2009 Alabama Crimson Tide

[Coach Bryant]

Quote: Originally Posted by Spectre

I don't get this Fear the Process thing, care to explain?

The process is Saban's plan for turning Alabama around.

[Chip Douglass]

Quote: Originally Posted by Coach Bryant

The process is Saban's plan for turning Alabama around.

Utah threw a huge monkey wrench into that process.

I kid I kid.

[Coach Bryant]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

He's done a fine job at Bama but it's apparent they aren't quite ready for prime time. But they don't seem too far off either.

They have a came a long ways this season, and far exceeded my expectations. It was a disappointing way to finish the season losing to Utah. For whatever the defense didn't play with the same fire last night like they did in the other 13 games they played in, and no doubt losing Andre Smith was a huge loss for the offense. Anyone who watched Alabama play this season knows that wasn't Alabama's best ball last night. No one is getting into the fetal position in Tuscaloosa right now. It was a great season, and a good foundation was laid by this team. Now its time to build on it, and thats what Saban will do.

[Coach Bryant]

Quote: Originally Posted by Olson-for-Heisman

Utah threw a huge monkey wrench into that process. I kid I kid.

Actually I think losing to Utah may be a blessing in disguise. Nick Saban will remind the players of this loss every single day, and how poor they played until next season starts.

[Coach Bryant]

A lost Sugar Bowl: What happened?

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/01/...t_sugar_b.html

Quote:

A few random thoughts as I exit New Orleans (man, I'm going to miss the food) ... The college footballing nation is in love with Utah today. It's to be expected after a 31-17 Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama that has surprised more people than it probably should. Yesterday afternoon on ESPN, new analyst and former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer (hardly an Alabama fan) said he thought Utah had pretty much no shot in this game. His words came with the ticker saying more than 89 percent of fan voters were picking Alabama. This sort of thing was common, but if you were paying attention to the Crimson Tide's actual team these past few weeks and the circumstances surrounding this game, it really shouldn't have been. For the first time all season, Alabama just wasn't ready. Blame Andre Smith if you want -- and that was an enormous distraction that obviously affected preperation and the actual game -- but not enough is known about that situation to be able to fairly lump this onto one absent player, even if he is the best one on the team. (If anything, the fact that officials went into bunker mode -- in the glare of a BCS bowl game -- and wouldn't clear up any of this only served to feed a media circus surrounding Alabama's team. This mysterious issue could have been diffused rather easily. Instead it dominated headlines and conversations for days at very high-profile event.) That wasn't the only thing. though. With or without Smith, Alabama seemed to still be going through the motions down here. It starts with players, who are people just like me and you. They groaned to themselves when Utah was the announced opponent, just like most fans. In fact, one prominent player was overheard in the locker room after the Florida game as saying that if Alabama drew Utah he might as well not even show up. That guy showed up and played poorly last night. He wasn't alone, though. Attitudes like that -- taking this game for granted -- appears to be what got Alabama beat. For this first time this year, the Crimson Tide felt entitled to a victory it didn't have to earn. The focus and preperation that had been a strength all season just wasn't there this time. Alabama arrived in Atlanta with a feeling of invincibility that all unbeaten teams possess. Utah had that confidence. Alabama no longer did. And the Utes were a good team. They were fired-up, prepared and well-coached. Should they have steamrolled the Tide like they did in the game's first 11 minutes? Probably not. But from the time Alabama's team arrived in New Orleans, there was an uneasy feeling around the Tide that hadn't been there all year. It just didn't feel the same. Sure, Nick Saban said all the right things about Utah (and he was proved correct), but for the first time this year, he just couldn't get it out of the players. My theory before the game is my theory now. This was the first time all season that Alabama wasn't playing for a title of some kind. With no spoils to be gained, the Tide's lone motivation was not to lose. That's not advised against a good team that wanted to be here and played like it. One wonders if Alabama's team felt the same way.

Congrats to Utah for playing winning football! It appears that #1 ranking did go to Alabama's head.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Coach Bryant

A lost Sugar Bowl: What happened? http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/01/...t_sugar_b.html Congrats to Utah for playing winning football! It appears that #1 ranking did go to Alabama's head.

That falls on the players and Saban then.

[Coach Bryant]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

That falls on the players and Saban then.

Well of course Saban took full responsibilty for the loss, but clearly the players didn't have the right attitude going into this game. Saban told them over, and over again that Utah was a good team. I understand the players being broken hearted over not getting to play for the National Championship, but instead of putting that behind them they compounded their misery by losing to Utah. A valuable lesson is to be learned from this game. Comfort can be found in losing knowing that you gave your best, but when you lose like Alabama did last night there is no comfort to be found. Saban will remind them of this loss everyday. Woody Hayes once said that there's nothing that cleanses the soul like getting the hell kicked out of you. I have to say that I agree with him!

[trobinson97]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

You know more often than not, imo he does come off as a douche. I don't really think that's a bad thing. The guy is a football coach, and that's all he really cares about. He's not in to the press conferences and the PR stuff and that's obvious. I'd rather have a coach that puts football first and PR/Presser stuff second than vice versa. He's done a fine job at Bama but it's apparent they aren't quite ready for prime time. But they don't seem too far off either.

I'm all for a football first guy, and I like Saban's intensity and I too think he's done a fine job for the most part. If what the reporter was saying true though I would much rather he did not say things like that. First of all, it's plain disrespectful and it's not a good example to set for all those impressionable minds in his charge. It encourages arrogance in the players. It gives extra motivation to your opponent when you disregard them like that. Even though he said over and over again how much he respected Utah, it only takes one comment like that to turn everything against you. I would still rather have him than not, I just hope he chooses his words better.


We weren't ready this year. I was happy with the way the season went for the most part, we have some good players, but we have little to back them up, in other words we have no depth, and that's been a talking point since before the first game. It would be nice one day to have the kind of team like USC or Florida has, where you can make almost any sub you want and not miss a beat.