Do you remember the down years for Alabama football?

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
I say the Dubose era was the low point, because he is the one that created the Shula era. And people had a fax campaign to get him hired!
 

bamaee04

All-SEC
Nov 15, 2004
1,237
105
82
Birmingham, AL
Considering I was a student from the Fall of 1998 and graduated in May 2004, I totally remember the down years during that time frame. It only makes me appreciate that much more what has been accomplished during Saban's tenure.
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,318
31,033
187
Beautiful Cullman, AL
I believe it rained in both the 1997 and 1998 MSU games.
I KNOW it did in the latter one because I was in the stands at Cowbell Hell, and we never showed up to play AT ALL.

I'm 99% sure it did in 1997. That morning we had a Hospital Open House, and I competed in a talent show that afternoon.....which is why I only saw a few minutes of our game.
But given I was only an hour west of there and it was pouring, I'm pretty sure it rained in 97 as well.
It did rain in 1997. And it was a cold rain. I believe that was the only game my mother ever went to. So it was my dad, mom, and me. We stayed until just after halftime, and daddy couldn't take anymore. Of course, me being a kid, I just knew we were going to turn it around and figure out a way to win, and the cold and rain didn't bother me. Still, we left and went to a Crackel Barrel to eat and warm up. Little did I know at the time how badly DuBose would be at "figuring out a way to win."
 

Tide&True

All-American
Sep 24, 2004
4,636
2,243
182
Murfreesboro, TN
This is a very good offseason topic. Let me just say...losing to MSU during the Shula years really hurt bad. I can still remember how I felt...I hope that never happens again...ever!!!


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mlh

All-American
Apr 28, 2004
3,093
1,306
182
It's always good to get through the SEC Meetings in Destin without hearing "It's rolling, baby!"
 

mlh

All-American
Apr 28, 2004
3,093
1,306
182
I remember seeing a student wearing a T-shirt during the Shula years that read: Tuscaloosa, a drinking town with a football problem.
 

davefrat

Hall of Fame
Jun 4, 2002
5,264
4,116
282
Hopewell, VA
I remember them all too well...and I have to remind my youngest (10 in August) that he probably won't ever again experience a run of success like we've had during his lifetime to this point.
 

davefrat

Hall of Fame
Jun 4, 2002
5,264
4,116
282
Hopewell, VA
I say the Dubose era was the low point, because he is the one that created the Shula era. And people had a fax campaign to get him hired!
i was having a beer with some buddies at Phil's on the strip and the news came around asking people what they thought about hiring Dubose as HC...I recall us all saying "We're going to need a lot more beer."
 

AlexanderFan

Hall of Fame
Jul 23, 2004
11,217
7,737
187
Birmingham
What I remember the most was going blow for blow with the big boys of the time only to slowly fade. I remember in the beginning thinking we could pull it out, just one play and we’ve got this. Slowly as time went on reality sunk in and I began to wait for the lynchpin play that would seal us coming up just short of what could’ve been a program reviving victory. This was the birth of Shula-itis.


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TRU

All-SEC
Oct 3, 2000
1,467
193
187
Tampa, FL
Yes of course. And I remember all of the off the field nonsense as vividly as the on the field atrocities.

I remember the little jingles Paul Finebaum, or someone from his show, would write as parodies of whatever was going on. For example, "Country Roads, take Mike home" was sung to the tune of the John Denver song "Country Roads." The parody was about firing Mike DuBose.

I remember fRAN, feeling like we'd hired a winner, and then being to utterly let down when he left everyone hanging.

I remember the Price debacle as if it happened yesterday.

Then the perfect mediocrity of the Shula years.

Yes, I remember the down years very well.
"Go on home...
Mike Dubose..
To the place you belong...
Back to Opp, Alabama....
Go on home...
Mike Dubose...."
 

Al A Bama

Hall of Fame
Jun 24, 2011
6,658
934
132
I started in 1957. I think we won one and tied one...
And lost to the Barn 40 to 0. I've hated, well disliked to the nth degree, the Barn since that game. Oh, but Coach Bryant was coming to town soon, real soon.

The "Ears" years had to be the very WORST in Alabama Crimson Tide history.
 

ALA2262

All-American
Aug 4, 2007
4,977
393
102
Cumming, GA
And lost to the Barn 40 to 0. I've hated, well disliked to the nth degree, the Barn since that game. Oh, but Coach Bryant was coming to town soon, real soon.

The "Ears" years had to be the very WORST in Alabama Crimson Tide history.
That shutout to the barn was the eleventh in his three years. Bama couldn't score, much less win. In the sixty one seasons since then, Bama has been shutout......eleven times.
 

CoolBreeze

Hall of Fame
Sep 18, 2002
8,632
7,806
287
57
Hoover
Nice thread. I read all 5 pages and man there is some good stuff. Makes one really appreciate what we have now that's for sure.
 

FitToBeTide

All-American
Aug 19, 2001
4,214
834
237
St. Florian
And lost to the Barn 40 to 0. I've hated, well disliked to the nth degree, the Barn since that game. Oh, but Coach Bryant was coming to town soon, real soon.

The "Ears" years had to be the very WORST in Alabama Crimson Tide history.
As decades go, Ears was a major contributor to the worst in our history: 1950-1960, when we rang it up at 58-49-12. Even in the worst of times, we still won more than we lost.
 
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TideMan09

Hall of Fame
Jan 17, 2009
12,194
1,180
187
Anniston, Alabama
Dang..This thread just reminded me as to just how much I truly hate the viles & just how much I enjoy watching them struggle just to have a winning season in football..It couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch..
 

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