season in Tempe. Until then ROLL TIDE and Go Horns.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
Thnak you . . .
. . . except that I hope you enjoy that empty stadium in Tempe while we’re winning the national championship in Glendale. :)
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 9, 2010 11:14 PM CST up reply actions
Heh
Well, you know what I meant. Tempe, Glendale, Phoenix, it’s all the same mess. Alas, I will probably not be there next season but would be happy to run into you guys in NOLA in 2012. ;)
BTW, I have been to San Fran, many years ago. This was my first trip to LA. I like the stadium except for the long tunnels and the “Please wait, the tunnel is full” signs. I did not enjoy the roads in LA. The roads were in poor shape and the signs are lacking. Thank God for my Tom Tom.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
I've lived here a few months . . .
. . . and I’m learning that LA has some of the oldest freeways in the country, which means that you get some oddball designs which would never happen with freeways built today (like that odd exit to stay on the 210 as you near the stadium, for example).
As for the stadium, it’s nice in the abstract, but if there is a better setting in all of North American sports than the Rose Bowl for a college championship game, i don’t know what it would be. That place, particularly for the hour leading up to the game when the seats were already filled, was absolutely magical. I don’t think it’s possible to describe in mere words what it was like being in that stadium.
Though I do agree that those tunnel signs sucked. Caused me to miss the pre-game Eyes.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 9, 2010 11:26 PM CST up reply actions
I understand the need for the signs.
Those tunnels are so long, there is a chance of someone getting hurt if they don’t control the flow. I did love the rest of the stadium design and the atmosphere.
My Tom Tom had to recalculate routes quite often because of the funky exits with 3 or 4 loop branches. I imagine that if you lived there long enough, it would become second nature but it is hell on a visitor. I have driven in NY, DC and Atlanta. None of those were as aggravating as LA. There is some beautiful scenery once you navigate to certain places. Laurel, Mulholland and the PCH provide some great views. I wish I had more time to find those type places.
Well, it is time for me to catch up on some ZZZ’s. Later folks.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
Bamachine, all class right there.
Great comment and appreciate the sentiments. I wish I could reciprocate about your fanbase, bro’. Don’t they sell beer in Alabama? Never seen more people unable to hold their drink. Y’all are just an arrogant bunch on the whole. But, thanks for chiming in although a futile effort IMO.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
You just didn't run into me at the game.
FWIW, yes they sell beer here(just not at the games, SEC rule). I do not drink(at least since college, many, many years ago). Sorry you ran into some of the worst element of our fanbase. I am not really making excuses for them but it has been a lot longer since we have been to that big of a game than it has been for your fans. I understand some of their hubris, I do not condone it but I do understand where it is coming from. Hopefully, this will lead to a bit more humility from here on out. Our fanbase has had to live through a very tumultuous decade leading up to this game. I just happen to always try and treat another fanbase like I would like to be treated.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
A couple of things.
One thing I heard on the radio this morning that I thought was an excellent point. Why is it that Colt’s backup only had 24 passes on the season? Y’all blew out several teams this year, yet he only had 24 passing attempts. Instead of trying to win Colt a Heisman, maybe Brown should have been playing him a bit more and he would have been a little more prepared for the game. Not trying to flame, it’s just a point that I heard that I thought was an excellent point.
Second, there’s no way to tell for sure that Texas would have beaten Bama had McCoy not gone out. Sure the backup was able to make a comeback and everything, but Saban even said that Bama changed the way the played defense when the backup came in. And Bama’s offense, unfortunately, was just playing not to lose in the third quarter, which really ended up causing three and outs and letting Texas’ offense get back into the game. So while I think that it would have been much closer and Texas might have won had McCoy been in, it’s not fair to say that they would have won had he been in there. There’s absolutely no way of knowing.
Like I said, hope that didn’t sound like I was flaming, just thoughts I had on the matter.
Your first point is certainly valid,
and has been made many times on this very board throughout the season.
As to your second point, it pretty much echoes BZ’s initial post. I think the only point any rational Texas fan is trying to make at this point is that had Colt not been injured, we certainly would have had a better chance of winning than we did once he went down.
Why is it that Colt’s backup only had 24 passes on the season?
We were lucky that it was 24 and not zero. In past years, our mop-up QBs almost never threw the ball. We were pleasantly surprised this season to see the play calling opening up slightly with GG getting the snaps.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 9, 2010 11:29 PM CST up reply actions
Damn straight
He licked his chops when MCCoy went down. He knew his d just got one hell of a break in the game.
As for different 3rd q on O for bama.. What did he do different. Run the ball? Pass a few times? Looked the same to me. Tecas just stuffed it.
by Dawnpatrol on Jan 10, 2010 12:22 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Does anyone have a
picture/screenshot of that “onside” kick hitting the Bama guy in the “guts”? I’ve been searching for one for a couple of days now but no luck. That gave me a good laugh at precisely the time I needed it most…
Bob Huffman
Has anyone ever said conclusively . . .
. . . whether that was on purpose or an intended squib kick on which we got unexpectedly lucky?
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 9, 2010 11:27 PM CST up reply actions
My best guess
is that it was intended to be a squib. The coaches clearly thought that it was better to let Alabama start at the 35 than give Arenas a chance to return the ball (which was a fantastic coaching decision IMO), so they were using a combination of short, high kicks and squibs. I don’t think any kicker could intentionally nail a blocker like that on the kickoff, although they may be told to aim in their general direction, if only to possibly get lucky.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
perhaps the best moment of the game
The shot from behind is classic because he is getting ready to peek over his right shoulder before being nailed in the thigh pad. His hands go south about a second late and the ball is already 5 yards away from him. Beautiful.
Our special teams work — and coaching — was and is outstanding. Congrats, Coach Akina.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 1:55 AM CST up reply actions
So Easy To Dismiss This As Sour Grapes...But It's Not
This is one of those blog posts which get’s dismissed in the post-loss haze as being that of sour grapes and second guessing…the desperate “shoulda, woulda, coulda” of a loser grasping for a calming, restorative pacifier.
But it’s not.
I think this is a thoroughly non-emotional, analytical analysis of a faulty test.
Good research practice states that you have to control the variables…mitigate circumstantial variability to ensure a qualified result. The team which got to 13-0 and earned it’s place as #2 and contending for the title was led by a man who was unparalleled at his job. He was the best in the country at what he does. And, he was the heartbeat of the team…it’s motor…it’s nucleus. And he was gone.
The Alabama team on the Rose Bowl field was, let’s say 95%. Not perfect form, but it was damned solid. They had everyone they counted on, playing to their ability. THEY COULD RUN THE GAMEPLAN THEY PREPARED. It was their A team and A game.
But the Texas team opposite them…at least in the first half…was at best 50%. And that 60% grade is pulled up substantially by a 85%+ defense. I went into the game firmly believing UT would lose. After the first Defensive and Offensive series by the Horns, I hung my head in shame for ever doubting the ’Horns resolve to be ready.
Texas lost, fair and square. No question. Alabama won and I congratulate them. I sincerely hope the team and the fans enjoy this moment…and cherish it. (I hope Saban is unable to.)
The simple point is this: Alabama was NOT the better team. They were simply the undamaged, unbroken, unhindered team.
Losing Colt was like not having the Longhorns equipment show up in time for the game. Sorry boys, you’ll just have to play it backyard style today.
Ludicrous
The simple point is this: Alabama was NOT the better team. They were simply the undamaged, unbroken, unhindered team.
That is completely incorrect. If the definition of “better” team is the team that wins in a head to head contest, then how can you say otherwise? Unless you have a better definition….?
Losing Colt was like not having the Longhorns equipment show up in time for the game. Sorry boys, you’ll just have to play it backyard style today.
blame your coaches for not getting the equipment boys ready. Again, if your entire ability to succeed rests on one player, you are, by FAR, not the best TEAM, and your two above statements contradict each other.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:17 AM CST up reply actions
Another note...undamaged/unbroken/unhindered?
Our star defensive player was taking IVs and had the flu. Our heisman trophy winner had a sprained foot and cramps all night. Our QB played with two cracked then seperated ribs.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:18 AM CST up reply actions
You forgot a few...
Hightower was out nearly all season. Julio had a sprained knee, and Dareus a tweaked elbow.
I think most people realize the “What if Colt didn’t get hurt?” question is ludicrous, because Bama fans will just retort, “What if Julio, McElroy, Hightower, Ingram, Dareus, and McClain didn’t get hurt?” Had Texas won, would Bama fans be saying, “If Hightower were there…” or “If our quarterback’s ribs didn’t separate again…” Well, some of the lower fans might, but you wouldn’t see that from the vast majority.
Saying that Alabama was undamaged is just silly.
It is a "Team" sport, not a "McCoy" sport
Your offense was based on one player. He got hurt. If you honestly think Bama would have played the same and our playcalling would have been the same had McCoy not gotten hurt, then you are thinking out of lunacy. We got a big lead, thanks in part because of McCoy’s injury, but thanks in HUGE part to our running game and our defense. Had McCoy stayed in, you don’t know how he would have preformed against our defense.
Like Saban or not, you have to admit he is a defensive mastermind. Our defensive gameplan was centered around McCoy, and we changed that drastically when he went down, along with our offensive gameplan when we jumped out to the big lead. Credit to Gilbert and Shipley, but without Shipley you guys lose big – his speed in getting behind our defense on a couple of blown coverage plays was uncanny. Certainly a fan base as knowledgeable and respected as Texas would understand it isn’t so simple as saying you would have scored more than 37 with McCoy in; one – of many – reason is that, guess what? McCoy doesn’t play defense. Maybe if your vaunted rushing defense had stopped both of our backs from gaining over 100 yards, then you would have had a better chance. Where is the excuse on that one? Did McCoy play offensive line? Could he have stopped Bama from busting up the Utah shovel and forcing the fumble by blocking cody, washington, anders? No. You conveniently forget the rest of the TEAM when playing the “unfair” card.
Don’t embarass yourself by leaning on the “asterick”. The media is using that as a story, and when Texas starts using that as an excuse you come off sounding more like a Boise or Texas Tech rather than the elite program you are. We won, we were the better TEAM; if you want to use the excuse of losing one player and you lose your shot to win, then you aren’t the better TEAM, you are the decent/mediocre team with one elite player (and you guys are more talented than that). Again, one player, McCoy does not stop Bama’s rushing attack or defensive pressure. One veteran Qb and one veteran WR does not a championship team make.
I think UT’s biggest problem has been pointed out in this thread. You guys blew so many teams out this year, yet your backup had so little experience. That is not Bama’s fault, that is your coaching staff’s fault. Mack Brown based his gameplan on McCoy, and while he was preaching fun and relaxation prior to the game, you could see the distress on his face when Colt went out.
Yes, as a Bama fan I am completely selfish and protective of my feeling of pride, and it overreaches, certainly, to passion and the aspect of me coming into this thread and reading what I hoped would be insightful feedback from a respected fanbase, but has turned into a few guys posting over and over again making excuses for the loss. But what is even more irritating is that you guys are feeding the media BS about the “asterick”. This not only takes away from what our kids accomplished but will feed a (probably) incorrect perception of your fan base when the media chooses to reference the “excuse makers” in Austin.
Bottom line, no one knows what would have happened if McCoy wasn’t hurt. Your offense probably would have been better, but, again, you never know how McCoy would have handled our defensive pressure all game and the schemes we developed for him. What would have been the excuse then?
Finally – it was a completely legal hit. EVERY expert, coach, etc. has confirmed that; hell, I could tell on the first replay. And this was the biggest game in college football with the most on the line; man up and play defense! We had a lot of backups in on the line and at skill (Richardson). It is highly ironic to see Texas fans, with the “#1” defense in the country (which we all know is incorrect at this point) complain about a score being run up on them by a “terrible” Bama offense that obviously and unabashedly went completely conservative after the half. amiright? Seriously, what would you have done if we had gotten Julio or Maze involved in the game at all?
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
Bottom line, no one knows what would have happened if McCoy wasn’t hurt.
You sum up perfectly what the * is about, whether you meant to or not.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:18 AM CST up reply actions
Nobody knows...
what would’ve happened if the wind were blowing differently. Or if it was 2 degrees cooler or warmer. Or if the officials hadn’t put a second back on the game clock in the big 12 championship. Or. Or. Or.
