Well...Allow Me To Retort

by Nico2.0 on Sep 14, 2006 1:26 PM CDT in Football Comment 12 comments

Jay Coulter, the Auburn blogger at the AOL Fanhouse recently posted a story bashing Alabama. An Auburn fan bashing Alabama isn't exactly news, but I'd like to breakdown a few points from his post and offer commentary on them. I agree with him on some points, but vehemently disagree on others. Anyway, onto the story:

Living in Alabama, the Iron Bowl is never far from your mind. It's truly something that is talked about every day of the year. But recently the series has lost its luster. Why? Well, it's simple - Alabama is just not competitive anymore. Auburn has won four in a row and five of the last six.

The opening salvo is simply ludicrous. While Auburn has clearly had the upperhand in the series recently, the rivalry certainly hasn't lost its luster. Auburn fans still enjoy a victory over Alabama more than anything else, Coulter even said the same thing two days earlier. Auburn is in one of the peak times in the history of the their program, Alabama is coming out of the lowest point in their history. The convergence of Auburn's highs and Alabama's lows not only doesn't lessen the intensity of the rivalry, it probably increases it. Alabama is tired of losing to Auburn and the the Tigers are enjoying it more than ever. Alabama's nine game winning streak against Auburn from 1973 to 1981 kept things incredibly fired up (that's what my parents said anyway.)

During the Tigers run to an undefeated season in 2004, fans and coaches alike were worried about a letdown against Alabama in the season finale. The truth is, Alabama is the most overrated team and program in the country.

I'm not sure what he's getting at here. Alabama certainly isn't highly rated this year. The Tide is ranked #24 in the coaches' poll and #28 in the AP poll. I wouldn't even know how to gauge the "overratedness" of a team in that position. In 2004, Alabama was 6-4 coming into the Auburn game and not regarded highly at all. If we're talking the last decade or so, Alabama has certainly had some lows, but we have one SEC championship and zero national championships in that time period...the same as Auburn.

The Tide Nation can't get over the fact that the Bear is really dead. Never mind that he's been gone for more than 20 years. Before every game they pay homage to him on the big stadium screen. Do they realize that today's players haven't a clue who he is or when he coached?

At the risk of being ostracized by my Bama brethren, I'm in complete agreement with Mr. Coulter on this one. There is waaaaaaaaay too much focus on the accomplishments of Bear Bryant at Alabama. The way I see it, we should be grateful that we had such an amazing coach make an incredible run for our team but it shouldn't dominate the fans' thinking 20+ years later.

Bear Bryant appeared on the big screen at Bryant-Denny three seperate times last Saturday: in two pre-game videos, and once during the game. That's too much in my opinion. Yes the stadium should be named after him, as should the museum and a street for that matter, but I don't think any other school has as much of a "cult of the coach" as we do. We can honor our past without alienating our present. I can't imagine what post-Bryant coaches feel like in that shadow. As fans, we should have high expectations for the program and the coaches, but we can't expect a clone to come along. I'd even go so far as to say that unrealistic (and unfair) expectations of coaches have adversely impacted the program in the post-Bryant era. The state of the game in general (scholarship limitations, etc.) isn't the same today as it was in Bryant's day, so we can't expect another coach to achieve the same things in a different environment with greater parity than ever.

Like an analysis on Fox Sports said recently, "Auburn is Alabama." What he means is that Auburn's program is where Alabama's used to be. It's a sad commentary for the once proud program from Tuscaloosa.

While I'd certainly rather have had Auburn's success over the last 5 years than the chaos that has reigned in Tuscaloosa, that's a nice chunk of hyperbole there. If the next five years or so play out for both teams like the last five have, then I'll take the "Auburn is Alabama" statement a little more seriously.

Here's an interesting fact: Since the turn of the 20th Century, Auburn has had 15 head coaches. Since 1983, Alabama has had eight."

That's a painful fact for sure. I'm hoping Alabama relaxes the itchy trigger finger it's had on firing coaches and eases up on the unreasonable pressures that chase coaches off.

The rest of his post covers various coaching difficulties at Alabama and the current state of the two programs (Bama having to come from behind against Vandy and Auburn being in a national title hunt) and I'm not particularly inclined to make lengthy comments on this young season.

I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on his points and on mine.

