Tide Fans –
I apologize for the lateness of this post, but quite honestly I just didn’t have the words. I am slowly coming out of my post Iron Bowl depression. I don’t know that is there is anything for me to say…I don’t have an explanation for what happened, or even a way to look at this loss and come away with anything positive. We lost a game we had won, and should have crushed Auburn into submission last Friday. Instead, we let them come back in record fashion and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. I am pretty sure this has been one of the toughest losses for me to swallow…I think the entire Bama Nation feels the same.
Standing in my seat at Bryant-Denny in complete shock at what I had just witnessed, my wife and parents both asked me if I was ok, as I stared blankly at the field. I think they were concerned at the fact that I was non responsive and was rocking back and forth. The second I saw $cam Newton run around the field shushing the crowd I quickly snapped out of my trance and screamed a few choice words at him. I truly dislike him, his attitude, and everything about his rock star status at Auburn. I will have the last laugh though…when he bolts to the NFL, and Auburn is left to clean up the mess he and his father created…I will have the last laugh! I can’t say how his situation will all pan out, but I can tell you one thing…Auburn is going to look really stupid if any of these allegations are true. Auburn went “All In” for Cam and his family, and I personally think this has been one enormous bluff.
So, what happened? How did we give up a 24 point lead at our home stadium? Why did we not finish? There is no one answer…but there are several things you can point to. Dropped passes in the end zone, 2 fumbles inside the 20, and other things are key factors. We score on these plays and even if we play like we did in the second half I still think we win. We would have been so far ahead score wise, I honestly don’t think Auburn would have had enough time to catch up. Think about it…it could have easily been 42 – 7 at half. Ingram doesn’t fumble while streaking to the end zone, Trent catches a TD pass, and McElroy doesn’t fumble on the 10…that’s 3 more TD’s! I will stop now, because it just opens up more wounds…and I don’t need to re-visit these as my blood pressure rises just thinking about it. We beat ourselves…we gave them the game. Auburn only had about 3 successful plays that made the difference. Very similar to the LSU game…we dominated minus a few plays that made the difference.
A very frustrating game, that took us through a roller coaster of emotions…from absolute elation in the first half to disbelief and shock in the second. I will say, the crowd at Bryant-Denny was ridiculously loud at points…it was awesome! Even several of my Auburn acquaintances were commenting on how loud and awesome our stadium was. You can’t blame anything on the fans…we did our part!
I guess we will find out what bowl we play in this weekend…not that I really care. It will be fun to see how Auburn plays in the SEC Championship…can they keep the streak going, or did we give Spurrier enough ammunition to use against Cam and company? I think this will be a good game…Auburn better not be looking ahead to Glendale!
Sorry I have nothing more positive for you this week Tide Fans…this one just broke my heart. I still love Alabama, and will support them in any situation…I just need a few more days to heal.
Until the bowl game…Roll Tide!
Jason
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Week 10 - Mississippi State
Tide Fans –
The boys are back! The Tide shakes off last week’s loss, and puts together a solid game. Gone was the lackluster effort , and the team we all know and love came back to whip up on a fairly decent Mississippi State squad. We ran, we threw, and we even played some pretty good defense…Bama was firing on all cylinders. No more stuffed up the middle runs, and terrible triple coverage throws…I think I even saw at least 3 toss sweeps in this game!! It started off a little slow, but got turned around quickly in the 2nd quarter. This type of game came at the perfect time, so let’s enjoy it, and get prepared to destroy Auburn’s dream! You may be in the SEC Championship game Auburn, but the National Championship comes through Tuscaloosa…and we will be ready to take on $cam Newton!
Another beautiful day in Tuscaloosa, and perfect weather for the game! I will admit I was nervous about this game, and was not going to be shocked if we even lost. Mississippi State is not a great team, but they are much improved and have had a good season. Factor that in with an extra week to prepare for us and playing hard for a fallen teammate, I felt as if we might be in for a rough night. Thankfully, we found our offense and made some big plays to put this one out of reach by the 3rd quarter. It was good to see our offense open up and move the ball more consistently. Defense played solid as well, keeping the Dan Mullen style offense in check. No, we were not perfect and there are still areas we need work on, but we did play much improved. I still believe our best game is ahead of us…and I don’t mean Georgia State!
Big plays in this game are what made the difference. These are the type plays we had go against us last week. It only takes a few to put a game out of reach, and we made the most out of them Saturday night. It was great to see Maze get the ball with some open field to work with, and also nice to see Ingram bust some big ones. These type plays were almost non-existent against LSU. I believe we have an explosive offense…we just need to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers in the right situations. Easier said than done, I know…but I believe we will need these type plays the day after Thanksgiving to win. It was great to get the win, and I think our team is getting back on track…just in time!
I know we have a game this week, but all I can think about right now is the Iron Bowl. I think this is going to be an incredible game, with an awesome atmosphere! We will be ready to play Auburn, and somehow I think Saban and company will figure out a way to slow down Cam. I don’t think you can completely take him out, but as long as we can slow him down, and screw up their rhythm – we stand a great chance! I think our defense rises to the occasion and with some help from the Bryant-Denny crowd, get more pressure on Newton than he has seen all year. If there are any Bama fans not planning on going to the game, and you are selling your tickets – all I ask is that you DO NOT sell your tickets to Auburn fans!! There will be Aubs looking for tickets left and right, and willing to pay…do not give in…DO NOT give in and sell to them!
More on the Iron Bowl in next week’s post…just had to get that off my chest! It should be an interesting week seeing as we play again on Thursday night! I typically think Thursday night games are gay, but I think this was an ingenious move by Saban and our athletic department to make this happen so we can get the extra rest and practice for the Auburn game. I know our opponent is less than desirable, but I hope we have a good showing crowd wise. I am usually fully concentrating on The Tide by Thursday night anyway, so I might as well be at the game! Plus we get to welcome back two Alabama favorites…Bill Curry and Star Jackson! ;) Aaahhh…it should be a great return to Tuscaloosa for both of them…just don’t throw any bricks at Curry.
Short week, so I will be posting again soon…until then…Roll Tide!
Jason
The boys are back! The Tide shakes off last week’s loss, and puts together a solid game. Gone was the lackluster effort , and the team we all know and love came back to whip up on a fairly decent Mississippi State squad. We ran, we threw, and we even played some pretty good defense…Bama was firing on all cylinders. No more stuffed up the middle runs, and terrible triple coverage throws…I think I even saw at least 3 toss sweeps in this game!! It started off a little slow, but got turned around quickly in the 2nd quarter. This type of game came at the perfect time, so let’s enjoy it, and get prepared to destroy Auburn’s dream! You may be in the SEC Championship game Auburn, but the National Championship comes through Tuscaloosa…and we will be ready to take on $cam Newton!
Another beautiful day in Tuscaloosa, and perfect weather for the game! I will admit I was nervous about this game, and was not going to be shocked if we even lost. Mississippi State is not a great team, but they are much improved and have had a good season. Factor that in with an extra week to prepare for us and playing hard for a fallen teammate, I felt as if we might be in for a rough night. Thankfully, we found our offense and made some big plays to put this one out of reach by the 3rd quarter. It was good to see our offense open up and move the ball more consistently. Defense played solid as well, keeping the Dan Mullen style offense in check. No, we were not perfect and there are still areas we need work on, but we did play much improved. I still believe our best game is ahead of us…and I don’t mean Georgia State!
Big plays in this game are what made the difference. These are the type plays we had go against us last week. It only takes a few to put a game out of reach, and we made the most out of them Saturday night. It was great to see Maze get the ball with some open field to work with, and also nice to see Ingram bust some big ones. These type plays were almost non-existent against LSU. I believe we have an explosive offense…we just need to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers in the right situations. Easier said than done, I know…but I believe we will need these type plays the day after Thanksgiving to win. It was great to get the win, and I think our team is getting back on track…just in time!
I know we have a game this week, but all I can think about right now is the Iron Bowl. I think this is going to be an incredible game, with an awesome atmosphere! We will be ready to play Auburn, and somehow I think Saban and company will figure out a way to slow down Cam. I don’t think you can completely take him out, but as long as we can slow him down, and screw up their rhythm – we stand a great chance! I think our defense rises to the occasion and with some help from the Bryant-Denny crowd, get more pressure on Newton than he has seen all year. If there are any Bama fans not planning on going to the game, and you are selling your tickets – all I ask is that you DO NOT sell your tickets to Auburn fans!! There will be Aubs looking for tickets left and right, and willing to pay…do not give in…DO NOT give in and sell to them!
More on the Iron Bowl in next week’s post…just had to get that off my chest! It should be an interesting week seeing as we play again on Thursday night! I typically think Thursday night games are gay, but I think this was an ingenious move by Saban and our athletic department to make this happen so we can get the extra rest and practice for the Auburn game. I know our opponent is less than desirable, but I hope we have a good showing crowd wise. I am usually fully concentrating on The Tide by Thursday night anyway, so I might as well be at the game! Plus we get to welcome back two Alabama favorites…Bill Curry and Star Jackson! ;) Aaahhh…it should be a great return to Tuscaloosa for both of them…just don’t throw any bricks at Curry.
Short week, so I will be posting again soon…until then…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, November 8, 2010
Week 9 - LSU
Tide Fans –
This one hurts…this one really hurts. I apologize for the delay, but I honestly just now have the time and energy to write a post. New Orleans / Baton Rouge kicked my butt, and broke my heart. I have gone through all of the emotions in the past day and a half…anger, frustration, humiliation, and depression. Alabama football means so much to me, and I am just crushed right now at the fact that we will not repeat as National Champions, and more than likely have no chance to play for an SEC championship. Our destiny has taken a different path this year, but there is one thing I do know for certain…I am still very proud to be an Alabama fan! No discouraging loss will ever take that away from me, and I hope it never will any of you. Now is not the time to give up on our team…we must stay positive and finish the year strong. Everyone wants to see us down…everyone wants to see our fans bicker about this and that. I am not going to give them the satisfaction. I am going to remain focused on the remainder of our games, and continue to support our team just as I would if they were undefeated. Our team needs support now more than ever, so I ask that you remain positive, and look forward. We have some big games ahead, and can still make some noise…plus, how fun would it be to ruin Auburn’s dream season? No it’s no consolation for another championship season, but it sure would be fun!
I have so many stories from this little excursion to Tiger Stadium, but I will just address a few. I will start out by saying that LSU fans are crazy – I knew this, and was fully expecting it. It is usually kind of a “friendly” crazy if you will. I don’t know what it was on this trip, but wow…crazy is not a strong enough word. I saw things that were just downright disturbing, and at one point while walking through a “carnival” like tailgate area, was pretty sure I was having an out of body experience. Strange dances, weird music, ridiculous outfits, and things hanging from trees that people were drinking some sort of alcohol from. I literally felt like Will Ferrell in Old School when he shot himself with the tranquilizer dart…everything sort of moved slow motion as we walked through, and was just really weird. I really felt like saying…”Your crazy….you’re crazy man!” Thankfully we made our way through Sodom and Gomorrah relatively unscathed. We did enjoy some good Cajun cooking with another (more mature) group of LSU fans we encountered, so that was nice. They can be crazy…but some of them are really nice…until you lose to them. More on that later…
Sitting about 2 miles up in the steeply pitched upper deck of Death Valley we watched the game unfold. Maybe it looked different on TV, but it seemed our team just came out flat with no real fire. We had several opportunities to drive down the field and score points against LSU, but poor execution prevented this. Our defense actually held LSU, minus about 3 plays which is all they ended up needing. 3 busted coverage’s on our part made the difference. I felt like we could have still beaten them, but our offense was just sputtering, and the plays were not there. I really got tired of us trying to run up the gut after being shut down time and time again. Do we not have a toss sweep anymore?? I am not a coach, but it just seems we really needed to throw some different looks at them in the second half. It just felt as if we were handcuffed…we have the playmakers…let’s get them the ball! This type of game is so frustrating as a fan, because you know we have the ability to beat the other team, and somehow we just don’t execute or run the right plays and it is just painful to witness. We had plenty of opportunities to score, we just didn’t get it done, and made some stupid mistakes. Falling for the trick play on 4th and 1, and not holding them at the end on 3rd and 13 were the most disappointing. You can’t let that happen if you want to win the game!
I could go on and on about different things we could have done differently, but what is the point. We lost a game we should have won, and that is the most frustrating thing about it.
If you have never been to Tiger Stadium after a loss, let me tell…it is not fun. I warned my wife about this minutes before the game ended. LSU fans know how to party, but they do not know how to treat people after they win. Constant in your face chants of “Tiiiiiigah Bait”, and choice expletives were yelled at us as we made our way back to the car. Now, I know we have some sidewalk alumni that don’t know how to treat the opposing fans as well, but this was ridiculous. Every single group of LSU fans we passed on the way to the car were just downright crude. I don’t mind if they want to yell “Tiiiigah Bait” at me, but the language and crude other things that were said were just wrong…it was pure hatred. Again, I know we have our share of bad fans, but this was ridiculous! Learn how to win with some class – you won the game…have fun, party, celebrate, whatever…just don’t be complete asses to the people from the other team. I lost a lot of respect for LSU fans this weekend, and as a matter of fact…they can all “bleaux” me!
Now that I have that off my chest…looking forward. Again, I ask you not to give up on our team. Yes – losing sucks, and I hate it more than anyone…especially when we play poorly. You have to remember…this is a completely different team from last year. We have a very young defense, and our offense, while they still returned many starters, we lost a lot of key leadership guys, and I think this is making a difference – especially on the O line. Something is just not clicking right like it was last year…maybe it’s not having Mike Johnson, or maybe it’s not having Colin Peek to help out with run blocking. Whatever it is, it is effecting everything we do offensively. It all starts on the line, and we play as they play. I am not blaming anyone here, just think we are missing an intangible that we had last year. The defense is a completely different story – they are very young, and I believe have played about as well as they can – this defense will be very good next year, as they have had time to grow up. You have to take a step back and look at some of these areas objectively before you start just yelling “We suck, fire the coach, etc…” We had a lot of changes to the championship team, and we are seeing the effects.
Next week will be another tough test for us, as Mississippi State brings in a pretty solid team. Do not get all pissed and sell your tickets, and just give up – we need to support this team. I will be there, rain or shine, and I am going to be yelling my ass off. I love The Tide, and look forward to what we can still accomplish this season…let’s finish strong! It is hard to be a Tide fan after a loss like this past Saturday, but just step back and thank God that you are, because there is nothing better than being an Alabama Crimson Tide fan!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
This one hurts…this one really hurts. I apologize for the delay, but I honestly just now have the time and energy to write a post. New Orleans / Baton Rouge kicked my butt, and broke my heart. I have gone through all of the emotions in the past day and a half…anger, frustration, humiliation, and depression. Alabama football means so much to me, and I am just crushed right now at the fact that we will not repeat as National Champions, and more than likely have no chance to play for an SEC championship. Our destiny has taken a different path this year, but there is one thing I do know for certain…I am still very proud to be an Alabama fan! No discouraging loss will ever take that away from me, and I hope it never will any of you. Now is not the time to give up on our team…we must stay positive and finish the year strong. Everyone wants to see us down…everyone wants to see our fans bicker about this and that. I am not going to give them the satisfaction. I am going to remain focused on the remainder of our games, and continue to support our team just as I would if they were undefeated. Our team needs support now more than ever, so I ask that you remain positive, and look forward. We have some big games ahead, and can still make some noise…plus, how fun would it be to ruin Auburn’s dream season? No it’s no consolation for another championship season, but it sure would be fun!
