BREAKING Sugar Bowl: Kansas State vs Alabama

[Countrytider2]

While I would never argue a precise parallel between Mike Tyson's heyday as a savage in the boxing ring and Alabama, there ARE some similarities. And one of them (which led to Tyson's in-ring downfall against Buster Douglas) is this: Alabama needs motivation other than "this is a competitive football game that we need to win."

My concern is THAT hasn't been there since basically last year's Florida game (mostly in the middle of it). We have played slow motion, lethargic, "every player not named Bryce Young on offense suffers from mono" football now for WAY too long.

And it's why I suspect that we're going to lose the Sugar Bowl and face an off-season of mockery.

I agree. I hate to say it but it’s almost like we are *tired* of winning. Tired of that target being on our back for 15+ years. Tired of literally getting everyone’s A game for years. No one ever fails to “get up” for Bama. Complacency has finally set in.

Add in the NIL and Transfer Portal….and I don’t know if even the GOAT wants to deal with it much longer. We are just not hungry anymore, and it shows…

EDIT: I’m not saying the dynasty is dead. I fully appreciate a 10-2 season and a #5 ranking. I hope we finish on a high note, 11-2 and top 5 final ranking.

We have to get that fire back, and I think changes have to be made. I don’t think the answer is to “stand pat”.

Roll Tide

 

[BamaFlum]

I agree. I hate to say it but it’s almost like we are *tired* of winning. Tired of that target being on our back for 15+ years. Tired of literally getting everyone’s A game for years. No one ever fails to “get up” for Bama. Complacency has finally set in.

Add in the NIL and Transfer Portal….and I don’t know if even the GOAT wants to deal with it much longer. We are just not hungry anymore, and it shows…

EDIT: I’m not saying the dynasty is dead. I fully appreciate a 10-2 season and a #5 ranking. I hope we finish on a high note, 11-2 and top 5 final ranking.

We have to get that fire back, and I think changes have to be made. I don’t think the answer is to “stand pat”.

Roll Tide

All dynasties fall at some point and all great leaders lose that edge that made them great. It happens, will happen, and may have already happened. Bama under Nick Saban has been the greatest dynasty of all time period. He may still have another run at a title under his belt, but the sun is setting.

 

[UAH]

All dynasties fall at some point and all great leaders lose that edge that made them great. It happens, will happen, and may have already happened. Bama under Nick Saban has been the greatest dynasty of all time period. He may still have another run at a title under his belt, but the sun is setting.

It is difficult to not be saddened by that fact but I completely agree with you. The game has changed to such a degree that a completely different set of skills is required in order to be successful head coach. It is more akin to a NFL GM working the draft and free agent pool in order to make a one year run at the World Series or Super Bowl. On game day the skills become more akin to a Battlefield video game than traditional college football.

Anyone may apply different analogies but eventually the constant changes will impact the competitive structure all of the teams at the top including Georgia.

 

[spidermayin]

Saban is one of the best recruiters in the game and if he keeps bringing in these 4* and 5* players, the best guys will be playing for us and a few impactful plays may leave for other teams(see Drew Sanders), but we're still an enticing option for the good players that leave other schools(see Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs). Speaking of the Sugar Bowl, does anyone know who will be announcing the Sugar Bowl?

 

[Toddrn]

It is difficult to not be saddened by that fact but I completely agree with you. The game has changed to such a degree that a completely different set of skills is required in order to be successful head coach. It is more akin to a NFL GM working the draft and free agent pool in order to make a one year run at the World Series or Super Bowl. On game day the skills become more akin to a Battlefield video game than traditional college football.

Anyone may apply different analogies but eventually the constant changes will impact the competitive structure all of the teams at the top including Georgia.

The question is can Kirby maintain this level for 15 years?

 

[Titans&Tide]

The question is can Kirby maintain this level for 15 years?

Well, he's had the same haircut for at least that long, so...

 

[B1GTide]

The question is can Kirby maintain this level for 15 years?

He has done so for 6, so it is absolutely possible, if not probable

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Reminder, though: Saban has been at UA now for 16 seasons. He is now managing an ENTIRELY NEW GENERATION of football players born after 9/11. When he began coaching (at Toldeo in 1990), the players he was coaching were a couple of years younger than I at most, which means he was coaching Gen X. He's gone all the way through the millennials and now has the Gen Zs.

And not knocking anyone, but remember - he's a Baby Boomer, and he's adjusted to coaching two different generations; the third may be too much (and I don't say that as anything critical of Gen Z as I have one myself).

It was Pat Dye's firm belief that Bryant's decision to retire was solidified (probably not made right then) when Dye got recruit Ben Tamburello to come to Auburn right after the Tide lost to Southern Miss in 1982.

I didn't post it here but I wondered to myself after the LSU loss - are we seeing 1982 all over again, this time with Saban leaving?

1982
We lost to the Vols for the first time in 12 years.
We beat MSU but didn't look good doing it.
We lost to LSU for the first time in 12 years.
We lost a stunner to USM, ending a 17-year home winning streak.
We lost to Auburn.
Coach retired.

