Jalen Milroe is now the starter going forward.

[jthomas666]

Who is CMS?

Have we been talking about Mike Shula all this time?

 

[TideEngineer08]

Have we been talking about Mike Shula all this time?

 

[TexasBama]

Who is CMS?

Hint: You can put his playbook on one of these

 

[Bamabuzzard]

No I’m basing my conclusion on my observations, not rumor. I have no other conclusion to draw after watching that performance on Saturday than to say this is an emotionless, listless group of players simply going through motions than have little sense of unity or team.

And the FACT (not RUMOR) that a players only meeting was held only ADDS to the credibility to my conclusion..

Finally, it is MY OBSERVATION the past several years that Coach Saban has appeared tired and frustrated. Much of that frustration around simply getting players to “do what they are suppose to do”. At some point you simply decide some things aren’t worth the fight. You simply decide to fight the battles that you can win.

There was no doubt a lot of "effort mistakes" going on Saturday. My 10-year-old and 13-year-old baseball team practiced Sunday afternoon and both groups ran discipline sprints several times for what we call "effort mistakes", mistakes due to a lack of effort. The same body language that is shown at 10 and 13 still shows at 18-21. It probably has nothing to do with who is behind center, but more to do with them not knowing how to handle adversity other than "pouting" or what the old folks call "quitting". Yeah, it's a sad state of affairs and you never want your team to have to deal with it, but I can spot the body language for it a mile away.

 

[tideindc]

I've tried to be responsible and credible and when I have something to say I remember the principle "it's not what you say but how you say it."

My opinion on this matter is based on three things: 1. The eye test (which you might call inference) 2. Facts (things that have happened this season on the field, what happened yesterday. 3. Some discussions with people who know people and discussions with friends (one who is a Mod here).

So, I've hinted at my suspicion the players didn't exactly play with all their heart for either Buchner or Simpson. That's based on all three of the things listed above.

1. What I saw was one of the worst defensive teams in college football looking like the 85 Bears. I watched half-butt efforts to block their OL. I watched OL not help up their QB who just got sacked because they just got beat. I watched our starting RB whiff on a block that got Simpson hit in the back that looked like he should be on the scout team (it's interesting he didn't play much after that and Roydell was the featured back down the stretch). Now, will the team, the LT or RB ever come out and say "Yeah, we decided we'd not play with 100% effort because we didn't want Buchner/Simpson to be the QB?" Of course not...at least not for a long time, but how else do we explain what we saw???

2. The "facts" of what happened or came to light yesterday are mind-numbing. It was revealed yesterday that Jalen was punished for a bad attitude (that's why he sat out of the game), there was a team meeting (about unity), and there was a PC in which CNS announced the player he punished is now the starter. Not only is this the first time I can ever remember CNS tipping his hat to another coach on what he's planning to do on a Monday, but a day after the players had a unity meeting he reinstates what appeared (before these things happened) to be the #3 QB!?!?. These matters, as far we know, happened; they are facts. How do we just ignore them and act as if this is normal for a Bama and CNS team?

3. Finally, people who know people who hear things who have a record of being right have indicated something was amiss Saturday. I won't repeat the exact words I was told, but they believe there was an intentional, apathetic effort giving by some of the players. Add to that there are media people like Ryan Fowler and Josh Pater (who have good reputations) who raised questions about these matters. And a friend that I trust that I talk Bama football with regularly, believes something is off too.

You don't have to agree. It'll never be "confirmed." But since you seem to be asking why I feel how I feel, thems the reasons.

Thank you for this post. It puts into better context, at least for me, this "conspiracy theory" that the players basically took the game off in protest over the Milroe situation. Obviously we may never really know for sure, but it does seem plausible. If this is true, its hard to really give a dam about them the rest of the year.

 

[TexasBama]

Given the way our center snaps the ball, one requirement for playing quarterback is that the QB also has to be able to play shortstop.

 

[TitleWave]

Well I agree Buchner wasn’t a great find but it could have been worse it could have been Thorne…

Hail to the (Commanders), Rudy with a COVID year and penny stock fraud work-release sentence would've been better. Buchner ought to be outlawed in 44 states that have Pop Warner ball.

 

[RTR2u]

I just can't believe this "could" be happening with Alabama football! I mean, geez, I have absolutely no words for this.

CNS has always preached against complacency. Well, now his hands may be tied with the attitude of people having the "I don't give a craps."

NIL, I hate it.

 

[TexasBama]

I didn't remember this - Drake Maye was a Bama commit before he switched to NC

 

[TideEngineer08]

I just can't believe this "could" be happening with Alabama football! I mean, geez, I have absolutely no words for this.

CNS has always preached against complacency. Well, now his hands may be tied with the attitude of people having the "I don't give a craps."