“Nobody knows what might have happened if ______” is a silly way to try to put an asterisk on something, because there are (literally) an infinite number of alternative scenarios whose effects nobody knows.
I'm wrong all the time.
by PeteHoliday on Jan 10, 2010 10:43 AM CST up reply actions
One Play Separated Alabama and Texas
In my opinion only one play separated Alabama and Texas. The hit on Colt?,….No. There would be too much speculation about how Colt would have play. However, if the first couple passes were any indication it looked like Colt was going to be sharp and ready. Let’s play the what-if game with Garrett Gilbert in like he was.
In my opinion the one play that changed the game was the end of 2Q interception and touchdown. 24-6 then 24-13 then 24 -21 with three minutes left. Take the cheap TD away and keep the rest of the game like it was and it’s Texas 21 and Alabama 17 with three minutes left and Texas has the ball deep in their own territory. Would they be passing: NO so they would have been trying to run the clock down with their running game. Ok the running game is weak so would they be stopped in three: PROBABLY. Alabama would have the ball with 1 or 2 minutes remaining and trying to win in the last second. The game was decided by that one play in the end of the 2Q and with a freshman QB at the helm who threw less than 30 passes all year in a team that really only had a passing game.
by NYY again in 10 on Jan 10, 2010 9:04 PM CST up reply actions
Did you even read the original post?
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 12:43 AM CST up reply actions
yeah, and it was really aimed more towards some of the posts I read
in response. And why it was FP’d?
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:06 AM CST up reply actions
So the comment here, and your denigration of our community at RBR
is because some individuals, in a community of thousands, out of a fan base of tens of millions, hold an opinion divergent from your own? Or in the case of the original poster, similar to your own?
As for why the article is front paged, Billy Zane writes on the front page here when he’s not cavorting with models and playing an attorney on TV (or in real life, one of those).
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 1:28 AM CST up reply actions
Denigration of your community? LOL
because I disagreed with what some of you are saying? Good Lord. Sensitive much?
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:32 AM CST up reply actions
From your fanpost at RBR
my reason for posting is that, while I thought the MODS at BON were cool, somehow that thread was FP’d, and it just makes the Texas fans look pathetic.
Not sensitive, just don’t think much of you.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 1:34 AM CST up reply actions
"makes the Texas fans look pathetic"
You also conveniently left out my comments about it being a small group of posters at BON, not the whole staff.
So, yeah, you are either way too sensitive, OR you have terrible reading comprehension. Either way, I could care less what you think of me. I’ll still be enjoying the sunrise in the morning.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:37 AM CST up reply actions
You're a troll, plain and simple
You came here to find someone to disagree with, go back to your friends on the playground and tell them what dorks we are. And maybe we are. As for qualifiers, they were absent here:
A reprint of a post on BON. Yeah, I know, but the bullshit being feed by the media and gobbled up by the Texas fans is ridiculous, and I felt the need to post a comprehensive rebuttal of sorts to this thread, which is insane, ludicrous, and idiotic at best.
Apparently you added a qualifier in a comment, but my page doesn’t update because I don’t belong to RBR. I just figured someone may as well call you out for what you are – amongst the myriad of excellent Bama reps we’ve had on this thread.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 1:43 AM CST up reply actions
Go to my profile, check my history
been a member of RBR for years – dating back to before SBN. Not a troll or flamer. Just because I disagree with some opinions, again, you get your panties in a wad. Also, again, conveniently leaving out other comments I have made yesterday and today positively about UT. Think whatever you want, pal.
And, yes, after I posted that I went back and commented – which you can see if you simply click that link – to qualify my statements. You can “call me out” all you want, but it doesn’t make it true. And I have seen the way a lot of us Bama fans have been treated by some of you guys when we came over here to discuss the situation, because, frankly, it is interesting to get the other side’s viewpoint of the game.
No where in that quote does it state I said the “majority” of Texas fans. Again, you fail.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:53 AM CST up reply actions
If you've been a RBR/SBN member for years . . .
. . . then you in particular should recognize that coming over to the board of the team you just defeated in a championship game, and growing increasingly mocking and antagonistic as you continue to post, is quite troll-like behavior.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 1:57 AM CST up reply actions
Mocking?
Have you read half the UT posts? And you call my comments mocking and antagonistic? Please. I know you have enjoyed your two months on this blog, but you are free to explore member’s histories.
Knock yourself out, Hopkins.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 2:01 AM CST up reply actions
I know you have enjoyed your two months on this blog
Do you even know where you’re posting anymore?
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 2:04 AM CST up reply actions
Damn
Touche. I completely screwed that one. I saw November, missed the years, it was a trainwreck.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 2:08 AM CST up reply actions
We can only hope to be survivors of this fiasco.
On the off chance you’re not a troll and merely impressively unware, allow me to explicate:
1) This is Texas blog. All Texas, all the time. Colt McCoy was not merely UT’s quarterback, he was a gritty kid who grew from a slight young man hailing from a town about the size of my Texas Government class into one of the most impressive college passers of a generation. He started in the tall shadow of Vince Young and in his own way became as iconic as Earl Campbell, Tommy Nobis, Ricky Williams and VY. He survived cheap shots, clean hits, and a 2007 offensive line composed of duck tape and good intentions.. He never missed a start. The hit that felled him wasn’t half as hard as others he overcame without even a grimace. It was just at the wrong place and the wrong time. Over the last four years he endeared himself to our fan base as much for his toughness as for his accuracy, and since the A&M game his freshman year, it had become inconceivable he would ever take a hit he couldn’t play through. Over four seasons he persevered to play in Thursdays game, and the chance was snuffed out in four plays. Just as we’re Texas, he was one of us. What you may perceive as “an excuse” in your admittedly biased outsiders perspective is – to us – akin to seeing a member of our family robbed of the opportunity to fulfill his first great ambition. Truly we don’t know how the game would have been different if he had played, but in a more just world he would have had the opportunity. If you’re truly a fan of college football, you understand the sentiment even if the circumstances are unfamiliar.
2. You’re here two days after the fact, you’re the only Alabama fan here taking serious issue with what is posted, and you don’t realize that Billy Zane’s name is at the bottom of the page and that is why this is on BON’s front page. To make matters worse, you’re tone deaf to the possibility that McCoy was not considered an interchangeable cog in the machine by our fan base any more than Kenny Stabler would have been decades ago. If you’re not a troll, that’s a veritable hurricane of poor circumstances.
3. This blog does a very good job of policing itself. At a time like this, all of us are more inclined to let wild eyed fantasy (the ‘05 Texas team could beat the 1992 Dallas Cowboys!!!! Woohoo Henry Melton!!!!) slide. That will change in a few weeks and we’ll get back to disagreeing with each other on regular basis. You’re a few weeks early to the party.
4. This is my olive branch, despite my secondary allegiances to LSU and affinity for the Miami Dolphins. It’s the best I can offer a Sabanite.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 2:56 AM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Trust me
Saban did Miami a favor by leaving. He was never going to amount to much of a pro coach.
I'm wrong all the time.
by PeteHoliday on Jan 10, 2010 10:46 AM CST up reply actions
I certainly agree the dolphins are better for Saban’s departure, but he exited in an unseemly fashion and then there was…Cam Cameron.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 12:05 PM CST up reply actions
Am I the only Bama fan here?
I have stated several times that McCoy was the most important offensive player (i.e. “Cog”) for UT.
In a more just world, a lot of things would be different. Why do you guys complain about an unfair game when it is a fact of life in college football, and we have experienced as much, if not, frankly, worse injury luck then you guys. Bama’s passing game isn’t up to par at Texas’s passing game, but it can be solid when everyone is healthy.
My point being, why focusing so much on Colt’s injury without making mention of the several injuries – including losing Hightower for the season – that bama players’ played with during the game. At best, it’s a wash, at worst, we were at a disadvantage as we were forced to be one dimensional, not completely due to your defense but due to “unjust” injuries. In a “just” world, we would have both been 100% healthy, but neither of us were, and at that point all things being equal, the better team won.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:00 PM CST up reply actions
I see the issue clearly arises from your lack of desire to read anything longer than a clause. Ah well, I tried.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 12:04 PM CST up reply actions
Yes
I am an uneducated ignorant Alabamian.
Or could it be I saw “blah blah blah, McCoy got hurt, blah blah blah, Saban is a douche, blah blah blah”? Eh, doesn’t matter, does it?
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:12 PM CST up reply actions
No, it doesn't.
I’ll cease tilting windmills with a troll.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 12:18 PM CST up reply actions
Not to nit-pick
bit it’s ‘duct tape’, used in air conditioning ducts.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 1:50 PM CST up reply actions
Actually it's either.
It was originally designed as a waterproof tape hence “duck”. Also, much like Kleenex it’s a brand name that has become synonymous with the product. It also is as you say duct tape. But “duck tape” isn’t wrong.
I know
but I only buy the duck tape brand.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 1:59 PM CST up reply actions
Never seen it before
They don’t carry it at my Wal-Mart
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 2:29 PM CST up reply actions
The interesting thing is that that was the original name since it was used to waterproof ammo boxes.
Edifying
I just know that while moving on a muggy new orleans afternoon, waterproof is best. Partially because it might rain, and partially because it feels like you’re underwater already.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 3:27 PM CST up reply actions
If you think losing Hightower early in the season
Is the same as losing Colt McCoy suddenly for Thursday, you’re just not a very knowledgeable fan. It’s not a “wash.” I would gladly take Colt back if you guys would get Hightower back. Easily and without hesitation.
by TheElusiveShadow on Jan 10, 2010 5:11 PM CST up reply actions
The Alabama Crimson Tide are the 2009 BCS National Champions. They deserve no asterisk nor any second guessing of their credentials as champions. They won according to the rules for winning and there is nothing else to be said on that front. They are the champions and I congratulate them on winning every single game they played this year against some tough competition to accomplish that feat.
You’re the one bringing asterisks into this.
The OPs entire point was
“There’s no asterick, her, BUT wink wink”
Come on, a blind monkey doing back flips into a vat of hot grease could see what he was really trying to say.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 11:55 AM CST up reply actions
Hi, I'm BZ. I wrote the post.
First of all, I have no idea what an asterick is. Googled it and the search engine asked me if I meant “asterisk.” Funny how google doesn’t know what an asterick is either.
Second, the entire point of this post was three-fold: (1) that Texas fans have to accept that we lost and that there is no such thing as what might have been, only what happened, which was the Horns losing, (2) by the same token, that Alabama can only claim credit for what actually happened, which is beating a team with its backup QB, and (3) offer some random thoughts from the game.
Anything else that you read into it is your own nonsense, not mine.
by billyzane on Jan 10, 2010 1:01 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Thanks for the grama lesson
but seriously, after re-reading your post, I certainly understand your POV. I think the big issue I took initially was quoting Maisel and misunderstanding what you meant; the term “could” with “should”…and, frankly, posting at 1-2am doesn’t help with comprehension, so my apologies to you, BZ.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 11:12 PM CST up reply actions
T be clear, I don't think BZ is quoting Maisel . . .
. . . unless I missed it. Are you confusing my sig line with BZ’s analysis?
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 11, 2010 9:00 AM CST up reply actions
I know what would have happened. You know what would have happened.
anything less is ignorance. It was pretty clear that the game would have started to get ugly fast if Colt didn’t go down. We would have built up AT LEAST a 14-0 lead and then more then likely a couple more scores on all those three and outs. Alabama would have start throwing and that was pretty obvious it wasnt going to work.
"Dont yall think that crystal beautiful yall?" -Vince Young
by Texastriplecrown on Jan 10, 2010 12:57 PM CST up reply actions
Nothing is clear because it didn't happen.
The only ignorant thing is assuming your opinion is fact.
Sorry to trespass, but I believe you were victims of your own success..
