Griffith righted the ship and is now a great placekicker... 
" He had ice water in his veins," Reggie Ragland on Griffiths' performance...
"The little man with a big number", an Alabama supporter.

    



    

Tide celebrates Adam's field goal in second half

There were a lot of players happy at the end of the Iron Bowl. My candidate for most joyous of all was Adam Griffith. He made all Tide fans proud. 5-5 in the Iron Bowls is stellar.  That alone was enough to beat the Tigers. Adam had a bad start this season. He was 0-4, and you had to wonder if would become a head case. Saban believed in him. He stuck with him and down the road he became as good a  place kicker as Alabama wanted or needed. Carlson is an excellent kicker. He had made 15 consecutive field goals and then he missed  on number 16. It was a change in momentum. Auburn never again led in the game and when his kicked was wide right and would couldn't draw even again. Adam Griffith’s journey to Alabama is well documented. He was adopted by his now American parents from an orphanage at age 13. He moved from Poland to Georgia. That must have quite a transformation.   

   

On his way home...

     He was almost placed with another family in Poland. Enter his parents who had come to Poland to find an infant to adopt. Instead they fell in love with a young man named Andrzei Debowski. The Griffiths decided to take a teenager. I’ll give them all the credit in the world. Adopting is always a stressful situation. But a teenager? These were indeed people who loved this child. Andrzei told the Polish Courts he wanted to change his name to Adam, in part because it was easy to spell. The rest is history and he has been a blessing to Alabama in so many ways. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Bama Nation pull as hard for a comeback as they did with Adam. Sure, there were who wanted him on the bench. The coach didn’t see the young man who was missing in games. He continued to see the kicker who could kick 60 yarders in practice. That face, hunch, intuition, or whatever you want to call it, has contributed to Tide success. In the second half of the season he has been invaluable.
 
     

"I can't see past the line, anyway" - Adam Griffith

  Adam not only kicked five field goals against the Tigers all his kick-offs were touchbacks, save one. That was his last. The Auburn returner had nothing to loss from near the middle of the end zone. The returned threw the dice and cost his team some valuable seconds. It wasn’t a redemption from the last time he kicked in Jordan-Hare. All he did was miss an almost impossible field goal after sitting on the bench with no chance to warm-up for the kick. I’d like to add the kick was dead center, just a little short. On Saturday he played a perfect game for kicker. It was like bowling 300 or pitching perfect game. And he did it on a slip and slide field that mysteriously changed from the last home game. He deserved to be the game MVP as much as his buddy, Derrick. Adam is just on of thousands of immigrants who come to America in search of a new future. That's one thing that makes our great country.



A final post script: Ever wonder how far Alabama fans can be found. The numbers below are for the full season in football through Sunday.

United States	180911
Russia	1819
Mexico	1533
United Kingdom	1259
Canada	1208
Germany	143
Indonesia	136
Portugal	106
France	80
Ukraine	64

    

Adam had a perfect game

    There were a lot of players happy at the end of the Iron Bowl. My candidate for most joyous of all was Adam Griffith. He made all Tide fans proud. 5-5 in the Iron Bowls is stellar.  That alone was enough to beat the Tigers. Adam had a bad start this season. He was 0-4, and you had to wonder if would become a head case. Saban believed in him. He stuck with him and down the road he became as good a  place kicker as Alabama wanted or needed. Carlson is an excellent kicker. He had made 15 consecutive field goals and then he missed  on number 16. It was a change in momentum. Auburn never again led in the game and when his kicked was wide right and would couldn't draw even again. Adam Griffith’s journey to Alabama is well documented. He was adopted by his now American parents from an orphanage at age 13. He moved from Poland to Georgia. That must have quite a transformation.   

        He was almost placed with another family in Poland. Enter his parents who had come to Poland to find an infant to adopt. Instead they fell in love with a young man named Andrzei Debowski. The Griffiths decided to take a teenager. I’ll give them all the credit in the world. Adopting is always a stressful situation. But a teenager? These were indeed people who loved this child. Andrzei told the Polish Courts he wanted to change his name to Adam, in part because it was easy to spell. The rest is history and he has been a blessing to Alabama in so many ways. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Bama Nation pull as hard for a comeback as they did with Adam. Sure, there were who wanted him on the bench. The coach didn’t see the young man who was missing in games. He continued to see the kicker who could kick 60 yarders in practice. That face, hunch, intuition, or whatever you want to call it, has contributed to Tide success. In the second half of the season he has been invaluable.
 