I have so many stories from this little excursion to Tiger Stadium, but I will just address a few. I will start out by saying that LSU fans are crazy – I knew this, and was fully expecting it. It is usually kind of a “friendly” crazy if you will. I don’t know what it was on this trip, but wow…crazy is not a strong enough word. I saw things that were just downright disturbing, and at one point while walking through a “carnival” like tailgate area, was pretty sure I was having an out of body experience. Strange dances, weird music, ridiculous outfits, and things hanging from trees that people were drinking some sort of alcohol from. I literally felt like Will Ferrell in Old School when he shot himself with the tranquilizer dart…everything sort of moved slow motion as we walked through, and was just really weird. I really felt like saying…”Your crazy….you’re crazy man!” Thankfully we made our way through Sodom and Gomorrah relatively unscathed. We did enjoy some good Cajun cooking with another (more mature) group of LSU fans we encountered, so that was nice. They can be crazy…but some of them are really nice…until you lose to them. More on that later…
Sitting about 2 miles up in the steeply pitched upper deck of Death Valley we watched the game unfold. Maybe it looked different on TV, but it seemed our team just came out flat with no real fire. We had several opportunities to drive down the field and score points against LSU, but poor execution prevented this. Our defense actually held LSU, minus about 3 plays which is all they ended up needing. 3 busted coverage’s on our part made the difference. I felt like we could have still beaten them, but our offense was just sputtering, and the plays were not there. I really got tired of us trying to run up the gut after being shut down time and time again. Do we not have a toss sweep anymore?? I am not a coach, but it just seems we really needed to throw some different looks at them in the second half. It just felt as if we were handcuffed…we have the playmakers…let’s get them the ball! This type of game is so frustrating as a fan, because you know we have the ability to beat the other team, and somehow we just don’t execute or run the right plays and it is just painful to witness. We had plenty of opportunities to score, we just didn’t get it done, and made some stupid mistakes. Falling for the trick play on 4th and 1, and not holding them at the end on 3rd and 13 were the most disappointing. You can’t let that happen if you want to win the game!
I could go on and on about different things we could have done differently, but what is the point. We lost a game we should have won, and that is the most frustrating thing about it.
If you have never been to Tiger Stadium after a loss, let me tell…it is not fun. I warned my wife about this minutes before the game ended. LSU fans know how to party, but they do not know how to treat people after they win. Constant in your face chants of “Tiiiiiigah Bait”, and choice expletives were yelled at us as we made our way back to the car. Now, I know we have some sidewalk alumni that don’t know how to treat the opposing fans as well, but this was ridiculous. Every single group of LSU fans we passed on the way to the car were just downright crude. I don’t mind if they want to yell “Tiiiigah Bait” at me, but the language and crude other things that were said were just wrong…it was pure hatred. Again, I know we have our share of bad fans, but this was ridiculous! Learn how to win with some class – you won the game…have fun, party, celebrate, whatever…just don’t be complete asses to the people from the other team. I lost a lot of respect for LSU fans this weekend, and as a matter of fact…they can all “bleaux” me!
Now that I have that off my chest…looking forward. Again, I ask you not to give up on our team. Yes – losing sucks, and I hate it more than anyone…especially when we play poorly. You have to remember…this is a completely different team from last year. We have a very young defense, and our offense, while they still returned many starters, we lost a lot of key leadership guys, and I think this is making a difference – especially on the O line. Something is just not clicking right like it was last year…maybe it’s not having Mike Johnson, or maybe it’s not having Colin Peek to help out with run blocking. Whatever it is, it is effecting everything we do offensively. It all starts on the line, and we play as they play. I am not blaming anyone here, just think we are missing an intangible that we had last year. The defense is a completely different story – they are very young, and I believe have played about as well as they can – this defense will be very good next year, as they have had time to grow up. You have to take a step back and look at some of these areas objectively before you start just yelling “We suck, fire the coach, etc…” We had a lot of changes to the championship team, and we are seeing the effects.
Next week will be another tough test for us, as Mississippi State brings in a pretty solid team. Do not get all pissed and sell your tickets, and just give up – we need to support this team. I will be there, rain or shine, and I am going to be yelling my ass off. I love The Tide, and look forward to what we can still accomplish this season…let’s finish strong! It is hard to be a Tide fan after a loss like this past Saturday, but just step back and thank God that you are, because there is nothing better than being an Alabama Crimson Tide fan!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, October 25, 2010
Week 8 - Tennessee
Tide Fans –
What started out as looking very ugly, turned into something beautiful! Julio, Trent, Maze and Ingram found their groove and made some huge plays to put this game out of reach by the end of the 3rd quarter. I don’t know what Coach Saban said at halftime, but whatever it was it worked like a charm! The Tide rolls big in Knoxville, crushing the Vols with their inspired 2nd half play. Now it’s time for some much needed rest for the team, (and the fans) so we can get ready and defend our SEC title – we have to win them all!
As soon as this game started I thought to myself…I should have gone. When we got down early I was really mad at myself for not going to the game. I feel so much more in control if I am at the game, versus watching it on TV. I don’t know why, but I just do. It’s not as if The Tide knows I am there and play better because of this (I would like to think this is true, but I know it isn’t). I’m pretty sure Coach Saban and the team do not feel my presence when I am in attendance, and as much as I wish that I was part of the pre-game checklist for the coaching staff and the team…I fear that I am not. Regardless, I always feel better attending the game.
To make things even weirder – I was actually attending a Halloween party during the game, and was in full costume. This was not helping my Tide vibe, and was convinced it was effecting our first half play. I know it was effecting the party as I am not a fun person to be around when Bama is playing poorly. Here I was standing next to my friends dressed in the following costumes - a quilted leisure suit (which apparantly was very comfortable), Jason (machete and all), Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation, and I am fully decked out as a member of the Dharma Initiative from the TV show LOST. You can just imagine how that looked – not your typical group of fans watching a game! At halftime I was soo irritated I removed my costume wig in disgust, and it never went back on. I usually take my Halloween costumes very seriously, and like to stay in character – but something had to change, and apparently it helped! The Tide dominated the 2nd half, and suddenly I didn’t mind hanging out watching the game with a bunch of people in costume!
We needed a win like this very badly. Our confidence just didn’t seem to be where it needed to be, and while I know this was not a very good Tennessee team, it is always nice to get a big SEC road game win against one of your biggest rivals. This was just what the doctor ordered as we go into our off week, and as most of you know…I love crushing Tennessee!
Offense finally found their rhythm and made some big runs, and some ridiculous catches by Julio. What an incredible game he had – just amazing. This is the Julio we love…this is why it is so important to get the ball to him – he can make things happen. Nevermind that his hand is broken…he was pulling in balls that were overthrown, underthrown, and some that were actually perfectly thrown. All in the process he breaks the single game record for receiving yards – just awesome! Can I get a Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulio!!!!! I must give shout outs to Trent and Marquis Maze also – great games by both of them. I love the fact we are utilizing Maze more – he is a playmaker, and this was long overdue in our game planning.
Overall defense played well again, minus a few busted coverages. Dre “Primetime” Kirkpatrick needs to step it up, as I feel he got schooled on several plays. How about the hit Miliner put on that guy…good Lord it was insane! That is truly one of the hardest hits I have ever witnessed, and I am shocked (and glad) the guy was able to walk off the field, because at first I thought he was dead. It was nice to see some other guys get some playing time in this game – Phelon Jones, BJ Scott, and Miliner all got some great experience. Phelon needs to learn how to catch – he could have had a few picks! Our Defense is pretty beat up right now – the week off will help tremendously. Upshaw and Dareus are still not full speed, and it will be great to get them a few weeks to recover. We need everyone full strength for our final stretch, as we have some big games ahead.
Bama heads to Baton Rouge in two weeks. Even though they lost this past weekend, this is still a huge game for us. LSU has not played great this year, but they are a dangerous team. You really don’t know what you are going to get with them, but believe me – they will be fired up and ready to play. Offense must play aggressive with them, and keep our running game going. Defense will need to play smart and not over think things. I think if we can get a good pass rush on either of their quarterbacks our chances improve drastically. We must play smart and not make sloppy mistakes in this game. McElroy needs to make some passes early in the game to get our rhythm going, and we must establish the run threat. We get a running game going, and play solid defense – this one is ours!
I look forward to this game, as I will actually be in attendance! I love making this trip, and always have great stories to tell after. You never know what experience you will have amongst the Cajun faithful, and throw in 2 nights in New Orleans…it should be interesting! Enjoy the week off Tide Fans – I know I will. Rest up and get ready for a Championship run – it’s ours to take…we just have to win baby…just win!
See you in 2 weeks…Roll Tide!
Jason
What started out as looking very ugly, turned into something beautiful! Julio, Trent, Maze and Ingram found their groove and made some huge plays to put this game out of reach by the end of the 3rd quarter. I don’t know what Coach Saban said at halftime, but whatever it was it worked like a charm! The Tide rolls big in Knoxville, crushing the Vols with their inspired 2nd half play. Now it’s time for some much needed rest for the team, (and the fans) so we can get ready and defend our SEC title – we have to win them all!
As soon as this game started I thought to myself…I should have gone. When we got down early I was really mad at myself for not going to the game. I feel so much more in control if I am at the game, versus watching it on TV. I don’t know why, but I just do. It’s not as if The Tide knows I am there and play better because of this (I would like to think this is true, but I know it isn’t). I’m pretty sure Coach Saban and the team do not feel my presence when I am in attendance, and as much as I wish that I was part of the pre-game checklist for the coaching staff and the team…I fear that I am not. Regardless, I always feel better attending the game.
To make things even weirder – I was actually attending a Halloween party during the game, and was in full costume. This was not helping my Tide vibe, and was convinced it was effecting our first half play. I know it was effecting the party as I am not a fun person to be around when Bama is playing poorly. Here I was standing next to my friends dressed in the following costumes - a quilted leisure suit (which apparantly was very comfortable), Jason (machete and all), Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation, and I am fully decked out as a member of the Dharma Initiative from the TV show LOST. You can just imagine how that looked – not your typical group of fans watching a game! At halftime I was soo irritated I removed my costume wig in disgust, and it never went back on. I usually take my Halloween costumes very seriously, and like to stay in character – but something had to change, and apparently it helped! The Tide dominated the 2nd half, and suddenly I didn’t mind hanging out watching the game with a bunch of people in costume!
We needed a win like this very badly. Our confidence just didn’t seem to be where it needed to be, and while I know this was not a very good Tennessee team, it is always nice to get a big SEC road game win against one of your biggest rivals. This was just what the doctor ordered as we go into our off week, and as most of you know…I love crushing Tennessee!
Offense finally found their rhythm and made some big runs, and some ridiculous catches by Julio. What an incredible game he had – just amazing. This is the Julio we love…this is why it is so important to get the ball to him – he can make things happen. Nevermind that his hand is broken…he was pulling in balls that were overthrown, underthrown, and some that were actually perfectly thrown. All in the process he breaks the single game record for receiving yards – just awesome! Can I get a Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulio!!!!! I must give shout outs to Trent and Marquis Maze also – great games by both of them. I love the fact we are utilizing Maze more – he is a playmaker, and this was long overdue in our game planning.
Overall defense played well again, minus a few busted coverages. Dre “Primetime” Kirkpatrick needs to step it up, as I feel he got schooled on several plays. How about the hit Miliner put on that guy…good Lord it was insane! That is truly one of the hardest hits I have ever witnessed, and I am shocked (and glad) the guy was able to walk off the field, because at first I thought he was dead. It was nice to see some other guys get some playing time in this game – Phelon Jones, BJ Scott, and Miliner all got some great experience. Phelon needs to learn how to catch – he could have had a few picks! Our Defense is pretty beat up right now – the week off will help tremendously. Upshaw and Dareus are still not full speed, and it will be great to get them a few weeks to recover. We need everyone full strength for our final stretch, as we have some big games ahead.
Bama heads to Baton Rouge in two weeks. Even though they lost this past weekend, this is still a huge game for us. LSU has not played great this year, but they are a dangerous team. You really don’t know what you are going to get with them, but believe me – they will be fired up and ready to play. Offense must play aggressive with them, and keep our running game going. Defense will need to play smart and not over think things. I think if we can get a good pass rush on either of their quarterbacks our chances improve drastically. We must play smart and not make sloppy mistakes in this game. McElroy needs to make some passes early in the game to get our rhythm going, and we must establish the run threat. We get a running game going, and play solid defense – this one is ours!
I look forward to this game, as I will actually be in attendance! I love making this trip, and always have great stories to tell after. You never know what experience you will have amongst the Cajun faithful, and throw in 2 nights in New Orleans…it should be interesting! Enjoy the week off Tide Fans – I know I will. Rest up and get ready for a Championship run – it’s ours to take…we just have to win baby…just win!
See you in 2 weeks…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, October 18, 2010
Week 7 - Ole Miss
Tide Fans –
First off, I would like to apologize profusely for the delay in this week’s post. I have been in the fine city of Mobile, and unable to get a post up until now. I was once again watching my daughters gymnastics meet, this time in Mobile and on a Sunday evening…nice! This is normally when I am writing my analysis, but on this Sunday evening my wife and I were hanging out chasing an extremely tired 2 year old around a somewhat warm gym, trying to watch our daughter compete. Good times…good times! Actually, the Sunday meet worked out fine because there was no interference with the game…and that is huge. It was a great trip and we got to see some of our dear friends while we were there. A big shout out to the Carter Family, Ed’s Seafood Shed, The Battle House Hotel, and The Battleship USS Alabama!
On to the game…
It was a beautiful day in Tuscaloosa – a great day filled with Homecoming festivities, parades, lawn decorations, and of course football! The Tide gets back on track with a win against a struggling Ole Miss team. It was hardly a great game by The Tide, but a win is a win, and we must move on and continue to improve. An overall impressive performance by our defense, but we are still not clicking on all cylinders on offense. We must improve here, or we will not be heading to Atlanta!
My lovely wife told me today in the car ride home from Mobile, that I am sometimes too hard on our team. This stemmed from me being completely irritated throughout most of the game about our lack of offense. Yes, we had some good plays, but in my opinion overall we just did not look very good. At one point, and yes I will admit this, I was actually questioning whether we should take McElroy out. I just didn’t think he was playing well, and taking too many sacks or missing too many passes. It was wrong for me to think like this, as I know he can run the offense better than any of our backups right now. I guess I was just frustrated with field goals, and I wanted to crush our opponent. Anyway, I know Greg is the man for the job, I just want him to be the old Greg, and play like a champion. I am sure the team will work hard to make improvements, and I still have a lot of faith in McElroy, and the entire offense!
Our defense played well. Massolli was running around like a wild man out there trying to avoid getting crushed on just about every play. That dude is fast! It almost looked as if you were watching him on fast forward 1 arrow (you TiVo users know what I’m talking about!) Massolli ran fast, and could sling that ball really fast…thankfully he just wasn’t very accurate, or his receivers just suck. The Tide defense did a great job pressuring him all night – it was night and day compared to last week’s game.
I came away from this game a little nervous, thinking we have a lot of work to do if we are going to get to Atlanta. Now that I have had time to calm down a little, and look at it more objectively, I am glad we got the win. No, Ole Miss is not great, but they were well rested and could have been a real pain. We were never really in doubt of losing that one, and it is an SEC West victory, so let’s be glad that one is over.
