Link: WSJ Article with Mrs. Terry: Bama fans are unappreciative, but we're not leaving

[We_are_Bama]

Let's re-read it.



This is the article's face-value reference to the Red Elephant Club, which is a real thing. They describe themselves thus: "We are an elite group of individuals who will support the University of Alabama Football Program enthusiastically and wholeheartedly in a manner that will showcase our first class organization displaying the pride and tradition of the University of Alabama. We will provide donations to assist with funding football scholarships. We will strive to support our current and former football athletes as well as our football coaching staff in any possible way."

Auburn's paranoid fantasy version of the Red Elephant Club (if ITAT is a guide) is more along the lines of "secret criminal society committed to controlling world affairs by masterminding events and planting agents in government, corporations, and media to gain further political power and influence, with blatant disregard for laws and NCAA rules, and whose chief objective is to to keep Auburn down"

The idea that a reference to the Red Elephant Club is evidence that Auburn planted this article is more like paranoid fantasy than objectivity.

I didn't know that there was a real Red Elephant Club. Oh well. There goes my theory! :redface:

 

[KrAzY3]

The article said a lot, and really, the "journalist" said a lot. In some ways it is entirely fair to ignore some of the "journalism", but it's also not fair to really judge Terry on what could have very easily been edited comments. It's sadly commonplace for people to participate in an article, that turns out to be very negative about them, and obviously they wouldn't have done so had they been aware. So, I am going to continue with the somewhat unfair theme of taking what could have been edited comments from Terry, and to go with the so called journalist's interpretation of them. I'm talking about fan support and attendance.

I think context absolutely matters in this entire debate. I've seen the other side enough to understand and appreciate how some Alabama fans respond negatively, because they have gone to great lengths, and they might feel like that one time they slipped out early for something important, makes them the target of criticism. I don't think anything Nick or Terry said, or that even I said for that matter was intended to target those loyal Alabama fans that have to leave with 5 minutes to go in the game because of a child or something.

I personally didn't really "get it" myself, until Nick Saban said that A-Day game attendance helped him land the #1 recruiting class. Then, I got it, we're not just going to the game to be entertained, to watch Alabama play, we're part of it. We're there to support the entire process and if we do a good job, we're helping and if we do a poor job, we're hurting. I don't even think any of this really applies to people that are more than a couple hours away from Tuscaloosa, there's plenty of fans in the Birmingham area, there's more than enough to fill that stadium up each time, and there's enough students to fill a heck of a lot of seats to. We have some people from Virginia, or Texas or what ever, that take exception but it's something else entirely when someone heads back to Birmingham in the third quarter because they don't want to miss supper, contrasted with someone who has traveled from a couple of states away (in that case why on earth would they dream of leaving early?).

To me this is mainly talking about the students, and to some extent the local area season ticket holders who simply are not very excitable. In that context, we've seen remarks from Nick, from Terry, from players, and from recruits, that in some way or another allude to the importance of showing up and cheering, yes, even for A-Day, even for a "glorified scrimmage". Things were at a tipping point after the Arkansas game. The stadium cleared out in the third quarter, and this is a traditional football power! This isn't a nobody, this is a top 25 all time football program! The realization that fans won't stick around for that game, meant that suddenly you only had one or two games a year you could count on fan support for. Only one or two games a year you can get a big game atmosphere, only one or two games a year you can invite recruits. That's a problem! On the flip side, it seems fans did get the message and for the LSU game they literally had the stadium rocking! The two paths are clear, and as Kevin Norwood said after the LSU game (about the atmosphere), "That's how it should be every game".

I took a couple of pictures from the Chattanooga game, and I think that they ended up showing the contract between what unappreciative and appreciative looks like. Remember, this was Senior Day, this was AJ's final home game, this was Norwood's final home game, this was an important day for these players and their families.

This shot was unintentional, I took a picture in the second half, and well I was holding the camera out in front of me and got the crowd by accident. When I downloaded the pictures I was alarmed by what I saw. This, to me is what "unappreciative" looks like.

The second shot is actually a little over 40 minutes later. You look at that picture, and in the distance you see even more empty seats, but you also can see right in front of me what appreciation looks like. I can't for the life of me understand why fans wouldn't want that kind of atmosphere, why they'd prefer empty seats and slow walks back to their cars, over being in a stadium and enjoying every moment. Each of us that stays, and cheers, we don't just make it better for the team, we make it better for ourselves! What if that guy has no one to high five? What if he ended up in a section where everyone left?

(sorry for the size of this post)

 

[TideHiFlyer]

If the Sabans need to learn anything about where we are as a culture, where we are as a society, they need to learn that today it is solely about winning. So regardless of the contribution of a coach towards helping players "develop", if they lose the coach "leaves early". If the team wins, the fans leave "early". If you need to feel appreciated in today's society, you've got a big problem. Today's society is all about "what have you done for ME lately". Its not Bama fans, it our society. There you have it.

 

[bamabelle1991]

I took a couple of pictures from the Chattanooga game, and I think that they ended up showing the contract between what unappreciative and appreciative looks like.

I had several people offer me free tickets and had it not been for the wicked antibiotic I was taking this weekend, we would have been there. Those pictures make me VERY SAD. And MAD.

 

[bamabelle1991]

Interesting that I received this message from the U of A today...I'm sure most of you who are alumni did, too. Coincidence? I think not. :frown:

http://emailtemplates.ua.edu/advancement/thanksgiving-2013/

 

[MOAN]

I think after the initial shock of the article has worn off and the reality of the thing has settled in we Tide fans are in overwhelming support and appreciation for the Sabans and what they have brought us. Even the most loving families have disagreements and quarrels not to say that is what we are having here but you know!

