Alabama's defensive lineman Josh Chapman graces the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated. This marks the 10th time the Crimson Tide has been featured on the cover of the weekly magazine since head coach Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa in January of 2007.
8 months ago
kleph
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They are going to run out of wall space
in the football building. A good problem to have.
Enter witty Sig here
by That Other Dave on Oct 4, 2011 11:48 AM CDT reply actions
I'm running out of room in my Bama cave.
That’s a lot of appearances. We are truly in a golden age.
Praise God we're Alabama fans! (gem from my six year old niece)
Unfortunately it looks like this is a regional cover.
I’m getting Calvin Johnson.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell
Yeah, pretty common practice nowadays
Local teams on cover sell more copies
"Football has never been just a game to me. Never."
Paul William Bryant
Yeah regional.
But still the copy most prospect will see and they don’t know it is regional.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Or 2010.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
This defense is very likely better than '09.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell
Yes...
…the subtitle is hyperbolic…but the cover photo is glorious!
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 4, 2011 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions
What's going on in that pic?
Is the Gator lineman still in his stance after we’re already celebrating a TFL?
God bless our Dark Lord.
It seemed that way all night, didn't it?
Maybe he’s just sharting….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 4, 2011 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions
He's bowing in submission.
"Auburn people are stinky"- my 3 yr.old daughter
by You can call me Al on Oct 5, 2011 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions
Well . . .
Of course, there’s no way to really compare across generations. If it was a literal comparison, this team could rip the flesh from the bones of our defenses in the 60s.
The only really valid comparison, in IMO, is to statistically compare how much the defense stands out from other top defenses of the same time.
2nd best is wild guesswork based on personal opinion, which is what we see here.
I do love me some wild guesswork.
It’s the bestest analytical method around, as near as I can figure. And you can’t argue with that!!
God bless our Dark Lord.
by CarrotTop4 on Oct 4, 2011 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
GO BRONCOS
Them boys from Boise are sure puttin’ a whoopin’ on everyone else week after week!
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
FLAGGED!
It's not what you've done but what you are doing that matters.
Make its ass quit -TWEsq to me concerning my fight against Multiple Sclerosis
by AlabamaJammer on Oct 4, 2011 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions
If you want to do . . .
the statistical comparison to peers, I’ll read it with interest. Otherwise, hear hear for wild guesswork!
We've had defenses give up fewer points all season
And actually, Tennessee went an entire regular season (10 games) without surrendering a point. It was in 1939, but still.
We’re good, but let’s wait until the season is over…
As someone said this morning on another post,
our D allowed Arky to drive on us once for a TD and had one blown play against UF. By my count, those are the only 2 legit TDs against us this year. After 5 games, that’s pretty dang good.
God bless our Dark Lord.
especially since
defense is going by the wayside (just look at the NFL) and offenses are putting up huge numbers. Makes it even more impressive…oh and FUCK Tennessee.
Follow on twitter @thelyell
Sweet cover, but "Best D Ever" Status is something to argue in the offseason.
Man, the 1992 D will be tough to beat.
'92?
shit. ’61 is the squad that set the standard.
Remember the Rose Bowl: The Story of the Alabama Crimson Tide & the Grandaddy of Them All
by kleph on Oct 4, 2011 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
why stop there?
Michigan in 1901 didn’t give up a point.
I was an embrio in 1961, and the oldest Bama game I've ever found was the Manning v Hunter shootout.
I think I was at that game. I remember Bama fans wore "Archie Who?" buttons
If it was at Legion Field.
Proud mini-Saban.
Was that when Lee Roy had 30 tackles in one game?
"Football has never been just a game to me. Never."
Paul William Bryant
No...
….he had 31 vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl in ’63.
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 4, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions
61 is the Bama standard.
And really our D can improve on where we are now.
If Auburn was in New Mexico and we never played them I would still hate them and their dumb coach and their cheating players.
Personally
I think this D is well ahead of the ’92 D. We barely won several games that year. This year we are totally dominating.
I think it’s beyond doubt that this squad will produce many more NFL players than the ’92 D did. I would bet dollars to dimes that a least a dozen current linebackers and DBs will play on Sundays.
Number of NFL players is probably the best comparison point for talent levels there is. Unless you have reason to believe that the ’92 coaching staff was much better than this coaching staff, then you would expect this team, being more talented and all, to be better.
Again, in my opinion we are well ahead of ‘92, and ’92 is at least nearly close enough in time to 2011 that the squads are comparable. The ’60s teams can’t really be compared, other than by seeing how much they stood out from other defenses of the same era compared to how much this D stands out.
Well ahead of '92?
As a team, without a doubt. As a defense? Ima hafta get back to you on that one in a few months….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Oct 4, 2011 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions
In a few months
Of course any conclusions made after game 5 are subject to revision. But I don’t remember the ‘92 defense striking quite this much fear into offenses. Sure, Vinnie Testaverde was psyched out before the game started, but there were other guys who weren’t.
We gave up 21 twice in ’92, and an average of 9.2 ppg against a schedule that was probably light by comparison to the current schedule. Considering how much offenses have opened up since ’92, and that we have already played two supposedly explosive Os, I think this D is statistically out-performing ’92 up to this point of the season.
The name was Vinny...
and he was playing for the Buccaneers in 1992.
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
Valid
but isn’t it easy to confuse megahyped ‘Cane QB’s who get mushmouthed in their spotlight game?
