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1966 Team - Possible extra motivation for our team to 3-peat??

Just Win

Just Win

All-SEC
Dec 22, 2003
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Sorry if this idea was already posted, but i did look through several pages and didn't see anything on it.

Keith Dunnavant is a member of this site. As most of you probably know, Keith is the author of The Missing Ring, a book about how the undefeated 1966 Tide football team was shunned from their 3rd straight national title due mostly to northern sportswriters not voting for us because of the racial tensions in Alabama at the time. It had nothing to do with football, otherwise we would have 3-peated that year. I know this 2013 team has it's own goals and motivations to win and be the best that they can be, and Saban is not one of those "get one for the Gipper" type coaches, but I still think it would be cool when we get to the 3 critical games left (Auburn, potential SECCG, and potential BCSNCG) to have a few of those guys from the 1966 team speak to our team about what it would mean for them to get redemption for that ring/trophy we were robbed of by a mob of biased voters 47 years ago. If we make it to the BCSNCG it would also be cool to have those guys present at the game and/or be recognized in some way after we win. Don't get me wrong, I realize they don't have anything to do with this years team, but I just think if we were lucky enough to bring home the trophy, I for one would love to have a university sponsored photo of this years team and the living 1966 players in one of the photos with them, or honored in some way. Maybe Keith could be involved and help organize something if we get to that point. Anybody else agree?

But of course, first things first, let's beat the Cowbell out of Mittittippi Tate.

Roll Tide!
 
T

Tideflyer

Hall of Fame
Dec 14, 2011
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Just Win said:
Sorry if this idea was already posted, but i did look through several pages and didn't see anything on it.

Keith Dunnavant is a member of this site. As most of you probably know, Keith is the author of The Missing Ring, a book about how the undefeated 1966 Tide football team was shunned from their 3rd straight national title due mostly to northern sportswriters not voting for us because of the racial tensions in Alabama at the time. It had nothing to do with football, otherwise we would have 3-peated that year. I know this 2013 team has it's own goals and motivations to win and be the best that they can be, and Saban is not one of those "get one for the Gipper" type coaches, but I still think it would be cool when we get to the 3 critical games left (Auburn, potential SECCG, and potential BCSNCG) to have a few of those guys from the 1966 team speak to our team about what it would mean for them to get redemption for that ring/trophy we were robbed of by a mob of biased voters 47 years ago. If we make it to the BCSNCG it would also be cool to have those guys present at the game and/or be recognized in some way after we win. Don't get me wrong, I realize they don't have anything to do with this years team, but I just think if we were lucky enough to bring home the trophy, I for one would love to have a university sponsored photo of this years team and the living 1966 players in one of the photos with them, or honored in some way. Maybe Keith could be involved and help organize something if we get to that point. Anybody else agree?

But of course, first things first, let's beat the Cowbell out of Mittittippi Tate.

Roll Tide!
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As one who remembers well how we felt as Ara played for the tie, knowing at that moment that we`d probably be shut out of the national championship, I think that it would be awesome.
 
JIB

JIB

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Read "The Missing Ring". That was just an abomination. Imagine Bama winning out this year and FSU and OSU making it to Pasadena while Bama gets left out and you'll have an idea of how unjust 1966 was.

I say this as someone that wasn't around in the 1960s. I can only imagine how much folks that remember those days hate Notre Dame.
 
Just Win

Just Win

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bamafaninOhiO said:
I dont think that would resonate with the 18-22 year olds on theis years team nearly as much as it does the fans who were living during that time.
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You might be surprised how mature some of them are from learning life lessons and responsibility from Saban and staff, and if it was an emotional from the heart type of moment they share, maybe like in a locker room before the iron bowl, or after the SECCG or something like that. Anyway, i really think it would be more cool to recognize or involve those guys in some way, even if it was the 1966 guys thanking this years team at a BDS celebration event after the title.

