I hope Coach Saban shows last years Sugar Bowl to the team and staff before Jan. 7th

[Bamabuzzard]

Yes, when big games are on the horizon I tend to dread the potential of the old "lay an egg" game. With us being favored and as the game gets closer I'm starting to hear more and more from the talking heads that (just like we heard last season before the Sugar Bowl) Texas doesn't have a chance. Creating a David and Goliath scenario. This is something that scared me last year leading up to the Utah game and is concerning me now.

I hope Coach Saban takes time out and pops in the Utah game to both the staff and the players just to inject some reality. The game is won on the field and not in the media. This team has worked too hard and accomplished too much to get to the last game and lay an egg. We are on the verge of a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. Something I haven't witnessed since 1992. They are hard to come by and you aren't guaranteed a trip back. No matter how good your team is "supposed to be". I hope CNS hammers home that we will have to take it from them. If we want it we will have to go in there and take it.

 

[Tidewater]

True. Plus the 0-7-1 record against Texas all-time hopefully will dispel any case of the big head.

 

[RollTideMang]

here here! *raises frosty glass of beer* :biga2:

 

[crimsonaudio]

here here! *raises frosty glass of beer* :biga2:

Wow, I guess it's five o'clock somewhere!

 

[TideEngineer08]

The thing that worried me so much leading up to last year's game was Alabama had nothing to play for, and it was to be Utah's most important game of their history.

We had just lost a chance at a National Championship... they weren't going to get back in gear to play Utah. I knew Utah would be playing at their best, and I just did not think we could recover from the SEC title game. Andre Smith getting suspended did nothing to help matters.

I think this team remembers. And we know there is everything on the line to play for. Win, and you are National Champions. All of the off the field stuff won't matter one bit once the ball is kicked off. It mattered last year because the team let it matter. I believe they learned their lesson... when you just observe the demeanor this team has displayed all year. They are business like in their approach; it's almost militaristic. They take nothing for granted.

If we don't win, it won't be because they weren't prepared. It will be because Texas was better.

 

[RollTideMang]

Wow, I guess it's five o'clock somewhere!

Yeah, unfortunately not here :tongue:

 

[TideEngineer08]

Absolutely. Completely different circumstance. Which is not to say he shouldn't use last year as motivation...

Oh very true. I actually believe they have used it as motivation all year.

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

Reliving the past isn't the answer. Correcting it is. The players are well aware of last season's bowl result.

This year the Tide has something to play for. Last season there was no title on the line. The players failed to show as wrong as it was. This year is quiet different the National Title is on the line and it will not require last years loss and its review.

The Tide is ready! They have a Title to Secure. :BigA:

 

[Crimson Cat]

Reliving the past isn't the answer. Correcting it is. The players are well aware of last season's bowl result.

This year the Tide has something to play for. Last season there was no title on the line. The players failed to show as wrong as it was. This year is quiet different the National Title is on the line and it will not require last years loss and its review.

The Tide is ready! They have a Title to Secure. :BigA:

I think you're right. Our guys will be ready to play. There were a lot of distractions (and not necessarily good ones) going into the Sugar Bowl last year; Though there is tons of publicity for all of them this year, I fully believe the leadership on this team, as well as Coach Saban will keep them in the right frame of mind in preparing for Pasadena. I'm sure they're aware at how important this time is, and how they can put themselves up there with some great ones in BAMA history by winning it all. These chances don't come around often.:BigA:

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I did notice shortly after the SEC CG win college gameday had CNS on and CNS adamantly told Herbie and the entire panel to stop building this game up as a "David and Goliath" type game when it's not. Which is exactly what happened last year before the Utah game...

 

[TideEngineer08]

I did notice shortly after the SEC CG win college gameday had CNS on and CNS adamantly told Herbie and the entire panel to stop building this game up as a "David and Goliath" type game when it's not. Which is exactly what happened last year before the Utah game...

But I've seen now that the media is going to pick Alabama almost universally. Some may not say it's "David vs. Goliath" (which I've always found as an ironic reference - David won...) but they will pick Alabama based on the showing in the most recent game by the two teams.

Now, I happen to believe Alabama is the better team all around, so I'll agree that Alabama should be picked to win. But if Texas takes offense to the media's prognostication, there is little BAMA can do about it. But what they can control, is their mindset and their preparation. And revenge, or being slighted by the media will not matter once the pads begin to pop.

I really believe Alabama's mind is going to be right going into this game. Taking nothing for granted, being prepared to play their best.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I don't think CNS nor the team has forgotten last year's colossal collapse in the Sugar Bowl. But we are dealing with 18-22 year olds as well. So I'd show it for a "Just in case you have forgotten" type thing.

Because there are a lot of SEC fans pulling against Bama. I want to win this one just to prove them wrong.....again.

But I've seen now that the media is going to pick Alabama almost universally. Some may not say it's "David vs. Goliath" (which I've always found as an ironic reference - David won...) but they will pick Alabama based on the showing in the most recent game by the two teams.