"We run this state, we run this stadium. Now let's go out there and run their ass in the ground"
Don't confuse me with facts
On the other hand, how do you know Testaverde wasn’t psyched out before the OB? Maybe I’m bring you some information you didn’t know before. Ever think about that? Huh?
It's sad, cause Miami's real quarterback that year is so much more LOLerific
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell
Gino
His name was Gino Torreta (sp?) Hgot his psyche blown along with a few other “canes”
I remember the '92 defense gave up 21 points to Miss State (or was it So Miss?)
before halftime. Seem to remember us winning that game 30-21.
Proud mini-Saban.
Personally, I'd like to see
the current ratio of td’s scored by the defense continue in the current relationship to TD’s allowed by the defense.
Not sure about "many" more players making the pros on this team as compared to 92.
Seem like 9 of the 11 starters on the 92 team got a least a cup of coffee in the pros — and Guys like Curry, Copeland, Teague, Langham, Lemanski Hall, and Oden had pretty long runs. And assuming any player — even on the current team — is going to have a long career in the NFL is a pretty dicey proposition. The 92 D had a nasty pass rush from the front 7 (more than this team has shown) and the secondary would stack up pretty well with this team. The linebackers on this team seem better as well as the overall depth. I would put coaching at about even.
In any event, I hate comparing Alabama teams or players — both could end up in the top 2 all time defenses in college football history.
by Son of Roaring Dan on Oct 4, 2011 4:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Starters might be close
But I think we have more non-starters who will play pro this year. Quite a few, including the young guys. I would throw out the number 20 for current defensive players who will play in the NFL. Obviously a wild guess, but that’s mine.
It's not just talent level and coaching staff
If that were the case, the 2010 defense would have been better than this year’s since personnel wise the only change was substituting Jesse Williams for Marcel Darius. Obviously the mental part of the game,things like knowing your fundmentals & assignments and making good decisions, is a third major component of a good defense, and it can make up for a pretty wide margin in talent level.
My take is I’m still calling the ‘92 D the best I’ve ever seen. This year’s D has a chance to unseat it (something I don’t think I ever said two years ago), but I won’t put them at the top until they’ve proven it over a full season.
WTF IS RAM JAM?
Some new jelly made from goats or something? And what does it have to do with Alabama or football in general?
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
OMG I TOTALLY MISSED THAT AND DIDN'T EVEN CATCH ON AT ALL
/iknewitallalong
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
How about something that makes sense: "Drain the Swamp"
Or something vaguely wholesome: “OMG, the Gators Got Their Shit Push’din!”
Or Alligator Army gospel: “Cheatin’ Bammerz HOLD Their Way to a Soon-to-be Vacated Victory!”
by TiderUpNorth on Oct 4, 2011 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well
it’s where she puts the back of her head against the headboard, feet way up in the air.. ahem…
'There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment,'- Nick Saban
by J Tadpole on Oct 4, 2011 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Pictures
or it didn’t happen.
"Football has never been just a game to me. Never."
Paul William Bryant
Turns out I've known what a Ram Jam is all along!
"If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood." -- Paul "Bear" Bryant
Wasn't the Ram Jam
Mickey Rourke’s finishing move from the movie “The Wrestler” ?
by HarveyBirdmanAAL on Oct 4, 2011 3:02 PM CDT reply actions
Yes, you beat me too it. Awesome movie.
"In the second quarter, I saw Torretta look over at me, and he froze for a second. I saw fear." -- DE John Copeland
by The Cornerstone on Oct 4, 2011 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions
im gonna help you Crimson
cause i like your style..If you want to reply to a comment, hit the reply button. If you don’t your comment goes to the bottom of the thread and you’ll be pulling a Jasands…The more you know..
Follow on twitter @thelyell
Is he strumming your pain with his fingers?
"Auburn people are stinky"- my 3 yr.old daughter
by You can call me Al on Oct 5, 2011 9:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Yes it could be the best ever.
But really, it’s apples and oranges in many ways.
I agree that it’s more offseason material. But I don’t think I can agree with those who are citing seasons with low pts scored and so on as “the best”.
There is just so much more than goes into the scoreboard than the defense itself. Field position, how long your offense stays on the field, and so on.
A season with little to no points scored is more a team effort overall than a defensive effort specifically.
There is also the quality of competition. Nothing against Bear by a long shot, but it is a plain out fact that during those days we didn’t have scholarship limits, and a good bit of the talent we are playing against these days would have been on our bench in the 60’s and 70’s.
In addition to the talent being more spread out, the abilities and studies of the offenses and things are way more advanced. Could you imagine the wishbone – which wasn’t even an offense back then really being used today? The offenses and defenses have evolved so much further than what they were in the past.
So the question becomes could todays defense have accomplished the same thing against the competition of yesteryears. And I think it’s entirely possible, if not a very safe bet.
I think it’s a safe bet that the players of today would have no problem in terms of catching the system. The older system would be easier, more basic. And it would work because the offenses are easier and more basic.
But could you imagine the advanced style of defense today being played against the simplistic offenses of old? Massacre. QB’s today get confused with even more options and such.
I think it’s a safe bet that due to technology and advancements our players today are more physical, stronger and bigger.
And they would have no trouble dealing with the lesser competition due to rules of old.
I don’t think the defenses of yesteryears could do what they did then in today’s football. I think they would have given up many points where they didn’t in the past.
So best ever I think is possible. What some of you are really looking at is best in their time period.
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