Auburn Now Claims They Won The 1983 National Championship (And Two Others)

selmaborntidefan

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(We were discussing the 1983 controversy over on the Pat Dye thread. Irony of ironies).

http://deadspin.com/auburn-consider...r-four-nationa-1513171553/1577569667/+barryap

What we have here people is proof positive of the Little Brother Syndrome. Basically, Auburn had to come up with a way to compete with Alabama in recruiting (not including the Auburn incentive program, 4 years same as cash) and after a century of denying that national championships exist has decided that they won titles in 1913, 1983, and 1993. We must wonder, of course, why they spent 30 years complaining about 1983 when it turns out they actually won it.

But here's the deal - Auburn, you can count it any way you want to. Jay Jacobs was suggesting they'd claim up to seven more but here's the problem: NO MATTER HOW YOU COUNT IT CONSISTENTLY, YOU HAVE FAR FEWER THAN ALABAMA.

And you're never going to catch us. You're never going to win 3 out of 4 titles and you're never going to beat our overall bowl wins record, our SEC titles, or our national prestige.

But here's the funny one - Alabama does not count obscure nonsense post-1936 with one sole exception that bugs most fans, 1941. Auburn has decided that despite the fact the two recognized pollsters in 1983 were AP and UPI, they are going to fixate on the fact the NY Times picked then number one. Fwiw - the Times picked 9-1-1 Florida as champion in 1984 (when they dodged a bowl game as part of a pending probation) but the Gators at least have enough integrity not to claim something so spurious.

And 1993? Are you folks serious? You won ONE-THIRD of a lower level nobody's poll and that's worth a championship banner?

Which does beg an interesting question to me - are you going to invite Terry Bowden back for the banner raising this fall?
 

CrimsonForce

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(We were discussing the 1983 controversy over on the Pat Dye thread. Irony of ironies).

http://deadspin.com/auburn-consider...r-four-nationa-1513171553/1577569667/+barryap

What we have here people is proof positive of the Little Brother Syndrome. Basically, Auburn had to come up with a way to compete with Alabama in recruiting (not including the Auburn incentive program, 4 years same as cash) and after a century of denying that national championships exist has decided that they won titles in 1913, 1983, and 1993. We must wonder, of course, why they spent 30 years complaining about 1983 when it turns out they actually won it.

But here's the deal - Auburn, you can count it any way you want to. Jay Jacobs was suggesting they'd claim up to seven more but here's the problem: NO MATTER HOW YOU COUNT IT CONSISTENTLY, YOU HAVE FAR FEWER THAN ALABAMA.

And you're never going to catch us. You're never going to win 3 out of 4 titles and you're never going to beat our overall bowl wins record, our SEC titles, or our national prestige.

But here's the funny one - Alabama does not count obscure nonsense post-1936 with one sole exception that bugs most fans, 1941. Auburn has decided that despite the fact the two recognized pollsters in 1983 were AP and UPI, they are going to fixate on the fact the NY Times picked then number one. Fwiw - the Times picked 9-1-1 Florida as champion in 1984 (when they dodged a bowl game as part of a pending probation) but the Gators at least have enough integrity not to claim something so spurious.

And 1993? Are you folks serious? You won ONE-THIRD of a lower level nobody's poll and that's worth a championship banner?

Which does beg an interesting question to me - are you going to invite Terry Bowden back for the banner raising this fall?
I saw that yesterday and could hardly believe it. I'm really glad we've won 3 outright non-disputed NC's in the past few years. No matter how you count them now we have the most. That shut a lot of people up who would make fun of us for claiming so many.
 

AgentAntiOrange

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So trying to stay objective and not just bashing them because it's AU....the problem is that we've ALWAYS claimed our titles. I'm not conceding that some of ours aren't justified or anything, but some are certainly up for public debate. However, we claimed them at the time, and we've always claimed them ever since. There are years that the NCAA recognizes that we named champs by some services that we don't claim.

But to 1)retroactively claim titles is ridiculous for anyone and everyone. Would we ever claim 1966? I hope not even though I certainly feel that we should have won it. IMHO, this is just an embarrassingly grotesque sign of inferiority--and that goes for any school that does this...not just AU.