       Adam not only kicked five field goals against the Tigers all his kick-offs were touchbacks, save one. That was his last. The Auburn returner had nothing to loss from near the middle of the end zone. The returned threw the dice and cost his team some valuable seconds. It wasn’t a redemption from the last time he kicked in Jordan-Hare. All he did was miss an almost impossible field goal after sitting on the bench with no chance to warm-up for the kick. I’d like to add the kick was dead center, just a little short. On Saturday he played a perfect game for kicker. It was like bowling 300 or pitching perfect game. And he did it on a slip and slide field that mysteriously changed from the last home game. He deserved to be the game MVP as much as his buddy, Derrick.


A final post script: Ever wonder how far Alabama fans can be found. The numbers below are for the full season in football -

United States	180911
Russia	1819
Mexico	1533
United Kingdom	1259
Canada	1208
Germany	143
Indonesia	136
Portugal	106
France	80
Ukraine	64

It was Henry, Henry, and more Henry...

 

     Have you noticed that AU wins over Alabama always get a nickname? Punt Bama Punt, Kick Six, and Over the top are a few that come to that come. When Bama wins, they just win. But I think that yesterday’s Tide win deserves a moniker. I have a suggestion for one.  You’ll likely never find this one on a bumper sticker or in the news. “Derrick Henry, ran over your ass.”  The storyline for this years’  Iron Bowl was precisely that. Henry ran around and through and through. Mainly he just ran over them.

  No Rest for the weary...    

           

When Nick Saban wanted to take out the future Heisman Trophy winner for well-deserved rest, Henry said he wanted to keep playing. To paraphrase his words,  “I want to win.”  He might have added he wished they could have played another quarter or perhaps two because he was having so much fun. Auburn put up a fight, what with the stupid trick plays and all, but the dam was going to break. Regardless, of how much the Tigers tried to win, they just didn’t have the weapons to do so. They only way they scored was one of the unbelievable catches that seem to occur in Jordan-Hare. That catch fired up the crowd. It also fired up the Tide. Entering the fourth quarter you knew who was going to win. And so did Auburn. The inevitability of the victory was never in doubt, only the winning margin. Las Vegas said 13, and the Tide gave its fans 16.


Best of the Best?

       

Henry deserved to get that his final touchdown. He had carried the load and it seemed fitting he was rewarded. What I noticed on the play was how after running the ball 45 times, he still outran the entire Auburn defense.  If someone had a Heisman Trophy, they should have just handed to him in the end zone. I believe he is going to an additional chance to enhance his chances at a minimum.  The list of truly great Alabama running backs is so long I will not try to list it for fear of leaving someone unnamed. The name Derrick Henry can go at the top of the list in my opinion.  No disrespect to any of his predecessors, but he is the best of the best. His long strides may appear to be slow. He isn't slow, it just takes those legs a little while to get going. I know one thing, that long lanky gate is going take the Tide to its 16th National Championship. More later next week. 

THE MATCH-UPS AND A PREDICTION

TIDE LOOKS TOO TOUGH FOR TIGERS

         

     I spoke with my cousin on the phone a couple of days ago.  He’s made the decision to record the Alabama/Auburn game, find out the score, and then watch the game if Bama wins. I’m not sure what he does for that 4-hour window of waiting. My hope is it involves something with single malt scotch theme. That’s not a suggestion, just an observation.  That’s one way to cope with the stress. One thing I enjoy about the younger fans is their steadfast belief that Alabama can’t get beat. They feel that way even when Alabama actually loses. That’s swagger. My generation watched “punt Bama punt” and I think it stunted  our emotional confidence level.  When the “kick-six” happened, I barely blinked. When the rest of my family were rolling around on the floor in near fetal positions, I just announced that I was going to bed.  When my Auburn buddies called me the next day to rub in their win, they hung up befuddled at my lack of angst about the entire situation. For the record, I have never called any Auburn fan to rub in a Tide win. It is a classless thing to do. Besides, we win so many games against Auburn that many telephone calls mount up on my phone plan and data usage, whatever the heck that might be.

