Doggoneit

[HerbTarlekVol]

I am so conflicted this morning. 

Y'all know how I feel about Kliempsein.  I just hate them.  Despise them.  Can't stand anything about them. 

But I like Dabo.  I've tried my best not to, but I just can't help but like the guy. 

But I still hate the rat bastard tiglets. 

And I am happy for Dan Brooks.  Saw him back during the high school playoffs and had a nice talk with him.  Good guy and fellow Catamount. 

[VOLMAN]

I can't find a good reason to dislike Dabo BUT the primary cause for not feeling bad is BAMA LOST!!!      

[murfvol]

I like Dan Brooks, Marion Hobby, Willie McCorvey, and Dabo. I'm happy for them.

[Creek Walker]

The only reason I can't like those Clemson guys right now is because they're kicking our staff's tail in recruiting . . . in our own **** state. It's not their fault, obviously; they're just doing their job. I guess I hate them because of our staff's shortcomings.

But I was very happy to see Clemson beat Alabama, and even happier when I read the whining and moaning from Bammers this morning who are convinced they were cheated. It's rich irony that the team that gets the benefit of the doubt on every single call in the SEC thinks they were hosed by the officials.

[BGHarper]

The only reason I can't like those Clemson guys right now is because they're kicking our staff's tail in recruiting . . . in our own **** state. It's not their fault, obviously; they're just doing their job. I guess I hate them because of our staff's shortcomings.

But I was very happy to see Clemson beat Alabama, and even happier when I read the whining and moaning from Bammers this morning who are convinced they were cheated. It's rich irony that the team that gets the benefit of the doubt on every single call in the SEC thinks they were hosed by the officials.

Hardly got every call this season, and I give Clemson and Dabo credit for the win. Bama played conservative on offense, and couldn't pass effectively downfield on Clemson. The Tigers thus controlled the clock, and by the mid-third quarter you could see the Tide couldn't pressure Watson as much as early in the game---Tide legs were starting to tire.

I believe the Tigers ran 99 plays on the Tide defense and thus wore them out late in the game. Also, Watson and their receiver Williams are truly great players and took over late in the game when it counted most.

Give Dabo credit, the game plan was to wear down the Alabama defensive front and that's exactly what they did. Yes, they deserved to win.

BG

[73Volgrad]

I know everyone is told that "Defense wins Championships."  Bama and Saban just proved that if you do not have an effective offense to control the ball, your top rated defense is no match for an equal rated offense. In thie era of spread offenses, playing conservative and not to lose will cause you to lose more often than not. Clemson's defense was just good enough to stymie Bama after their only decent RB went out. Bama wore out because their depth on defense caused them to play their players too long without rest. Clemson also showed you can throw on Bama if you have tall WRs. Saban for years used big heavy DL and LBs until spread offense forced him to lighter and quicker players. Clemso also showed you do not have to emulate Bama to beat them. Saban out thought himself by firing Lane early. Maybe he began to believe in his own legend. It just is so hard to feel sorry for the ego that is Saban.

[BGHarper]

I know everyone is told that "Defense wins Championships."  Bama and Saban just proved that if you do not have an effective offense to control the ball, your top rated defense is no match for an equal rated offense. In thie era of spread offenses, playing conservative and not to lose will cause you to lose more often than not. Clemson's defense was just good enough to stymie Bama after their only decent RB went out. Bama wore out because their depth on defense caused them to play their players too long without rest. Clemson also showed you can throw on Bama if you have tall WRs. Saban for years used big heavy DL and LBs until spread offense forced him to lighter and quicker players. Clemso also showed you do not have to emulate Bama to beat them. Saban out thought himself by firing Lane early. Maybe he began to believe in his own legend. It just is so hard to feel sorry for the ego that is Saban.

"Saban out thought himself by firing Kiffin."

How did he do that? Although preparing for the national championship game, was the decision to let Kiffin go just something he somehow inexplicably felt compelled to do the very week prior to the championship game?

That's sounds like a risky way to win a game. Why do you think he made the decision to let Kiffin go at such a critical time and believe the decision is related to an inflated ego? Could there have been other factors involved to explain such drastic action?

