Tide Fans -
This one hurts real bad. I was hoping I would not have to write this analysis, but here we are. The dream season came to an end Saturday night in the Georgia Dome, the same exact place it started. A very depressing MARTA ride back to the hotel. I literally got back and just went to bed. It was only 8:30, but I was emotionally drained. Losing to Florida totally sucks, especially since I think we are a better team than they are. I cannot stand their fans, their coach, and Tim Tebow. He makes me physically ill. We had them beat...we had them - take away 2 or 3 plays and we win this game. Losing our shot at another National Title to Florida really stings. It will be VERY hard for me to want the Gaytors to win their next game....very hard. I do not want the Big 12 to win the championship, but I really don't want Florida and Urban Meyer to get it either. What an arrogant SOB - I do not like him, and I cannot wait until we get another shot at him.
There were 3 things in this game that totally made the difference...3 things. 1 - Javier catching that ball on the 3 yard line instead of letting it go out. Florida got it back with great field position and scored. 2 - A terrible no call on an obvious grounding by Tebow - (even Vern Lundquist thought it was a bad call). Florida scored 2 plays later instead of it being 4th and long. 3 - a terrible....TERRIBLE face mask call against us in the 4th quarter. I have watched the replay and they should have never called that - he barely touched the side of his helmet, and let go before he took him down - he was not holding his face mask. Absoloutely game changing blown call - it would have been 4th down - instead Florida gets 15 yards and goes on to score. I am not making excuses - we still had our chance to win, but these instances did not help us at all, and Florida capitilized on each one of them.
We absoloutely dominated the gaytors in the 3rd quarter - it was powerful, and looked like we were just going to finish them off in the second half like we have opponents all year. Saban says it all the time - we did not "finish" in the 4th quarter. Even with the bad calls, we still had our chances to win - but we just couldn't get it done. I feel for our players who have worked their asses off this year. I know this loss sucks for us as fans, but I bet it really hurts for the players. Our chance for another title slipped through our fingers, and all our hearts were broken. It was, and still is a terrible feeling, but there is hope for the future. We lost this battle, but we will win the war. I am VERY proud of my team and what they have accomplished this season - it has been unbelievable! Who would have thought at the start of this season we would go undefeated and play in the SEC Championship game? What an incredible ride it has been - a ride I never wanted to get off. Coach Saban has turned this program around in the blink of an eye, and I for one hope he stays here for 100 years! Great times are ahead for The Alabama Crimson Tide! We will have another shot at the title in the very near future, and with Saban's leadership - I am confident our time will come soon!
We will learn from this experience and only get better. I for one would not want to be on the Utah football team in this upcoming Sugar Bowl. I think The Tide is going to "unleash the pain" on this group. It's not the National Championship, but still a great bowl game, and one most of us thought we were a year or two away from playing in. Hold your head up high Tide Fans, Bama is back - and we are here to stay!
Until the Sugar Bowl - Roll Tide!
Jason
