Bama deserves all the credit they've gotten - but...

[CAGator93]

I'm starting to hear a lot of chatter after last night about how it's just Bama now to fear - the SEC, not so much.

I am not taking away anything from Bama in regards to what they've accomplished. This post is more of a message to fans of other teams outside the SEC . (in other words, I don't want to hear from Bama fans here that I'm knocking them, I'm not)

Just giving the whole conference a little credit here for those who think the Tide is just completelty untouchable. The SEC has shown it can hang -and definitely made the Tide tough and battle ready for the big game.

In the last 2 years Bama has:

1) Lost a home game each year

2) Won 1 SEC Title (not 2)

3) Won 1 SEC West Title (not 2)

4) benefitted from an unbalanced schedule this year that helped the Tide to the West title (TX A&M and LSU both had the same record in the West - and both lost to us)

5) had to get help to make the National Title game each year (not that there's anything wrong with that)


Probably just a start -- anything else?

[GatorBen]

Originally Posted by CAGator93

I'm starting to hear a lot of chatter after last night about how it's just Bama now to fear - the SEC, not so much.

I am not taking away anything from Bama in regards to what they've accomplished. This post is more of a message to fans of other teams outside the SEC . (in other words, I don't want to hear from Bama fans here that I'm knocking them, I'm not)

Just giving the whole conference a little credit here for those who think the Tide is just completelty untouchable. The SEC has shown it can hang -and definitely made the Tide tough and battle ready for the big game.

In the last 2 years Bama has:

1) Lost a home game each year

2) Won 1 SEC Title (not 2)

3) Won 1 SEC West Title (not 2)

4) benefitted from an unbalanced schedule this year that helped the Tide to the West title (TX A&M and LSU both had the same record in the West - and both lost to us)

5) had to get help to make the National Title game each year (not that there's anything wrong with that)


Probably just a start -- anything else?

Agreed, 2009 was Bama's dominant year. There's at least an argument to be made that they weren't the best team in the SEC the past two years. Last year, while they obviously got their revenge, they lost their division. This year, I think there's a pretty good argument that A&M may have been the best team in the conference at the end of the season.

[Dreamliner]

Ironically, Bama has had the luck of the Irish the last two years.

[SmootyGator]

Bama has been lucky to get the last two National Championships. But most of the time, it takes a little luck to win. No big deal.

[bullish]

Low Academic levels, bringing kids into transferring to high schools in Alabama, where pottery making is the most difficult class they attend, before taking a limo into Tuscaloosa, or benefits that others schools don't offer, like jobs for parents, clothing, cars/trucks, money. Trent R. had all the forementioned things and the NCAA choose not to investigate. Put Saban at a school where academic integrity has some teeth, he would look like every other coach who has his ups and downs. This isn't Brain Surgery.

[GatorLaw]

I'd just ignore 'em. They're probably just people who like to knock the SEC and nothing you're going to say or do will change anything they say or do.

[wiene2003]

One point I have made to a few folks is if it weren't for SEC dominance before the last 2 years, meaning 5 straight NC's (only 1 of which Bama won), they very well might not have been playing for the NC the last 2 years. So, yes, Bama has done what no other school in modern football history has done and they deserve all the credit in the world for that. However, I do believe they received an SEC Bump, due to groundwork laid by other SEC teams, the last 2 years to ensure they were in the NC game.

Does that make sense to anyone else?

[gator923]

Whoever made that stupid argument forgot that if Bama is to be feared, then any team that rolls through Bama to win the SEC is also to be feared.

They also forgot that of the last 7 National Titles, Bama didn't win all 7.

Ugh what am I doing, people stupid enough to think any of those things aren't even worth acknowledging. Bottom line is the rest of the college football loving country is desperately jealous of the roll the SEC is on, and given the lack of profitable CFB programs in the country, the resources we put into our programs, the trend will not just continue but one day the SEC could run everything, make it's own championships and let the rest of the country participate by invite only, that's how much better the SEC is.

It's money... below the top 2 programs in any other BCS conference, the bottom 10 are most likely to be operating in the red, barely skating by, dipping into state funds to keep the program going. Not so in the SEC, we are flush, and those resources beget more future resources, better recruiting, better coaching staffs, more coaching "analysts" and recruiting "advisors", more fan events, the ability to outbid NFL teams for coaches.