        Another thing I will not do is debate anything with an Auburn fan. Debates are worthless if they involve fantasy and not facts. I decided to quit those talks earlier in the year when an Auburn fans sent me an email with 21 reasons why Auburn would win the national championship. He wanted me to write an Auburn “rebuttal” to my pro-Alabama columns. I told him that we wouldn’t publish anything that said that Guz Malzhan was God, and Will Muschamp was Malzhan’s chief disciple. I will quickly add that the man was obviously tanked. Never hold that against a man making a point. Liquor has a way of helping an individual define his version of the truth, but not necessarily reality. We bantered back and forth for ten minutes or so. Actually, I had no problem writing the heavenly disinformation he wanted to spread, but he took it too far when he said Gus was twice as good a coach as Saban. That was the final straw. We all know, and it should be obvious, that Nick Saban would be God in such a hypothesis, and Lane Kiffin would be the disciple. Since that time I’ve decided that Kirby Smart should replace Kiffin to make sure my logic was indisputable. I told him to call back when he was sober, and based on defending many people who were arrested for DUI, I think he should be close to sober very soon. That was 13 weeks ago to set the timeline. 

       I have two daughters. One is biological and the other was part of the deal when my wife and I got married. Both are wonderful young women. My oldest can talk football with the best of them. She won her fantasy football league three years in a row. This has caused here some marital discord. My other daughter made a conscious decision to “not like football” when she was younger. She is an Art Major. Her friends are all musicians and artists. I have to buy photographs and paintings to support her friends careers. While I have to admit we now have some great artwork, we also have plenty of paper and canvass to help start those warm winter fires. Here friends all cluster around their smartphones while sitting in a circle. Their gazes, while looking down at their screens is rather strange. I think they are texting each other. They honestly look like Indians sitting around a fire to keep warm. They all laugh in unison. It’s really creepy. Ask them who they will support for the president and you hear the chant, “Feel the Bern” and occasionally Hilliary. Look, they all live in LA. Most think Sacramento is the capital of the United States. And all they eat are things that are green. They are all vegans, which for some time I thought was a modern version of Pagan. I’m sorry, no circumstance would ever occur, for me to pay $18.00 dollars for a salad, and another five bucks for mineral water. I want meat, potatoes, lots of butter, and I don’t wish to hear any of that “your body is a holy temple crap.” My body is a demolition derby just completed.  I’ve started stair walking with a backpack with a twenty-pound weight in it. I made three floors for my all-time record. I then take the elevator back down and have a cold RC Cola. You can buy an RC Cola in Mexico for about 50 cents and it has just as many calories and sodium as a real Coke. Unlike the Auburn AD, I can still sniff out bargains. During the football game,  my daughter is going to some type of woods-like experience with her friends and their smartphones. I don’t understand how my wife allowed her to grow up that way since both are from Tuscaloosa.

         I honestly look at the match-ups this game and can’t find but two things in  favor of the Tigers. Despite  at least one AU fan’s belief that God is coaching their team, the advantage is home field advantage. I’m not sure how much that matters in rivalry games. I did a lot of research and found the home team wins those games about 55% of the time. Auburn’s place kicking  is also a  better than ‘Bama’s. Carlson is a Lou Groza Candidate. 

        Look at the quarterback situation. Jack Coker is going to be the best quarterback on the field. Jeremy Johnson and Sean White have each started. My belief is that Johnson isn’t going to be able to throw the ball well enough to give the Tigers the edge. Coker has become a good quarterback, a team leader, and is a warrior. I wonder if either Johnson or White can be leaders in the confusing quarterback situation on the Plains. Johnson will start. Malzahn is not going to admit he made a mistake benching Johnson and has been using the injury to White as an excuse in my opinion.Advantage: Alabama  

    

       No question that Derrick Henry the running back who Will play in the game. It is starting to look more and more like Kenyan Drake might play some role in the game. For Harris and Scarbrough, this is going to be a big jump as a backup. Auburn has four good running backs, and just because Henry might be the top back in the game you can’t deny the how good they are. Jovan Robinson, Kerryon Johnson, Roc Thomas, and Peyton Barber are all above average running backs. AU will be able to have fresh legs in the backfield.  I’m giving the edge to Bama by the thinnest of margins. Advantage: Alabama by a thread.