“the Tide took over at the Texas 27 with 1:48 to go in the game and a 10-point lead. Texas had one timeout remaining. The play clock in college football is 40 seconds, which runs immediately from the end of the previous play. So if Alabama takes a knee on first down and Texas calls a timeout (which isn’t a guarantee given that the game was OVER), that takes maybe 3 to 5 seconds. So we’re in the 1:44 range. Then, if Alabama takes a knee again, they can run about another 43 seconds off the clock, putting us at 1:01 on 3rd down. Then Alabama takes another knee, runs off another 43 seconds to put us at about 18 seconds (give or take a few) on 4th down. Eighteen seconds with a 10 point lead and the ability to either kick another field goal or take another knee and run even a few more seconds off the clock. Maybe if Richardson doesn’t go out of bounds on the first play from scrimmage (at the 2 yard line with the facemask penalty) then Saban takes a knee, but that didn’t happen. He pounded in another touchdown, maybe because he miscalculated the time, maybe to get Ingram another superfluous TD, maybe to impress the history books with the margin of victory, maybe just because he’s a dick. I don’t know why he did it. But “respecting the explosive Texas offense” is not a valid reason, Alabama fans. Eighteen seconds with a 10 to 13 point lead and the #1 ranked defense in the country and an 18-year old opposing QB? Bullshit excuse."
For whatever reason that Richardson did go out of bounds, it created a scenario where the clock and Coach Brown’s competitiveness (not taking his final timeout until a last gasp opportunity finally occurred). Bama does not go into victory formation until the other team has no other options; Texas had already scored on two 25+ yardage plays, Kentucky successfully made a last half-minute drive on us, and MOST OF THE ONSIDES KICKS during the season were recovered by our opponents (Tennessee & Auburn). Add to that fact that 40% of the time that you kicked off to us you recovered the ball (and I don’t think you were even trying!!)..
Sorry, Texas fans. We admit it. We were f***ing paranoid of what could happen, and we ran it up the gut. Your fellas could have stopped them, they weren’t trick plays.
And, FWIW, we did do victory formation with 24 seconds left.
You’re a damned good team and I would have done the same thing.
Plus, you’ve probably got the best Freshman QB in the nation right now, and he’s got a full game experience in the biggest game in College football.. I know you’re lickin’ wounds now, but come Spring Football, I think you’ve got a hell of a lot to look forward to..
Good luck next season.. ROLL TIDE.
I guess it's perspective
I’m guessing that 100% of Texas fans thought that we had absolutely zero — not 1%, not .1%, but 0% - chance of coming back after the pick with 1:48 left. I’m guessing our players probably realized that as well. To me, that’s why even calling straightforward running plays seemed equivalent to “running up the score” in the heat of the moment. The plays seemed entirely unnecessary to us and had a very high probability of success since there was no chance, in that specific situation, to expect the D to show the same fortitude it had the rest of the half. (And keep in mind I’m not saying by the slightest stretch that the D “quit” - it’s only human nature to have expected a less successful defensive effort in those circumstances.)
Form your perspective, though, since your heart had not just been ripped from your chest, you didn’t see the 100% certainty that we saw, and continuing to run plays was the smart thing to do. Though, as I explain above, I don’t buy that running plays instead of taking knees was the smartest thing to do even if gripped by paranoia about a possible Texas comeback.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:47 AM CST up reply actions
I have no idea where that strickethrough came from -- ignore the strikethrough, I meant every word
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:47 AM CST up reply actions
Understood..
I know it’s not long after the game, and I’m not close to the team or it’s coaches, so I could be absolutely off base.
I think a number of things chimed in to make a minor perfect storm causing the last TD for the Tide, who usually do go into victory formation with an insurmountable lead. Assuming what I posted to be the major reason:
2) Coaches send in plays but NEVER ask for toned down intensity (with the exception of the victory formation). Bama’s method for running clock happens to correspond with their best method of attack. Do they call it “running up the score” in baseball when a power hitting team hits another home run late in a game out of reach?
3) The Texas line made the Bama O-line look the worst it had all year. Perhaps that O-line did some talking in the huddle; payback for having been abused. The only thing the coaches really could have changed was the personnel, which they did. Bama had their backup running back in at the time (Richardson).
Once again, when you folks have had a chance to drink a few Texas Teas and put down some BBQ, you’ll realize you’re reloading with one hell of a QB with experience in a game much greater than what he’ll see during regular season. You’re a force to be reckoned with, and perhaps this game experience will give Coach Brown a few new tricks to whup up on your rivals.
The very best to you..
I liked the first half of you post
but I take issue with some of your bulletin points.
In the end, Alabama is a very good team that, in my personal opinion, is in a battle with 2002 Ohio State for the title of worst undefeated national champion of the decade (and for the record, if Texas had won the game, I’d probably say the same thing about us; we were a very good but flawed team in a year with nothing but flawed teams). Among all champions of the decade, I would put them ahead of only 2006 Florida, 2007 LSU, and possibly 2003 LSU and 2002 Ohio State. A huge part of winning championships is luck, however, and Alabama can’t be blamed for being the beneficiary of that luck and combining it with some exceptional skill and good coaching into a magical year. Congrats again to the Tide. Let me know about that rematch.
Comparing teams from different years is very hard to do. But if you think about it, Alabama beat both the #2 and #3 teams in the final AP poll. We also beat the #10 team. And the SEC Championship game was a total beatdown of a Tim Tebow lead Florida team with the #1 defense in the country (at that time). As far as the BCS game goes, even without McCoy you guys have a great team. You have a very good defense and a WR that is almost impossible to contain. Add in the fact that we had to overcome getting killed in special teams (perfect placement of the first kickoff recovered and a squib kick bouncing off our player), I think it’s still a very impressive win. That’s a pretty damn good overall resume.
Finally, all this talk about running up the score is getting pathetic. That’s just my opinion. I know some Bama fans that didn’t like it, so I’m not speaking for everyone. But I say don’t be such freaking babies. Were we up by more than 2 scores? No. Could you get the ball back with us taking a knee? Yes. Were we calling timeouts, intentionally running out of bounds, throwing the ball, or doing anything whatsoever to extend the game (and thus get more points)? Hell no. Did we use any type of gimmick play or trickeration? No. We just ran it up the gut with our BACKUP running back.
That’s pretty much a case closed IMO. You’re freaking TEXAS. You’ve got a great defense. If you would have preferred to lose by 10 than 17 (or 16 as it happened), then load up the box, bring everyone, and stop our vanilla runs. It’s really that simple. If we turned around and burned you with a deep ball, then I would say you’d have a reason to be upset. I don’t think that would have happened.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
to add to the point about comparing 09 Bama to other champions, sure this team has some flaws. Primarily they are special teams breakdowns and passing game inconsistency. But we play great defense, we can run the ball, we can make big plays on special teams, and our offense can be explosive at times. Those are the things you need to do to be able to play with anyone, and I believe we could play with anyone.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
As I've said before, 2005 Texas obliterates both teams on the field on Thursday
I knew that several games into the season. It was simply clear there were no dominant teams this year. That’s ok; they don’t come around often, but that’s a pretty simple observation.
by TheElusiveShadow on Jan 10, 2010 1:16 AM CST up reply actions
09 Bama Defense keeps us in any game against any team any year
not saying we would win, but our defense was legit this year, one of the best in a very long line of storied Bama D’s.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:19 AM CST up reply actions
Except that Bama wasn't even the best defense Thursday night
The secondary allowed open men deep consistently, the pass ruch was, until that late play, a non-factor, and they almost allowed a freshman who’d never really played before to lead a come-back against them when the stakes were highest.
Meh. OU and Nebraska had better defenses. Ours was probably better as well.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 12:44 PM CST up reply actions
I disagree. You’re basing all of that off of one very strange game. Our D was put in a lot of bad positions and had to contend with a huge number of UT offensive possessions as well due to kicking game mistakes. Our ultra-conservative offense in the 3rd quarter didn’t help much either. Our defense also took a lot of chances by going after your freshman QB. It ultimately paid off, but your O line was doing a bang up job in the second half and I was screaming at the TV for Saban to play it more conservative and to bracket Shippley at all times.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
We allowed two hundred yard rushers. They allowed zero, and got 4 picks.
They won, fair and square.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 1:30 PM CST up reply actions
From half-way through the second quarter
until the final two minutes, their offense did nothing. Their initial explosion of points came exactly after it became apparent that the Colt wasn’t coming back, and the team was on its heels. After that, they did nothing until our fatal turnover, and its arguable that without that fumble, Bama never scores again, meaning the initial post-Colt 17 points was all they would have scored offensively for the entire game. When our defense was actually in the game, Bama couldn’t get a first down.
On the other side, their picks came against a quarterback throwing for the first time in his career (practically speaking), and they still almost gave the game away to him.
You’re trying too hard to appear impartial.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 2:09 PM CST up reply actions
I have my own thoughts about what-if. It’s just not appropriate to express them.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 8:54 PM CST up reply actions
6 undefeated teams going into the post-season.
5 going into the bowls. I’d say there were several dominant teams this year, especially Bama, UT, and Florida.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
And of those three
two were defeated by one
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:26 AM CST up reply actions
But not dominant
Bama did not dominate Tennessee or Auburn. Texas did not dominate OU or Nebraska. Both Bama and Texas required some bit of fortune and could have easily lost games before the NC. Dominant teams do not win games determined by field goals (or missed field goals).
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 9:09 PM CST up reply actions
Sometimes, the act of going undefeated is about how lackluster the competition is as well
The SEC was mediocre outside of UF and Alabama, the Big 12 was mediocre outside of Texas, the Big East is garbage, and TCU and BSU came from mid-major conference. Despite this, all undefeated teams had some incredibly ugly games and were within a hair of losing them. The Big 12 was not particularly strong in 2005, but Texas whitewashed virtually everyone on the schedule. Furthermore, I would take it from a previous comment you made about 2002 Ohio State that you don’t believe that simply going undefeated makes you a “dominant” squad.
This is not be being a homer after the fact. It’s something that I, and others, observed pretty quickly into the season.
by TheElusiveShadow on Jan 10, 2010 5:19 PM CST up reply actions
please tell me your not comparing your team to the 05 team
two words, Vince Young. i think there a quite a few teams that could beat you guys, not from way back in the day im talking about the past few years.
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
Actually I'm not comparing them at all. That was kind of the point of my post.
And by that I mean I’m not saying one is better or worse. Even for the well informed, that is a highly speculative task. I wouldn’t consider myself an expert on 05 Texas. But like I said, I believe we could play with them.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
play with them?
but when you say that your saying they would have a chance. i know im sounding bias but i think that its a blowout.
While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up and work hard to achieve it.
you "think" is no more valid than his "we could play with them"
our defense this year > 2005 USC defense.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 1:26 AM CST up reply actions
you must be like evil-genius super-villain smart, because it’s pretty damn hard to predict the winner of good teams that have played common opponents in the same year, but somehow you are super-confident about two teams (neither of which lost a game) that played four years apart.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
There is absolutely no way to know
The key difference in that instance wouldn’t be VY as much as the OL. That OL was full of NFL talent on the starting lineup, and the backups.
Now our starting center is going from UT to…bible college. Where I wish him the best of luck in an endeavor that will not involve being hit by men named Suh or Cody.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 1:46 AM CST up reply actions
Depends on what kind of Bible college we're talking about
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 1:53 AM CST up reply actions
actually, the '09 Horns were one of those, a lot of us think (but can't know, as BZ points out)
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 2:07 AM CST up reply actions
This is a great post, Billy
Well stated. We’ll never know for sure. Mortals can’t unwind history when it’s gone down a fork in the road. But still … what you can tell by this thread and the Bama responses is that there is an air of belief in pretty much every one that the game would probably have been different, perhaps very different. At a minimum, there’s a lot of doubt that the result we got without Colt would match what would have happened with him. Saban was spinning that “we had a great scheme for McCoy BS after the game.” To me, it looks like he is feeling it, and he can’t shake the nagging doubts that his fanbase has.
Another bit of evidence of this Bama doubt: The arguments being made now that Bama was banged up like Texas are absurd. I understand the point that we are talking one player, but we all know that if Ingram hadn’t played what folks would be saying.
Saying that losing one player hurts one team more than another losing a single player also misses the point. Colt was valuable in myriad ways. In add’n to his impact on the offense, I think he made the team greater than the sum of its parts. This doesn’t diminish a team or make it less of a team that say, rotates RB’s, because it has one member so valuable. I guess it just shows Colt should have won the Heisman. Ha. Ha.
But seriously, Alabama won and has its championship. They won per the rules. Many of the rest of us don’t “know” but still know as much as humans can that the game would have been different … So, we move on.
“SAT … SAT … SAT.”