The SEC's dominance is rolling downhill like an avalanche, close out the BCS era winning the final 8 titles, place 2 teams in each of the first several 4 team playoff scenarios, and you're looking at an SEC that has more bargaining power than the NCAA.

[gator07]

Originally Posted by GatorLaw

I'd just ignore 'em. They're probably just people who like to knock the SEC and nothing you're going to say or do will change anything they say or do.

Exactly right. The story should be that Notre Dame does not belong on the same field as Alabama. And that Alabama, and the SEC, are just that good seeing as how several teams gave Alabama a good match and several teams finished the season with the same conference record as them.

However, now Im also hearing:
1) Its not the SEC, its just Alabama thats any good.
2) The rest of the SEC should not be rallying around Bama and taking "credit" for the win.

Just like you said, its people that hate the SEC and will always take shots even after a game like that where you think you have no ground to stand on when knocking the SEC.

[gator07]

Also, keep in mind this "dynasty" has only won the SEC twice in 6 years while Saban has been at Bama. Not bad, but hardly a 1-horse race. That should speak pretty highly of the rest of the conference and the level of competition.

The last "dynasty" team was probably USCw. I dont remember anyone ever challenging them for the Pac-10 title in the mid-2000s. I think they won it like 7 straight times. That was obviously a 1 team conference.

[Claygator]

Plus, Bama had a bit of luck this year when it beat (barely) LSU and Georgia. No, there are a number of SEC teams that can play with Bama.

[Swampmaster]

Saban---already preparing for next season. The guy is a machine.

http://www.romenews-tribune.com/view...econdary_story

[CAGator93]

Originally Posted by wiene2003

One point I have made to a few folks is if it weren't for SEC dominance before the last 2 years, meaning 5 straight NC's (only 1 of which Bama won), they very well might not have been playing for the NC the last 2 years. So, yes, Bama has done what no other school in modern football history has done and they deserve all the credit in the world for that. However, I do believe they received an SEC Bump, due to groundwork laid by other SEC teams, the last 2 years to ensure they were in the NC game.

Does that make sense to anyone else?

Most definitely. There were other one loss teams -- Bama (an UF) have benefitted from the SEC reputation when getting the nod over other schools.

[abc1234]

Originally Posted by wiene2003

One point I have made to a few folks is if it weren't for SEC dominance before the last 2 years, meaning 5 straight NC's (only 1 of which Bama won), they very well might not have been playing for the NC the last 2 years. So, yes, Bama has done what no other school in modern football history has done and they deserve all the credit in the world for that. However, I do believe they received an SEC Bump, due to groundwork laid by other SEC teams, the last 2 years to ensure they were in the NC game.

Does that make sense to anyone else?

Absolutely.

I'm a Bama fan but have always pulled for the SEC in OOC matchups. Over the years, I've had to continually explain myself to people who don't understand that SEC loyalty. The last 2 years have proven why it's obviously so important to all of us in the SEC that we retain our reputation as the toughest conference in the country. If you're contending for a spot in the NC game, you rely on the SEC being seen as strong, because you'll need it when it comes time to get that nod.. It has a lot to do with why Alabama made it to the big game last year, and definitely somewhat this year as well. This is only going to become more true when the playoff system is implemented. This is why bowl games are important.

[Dreamliner]

Bama's (A) good and (B) lucky.

[keypox]

I think bama is any where from 1-4 in the SEC. ND is not a top 25 team.

[GatorNorth]

If the SEC is so overrated how is it that Bama has won more national championships than SEC championships the past 7 years?

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by GatorNorth

If the SEC is so overrated how is it that Bama has won more national championships than SEC championships the past 7 years?

Evidently, Bama knows better than anybody how to win the big game ... even if it takes luck to get them there.

[urbangirl]

At the moment Bama is on top of the world. Nothing is forever. They will experience a downturn at some point. It's the law of averages. Just sit tight and be patient.

[oxymoron]

Nickie needs to lighten up and enjoy the ride. Now would be the time to make extravagant demands on Bama. He should see how much money he can squeeze out of the AD as he knows the fans would riot if Bama let him get away.