      I’ve talked to a couple of coaches and college players about the offensive lines of each team. Auburn has had some injuries but for the Iron Bowl all will start. That’s big. Whether the Tigers can run the ball against Alabama is still not likely.  Even though the starters return, it is unclear whether they are football ready to play against the likes of Alabama. The Tide’s offensive line has been a roller coaster line. Bama center Ryan Kelly is the best in the SEC. He is smart and calls all the proper blocking schemes. Cam Robinson comes into the game with a big reputation, but he hasn’t had a good season in my opinion. His pass blocking as been questionable. He seems to have been playing better. I think his injuries were worse than reported. Alabama’s other three starters are okay, but not world beaters according to the coaches I talked to.  Auburn’s offensive line looks impressive, but the stats don’t back up their credentials. Advantage: Alabama

      Despite Cyrus Jones’ impromptu evaluation of the Tiger wideouts, they are not as bad as you think. They have had trouble holding  the ball at times. But so has Ardarius Stewart of Alabama. The bell-cow for Auburn is Ricardo Lewis. He’s had an excellent season. He is the Tigers most valuable receiver. The Tide came into the season with a lot of questions at this position. The emergence of Calvin Ridley has been a joy to watch. He has proven that he intends to be the next Amari Cooper. The before mentioned Stewart has gotten better and is a solid second receiver. A gift via the graduation rule is the sure-handed Richard Mullaney has been the go-to guy for Coker in critical third down situation. O.J. Howard is catching more passes, but I think inaccurate to say he’s enjoyed a breakout season. Auburn’s Melvin Ray has been more prominent as the season ends. Advantage: Alabama (The AU receivers could be a lot better with consistent quarterback play in all fairness)

       Defensive line play has made Alabama  the team it has become. What can you write on the D-line except how great they are and scary it must be to run against that unit. Auburn’s defensive line has gotten better with the return of Carl Lewis, who is a tremendous pass rusher. He’ll beat Cam Robinson some. Let’ hope it isn’t a lot. I think that Montavious Adams has had some significant minutes. The stats say you can run the ball on Auburn. I’m sure the Tide is going to see eight players with a yard of the line of scrimmage. Auburn is going to make Jake Coker and his receiving corp beat them. That says a lot about the faith you in your Dline and how good Bama’s stop troops really are: ADVANTAGE: ALABAMA

    The linebacker for ‘Bama has a great mop up the squad. What the D-line can’t stop the Tide’s linebacker. Reggie Ragland may be the best linebacker in the country. He has Clay Mathews type skills. Rueben Foster has gotten better and better. He can make Richter shaking hits on his tackles. His hand may be an issue. Kris Frost and Cassanova McKenzie have made significant strides but are not in the same company as Bama’s group. Denzell Deval and Dillon Lee are solid backups. Each has made some outstanding play. Lee is a good pass defender, and Deval is a blitz package. Auburn returns the injured. ADVANTAGE: ALABAMA

       The Alabama secondary has passed the eye test. They have been great at intercepting passes and their run support is outstanding. Last season’s weakness has vanished. The move of CB Eddie Washington has been successful. Tide coaches should be commended for the change. Geno Mathis-Smith is much improved. Cyrus Jones is ‘Bama’s top defensive back. While not tall, he is unyielding and has mastered the technique of his position. He’s not in the open field either. Marlon Humprey has been picked on from the start of the season but has fought back to become a good defensive back. Assuming that Minkah Fitzpatrick is 100%, the New Jersey native will have a big role in run support and man coverage. Tony Brown has taken a huge step forward from last year.  Carlton Davis, Jonathon Jones, and transfer Blake Countess are above average. When the D-Line can put pressure on the opposing QB, they are even better. I don’t think the Tigers are quite as good a run support, but they have been so overworked this season they may be wearing down some. ADVANTAGE: ALABAMA

     For a long time this season there was nothing special about Alabama’s special teams. J.K. Scott was taking a step backward, and Adam Griffith had some real problems. It appears each has worked out their demons. Griffith should be looking forward to playing this game. Auburn’s Carlson is the best place kicker in the SEC. The Tiger punter,  Kevin Phillips has had a much better year than Scott. Coverage is okay for both teams. Jones, has returned three punts for TD’s this season. ADVANTAGE: AUBURN.

