I’ve enjoyed this blog this week and your appearances on the podcasts. It was a great game last night and it was exciting to finally see two complete teams go against each other and bring their A games.

I think you’re selling Bama short a bit by calling the game over after the facemask call. Bama still had the lead and had several chances (both to stop the Gators and to score themselves) after that. Also, I thought that he clearly had a brief hold of the facemask, and also that Demps head turned as a result, which usually gets the 15-yarder. Still under the old rules that’s quite likely a 5-yarder, so I agree it was a tough crucial penalty.

Overall, I thought the game was pretty well called—the non-call when Brandon James went out of bounds at the end of the first half was a great non-call I thought. It was close; let the players play.

Congrats to Bama on an amazing season. Here’s hoping you guys get a trip to New Orleans and a Sugar Bowl win out of it (as long as it’s not a rematch).

to the LSU game last year. We had them on the ropes going in to the 4th quarter but we couldn’t finish off. But it certainly showed that we are on the right track and it took everything Florida had to beat us.

I am extremely proud of our boys. They played their hearts out.

Roll Tide

OTS I have been reading you since you had your own blog, and I’ve been reading RBR since a year before that. I look forward to your posts.

I hope Tebow does not go pro this year (All I’ve heard are a bunch of pontificators saying he won’t play quarterback) I’d like to see him in contention for a 3rd straight Heisman next year, and a rematch in the SEC championship game.

I live in the ATL and I attended the game. I bought my ticket for $225 from a fellow Atlantan with gold teeth. It was a tough negotiating process, I assure you.

I agree that the facemask call was the game changer or turning point, but the sack was the nail in the coffin, which really ended the game. Another poster criticized McElwain, but in a game like that, you only get so many chances to go downfield, and I agree with something I heard said this year, “if the play called works, we’re geniuses, and if it doesn’t work, it was the wrong call”. I think on 2d down, we had the attitude that we’re going to do what we do, and let them try and stop us, and Florida did. Just like they had done on fourth down when we tried that fake punt. Our defense could have contained them if our offense had not struggled against their defense. In the end JPW showed that while he couldn’t really take the pressure (cue footage of that ball he threw away and was lucky it wasn’t intercepted and his backward’s running on the sack), at least he has matured enough to come right back and maintain his focus. I’m proud of him, and proud of the team for following his leadership. Bring on Star Jackson and AJ McCarron.

Had the facemask call gone our way, things may have been different. And what if Percy Harvin had played? It didn’t happen, so it doesn’t matter.

I’m proud of the team because they got beaten, but didn’t beat themselves, which they did last year (blame DJ). I think the Florida game this year reminded me of the LSU game last year minus Javi’s TD return and JPW actually fumbling it instead merely taking the sack.

I think we’ll be much better next year and I wonder why you say that we’re unlikely to go 12-0. I also wonder why people say we would have been crazy to expect such a season this year. We had an experienced QB, which we knew, the offensive line was going to be great, which we knew, and we still have great corners and safeties, we were getting Julio and Cody, my only question was at RB, which I think got answered. And he didn’t fumble last night, which all makes me very proud and pleased.

With those teams you named, do you think any of them will be favored to beat Bama next year? I’ve heard Petrino could leave Arkansas. Buyer’s remorse. Auburn with a new coach? Tennessee and Kiffen? A bored Steve Spurrier? Miss St? LSU? Come on. Aren’t we going to open with VaTech? We’re back Baby, and we’re kicking ass and taking names. Next year it will be Florida and Bama again, if we beat Ole Miss, and I would love bet that we can improve our performance 11 points.
When I look at the recruiting class that’s coming, I know that the only problems we’ll have will be in dropoffs of experience, not strength and size. And Saban knows how to coach. Now that he’s in charge, off field distractions like Juwan Simpson and DJ get dropped from the media instantly, and he is a winner and loves to dominate. Cue footage of #25 and #10.

Urban Meyer will become his Nemesis because Georgia will never be able to beat Florida, and nobody in the East will continue to challenge Florida as long as Urban Meyer is there. I applaud Florida and respect them.

My ticket was in the Florida section and as Alabama took control and my cheers became louder, Some of them started heckling me and I actually thought some of the drunker ones might try to follow me after the game, but their defense stopped our offense and that was the story of the game. Tebow’s performance was good, and he deserves the Heisman, but if Florida beats Oklahoma, it will be because Florida’s defense shuts down Bradford and Iglesia and company. Oklahoma can’t limit Tebow’s impact as much as the Tide did. Expect Florida to score forty in 3 quarters. If it’s even a game at that point, it will be because Oklahoma a strong first possession in the 4th quarter.

I hope we play Ohio State, just so it will be will be a name brand team. I’d like to see the SEC continue to dominate Ohio State. Isn’t Utah closer to the Fiesta bowl than Ohio State is? Is that relavent? Then this year would be like the 1994 Tide who played Ohio State and won.

I’d like to send a shout out to Kleph who showed me the corner.
Like Todd says, watch out for Ole Miss.

I’d personally like to thank #49 R. Johnson, I have enjoyed watching him play every year, I hope he makes millions, and despite a looming salary cap, I want #71 and #62 to stay because I believe we can go all the way next year even with a Freshman at Quarterback.

Roll Damn Tide.

Although I am not a fan of all the creepy Tebow man love, I will say this both teams were pretty evenly matched. The difference maker for Florida was Tebow. That young man lives up to his reputation. Watching the other 3 candidates, how could you even vote for them, they are one dimensional.

Rashad said it best after the game-credit to UF, but when we watch the film we will see that our mistakes cost us the game. Eliminate the mistakes, particularly in the kicking game, & we have a real good chance to win it. If UF had the ball last, Tebow would have probably willed himself to the winning TD, but we will never know.

UF exposed our lack of depth by picking on Marquis Johnson. After another recruiting class, our 5th & 6th DB will be of a much higher caliber.

McElwain was a brillant playcaller this year, but going for the home run on first down in the 4th against a run waeried defense baffled me. Maybe the UF defensive alignment forced the deep throw, but seemed like we abandoned the effective short passing game in the 4th.

Regardless of the mistakes by the players & coaches, it has been a great season! I will be screaming loudly in NOLA just like 1993. This team deserves an impressive victory over the Utes to enshrine them in Crimson fame!

RollTideRoll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   Some people seem to be writing that the Hightower face mask was some little, innocuous thing and that Alabama was jobbed in the SEC championship game. I have watched the replay over and over in slow motion and it sure looks to me that if Hightower does not grab the face mask, he wouldn’t make the tackle where he does and the Gators would have had a first down. Ya’ll ought to go look at that again. Hightower said afterward he thought he had been called for horse collar. “I didn’t know they said I grabbed the facemask. But I guess I should’ve been more disciplined to get to the outside and stay to the outside.”

   I had expected Alabama to be able to run right at the Gators, which it did, which made the first down incomplete pass to Jones all the more bewildering to me after the Gators went up 24-20 in the fourth quarter.

   Both teams played well. Congrats to Saban on SEC coach of the year.