Question: Are you ready to feel pride again?

[The Process]

I don't know about all of you but I can't wait to feel true pride again when discussing our team with fans of other SEC teams (GA, LSU, Auburn, FL). Don't get me wrong, I am not ashamed to be an Alabama fan. I wear my colors and support my team week in and week out. I live and breathe Alabama football and I feel confident that we are on the verge of reclaiming our place amongst football's elite ranks. However, I can't stand hearing people dismiss Alabama as a non-factor. I live in GA and have to hear the GA fans here constantly talk about how good there team is and how they're going to take it all home this year. They don't even speak as if Alabama has a chance against them. The truth is that we have been relatively irrelevant over the past few years in the SEC race. GA, LSU, Auburn, and FL have been the big dogs. I'm just ready for us to make our move and take control. I want teams and opposing fans to fear Alabama. I want domination of our opponents!!! Is that too much to ask? I know that I need to be patient but I just really want to feel good about this season and see some significant signs of growth compared to last year. Is this the year that we gain some respect?

 

[crimson fan man]

I just want to see improvement during the season. I know alot of people are expecting us to be better but I am going to see how the season goes. I have to say that I believe Alabama is going to be awesome!!!!!!:biggrin2: Can't help myself. Roll Tide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RTR_UA#1]

I feel better about BAMA's chances this year than I have in years!!
It has seemed for the past several years we all have hoped we could compete and were surprised when we watch the Tide roll over a good team.
NO MORE!!
We have the BEST coach in college football and a team that is FIRED UP and ready to play!!
The TIDE is going to ROLL and I can't wait to see the 2008 team take the field. WE ALL as Tide fans should be as excited as a kid at Christmas.
The Tide is going to show Clemson that they mean business and they had better be ready for a fight on Saturday night.

The TIDE is going to ROLL!!

RTR

 

[crimsonbleeder]

Guys...

We are improved this year, and we will be better, BUT, as CNS has said, it may not translate into wins necessarily, in part due to the schedule...

That said...Alabama is already back on the lips of the National media in a lot of good ways---again, as long as we don't lay an egg against a lower-tier LaMonroe type of team this year, I think the positive momentum continues in HUGE ways, and IF we figure a way to beat Clemson and win a couple of "unwinnable" games (UGA, LSU, Auburn), then watch out...

 

[RTR_UA#1]

Mark my words!
The Tide WILL win against some better teams this year and it could very well start with Clemson.
The DESIRE TO WIN seems to be in the minds of the players and that is a huge step in the right direction.

ROLL TIDE!!

 

[crimsonbleeder]

...
The DESIRE TO WIN seems to be in the minds of the players and that is a huge step in the right direction.

ROLL TIDE!!

Even more important, the desire TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN, seems to be ingrained via CNS and staff--we knew it'd take some time...it's starting to bear fruit...

 

[Sierra65]

Kinda feels like coming out of a long illness......not yet 100%, but much, much better and toss in the nagging doubt that you would never be competely healed is none now gone. All thanks to Dr. Saban.

 

[BAMA504]

I for one expect to see an OL that makes a push instead of getting pushed around, a running game that will help JPW become a better passer and a defense that swarms to the ball (which we did pretty well last year) but I expect to see more hard hits and some production from our 1 safety position that we have not had in 3 years~!~

Other than that due to the brutal schedule and the fact we are very young all over the place I just want them to go out and win or lose play BAMA football and when & if we have to talk about a loss it is not due to a lack of effort~!~

 

[Kevin4Bama]

[sarcasm]No, I am not ready to feel pride again! I want to watch a team wallow in mediocrity for a while longer.[/sarcasm] :biggrin2:

But, seriously, I am more stoked about this season than any in recent memory. I don't expect to contend for the MNC this year (although, stranger things have happened), but I do expect this team to make some noise and make some heads turn.