    Coaching is so different in the approach his head coach takes. Malzhan is a great offensive coach but has had a bad year on several levels. Saban, given up for dead once again, has BAMA in the hunt for yet another Championship. Malzahn is going to use a lot of gimmicks. That’s sure sign you think you are beaten before you take the field. Bama is more like “take our playbook”, it isn’t going to make any difference.

ADVANTAGE: ALABAMA.

Prediction: Bama by 17

                             

                                                                                                                                                         

TIDE PLAYS XAVIER IN THE ADVOCARE INVITATIONAL

Big East Xavier is # 23 in polls...

   

Xavier is a well-balanced squad

The Xavier Musketeers are an excellent team. The Crimson Tide of Alabama takes on the prestigious Big East team Friday at 11:00 AM in the Advocare Invitational in Orlando. ESPN 2 is airing the game, and Alabama Sports Network will handle the radio broadcast. 

Xavier is currently ranked# 23 in the AP,  and hold down a 4-0 record. The goombas in Vegas have not set an opening line. (LINE IS NOW 8.5. THIS ARTICLE WAS NOT POSTED DUE TO COMPUTER PROBLEM UNTIL GAME DAY)The Tide will be an underdog. Underdog or not, the Tide has a chance to win this game. If the team who beat the Ragin' Cajuns shows up the Tide might very well win. There are no bad teams in Big East. While the conference may no longer the Beast of the East, they are still a great group of teams.

        Xavier has five players scoring in double figures and a sixth who is averaging nine ppg. That is scoring balance and one of the key factors that make the Musketeers a dangerous team. They are shooting only 41% from the floor, and they have won four games including SEC Missouri (78-66). The Tigers are picked last in the SEC this season. They also beat Big Ten Michigan in Ann Arbor 86-70. That win should get your attention. The beat the Wolverines by good outside shooting and they dominated the boards. Xavier made 23-26 from the line. The Musketeers are a strong inside team. That's not good for the Tide. the good news is that 'Bama's guard are probably better. 

   

   Expectations have been very high with the arrival of Avery Johnson. It's going to take some time. He just doesn't have enough talent to win a lot of games, but he does have enough talent to upset some teams because it appears this Tide can shoot the ball.  If Xavier brings the game they played against Miami and Missouri, the Tide has a chance. I expect Johnson's team will show some improvement on defense in this game. He stressed that end of the floor in two practices this week. But mainly, it is teaching the team how to play an Avery Johnson offense
.

CONFIDENT AUBURN SAYS THEY ARE READY FOR TIDE

Iron Bowl is like no other rivalry...

Derrick Henry has been a locomotive

       Has it already been a year since the last Iron Bowl?  A lot has happened to Auburn in that time span. The Tigers were an almost unanimous pick to win the SEC West. To win the West seems almost tantamount to winning the SEC Championship. I've not seen anything to make me change my mind about that. Auburn was boldly boasting about their soon to be a great defense under Will Muschamp. He would be the man to turn around that part of the AU game. Of course, everyone believed that Auburn had the best offense in the NCAA. So the mood was set. Boom when the pixie dust was sprinkled by Gus Malzhan over every AU fan in the world. Boom when Jeremy Johnson was going to win the Heisman Trophy. Boom when the Gus bus was going to hit the road and win every game played, and then go out and recruit 25 five star recruits. A funny thing happened on the road to Auburn's greatness. It turned out they were not very good. The offense seemed helpless with Johnson in control. The defense, well, the defense was stunningly horrible. Auburn was the most overrated team in the history of SEC football, or the sportswriters were so enamored with Auburn they created a kind of contagious stupidity in their ranks. It turned out the emperor wore no clothes. 

When Pigs head South...