BG

[BanditVol]

I know everyone is told that "Defense wins Championships."  Bama and Saban just proved that if you do not have an effective offense to control the ball, your top rated defense is no match for an equal rated offense. In thie era of spread offenses, playing conservative and not to lose will cause you to lose more often than not. Clemson's defense was just good enough to stymie Bama after their only decent RB went out. Bama wore out because their depth on defense caused them to play their players too long without rest. Clemson also showed you can throw on Bama if you have tall WRs. Saban for years used big heavy DL and LBs until spread offense forced him to lighter and quicker players. Clemso also showed you do not have to emulate Bama to beat them. Saban out thought himself by firing Lane early. Maybe he began to believe in his own legend. It just is so hard to feel sorry for the ego that is Saban.

The reason satan wins so much is almost 100% talent.  Not that he is a bad coach, far from it.  But give him equal talent to LSU, Florida, Auburn or Tennessee and he would be far less dominant.

He literally has as much talent as any other two SEC teams put together.   

[BGHarper]

He literally has as much talent as any other two SEC teams put together.  

Not if you're LSU, Auburn and Georgia. Yes, Bama has more overall talent than these teams, but the talent level is comparable, especially with LSU which has excellent players.

Kirby Smart inherited excellent talent in Athens, and is in the process of bringing that talent level much more closely in line with that of Alabama's level.

BG

[10EC]

Not if you're LSU, Auburn and Georgia. Yes, Bama has more overall talent than these teams, but the talent level is comparable, especially with LSU which has excellent players.

Kirby Smart inherited excellent talent in Athens, and is in the process of bringing that talent level much more closely in line with that of Alabama's level.

BG

This would be true if you wanted to ignore the recruiting rankings for the last 5 - 7 years where Alabama has been far out in front as #1 class.  





[/quote]

[Black Diamond Vol]

This would be true if you wanted to ignore the recruiting rankings for the last 5 - 7 years where Alabama has been far out in front as #1 class.  

Going by Rivals- since 2008 (Saban's first full class), bammer has failed to land the nation's #1 class only twice.  2010, when they were a shameful 5th (how did THAT happen?), and 2015, when they were a close 2nd to USC (and Rivals was the outlier- Scout, ESPN, and 24/7 all had them #1 that year).  And they're currently way out in front for this recruiting cycle, too. They've also signed over 1/3 of all the SEC's 5* recruits in that time. 

There are talented teams, and then there's bammer.  CFB has never seen a run of recruiting like this.  Ever.

[BGHarper]

Granted, I admittedly overstated "comparable." There is an exception though and that's LSU. While not producing no.1 classes as Alabama has achieved, in recent seasons they were nearly all highly ranked classes, and produced both high NFL draft picks and numerous players selected. To a lesser degree Georgia has mostly recruited very well, and will now especially do so.

The last list I recall showed Bama and LSU with the most current NFL players. With the exception being the QB position, quality of talent was not Les Miles problem.

BG

[BanditVol]

Not if you're LSU, Auburn and Georgia. Yes, Bama has more overall talent than these teams, but the talent level is comparable, especially with LSU which has excellent players.

Kirby Smart inherited excellent talent in Athens, and is in the process of bringing that talent level much more closely in line with that of Alabama's level.

BG

It's not "comparable".  Bama has been no. 1 in recruiting 6 years in a row.  None of those other teams you mention has even been in the top 5 more than twice in the last 4 years.  Furthermore, you can literally take the no. 2 and 3 teams in recruiting in the SEC in a given year, combine their top 25 players, re-calculate their recruiting score and they still are not better than Bama.

What exactly is "comparable" about that? 

Give any coach in the league the talent of the next two most talented teams combined, and see how well he does. 

[BGHarper]

It's not "comparable".  Bama has been no. 1 in recruiting 6 years in a row.  None of those other teams you mention has even been in the top 5 more than twice in the last 4 years.  Furthermore, you can literally take the no. 2 and 3 teams in recruiting in the SEC in a given year, combine their top 25 players, re-calculate their recruiting score and they still are not better than Bama.

What exactly is "comparable" about that? 

Give any coach in the league the talent of the next two most talented teams combined, and see how well he does. 

I corrected my "comparable" comment. I still think LSU is comparable, not as good ,but comparable. Their drafts picks verify that. See their numbers  on NFL rosters.

BG

[Creek Walker]

Nick Saban the recruiter is the best that college football has ever seen. He has a tremendous network behind him that knows how to push the envelope without stepping far enough over the line to draw the heavy hand of the NCAA, and they're very good in their roles. College football may never see another recruiting juggernaut like the one Saban has developed at Alabama. The only thing close to it in any college sport is Geno Auriemma at UConn, and he doesn't have much in the way of competition.