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Typical Auburn BS...

More concerned with the Tide than themselves... How can they be the best program in the state? Even when they are on top of the polls, they only want to talk about how they are better than Alabama. Even when we suck ass, we are still the talk of the state. I guess that's what happens when you play in Bama's shadow for 100 years. You think that's the reason they'll NEVER win another title... I do.

Like you said Nico... we aren't even ranked and they are #3 in the country with the biggest game of the year 2 days away... and they want to talk about what's wrong with Bama.

I just hope all the Iron Bowl victories that they're racking up while we've been recovering from NCAA sanctions will comfort them through the next 100 years with no National Titles.

PS Tubbs... you don't a ring for beating you unranked in-state rival... you get them by winning this thing called the National Championship Game... maybe one day they'll let you play in one... but probably not.

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Sep 14, 2006 2:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

As far as the Bear Bryant comments...

I've heard them all my life. The EXACT same quotes about how we can't get over the Bear...

I'd be tired of hearing about him too if I were from Auburn, but the fact is that he is a LEGEND, and will NEVER be forgotten. He stands for Alabama Football the same way Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln stand for America. Maybe the Boogs would like us to remove those guys from our money as well... I mean, they've been dead almost 200 years now, it's time to move on right?

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Sep 14, 2006 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

NICO

I agree with you on most of your points except one, coach Bryant can never get enough praise in my opinion, we would be just another college football team without him gracing the University. This is what seperates the Tide from the rest of the SEC and the country for that matter. Bryant is the greatest success story college football has ever had period. The reason other programs down the Bama fans for always talking about coach Bryant is bc they do not have a history to talk about. The University would be nowhere near what it is today without the LEGEND and for that we owe praise. To the boogs that don't get it, Fuck off bc you will always be # 2 in this state bc of the man COACH PAUL BRYANT!!!!!

SHULA WILL GET US ANOTHER NATIONAL TITLE.

by BAMA PHREAK on Sep 14, 2006 2:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

From an Auburn fan's view...

...I agree with you on almost everything Nico- I think it's way too early to make some of the declarations that he makes (I think we need an NC or AT LEAST 1-2 more SEC titles before we start calling ourselves a dynasty). I think this guy's lashing-out may partially being used to attract viewers (kind of a Finebaum-like approach- blow something out of proportion, say some things that will piss people off, and you will get more listeners (readers))- you gave him a link on your website = more readers. I only hope that he doesn't end up wearing egg on his face before the end of the year.

Chalkdust (great song), I think what you say can be turned around towards many of the BAMA nation- BAMA fans are talking much more about Auburn than usual. I think this might be somewhat from a shift of power between the 2 programs (caused from probation, lack of coaching stability, etc). Most Auburn fans you hear talking about BAMA do it because it fills them with such infuriation- some Auburn fans love nothing more than to piss Tiders off (the reverse is also true). But since we're (Auburn fans) still the vast minority in this state, you're always going to hear a great deal of talk about the Tide.

Also, Nico, it took a lot of guts to say what you did about the Bear-infatuation that still looms. Even as an Auburn fan, I respect the Bear as the greatest coach in college football history, but there are limits.

by AU03 on Sep 14, 2006 2:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It got me fired up... that's for sure

But you are right, I'm sure most of those comments were to piss Bama fans off, and it worked. We haven't had too much to celebrate lately... even our wins have been frustrating... so there has been plenty of talk about Auburn and such in the Bama nation.

The difference to me though, is that Auburn is on top of the polls right now and everything is looking up for them... so it would seem to me like they would have more important things to discuss right now. When we were #3 and facing LSU last season, no one was worried about what was happening on the plains... we had much more important things to worry about, like staying alive in the national title race. It didn't quite work out for us, and maybe we should have paid a little more attention to Auburn and we might not have gotten waxed in the Iron Bowl... but that's beside the point.

Now Auburn is in the exact same situation that we were in last season, and I would think that they would have bigger things to worry about than their struggling cross-state rival... but that doesn't seem to be the case. As usual, they are more concerned with beating a mediocre Bama team in the Iron Bowl than playing for a National Title... and that's the exact reason they won't win one any time soon

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Sep 14, 2006 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't get me wrong...