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Jan 10, 2010 2:20 AM CST reply actions
we all know that if Ingram hadn’t played what folks would be saying.
yea… “wow, Richardson really took it to them, and that Upchurch ain’t half bad either”. :P
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
The inclination is to pick a player on offense
But to properly compare, a better analogy to UT losing McCoy would be McClain or perhaps Cody on the part of Alabama. Considering Alabama’s linebacker depth, and McClain’s responsibility for reading the opposing offense, he’s probably a more likely figure. In much the same way McClain has come to embody a Nick Saban defense, McCoy was the Texas offense in the abstract perhaps even more than he was in objective sense.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 3:05 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Waaa,Waa,Waa
Hey you entitled, whiny lil’ beach, you don’t just GET a rematch…..you have to EARN one.
Now go STFU and let ya momma wipe you.
Wow. Did I just read this?
If you are looking to spark a response then you came to the right place.
Dude, you really should rethink this kind of post on SBN. You are EXACTLY the kind of shit-hole, Bama fuck, I saw at the game. Go back to the swamp, back-water, church burning, trailer park you hail from. This here board is for big-boys and girls who are here to commiserate a loss. The loss of a championship game and the loss of an all-time favorite player.
So just know that Longhorn karma can be painful. Get ready for some kind of hardship coming your way.
BTW, I’m sure your momma forgot to learn you how to wipe.
WAR EAGLE, you fuck.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
C'mon man
Don’t sink to that level. That response was a little overboard. if he keeps it up he’ll get banned eventually. i know you’re upset about the loss and hate seeing trolls come into our blog and talk mess, but what can ya do? Just ignore the troll, and they will leave. Or give them emergency exits like i did below. ;)
Hook em!
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
Your right. Thanks for the cool down. I'm done.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Enough already
Incase you didn’t see it folks Colt did NOT fall down! He was hit! Check BAMAs track record for hurting players the list is long. Saban said he wants teams to fear us, not want to play us because of the physical play. Once again this comes true.Please do not take a good game and make it junk with all the excuses and crying.
by houndstooth mafia on Jan 10, 2010 8:51 AM CST reply actions
And welcome to SBN
and more importantly, BurntOrangeNation. If there is a change in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will fall down from the compartment above you. If you have a child seated with you, please make sure to secure the mask to yourself first, and then secure the child’s. In case of an emergency, there are exits here (www.iamthe12thman.com), here (www.rollbamaroll.com), and here (www.crimsonandcreammachine.com).
Please enjoy your stay.
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
I love how bama fans
keep coming to our post to read and comment on everything. I would have to say that someone is insecure about their championship. Like G I hope no one brings up the fact that we almost got beat by an 18 year old freshman better go check the post so I can quickly dismiss it.
It's actually pretty funny how the trolls come out.
And it’s a better illustration of an intellectual incapability to put the shoe on the other foot. CAN YOU IMAGINE what would be said if the tables were turned? If Bama’s A-player (wait, I’ll think of one eventually) goes out early, or if we ran anything but a kneel-down with a double digit lead with 90 seconds left?
Of course, this is a bad example, because Bama doesn’t HAVE a Colt McCoy, and Mack Brown would never do what Saban did. But again, my point is how these recent BON invaders lack the stones to even consider it the other way. These are people to be pitied, not engaged. Leave them be.
41-38 !!
Thank you for your enlightenment Joe
I haven’t trolled anywhere, and don’t intend on starting now, but the author of this particular post had to know what its result would be when he posted it. I’m fine with creating a little stir, but dont’ act surprised when Bama fans want to come into the party with their invitation (aka, this post) in hand.
I guess, for the record, I have to say that we aren’t insecure about this championship. The thing that made me upset about all of this is that Texas pretty well got exposed as a one-man team, but you’re trying to divert attention away from that by talking about us. The only reason Texas even made it a close game was because we pretty much forfeited the third quarter offensively because we knew the kid at QB would keep making mistakes. We went to a high risk / high reward type defense to try and force some bad plays, but he ended up hitting some nice passes (good on him, I say). But when it came down to it, he cracked under the intense fourth quarter pressure and turned the ball over twice.
It’s easy to say things like “Oh, congratulations. You won against an 18 year old freshman”. It’s much tougher to say, “Yeah, looks like Bama had to change its gameplan mid-stream and throw out much of what they prepared for doing in this game in terms of stopping Colt. But they did a good job of adjusting. It’s obvious Texas didn’t have a good plan B”.
by HarveyBirdmanAAL on Jan 10, 2010 11:19 AM CST up reply actions
I have no problem with any of your points,
but that’s not at all what I was talking about (the “you barely won vs. an 18 year-old freshman” meme). I’m just waiting for one sensical Bama fan, and there are many…as has been proven in this space for the past month, to try turning the tables. The game WOULD have been different if Colt hadn’t gone down and y’all WOULD have gotten pissy if Texas had done anything but a kneel-down late.
Meanwhile, the trolls come slithering over to a TEXAS board to ‘enlighten’ US! Sorry, but that don’t hunt. (Alas, my Southern colloquialisms blow.)
41-38 !!
I hear you Joe
The game most certainly would have been different if Colt had stayed in. I know we would have coached it differently, as would Texas.
I still say it was a great game between two classy teams (opinions on the late touchdown notwithstanding), and I’m hoping Colt goes to the NFL and does well because he seems like a great kid.
by HarveyBirdmanAAL on Jan 10, 2010 11:56 AM CST up reply actions
I did state in the original post that Alabama deserves credit for doing what it taook to win.
I believe I said it twice actually. So, you’re welcome?
End of game mismanagement
By scoring the touchdown and missing the xp, saban actually allowed us the possibility of winning game. Had Goodwin been able to field and return the ensuing kickoff, we could have been down 8. By kneeling the ball, we would have no chance to score twice with even less time on the clock.
His decision ensures his status in the douche hall of fame and infuriating texas fans including myself. It was unfortunate and sullied bama’s reputation since scoring the extra td was a nonfootball decision.
Also, loved your cheering Colt’s injury as he left thw field holding his arm.
by Eskimohorn on Jan 10, 2010 11:22 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Thank you harvey
for proving my point by giving an giving an excuse on why it was a close game. You and your bama buds are all getting on this post because your worried that the truth of the matter is being discussed. And one man team proves nothing. I think the Indianapolis colts would have to say the same thing. My point is proven every time a Bama fan has to get on here and start running their mouths bc if we all were wrong they wouldn’t have to say a word.
Question
You and your bama buds are all getting on this post because your worried that the truth of the matter is being discussed
The truth of the matter is…..?
by HarveyBirdmanAAL on Jan 10, 2010 11:53 AM CST up reply actions
Boo Hoo
I really do like most Horns fans, I’m actually married to one but the author of this post and most of these comments are just pathetic.
Articles like this and the responses that follow just give Texas fans a bad reputation of being whinners. Living in Texas I know the opinions here represent only a minority of the fan base but unfortunately the majority aren’t online looking for an outlet.
2 Ships passing in the night
Your understanding of the OP’s intent—————————>
<————————————————-The OP’s actual intent
Get off your knees Greg, you're blowin' the game.
No, I understand his intent pretty well
“but all that they proved was that they could score more points than a team playing without its star quarterback”
and
“Alabama proved nothing last night other than exactly what happened: they are capable of barely holding off a 4th quarter rally by an 18-year old kid who didn’t realize he’d have to play the entire game until halftime”
Its pathetic. I could make arguments like Alabama wouldn’t have taken its foot off the gas if Colt had played but I won’t.
Boo Hoo
You did not understand the post.
Trust me, I wrote it. The ultimate point was that you can only discuss this game in terms of what actually happened, not what might have been. This leads to two conclusions: Texas can’t claim that they would have won with Colt because we have no idea, and Bama can’t claim credit for doing anything other than exactly what they did.
These are two sides of the same coin and neither of them are whiny. You just hate the side of that coin that doesn’t glorify Alabama. But please don’t tell me I’m whining because I say that Alabama deserves credit for only what they did.
(And by the way, if you actually read and understood the post, you’d realize that I specifically said that Alabama took its foot off the gas on offense in the 2nd half. That’s part of the reason that Texas fans can’t claim that we would have won with Colt. We have no idea how Alabama would have played differently. Please read.)
agreed. For what it's worth, I thought the body of your post made good points and was well written.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
"Taken it's foot off the gas"???
Hardly. Aside from the fact that Satan pushed for a completely unnecessary touchdown at the end, there was nothing but pedal to the metal in the 2nd half from Bama. If they hadn’t mashed the throttle, the trophy would be in Austin tonight.
How about this
2:13 left in the game, Texas is up 42-9 over T A&M. Does Mac Brown take a knee? Nope. He runs it in to make the score 49-9. So why don’t all of you who are whining like little bitches over our backup RB running up the middle with a 10 point lead just man the hell up and shut up.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
why don’t all of you who are whining like little bitches
OK, you too are crossing into troll territory. Bye-bye.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 11:36 AM CST up reply actions
sorry I went off, like I said I’m pissed about you guys calling Saban a classless douche. Seems like Mack B has done pretty much the same thing.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Apology accepted
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 11:42 AM CST up reply actions
And by the way . . .
. . . from my original post above:
And I’m also pretty sure that I would have merely rolled my eyes if Bama marched into the endzone by running the ball up by 40 or so.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 11:40 AM CST up reply actions
That score did not rewrite history
Saban’s did, and he knew it. Had that game finished close, he would have taken a lot of heat for nearly losing to a leaderless team. That final score made a competitive game look like a near-blow-out.
1) We could not have stopped that score
2) That score skewed the game’s historic perception
3) Saban knew both of the above.
Classless douche. You’re like a mother standing behind her 4-times convicted felon and telling us that we just don’t know him like you do.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 12:51 PM CST up reply actions
You say Saban is a classless douche, I say you’re just a classless pussy. If the margin of victory meant so much to Texas, then do something about it. Everyone knew we were just going to run up the gut. Oh, but you couldn’t right? Your team didn’t have the heart to stop us? Well then too bad. If you didn’t care enough to stop it, then don’t make such a big deal out of it.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Whatever you need to tell yourself buddy
go find a leather couch and someone who’ll charge to listen.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 2:12 PM CST up reply actions
You are the definition of Class-less
Dude, why on earth after winning the National Championship can’t you stay on your own Bama site and celebrate with your fellow fans? Why do you feel it necessary to troll a competitor’s site (after you won) and monitor us? That is pathetic and insecure.
We’re not crashing your party…why do you feel it necessary to crash our lament?
Get a life, Zoltar.
So it’s okay to score a late TD when the game is over (in a blowout no less), but not if the score has any historic significance. Good to know. Maybe you and your buddies can write us a book on football ethics. Clearly it is a more complicated subject than we simple Alabamians were aware of.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
no need for a book...
we seem to know “classless douches” when we see them without any help. Like Saban, for example…
look, you can argue your point from now on, and come up with convoluted notions of how a true freshman QB who’d just turned the ball over on his previous two possessions was going to not only go over 90 yards with less than a minute, but cap that off with another touchdown… it’s all just excuses for being -- a classless douche. Window treatments notwithstanding, that pretty much defines Saban after that last score. Mack would not have done it, pure and simple. Nor would any coach with a modicum of class and a relative absence of douchiness.
Mack would not have done it, pure and simple.
except that he HAS done it. Worse actually.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Zoltar, you don't know what you're talking about
In the MNC game, Saban could have guaranteed victory by taking a knee. Instead, he risked losing the ball by running several plays. Also, by missing the XP at the end, he kept the game within two scores. Had we ran back the ensuing kickoff, it would have been a one-score game again with a looming onside kick coming (three special teams turnovers were already.
You coming onto this board and calling us pussies is sad and pathetic.
except that he HAS done it...
we’ll wait here for your examples…
I expect we’ll wait a long, long, long time. Or you’ll compare apples to hippopotami and declare internet victory. Bottom line: Mack would not have done it, pure and simple. Nor would any coach with a modicum of class and a relative absence of douchiness.
Which means if you come back with an example from Bob Stoops, you’re still not clear on the concept.
Style points matter in the A&M game
With 5-6 undefeated teams at that point I would say he HAD to do that. And if you have any prior knowlege of Mack Brown, you would know that most of the members of this site, and longhorns fans in general have given him a hard time for NOT doing that in the past.