It’s Tennessee week now – time to head up to Rocky Top and beat some ass! Most of you know – I absolutely despise Tennessee, and want to crush them every year! I will not be attending this game …as I have never witnessed a victory in person there. I cannot stand going up there and cramming myself in a tiny 6 inch space that is supposed to be my seat. You have to sit sideways in that stadium because they put the numbers so close together…it is ridiculous. The Tide better bring their A game this week, because it is another SEC road game, and you never know what you’re going to get when you play Tennessee. No, they do not have a very good team this year, but this is one of those games where you throw the record book out. Need I remind everyone of what they almost pulled off last season against us? Defense better show up, and for the love of God please take some offense too! Let’s run that ball all over Rocky Top!!!
We have a lot of football to go fans, and we need to win every game! We got a little help from some teams this weekend for our championship hopes, but we cannot stumble again. Let’s concentrate on the Vols, and then enjoy that week off to rest up for the brutal November schedule. We can do this…have faith!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
First off, I would like to apologize profusely for the delay in this week’s post. I have been in the fine city of Mobile, and unable to get a post up until now. I was once again watching my daughters gymnastics meet, this time in Mobile and on a Sunday evening…nice! This is normally when I am writing my analysis, but on this Sunday evening my wife and I were hanging out chasing an extremely tired 2 year old around a somewhat warm gym, trying to watch our daughter compete. Good times…good times! Actually, the Sunday meet worked out fine because there was no interference with the game…and that is huge. It was a great trip and we got to see some of our dear friends while we were there. A big shout out to the Carter Family, Ed’s Seafood Shed, The Battle House Hotel, and The Battleship USS Alabama!
On to the game…
It was a beautiful day in Tuscaloosa – a great day filled with Homecoming festivities, parades, lawn decorations, and of course football! The Tide gets back on track with a win against a struggling Ole Miss team. It was hardly a great game by The Tide, but a win is a win, and we must move on and continue to improve. An overall impressive performance by our defense, but we are still not clicking on all cylinders on offense. We must improve here, or we will not be heading to Atlanta!
My lovely wife told me today in the car ride home from Mobile, that I am sometimes too hard on our team. This stemmed from me being completely irritated throughout most of the game about our lack of offense. Yes, we had some good plays, but in my opinion overall we just did not look very good. At one point, and yes I will admit this, I was actually questioning whether we should take McElroy out. I just didn’t think he was playing well, and taking too many sacks or missing too many passes. It was wrong for me to think like this, as I know he can run the offense better than any of our backups right now. I guess I was just frustrated with field goals, and I wanted to crush our opponent. Anyway, I know Greg is the man for the job, I just want him to be the old Greg, and play like a champion. I am sure the team will work hard to make improvements, and I still have a lot of faith in McElroy, and the entire offense!
Our defense played well. Massolli was running around like a wild man out there trying to avoid getting crushed on just about every play. That dude is fast! It almost looked as if you were watching him on fast forward 1 arrow (you TiVo users know what I’m talking about!) Massolli ran fast, and could sling that ball really fast…thankfully he just wasn’t very accurate, or his receivers just suck. The Tide defense did a great job pressuring him all night – it was night and day compared to last week’s game.
I came away from this game a little nervous, thinking we have a lot of work to do if we are going to get to Atlanta. Now that I have had time to calm down a little, and look at it more objectively, I am glad we got the win. No, Ole Miss is not great, but they were well rested and could have been a real pain. We were never really in doubt of losing that one, and it is an SEC West victory, so let’s be glad that one is over.
It’s Tennessee week now – time to head up to Rocky Top and beat some ass! Most of you know – I absolutely despise Tennessee, and want to crush them every year! I will not be attending this game …as I have never witnessed a victory in person there. I cannot stand going up there and cramming myself in a tiny 6 inch space that is supposed to be my seat. You have to sit sideways in that stadium because they put the numbers so close together…it is ridiculous. The Tide better bring their A game this week, because it is another SEC road game, and you never know what you’re going to get when you play Tennessee. No, they do not have a very good team this year, but this is one of those games where you throw the record book out. Need I remind everyone of what they almost pulled off last season against us? Defense better show up, and for the love of God please take some offense too! Let’s run that ball all over Rocky Top!!!
We have a lot of football to go fans, and we need to win every game! We got a little help from some teams this weekend for our championship hopes, but we cannot stumble again. Let’s concentrate on the Vols, and then enjoy that week off to rest up for the brutal November schedule. We can do this…have faith!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, October 11, 2010
Week 6 - South Carolina
Tide Fans –
Something didn’t feel right when I woke up Saturday morning. Besides the massive head cold I had acquired the day before, something just didn’t feel right. I was actually looking forward to a nice day at home watching football without interruption from gymnastics meets or other distractions. I was looking forward to kicking back, watching gameday, and getting mentally prepared for our game against South Carolina. It was a beautiful day in Birmingham, Alabama, and then all of a sudden as I fixed a cup of coffee preparing to watch ESPN, our power went out. Yes – no storms, nothing but blue skies, and our power goes out…fantastic. This got me really concerned, not only because I was missing gameday, but it just seemed like a bad omen. All morning I had this feeling of unpreparedness – like I had not done something to get ready for this game. It was a bad start to a day that would only get worse. Our beloved Crimson Tide loses to the Gamecocks of South Carolina…I was crushed.
Words cannot describe how I felt at about 5:30pm on Saturday. Actually, there are several words that were blurted out of my mouth within earshot of my kids, which described exactly how I felt. I can only pray that these words are not ever repeated by them. I know most of you feel the same way, and are just as down as I am right now. It is a feeling we have not had to deal with in a long time, and it totally sucks. At the beginning of the season I predicted that we would lose a game…I just hoped it never would actually happen. We are now facing the reality of a loss, and how we respond to it will tell a lot about us as Tide fans, and our team. The one thing I ask of all of you is to stay positive – there is a lot of football to be played, and the Aubs want nothing more than to see us get all irritated when asked about the loss. Let them talk all they want…their day is coming, and I personally cannot wait to play them.
We knew it would be tough to get through this gauntlet of games undefeated. I think our team was mentally tired, and that is what got us beat. We were not ready for this game and it showed. There were way too many errors creating costly penalties, and busted plays. Our team did not look like themselves on the field, and quite honestly I thought they looked very slow – there was no hustle. They looked hung over…and that is what I was afraid of last week. At one point I swear I saw Donta Hightower walk over to try and make a tackle. Our heads were simply not in this game, and in the SEC if you don’t come ready to play every week, you lose. I have to give some credit to South Carolina – they played a great game – probably the best they ever have, but they are not a better team than us. I wish them the best of luck, because I want to play them again. I want to play them again so bad! You may have shut down our run, and completed some ridiculous passes this time…but you will not do it again…you will not do it again!
This is a tough one to swallow Tide Fans…a very tough one. As hard as it is, we must press on and get ready for the next game. There is no time to sit around and sulk all week, because if we do Ole Miss may come in and shock us. We have to get our mind right, and go on to fight for the rest of the season. We control our destiny, and while our championship dreams took a hit – they are far from over. I believe our coaches and our team, are going to be stronger after this and I believe we will go undefeated for the remainder of the season. There a several huge games ahead, but I know we have the team to do it. Our players like McElroy, Ingram, Dareus, Hightower, and Julio are going to step it up a notch, and demand more from their fellow teammates. The Tide is going to play with fire and passion for the rest of the season, and whoever lies ahead better watch out – a big ‘ol pissed off Crimson giant is heading your way, and it wants to crush you.
Heads up Tide fans, we have a lot of football to play, and we are still the defending National Champions…we are still The Alabama Crimson Tide! Have faith in your team, and think positive. Just before I started typing, I looked out my window and saw the sun shining on my Bama flag flying in the wind, and it made me smile. Good things are ahead…the season is far from over.
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Something didn’t feel right when I woke up Saturday morning. Besides the massive head cold I had acquired the day before, something just didn’t feel right. I was actually looking forward to a nice day at home watching football without interruption from gymnastics meets or other distractions. I was looking forward to kicking back, watching gameday, and getting mentally prepared for our game against South Carolina. It was a beautiful day in Birmingham, Alabama, and then all of a sudden as I fixed a cup of coffee preparing to watch ESPN, our power went out. Yes – no storms, nothing but blue skies, and our power goes out…fantastic. This got me really concerned, not only because I was missing gameday, but it just seemed like a bad omen. All morning I had this feeling of unpreparedness – like I had not done something to get ready for this game. It was a bad start to a day that would only get worse. Our beloved Crimson Tide loses to the Gamecocks of South Carolina…I was crushed.
Words cannot describe how I felt at about 5:30pm on Saturday. Actually, there are several words that were blurted out of my mouth within earshot of my kids, which described exactly how I felt. I can only pray that these words are not ever repeated by them. I know most of you feel the same way, and are just as down as I am right now. It is a feeling we have not had to deal with in a long time, and it totally sucks. At the beginning of the season I predicted that we would lose a game…I just hoped it never would actually happen. We are now facing the reality of a loss, and how we respond to it will tell a lot about us as Tide fans, and our team. The one thing I ask of all of you is to stay positive – there is a lot of football to be played, and the Aubs want nothing more than to see us get all irritated when asked about the loss. Let them talk all they want…their day is coming, and I personally cannot wait to play them.
We knew it would be tough to get through this gauntlet of games undefeated. I think our team was mentally tired, and that is what got us beat. We were not ready for this game and it showed. There were way too many errors creating costly penalties, and busted plays. Our team did not look like themselves on the field, and quite honestly I thought they looked very slow – there was no hustle. They looked hung over…and that is what I was afraid of last week. At one point I swear I saw Donta Hightower walk over to try and make a tackle. Our heads were simply not in this game, and in the SEC if you don’t come ready to play every week, you lose. I have to give some credit to South Carolina – they played a great game – probably the best they ever have, but they are not a better team than us. I wish them the best of luck, because I want to play them again. I want to play them again so bad! You may have shut down our run, and completed some ridiculous passes this time…but you will not do it again…you will not do it again!
This is a tough one to swallow Tide Fans…a very tough one. As hard as it is, we must press on and get ready for the next game. There is no time to sit around and sulk all week, because if we do Ole Miss may come in and shock us. We have to get our mind right, and go on to fight for the rest of the season. We control our destiny, and while our championship dreams took a hit – they are far from over. I believe our coaches and our team, are going to be stronger after this and I believe we will go undefeated for the remainder of the season. There a several huge games ahead, but I know we have the team to do it. Our players like McElroy, Ingram, Dareus, Hightower, and Julio are going to step it up a notch, and demand more from their fellow teammates. The Tide is going to play with fire and passion for the rest of the season, and whoever lies ahead better watch out – a big ‘ol pissed off Crimson giant is heading your way, and it wants to crush you.
Heads up Tide fans, we have a lot of football to play, and we are still the defending National Champions…we are still The Alabama Crimson Tide! Have faith in your team, and think positive. Just before I started typing, I looked out my window and saw the sun shining on my Bama flag flying in the wind, and it made me smile. Good things are ahead…the season is far from over.
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, October 4, 2010
Week 5 - Florida
Tide Fans –
Domination: supremacy or preeminence over another. This is the definition according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. I believe they hit the nail on the head, and no other word best describes what happened in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. The Alabama Crimson Tide destroyed the Florida Gaytors, and I enjoyed every single second of it! There is nothing better than crushing the team, and the cocky, cheesy, “jort” wearing fans from Gainesville. The night sky was buzzing with deafening roars from Bryant-Denny, and everyone in Crimson was having the time of their lives. Bama rolls big…and I’m not sure anyone can stop us!
What a beautiful day for college football in Alabama…the weather could not have been more perfect! My day started with an early rise for an 8:00 gymnastics meet in Bessemer, Alabama. Yes – once again I start my game day off rushing to get kids dressed and shoved into the minivan in time to make the 7:45 check in time for the level 3 Mountain Brook Pirates team. Nothing like having to wake up at 6:00 on Saturday to drive to Bessemer and sit in a gym on hard bleachers…ahhh can’t beat it! The only good thing about the very early meet was that it would not interfere with my planned departure time for Tuscaloosa…and that is something I take very seriously. Thankfully they made it worth the drive as the team stayed undefeated! A big shout out to my daughter, and the entire team – way to go girls!
My plan was to drive back to my parents, meet my friend Bill, my cousin in-law Joe, his girlfriend Becca, and all ride down together in one car. My dad had threatened not to go earlier in the day saying he wasn’t feeling well. My response to that was “Dad, it’s the Florida game – so please get your ass in the car and let’s go!” After a series of cooler shifting, discussions on who should sit where, and who was driving, we hit the road. Within 2 minutes we had already pulled the car over and switched drivers…after I finally convinced my dad that if he wasn’t feeling well, then he should not be driving. Surprisingly enough the rest of the trip down was smooth sailing!
Not long after arriving on campus I saw the first set of Gaytor fans and immediately wanted to vomit in my mouth. I really dislike Florida’s fan base, and seriously just cannot get along with them as much as I try. Their culture is completely different from the rest of the SEC, and it just irritates me. The clothes they wear, the hairstyles, the weird accents…it’s just not my cup of tea. This is probably why I enjoy beating them almost more than any other school! To see their fans all cocky and acting like complete tools before the game, and watching them try to make excuses as to why they got crushed afterward is hilarious. My section (which is truly an all Alabama section) for some reason had several Florida fans in it, which really bothered me. A quick note to anyone else that sits in section GG – selling your tickets to opposing team fans is ridiculous. Selling your tickets to a Florida fan is downright ludicrous, and you seriously should be removed from Tide Pride. I am serious – that is absolutely ridiculous. There are millions of Tide fans you could have sold your tickets to…and you sell them to a Florida fan…unbelievable. The only good thing about it was that I got to see several of them squirm as we crushed them all night long!
In 2005 when we played Florida at Bryant-Denny was the loudest that stadium has ever been. This past Saturday came very close. I love it when we are so loud that the opposing team gets all confused and our defense just swarms them – it is powerful. It wasn’t the loudest, but it was definitely rocking Saturday night in Bryant-Denny! Just to reminisce – the other two loudest moments in our stadium were in 2007 when JP Wilson threw the game winning touchdown to Matt Caddell in the final seconds against Arkansas, and last year when Cody blocked the field goal…damn that was loud! I love a loud stadium, and wish the crowd would be more consistent with their volume in all games.
This game was just delightful to watch! I knew we would beat Florida, but I did not think it would be that easy. The high fives were flying in our section as we watched The Tide score on practically each possession in the first half – we could do no wrong. Running, passing, and scoring defensively…it was beautiful. Seriously, if our defense plays like this every game – I do not think anyone will even score a touchdown on us. We were flying all over the field, and constantly pressuring the quarterback, leading to several interceptions. Huge shout outs go to Dareus, Upshaw, CJ Mosley, and Dre (Primetime) Kirkpatrick! I just hope we can keep up the intensity like this every week, because our schedule just doesn’t get easier.
Offense was equally impressive. The balance of our running and passing game is truly a force. We have so many weapons – Ingram, Richardson, Julio, Hanks, Maze!! I LOVE the play were Marquis threw the touchdown pass out of the wildcat formation – it was perfect! I have to give huge props to our guys up front in the trenches – they are truly incredible. Everything starts on the line, and these guys play like professionals. They are very well coached, and are just machine like in getting their job done. McElroy had all day on most of the pass plays…all day. The Tide looked so smooth and almost unstoppable throughout this game – we played championship football, and Florida got swamped!