Nick Saban the coach is a fantastic coach, but I don't agree with those who say he's the best in NCAAF history. Alabama has had a great run, but with the talent that program has stockpiled, Saban is simply meeting expectations.

I have always admired the discipline and execution that Saban's teams have played with, and I also admire him for having the fortitude to admit his own shortcomings and hire coaches who can help him overcome them. Our coach in Knoxville could learn from that character trait. I will say, though, that this year's Alabama team seemed different. Dominant in the SEC, obviously, but Saban's discipline grip seemed to be slipping a bit. This year's team had a punk-ish attitude that teams past haven't had.

[BGHarper]

Nick Saban the recruiter is the best that college football has ever seen. He has a tremendous network behind him that knows how to push the envelope without stepping far enough over the line to draw the heavy hand of the NCAA, and they're very good in their roles. College football may never see another recruiting juggernaut like the one Saban has developed at Alabama. The only thing close to it in any college sport is Geno Auriemma at UConn, and he doesn't have much in the way of competition.

Nick Saban the coach is a fantastic coach, but I don't agree with those who say he's the best in NCAAF history. Alabama has had a great run, but with the talent that program has stockpiled, Saban is simply meeting expectations.

I have always admired the discipline and execution that Saban's teams have played with, and I also admire him for having the fortitude to admit his own shortcomings and hire coaches who can help him overcome them. Our coach in Knoxville could learn from that character trait. I will say, though, that this year's Alabama team seemed different. Dominant in the SEC, obviously, but Saban's discipline grip seemed to be slipping a bit. This year's team had a punk-ish attitude that teams past haven't had.

Of course I disagree with that "punk-ish" comment in general, but unfortunately I concede a couple of incidents I didn't like either. I could point out things in the past about virtually all teams.

BG

[BGHarper]

Nick Saban the recruiter is the best that college football has ever seen. He has a tremendous network behind him that knows how to push the envelope without stepping far enough over the line to draw the heavy hand of the NCAA, and they're very good in their roles. College football may never see another recruiting juggernaut like the one Saban has developed at Alabama. The only thing close to it in any college sport is Geno Auriemma at UConn, and he doesn't have much in the way of competition.

Nick Saban the coach is a fantastic coach, but I don't agree with those who say he's the best in NCAAF history. Alabama has had a great run, but with the talent that program has stockpiled, Saban is simply meeting expectations.

I have always admired the discipline and execution that Saban's teams have played with, and I also admire him for having the fortitude to admit his own shortcomings and hire coaches who can help him overcome them. Our coach in Knoxville could learn from that character trait. I will say, though, that this year's Alabama team seemed different. Dominant in the SEC, obviously, but Saban's discipline grip seemed to be slipping a bit. This year's team had a punk-ish attitude that teams past haven't had.

Also, you mention the great talent he's accumulated and that he's therefore just meeting expectations. You didn't mention how such a winning coach has to battle complacency every single day, and how difficult that task is. Also, Bama is everyone's top rival, week-in and week-out.

You guys can try to minimize his accomplishments, but the man has done a great job, period.


BG


And, BTW. I came back over here to edit this post---as some may note editing posts is my favorite pastime---so instead of "a great job" by Nick Saban, make it the "greatest job a coach has done this side of Paul Bear Bryant.   


Which is the greatest? Like a ref does before one of both coaches' numerous national championship games, let's flip a coin.


Boy, I hope Bandit reads this! 


BG

[BanditVol]

Also, you mention the great talent he's accumulated and that he's therefore just meeting expectations. You didn't mention how such a winning coach has to battle complacency every single day, and how difficult that task is. Also, Bama is everyone's top rival, week-in and week-out.

You guys can try to minimize his accomplishments, but the man has done a great job, period.


BG


And, BTW. I came back over here to edit this post---as some may note editing posts is my favorite pastime---so instead of "a great job" by Nick Saban, make it the "greatest job a coach has done this side of Paul Bear Bryant.   


Which is the greatest? Like a ref does before one of both coaches' numerous national championship games, let's flip a coin.


Boy, I hope Bandit reads this! 


BG

1. Knute Rockne
2. Frank Leahy
3. General Neyland (did Bryant ever beat him? I can't recall  )
4. Bear Bryant