NIL, I hate it.

There are societal issues coming home to roost. It's not just Alabama football and college football in general, that are affected. It's everywhere.

The ability to deal with adversity and disappointment has not be taught and passed on to younger generations for a long time now. It really started with my generation and I am 40. Each passing year, fewer and fewer parents chose to allow their kids to fail - and teach them how to deal with that in a positive way - and we've reached critical mass.

I am convinced of it, dramatic as it may sound.

 

[BamaMoon]

I just can't believe this "could" be happening with Alabama football! I mean, geez, I have absolutely no words for this.

CNS has always preached against complacency. Well, now his hands may be tied with the attitude of people having the "I don't give a craps."

NIL, I hate it.

Yes, NIL is at the heart of this problem, sadly.

I didn't remember this - Drake Maye was a Bama commit before he switched to NC

He was. He was a NC legacy, so it wasn't surprising he decided to stay home.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Unless he quickly realized his behavior was bad and apologized. I don't know if that's what happened but it does seem a bit unusual that a guy that supposedly was upset about not getting all the reps does a complete 180 and in just a few days is excited and congratulating a replacement.

I've seen no proof of it. None. Seems to be just rumor. If you have proof, let's see it! That's for anyone.

 

[BamaMoon]

There are societal issues coming home to roost. It's not just Alabama football and college football in general, that are affected. It's everywhere.

The ability to deal with adversity and disappointment has not be taught and passed on to younger generations for a long time now. It really started with my generation and I am 40. Each passing year, fewer and fewer parents chose to allow their kids to fail - and teach them how to deal with that in a positive way - and we've reached critical mass.

I am convinced of it, dramatic as it may sound.

Just saw the report today that the USA ranks "last" in parents desire to make sure their kids "have good manners."

Guess what USA parents say matter most?

"Independence" = "I, me, my matters most"

"Tolerance" = "everybody is right/authority is neutered"

Do we think these things aren't a part of what's going on in our team?

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

I didn't remember this - Drake Maye was a Bama commit before he switched to NC

His family all went and played football/basketball at UNC though. And IIRC it was all related to the Bryce Young saga. It wasn't likely we would get both Maye and Bryce

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Just saw the report today that the USA ranks "last" in parents desire to make sure their kids "have good manners."

Guess what USA parents say matter most?

"Independence" = "I, me, my matters most"

"Tolerance" = "everybody is right/authority is neutered"

Do we think these things aren't a part of what's going on in our team?

Why would it only be impacting Alabama though.

 

[RTR2u]

There are societal issues coming home to roost. It's not just Alabama football and college football in general, that are affected. It's everywhere.

The ability to deal with adversity and disappointment has not be taught and passed on to younger generations for a long time now. It really started with my generation and I am 40. Each passing year, fewer and fewer parents chose to allow their kids to fail - and teach them how to deal with that in a positive way - and we've reached critical mass.

I am convinced of it, dramatic as it may sound.

You are exactly right. I was an educator for almost 30 years. I saw it daily so I shouldn't be surprised, but here I am.

Giving nothing below a 60 for a grade is going to bite us in a big way. I said it when it was implemented.

 

[HighlandOak]

There are societal issues coming home to roost. It's not just Alabama football and college football in general, that are affected. It's everywhere.

The ability to deal with adversity and disappointment has not be taught and passed on to younger generations for a long time now. It really started with my generation and I am 40. Each passing year, fewer and fewer parents chose to allow their kids to fail - and teach them how to deal with that in a positive way - and we've reached critical mass.

I am convinced of it, dramatic as it may sound.

Similar to what I've been saying . . . All the participation trophy kids have had babies, and this is what we get.

 

[BamaInBham]

When there is a controversial topic then everyone wants to get their shots in before it inevitably goes stale. It encourages a lot of new posters and drive by posters. Many people who do it late are trying to get one in that doesn’t generate an immediate response.

Many late posters do it because that is their first chance, especially when they try to read the thread from the beginning to lessen their ignorance.

 

[CrimSonami]

There are societal issues coming home to roost. It's not just Alabama football and college football in general, that are affected. It's everywhere.

The ability to deal with adversity and disappointment has not be taught and passed on to younger generations for a long time now. It really started with my generation and I am 40. Each passing year, fewer and fewer parents chose to allow their kids to fail - and teach them how to deal with that in a positive way - and we've reached critical mass.

I am convinced of it, dramatic as it may sound.

YOU WIN!!! Drop the mic!

 

[HighlandOak]

Why would it only be impacting Alabama though.

It's everywhere. It would seem that Bama is one of the last to experience it, and it's such a radical departure from what the team mentality was for Saban's first 12 or so years, that is much more noticeable to those of us who follow Bama.