Leaving Tuscaloosa late at night is never easy after a long day of tailgating and watching the Tide. Everyone in our group was exhausted…hell I was still exhausted from last week! I knew traffic was going to suck after the game, so I decided to take another route out of town. I had done some map research earlier in the week and was convinced I had found the way out of Tuscaloosa that would avoid a major chunk of traffic. Unfortunately I forgot the map I had printed and highlighted to get us out. I decided I could remember it from memory, as I turned the opposite way that everyone else was turning (much to the dismay of everyone in the car). I was convinced I could remember the streets I was supposed to turn on for my new route out. We are now on the outskirts of Tuscaloosa in the town of Holt. I proceed to drive down very dark and somewhat narrow roads with literally no traffic. There were some groans coming from the back seat and some “where the hell are you going” comments. I drove with confidence…until we hit a dirt road. At this point I had lost all confidence on where I was going. I was thinking...great I have really screwed up now...I had to leave my map at home...how stupid! After a quick U turn in Bubba’s driveway (if you can call it that), we headed back the direction we came. Thankfully Bill noticed the sign I was looking for right before we hit the dirt road and directed us back. A few more tense miles, and finally we popped out onto the main road heading home – awesome!! My new route worked like a charm, minus one wrong turn! Everyone was happy to see smooth pavement and other cars. We made it home in record time seeing as we didn’t leave until the game was over! I was pumped, and no I am not telling you my new route…it’s a secret!
Once again we have another huge game this week Tide Fans! South Carolina is coming off a loss to Auburn, and will be rested and ready to play the defending national champs. Every team we play for the rest of the season will be rested and ready to play us. Every week we will face another team wanting to take down number 1. Our schedule is brutal, but we have to stay focused and push through. I have been very confident about most of our games, but I will admit that I am a little nervous about going to South Carolina. Not because of the team we are playing, but the fact that we will be on the road again after a huge win – I just hope we don’t have a hangover in Columbia. If we do, it could be a tight game like Arkansas. I do not think the Gamecocks can even come close to hanging with us physically for 4 quarters, but if we do stupid things, and keep them close in the game, their crowd will be fired up, and they will play us tough. If our same defense that we saw this week shows up – they have no chance. I will not be making the trip to Columbia this week, so if you are going, yell extra loud for me!
Enjoy the win over Florida Tide fans, but we need to get focused and ready for our next opponent. In my mind – this is the game that assures our spot in Glendale…we win this one, and I don’t think anyone beats us from here on out. Let’s keep the championship repeat dream alive and crush the Gamecocks!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Domination: supremacy or preeminence over another. This is the definition according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. I believe they hit the nail on the head, and no other word best describes what happened in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. The Alabama Crimson Tide destroyed the Florida Gaytors, and I enjoyed every single second of it! There is nothing better than crushing the team, and the cocky, cheesy, “jort” wearing fans from Gainesville. The night sky was buzzing with deafening roars from Bryant-Denny, and everyone in Crimson was having the time of their lives. Bama rolls big…and I’m not sure anyone can stop us!
What a beautiful day for college football in Alabama…the weather could not have been more perfect! My day started with an early rise for an 8:00 gymnastics meet in Bessemer, Alabama. Yes – once again I start my game day off rushing to get kids dressed and shoved into the minivan in time to make the 7:45 check in time for the level 3 Mountain Brook Pirates team. Nothing like having to wake up at 6:00 on Saturday to drive to Bessemer and sit in a gym on hard bleachers…ahhh can’t beat it! The only good thing about the very early meet was that it would not interfere with my planned departure time for Tuscaloosa…and that is something I take very seriously. Thankfully they made it worth the drive as the team stayed undefeated! A big shout out to my daughter, and the entire team – way to go girls!
My plan was to drive back to my parents, meet my friend Bill, my cousin in-law Joe, his girlfriend Becca, and all ride down together in one car. My dad had threatened not to go earlier in the day saying he wasn’t feeling well. My response to that was “Dad, it’s the Florida game – so please get your ass in the car and let’s go!” After a series of cooler shifting, discussions on who should sit where, and who was driving, we hit the road. Within 2 minutes we had already pulled the car over and switched drivers…after I finally convinced my dad that if he wasn’t feeling well, then he should not be driving. Surprisingly enough the rest of the trip down was smooth sailing!
Not long after arriving on campus I saw the first set of Gaytor fans and immediately wanted to vomit in my mouth. I really dislike Florida’s fan base, and seriously just cannot get along with them as much as I try. Their culture is completely different from the rest of the SEC, and it just irritates me. The clothes they wear, the hairstyles, the weird accents…it’s just not my cup of tea. This is probably why I enjoy beating them almost more than any other school! To see their fans all cocky and acting like complete tools before the game, and watching them try to make excuses as to why they got crushed afterward is hilarious. My section (which is truly an all Alabama section) for some reason had several Florida fans in it, which really bothered me. A quick note to anyone else that sits in section GG – selling your tickets to opposing team fans is ridiculous. Selling your tickets to a Florida fan is downright ludicrous, and you seriously should be removed from Tide Pride. I am serious – that is absolutely ridiculous. There are millions of Tide fans you could have sold your tickets to…and you sell them to a Florida fan…unbelievable. The only good thing about it was that I got to see several of them squirm as we crushed them all night long!
In 2005 when we played Florida at Bryant-Denny was the loudest that stadium has ever been. This past Saturday came very close. I love it when we are so loud that the opposing team gets all confused and our defense just swarms them – it is powerful. It wasn’t the loudest, but it was definitely rocking Saturday night in Bryant-Denny! Just to reminisce – the other two loudest moments in our stadium were in 2007 when JP Wilson threw the game winning touchdown to Matt Caddell in the final seconds against Arkansas, and last year when Cody blocked the field goal…damn that was loud! I love a loud stadium, and wish the crowd would be more consistent with their volume in all games.
This game was just delightful to watch! I knew we would beat Florida, but I did not think it would be that easy. The high fives were flying in our section as we watched The Tide score on practically each possession in the first half – we could do no wrong. Running, passing, and scoring defensively…it was beautiful. Seriously, if our defense plays like this every game – I do not think anyone will even score a touchdown on us. We were flying all over the field, and constantly pressuring the quarterback, leading to several interceptions. Huge shout outs go to Dareus, Upshaw, CJ Mosley, and Dre (Primetime) Kirkpatrick! I just hope we can keep up the intensity like this every week, because our schedule just doesn’t get easier.
Offense was equally impressive. The balance of our running and passing game is truly a force. We have so many weapons – Ingram, Richardson, Julio, Hanks, Maze!! I LOVE the play were Marquis threw the touchdown pass out of the wildcat formation – it was perfect! I have to give huge props to our guys up front in the trenches – they are truly incredible. Everything starts on the line, and these guys play like professionals. They are very well coached, and are just machine like in getting their job done. McElroy had all day on most of the pass plays…all day. The Tide looked so smooth and almost unstoppable throughout this game – we played championship football, and Florida got swamped!
Leaving Tuscaloosa late at night is never easy after a long day of tailgating and watching the Tide. Everyone in our group was exhausted…hell I was still exhausted from last week! I knew traffic was going to suck after the game, so I decided to take another route out of town. I had done some map research earlier in the week and was convinced I had found the way out of Tuscaloosa that would avoid a major chunk of traffic. Unfortunately I forgot the map I had printed and highlighted to get us out. I decided I could remember it from memory, as I turned the opposite way that everyone else was turning (much to the dismay of everyone in the car). I was convinced I could remember the streets I was supposed to turn on for my new route out. We are now on the outskirts of Tuscaloosa in the town of Holt. I proceed to drive down very dark and somewhat narrow roads with literally no traffic. There were some groans coming from the back seat and some “where the hell are you going” comments. I drove with confidence…until we hit a dirt road. At this point I had lost all confidence on where I was going. I was thinking...great I have really screwed up now...I had to leave my map at home...how stupid! After a quick U turn in Bubba’s driveway (if you can call it that), we headed back the direction we came. Thankfully Bill noticed the sign I was looking for right before we hit the dirt road and directed us back. A few more tense miles, and finally we popped out onto the main road heading home – awesome!! My new route worked like a charm, minus one wrong turn! Everyone was happy to see smooth pavement and other cars. We made it home in record time seeing as we didn’t leave until the game was over! I was pumped, and no I am not telling you my new route…it’s a secret!
Once again we have another huge game this week Tide Fans! South Carolina is coming off a loss to Auburn, and will be rested and ready to play the defending national champs. Every team we play for the rest of the season will be rested and ready to play us. Every week we will face another team wanting to take down number 1. Our schedule is brutal, but we have to stay focused and push through. I have been very confident about most of our games, but I will admit that I am a little nervous about going to South Carolina. Not because of the team we are playing, but the fact that we will be on the road again after a huge win – I just hope we don’t have a hangover in Columbia. If we do, it could be a tight game like Arkansas. I do not think the Gamecocks can even come close to hanging with us physically for 4 quarters, but if we do stupid things, and keep them close in the game, their crowd will be fired up, and they will play us tough. If our same defense that we saw this week shows up – they have no chance. I will not be making the trip to Columbia this week, so if you are going, yell extra loud for me!
Enjoy the win over Florida Tide fans, but we need to get focused and ready for our next opponent. In my mind – this is the game that assures our spot in Glendale…we win this one, and I don’t think anyone beats us from here on out. Let’s keep the championship repeat dream alive and crush the Gamecocks!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Week 4 - Arkansas
Tide Fans –
Champions find a way to win…they dig deep, and put it all on the line. Most teams fold when they are down 13 points with a little over a quarter to play on the road. Alabama is a team of champions…and they got it done. Amongst the squeals of 75,000 hog fans, Alabama sucked it up, made the plays, and took the win away from Arkansas. You have to play the game for 60 minutes…Arkansas found that out the hard way. Arkansas knows why we hold up four fingers at the start of the 4th quarter…Saturday was living proof. The Tide rolls in Fayetteville keeping our championship repeat hopes alive! Well done men…well done.
There are so many stories from this little journey I took to the Ozark Mountains this weekend. So many, that I will only be able to cover a few without writing a 10 page blog. Where do I even start? I guess I will just try and paint a picture of how a few events transpired. My journey started on a Southwest flight from Birmingham to Little Rock where I was met by my parents who had driven out earlier in the week to visit with old friends. Believe it or not, we used to actually live in Arkansas for four years – very early in my childhood. The day we left Arkansas I remember my dad telling me…“Now son - we live in Alabama now, and you are an Alabama fan, and always will be!” I remember this, even though I was only 5 years old. Since that August day in 1979, I have been and will always be a ridiculously loyal and dedicated fan to The Alabama Crimson Tide. That is some of the best advice I have ever received from my dad…and I have lived my entire life around it. Yes, we masqueraded as semi Arkansas fans for a few years while we lived there, but when we moved back to my dad’s home state, the Great State of Alabama, the words “pig sooie” were never spoken again. Thank you dad for moving us back to Alabama…thank you!
Back to the trip – as we left the airport headed towards Fayetteville I asked what our hotel arrangements were going to be. In the words of my dad, “I got us a suite with two rooms at this new hotel!” I was thinking – cool that will work. We probably should have known this, but apparently a suite in Springdale, Arkansas consists of 1 bed and a pull out sofa bed…in the same room. Not quite the two room “suite” we were imagining, and not even two rooms. A small sofa bed separated by a coffee table and a wall cutout of about 6 inches constitutes a suite in Springdale.
There were no other available rooms, so we were going to have to make the most of it. Thankfully, my wife and kids went to Nashville for the weekend to visit with her parents – otherwise it would have been real interesting!
That night we ate at a local rib/steak joint called Herman’s, and it was pretty good! It is a local favorite so we were told to go early like 4:45. Well we got there at about 5:00 and there was no one there – it looked empty. We went in and were greeted by friendly staff all decked out of Razorback gear. We asked where everyone was, and literally before we had finished our first drinks the place was packed – amazing what about a 15 minute difference made. Believe it or not, my dad’s real name is Herman, so of course we had to have pictures made, and every server in the place knew my dad’s name was Herman before we left. If any of you reading this know my dad, and have ever eaten with him, you know he likes to find out everything about his server. Where are you from?, what do you do?, is this home?, are you in school?, etc…he will start a conversation with anyone! It is usually a very entertaining conversation, but sometimes I think he forgets that the servers have to wait on other tables also. Anyway, the ribs were good so if you ever make the trek to Fayetteville you need to check this place out, and go early like they say, or be prepared to wait in a very long line!
Back at the hotel, we pull out the sofa bed and it is the old school kind with the metal bar and thin mattress…I could live with that…but I just about gagged looking at the mattress which looked as if someone had been murdered on it. I am not a big fan of hotel beds…they kind of gross me out, but this one almost had me sleeping in the car. I decided to cover it with 3 sheets thinking that would keep away any disease or bed bugs that might try to visit in the night. I’m pretty sure I slept a total of about 45 minutes – it was a long night on the thin somewhat disgusting bed.
The next morning I awoke (or should I say just got out of bed) and drank about 4 cups of coffee. I was irritated about my lack of sleep, worried with the fact that I would not be able to concentrate on The Tide, and the big game ahead. It was going to be a long day, and I had little energy. After my shower, (which I scrubbed my skin with soap until I turned pink trying to rid myself of any mattress funk that managed to get through the 3 layers of sheets), I felt better. A quick meal and a coke zero got me focused and ready to take on the day – I could get through on adrenaline if I had to…little did I know I would get plenty of that during the game!
The Arkansas fans were so jacked up for this game…you would have thought we were playing in the SEC championship. To them, this game was their season…this was the big one that would put Arkansas on the map! Most of their fans were nice, but they were very confident that they were going to win this game. If I had to hear one more damn word about Ryan Mallett I was going to punch someone in the face…good Lord that is all they could talk about. All throughout the day friends were calling me trying to get my take on the game…most of them nervous. I never got nervous about this game. In my mind I knew they could not stop our running game…they could not stop 4 quarters of pounding runs from Ingram and Richardson. Did I think we were going to blow them out…no. I knew Arkansas would score, and I knew Mallett would make some big passes against us. I was confident we would outscore them if it came down to a shootout.
My seats were up close to God in Razorback Stadium. Thankfully Bryan, a dear friend and old work colleague sat next to me. We had not seen each other in a while and it was good to catch up and laugh. Funny thing is he is from Arkansas, but not a Hog fan…Alabama all the way! Our seats were supposed to be in the Bama section, but Arkansas gets creative and separates the visiting teams fan base by sprinkling in lots of Hog fan season ticket holders. So, there were plenty of people calling the hogs up in what was supposed to be part of the Bama section. That cheer is really annoying, not just the sound, but how long it is…I mean do you really have to yell “whooooooo pig” three times slowly before you finish the cheer? Finally we got a few Bama cheers going in our section to which the Arkansas fan in front of me said “Is that really one of your cheers… Ala – Bama? That’s kind of lame.” I quickly reminded him that their main cheer consisted of calling a pig…he turned back around with no response.
I knew Arkansas would come out with guns blazing, and they did. Of course the crowd was all fired up, and then they make that first touchdown in like 2 plays… it was loud. Many Bama fans in my section were all irritated and I heard several “well that’s great…gonna be a long day for us.” I was not fazed at all by this first touchdown – I knew they would come out and score quickly. I turned around and reminded as many people that could hear me that the game was four quarters, and to calm down…we got this. Bama answered quickly thanks to the awesomeness of Mark Ingram – dude is ridiculous! Did you see the 2 stiff arms on that run to stay in bounds…2 stiff arms! I’m not going to give a complete recap of the game – you all saw it, and I know this post is getting long.