Style points didn’t matter on Thursday night. I think Mack would have taken a knee in that situation. I think Saban should have. And I don’t think that is whiny. Just my opinion.
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
I got a better Idea
why dont you bama fans get on your on post and talk shit to each other, because really all your doing is making yourself look insecure
BZ, I say shut this post down to more commentary. Enough has been said and there is not going to anything gained by more comments. Just a suggestion.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
No, don't allow Bama trolls to control whether one of our threads is locked down
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
lol
judging by this thread, doubtful
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:06 PM CST up reply actions
you're the one on our site, commenting on every Texas opinion when it's obvious
that no one is doing anything more than getting upset with you and not becoming “enlightened.” Why are you wasting so much time and energy berating fans of the losing team? Is your victory less sweet if we don’t all admit whatever it is you want us to admit? Can you not rest at all until you’ve stopped everyone from being wrong on the internet? You’re not changing minds, you’re making your fanbase look bad. You can argue that we’re making our fanbase look bad, but we’re also on our own site, not going over and berating another team’s fans. Spending so much time here defending your win even days after the fact is not making you look good at all. Congratulations on the win, and go enjoy it with your fellow fans, not here.
BCS Game
For the first time in Texas- Alabama games Alabama had the best team this year. Texas will do themselves a good turn by simply admitting this fact. Football teams arent made up of one man…and dont win games ever because of one man.
One might make the argument that if the game had been close and stayed close that Texas might have won. It wasn’t and Texas didnt come close in the end.
Sorry for the temporary loss of Colt McCoy. As A Bama Fan I wish he had not gotten hurt. As a pragmatist I believe Texas scored as many points with the backup as they would have with McCoy. Nothing would have changed Texas recieverss from dropping end zone passes…they did there job the same as they would have with McCoy in. And while Alabamas defense did not sack the QB much…they certainly put some hits on the QBs that both felt. So IF McCoy had been in he would have kept getting hit and may not have played like he normally would have. Who knows?
One thing is for sure: Texas new QB is going to be great.
So theres some speculation for ya. Nothing would have changed Alabamas defense from being the best no matter who was in there for Texas.
Konan – Alabama
Thanks for the post . . .
. . . but please reconcile
I believe Texas scored as many points with the backup as they would have with McCoy
with
Texas new QB is going to be great.
(emphasis mine)
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 11:58 AM CST up reply actions
SEC DOMINATION IN BCS
SEC proves its superiority
To enjoy the same sort of dessert for four straight years — an ice-and-confetti parfait, the former coming from dumped-out Gatorade buckets and the latter from pop guns that shower the field in the winning team’s colors — is unprecedented in college football history and speaks to the conferÂence’s true, sustained domiÂnance.
This is no fluke. The Big Ten and Big 12 and Pac-10 and Big East and ACC and, sure, even the Mountain West and WAC pool their 59 teams every year and emerge beaten by a 12-team Goliath.
“I don’t think anybody can compete with the SEC,” Alabama running back Roy Upchurch said. “This league is the closest thing to the NFL. We have more talent, and it shows.”
Not just the talent. The SEC has more of everything.
More passionate fans. More pageantry.
More television exposure.
More proximity to talent.
And plenty of money to build the facilities and hire the coaches to lure it.
Such a combination is a righteous blow to the Big Ten, which outdoes the SEC in television money but can’t compete with its locaÂtions, and the Big 12, which should own the player-rich state of Texas but doesn’t match the SEC’s ability to lavish its football programs.
The $2.25 billion ESPN agreed to pay for 15 years of SEC television rights wasn’t just a nice deal orchestrated by Mike Slive. It spoke to the power of the league’s brand and its universal recognition as the be-all, end-all of colÂlege football.
Jeff Passan , Yahoo Sports
Wow . . .
. . . a first-time poster manages to combine trolling with explicit copyright violations.
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:00 PM CST up reply actions
lol
now THAT is annoying.
You play fast, you play strong, you go out there and dominate the guy you play against, and make his ass quit! That's our trademark, that's our MO as a team, aight, that's what people know us as! - Nick Saban, 2008
by BamaReturns07 on Jan 10, 2010 12:07 PM CST up reply actions
I don't think I've seen LOL used so many times in the entire history of BON
Are we third graders?
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
With the influx of gloating Bama fans on here
it is trending that direction
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
McCOY-WHAT A PANSY
McCoy not man enough for NFL
Is Colt McCoy the new poster boy for being a pansy or what? So he could have come out and finished the biggest football game he’s ever or probably will ever be in, but he didn’t because of his future as an NFL prospect? I’m sure there are NFL teams lining up to draft this overrated quarterback made of cheaper glass than what you’ll find in that so-called crystal ball. Who do they think they were kidding with that move? I hope McCoy is ready to live out the rest of his years in regret wondering what could have been after letting pretty much the entire country down.
OK, ban this troll stat
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 12:03 PM CST up reply actions
Can you read?
Maybe this will change your tune.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
You're 100% spot on
Winningest quarterbacks in NCAA history tend to be, like, super big pussies.
"Stats are for losers, I like winning games."
by SuperBentley on Jan 10, 2010 12:43 PM CST up reply actions
+1 amazing
"If you think you can be stopped, this isn't the place for you."
by austintexasbaby on Jan 11, 2010 1:15 PM CST up reply actions
yeah, good point
Colt McCoy, as the starting QB for Texas for the last 4 years, has never been hit except for the times he’s been injured. Because he’s such a pussy that every time he actually does get hit he gets injured. It’s a good thing he has never been tackled or sacked in any other games.
These troll account a-holes are getting annoying.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
My point
continues to be made. Why do bama fans have to come in here and talk shit or even talk at all. O wait I know bc they have zero class and worry that we are talking about the 56 min that are star Qb didn’t play. You guys make Bama look awful with every post you put up. If your good you don’t have to tell people you are. Insecure that you almost got beat by an 18 year old Qb. And that post talking about Colt wow, just great class by Bama. If you hate Texas and wanted us to lose by 100 you never wish an injury on a Kid like that and then make fun of him bc he didnt return, especially when he begged to come back. PATHETIC bama
Don’t judge us by these OBVIOUS troll posts by accounts created today, who are only members of BON, and have 1 or 2 comments in their entire history. I mean, I could just as easily make an account with the name COLTDUDEUT05 and make a complete ass of myself if I wanted to. Who the hell knows who these people are or what their motivations are.
I will say that the reason I (and I assume other established Bama posters) came over here is because I love talking about football. Nothing more, nothing less.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Really? You expect us to believe
that the reason you are here is to “talk football”? C’mon, what do you take us for? We weren’t born yesterday. You guys are something else. Please go back to RBR and celebrate the victory. There is much to celebrate on your side of the fence.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
He's not the problem.
He disagrees with us, and that’s fine. Some of the Texas posters are way worse than Zoltar.
I gotcha, BZ.
Not sure what Texas postings you are alluding to but I know that I am capable of firing off a few fiery volleys when the filter should be turned up to max setting.
But I take extreme issue with this type of vicious posting by Herr Zoltar claiming to talk “football and nothing more, nothing less”.
You say Saban is a classless douche, I say you’re just a classless pussy. If the margin of victory meant so much to Texas, then do something about it. Everyone knew we were just going to run up the gut. Oh, but you couldn’t right? Your team didn’t have the heart to stop us? Well then too bad. If you didn’t care enough to stop it, then don’t make such a big deal out of it.
I’m sure he could have made his point a different way. Nope, he, and others coming here are not satisfied unless someone kisses their feet, too. Ain’t gonna happen on BON. We need to get this out of our system and maybe a little flame out is good medicine. And then again, maybe not. Point is, some of this grandstanding by Bama is just a bit much to swallow here at BON. I think we need a little leeway if at all possible. We are a prideful bunch. Just a suggestion.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
vicious posting? You’ve got to be kidding. You guys were the ones that started throwing insults around.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
What a difference a day makes.
Sun is shining, but you’re still at it. I’m sorry you got your feelings hurt and all. And I appreciate your effort to confront and challenge discussion diminishing your championship game win. Heck, I would probably do the same thing. So what did you expect to happen when you launched your juggernaut fanpost in the wee hours of the morning following the game? What were you trying to accomplish? This was no olive branch. You came to represent. Fine. But don’t tell me that we are the ones throwing insults around. This is not personal. It’s our opinions. Whether you like it or not, the game is different with Colt. Doesn’t mean Texas wins. Just means it is different. Sorry you have a problem with that. And like BZ says, it is folly to waste time thinking about it. Let’s just agree to disagree and move on.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
First off
But don’t tell me that we are the ones throwing insults around.
Sorry man, but that’s just a fact. If you can’t see that, you aren’t looking. I can’t count on my fingers the number of times I’ve seen Saban called a D-bag by you guys.
So what did you expect to happen when you launched your juggernaut fanpost in the wee hours of the morning following the game? What were you trying to accomplish? This was no olive branch.
Ummm… I was complimentary towards Texas. “First off, congratulations on a hard fought game. Texas was very impressive, even with Colt McCoy out. You guys really brought your A-game with few exceptions”. So the first thing I meant to do with that post was congratulate you all. I then mused on a few things regarding the game, and I took issue with some statements I had seen such as “Alabama is the least deserving BCS Champion ever” which is clearly ridiculous. Honestly, I don’t see how that post could have been offensive or taken as rubbing it in. It certainly wasn’t meant that way.
Whether you like it or not, the game is different with Colt. Doesn’t mean Texas wins. Just means it is different. Sorry you have a problem with that.
When did I ever dispute that? In fact what I said was, “Anyway, you guys would surely have had a better chance to win had McCoy not gotten hurt. To hypothesize what the outcome would have been is futile IMO because so many things would have changed.”. Honestly, based on the way the game was going, I’d say Texas would have had a better chance of winning than losing if he didn’t go out. Maybe something like 55/45. Anyway, I guess we can agree to agree in fact.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
* By NC
Football is a contact sport, teams have multiple runningbacks prepared to play in case of injury. Colt is a great player, a huge part of the UT offense. If you’re going to base your offense on running the qb it would be wise to have more than one prepared to play. Why UT coaches didn’t use same logic as a runningback is an issue. Did injuries to Bradford (twice), Tebow, and Potts to name a few just this season go unnoticed by longhorn coaching staff, especially the five million dollar man, Mack Brown? Fact is UT was willing to gamble that colt would be healthy all season. They rolled the dice and came up snake eyes. In your minds you can put an * by the loss if you want, At Auburn they call that a “moral” victory. Your team played a great game, never giving up showing the heart of a champion, but they came up short. I would have preferred Colt played but only he knows what his body was going through. I’m sure he wanted to play, he is such a competitor. To see so many of your fans blast him really surprises me. He won 45 games for you. Not too bad in my book. I still haven’t forgot all those lean years Bama had and hope I never do. I can remember a not too distant past where Texas great program was struggling, I am a Bama fan forever but have great respect for UT. If I remember correctly wasn’t it Texas coaches that taught Bear the wishbone? Gotta love a program that helped us win a few NC. Most Texas fans have been great, unfortunately we all have our jerks, we have some I wish were Auburn fans. I think your qb position looks good for the future, he probably wont win 45 games, no one but Colt EVER has so all you Gilbert bashers send him to Bama, we’ll take him. ROLL TIDE & HOOKEM HORNS
My integrity and character are being called into question by trollers.
So I invite all willing BONers here to participate in a little repartee. These Bama trolls have gone and pissed me off.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Well, your advice is a little late. I'm not one to sit idly by and lay down. This thread is a bit much without responding.
But thanks anyway.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Thanks Joe. Advice taken. Just blowin' some steam is all.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
What you said over there is pretty ridiculous
I hope it made you feel better, because I think if you come back and read it a month from now, you are going to laugh and roll your eyes at yourself.
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
Texas fans, let me set the record straight.......