 

[BamaPride1979]

Well I feel better about this year what the other fans dont realize is that Bama had a few issues with people buying into what CNS wanted to do and if I can remeber correctly Georgia won in overtime, LSWHO and the BARNERS only won by one touch down and the vols well we beat them with a team that some say was not working together in some sort... This year the team seems to be working more together pushing each other to be better have a nose gaurd that well may can take up two positions and WR's that are doing very well. I see the team clicking and winning against at least 2 out of the three teams of GA, AU, LSU.. I would like to see a SECC and a NC everybody does. But I see a 8 or 9 win season... ROLL TIDE ROLL!! :BigA:

 

[RolltideFanz]

Is this a trick question? :biggrin:

 

[Alasippi]

I feel like the team will be much improved overall in terms of competitiveness.
I'm going to be very but pleasantly surprised if we go better than 8-4 or possibly 9-3.
My thoughts tell me we'll probably win one game we shouldn't win and probably will lose one game we shouldn't lose.
That translates into 8-4 which would be a very good season considering it's just year two of what, IMO, was a complete rebuilding process that Saban undertook.
Of course my dream is just like eery other Bama fan every single year. Win the SEC and the National Title. And I'll hope we do so until we lose a couple.
Saban is building a PROGRAM and rekindling Bama Pride. It'll take some time. But I'd project that when this current group of Freshmen are Juniors, with two solid recruiting classes coming up behind them we'll rarely be the underdog anymore.
In Five years, forget it, we'll be as dominant as any team in America.

 

[rhYno]

I've been ready since Coach Gene Stallings announced his retirement.

 

[BamaGary]

I have always had PRIDE in Alabama. That hasn't wavered, no matter the season.

 

[The Process]

I thought I'd dig this thread up again. This is one that I started a couple of days before the start of the '08 season and our match up with Clemson at the GA Dome. We were coming off a 7 and 6 season and we were all feeling optimistic but guarded about how successful we might be. There were too many unknowns to get too excited.

Boys, this is where it all began. GA had a pre-season #1 ranking and many were predicting them to win it all. I think our domination of Clemson and then the smackdown of the Dawgs in Athens proved to the world that we were ready to be THE dominant force in the SEC and nation again. We went on to a wonderful 12 and 2 season, which we parlayed into this season's magical undefeated run.

I would have never dreamed all of this would have happened this fast. I don't think even the most optimistic of us could have. Look at what Sip posted in this thread about thinking that we were about 5 years out to being one of the top programs again. Hell, it took us 2 and we are unquestionably the very best in my mind! Roll Tide my friends!

 

[p'colabamaman]

I'll bet that Bama is included in the conversation now when your friends are talking about the top teams in the SEC, as well as the country. It is as Toby Keith sings, "How Do You Like Me Now?"

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

Always felt proud of the Tide even in the bad times. I now just glow a lot more.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

Most of 'US' never lost it. :BigA:

 

[crimsonbleeder]

I thought I'd dig this thread up again. This is one that I started a couple of days before the start of the '08 season and our match up with Clemson at the GA Dome. We were coming off a 7 and 6 season and we were all feeling optimistic but guarded about how successful we might be. There were too many unknowns to get too excited.

Boys, this is where it all began. GA had a pre-season #1 ranking and many were predicting them to win it all. I think our domination of Clemson and then the smackdown of the Dawgs in Athens proved to the world that we were ready to be THE dominant force in the SEC and nation again. We went on to a wonderful 12 and 2 season, which we parlayed into this season's magical undefeated run.

I would have never dreamed all of this would have happened this fast. I don't think even the most optimistic of us could have. Look at what Sip posted in this thread about thinking that we were about 5 years out to being one of the top programs again. Hell, it took us 2 and we are unquestionably the very best in my mind! Roll Tide my friends!

thanks for bringing this thread back up...I remember going to that 2007 indy bowl and winning, KNOWING that we were just on the cusp of something really great...

I've always just anointed (by default) the Clemson game in 2008 as the true "turning point", but, honestly, taking time to really reflect on these 3 years, I think it was the Colorado game in the 2007 Indy Bowl where we REALLY saw a change in the team's demeanor to one of superiority instead of inferiority, of dominance instead of submission...of winning instead of losing...

That December day, 2007...cheering on the Tide in Shreveport. That's where it all began...the fans who made that trek to a bowl we "should've refused" (according to some). That's where it all really started...the rise was on.

 

[bamanick57]

I've always been proud, always wore my colors, and always will - no matter what. Now, during the Georgia game last year, I remember distinctly texting my son (lives in Franklin, TN) and saying omg are we this good? It had just struck me that the process was working quicker than I had imagined and this team was very, very close.