But i do recognize this is all too early. We have work to do before any of this could occur. No cart before horse.
 
theBIGyowski

theBIGyowski

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I would think it would be more fitting to have that team present at a championship celebration in Tuscaloosa more than at the game itself...since that game will be for the current players more so than the '66 team.

I have read The Missing Ring twice as well as a few other historical Alabama Football books from the era...and the biggest thing I took away from it was the class that Coach Bryant had and the way he handled it.

If we are going to talk about the '66 team we'll probably want to throw the '77 team in there too...since they would have been the beginning of a 3-peat that never was.
 
T

Tideflyer

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JIB said:
Read "The Missing Ring". That was just an abomination. Imagine Bama winning out this year and FSU and OSU making it to Pasadena while Bama gets left out and you'll have an idea of how unjust 1966 was.

I say this as someone that wasn't around in the 1960s. I can only imagine how much folks that remember those days hate Notre Dame.
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Trust me.... to the bone...... to this day. That`s why last year was sooooo sweet to us "older guys".
 
B1GTide

B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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CHATTBRIT said:
Revenge should be served cold.
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How would a 3rd championship this year make up for anything that happened 47 years ago. Yeah - 47 years.

Most of the people connected with the teams and polls in 1966 are dead (as is Notre Dame :wink:).
 
A

AgentAntiOrange

1st Team
Dec 30, 2009
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Norman, OK
I can appreciate the intended sentiment and I'd be fine with some sort of commemorative thing that involved anyone we have left from the '66 team but for now...IMHO....the focus should be about the never ending push forward as opposed to any looking back.
 
westide

westide

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Jan 22, 2011
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In light of what happened in 1966, beating ND for the BCS NC was even more enjoyable.
 
theBIGyowski

theBIGyowski

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To be fair...

the 1973 team had a shot at "revenge" against ND in the Sugar Bowl...and then again in the 1975 Orange Bowl...but neither Tide team won

So given that the 2013 BCSCG was the first time since those back-to-back losses in "championship games" for us to right what was wronged...I would say Alabama got payback for those games.

because the 1966 team was straight up denied...and didn't actually lose to ND...they can never truly get what they deserve...but they had the respect and admiration of their Coach...which was more than anything a group of biased voters could ever give them
 
FitToBeTide

FitToBeTide

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Aug 19, 2001
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It's an interesting idea, involving that team. However, 3-peating or involving the '66 team members at some level isn't going to provide personal closure to that egregious deed the voting press treated us to back then. Beating the domers in the NCG did as much as anything to treat the wound for me, short of a public apology by the entire voting northern press responsible for it, if any were even alive now.
 
M

mittman

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Jun 19, 2009
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bamafaninOhiO said:
I dont think that would resonate with the 18-22 year olds on theis years team nearly as much as it does the fans who were living during that time.
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I do think they get it some. I doubt a day goes by that the team does not hear something about some reason they are being depended upon to right some wrong.

However, I do think they are given better motivation than some 40 some odd year old slight. In fact I think it is misplaced to put that kind of thing on them. As much as I as one of those geezer fans enjoyed seeing Texas and Notre Dame get whipped, I am more happy for the players having all of their hard work pay off.

They have played their way into earning an opportunity to make their own history. That alone should be celebrated. IMO The way Coach Saban helps them handle the success is better. Teaching to fight against complacency, teaching to do everything the right way every time has a far greater value as a motivational factor than the type of motivation being suggested here.
 
K

Keith Dunnavant

1st Team
Sep 14, 2010
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Interesting idea. It would be great to have the '66 guys acknowledged in some way, if and when the threepeat happens. They are a rather unique bunch. I know many of them felt a sense of special pride on the day of the climactic win last year.
 
M

MBA_99

1st Team
Jan 11, 2010
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Great point, but I don't think a player can ever practice or play harder for a BCSNCG than they already are. It's not like you say, "OK, I can do one more rep for the '66 team!". I think you mean "Probable extra satisfaction for the fans and players".
 
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