Offensively we moved the ball, and defensively we couldn’t stop the pass in the first half. McElroy made some terrible throws, but he also made some critical passes in the 4th quarter when we needed them. Defense finally got their head out of their ass and figured out how to slow Mallett down. I know we were trailing for the majority of the game and did not look very good, but deep down I just knew we were going to win. I never really got nervous – I was willing us to win. The only time I got nervous was at the very end on the 4th and 1…but what a great call. You don’t give that ball back to Mallet for a last second heave to the end zone…no sir. A very ballsy call by Saban!
As Julio was quoted in the Arkansas paper “This game is 60 minutes…ain’t no 30!” I love this quote, and how true it is! Alabama started to gel in the 4th quarter, and did what they had to do to bring home that sweet SEC road victory. Huge interceptions by Lester and Kirkpatrick, and just gutsy running by Ingram - he is unstoppable! Shout out go to Julio, Hanks, and Trent also. One of the catches Julio made late in the game for a first down was amazing – it was thrown way behind him and he still makes the grab! I wish I could repeat what my friend Bryan said after Lester intercepted the ball and was running it back, but I have been asked not to quote him. All I have to say is – it was hilarious!
The look on the faces of the Arkansas fans after the game was astonishing. They were absolutely devastated, and it was so quiet leaving the stadium, minus a few Roll Tide’s. It was like a funeral march down the 15,000 ramps we had to walk to get down. No “pig sooie”, no “go hogs”…nothing - just 75,000 silent Arkansas fans leaving the stadium. I have to give them some credit – they played a great game, but you have to play 60 minutes to beat Alabama!
I am so tired today…the game and lack of sleep just wiped my ass out. Another fantastic night on the sofa bed was just delightful! Add to that the 9 hour drive back from Hog Town to Birmingham…I’m whipped. Yes – I flew out and drove back with my parents…more stories there – just not enough time to tell them. I know our team is tired too, but they can’t rest long – we have another huge game this weekend! Florida comes to town in a week, and all their “jort” wearing cheesy fans. Let’s welcome them with a loud crowd, and swarming defense! Florida has had this game circled since we whipped them in December. This will be a very tough game with another high powered pass attack. I know Saban and the staff will be working to smooth out some wrinkles, and that we will be ready! We really need to be loud in Bryant-Denny this week – it needs to be deafening. Yes, we are all tired from the stress of this past game, but it is time to do our part and suck it up! Our team needs us big time in this week, so if you are going…you better be loud! If you are not going and I find out that you sold your tickets to a Gaytor fan - I am coming after you!
Come on Bama…rest up this week, and get your game face ready for Saturday – it is going to be awesome!
Before I sign off - I have to say this:
Don’t ever give up on The Tide – don’t ever doubt. This was another one of those games that tests your belief in what we can do…you have to believe – even when it is not looking good – if there is still time on the clock you better believe that we will find a way to win!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Champions find a way to win…they dig deep, and put it all on the line. Most teams fold when they are down 13 points with a little over a quarter to play on the road. Alabama is a team of champions…and they got it done. Amongst the squeals of 75,000 hog fans, Alabama sucked it up, made the plays, and took the win away from Arkansas. You have to play the game for 60 minutes…Arkansas found that out the hard way. Arkansas knows why we hold up four fingers at the start of the 4th quarter…Saturday was living proof. The Tide rolls in Fayetteville keeping our championship repeat hopes alive! Well done men…well done.
There are so many stories from this little journey I took to the Ozark Mountains this weekend. So many, that I will only be able to cover a few without writing a 10 page blog. Where do I even start? I guess I will just try and paint a picture of how a few events transpired. My journey started on a Southwest flight from Birmingham to Little Rock where I was met by my parents who had driven out earlier in the week to visit with old friends. Believe it or not, we used to actually live in Arkansas for four years – very early in my childhood. The day we left Arkansas I remember my dad telling me…“Now son - we live in Alabama now, and you are an Alabama fan, and always will be!” I remember this, even though I was only 5 years old. Since that August day in 1979, I have been and will always be a ridiculously loyal and dedicated fan to The Alabama Crimson Tide. That is some of the best advice I have ever received from my dad…and I have lived my entire life around it. Yes, we masqueraded as semi Arkansas fans for a few years while we lived there, but when we moved back to my dad’s home state, the Great State of Alabama, the words “pig sooie” were never spoken again. Thank you dad for moving us back to Alabama…thank you!
Back to the trip – as we left the airport headed towards Fayetteville I asked what our hotel arrangements were going to be. In the words of my dad, “I got us a suite with two rooms at this new hotel!” I was thinking – cool that will work. We probably should have known this, but apparently a suite in Springdale, Arkansas consists of 1 bed and a pull out sofa bed…in the same room. Not quite the two room “suite” we were imagining, and not even two rooms. A small sofa bed separated by a coffee table and a wall cutout of about 6 inches constitutes a suite in Springdale.
There were no other available rooms, so we were going to have to make the most of it. Thankfully, my wife and kids went to Nashville for the weekend to visit with her parents – otherwise it would have been real interesting!
That night we ate at a local rib/steak joint called Herman’s, and it was pretty good! It is a local favorite so we were told to go early like 4:45. Well we got there at about 5:00 and there was no one there – it looked empty. We went in and were greeted by friendly staff all decked out of Razorback gear. We asked where everyone was, and literally before we had finished our first drinks the place was packed – amazing what about a 15 minute difference made. Believe it or not, my dad’s real name is Herman, so of course we had to have pictures made, and every server in the place knew my dad’s name was Herman before we left. If any of you reading this know my dad, and have ever eaten with him, you know he likes to find out everything about his server. Where are you from?, what do you do?, is this home?, are you in school?, etc…he will start a conversation with anyone! It is usually a very entertaining conversation, but sometimes I think he forgets that the servers have to wait on other tables also. Anyway, the ribs were good so if you ever make the trek to Fayetteville you need to check this place out, and go early like they say, or be prepared to wait in a very long line!
Back at the hotel, we pull out the sofa bed and it is the old school kind with the metal bar and thin mattress…I could live with that…but I just about gagged looking at the mattress which looked as if someone had been murdered on it. I am not a big fan of hotel beds…they kind of gross me out, but this one almost had me sleeping in the car. I decided to cover it with 3 sheets thinking that would keep away any disease or bed bugs that might try to visit in the night. I’m pretty sure I slept a total of about 45 minutes – it was a long night on the thin somewhat disgusting bed.
The next morning I awoke (or should I say just got out of bed) and drank about 4 cups of coffee. I was irritated about my lack of sleep, worried with the fact that I would not be able to concentrate on The Tide, and the big game ahead. It was going to be a long day, and I had little energy. After my shower, (which I scrubbed my skin with soap until I turned pink trying to rid myself of any mattress funk that managed to get through the 3 layers of sheets), I felt better. A quick meal and a coke zero got me focused and ready to take on the day – I could get through on adrenaline if I had to…little did I know I would get plenty of that during the game!
The Arkansas fans were so jacked up for this game…you would have thought we were playing in the SEC championship. To them, this game was their season…this was the big one that would put Arkansas on the map! Most of their fans were nice, but they were very confident that they were going to win this game. If I had to hear one more damn word about Ryan Mallett I was going to punch someone in the face…good Lord that is all they could talk about. All throughout the day friends were calling me trying to get my take on the game…most of them nervous. I never got nervous about this game. In my mind I knew they could not stop our running game…they could not stop 4 quarters of pounding runs from Ingram and Richardson. Did I think we were going to blow them out…no. I knew Arkansas would score, and I knew Mallett would make some big passes against us. I was confident we would outscore them if it came down to a shootout.
My seats were up close to God in Razorback Stadium. Thankfully Bryan, a dear friend and old work colleague sat next to me. We had not seen each other in a while and it was good to catch up and laugh. Funny thing is he is from Arkansas, but not a Hog fan…Alabama all the way! Our seats were supposed to be in the Bama section, but Arkansas gets creative and separates the visiting teams fan base by sprinkling in lots of Hog fan season ticket holders. So, there were plenty of people calling the hogs up in what was supposed to be part of the Bama section. That cheer is really annoying, not just the sound, but how long it is…I mean do you really have to yell “whooooooo pig” three times slowly before you finish the cheer? Finally we got a few Bama cheers going in our section to which the Arkansas fan in front of me said “Is that really one of your cheers… Ala – Bama? That’s kind of lame.” I quickly reminded him that their main cheer consisted of calling a pig…he turned back around with no response.
I knew Arkansas would come out with guns blazing, and they did. Of course the crowd was all fired up, and then they make that first touchdown in like 2 plays… it was loud. Many Bama fans in my section were all irritated and I heard several “well that’s great…gonna be a long day for us.” I was not fazed at all by this first touchdown – I knew they would come out and score quickly. I turned around and reminded as many people that could hear me that the game was four quarters, and to calm down…we got this. Bama answered quickly thanks to the awesomeness of Mark Ingram – dude is ridiculous! Did you see the 2 stiff arms on that run to stay in bounds…2 stiff arms! I’m not going to give a complete recap of the game – you all saw it, and I know this post is getting long.
Offensively we moved the ball, and defensively we couldn’t stop the pass in the first half. McElroy made some terrible throws, but he also made some critical passes in the 4th quarter when we needed them. Defense finally got their head out of their ass and figured out how to slow Mallett down. I know we were trailing for the majority of the game and did not look very good, but deep down I just knew we were going to win. I never really got nervous – I was willing us to win. The only time I got nervous was at the very end on the 4th and 1…but what a great call. You don’t give that ball back to Mallet for a last second heave to the end zone…no sir. A very ballsy call by Saban!
As Julio was quoted in the Arkansas paper “This game is 60 minutes…ain’t no 30!” I love this quote, and how true it is! Alabama started to gel in the 4th quarter, and did what they had to do to bring home that sweet SEC road victory. Huge interceptions by Lester and Kirkpatrick, and just gutsy running by Ingram - he is unstoppable! Shout out go to Julio, Hanks, and Trent also. One of the catches Julio made late in the game for a first down was amazing – it was thrown way behind him and he still makes the grab! I wish I could repeat what my friend Bryan said after Lester intercepted the ball and was running it back, but I have been asked not to quote him. All I have to say is – it was hilarious!
The look on the faces of the Arkansas fans after the game was astonishing. They were absolutely devastated, and it was so quiet leaving the stadium, minus a few Roll Tide’s. It was like a funeral march down the 15,000 ramps we had to walk to get down. No “pig sooie”, no “go hogs”…nothing - just 75,000 silent Arkansas fans leaving the stadium. I have to give them some credit – they played a great game, but you have to play 60 minutes to beat Alabama!
I am so tired today…the game and lack of sleep just wiped my ass out. Another fantastic night on the sofa bed was just delightful! Add to that the 9 hour drive back from Hog Town to Birmingham…I’m whipped. Yes – I flew out and drove back with my parents…more stories there – just not enough time to tell them. I know our team is tired too, but they can’t rest long – we have another huge game this weekend! Florida comes to town in a week, and all their “jort” wearing cheesy fans. Let’s welcome them with a loud crowd, and swarming defense! Florida has had this game circled since we whipped them in December. This will be a very tough game with another high powered pass attack. I know Saban and the staff will be working to smooth out some wrinkles, and that we will be ready! We really need to be loud in Bryant-Denny this week – it needs to be deafening. Yes, we are all tired from the stress of this past game, but it is time to do our part and suck it up! Our team needs us big time in this week, so if you are going…you better be loud! If you are not going and I find out that you sold your tickets to a Gaytor fan - I am coming after you!
Come on Bama…rest up this week, and get your game face ready for Saturday – it is going to be awesome!
Before I sign off - I have to say this:
Don’t ever give up on The Tide – don’t ever doubt. This was another one of those games that tests your belief in what we can do…you have to believe – even when it is not looking good – if there is still time on the clock you better believe that we will find a way to win!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Week 3 - Duke
Tide Fans –
What a beautiful day in Durham! The Tide takes advantage of their first road trip to get in some playing time for just about everyone except the trainers…and I think I may have seen a few of them take a snap as well. We knew this wasn’t going to be a tough test, but it is always nice to get a huge win on the road. Nothing was better than seeing # 22 and # 57 back on the field. How awesome is Mark Ingram? He looked like he had been shot out of a cannon on some of those runs. He has not lost a step at all, and actually looks better than before - if that is at all possible. I know we only got to see him carry the ball 9 times, but he made each one of them count! The Heisman Trophy winner is back, and he looks damn good! A fun game for Tide fans, and a good way to head into our brutal gauntlet of the next 3 opponents.
I was a nervous wreck before this game…not because of who we were playing, but because of the fact that I was not going to see the first half. Yes – you heard me correctly…I was not at the game, nor was I in front of a TV. I cannot remember the last time I was not either at the game, or firmly planted in front of an enormous TV as The Tide took the field. Instead, I was in the parking lot of a gymnasium in East Montgomery at my daughters gymnastics meet. Thankfully the meet ended just barely before kickoff, so I was able to find the local radio affiliate and listen to Eli. I must give a huge shout out to the Level 3 Mtn. Brook gymnastics team, as they won the meet, and are currently undefeated! Saban would be proud, as anything less would have been unacceptable. I was very proud of the team, and my daughter who placed 2nd on beam! Watching this was well worth the sacrifice of missing the game! PS – I will never do this again.
You would have thought we were about to play in the National Championship as anxious and nervous as I was, when we pulled out of Montgomery in the minivan. Thankfully the 2 year old had fallen asleep allowing me to fully concentrate on The Tide (and the interstate). Looking back, I probably should have let my wife drive. The hour and a half drive home felt like an eternity as the Tide racked up incredible plays. Thankfully, Eli Gold does a fantastic job at painting a picture of the setting and the game. My favorite is when he describes our uniforms in full, as if we had never seen them before. It is something I had not heard in a long time, since I am usually at the game. Quoting Eli - “Bama wearing the road white today, with the Crimson helmets, white stripe down the center, and two red stripes down the pant leg – and the white jersey with the Crimson numerals” It was actually kind of cool – it got me all fired up! I was pumping my fist in the air as I set the cruise on about 90….ahh good times! We finally got home right as the first half was ending, and thanks to TiVo I was able to catch up on the first half during the halftime break. Seriously…what did we do before TiVo and DVR’s???
Our offense looked incredible, scoring at ease, and making big plays. Yes, we were playing Duke but it is still fun to watch, and great practice for our team. Again, Mark Ingram just is awesome! 48 yards on his first carry back from injury, and 151 yards on 9 carries – 2 of those combining for 98 yards…as Vern Lundquist would say… Wow!!! We had so many nice plays in this game…Trent’s kickoff return, Darius Hanks super catches, Ingram’s runs, it was delightful to watch. Our offense looks very good, and I think we are ready to hit the tough stretch we have ahead of us. McElroy looks smooth and comfortable, as well as McCarron – I think we would be ok if we ever had to go to our backup QB. I hope this is not the case, but it is good to see him run the offense smoothly as well.
Defense looked pretty solid. I know we gave up a touchdown and people are concerned about that, but good Lord…you can’t expect to go all season without giving up a TD. Minus a few plays we shut down the pass, and Duke was supposed to be a heavy passing team. I actually think they gained more yards on the ground against our D. We are still very young here, but I really think it is going to come together. We have tons of talent, and it usually takes a few games for the Defense to gel. Linebackers are just powerful – all of them, and our DB’s are good – they are gaining more confidence every down. I would like to see more pressure on the QB, but I think we are saving that package for next week.