     Meanwhile, the Alabama Crimson Tide,  the old protagonist of the previous season had somehow become the antagonist in the storyline of the most hate-filled rivalry in the history of college football. To most of us, the Tide seemed forgotten but Alabama fans felt their team was being overlooked.They may be been forgotten, but they had gone nowhere. Unnoticed, the Tide was building a powerhouse of a team. The focus for the media became who  would play quarterback. The focus should have been the great accumulation of defensive players by the Tide. All of that is now a chapter of great expectations on one hand and never underestimated Alabama on the other hand. After that short  history lesson the question is: Can Auburn will the Iron Bowl?  Perhaps, but it would be the biggest win AU history. Will Auburn will the Iron Bowl?  I'd say yes if you see pigs flying south for the winter. Otherwise, I'm betting my social security check on the Crimson Tide.

     In the process of the bizarre loss to Ole Miss the Tide found a quarterback. The loss was unexpected.  The end of the Saban era was promptly announced as over.   Not only were sports writers penning articles about the decline of Alabama football, the fifth estate was falling all over themselves in some contest to see who could write the most inflaming article. After due consideration, I deemed it a 50 man tie for first place. How had this happened?

The protagonist in the series had gone back to work...

     How had the old protagonist turned into the antagonist in the fiercest rivalry in college sports? How had everyone gotten it so wrong? First, never under estimate Nick Saban. Next, if you disregard the tradition of the greatest football program in college football you are foolish. That's exactly what Auburn fans and sports writers had done. Then they doubled down when Alabama lost to Ole Miss. Most football teams would have lost with five turnovers. What I remember about that game was the play of Jake Coker and competitive nature of Alabama. Each time Ole Miss started their winning celebration the Tide came back and scored. When the game was over it was Alabama who beat themselves, but it was also Alabama who learned some valuable lessons. Jake Coker also found himself. While the media world was burying Alabama, a lot of observers felt the Tide was primed to become a great team. How many times has Alabama won a national championship with a loss? How many times does any team get through the SEC without a loss? The answers are several and rarely. I'll give Auburn credit for being bowl eligible after their start. The win over lowly Idaho, the school and not the potato, gave them six wins.   I'll give Alabama credit for being a great football team. How good is Alabama?  Let's put it this way- Mark May of ESPN has underestimated the Tide. He already thinks Alabama is the best team in the nation.

      So here we are. The week of the meanest game in college football. Fights will break out among friends, divorces will be filed, and families won't get together for Christmas. All of which is true, all of which is silly. This is the week my Auburn friends won't telephone me. The next time they'll call is if Auburn wins, or it's time for golf again. The players don't feel the way fans do. That's good. Auburn has a chance because the game is played in Lee County. I seem to recall that Alabama has played its best football on the road.

UPDATE:  "I don't think they are anything special, honestly",  said Cyrus Jones when asked about the Auburn wide outs. If Nick Saban has a list of what not to do before a game Jones didn't get the message. I'm sure that Cyrus Jones broke that rule. Jones went on to say that he had to "prepare for them like they are the best receivers in the conference."

Alabama center Ryan Kelly said he "had never heard of Carl Lawson", premiere pass rusher for the Tigers. I bet we don't get any further comment from these two seniors prior to game time.

TIDE WARMS UP FOR IRON BOWL...

TIDE SHOWS NO "LOOK AHEAD" TO THE IRON BOWL...

     

With all due respect to Nick Saban, his tirade about FCS opponents seems a toothless as an aged Tiger right now. Or maybe, his stormy address to the press fired up his team. All I know is that FCS teams have little, if any, reason to play with the big boys on a regular basis. In today's battle of David vs. Goliath, it was the little man who died on the field of battle. Alabama literally could have scored over a 100 points had Nick Saban chosen to do so. Alabama was crisp, collected, and focused on their task at hand. The Tide prevailed in every aspect of a college football game, save one. I'll award the courage award to little Charleston Southern for their effort. Except for a half-million dollar check the South Carolina team had little to gain and a lot to lose playing the Tide. They are in the FCS playoffs this season. A key injury could have killed their chances. I have no idea what such a shellacking does to the psyche of a team. 

   

  With the matter well in hand, Saban played a ton of younger player who had their shining moments. Harris and Scarbrough looked good, and I suspect Bo will be the named heir apparent to Derrick Henry at the end of Spring training. Cooper Bateman showed me that he could win a game if needed. Cyrus Jones just made the defensive Player of the Week, and took a big step toward being named All-American. Jake Coker looked like it was business as usual. He has come a long way since the season started. I wonder if Saban every second guesses his decision to sit Coker in the first half of the Ole Miss game. 

       For Bama, the next objective is clear. Go to Auburn and beat them. I know the Tigers have played better in their last two games, but they also gave up a lot of points to a  very weak Idaho team. Bama can win the SEC West with a win or a loss to Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. The end of the season all setting up quite nicely. Sad about Ohio State wasn't it? 

Tide breaks the back of Bulldogs...


   

    There may be a better football team than the University of Alabama. If so, they play in the NFL. There is no better team in the NCAA. Sorry, Ohio State and Clemson, but you can't stay on the field with the Crimson Tide. For the rest of the NCAA here is a scary thought, Alabama seems to hit its stride as a great time. I thought that Leonard Fournette was the bet running back in the SEC. That was incorrect. The top running back in the NCAA is Derrick Henry. Maybe they need to change his jersey number to #1? 

         On an afternoon, a  perfect setting for a college football game, Alabama started slowly and then physically destroy a good Mississippi State football team. The Alabama defense destroyed the play of the best quarterback in the SEC. It was a game that Dak Prescott will remember for the rest of his life. The Tide defensive front sacked the great one nine times. That was not part of the game plan. Tide defenders were instructed to contain Prescott. His legs can change a game in a heartbeat. When Tide defensive lineman realized how easy it was to get the Prescott they did so with the happiness, only a defensive lineman can understand. Oh boy, did those guys have a great afternoon. Prescott spent more time laying on his back looking at the bright blue sky than he did his receivers. So much for a let-down after the LSU game, feared by many fans.

       Alabama started slowly. Give Mississippi State some credit. The Tide was 0-5 in first down conversions. The Bullies had taken the ball to the Tide two-yard line. From there, Prescott had two shots at the end-zone. Dan Mullen declined to kick a field goal, and when Alabama rocked the State quarterback on two straight runs, the drive was over. The Bama defense kept State from their best scoring opportunity all day. The tide had turned, and for the rest of the afternoon it was the Bulldog standing on their heels. 

        The good guys had netted on 45 yards in total offense in the first quarter. That all turned around when cornerback Cyrus Jones, who returns punts in his part time job, took a State punt back in and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown. From that point on it was all Tide. Alabama wasn't playing great offense but the defense kept the Dogs out of the endzone, and the tide led 7-0. 

       First and most importantly let us pray in the respective manner of our faiths, for the people of France. During the Revolutionary War, it was the Frech who gave us money, arms, and its Navy to help patriots in ridding themselves of English . Our country and France have been allies since that.

ALABAMA MAKES A STATEMENT...

 TIDE CRUSHES THE BAYOU BENGALS...

      The game was supposed to be a clash of champions. The game would tell the SEC who is the big dog is this season. To put a cherry on the top of the whole night, the Arkansas Razorbacks knocked off Ole Miss. The winner of Tide/Tiger Rumble would control their destiny in the race for the national championship. The ground and pound LSU Tigers were anchored by Leonard Fournette. He was averaging over 200 yards per game. The Tigers had clearly been the titans of the turf going into the Saturday night's big game. When the finally whistle sounded, the Tigers were no longer kings. They were just little turf smurfs. 

BAMA'S DEFENSE RULES...

              Going into the game Fournette was the clear favorite for the Heisman Trophy, and the best running back in the NCAA. If those things are true where does that put Derrick Henry? Alabama's offensive line took advantage of extra week and put tog their best game of the season. Henry ended the night with 210 yards rushing, and the Tigers ended their evening wondering what hit them. The Alabama defensive front seven were thorough and unrelenting. The Tigers held Fournette 31 yards rushing and LSU to a remarkable 54 yards on the ground. All totaled the powerful LSU team could produce only 182 yards of total offense. In the era of enhanced offense, this defensive effort was an almost historic Tide performance. 

TIDE OFFENSE SHINES ...