...I LOVE Bear Bryant and what he did for this program, but my comments were directed more at the "cult of Bear" rather than those who honor his legacy.

I love the pre-game video thing and maybe my saying there was "too much" in the stadium was taking it a bit too far (suprisingly though, my mom said the same thing and she had season tix in the 60s & 70s.) I'm talking about the long time insistence that Alabama have "one of Bear's boys" as a coach. There's the famous story (whether it is true or not we'll never know) about Bryant's daughter picking Bill Curry up from the airport after he was hired and the first thing Curry hears is "I'm disappointed they didn't hire one of daddy's boys." That's just starting someone off on the wrong foot and Curry and others got a lot of that kind of stuff.

Roll Tide!

by Nico2.0 on Sep 15, 2006 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but...

While admittedly bias, I think Coulter's article is nothing new and certainly nothing special. Fan re-treads bore me to tears and both sides are woefully guilty. It's like a mass email gets sent out giving all the fans the approved talking points and it's just the same thing over and over. Either that, or the whole thing is just a sad commentary on the level of education in Alabama. When the pinnacle of your argumentative and debating prowess is "monkey see, monkey do," well, that's not much of an arsenal you're carrying around there Chief.

But with that said, I think it's great. I mean everybody's going to have different reasons for being (overused adjective alert!) passionate about their team. So let them have it. Whether it's an Auburn fan jumping on every little crumb that falls off of Alabama's plate or an Alabama fan thinking that Paul Bryant has anything to do with the success of the present day team. If that's what keeps people into the games and their team, have it!

For instance, I'm a huge Chicago Bears fan. Do I think Brian Urlacher gives two rips about George Halas' work ethic or business acumen? Of course he doesn't. And he shouldn't. But that's the difference between the NFL and college football I guess. We cling to these little romantic myths and it makes us feel good.

I guess the point of every barb thrown between Alabama and Auburn is to make the other person feel ashamed to be a fan of their team. Yeah, good luck with that. My teams do a fine job on their own of depressing the Hell out of me. I'm certainly not going to let another team's fans (or a geeky radio show host) make me feel any worse.

by Steve Dave on Sep 14, 2006 3:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You tell 'em, Steve Dave........

Slightly off-topic, but I am a Bears fan as well....I know the Packers obviously suck, but how sweet was that shut-out on Sunday?

by Dignan on Sep 15, 2006 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He Dignan...

First off, thanks for getting the Mallrats reference.

Second, Bear Down Chicago Bears!

Third, Roll Tide!

And finally, I believe you know my pain. As a Bama fan & a Bear fan, I'm not sure what a forward pass looks like. But I know a good defense and running game when I see it.

by Steve Dave on Sep 17, 2006 2:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Bear's voice still gives me chillbumps...

When he comes over the loud speakers and is up on the incredible new jumbo-trons... even though I've seen that intro 100 times, it still gets me every time. I think a lot of other Bama fans feel the same way, and I can't imagine running out of the tunnel as a player after listening to that intro... how much more pumped up could you get.

It's not about being stuck in the past... it's about embracing it as we move to the future. Like it or not, Bear Bryant IS the face of Alabama Football and always will be... and there isn't anything anyone can do to change that... but more importantly, why would you want to?

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Sep 14, 2006 3:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Re:

The large majority of people that bring up Coach Bryant nowadays are Bama's rivals. Both Auburn and Tennessee. That may not have been so 10 or 20 years ago, but it is the case today. It all boils down to the green-eyed monster.

by bubba on Sep 14, 2006 4:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't remember Coach Bryant...

but I dig that hat. I bought one just because you know an Alabama fan when you see that hat, unless the guy is over 80. Then he might think it's fashionable.

About Jay's article?

The guys entitled to his opinion(no matter how MOOOOOOOtastic it is). I've read his site for a while. He loves Auburn. I'm not going to fault the guy for that(his parents, I CAN fault them). Alabama wins the Iron Bowl. Jay will be quiet...or even more odnoxious to attract readers(it's hard to get a read on a Barner).

Plain truth is Alabama has the last 6 legitimate(AP not Eufala Tribune) national championships for this state and they hate it. If Auburn wins 1 this year, congratulations only 5 more to go.

1-800-API-1957*

by Coolhand Mike on Sep 14, 2006 5:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs