No spring game. Your thoughts?

[Crimson1967]

Thought I’d start this to branch out from the regular spring practice thread since I think it merits deeper discussion. And it’s March and the board isn’t exactly bogged down right now.

We aren’t going to have a spring game as in years past but rather a 90 minute practice open to the public and free to get in. They are still having other traditional A Day activities and an autograph session for donors.

So is anyone really bummed out about this? Is attending the spring game a big deal for you?

For me, I really don’t care. Intersquad games just have never interested me much. It’s not a real game and usually the format is modified somewhat. Yes, it’s nice to get a preview of the team somewhat but a coach isn’t going to put his whole game plan on display for the whole world to see. Plus there is the risk of injury.

I know it was a big splash for Saban’s first year to have 70,000 show up but that was a different era. Other coaches have expressed concern that with the portal a spring game could be an audition for transfers. You also lose a practice session with the spring game.

I have long suspected that coaches have secretly wished the spring game would just go away but didn’t want to be the first to pull the plug on tradition. I think in the future A Day will just be a big fan day with no actual football activities. I get it can be a big recruiting tool but as I said above, it’s a different era.

I’m a traditionalist but some things have just outlived their usefulness. They have closed scrimmages that they can evaluate so A Day isn’t really needed.

 

[The Ols]

It’s run its course. It’s turned into a circus in and around campus. Last year was my last straw. Kids breaking into Tutweiler…my daughter and I left and got a room off campus. It was bad. It’s time for change for so many reasons.

 

[Bazza]

 

[Bamabuzzard]

If a school wants to end the spring game because the purpose is no longer being accomplished, or they've come up with a better format that helps the players and team more, fine. I'm for it. But to cancel a spring game because of the fear of transfers and other teams seeing their players is ridiculous. The teams already know which players you have, they recruited them before they decided to sign. They already know who they would want and wouldn't want off the team. The spring game isn't going to give the team any more exposure for transfers than it already has. Again, all these coaches already know who is on your team and who'd they want from your team before a spring game is even played.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

I had rather see the frosh and sophs play a game like in the old days, Bama vs Auburn. A real game. That will never happen again. So, I guess I really don't care. It had morphed into some silly rules anyhow.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

If a school wants to end the spring game because the purpose is no longer being accomplished, or they've come up with a better format that helps the players and team more, fine. I'm for it. But to cancel a spring game because of the fear of transfers and other teams seeing their players is ridiculous. The teams already know which players you have, they recruited them before they decided to sign. They already know who they would want and wouldn't want off the team. The spring game isn't going to give the team any more exposure for transfers than it already has. Again, all these coaches already know who is on your team and who'd they want from your team before a spring game is even played.

Please, don't confuse the issue with facts.

 

[Crimson1967]

I had rather see the frosh and sophs play a game like in the old days, Bama vs Auburn. A real game. That will never happen again. So, I guess I really don't care. It had morphed into some silly rules anyhow.

Back when freshmen couldn’t play we had JV squads and we’d play the barn the week before the varsity game. But with the freshman being able to play and the 85 man limit there is no place for JV football. Maybe with the possible expanded rosters it could return but that’s another discussion.

A lot of teams tried different formats. Some did strictly offense/defense with the defense earning points for things like three and outs.

I agree people worried about possible transfers is overblown, just saying what other coaches have said. Probably best to be honest and just say the spring game is a dinosaur and a big headache I don’t want to deal with.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I am fine with it. I get why. The game has changed for the worse. It is not going to take much more for me to leave it all behind

 

[CrimsonNagus]

Raise ticket prices and cancel the one free game for fans. I haven’t gone to a spring game in many, many years. I feel bad for the families that used this as their only “gameday” experience because of how expensive real games have become. The optics of college football suck right now. They are no longer even trying to pretend that the fans matter, it’s all money, money, money.

 

[gtgilbert]

If a school wants to end the spring game because the purpose is no longer being accomplished, or they've come up with a better format that helps the players and team more, fine. I'm for it. But to cancel a spring game because of the fear of transfers and other teams seeing their players is ridiculous. The teams already know which players you have, they recruited them before they decided to sign. They already know who they would want and wouldn't want off the team. The spring game isn't going to give the team any more exposure for transfers than it already has. Again, all these coaches already know who is on your team and who'd they want from your team before a spring game is even played.

