I'm sure there will be some people that want to point fingers, but this team accomplished something remarkable to make it this far. They played a far tougher schedule than any of the other three playoff teams, and unfortunately they limped into the playoffs. The team already had more heroics than one can expect of any team, they didn't have the advantage of coasting through a soft schedule (not to disparage what any other team accomplished). They had all their weaknesses probed, they faced challenge after challenge and just to make it this far says something tremendous. The other teams facing similar challenges didn't.
It's hard to accept for an Alabama Saban team, but this team really wasn't as skilled as some teams in the past. Alabama lacked Barret Jones type seniors. Blake Sims symbolizes a lot of Alabama's fourth and fifth year guys, borderline NFL talent with limited experience. These guys deserve our appreciation, I can name a few who stuck with the team despite injuries, and limited playing time, but it was always going to be a lot to ask them to go out there and play as though they were more skilled and experienced than they might actually be.
This Alabama team lacked experience, and skill, but they didn't lack dedication, they didn't lack talent. They had a good attitude, and they didn't fall apart like Auburn, Miss. State, etc... did. They played through adversity and they hung in there and never gave up.
If one must place blame, why not blame the playoffs themselves? An extra game, against a team far less worthy to be there, talented, yes, but a team that didn't run the same gauntlet, that didn't play with the same level of excellence. Or, perhaps we place no blame, and simply accept that the team accomplished something remarkable, given their experience, given the fact that some of the players who had been there the longer, had the least experience.
I firmly believe that if this game was to be played over, the results could be different. Perhaps Collins doesn't get hurt, perhaps Alabama doesn't have to put a true freshman linebacker out for key plays. That's not how it works though, this is the hand Alabama was dealt and I can't find anyone to be angry with (other than perhaps a few conference presidents). This team was in every single game, they played with grit and determination. I'll remember this team fondly.
It's hard to accept for an Alabama Saban team, but this team really wasn't as skilled as some teams in the past. Alabama lacked Barret Jones type seniors. Blake Sims symbolizes a lot of Alabama's fourth and fifth year guys, borderline NFL talent with limited experience. These guys deserve our appreciation, I can name a few who stuck with the team despite injuries, and limited playing time, but it was always going to be a lot to ask them to go out there and play as though they were more skilled and experienced than they might actually be.
This Alabama team lacked experience, and skill, but they didn't lack dedication, they didn't lack talent. They had a good attitude, and they didn't fall apart like Auburn, Miss. State, etc... did. They played through adversity and they hung in there and never gave up.
If one must place blame, why not blame the playoffs themselves? An extra game, against a team far less worthy to be there, talented, yes, but a team that didn't run the same gauntlet, that didn't play with the same level of excellence. Or, perhaps we place no blame, and simply accept that the team accomplished something remarkable, given their experience, given the fact that some of the players who had been there the longer, had the least experience.
I firmly believe that if this game was to be played over, the results could be different. Perhaps Collins doesn't get hurt, perhaps Alabama doesn't have to put a true freshman linebacker out for key plays. That's not how it works though, this is the hand Alabama was dealt and I can't find anyone to be angry with (other than perhaps a few conference presidents). This team was in every single game, they played with grit and determination. I'll remember this team fondly.
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