It seems to me that our O issues were related almost entirely to the absence of 71. If he had played it would have changed the entire game. I know it is stupid to say one player on the roster could have such an impact, but lets face it this is not an average player and represented the strength of the team. On D, I think our problems were related to coaching (and the inability of Kareem Jackson to make a tackle). We did not come into the game pumped or prepared and we failed to make adjustments.

On the bright side, we once again failed to FINISH and this will only give our ego-driven coach to push himself, our coaches, and our players harder. He was with out doubt embarrased by our preformance and what better motivation to out work everybody else in the off season. ROLL TIDE

I am glad the Wilson era is over. When you dumb down the qb position to the point where you’re considered successful and praised because you didn’t do anything stupid instead of actually making plays and being a difference-maker is ridiculous. I know the o-line was not full strength, but he had opportunities (Stover wide open deep for one).

Wilson has been the starter for 3 years now and he should be able to hit an open window of a speeding car by now.

Records or not JPW sealed his legacy as what he truly is- a below average qb that can’t make plays.

…i think the team we saw last night was the team we’ve seen all season. all the way back to the clemson game there were clear signs of weaknesses (and those were really apparent vs tulane). you posted that song by the Fixx to remind everyone that when we “are ourselves” good things would happen. i assume you meant when this team played to it’s clear potential – which it did quite a bit – the outcomes would be much like we saw during the regular season.

but, the fact is, the problems last night were us “being ourselves” as well. suddenly all those nagging problems, flaws and our glot of pre-game fears became a horrible reality. but, as i mentioned to a few of our fellow bammers in the game thread, it’s ludicrous to define the team by this performance.

by every measure you want to give, this season was a massive success and an accomplishment to be proud of. for the seniors, that’s not a hell of a lot of consolation given the magnitude of the loss in new orleans. but for the underclassmen they will certainly not forget this fiasco – that’s called experience, and it’s one of the things this squad has sorely lacked given the rarified air their play had placed them.

the sugar bowl shirt i bought to wear during the game is now safely ensconsed in a trash receptical but my lucky bama shirt is gonna be worn with regularity over the next few months. i don’t think the off-season is going to be black. i now believe we’ve got a group that has seen what they are capable and, being denied in such a horrible fashion will make them hungry. this will be the team, as saban suggested, everyone else is going to be scared to face. and for damned good reason.

is that this is the first team we’ve played that did not have to run the ball – at all. I don’t remember seeing/hearing any of our d-linemen’s names after the opening intros. We’re used to being able to force 2nd and 3rd downs by stuffing the run. Their gameplan alone neutralized 3 of our defenders. We learned how to handle it by the second qtr. but, as it turned out, that was 21 pts. too late.

Last night was a prime example of how important line play is in football. Georgia lost their top O-lineman and D-lineman before the first game of the season was over and were never the same. Alabama will be fine in the future. Saban got every ounce of production out of the team this year, but the depth just wasn’t there. Once Saban gets his depth chart where he wants, this team will be fine.

happened to our so-called shut down corner Kareem Jackson? That guy was burned more times than I could count. Maybe its time we just accept the fact that we are what most people said we were, a 7-8 win team who played above themselves most of the season. Last night looked like the Crimson Tide team that we’ve come to know all too well over the last 4-5 years. And not to be too disrespectfull to Wilson, he’s not a good QB, plain and simple. Look at the best teams in CFB right now, OK, UF, USC, Texas, what do they all have in common? Exactly, no rocket science here, stellar QB play. I’m not saying Bama has to have a Heisman guy every year to win championships, but if we keep getting acknowledged for having a good “game manager” under center, we’re in trouble.

Yes, this was a heartbreaking loss. The Utes wanted it more than we did (just like we wanted it more than Miami in ‘93). I read a post on another blog that said "now I know how Clemson fans felt in September, or how Georgia fans felt at the Blackout. We had smacked some teams in the mouth all year, and this time we got smacked in the mouth, and it still hurts.
I do want to address the Bama fans that left the game with over 5 minutes left on the clock, and yeah I’m the guy who was yelling at you “Our team is still on the field”. You are the same fans that bragged about this team all year long, after every victory. You rubbed the Aubie’s nose in it, the Bulldogs’ nose in it, and when “your” team needs you the most, to stand by them in a painful moment—you desert them. Pitifal. Don’t you think those players on the field could see you running for the exits? Don’t you think recruits could see you running away. The players, win or loose, have to stay on the field and suck it up like men. Don’t talk about what a fan you are. I am thoroughly disgusted with that kind of behavior from people who claim some sort of ownership of the team. Real fans stay with the team until the last tick. You bet I’m upset with how we played, you bet it hurts to know that I’ve got to go to work tomorrow and answer all those MSU fans who love to tear down the Tide. It’s still the team and the University that I graduated from, and pledge undying allegiance to-win or loose, probation or promise. My support doesn’t evaporate when they play awful or get beat. Loyalty is something that is exposed in the worst of situations. To you fair weather fans—I’d rather you support another team.

The Sugar bowl was a heart breaking game. i sat in awe as i watched Utah just basically jog up and down the field against us… Alabama… one of if not the best defenses in the SEC!!! i didnt know how to respond!!! i was definitely mad especially the way our O-Line played. it seemed like coffee and arenas were the only ones who decided to pad up for that game. but despite all the emotions before during and after the game i couldnt help but remember that it was the ending of one of the greatest legacies that this college has seen!!! JPW!!! every bama fan has mixed feelings about him. he never won a national championship. he delivered one of the best fourth quater TD game winning drives ever against Arkansas. and then a few weeks later lost the game to MSU. he wasnt ever consistent except at being inconsistent but when i watched him play over his career i i was encouraged because of the way he played!!! he has that never back down attitude! if a d lineman knocked him down he got up and brushed his shoulders off and invited the man back!!! In my opinion he isnt the best QB we have had but he is one of the most talented and overall JPW!!! WE WILL MISS YOU!!!

                                                                                      ROLL DAMN TIDE!!!