Speaking of next week…this is going to be a huge game! I am not scared of Ryan Mallet, and neither should you. People think he is just going to pass all over us. I’m sure he will complete some passes, and I am sure they will score some points, but they will not score as many as we will. Everyone is going to be calling upset next week, thinking Mallet will just pass all over our young DB’s. I am so sick of hearing this. All I am going to say is this…it is rather hard to pass when you are laying flat on your back! Mallet has not seen pressure like he will see next week, and if you remember last year – he is not very good when he has to throw under pressure. Here is another angle…so if they do pass all over us – we will just keep the ball away from them with our running game, and score more points…they can’t stop our running attack. Ingram, Richardson, Lacy…pound that ball all day long against the pigs! Mallet can’t throw if they don’t have the ball.
Please don’t get me wrong, this will definitely be our toughest test so far, and playing on the road in the SEC is never easy. You have to keep you swagger about our team – we are the defending National Champions, and we are not just going to go over there and lay an egg. It may be a very close game, but I have full confidence in our team and coaching staff – they will be ready for this game. They will execute the plan, and dominate!
I am so pumped for next weekend – it is going to be awesome! Yes, I am making the trip out to Fayetteville – one that I have never made. I am also sitting smack dab in the middle of the Arkansas section, so I am sure I will have some fantastic stories to tell. I hope pigs can swim, because there is a High Tide warning in Arkansas, and The Tide is going to Roll! The Ryan Mallet love fest ends next week, and I plan on rolling in with some confidence and swagger…you should too!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
What a beautiful day in Durham! The Tide takes advantage of their first road trip to get in some playing time for just about everyone except the trainers…and I think I may have seen a few of them take a snap as well. We knew this wasn’t going to be a tough test, but it is always nice to get a huge win on the road. Nothing was better than seeing # 22 and # 57 back on the field. How awesome is Mark Ingram? He looked like he had been shot out of a cannon on some of those runs. He has not lost a step at all, and actually looks better than before - if that is at all possible. I know we only got to see him carry the ball 9 times, but he made each one of them count! The Heisman Trophy winner is back, and he looks damn good! A fun game for Tide fans, and a good way to head into our brutal gauntlet of the next 3 opponents.
I was a nervous wreck before this game…not because of who we were playing, but because of the fact that I was not going to see the first half. Yes – you heard me correctly…I was not at the game, nor was I in front of a TV. I cannot remember the last time I was not either at the game, or firmly planted in front of an enormous TV as The Tide took the field. Instead, I was in the parking lot of a gymnasium in East Montgomery at my daughters gymnastics meet. Thankfully the meet ended just barely before kickoff, so I was able to find the local radio affiliate and listen to Eli. I must give a huge shout out to the Level 3 Mtn. Brook gymnastics team, as they won the meet, and are currently undefeated! Saban would be proud, as anything less would have been unacceptable. I was very proud of the team, and my daughter who placed 2nd on beam! Watching this was well worth the sacrifice of missing the game! PS – I will never do this again.
You would have thought we were about to play in the National Championship as anxious and nervous as I was, when we pulled out of Montgomery in the minivan. Thankfully the 2 year old had fallen asleep allowing me to fully concentrate on The Tide (and the interstate). Looking back, I probably should have let my wife drive. The hour and a half drive home felt like an eternity as the Tide racked up incredible plays. Thankfully, Eli Gold does a fantastic job at painting a picture of the setting and the game. My favorite is when he describes our uniforms in full, as if we had never seen them before. It is something I had not heard in a long time, since I am usually at the game. Quoting Eli - “Bama wearing the road white today, with the Crimson helmets, white stripe down the center, and two red stripes down the pant leg – and the white jersey with the Crimson numerals” It was actually kind of cool – it got me all fired up! I was pumping my fist in the air as I set the cruise on about 90….ahh good times! We finally got home right as the first half was ending, and thanks to TiVo I was able to catch up on the first half during the halftime break. Seriously…what did we do before TiVo and DVR’s???
Our offense looked incredible, scoring at ease, and making big plays. Yes, we were playing Duke but it is still fun to watch, and great practice for our team. Again, Mark Ingram just is awesome! 48 yards on his first carry back from injury, and 151 yards on 9 carries – 2 of those combining for 98 yards…as Vern Lundquist would say… Wow!!! We had so many nice plays in this game…Trent’s kickoff return, Darius Hanks super catches, Ingram’s runs, it was delightful to watch. Our offense looks very good, and I think we are ready to hit the tough stretch we have ahead of us. McElroy looks smooth and comfortable, as well as McCarron – I think we would be ok if we ever had to go to our backup QB. I hope this is not the case, but it is good to see him run the offense smoothly as well.
Defense looked pretty solid. I know we gave up a touchdown and people are concerned about that, but good Lord…you can’t expect to go all season without giving up a TD. Minus a few plays we shut down the pass, and Duke was supposed to be a heavy passing team. I actually think they gained more yards on the ground against our D. We are still very young here, but I really think it is going to come together. We have tons of talent, and it usually takes a few games for the Defense to gel. Linebackers are just powerful – all of them, and our DB’s are good – they are gaining more confidence every down. I would like to see more pressure on the QB, but I think we are saving that package for next week.
Speaking of next week…this is going to be a huge game! I am not scared of Ryan Mallet, and neither should you. People think he is just going to pass all over us. I’m sure he will complete some passes, and I am sure they will score some points, but they will not score as many as we will. Everyone is going to be calling upset next week, thinking Mallet will just pass all over our young DB’s. I am so sick of hearing this. All I am going to say is this…it is rather hard to pass when you are laying flat on your back! Mallet has not seen pressure like he will see next week, and if you remember last year – he is not very good when he has to throw under pressure. Here is another angle…so if they do pass all over us – we will just keep the ball away from them with our running game, and score more points…they can’t stop our running attack. Ingram, Richardson, Lacy…pound that ball all day long against the pigs! Mallet can’t throw if they don’t have the ball.
Please don’t get me wrong, this will definitely be our toughest test so far, and playing on the road in the SEC is never easy. You have to keep you swagger about our team – we are the defending National Champions, and we are not just going to go over there and lay an egg. It may be a very close game, but I have full confidence in our team and coaching staff – they will be ready for this game. They will execute the plan, and dominate!
I am so pumped for next weekend – it is going to be awesome! Yes, I am making the trip out to Fayetteville – one that I have never made. I am also sitting smack dab in the middle of the Arkansas section, so I am sure I will have some fantastic stories to tell. I hope pigs can swim, because there is a High Tide warning in Arkansas, and The Tide is going to Roll! The Ryan Mallet love fest ends next week, and I plan on rolling in with some confidence and swagger…you should too!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, September 13, 2010
Week 2 - Penn State
Tide Fans –
What an incredible day in Tuscaloosa! A much anticipated re-birth of an old rivalry between two of the most traditional teams in the country. Alabama – Penn State brings back so many fond memories. The Goal Line Stand, The Block, the Bobby Humphrey run at Happy Valley on a rainy night, the list goes on… The Alabama – Penn State series was always a great one, and I am so glad they decided play it again! As if we needed anything else to make the game more electric, Game Day was there, along with the likes of the two winningest football coaches of all time, Coach Paterno and Coach Bowden brought together on the birthday of the man they passed to achieve this record, Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant…just an incredible setting on campus.
This game was so special, that my family all agreed to take a limo. We figured it would be a great way to sit in traffic and enjoy ourselves to and from the game. If you know anything about my family, (and I know some of you do) anytime we get together for pretty much anything it turns into what I call a “Griswold” experience. Well, this trip didn’t disappoint. Our limo was supposed to comfortably fit 12 people…well we had 10 so we thought that would be plenty of room. Just a quick heads up…when they say 12 people can fit in a limo, they really mean about 6. We manage to pack ourselves in finally and we were on our way. About half way down we have to pull over for a bathroom break…and thank God we did! As we were opening the door to get out, a roach about the size of Terrance Cody decided to join the party! It proceeded to crawl up my dad’s pant leg onto his shirt and crawl up around his collar area before he even realized what was going on. I am not kidding you when I say this is the biggest roach I have ever seen. It had a neck and a head about the size of a pencil eraser…I was literally stunned by it’s size. Had we been on the road, I am sure the driver would have wrecked due to all the screaming. I have never seen 10 people clear out of a limo as fast as we did…it had to be amusing to anyone watching in the parking lot of the Flying J truck stop! To make matters worse – we weren’t sure if we killed it…so it may still be in the limo. With no choice but to load up and head down the road…there was a little tension in everyone for the remaining drive down. Thankfully, we made it the rest of the way without incident…except for almost getting the limo stuck on the top of a parking deck.
Bryant-Denny was buzzing before the start of this game. The new addition looked incredible, and the place was rocking with excitement. The new pre-game videos are just powerful, so make sure you get to a game early to check these out! The stage was set for Alabama – Penn State…as I sat in my seat, for some reason I was not nervous at all. I usually get nervous before big games, but I was not in the least bit nervous for this one. I guess I have just fully accepted the fact that we are once again just so powerful that no team makes me nervous…I have swagger…and lot’s of it! Not cocky swagger…just confident swagger. I just felt like our defense would take care of business…and they did!
As the teams came out onto the field I thought it was ingenious of the staff to have both teams run out at the same time. There would be no opportunity to boo Penn State, even though I am pretty sure after Coach Saban’s rant that no one was planning on it. We shouldn’t boo any team when they come into the stadium…I do not like this, and never really have (unless it was Tennessee w/ Fulmer or Auburn anytime). I have a feeling this little tradition our stadium has will die off soon…and that is probably a good thing. Besides, you don’t need to boo anyone you plan on destroying on the field. The only thing that deserved booing on Saturday night was the officiating. Not a very good crew from the Big 10. I know it didn’t really make a difference, but watching the replay today, there were some really bad calls! It was a classy move by our fans to applaud Paterno as he headed to the locker room at half…good job Bama fans…that was a nice gesture!
Alabama looked solid all around! I am convinced that Trent Richardson is not human. His running was absolutely awe inspiring…he just does not want to go down. His highlight reel runs were against a good defense also…not some division II school. We are truly blessed to have the skill in our backfield that we have with Ingram, Richardson, and Lacy. I thought McElroy made some great passes as well, and our core of receivers made some great plays - I love Darius Hanks…he always has a big catch or two! We also saw good use of the Wildcat on Saturday, and I still don’t think we have shown anything near what our offense is capable of. I have a feeling this is somewhat by design.
Defense played solid all around. Some of our rookie corners got picked on a little, but not much. The fact that we held Penn State to just 3 points is awesome! It is kind of scary to see how easy it looked for us to contain a top 20 team to only 3 points…wow! We have so much talent on defense, it is just awesome to see the amount of players that get rotated in and out. Believe it or not, I don’t even have all the defensive guys memorized yet – there are just so many!! I think this defense only gets better throughout the season…and we will need it to as we have some tough tests coming up soon!
This was a classic low scoring Alabama – Penn State game, and for many was probably boring – especially in the 3rd quarter. Just two good old school football teams, but Bama was just way more superior this time. A great win for Bama on a great day for college football! We have now seen Bama play well against a much better opponent, and I believe after next week’s game against Duke we will be full throttle heading into our opening SEC game. Keep in mind we have not even had our two best players on offense and defense play yet…that is scary! The Tide is looking good my friends…looking damn good!
The only thing that didn’t look good on Saturday was the traffic on the way home. Good Lord!!! I knew it was going to be bad, but we didn’t get home until 1:15. Thankfully we could sit back and let Stacy (the limo driver) do all the work. Even being in a limo it got a little old sitting in traffic…that is until our little friend decided to show up again! Yes, you guessed it…Terrance Cody the cockroach had apparently survived our first encounter, and was back for more! This time there was nowhere for anyone to go, so we swatted, screamed, squirmed, and spilled drinks until Cody the cockroach was finally declared dead. If only I had a video of this experience…words do not do it justice! Good times…good times!
Before I wrap up, I must give a shout out to the Penn State fans – they were great! On the way out of the stadium after the game, I asked this guy who was a Penn State fan if they had had a good time this weekend. He looked at me smiled and said, “Dude…next to my child being born, this has been the greatest day ever!” I can’t imagine what he would have said had his team won! Anyway, they were a very courteous group of fans, and I hope we all return the favor when we go up there next year.
Our first road test next week against Duke, should go smoothly. I believe our 2’s and 3’s will be getting more playing time, which is just awesome! Let’s just try to get through this week injury free, and hit the road for our first SEC game healthy and ready!
Until next week – Roll Tide!
Jason
What an incredible day in Tuscaloosa! A much anticipated re-birth of an old rivalry between two of the most traditional teams in the country. Alabama – Penn State brings back so many fond memories. The Goal Line Stand, The Block, the Bobby Humphrey run at Happy Valley on a rainy night, the list goes on… The Alabama – Penn State series was always a great one, and I am so glad they decided play it again! As if we needed anything else to make the game more electric, Game Day was there, along with the likes of the two winningest football coaches of all time, Coach Paterno and Coach Bowden brought together on the birthday of the man they passed to achieve this record, Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant…just an incredible setting on campus.
This game was so special, that my family all agreed to take a limo. We figured it would be a great way to sit in traffic and enjoy ourselves to and from the game. If you know anything about my family, (and I know some of you do) anytime we get together for pretty much anything it turns into what I call a “Griswold” experience. Well, this trip didn’t disappoint. Our limo was supposed to comfortably fit 12 people…well we had 10 so we thought that would be plenty of room. Just a quick heads up…when they say 12 people can fit in a limo, they really mean about 6. We manage to pack ourselves in finally and we were on our way. About half way down we have to pull over for a bathroom break…and thank God we did! As we were opening the door to get out, a roach about the size of Terrance Cody decided to join the party! It proceeded to crawl up my dad’s pant leg onto his shirt and crawl up around his collar area before he even realized what was going on. I am not kidding you when I say this is the biggest roach I have ever seen. It had a neck and a head about the size of a pencil eraser…I was literally stunned by it’s size. Had we been on the road, I am sure the driver would have wrecked due to all the screaming. I have never seen 10 people clear out of a limo as fast as we did…it had to be amusing to anyone watching in the parking lot of the Flying J truck stop! To make matters worse – we weren’t sure if we killed it…so it may still be in the limo. With no choice but to load up and head down the road…there was a little tension in everyone for the remaining drive down. Thankfully, we made it the rest of the way without incident…except for almost getting the limo stuck on the top of a parking deck.
Bryant-Denny was buzzing before the start of this game. The new addition looked incredible, and the place was rocking with excitement. The new pre-game videos are just powerful, so make sure you get to a game early to check these out! The stage was set for Alabama – Penn State…as I sat in my seat, for some reason I was not nervous at all. I usually get nervous before big games, but I was not in the least bit nervous for this one. I guess I have just fully accepted the fact that we are once again just so powerful that no team makes me nervous…I have swagger…and lot’s of it! Not cocky swagger…just confident swagger. I just felt like our defense would take care of business…and they did!
As the teams came out onto the field I thought it was ingenious of the staff to have both teams run out at the same time. There would be no opportunity to boo Penn State, even though I am pretty sure after Coach Saban’s rant that no one was planning on it. We shouldn’t boo any team when they come into the stadium…I do not like this, and never really have (unless it was Tennessee w/ Fulmer or Auburn anytime). I have a feeling this little tradition our stadium has will die off soon…and that is probably a good thing. Besides, you don’t need to boo anyone you plan on destroying on the field. The only thing that deserved booing on Saturday night was the officiating. Not a very good crew from the Big 10. I know it didn’t really make a difference, but watching the replay today, there were some really bad calls! It was a classy move by our fans to applaud Paterno as he headed to the locker room at half…good job Bama fans…that was a nice gesture!