First off, I’m all for the Big 12 Conference. I love the Big 12 and root for every team during nonconference games. I’ll even pull for Mizzou (a team that hates OU because OU punked Chase Daniel in two difference Big 12 championship games). I’ll pull for Nebraska, heck even the Aggies. However, I’ll never pull for Texas in any sport, just like I’m sure 99% of Texas fans wouldn’t pull for OU and you all probably had a great time when we lost to Florida. And I as anyone totally despises the dumb “SEC, SEC” chant. I can’t stand it. Hearing that chant makes me feel sorry for SEC fans in general. Teams such as Ole Miss, Georgia, South Carolina, will shout out the “SEC” chant, but yet their teams will never achieve greatness. I feel sorry for those fans because they take pride in the fact the LSU, Bama, and Florida are the recent powerhouses…….but yet their teams will never be at that level. Also, YES, after seeing how Texas moved the fooball down the field at will while McCoy was in, I think Texas would have wooped Alabama…….But at the same time, I quit playing the “what if” game a long time ago….Why? Because its pointless. You can’t change the past and no matter how hard you try to convince someone to fall into your views, it doesn’t happen. So please, enough whining. And I’ve said it before, I like Colt McCoy. Any man who is not ashamed to show his love for Jesus Christ on national TV during these current times gets all my respect in the world. And to this whole troll thing…… in my eyes, a troll is someone who will post once in a blue moon and their post is nothing but complete trash talk with no points. I think most of these Bama fans have valid points. So the troll arguments are weak in my eyes. If SOME of you Texas fans can’t handle the truth, stay off the internet for a couple of days. I’m looking forward to Ronnell “the Hammer” Lewis lighting up folks next season……BOOMER!
A troll is somebody who posts only to incite others
Much like what you are doing my friend. After accurately describing the relationship between OU and Texas fans, I can’t imagine you would post this because you believe that we care about whatever the fuck you have to say. And the same goes for many of the ‘Bama fans above. Also, you’ve clearly demonstrated that you didn’t even read the post; if you had, you would not be, for whatever reason, here telling us to stop whining. Which begs the question: why are you here, EnragedOUfan? What brings a die-hard OU fan to a thread primarily discussing the unfortunate circumstances of the National Championship game that Texas lost? My money is on you felt like doing a little trolling.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
And to Bob Stoops being in Tuscaloosa.......
No one except Stoops and Saban knows why Stoops was in Tuscaloosa. And besides, didn’t Muschamp help Florida last year? From what I’ve read (and I think it helped), Stoops was getting advice on mental preparation or something to that effect.
You say you like to debate
First off, I’m all for the Big 12 Conference. I love the Big 12 and root for every team during nonconference games.
then follow it with this statement
However, I’ll never pull for Texas in any sport
Well I am a Big 12 fan, and I did support Bradford and OU against Florida. Do you seriously believe Stoops and Saban did not discuss the Texas offense during Stoops’ visit? Was this a showing of Big 12 solidarity? I’m sensing some hypocrisy here.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 1:57 PM CST up reply actions
this is a stupid article. we clearly had the better team, and our qb took plenty of hits without getting hurt. not our fault he couldn’t take a hit
We had a notice on the board yesterday
Notice to Trolls and Idiots
It appears you are both, go away.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 2:21 PM CST up reply actions
the only thing idiotic hear are you dumbass texas fans. i thought you guys would be glorious in defeat. apparently i was wrong. good job on making yourselves look pathetic
by CrimsonTide229 on Jan 10, 2010 2:31 PM CST up reply actions
Not to repeat myself but
not our fault he couldn’t take a hit
It is you sir, who are pathetic. And go away.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 2:33 PM CST up reply actions
Please don't post for the sole purpose of flaming.
Make a point without being a jerk and we’ll talk.
not our fault he couldn’t take a hit
It is you, sir, who are pathetic.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 2:32 PM CST reply actions
what does that even mean? its people like you that i hate for trying to find any excuse to discredit our win
by CrimsonTide229 on Jan 10, 2010 3:26 PM CST up reply actions
Try not to hate anyone...
BZ is spot on here…you accomplished the victory, which was in doubt with 3 minutes to go in the 4th quarter against our backup QB who had 26 pass attempts all season long. We lost, Bama won, congrats. I believe Rolando McClain to be the heart and soul of the Tide. Not Ingram, not Richardson, and certainly not Gmac…but McClain. The true comparison here is were he to be out, and you lost and the middle of the field was being exploited by Texas, would you not in your heart believe that RM would have made a difference? Let’s be honest here…
"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." - Will Muschamp
"Somebody will always break your records. It is how you live that counts." - Earl Campbell
by Mulliganville on Jan 10, 2010 3:42 PM CST up reply actions
That is irrational
You will not find one post of mine that discredits your win. In fact I have been congratulatory to all but trolls like you that make statements like the one I’ve highlighted above. Bama won fair and square. No excuses though I have pointed out our own shortfalls and will continue to do so adamantly in the future. I have contgratulated your kleph and other Bama fans on numerous occasions and find his type quite witty and entertaining.
You on the other hand, with your hatred of someone you don’t know, claims of discredit and trash talking about our quarterback who was not allowed to return to the game, are a discredit to the game, the nation and humanity in general. You appear outwardly as an inflammatory hatemonger with no concept of decency or human compassion, evidenced by your less than convincing rhetoric concerning our quarterback. You I do not congratulate.
If you don’t want to read this ‘stupid’ as you put it, article, then so be it. But please confine your statements, words and accusations to ones that reasonable people might find copacetic. Words such as ‘stupid’, statements such as ‘our quarterback took plenty of hits without getting hurt’ and ‘I hate you’ are juvenile, show a lack of intelligence and wit and are not welcome in this house.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 7:59 PM CST up reply actions
Two final notes
1) This is OUR house
2) My grandfather used to tell me if nobody hates you then you ain’t doin’ nothin’. If it’s the likes of you that hate me then I must being doing something right.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 8:15 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Your grandfather FTW
OU & A&M have based actual universities on this premise
"If you think you can be stopped, this isn't the place for you."
by austintexasbaby on Jan 11, 2010 1:18 PM CST up reply actions
Look, it was a freak injury to a very susceptible joint even tho the hit didn't look that bad
Running backs, offensive, tackles, tight ends, etc., can and have played with jacked up shoulders. I did it all the time in HS and college. I’d have to go sit out a play until I felt my arm again. I had very bad shoulders but I was LB and FB and didn’t have to throw the ball. A QB’s throwing arm with a shoulder injury is highly unlikely to be able to throw the ball effectively. (I know, DUH! right?) It has nothing to do with Colt not being able to take a hit. It was a freak hit by a freight train wearing a crimson uniform. Give a rest already.
"All the white meat is gone. There's nothin' but necks on the platter." Darrell K. Royal
Pretty good article
I just take exception to a few comments and insinuations….
Like teh comment that Bama is the worst champion we’ve had in awhile.
What the hell?
They gave Florida their worst loss since 2005 and Texas their worst loss since 2006, both teams ranked 1 and 2. They also beat two other top ten teams this year and a couple other ranked teams. What else do they need to do?
Further, no mention about the fact that Greg McElroy played with two broken ribs, leaving him pretty much a non-factor from the beginning of the game.
My opinion that they're not one of the best champions of the decade...
…is not a knock on their accomplishments this season. They beat some of the best teams in the nation this season. The problem was that no teams this season were particularly great. Texas, Alabama and Florida were all very flawed teams that happened to have fewer flaws than all of the other teams. They won the championship in a down year, basically without doing anything to prove that they were way better than everyone else.
True
But it has been almost a decade since college football has seen a team with the top to bottom talent differential of 2001 Miami, and some years since the balance of 2004 USC or 2005 Texas. It’s a brave new world of college football, but the good news is one doesn’t need sixteen future first round picks be assured of a championship.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 5:32 PM CST up reply actions
Well Texas fans have been downing Bama through the backdoor all year long, complaining that they were at times ranked ahead of them unjustifiably, downing McElroy when he went into his mid-season slump, complaining when McCoy didn’t beat out Ingram for the Heisman, etc. I just see this as another extension of that resentment which really does nothing but tell us more about the subjective nature of certain die-hard Longhorn circles.
“I think Texas would have destroyed Alabama if Colt McCoy had played the entire game.”
Who in their right mind would think that? Just look at what McCoy did against Oklahoma and Nebraska (the only two challenging games he expected to play). He threw for 171 and 120 yds in those games and I believe he threw more interceptions that TDs. So why expect him to suddenly break form and become a Vince Young when playing a defense superior to both NU and OU? He already said Alabama’s was the best defense he would ever play against.
Yes, his first drive was moving, but his first plays against Oklahoma and Nebraska were long yardage plays too, so it is fair to say McCoy generally starts out strong even in his worst games. On the other hand, Alabama started out slow as always. Just look at how they failed to score on their first drives against Auburn and Florida. Texas pulled the same tricks Auburn pulled in order to jump out to a quick lead (no huddle offense, misdirection sweeps, and an onsides kick), except Auburn managed two TDs whereas Texas only got FGs. And since we are discussing luck, who thinks that shanked onsides kick was by design? It was a straight bullet that nailed a guy in the head, bouncing straight backwards towards the Texas runners. Luck? You bet. And what about McElroy’s broken ribs? Nobody wants to address this. And what about the punter’s ridiculously underthrown pass to a wide open receiver that might have gone for a TD? Take that goof away and Texas not only loses the 3-0 lead, they lose the 6-0 lead since there would have been no onsides kick to put them back in FG range.
“We almost won the game with the afore-mentioned 18-year old leading a monumental comeback so how badly would we have defeated Alabama with Colt?”
And just how badly would Alabama have ran up the score in the third if it stuck to what was working in the second, when both Richardon and Ingram mowed down the nation’s so-called #1 rushing defense? Was McCoy going to move to LB and stop Alabama’s running game too? Those are questions to, right?
by dartx on Jan 10, 2010 5:58 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Hmmm
so it is fair to say McCoy generally starts out strong even in his worst games
You haven’t watched much Texas football, have you? That’s sort of the opposite of our offense’s MO. In fact, on the rare occasion we start strong offensively (and don’t dig ourselves into a hole), victory is nearly always certain, at least historically.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 6:02 PM CST up reply actions
well I have watched enough Bama football to know they generally start out slow. Even against cupcake OFC teams. Wen AU jumped to a quick 14-0 lead my family freaked out, while I just leaned back and yawned. I had seen this before, and wasn’t really fearing a loss. Once a team shows its cards, Saban adjusts and overcomes.
My point is that is isn’t enough to say Alabama allowed McCoy to get a first down on three plays, therefore McCoy would have definately destroyed Bama had he played the whole game.
If you read the entire post...
…you would realize that those were all things that were my biased opinion. I specifically said that they were my biased opinion and that, as such, they had no value. We have no idea what would have happened had Colt McCoy played. That was THE POINT OF THE ENTIRE ARTICLE.
Please don’t cherrypick certain sentences without reading the paragraphs that qualify those sentences. READ!
I understood that this is your biased opinion, but ought one expect an argument too? I mean to throw out these assertions and then say “that’s my opinion” just begs for explanation beyond, “I’m biased.” I cannot imagine how such an argument could be developed, so i was just curious what your rationale was. If it is just subjective feeling, then that’s no rationale at all.
And it hardly requires an article to tell the free world we do not know what would have happened if Z had happened instead of X. This isn’t news to anyone, I don’t think. But it is the opinions of some Texas fans that catch our curiosity – those that diminish the championship by suggesting the best team didn’t really win (yes I know you say you don’t mean to, but when you say the ONLY thing they proved was that they could beat a team with an 18 year old QB, well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out how denigrating this comes across). I was just wondering if there is an argument to go along with these assertions, or if you feel comfortable making silly comments with no reason or evidence.
by dartx on Jan 10, 2010 6:24 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
But it is the opinions of some Texas fans that catch our curiosity – those that diminish the championship by suggesting the best team didn’t really win . . . .
The title is legitimate. If you really thought so, you wouldn’t need us to hold your hand about it. Here’s a little exercise in making you feel better:
If Colt hadn’t gotten hurt, Alabama would not have beaten a team being led by its freshman backup QB.
Better?
== The title is legitimate. If you really thought so, you wouldn’t need us to hold your hand about it.
I have no reason to doubt the legitimacy of the title and I never said anyone here did either. The author makes a clear distinction when he said: “But to grant that they are the undisputed champions is quite different from granting that they proved anything of any consequence by beating Texas on Thursday.” It is the latter that I take issue with.
Does averaging nearly 6 yds per rush against the nation’s best rushing defense prove nothing of consequence?
== Here’s a little exercise in making you feel better: If Colt hadn’t gotten hurt, Alabama would not have beaten a team being led by its freshman backup QB. Better?