I think maybe its time to refocus on whats really important this week and onward, this is ancient history for us now! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!

 

[Lost in TN]

REMAIN CALM! ALL IS WELL!!!!!

 

[B1GTide]

I said it about 10 pages back, and I'll say it again: I don't really want to hear or read about Alabama fans' high expectations when Saban constantly talks about his own high expectations and the standard the team has..

Saban's expectations have nothing to do with wins. The fans' expectations have everything to do with wins. There is a huge difference.

 

[RTR91]

I took a couple of pictures from the Chattanooga game, and I think that they ended up showing the contract between what unappreciative and appreciative looks like. Remember, this was Senior Day, this was AJ's final home game, this was Norwood's final home game, this was an important day for these players and their families.

This shot was unintentional, I took a picture in the second half, and well I was holding the camera out in front of me and got the crowd by accident. When I downloaded the pictures I was alarmed by what I saw. This, to me is what "unappreciative" looks like.

Look at the upper deck. That's not the student section. Let's not act like this is only the students.

The second shot is actually a little over 40 minutes later. You look at that picture, and in the distance you see even more empty seats, but you also can see right in front of me what appreciation looks like. I can't for the life of me understand why fans wouldn't want that kind of atmosphere, why they'd prefer empty seats and slow walks back to their cars, over being in a stadium and enjoying every moment. Each of us that stays, and cheers, we don't just make it better for the team, we make it better for ourselves! What if that guy has no one to high five? What if he ended up in a section where everyone left?

(sorry for the size of this post)

I cannot see the upper deck in this picture to judge the general admission fans, but I do see plenty of empty red chairs behind the Bama bench. Those aren't that noticeable because they're read and not silver.

Some seem to just want to dismiss this article while others are at least taking a side. To those who favor dismissing it, please read BET's post again.

 

[cbi1972]

 

[RTR91]

Saban's expectations have nothing to do with wins. The fans' expectations have everything to do with wins. There is a huge difference.

Really? That's why there was so little concern after the Va Tech or the Texas A&M or the Colorado State game this year, right?

Saban's expectations are to meet the standard he and the players have. That standard is to give 100%. When that standard is met, the team is going to win.

 

[B1GTide]

If the Sabans need to learn anything about where we are as a culture, where we are as a society, they need to learn that today it is solely about winning. So regardless of the contribution of a coach towards helping players "develop", if they lose the coach "leaves early". If the team wins, the fans leave "early". If you need to feel appreciated in today's society, you've got a big problem. Today's society is all about "what have you done for ME lately". Its not Bama fans, it our society. There you have it.

We make our own choices. We are responsible for our actions. We can't lay this at the feet of anyone or anything else.

 

[B1GTide]

Really? That's why there was so little concern after the Va Tech or the Texas A&M or the Colorado State game this year, right?

Saban's expectations are to meet the standard he and the players have. That standard is to give 100%. When that standard is met, the team is going to win.

So you would be fine with a 3 win team if that was the best that those players were capable of?

 

[RTR91]

So you would be fine with a 3 win team if that was the best that those players were capable of?

Nope not at all. No one would. Nick Saban wouldn't because he wouldn't have gotten the best players when recruiting, which means he wouldn't have met his own expectations for himself as a coach.

 

[B1GTide]

Nope not at all. No one would. Nick Saban wouldn't because he wouldn't have gotten the best players when recruiting, which means he wouldn't have met his own expectations for himself as a coach.

You are adding conditions - My question was simple.

 

[KrAzY3]

I cannot see the upper deck in this picture to judge the general admission fans, but I do see plenty of empty red chairs behind the Bama bench. Those aren't that noticeable because they're read and not silver..

I'm sorry if I said anything to give the impression it was only students. I've never intended to convey that, this is on fans in general, I just believe a bulk of the people that don't show up/leave early, are the locals. There were 5 or 6 empty seats next to me, and as I understand it, not all of the general admission seats were sold. Without a doubt, there were empty seats everywhere, and it got a lot worse starting halfway through the third quarter. I'd say the stadium was at least half empty by the end of the game, but having said that, the student section was never close to being full. It was bad weather, but it was a sad showing for the fans on Senior Day.

The key here to me is that for some schools, the students are the ones that drive up the enthusiasm, but for Alabama it is the opposite. They are a damper, they didn't even fill up their section for last year's Auburn game. Sadly most people are sheep, and if people around them leave, or don't show enthusiasm, they leave, or don't show enthusiasm. Every game can be like the LSU game if fans show that level of enthusiasm.

 

[Aledinho]

I didn't know that there was a real Red Elephant Club. Oh well. There goes my theory! :redface:

There isn't and don't you forget it.

 

[RTR91]

You are adding conditions - My question was simple.

No I'm not. I answered your question. Do you honestly believe Nick Saban would have a team win only 3 games and be satisfied with his coaching or his assistants?

 

[wishbonedays]

If I missed something already posted about the following, my apologies...but after reading the article and seeing her twitter profile, maybe she's still mad about CNS leaving Michigan State


Sharon Terlep
@sharonterlep
WSJ sports investigative and enterprise reporter.
Michigan native.
Opinions here are those of a Spartan.

Is she the same WSJ reporter that Finebaum used to have on his show? IF she is, she was always angry, so this would not be a surprising take from someone still PO's that Coach Saban left her Spartans...again, If I've missed something somewhere my apologies, but that's the way it looks from my screen...

 

[B1GTide]

No I'm not. I answered your question. Do you honestly believe Nick Saban would have a team win only 3 games and be satisfied with his coaching or his assistants?

I said nothing about Saban.