Now, I happen to believe Alabama is the better team all around, so I'll agree that Alabama should be picked to win. But if Texas takes offense to the media's prognostication, there is little BAMA can do about it. But what they can control, is their mindset and their preparation. And revenge, or being slighted by the media will not matter once the pads begin to pop.

I really believe Alabama's mind is going to be right going into this game. Taking nothing for granted, being prepared to play their best.

 

[TideEngineer08]

I don't think CNS nor the team has forgotten last year's colossal collapse in the Sugar Bowl. But we are dealing with 18-22 year olds as well. So I'd show it for a "Just in case you have forgotten" type thing.

Because there are a lot of SEC fans pulling against Bama. I want to win this one just to prove them wrong.....again.

Yes I agree. And I feel a lot of - can't think of the right word, I guess just desire - to see all of the haters proven wrong again. I sense a tentative kind of positive press that Alabama is getting right now, and I just feel like people are waiting anxiously to see Alabama fall again. I don't want to see them get that satisfaction. I guess I just remember all to well what happened from 1997 to 2007.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I've never in all my years of being a football fan seen so many different inter conference fans pulling so hard for one team to fall so bad. As I've said before. Many fans got used to Alabama not being a factor. Also, many forgot how a healthy Bama program impacted the SEC. I'm hoping so bad for another "Golden Years" of Alabama football.

Yes I agree. And I feel a lot of - can't think of the right word, I guess just desire - to see all of the haters proven wrong again. I sense a tentative kind of positive press that Alabama is getting right now, and I just feel like people are waiting anxiously to see Alabama fall again. I don't want to see them get that satisfaction. I guess I just remember all to well what happened from 1997 to 2007.

 

[Alasippi]

I would in no way show anything negative to this years team. I'd throw that Utah film in the trash and would never pull it out again.

sip

 

[GMacFan]

If we don't win, it won't be because they weren't prepared. It will be because Texas was better.

That's what I've been saying the whole time, one thing Texas will not do is out-execute us, we are going to be super-focused that game. And Texas probably isn't the better team, so we will win. I just don't see anyone taking it away from these guys right now...every sentence out of their mouth is something like "national championship," "work to be done," "not over yet," "one game left," etc...Saban has effectively turned them in robots whose only function is to beat Texas...eating drinking and sleeping is just expedient for that cause. So is talking. And breathing.

 

[pcolatide]

I certainly would feel better about Bama's chances if they were the underdog. After long observation, more than 50 years, i just believe Bama plays better when they are the underdog.
When you are the favorite, there are members on the team that are going to believe some of the hype about how good they are. It's going to affect their desire to prepare and concentrate. I'm sure Coach Saban is doing all he can to combat that, but unfortunately there are no guarantees.
Let's just hope we get to the game without there being other distractions, suspension, injuries, etc.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

here here! *raises frosty glass of beer* :biga2:

Or, to be historically correct, "Hear! Hear!" (short for "Hear Ye.") It's interesting that Coach Mack Brown joked that he wasn't going to show his team our film because we were too dominant. He told them to expect three "Suhs." Joking aside, they've opened competition for each position, particularly on the OL, hoping for better OL play...

 

[Bama Greg]

The thing that worried me so much leading up to last year's game was Alabama had nothing to play for, and it was to be Utah's most important game of their history.

We had just lost a chance at a National Championship... they weren't going to get back in gear to play Utah. I knew Utah would be playing at their best, and I just did not think we could recover from the SEC title game. Andre Smith getting suspended did nothing to help matters.

I think this team remembers. And we know there is everything on the line to play for. Win, and you are National Champions. All of the off the field stuff won't matter one bit once the ball is kicked off. It mattered last year because the team let it matter. I believe they learned their lesson... when you just observe the demeanor this team has displayed all year. They are business like in their approach; it's almost militaristic. They take nothing for granted.

If we don't win, it won't be because they weren't prepared. It will be because Texas was better.

My thoughts exactly, this team, IMHO, is night and day different in the way they have approched each game. They have been well prepared each game, they believe that they will win each game they play, they never worry if they get behind, they just go out and play to the best of their ability, play each play for 60 seconds and never take a play off, they have learned to finish the game and make teams quit, like LSU did in the 4th qtr., which is what was missing from last year. Like the posters above, last year left a bad taste in the mouth of each player and they have waited 365 days to right the wrong they committed last year.

They will be ready, I just hope Texas is ready, if not, this could be another blowout game like the SEC Championship was this year.

I am not worried, this is the year the elusive number 13 finally comes home to Momma.

ROLL TIDE,
GREG

 

[bamacon]

Joking aside, they've opened competition for each position, particularly on the OL, hoping for better OL play...

Great time to "tinker" with the O-Line. It worked out so well for us last year at around this time.

31 sacks. Good grief. I'd be worried too. A Texas fan argued with me and said, "8 of those came in one game!" To me that made it sound even worse.