Leonard’s Loser

[crtide]

My favorite Leonard’s Loser prognostication: October 1977. Alabama was traveling to Los Angeles to play the #1 ranked USC Trojans. Alabama has dropped a heartbreaker to Nebraska in Lincoln 31-24 the second game of the season. Jeff Rutledge had probably the worst game of his career (passing wise) throwing multiple interceptions (5). Alabama was ranked 8th. I believe USC was at least a touchdown or more favorite.

I was 17 years old and playing in a fall basketball league. A buddy and I were driving across town that morning for a game. Leonard’s Losers was on radio. We both listened closely as Leonard went through the normal “pachyderms from Tuscaloosa” and “Men of Troy” spiel. Fully expecting him to pick the Tide, his words to this day still stick in my memory “Leonard’s Loser……in an upset…..Southern Cal…”

I remember my buddy and I looking at each other like “Wow!”.

And remember thinking to myself, “Well old Leonard has faith we can pull it off, so should I”. And I watched every second of that game, with Keith Jackson doing the play by play, thinking “Me and old Leonard know how this will end”. 😆😂😂

Actually that game was in Birmingham. I was there.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Actually that game was in Birmingham. I was there.

The '78 game was in Birmingham. Alabama lost that one. They won the game out in LA in 1977.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Or maybe you meant the Alabama/Nebraska game in 1977. Yes that was in Birmingham, not Lincoln.

 

[CB4]

Actually that game was in Birmingham. I was there.

Don’t believe so. In 1977 we played both Nebraska and USC on the road.

1977

1977 Alabama Crimson Tide football team - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

In 1978 we played Nebraska and USC at Legion field. We opened the season beating Nebraska in a night game 20-3. We went to Columbia and beat Mizzou, then came home and played a miserable game against USC and lost.

1978

1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Ledsteplin]

I didn’t know it was still on.

Somebody started it up again a couple years ago. They do a pretty good job with it.

 

[PaulD]

Don’t believe so. In 1977 we played both Nebraska and USC on the road.

1977

1977 Alabama Crimson Tide football team - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

In 1978 we played Nebraska and USC at Legion field. We opened the season beating Nebraska in a night game 20-3. We went to Columbia and beat Mizzou, then came home and played a miserable game against USC and lost.

1978

1978 Alabama Crimson Tide football team - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I remember the 1978 Nebraska game in Legion Field very well as I met my future wife there!

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Or maybe you meant the Alabama/Nebraska game in 1977. Yes that was in Birmingham, not Lincoln.

It was in Lincoln. Jeff Rutledge, running the wishbone (!), threw 5 INTs. For the rest of the year, he threw 0. Nebraska got the only ones he threw all year.

We still had a chance to win at the end, but the hole was just too deep.