This isn’t about feeling better. It is about sparking debate, and challenging those who make bald assertions to offer some kind of intelligent basis for their belief. If that can’t be done, then just say so. But don’t recreate my argument for me, please. I know there is plenty of straw in Texas, but no need to make a straw man here.
Enjoy the win (and the title)
Quit whining about what people have to say about it. That was my point, even though I didn’t say it in so many words.
If you were truly proud of your win (as I was when we did it four years ago), and had no doubts about it (as I did not four years ago), would you be so worried about what the losing fan base had to say about it? Instead you, and several of your peers, feel the need to have Longhorn fans tell you that it doesn’t matter that the heart and soul of our team went out with an injury. To me (and I don’t claim to speak for the rest of my peers), that is more than pathetic.
We lost. You won. Get over it. Or, rather, enjoy it. I know I did four years ago, and I will again in the near future. But quit being such a child that you think part of victory is having the losing fan base pat you on the back. Some of us will, and others won’t. And if it matters to you that some of us don’t, you don’t know what winning actually means.
This article was meant to say two things.
First, Texas fans who claim that Alabama’s championship is somehow tainted have no basis for saying so because we have no idea what would have happened under different circumstances. All a team can do is win under the circumstances that are before it. And that’s what Alabama did.
Second, although Alabama’s championship deserves no asterisk, to say that Alabama proved anything by beating Texas’ backup quarterback (other than the fact that they could beat Texas’ backup quarterback), is likewise absurd.
I don’t think either are particularly controversial points.
I had a law professor who once said that the only reason most lawyers have jobs is the stubborn refusal of most people to take the time to understand any document longer than a page.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 6:40 PM CST up reply actions
Heh...
…good point. On the other hand, I was going to do my divorce by myself until I saw all the leg work it was going to take. Now if I had all the resources available to me that the lawyers had, it would have been a different story. BTW, it was an amicable uncontested divorce. After I had to make my 4th trip to get the right paperwork, I ended up giving it over to a lawyer. Thank God that I do not own a business, otherwise I might have to resort to getting my taxes done by someone other than myself.
Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs
== although Alabama’s championship deserves no asterisk, to say that Alabama proved anything by beating Texas’ backup quarterback (other than the fact that they could beat Texas’ backup quarterback), is likewise absurd.
I don’t think it is absurd at all, and I am willing to argue the point. First and foremost is the asinine attempt of watering down Texas’ entire football team to “an 18 year-old backup quarterback.” Is that all Alabama beat? What happened to the other 21 players? Has the concept of “team” entirely escaped you folks?
Bama scored four rushing TDs against Texas, and its QB played with broken ribs. That’s no small feat. Would McCoy have prevented Ingram and Richardson from mowing down the Texas defense? Even assuming McCoy would have had a career day (unlikely given his abysmal performances against similar defenses NU and OU), what was going to stop Bama’s running game if not the Texas defense? And it could have been much worse if Bama had not tapped on the brakes after halftime, or missed a FG and extra point. It could have been much much worse.
Randy Kennedy just wrote an excellent article making the case that Alabama accomplished more this year than any other team in history:
But the argument about the greatest team ever is a futile one, anyway. It’s impossible to compare a team from 1961 that featured linemen who weighed roughly the same as one of Terrence Cody’s massive thighs to the athletes of today.
What sets Alabama apart is not just the number of wins, but the quality of the teams the Crimson Tide beat. Based on the final Associated Press Poll released early Friday morning, Alabama beat No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Florida, No. 10 Virginia Tech, No. 17 LSU and No. 20 Ole Miss. That doesn’t include the win over South Carolina (which was ranked 22nd when the two teams played) or the dramatic road win over rival Auburn, which won a New Year’s Day bowl.
Including the national championship game, Alabama had to beat four head coaches (LSU’s Les Miles, South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, Florida’s Urban Meyer and Texas’ Mack Brown) who have national championships on their résumés, plus two others (Auburn’s Gene Chizik and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen) who have won recent national titles as assistant coaches. And that’s not counting hall-of-famer Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech.
The Crimson Tide was 10-0 against bowl teams, including posting wins over the winners of the Sugar and Cotton bowls.
That kind of dominance against stout competition is what led to six Alabama players being named first-team All-American by the AP, the most ever from one team. That list included star tailback Mark Ingram, who became only the second player to win the Heisman Trophy then lead his team to a win in the BCS national championship game.
But the statistic that makes Alabama’s 2009 season remarkable beyond any other is the way the Crimson Tide finished. It completed the season with consecutive wins in matchups pitting No. 1 vs. No. 2. Florida last season was the only other team in history to match that feat, but those Gators lost a game during the regular season and didn’t dominate the SEC championship game like Alabama did in a 32-13 rout of Florida, then dismantle No. 2 Texas 37-21 in the BCS national championship game.
Argue all you want about which team is the best of all time. But make no mistake that there has never been a team in college football history that accomplished more than the 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Drink that in….
But there is a very compelling case to be made that the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide of 2009 just completed the greatest season in college football history.
Only four teams in more than 100 years of modern college football have won 14 games in a season. BYU in 1996 and Ohio State in 2002 were the only teams to reach 14-0 before Alabama and Boise State matched them this season.
by dartx on Jan 10, 2010 8:25 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
A columnist for an Alabama newspaper says that Alabama has the greatest team in history?
Stop the presses, man has bitten dog.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 8:40 PM CST up reply actions
You really find the persuasive?
I hope you’re around when I need a juror, but this is only worth about a minute of my time. On a broad spectrum, it’s valueless because the author doesn’t take the time to analyze the accomplishments of ANY other champion of the last 10 years. The accomplishments are also seemingly random, pulled from thin air to appeal to the Alabama faithful.
Quickly, on an individual level:
Exalting a win over a head coach who has previously won a national championship means every team that defeats the fighting Schembechler’s deserves a laurel. As for taking credit for defeating the former assistants? That means every Big 12 team that defeated Iowa State for several years had a feather in its cap.
A team is not required to win .500 games to be bowl eligible.
Alabama’s average margin of victory is anemic compared to 2001 Miami’s 30+ average per game.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 11, 2010 5:52 AM CST up reply actions
I should also add
that I do find the accomplishments of Alabama quite impressive, and am by no means saying that they are not a worthy and deserving champion. But as for handing them the most worthy of all time without considering anyone else (even, and perhaps especially) 2000 OU – no, I don’t find that sort of argument sound at all. I would be surprised if anyone unbiased would either.
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 11, 2010 6:24 AM CST up reply actions
I'm glad our forefathers didn't whine this much...
I’m gonna go with Texas wouldn’t have beaten Oklahoma had Bradford not been hurt. Texas fans didn’t have a hard time accepting that win after the fact. BUT NOW they have a hard time accepting a defeat when the tables are turned.
Gilbert is a beast of a QB to come back and play like he did, and I’m also happy that Bama allowed it to occur because I love it when Bama breaks the heart of another team in the 4th qtr.
Also, you should blame your defense for Richardson’s last score, not Saban.
What the hell do the forefathers have to do with this?
Did the Tide beat the English? Just wondering.
Revelation
I love it when Bama breaks the heart of another team in the 4th qtr.
I see what it is now with all the trolls here. It’s reveling in the misfortune of others rather than celebrating a momentous occasion for yourself. Must not feel very good about yourselves.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Jan 10, 2010 8:36 PM CST up reply actions
For the last time...
…if you actually read the article and understood what it said, you would realize that I am not whining. I am saying that everyone’s natural predilection is to take what they saw through their own biased eyes (whether they are Bama or Texas fans) and project that into something else that did not happen is folly. Texas lost without their starting QB, and Bama won against a team without its starting QB. That’s what happened. As a result, Bama are national champions, and that’s all that matters now.
You started out with that premise, then you totally shattered it with your comments after the article.
He might have something like this in mind.
You first say,
“I think Texas would have destroyed Alabama if Colt McCoy had played the entire game.”
And then say,
“We as Texas fans cannot claim that we would have won that game had Colt been able to play.”
There is a fine line between claiming something is true and saying you believe it to be true.
parsing
He qualifies the first statement as “his own biased opinion.” In the second he was talking about those who are saying it is a “fact”.
Read the Entire post. It is not contradictory.
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
I agree with the Bradford comparison
but what to take from that is not that Bama fans should consider this win entirely untainted, but instead that Texas fans should consider the OU win somewhat tainted. Which I do.
by BrooklynHorn on Jan 10, 2010 6:05 PM CST up reply actions
Wow . . .
. . . take off for the beach for a few hours and the thread is still going strong!
One thought I had while at the beach. What were the odds of Texas losing the championship game by 16 without an incredibly poisonous intramural post-game atmosphere around these parts?
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 6:10 PM CST up reply actions
Take off for the beach?!?!
Ok, it’s 17 here (Indy) with a 5-degree windchill! No more pity for you! :)
Too true, by the way. All things considered, it hasn’t really been too contentious on here. A few flare-ups, but not too bad.
41-38 !!
“Texas lost without their starting QB, and Bama won against a team without its starting QB”
True, but you said that was the only thing they proved they could do. Surely you can see how that seems like a backhanded compliment, at the very least. An intentional insult at worst.
After all, they also proved they could push the OL back and pressure the QB no matter who was in the backfield. They proved they could neutralize Texas’ special teams. ANd perhaps more impressively, they proved they had two elite RBs who could rush 100+ yds on the nations best rushing defense, in the same game no less.
The best thing about Texas was not McCoy, but rather their defense. Their defense won the games against Oklahoma and Nebraska. And McCoy is the reason they didn’t get a shot at the title last year. I think all the McCoy worship shows disrespect for the real reason Texas almost went undefeated this year: Its awesome defense.
Yes, but since virtually any team on the planet can beat another team missing their starting QB, you make it sound liklike they did nothing special.
Did you mean that last sentence the way it actually reads?
proud to swim home
by learned hand on Jan 10, 2010 6:13 PM CST up reply actions
Wait...what?
They proved they could neutralize Texas’ special teams.
You mean neutralize UT’s punt returns. ST was the one area that I thought UT unequivocally won with the two (2!) kick off recoveries and interception off a fake punt.
And McCoy is the reason they didn’t get a shot at the title last year.
Rx: Watch more Football.
You know that he set the record for completion percentage last year? Or is there a Harris voter named McCoy that you’re referencing?
Against Texas Tech, I remember late in the game he threw a careless interception at their own 18 yd line that was returned easily for a TD. That gave Texas their only loss of the season. No one to blame but Colt for that one, but I have come to learn Texans worship their QBs, they never hold them accountable.
They worship them no matter what, apparently. I mean good Lord, the way you guys have been fawning all over Gilbert is pretty mind-boggling. He was responsible for five turnovers, and Texas fans found a way to interpret it as a good sign and hope for the future.
I know he is young, but he was the most highly sought after QB recruit in the nation, and he performed precisely as one would expect a newbie to perform under pressure. Like crap. I mean how many turnovers would he have to commit before someone from the Texas fanbase started to worry? 6? 12?
I remember late in the game he threw a careless interception at their own 18 yd line that was returned easily for a TD.
It was in the middle of the third, and it was the only touchdown scored by Tech in the middle of a 34-13 Texas run, keyed entirely by Colt, to help give the Longhorns back the lead after a 1st quarter onslaught that was entirely on the shoulders of the coaches. The game was then lost by the very green secondary. Nobody to blame but Colt for the pick? Yes. Nobody to blame but Colt for the loss? 100% wrong.
He was responsible for five turnovers, and Texas fans found a way to interpret it as a good sign and hope for the future.
First of all, nobody is looking at the five turnovers as a good sign for the future. Of course you know that already, just like you also know why it is that Texas fans would look at his performance and walk away with some optimism. If you are truly stupid enough to not understand why it is we are proud of what he showed on Thursday, then remember how you felt when you were up three points with three minutes left and we had the ball. That’s why.
Like crap. I mean how many turnovers would he have to commit before someone from the Texas fanbase started to worry? 6? 12?