2022
We lost to the Vols for the first time in 16 years.
We beat MSU but didn't look good doing it.
We lost to LSU for the second time in 12 meetings.

I wasn't worried about my alma mater (Austin Peay), but I did wonder "Okay, if we lose to Auburn, is Saban gone?"

I didn't share my concerns because lord what if they happened?
People here would blame me.

 

[TideEngineer08]

He has done so for 6, so it is absolutely possible, if not probable

The vacuum will always be filled by someone. Kirby, hate him as I do, learned from the master more than anyone else.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Bo speaks:

 

[Toddrn]

Bo speaks:

View attachment 30632

The problem is players in the NFL don't care about their team. The NFL is an individual sport now not a team sport.

 

[crimsonaudio]

The problem is players in the NFL don't care about their team. The NFL is an individual sport now not a team sport.

Meh, the NFL gets a lot of hate here, some of it warranted, but there are definitely team players out there, and they are absolutely preferred over the 'me first' types (all other things being equal).

 

[81usaf92]

Meh, the NFL gets a lot of hate here, some of it warranted, but there are definitely team players out there, and they are absolutely preferred over the 'me first' types (all other things being equal).

Yeah I really think people try desperately to hate on the NFL that they really start making up stuff to justify it.

I think There are many cases nfl players love their teams more than many college players.

 

[Toddrn]

Yeah I really think people try desperately to hate on the NFL that they really start making up stuff to justify it.

I think There are many cases nfl players love their teams than many college players.

There a lot of reasons to hate on the NFL. When players care more about making a highlight reel than winning, when they are losing by multiple TD's, then they are not team players.

 

[81usaf92]

There a lot of reasons to hate on the NFL. When players care more about making a highlight reel than winning, when they are losing by multiple TD's, then they are not team players.

Sounds alot like college football…

If you hate the nfl then fine, but stop using the stereotypical bad arguments that under close observation persist in college football as well.

 

[GP for Bama]

I'm hopeful we will be ready to play ... and play hard... in the Sugar Bowl. We played pretty tough three years ago against a good Michigan team in the Citrus Bowl.

 

[editder]

I think K State is getting too much credit. Just me, personally. I don't think this game is close.

I will say this about them: they know how to move the ball to the middle of the field for a field goal attempt.

 

[Carollovestide]

I may be wrong but I see Bryce and Will both playing. I’ll be very disappointed if they don’t although I understand the argument about injuries . The future of College Football looks a bit bleak to me . No more loyalty to the team , a world full of me, me, me me’s and young men being paid more money than most folks make in a lifetime ….. I guess it’s to be expected ……. Makes me sad . Roll Tide !!!!!!

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I wonder why nobody has pointed out that Bo Scarborough never was faced with the decision he’s making for other people since Alabama played in the NCG all 3 years he was at the school.

If you’re from a poor family and on the precipice of millions of dollars, I simply can’t blame you for not playing in a meaningless bowl game.

What if Bo’s injury in the NCG had occurred in Shreveport instead and led to him not even being drafted at all?

There have been too many cases like Bobby Humphrey or Melvin Bratton for me to judge it too harshly.

And it’s always easy to say “this is what I’d do if I was facing” circumstances when you aren’t the one who has to live with the consequences.

As far as the NFL, I don’t hate the product and I’d agree a number of the objections can equally apply to CFB. I’ve just found I don’t really follow it like the younger guy who used to enter the “pick ‘em” every week and even wrote one for the base newspaper once. And part of that is because the four-team divisions and expanded playoffs reduce regular season interest; in my case, I get drunk on pigskin on Saturday and then recover on Sunday by abstaining.

A few things the NFL has done have been good - opening up the passing game, adding one extra WC (6 in each league), expanding to Jax and Charlotte and returning teams to Houston and Cleveland, free agency, etc. l even think the Rooney Rule was a good idea given history.

Remember the unbeaten Patriots I mentioned? The other thing that pushed me away was when the 2010 Saints had an 11-5 record and had to go play a playoff game AT 7-9 Seattle, a team they had clobbered, 34-19, in the regular season. Four games better but because you happen to be in the division with a 13-win team and so screw you, the bad team gets home field advantage because of office decisions not who earned it.

That’s no different than the “you have to win your conference” CFB argument.

What if your conference sucks?

Sorry I sound on a rage, I’m really not plus I am a firm believer that people should do what they want.

But this is where CFB is losing me. I have zero incentive to watch the Falcons go 13-3 in the regular season because if Brady goes 14-2, Atlanta winds up playing a 10-6 team on the road, which doesn’t strike me as particularly fair.

We will wind up with someone complaining now because they have to play Alabama, only a 5 seed because the star slipped on a banana peel in pregame warmups before the SECCG.

I’m headed for the booze cabinet.

 

[twofbyc]

The Bama/Notre Dame Sugar Bowl in 1973 and the 1975 game were on New Year's Eve night

Got in a tiff and thrown in a pool in BR on NYE in ‘73, even though Bama lost.
Got the girl though…