And 2)to do it in a modern year in just unfathomable to me. How long have we had at least a "standard" for recognizing NC's? 40 years? Once both the AP and UPI adopted the format of naming NC's after the bowl season then the only time there was dispute was if they differed in their opinions. Obviously, the BCS process reduced the argument even more. How can you possiby claim a NC in a year when you weren't eligible to play for it at a time when everyone accepted that the NC was determined by post season results? This, IMHO, is nothing short of dishonest. It is openly a lie concocted for no reason other than the fact that they have been unable to hold the ground that they gained on their in state rival during the 80's and 90's.

The saddest part of all of this is that if AU sticks to this lie then, eventually, talk will die down, people will forget and many kids will only know that AU says they won X number of titles and won't question it. I don't much care about the pre-1936 stuff--who knows who was or wasn't qualified to name NC's in an era when so few schools played outside of their geographical region--but the 1983 and 1993 claims are a farce.
 

CrimsonNagus

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Well, the positive side of this means that they can't complain about our championships if they are going to do the same thing.

I'm not saying any of ours are bogus, just that there right to complain disappears with this move. Likewise, I don't think we can complain because there is one, maybe 2 of ours that are questionable. I don't know much about 1913 and 1983 doesn't bother me. 1993 is a stretch since they were on probation and really doesn't make much sense. How could you win it if you weren't eligible to play. No matter what, it won't help them beat us in recruiting and it will never give them more NCs then Bama.
 
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81usaf92

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To be honest 04 to me was probably the best Auburn team that they have had in my life time, and was the most legit claim between the 93 and 04 since USC was disqualified and Oklahoma was trounced. don't know much about the 83 except Miami beat Nebraska since osbourne was above settling for a tie.
 

GP for Bama

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Well, the positive side of this means that they can't complain about our championships if they are going to do the same thing.

I'm not saying any of ours are bogus, just that there right to complain disappears with this move. Likewise, I don't think we can complain because there is one, maybe 2 of ours that are questionable. I don't know much about 1913 and 1983 doesn't bother me. 1993 is a stretch since they were on probation and really doesn't make much sense. How could you win it if you weren't eligible to play. No matter what, it won't help them beat us in recruiting and it will never give them more NCs then Bama.
Ours are all legit and documented....with the exception of '41.
 

TUSKtimes

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To be honest 04 to me was probably the best Auburn team that they have had in my life time, and was the most legit claim between the 93 and 04 since USC was disqualified and Oklahoma was trounced. don't know much about the 83 except Miami beat Nebraska since osbourne was above settling for a tie.
Frankly, when I think about the talent on those Bo Jackson wishbone teams, you have to shake your head and wonder how they missed out. Then I recall dye starting that nervous cough every time the bigger games came up. Then I remember why.
 

BigBama76

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Frankly, when I think about the talent on those Bo Jackson wishbone teams, you have to shake your head and wonder how they missed out. Then I recall dye starting that nervous cough every time the bigger games came up. Then I remember why.
The reason they didn't get it in 83 was because Dye choked in the Sugar Bowl against Michigan. They basically played not to lose hoping they might get a shot at claiming #1.
 

selmaborntidefan

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Frankly, when I think about the talent on those Bo Jackson wishbone teams, you have to shake your head and wonder how they missed out. Then I recall dye starting that nervous cough every time the bigger games came up. Then I remember why.
That's a great point. Look at the following:

1984 - start number one, lose first two games to Miami and Texas; ready to back into the Sugar Bowl and somehow lose to 4-6 Alabama

1985 - number one in the country after two games, they play Tennessee and get pancaked; lose the Iron Bowl on Van Tiffin's kick, then lose the Cotton Bowl to Texas A/M

1986 - leading the SEC and on their way to a title, they lose to Florida - with the game-winning kick coming off the foot of transfer Robert McGinty, who Dye wouldn't let kick the chipshot in the 1984 IB; they did, however, beat us that year. The first real big game Dye had won since 1983

1987 - at number six in the country and playing FSU at home, they get ripped, 34-6; in the Sugar Bowl, Dye intentionally plays for a tie against Syracuse that costs the Orangemen a claim at the national title.