The question is immediately flawed, because nobody in their right mind would judge Gilbert, or any quarterback regardless of pedigree, based on his performance in that situation. The kid was right out of high school, had taken nothing but junk snaps all season while practicing with a bunch of players who were likewise never intended to see legitimate play time, and thrown into the biggest game of his life unexpectedly, basically because the has the physical tools and the alternatives were even less reliable than he was. And, oh yeah, he has to go up against the Alabama defense, unquestionably one of the best in the country. If this set of circumstances doesn’t allow for some forgiveness on the turnovers, then I don’t know what will. And let’s not speak of the five turnovers as if they were all equal. The pick six at the end of the first half was no fault of GG’s, and the last pick was a pretty inconsequential interception, other than allowing Saban to show that he at least knows that taking a knee is also a way to end a football game.
What Texas fans are “fawning all over”, although I would hardly describe as such, is the fact that despite all of those circumstances, the kid still got his act together and mounted a comeback that put his team in a position to win. No Texas fan should have asked for more than that, and I am incredibly thankful that in the fourth quarter I was still under the impression that we could win the game.
If you're so sure of what it ain't, how about telling us what it am!
This was the missing citation from BZ:
“Texas lost without their starting QB, and Bama won against a team without its starting QB. That’s what happened. As a result, Bama are national champions, and that’s all that matters now.”
To which I replied,
Yes, but since virtually any team on the planet can beat another team missing their starting QB, you make it sound like they did nothing special.
I think what Learned Hand was getting at
is that your premise (that virtually any team can beat another team missing their starting QB) suggests that they did nothing special. Not what BZ said.
Arizona just beat Green Bay on a play in overtime that was eerily similar to the Dareus touchdown.
What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.
-Hank Hill
Now that's just mean . . .
. . . finding an excuse to bring up that memory!
"Texas played without its best player for nearly 56 minutes. There's an asterisk." -- Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com
by Hopkins Horn on Jan 10, 2010 7:30 PM CST up reply actions
BZ
I don’t know if you are still reading comments made to this post, but I would just like to thank you for once again writing, and even clarifying, exactly the way I feel about this situation.
I am biased, but I feel like we could have won the game with Colt. I also know that it is ridiculous to say that is certain.
I would like to add that I also came away with a certain pride in both our Freshman QB who fought his way back into the game against the best D in the country, and our Defensive leaders, who forced Bama into punt after punt and never gave up even when our plan got so conservative, and turnovers so plenty it seemed they might never get off the field.
"A lot of people look for the easy way to do anything, in swimming there is no easy way." - Eddie Reese
Not Alabama's fault
I’m a Tar Heel, so I understand your pain. Twice we had championship-level teams lose a starting point guard in the NCAA tournament, both times run down from behind on a steal and lay-up. Technically, they were clean fouls. Certainly, no one was trying to hurt anyone.
So, given all that, I am not sure what Alabama was supposed to do. Delay the remainder of the game until McCoy healed? Spot Texas 14 points? Play 10 defenders? Run 50 passes and 15 runs as a tribute to the injured McCoy?
Texas could not stop Alabama’s running game when the game was competitive. Texas could not protect the QB — the 3 plays that defined the game all included a Texas QB getting hit by an Alabama defender. Texas could not run the ball at all, a subject which has produced some amazingly entertaining posts on Texas blogs over the years. Texas will have better days. Until then, don’t remain so bitter.
== So, given all that, I am not sure what Alabama was supposed to do. Delay the remainder of the game until McCoy healed? Spot Texas 14 points? Play 10 defenders? Run 50 passes and 15 runs as a tribute to the injured McCoy?
Well there is clearly nothing Bama could have done to prevent some bloggers from insisting Bama didn’t accomplish anything of consequence in the championship game, other than prove they can beat up on an inexperienced 18 year-old.
== Texas could not stop Alabama’s running game when the game was competitive.
A point I have made several times, which seems to fly right over their heads. They need to reinvent recent history to make it sound like Alabama was playing its A game for four straight quarters, and yet this heroic “teenager” had Bama on its heels and almost beat them… therefore, clearly if the four year veteran had been in the game, Texas would have “destroyed” Bama. This is how Texas QBs become legends prematurely.
== Texas could not protect the QB
True, but if McCoy was in there, he would have rushed for 200yds like Vince Young did. He always could have ran the ball carrying it in the other arm. I mean isn’t that what everyone was expecting from this poor kid?
Was Alabama among the worst undefeated champions?
Its comments like these that seem so superfluous and denigrating. As if anyone could possibly make such an judgment with any hope of reliable accuracy. So why even say it? Is it designed to make Bama or Texas fans feel worse? He says he would say the same thing had Texas won, but somehow I doubt that. He might think that, but he wouldn’t post it on this blog if Texas had won the National Title.
I don’t think anyone here really appreciates the significance of Alabama’s accomplishments this year. Was the NCAA lacking a clear powerhouse team that destroyed everyone in its path, as BZ suggested? Sure, but teams like that go through developmental stages, and it became clear that the Alabama team in week 13 was hardly the same Alabama team during week 10. In the second quarter Thursday night, Alabama’s running exhibition against Texas’ top-ranked rushing defense seemed to add another chunk of evidence that Alabama had developed into a very dominating, championship caliber team.
Seriously, now. After watching Bama’s freshman RB trot 50 yds into the endzone, right through the heart of the Texas defense, who thought the second half would bbe anything short of a slaughter? The three Texas fans I was sitting with got upa nd left! (I am in Brasil, so it was very late)
It very well could have been a slaughter if Saban kept doing what he was doing. Instead, he started playing seniors and removed the Heisman winner for a full quarter of play. By halftime Gilbert gave us no indication that he could adjust and find an open receiver, and Texas had no running game to rely on so we all figured, “that was all she wrote.”
But the point here is that if Alabama’s backfield could run like that against Texas then they could run like that against anyone. They became better after each game. Against #1 Florida a few weeks prior, they passed well against one of the best passing defenses in the game. One pass to Julio Jones was perfect but Jones had a brain-fart and studder stepped downfield, missing what would have been an easy 70+yd TD pass. Not that it was necessary.
When I saw Alabama beat the reigning champions that night I saw a true powerhouse team taking form, proving superiority and balance on all fronts. All the pieces were coming together. Their weakest link had been special teams, having allowed 4 TDs on kick returns in their first six games. Take those away and Alabama’s defense allows 8 points per game (I don’t know why returned TDs go against the defense in the first place).
But McElroy’s MVP performance against the #1 team in the nation proved something very important. Unlike Texas and Florida, Alabama was a well-rounded team that could rely on multiple players to come through and win the game. They didn’t put all their eggs into a McCoy or Tebow basket. At Tennessee it was Terrence Cody blocking two FGs that won the game. In several games it was either Mark Ingram or Trent Richardson. I recall Javier Arenas putting games away with his outstanding kick/punt returns. Against Auburn and Florida, it was the underrated Greg McElroy who performed magnificently. What other championship team has such a wide varity of weapons that could be a difference maker in big games?
Keep in mind that Alabama beat Florida in convincing fashion and Florida was essentially the same team, (minus Harvin) that beat Oklahoma in the BCS championship last year. That is a fact. So while the NCAA in general is weaker than last year, Florida was essentially the same, and they demonstrated this by slaughtering undefeated Cincy.
Now the Big 12 was considerably weaker than it was in 2008, as was the SEC and PAC-10. And I understand this gives the impression that any championship team emerging from the hubris of mediocre teams must also be at that level. I submit that this doesn’t necessarily follow. The indisputable fact is Alabama played some quality teams and beat all of them. Maybe not anyone at a level 10 during regular season, but they certainly beat three or four teams that were levels 7-9, and they finished it off with convincing victories over a couple of 9’s in the post season.
Alabama also beat LSU, who at the time had only one loss to 1st ranked Florida, and would have ended the season with only two losses had Alabama not taken out their QB and RB during their game. Virginia Tech started 7th in the polls and ended at a respectable 10th.
Now while it is true that Texas had a cupcake schedule by comparison, and that its most impressive win (against #14 Nebraska) was anything but impressive, this doesn’t mean Alabama’s schedule must have been equally weak.
When Texas won the championship in 2005, their best regular season wins were against #4 Ohio State, #22 Oklahoma and #20 Texas Tech. Then they went on to beat #2 USC. So what makes this resume more impressive than Bama’s 2009 season?
The PAC-10 was especially overrated that year, as was USC which needed a last second score to overcome a three loss Notre Dame team. Texas beat USC after a phenomenal one-man show by Vince Young, but Texas allowed damn near 600 yds of offense in that game so to say Alabama was worse than that is insane. When you think of national champion, you don’t imagine a team giving up that much on defense. So if you are looking for an undefeated team that was worse than Bama 2009, then look no further than Texas 2005. There is no way Bama gives up 500 yds offense to Vince Young. USC was used to cupcake PAC-10 teams and never needed to build the stamina to keep up in the late rounds. The same is hardly true for Bama’s defense, which seems to only get better deep into a game.
Again. You need to watch more football.
So if you are looking for an undefeated team that was worse than Bama 2009, then look no further than Texas 2005.
Were you unable to watch football in ‘05 because you’re in Brazil?
I suspect he didn't get to watch much...
because he’d failed to insert a television up there prior to his head…
I love how some people's opinions are "right"
and others are “wrong”. Inherently, opinions are neither…no matter how forcefully said. I believe in mine (that the game would have been different with Colt involved), you believe in yours (that this Bama team is the greatest group of elephant-lovers since Hannibal). All the factoids either of us can muster won’t change the other’s mind. Why don’t we leave it at that.
41-38 !!
Wow.
BZ, you clearly write above the reading level of the average internet user.
This is by far the biggest content to comment “thoughtful discourse gap” that I’ve ever seen.
Read the post, ignore the trolls, and quit trying to convince an SEC fanbase that it’s receiving anything other than disrespect – It cannot be done… except by Gary Danielson.
Hey billy
You realize you complain the win was a fluke and about Bama running up the score in the same blog. I came here expecting you to eat crow but what I got was the whine. Can you please point me to the blog where you acknowledge OU destroys the horns if Bradford finishes that game? Clearly you’re not comfortable with the word “classy.”
by WeWonTheDamnGame on Jan 11, 2010 1:19 PM CST reply actions
WWTDG
Let me get this straight,
You question our “classiness,” yet you
1) Gloat on this UT blog with a newly douched-up pseudonym
2) Hardly read or comprehend BZ’s wonderfully written and nuanced post
3) Are disappointed that we’re not “eating crow” after seeing the winningest QB in history go down on the 4th play
4) Call us whiners for commisserating after a crushing roller-coaster defeat in the MNC game
5) Make a simpleton argument about what if Bradford played
I can only tell you that I feel sorry for how pathetic you are that you cannot enjoy your victory and that you cannot comprehend the meaning of BZ’s title post above.
"Douched-up"
That might be my favorite new word. It will be used again. OH YES…it will be used.
41-38 !!
Uhhhhmmmm
If Texas is using the logic that they would have won with Colt then they need to also use the logic that they were lucky to be playing Alabama in the first place. They knocked out Oklahoma’s Heisman winning QB in there game in what?, the 3rd drive and only won by 3 points…… ? So I guess they really shouldn’t have been playing… I’m a Bama Fan, obvioulsy, and to be honest am embarrassed by some of the Bama fans acting the way they are but really some of the Texas and other fans aren’t acting any better. So I guess theres a lack of class in every fanbase. I personally (just my opinion) think no matter what Alabama would have won. We beat Florida, who (IMO) is actually the number 2 team in the nation. I just wanted to say what I thought, not lookin to start a war…….. I AM PROUD OF MY TEAM AND JUST WANT TO ENJOY OUR WINNING SEASON!! ROLL TIDE ROLL
IMO, Dreamland BBQ blows.
Not lookin to start a war, but ketchup is for the fries, not the meat. Leave the smokin’ to the Texans.
Nuther troll with a brand new BON account.
41-38 !!
LOL
Someone cant take the truth obviously……It’s funny most people think the people that post here shouldn’t even be here, isn’t that what this site is for, to hear different opinions? And who’s place is it to decide who should and shouldn’t post here?…..with that thinkin nobody should have the right to post…….. who cares Bama’s # 1 Roll Tide…..
Message to all Bama fans with brand new BON accounts:
Hubris is not very attractive. You won. We lost. Conrats. Now, get lost.
"All the white meat is gone. There's nothin' but necks on the platter." Darrell K. Royal
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Burnt Orange Nation
Related FanShots on Burnt Orange Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
