Nor '77. Bama and ND both go 11-1. Bama opens season on 9/10 with a 34-13 win over Ole Miss. On 9/17, both ND and Bama suffer their only loss. Both on the road. ND 13-20 in Jackson to the same Ole Miss that would go 5-6 on the season. Bama 24-31 in Lincoln to Nebraska that would go 9-3 on the season.Not as bad as them intentionally running out the clock to tie Michigan State in 66 only to be named National Champs at 9-0-1 while we were 11-0 and finished third. I'll never forget that injustice.
I was 12 at the time, that was my first life lesson...that life is not always fair.Not as bad as them intentionally running out the clock to tie Michigan State in 66 only to be named National Champs at 9-0-1 while we were 11-0 and finished third. I'll never forget that injustice.
Bryant had a priest from the campus Catholic Church on the sideline of the '73 Sugar Bowl. He was out-gunned.The oldtimers will remember this story, but the younger folks might enjoy it.
When Perkins was coach, Bama had a regular season home game scheduled against Notre Dang. Before coming to Bama, Perkins had been a pro coach in New York City, where he had made friends with a Catholic Nun.
So Perkins flew his Nun friend in for the game, to make certain we wouldn't be out-prayed.
The 1973 team was one of my favorites- was 11 years old-- I moved back to Alabama from Boston in the middle of that 1973 season. Got to attend my first Bama games--Homecoming Miami, Fla and then the Auburn game 35-0 at Legion Field. Did not get to watch the 1973 Tenn vs Bama game on TV while in Boston because they preempted it with an Ivy league game. I was mad--called the Boston TV station multiple times and demanded they switch to the Bama vs Tennessee game, but to no avail.I was 12 at the time, that was my first life lesson...that life is not always fair.
When the 1973 game arrived, I was halfway thru school in T-town, and had moved to Chicago. I watched that game with a roomful of Yankees pulling against Bama, it was horrible.
And then came that Orange Bowl.
In South Bend, there is a famous Sports Bar, with all kinds of Notre Dang stuff. They also had Coach Bryant's picture on the wall. Notre Dang people would smirk about it, and say he got put up there because they respected him, but everybody knew they saw his picture there as more of a scalp they had taken.
This is Saban's chance to wrap up the most glaring thing Coach Bryant left undone...beat Notre Dang for a National Championship.
I don't blame ND for those seasons. They played their schedule; we played ours. Blaming ND for what the voters did is like getting mad at the guy your girlfriend leaves you for: unless that guy was your friend, the girl is the one you have an issue with...Nor '77. Bama and ND both go 11-1. Bama opens season on 9/10 with a 34-13 win over Ole Miss. On 9/17, both ND and Bama suffer their only loss. Both on the road. ND 13-20 in Jackson to the same Ole Miss that would go 5-6 on the season. Bama 24-31 in Lincoln to Nebraska that would go 9-3 on the season.
If ND had lost only to Iowa State last year, they would have been in the BCSNCG.
I fail to see where either Alasippi or I blamed ND for what the voters did.I don't blame ND for those seasons. They played their schedule; we played ours. Blaming ND for what the voters did is like getting mad at the guy your girlfriend leaves you for: unless that guy was your friend, the girl is the one you have an issue with...
Agreed....I was just trying to say "we owe them"I fail to see where either Alasippi or I blamed ND for what the voters did.
After losing the Miss St game (6-3 in 1980 iirc), I asked a priest if it was ok to pray for a team to win a football game. He said you could but it would be kind of silly. Then he paused a bit... he said well it would be a good thing to pray for Notre Dame. He said he was kidding around but at the time I kind of took him seriously. So, I just decided no more praying for any team. You either win it or you don't.The oldtimers will remember this story, but the younger folks might enjoy it.
When Perkins was coach, Bama had a regular season home game scheduled against Notre Dang. Before coming to Bama, Perkins had been a pro coach in New York City, where he had made friends with a Catholic Nun.
So Perkins flew his Nun friend in for the game, to make certain we wouldn't be out-prayed.