1988 - leading the entire game, Auburn gives up a TD drive to LSU that registers on the Richter scale and costs the Tigers a legitimate national title shot; in the bowl game, they lose on late controversial non-pass interference call against Deion Sanders

1989 - Dye loses to both ranked opponents he plays the first two months (Vols and FSU), then narrowly holds off Florida; he does, however, beat Alabama in the infamous "first time ever" at Jerkin-Hare

1990 - poised to jump to number one after everyone else ahead of them loses on November 3, Auburn implodes and loses to Spurrier, 48-7. From this date onward, Auburn's overall record under Dye was 12-15 with 0 conference titles, a narrow Peach Bowl win, and three probations under Dye's AD watch (b-ball, tennis, football) and an 0-3 record in the Iron Bowl.


I never thought about it until you brought it up but after getting hosed in 1983, Dye's overall record in BIG GAMES was 2-13-1. They won enough games to win three straight SEC titles but very few BIG ones after 1983.

Gus Malzahn won as many big games in back-to-back contests last year as Dye did his final ten years as a coach.
 

TrampLineman

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Honestly I could care less how many they claim. Let them claim all they want. Until they have more than us (or anyone for that matter) I'm not worried one bit.;)
 

TUSKtimes

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That's a great point. Look at the following:

1984 - start number one, lose first two games to Miami and Texas; ready to back into the Sugar Bowl and somehow lose to 4-6 Alabama

1985 - number one in the country after two games, they play Tennessee and get pancaked; lose the Iron Bowl on Van Tiffin's kick, then lose the Cotton Bowl to Texas A/M

1986 - leading the SEC and on their way to a title, they lose to Florida - with the game-winning kick coming off the foot of transfer Robert McGinty, who Dye wouldn't let kick the chipshot in the 1984 IB; they did, however, beat us that year. The first real big game Dye had won since 1983

1987 - at number six in the country and playing FSU at home, they get ripped, 34-6; in the Sugar Bowl, Dye intentionally plays for a tie against Syracuse that costs the Orangemen a claim at the national title.

1988 - leading the entire game, Auburn gives up a TD drive to LSU that registers on the Richter scale and costs the Tigers a legitimate national title shot; in the bowl game, they lose on late controversial non-pass interference call against Deion Sanders

1989 - Dye loses to both ranked opponents he plays the first two months (Vols and FSU), then narrowly holds off Florida; he does, however, beat Alabama in the infamous "first time ever" at Jerkin-Hare

1990 - poised to jump to number one after everyone else ahead of them loses on November 3, Auburn implodes and loses to Spurrier, 48-7. From this date onward, Auburn's overall record under Dye was 12-15 with 0 conference titles, a narrow Peach Bowl win, and three probations under Dye's AD watch (b-ball, tennis, football) and an 0-3 record in the Iron Bowl.


I never thought about it until you brought it up but after getting hosed in 1983, Dye's overall record in BIG GAMES was 2-13-1. They won enough games to win three straight SEC titles but very few BIG ones after 1983.

Gus Malzahn won as many big games in back-to-back contests last year as Dye did his final ten years as a coach.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Still think about the 2000 ties, MacPherson, Syracuse coach, sent dye after the sugar bowl embarrassment. Sending in that kicker while his players were begging him to go for the win. After the game telling the press, if they wanted to win they should have blocked the field goal attempt. Then said: "I'm going hunting." "Nothing but a winner," was the best description you could hear about coach Bryant. When dye left the Capstone that was obviously something he couldn't pack in his suitcase.

Maybe a lot of his influence was getting the Iron Bowl moved to the barn that has so many still giddy about his accomplishments. Otherwise, no one did less with more.
 

BamaJama17

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1913?? Seriously...if they want to claim 1993 than they should stop complaining about 2011. Of course 1993 they didn't even okay in a bowl game or win the SEC. That is a bigger joke than us and 1941.


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IGetBuckets

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1913?? Seriously...if they want to claim 1993 than they should stop complaining about 2011. Of course 1993 they didn't even okay in a bowl game or win the SEC. That is a bigger joke than us and 1941.


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It is perfect, so very aub - shows they celebrate both the cheating, and success the cheating provides
 

CrimsonTheory

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:biggrin: @ Auburn. Whatever poozers. No matter how many they claimed they'll never be in the class with Bama, and that is something their little tiny brains will never comprehend.
 

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