Alabama looked solid all around! I am convinced that Trent Richardson is not human. His running was absolutely awe inspiring…he just does not want to go down. His highlight reel runs were against a good defense also…not some division II school. We are truly blessed to have the skill in our backfield that we have with Ingram, Richardson, and Lacy. I thought McElroy made some great passes as well, and our core of receivers made some great plays - I love Darius Hanks…he always has a big catch or two! We also saw good use of the Wildcat on Saturday, and I still don’t think we have shown anything near what our offense is capable of. I have a feeling this is somewhat by design.
Defense played solid all around. Some of our rookie corners got picked on a little, but not much. The fact that we held Penn State to just 3 points is awesome! It is kind of scary to see how easy it looked for us to contain a top 20 team to only 3 points…wow! We have so much talent on defense, it is just awesome to see the amount of players that get rotated in and out. Believe it or not, I don’t even have all the defensive guys memorized yet – there are just so many!! I think this defense only gets better throughout the season…and we will need it to as we have some tough tests coming up soon!
This was a classic low scoring Alabama – Penn State game, and for many was probably boring – especially in the 3rd quarter. Just two good old school football teams, but Bama was just way more superior this time. A great win for Bama on a great day for college football! We have now seen Bama play well against a much better opponent, and I believe after next week’s game against Duke we will be full throttle heading into our opening SEC game. Keep in mind we have not even had our two best players on offense and defense play yet…that is scary! The Tide is looking good my friends…looking damn good!
The only thing that didn’t look good on Saturday was the traffic on the way home. Good Lord!!! I knew it was going to be bad, but we didn’t get home until 1:15. Thankfully we could sit back and let Stacy (the limo driver) do all the work. Even being in a limo it got a little old sitting in traffic…that is until our little friend decided to show up again! Yes, you guessed it…Terrance Cody the cockroach had apparently survived our first encounter, and was back for more! This time there was nowhere for anyone to go, so we swatted, screamed, squirmed, and spilled drinks until Cody the cockroach was finally declared dead. If only I had a video of this experience…words do not do it justice! Good times…good times!
Before I wrap up, I must give a shout out to the Penn State fans – they were great! On the way out of the stadium after the game, I asked this guy who was a Penn State fan if they had had a good time this weekend. He looked at me smiled and said, “Dude…next to my child being born, this has been the greatest day ever!” I can’t imagine what he would have said had his team won! Anyway, they were a very courteous group of fans, and I hope we all return the favor when we go up there next year.
Our first road test next week against Duke, should go smoothly. I believe our 2’s and 3’s will be getting more playing time, which is just awesome! Let’s just try to get through this week injury free, and hit the road for our first SEC game healthy and ready!
Until next week – Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, September 6, 2010
Week 1 - San Jose State
Tide Fans –
What a beautiful day in Tuscaloosa! The weather was perfect…the atmosphere was spectacular, and The Tide was high! The 2010 season is under way, and what a better way to start than with a dominating victory in our newly re-furbished stadium. Bryant-Denny is truly awe inspiring! In my opinion, (and many others) it was already the best stadium in the country, and now with the new South end-zone expansion…it is hands down the best college stadium in the land! I could go on and on about how nice it is, but I will let the stadium speak for itself. If you have not seen it, you need to check it out…and the team that plays there is pretty good too!
Our quest for “14” started this past Saturday, and we definitely looked like the reigning national champs! I know our opponent was weak, but it’s the little things that get me really excited about what this team can accomplish. We were able to see so many of our players get valuable playing time. We are truly loaded in several key positions, and I really did not see much drop off when some of the 2’s and 3’s were playing. Yes, I know we weren’t playing an SEC team, but it’s the things like lack of penalties and lack of mental mistakes that was really pleasing. Usually when the 2’s and 3’s play you see more penalties, and the rhythm gets messed up. It was great to see our depth at work, and even better to see them play with confidence. This is very important as we have a brutal schedule, and will need to play many of our backups at times this year.
Alabama’s offense ran like a well oiled machine. Yes, we were missing our beloved Mark Ingram, but the production was still there. We are so fortunate to have the stable of running backs we do. We all knew that Richardson would do just fine, but Lacy made his first appearance count! Wow – he is big, fast, and I love the spin move he has! You kind of feel like you are playing the old video game “10 Yard Fight” when you watch him hit a pile of would be tacklers, and just spin to get away for more yards…powerful! I want Ingram back as soon as possible, but I think we will be ok without him for a few games. Richardson and Lacy will be great runners, but it is hard to match the heart and determination of #22!
Our passing game was very impressive as well…I mean Julio…seriously…he is just amazing! That airborne, horizontal, 1 handed catch was incredible! Many great receiving plays in this game, as well as great passes. McElroy played like a seasoned general directing his troops, and putting the ball right where it needed to be. The future of our passing game looks bright as well - AJ McCarron did an outstanding job! His passes are so smooth looking, and placed right where the receivers need them to make plays. I feel very good about our QB situation this year, and in the future!
Minus about 1 or 2 plays the defense looked great! I think we played a very conservative defense this game, not to give away some of our surprises for next week. We had excellent pass coverage, and stopping the run seemed effortless. We rotated so many linebackers in and out of the game, it was hard to keep up with who was in and who was out. This is a great problem to have…we are stacked at linebacker! How impressive was Freshman CJ Mosely?? Wow – this kid is going to be great! Donta Hightower compared him to Rolando McLain…not to bad!! Again, I know we were playing San Jose State, but I think we got a good look at the amount of talent we have available on defense. We are young, but it looks like we are also very talented!
Our special teams play was much better than expected! The punting game was very solid, as well as the kickoffs. How nice was it to see the ball go into the end zone all but one time. Cade Foster can boot the ball, and is also not scared to make a tackle! The field goal kicking was a success as well. It is good to see this area of concern play well. Let’s hope they can continue to be consistent here, as we all know they play a crucial role on any team.
Huge game this week Tide Fans! Another traditional power, Penn State comes to town. We don’t know a whole lot about what they have this year, but I guarantee you they will come down here ready to play. We will need to play a solid, mistake free game to come out with the win. This game will give us a better idea of what our team is capable of. While we played great this past week, we will be tested for the first time this Saturday. I see a hard fought battle in the first half, but I think Bama starts to take over in the second, pounding the ball and making big plays to receivers. I think we see a lot of pressure on their young quarterback, which may lead to some turnovers!
The campus will be crazy next weekend! Penn State fans travel well, and I bet there will be as many fans outside the stadium without tickets as there are in. Gameday is broadcasting from the Walk of Champions, and it is time to break the Tuscaloosa Gameday curse. In the past, Bama has not fared well with the Gameday crew on our campus…but that all changes this week! Herbstreit will be catching a lot of flack for picking Auburn to win the west. Herbstreit is an idiot…I predict Auburn loses on Thursday to Miss. State.
We need to get loud this week Tide Fans! Let’s hear how loud we can make the new stadium, as we put massive pressure on the Penn State offense. I can’t wait!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
What a beautiful day in Tuscaloosa! The weather was perfect…the atmosphere was spectacular, and The Tide was high! The 2010 season is under way, and what a better way to start than with a dominating victory in our newly re-furbished stadium. Bryant-Denny is truly awe inspiring! In my opinion, (and many others) it was already the best stadium in the country, and now with the new South end-zone expansion…it is hands down the best college stadium in the land! I could go on and on about how nice it is, but I will let the stadium speak for itself. If you have not seen it, you need to check it out…and the team that plays there is pretty good too!
Our quest for “14” started this past Saturday, and we definitely looked like the reigning national champs! I know our opponent was weak, but it’s the little things that get me really excited about what this team can accomplish. We were able to see so many of our players get valuable playing time. We are truly loaded in several key positions, and I really did not see much drop off when some of the 2’s and 3’s were playing. Yes, I know we weren’t playing an SEC team, but it’s the things like lack of penalties and lack of mental mistakes that was really pleasing. Usually when the 2’s and 3’s play you see more penalties, and the rhythm gets messed up. It was great to see our depth at work, and even better to see them play with confidence. This is very important as we have a brutal schedule, and will need to play many of our backups at times this year.
Alabama’s offense ran like a well oiled machine. Yes, we were missing our beloved Mark Ingram, but the production was still there. We are so fortunate to have the stable of running backs we do. We all knew that Richardson would do just fine, but Lacy made his first appearance count! Wow – he is big, fast, and I love the spin move he has! You kind of feel like you are playing the old video game “10 Yard Fight” when you watch him hit a pile of would be tacklers, and just spin to get away for more yards…powerful! I want Ingram back as soon as possible, but I think we will be ok without him for a few games. Richardson and Lacy will be great runners, but it is hard to match the heart and determination of #22!
Our passing game was very impressive as well…I mean Julio…seriously…he is just amazing! That airborne, horizontal, 1 handed catch was incredible! Many great receiving plays in this game, as well as great passes. McElroy played like a seasoned general directing his troops, and putting the ball right where it needed to be. The future of our passing game looks bright as well - AJ McCarron did an outstanding job! His passes are so smooth looking, and placed right where the receivers need them to make plays. I feel very good about our QB situation this year, and in the future!
Minus about 1 or 2 plays the defense looked great! I think we played a very conservative defense this game, not to give away some of our surprises for next week. We had excellent pass coverage, and stopping the run seemed effortless. We rotated so many linebackers in and out of the game, it was hard to keep up with who was in and who was out. This is a great problem to have…we are stacked at linebacker! How impressive was Freshman CJ Mosely?? Wow – this kid is going to be great! Donta Hightower compared him to Rolando McLain…not to bad!! Again, I know we were playing San Jose State, but I think we got a good look at the amount of talent we have available on defense. We are young, but it looks like we are also very talented!
Our special teams play was much better than expected! The punting game was very solid, as well as the kickoffs. How nice was it to see the ball go into the end zone all but one time. Cade Foster can boot the ball, and is also not scared to make a tackle! The field goal kicking was a success as well. It is good to see this area of concern play well. Let’s hope they can continue to be consistent here, as we all know they play a crucial role on any team.
Huge game this week Tide Fans! Another traditional power, Penn State comes to town. We don’t know a whole lot about what they have this year, but I guarantee you they will come down here ready to play. We will need to play a solid, mistake free game to come out with the win. This game will give us a better idea of what our team is capable of. While we played great this past week, we will be tested for the first time this Saturday. I see a hard fought battle in the first half, but I think Bama starts to take over in the second, pounding the ball and making big plays to receivers. I think we see a lot of pressure on their young quarterback, which may lead to some turnovers!
The campus will be crazy next weekend! Penn State fans travel well, and I bet there will be as many fans outside the stadium without tickets as there are in. Gameday is broadcasting from the Walk of Champions, and it is time to break the Tuscaloosa Gameday curse. In the past, Bama has not fared well with the Gameday crew on our campus…but that all changes this week! Herbstreit will be catching a lot of flack for picking Auburn to win the west. Herbstreit is an idiot…I predict Auburn loses on Thursday to Miss. State.
We need to get loud this week Tide Fans! Let’s hear how loud we can make the new stadium, as we put massive pressure on the Penn State offense. I can’t wait!
Until next week…Roll Tide!
Jason
Monday, August 30, 2010
Pre-Season Analysis
Tide Fans -
The greatest time of year is upon us…can you believe it? I feel like I just got back from Pasadena, watching The Tide win their 13th National Championship!!! The anticipation of the new season, the completion of the new addition to Bryant-Denny, and the pressures of being the defending National Champions are almost overwhelming! We have huge expectations from everyone this year…we are ranked pre-season #1, and every team we play will be gunning for us. Everyone will want to see if we can repeat as National Champs, and the majority of those will want to see us fail. People say it is extremely hard to repeat…no doubt about that. We have a brutal schedule, with many of our toughest games on the road. It will truly take our team playing on all cylinders for every play of every game, but it is possible. It will always be possible as long as Coach Saban is walking our sidelines. We are truly blessed to have the greatest coach in modern day college football at Alabama. We may not win championships every year, but you can guarantee that we will be in the hunt with Saban as our coach. Thank you again Mal Moore for doing whatever it took to bring him here…thank you!
The Tide is back for another season, and I have big hopes for this team. Yes, we lost a lot of great players who I will dearly miss, but guess what…we got a lot more where they came from! Set your swagger on high Tide fans, because The Alabama Crimson Tide is about to make another championship run! If you don't believe me, then just go watch "Nick Saban - Gamechanger". You will be ready to suit up, run through a brick wall! I highly recommend you go see this, and watch the "Training Days - Rolling with The Tide" that aired on ESPN before the season starts…which leaves you like 4 days. Any doubt you had about our ability to field a championship team this year will be erased. We have the weapons, we have the leadership, and we definitely have the coaching! Some of you may think I am over confident…but I have studied this in depth. We may lose a game this season…but it won’t be the one out in Arizona! It's time to get it started...it's time to get focused...it's time to make it happen!
Let's take a quick look at our team:
Offense - We have never in my lifetime had as talented of a group returning this year! I mean look at our weapons on offense…Mr. Heisman - Mark Ingram…Trent Richardson…Julio Jones…Greg McElroy…Marquis Maze…Darius Hanks…the list goes on! If you are worried about the offensive line…don’t be. They may be better than the group we had last year. We have so many different things we can do now…we will not have to rely on either the pass or the run…we have solid games in both!! This may be the first time Julio has been at 100% as well. Most people don't realize his time so far at Bama has been injury plagued…he is just tough enough to play through it! A healthy Julio could be scary!! McElroy did a great job last year…imagine how good he will be with a year under his belt…I am very confident in his ability, and we have strong backups if needed. This is going to be an explosive offense, and one that will be very fun to watch!
Defense - lots of changes and new names here, and the biggest area of concern for some fans. Do not forget who watches over and plays a very “hands on” role in coaching our defense…Nick Saban. People are worried about stopping a high powered passing game. Look at it this way…if a team is beating us on the pass, we will just simply have to outscore them! (I for one am not worried about our secondary, as most quarterbacks will not even have the time to get a pass off - and don't forget…they are learning from the best!). Having Donta Hightower back is awesome! He will fulfill the huge void that Rolando left, and then some. We have so many new weapons on defense with our line and pass rushers…I can't wait to see how Saban mixes these guys in. I envision a swarming defense with a relentless pass rush, which keeps teams off balance. We have so much talent and depth here now…it is just incredible. Our defense will be young…but they will be brutal!
Our Schedule at a glance:
San Jose St. - Seriously?
Penn St. - First test of the season…don't think those Yankee boys can handle us and the humidity! Close, but Bama wins by 10 at least.
Duke - Uh huh….
Arkansas - Saban unleashes the non-stop all out pass rush on Mallet…Arkansas is the Ole Miss of last season…way overrated…Tide wins by 14
Florida - Gators have had this date circled since we whipped that ass in the SEC Championship. Saban gets our team ready and we take care of business. A very hard fought game, with The Tide coming out on top!
S. Carolina - People are worried about this game…why?? They will play like they have the last several years…very average…Tide by 14…probably more
Ole Miss - Tide by 21…maybe more
Tennessee - Closer than it should be…but Bama pulls out a win in Knoxville
LSU - This game is the one that makes me nervous. Late night…drunk Cajuns…the Mad Hatter…you never know…but I think Bama squeaks it out!! Saban does not ever want to lose in Baton Rouge!