So I think that's true for a majority of players, but every year in the spring there are a few surprises from guys who made bigger jumps, or maybe some guys appear to be getting passed by a younger player, etc. All those things make it easier for opponents to be able to have the right talk track to convince someone to leave, even if they can't do it directly. They see a guy who is pretty good, but appears to be running with the 2s. They tell their players who camped with the target to reach out to him and build up that if he were to leave and come to their school, he could be a 1 and not a 2.

Structuring as a practice, where the line between first and second team can be a little more blurry, could avoid some of that, and not having it on TV makes it a little harder for the opponents staffs to see what's what unless they make the trip.

All that said, I still don't really like it.

 

[The Ols]

I am fine with it. I get why. The game has changed for the worse. It is not going to take much more for me to leave it all behind

I’m conflicted…while I agree with you, I also love football. (I must, I’m a Chicago Bears fan and I still watch them…)
So I’ll still love Alabama Football…it’ll just have a more disconnected feel.
FTR…that’s sad…

 

[CoolBreeze]

Another nail in the coffin from the signs of the times. No, I don't like it, this slow motion train wreck unfolding before our eyes. Whatever man, Crimson in my blood will never wane but the experience of fandom for college football in general is diminishing, BIGTIME.

 

[CrimSonami]

Understandable, but disappointing. Was planning on A-Day being an annual thing for me with 4 generations. This would have been my Great Grandsons 3rd attendance. Don't care to make the trip to watch a glorified practice. Gonna miss it.

 

[lowend]

Haven't been in several years and didn't even watch it the last time it was on. My kids are of the age now where they always have a game on A-Day....or it's raining....or I have a job commitment....

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Hate it. Bring back spring games IMO

 

[AlexanderFan]

When you make it about money it will become about money. Schools trying to keep NIL deals down and I don’t blame them one bit.

The sooner these greedy kids kill this golden goose, the better. The sooner college football becomes less about getting rich quick and more about playing football for the university, the sooner it can be enjoyed again.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

When you make it about money it will become about money. Schools trying to keep NIL deals down and I don’t blame them one bit.

The sooner these greedy kids kill this golden goose, the better. The sooner college football becomes less about getting rich quick and more about playing football for the university, the sooner it can be enjoyed again.

I'm not sure that version of college football is every coming back

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Never paid any attention. I mean, I had the TV on while reading.
Never cared.
Don't care now, just answering the good question C67 asked.

It was always vanilla (at least in the TV age, maybe different in Bryant's day), going through the motions to avoid injury (wisely), and just to sort of give folks a tiny taste.

The only spring game I ever thought may have mattered was Saban's first year when we packed the joint. It was a "everyone on board" moment for a program that had had a rather dark decade. I realize our standards are higher but consider this:

Alabama has had only 14 losing seasons in 131 seasons played. And three of those were in the five seasons of 1893-1901 when we had two 0-4 seasons and a 2-3 year, which given the time and the standards I hesitate to even count. But look at this time span chart:

1892-1903 - 5 losing seasons, two 4-game, one 5-game, and one 7-game season
1904-53 - ONE losing season, which included a heavy downgrade during WW2, and the losing season was a 1-4 start that ended 5-6.
1954-57 - 4 straight losing seasons under Ears Whitworth
1957-96 - one losing season in 40 years, 1984, and that was a 5-6 rebuilding year with a new coach

So we had 11 losing seasons in the first 103 years of Alabama football, five of them so shallow and half-baked it's hard to take them seriously.

Then we had:
1997-2006 - four losing seasons in ten years.

Saban came at a time we had really only had THREE "really good" years in the previous decade, all of them lathered in controversy (DuBose's affair, will Fran leave, Prothro's injury in a 31-3 game) and exacerbated by two probations, one brutal (2002).

In my opinion, the only one that ever REALLY mattered was the one in 2007.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I don’t care for CKD’s format as it is so I’m fine with it being cancelled.

If I want to watch situational football plays for points I’ll play Madden or NCAA FB (which I won’t either).

 

[BhamToTexas]

What about just a flag football game? Players would probably like it. Could be something entertaining for the fans?