Miss. State - Yawn…Tide by 21
Ga. State - Curry gets crushed…plenty of time for backups to play
Auburn - Bama unleashes the pain on Auburn this year…Cam Newton gets crushed…Bama wins big in this one. Don't fall for the Auburn hype.
It’s hard to believe another season is upon us. So much to look forward to! There is nothing better than waking up on Saturday, pouring a cup of coffee, and watching Game Day while getting ready to head to Title Town. I am smiling just thinking about it!
What will this season bring? Only time will tell, but I can tell you this…I have hotel and plane reservations to Phoenix, and I hope to see you there!
Roll Tide!
Jason
The greatest time of year is upon us…can you believe it? I feel like I just got back from Pasadena, watching The Tide win their 13th National Championship!!! The anticipation of the new season, the completion of the new addition to Bryant-Denny, and the pressures of being the defending National Champions are almost overwhelming! We have huge expectations from everyone this year…we are ranked pre-season #1, and every team we play will be gunning for us. Everyone will want to see if we can repeat as National Champs, and the majority of those will want to see us fail. People say it is extremely hard to repeat…no doubt about that. We have a brutal schedule, with many of our toughest games on the road. It will truly take our team playing on all cylinders for every play of every game, but it is possible. It will always be possible as long as Coach Saban is walking our sidelines. We are truly blessed to have the greatest coach in modern day college football at Alabama. We may not win championships every year, but you can guarantee that we will be in the hunt with Saban as our coach. Thank you again Mal Moore for doing whatever it took to bring him here…thank you!
The Tide is back for another season, and I have big hopes for this team. Yes, we lost a lot of great players who I will dearly miss, but guess what…we got a lot more where they came from! Set your swagger on high Tide fans, because The Alabama Crimson Tide is about to make another championship run! If you don't believe me, then just go watch "Nick Saban - Gamechanger". You will be ready to suit up, run through a brick wall! I highly recommend you go see this, and watch the "Training Days - Rolling with The Tide" that aired on ESPN before the season starts…which leaves you like 4 days. Any doubt you had about our ability to field a championship team this year will be erased. We have the weapons, we have the leadership, and we definitely have the coaching! Some of you may think I am over confident…but I have studied this in depth. We may lose a game this season…but it won’t be the one out in Arizona! It's time to get it started...it's time to get focused...it's time to make it happen!
Let's take a quick look at our team:
Offense - We have never in my lifetime had as talented of a group returning this year! I mean look at our weapons on offense…Mr. Heisman - Mark Ingram…Trent Richardson…Julio Jones…Greg McElroy…Marquis Maze…Darius Hanks…the list goes on! If you are worried about the offensive line…don’t be. They may be better than the group we had last year. We have so many different things we can do now…we will not have to rely on either the pass or the run…we have solid games in both!! This may be the first time Julio has been at 100% as well. Most people don't realize his time so far at Bama has been injury plagued…he is just tough enough to play through it! A healthy Julio could be scary!! McElroy did a great job last year…imagine how good he will be with a year under his belt…I am very confident in his ability, and we have strong backups if needed. This is going to be an explosive offense, and one that will be very fun to watch!
Defense - lots of changes and new names here, and the biggest area of concern for some fans. Do not forget who watches over and plays a very “hands on” role in coaching our defense…Nick Saban. People are worried about stopping a high powered passing game. Look at it this way…if a team is beating us on the pass, we will just simply have to outscore them! (I for one am not worried about our secondary, as most quarterbacks will not even have the time to get a pass off - and don't forget…they are learning from the best!). Having Donta Hightower back is awesome! He will fulfill the huge void that Rolando left, and then some. We have so many new weapons on defense with our line and pass rushers…I can't wait to see how Saban mixes these guys in. I envision a swarming defense with a relentless pass rush, which keeps teams off balance. We have so much talent and depth here now…it is just incredible. Our defense will be young…but they will be brutal!
Our Schedule at a glance:
San Jose St. - Seriously?
Penn St. - First test of the season…don't think those Yankee boys can handle us and the humidity! Close, but Bama wins by 10 at least.
Duke - Uh huh….
Arkansas - Saban unleashes the non-stop all out pass rush on Mallet…Arkansas is the Ole Miss of last season…way overrated…Tide wins by 14
Florida - Gators have had this date circled since we whipped that ass in the SEC Championship. Saban gets our team ready and we take care of business. A very hard fought game, with The Tide coming out on top!
S. Carolina - People are worried about this game…why?? They will play like they have the last several years…very average…Tide by 14…probably more
Ole Miss - Tide by 21…maybe more
Tennessee - Closer than it should be…but Bama pulls out a win in Knoxville
LSU - This game is the one that makes me nervous. Late night…drunk Cajuns…the Mad Hatter…you never know…but I think Bama squeaks it out!! Saban does not ever want to lose in Baton Rouge!
Miss. State - Yawn…Tide by 21
Ga. State - Curry gets crushed…plenty of time for backups to play
Auburn - Bama unleashes the pain on Auburn this year…Cam Newton gets crushed…Bama wins big in this one. Don't fall for the Auburn hype.
It’s hard to believe another season is upon us. So much to look forward to! There is nothing better than waking up on Saturday, pouring a cup of coffee, and watching Game Day while getting ready to head to Title Town. I am smiling just thinking about it!
What will this season bring? Only time will tell, but I can tell you this…I have hotel and plane reservations to Phoenix, and I hope to see you there!
Roll Tide!
Jason
Sunday, January 10, 2010
National Championship
Tide Fans –
“Remember the Rose Bowl…we’ll win then!” A perfect place for us to finish our perfect season…undefeated, and National Champions for the 13th time! What an incredible year, what an incredible coach, and what an amazing team. I have witnessed a lot of Alabama football in my life, but there has never been a year quite like this. The ups and downs of nail biting finishes, to complete and total domination of our opponents – we have seen just about everything. We fought and scratched our way through the season with more “pluck and grit” than I have ever seen from a Bama team. It is a season I will never forget, and yes, one that I am sure I will tell my grandkids about over and over. The Alabama Crimson Tide is the 2009 National Champion - it is truly official now…Bama is BACK!
Standing in my seat in the Rose Bowl minutes before kickoff, I made a quick call home to check in. My 6 year old daughter spoke to me and I could not help but tear up when she asked if Alabama was going to win “the big trophy”. It was then that I truly realized that I was about to watch Alabama play for the National Championship. I had not missed a game all season, sacrificing precious time with my family, and it just all hit me at once when I spoke to her. Before I write one more comment about the game or this team I must thank my wonderful wife who allowed me to have my “perfect season”. I know you were not physically with me at all the games, but you and the kids were always on my mind through every second of the season. I cannot thank you enough, and I love you soo much!
In case you already forgot, The Alabama Crimson Tide are National Champs…again!!!! Hallelujah! It still really has not sunk in to me that we just won the National Championship!!! I have read every article in the papers, and even picked up the commemorative Sports Illustrated – it’s just taking some time to set in. I’m sure when the first Auburn douche says something to me…it will completely soak in. I will smile and say, “Yes, yes we are National Champs” and then remember how irritated they seem to get when we win. Ahhhhhh…sweet irritated Auburn fans…I love it! I know there are a few good Auburn fans out there, and even some who read this blog, but the majority of them were all pulling for Texas, and if they deny it then they are lying! For the few Aubs that were truly pulling for Alabama (or the SEC) – thank you for your support. For all the Auburn fans that were pulling for Texas…I have 13 reasons why you shouldn’t!
How awesome was it to watch Alabama win their latest championship on the same field we won our first! For those who have never been it is truly an awesome spectacle, nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains surrounded by old eucalyptus trees, and the ghosts of past champions. The Rose Bowl is rich in history and tradition…but there are some things it is not rich in…like bathrooms, and concessions. Don’t get me wrong…I love a tradition rich stadium, but there is absolutely something entirely wrong with the design of the Rose Bowl. You have to leave the stadium to go to the bathroom, which somewhat resembled the bathrooms on the infield of the Talladega Superspeedway. Also, after you make the 20 minute trek through one of the “tunnels of death” you then stand in a nice line for the bathrooms or for concessions. I would hate for there ever to be a situation where fans had to get out of the stadium quickly, because it is just not possible. If you ever go, bring something to pee in, and something to eat or you will miss a good portion of the game!
Speaking of the game…what an incredible one! We all got our money’s worth out of this one. To watch Texas score 2 quick field goals, and then to watch Bama pound the ball down the field was awesome. Mark Ingram took the Heisman jinks and ran all over it! Our running game was just old school ridiculous – and I really love the fact that we ran all over the number 1 ranked rushing defense! Take that Bevo!! Texas mounted a solid comeback, but once again Bama’s defense seals the deal at the end. What a great game! I guess I will have to address the Colt McCoy issue…yes – I know McCoy did not play for most of the game, but that does not diminish our victory in any way. Alabama was not playing Colt McCoy…Alabama was playing Texas, and many people seem to forget that. You cannot sit and speculate on how the game would have been different, because how does anyone know? We had a completely different defensive scheme for Colt, and had to completely adjust everything when he went out. Who is to say we would not have shut him down just like Tebow…nobody knows. No team should rely so heavily on one player, and I for one would be pissed at Mack Brown if I were a Texas fan for not having played my backup in some of the blowout games earlier this season. Texas can bitch and moan all they want, but we won the game, and we are National Champs!
There are so many things I want to cover, but I just don’t think I will have to time to squeeze them all in this blog. So many players to talk about, and to thank for giving it their all. Players we will truly miss like Javey, Cody, Mike Johnson, Tiffin, Washington, Deaderick, PJ, Upchurch (my boy Roy!!), and possibly Rolondo McClain should he decide to come out early. Thank you seniors and thank you Rolondo for all you have done for this team – you are true champions, and we will never forget you!
Words cannot truly express how incredible this season has been. An undefeated season, an SEC Championship, a Heisman Trophy, and our 13th National Title…WOW! (no, I was not trying to sound like Vern Lundquist there). I hope everyone has enjoyed this season as much as I have. From Georgia to Alabama to Kentucky, Mississippi, and California…we have won them all across the land. I will never forget this season, and all the experiences I have had with friends and family along the way. I am truly happy, but exhausted now, and like Forrest Gump said…"I’m kind of tired…I think I’ll go home now”
Enjoy this Bama fans…enjoy every minute of it – I know I will!
Until next season…Roll Tide Roll! We are number 1!!!!
Jason
“Remember the Rose Bowl…we’ll win then!” A perfect place for us to finish our perfect season…undefeated, and National Champions for the 13th time! What an incredible year, what an incredible coach, and what an amazing team. I have witnessed a lot of Alabama football in my life, but there has never been a year quite like this. The ups and downs of nail biting finishes, to complete and total domination of our opponents – we have seen just about everything. We fought and scratched our way through the season with more “pluck and grit” than I have ever seen from a Bama team. It is a season I will never forget, and yes, one that I am sure I will tell my grandkids about over and over. The Alabama Crimson Tide is the 2009 National Champion - it is truly official now…Bama is BACK!
Standing in my seat in the Rose Bowl minutes before kickoff, I made a quick call home to check in. My 6 year old daughter spoke to me and I could not help but tear up when she asked if Alabama was going to win “the big trophy”. It was then that I truly realized that I was about to watch Alabama play for the National Championship. I had not missed a game all season, sacrificing precious time with my family, and it just all hit me at once when I spoke to her. Before I write one more comment about the game or this team I must thank my wonderful wife who allowed me to have my “perfect season”. I know you were not physically with me at all the games, but you and the kids were always on my mind through every second of the season. I cannot thank you enough, and I love you soo much!
In case you already forgot, The Alabama Crimson Tide are National Champs…again!!!! Hallelujah! It still really has not sunk in to me that we just won the National Championship!!! I have read every article in the papers, and even picked up the commemorative Sports Illustrated – it’s just taking some time to set in. I’m sure when the first Auburn douche says something to me…it will completely soak in. I will smile and say, “Yes, yes we are National Champs” and then remember how irritated they seem to get when we win. Ahhhhhh…sweet irritated Auburn fans…I love it! I know there are a few good Auburn fans out there, and even some who read this blog, but the majority of them were all pulling for Texas, and if they deny it then they are lying! For the few Aubs that were truly pulling for Alabama (or the SEC) – thank you for your support. For all the Auburn fans that were pulling for Texas…I have 13 reasons why you shouldn’t!
How awesome was it to watch Alabama win their latest championship on the same field we won our first! For those who have never been it is truly an awesome spectacle, nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains surrounded by old eucalyptus trees, and the ghosts of past champions. The Rose Bowl is rich in history and tradition…but there are some things it is not rich in…like bathrooms, and concessions. Don’t get me wrong…I love a tradition rich stadium, but there is absolutely something entirely wrong with the design of the Rose Bowl. You have to leave the stadium to go to the bathroom, which somewhat resembled the bathrooms on the infield of the Talladega Superspeedway. Also, after you make the 20 minute trek through one of the “tunnels of death” you then stand in a nice line for the bathrooms or for concessions. I would hate for there ever to be a situation where fans had to get out of the stadium quickly, because it is just not possible. If you ever go, bring something to pee in, and something to eat or you will miss a good portion of the game!
Speaking of the game…what an incredible one! We all got our money’s worth out of this one. To watch Texas score 2 quick field goals, and then to watch Bama pound the ball down the field was awesome. Mark Ingram took the Heisman jinks and ran all over it! Our running game was just old school ridiculous – and I really love the fact that we ran all over the number 1 ranked rushing defense! Take that Bevo!! Texas mounted a solid comeback, but once again Bama’s defense seals the deal at the end. What a great game! I guess I will have to address the Colt McCoy issue…yes – I know McCoy did not play for most of the game, but that does not diminish our victory in any way. Alabama was not playing Colt McCoy…Alabama was playing Texas, and many people seem to forget that. You cannot sit and speculate on how the game would have been different, because how does anyone know? We had a completely different defensive scheme for Colt, and had to completely adjust everything when he went out. Who is to say we would not have shut him down just like Tebow…nobody knows. No team should rely so heavily on one player, and I for one would be pissed at Mack Brown if I were a Texas fan for not having played my backup in some of the blowout games earlier this season. Texas can bitch and moan all they want, but we won the game, and we are National Champs!
There are so many things I want to cover, but I just don’t think I will have to time to squeeze them all in this blog. So many players to talk about, and to thank for giving it their all. Players we will truly miss like Javey, Cody, Mike Johnson, Tiffin, Washington, Deaderick, PJ, Upchurch (my boy Roy!!), and possibly Rolondo McClain should he decide to come out early. Thank you seniors and thank you Rolondo for all you have done for this team – you are true champions, and we will never forget you!
Words cannot truly express how incredible this season has been. An undefeated season, an SEC Championship, a Heisman Trophy, and our 13th National Title…WOW! (no, I was not trying to sound like Vern Lundquist there). I hope everyone has enjoyed this season as much as I have. From Georgia to Alabama to Kentucky, Mississippi, and California…we have won them all across the land. I will never forget this season, and all the experiences I have had with friends and family along the way. I am truly happy, but exhausted now, and like Forrest Gump said…"I’m kind of tired…I think I’ll go home now”
Enjoy this Bama fans…enjoy every minute of it – I know I will!
Until next season…Roll Tide Roll! We are number 1!!!!
Jason
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