      While the defensive front won their war in the trenches, their offensive counterparts were equal to the challenge.  Alabama's offensive line has not been great this season. They looked like they turned a corner against the highly ranked LSU defense. The blockers open large lanes for Kenyan Drake and  Derrick Henry to run. Time and time again the lineman got downfield blocks on linebackers. The line did have a little trouble at times with the fierce pass rush. Jake Coker did not flinch. He got knocked around but made some key third down throws. Coker finished the game with 18-24 and no interception. That 18-24 was 75%. One one throw the senior held the ball until the last second to complete a first down pass. You can knock Coker for some things but not toughness. If Nick Saban was looking for a quarterback, who can lead he's found one. 

            Tide running backs were sensational. It was thunder and lightning with Henry and Drake in the backfield.  Drake had his best game of the season and was a change of pace for LSU. Both backs ran where they could find a lane to run. That was easy. The Bama line blasted holes all night. When the night was over the pair had a combined 290 yards rushing. Net yardage was reduced to 250 yards when you count sacks. The only left on the field when the game ended was a sense of LSU's embarrassment. The Tigers got schooled by the Tide. Now Bama travels to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are well rested. They played on Thursday night. So some things seem to never change - time, coaching, and talent lead Alabama to another big win.  
    

GAME TIDE APPROACHES …

        I have no idea how you guys feel. My nerves are just about shot thinking about this weekend. The Alabama and LSU game has become a Maalox moment has far as I am concerned.  It is one of those games you can tape, later see who wins, and then decide whether you want to watch what happened. This morning found me wishing there was this wedding invitation I had to attend. 

       My gut feels wrenched. My head feels like a steel band has been has been wrapped around my head, and someone is turning the lever to make it even tighter.  I will play golf this afternoon and tape the game.  No, that won't work because my concentration will be non-existent. Plus, I don't have the self-restraint to ignore my smart phone. So what the heck can I do?

        I'll man-up. Just need to remove any object that could be thrown at the television.  Pull up the recliner and watch every play. After all, I'll be wearing my lucky tee shirt. The Bama flag is hanging from the outside, and it has never seen a losing game. My wife will have her lucky socks on as well. In addition to all that we have our Roll Tide Roll sign, our Crimson Elephant, and every 'Bama ticket stub we've ever used. Okay, I'm starting to feel better. Not a lot better, but my pulse has slowed down enough I may avoid a stroke. Maybe. Hopefully.

     I called my cousin who played college football. He knows as much about football as any man I know. He tells me that if ‘Bama plays error free football they will win. Yeah, like you can predict that right? He has been correct 18 out of the last 21 games. I’m not talking about the betting line. I’m referring only to who wins. Three hours and fifteen minutes to go. That much time to wait will take at least 24 hours in actual worry time. He also told me he thought that Arkansas had a better than average chance  to beat Ole Miss. I flipped over to the Arkansas game and low and behold the Razorbacks, god love ‘em, are ahead 14-7. Perhaps there is real  hope here. Of course, as the fates would have it, Ole Miss about to score.

       I guess reverting to my old strategy is best. Have a beer or two, go heavy on the Chips and French dip. Load up on the carbs and cholesterol. Trust in Nick Saban. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. Trust Saban. That usually works.

FIRST POLL IS MEANINGLESS...
TIDE MUST FOCUS ON LSU

         

       The reaction was swift. When the Selection Committee announced Alabama as the fourth team in the first Playoff Poll, the media churned up the controversy machine. The bottom line is it doesn't matter. If Alabama wins the remainder of their games, they'll be in the playoff. If the Tide loses another game, they won't be selected. It's all very simple. If the Tide barely beats a couple of teams and looks shaky in doing so, it might also keep them out. I think Alabama's brand is so strong they would be selected anyway.

            The Committee is letting all of us know that if you won't schedule some big dogs you might not have a seat at the table. In subjective selection someone is always going to be upset. Do Baylor and TCU have a right to be upset? Right now, it doesn't matter. At the end of the season if one of the teams are undefeated and unselected it might seem pretty unfair. If you are in the BIG 12 CONFERENCE, you can't do much about your schedule in the short term.  Seriously, who wants to schedule Baylor or TCU in a season opener? The answer to that question is, of course, no one with half a brain would want that match up.  When we complain about Baylor not playing any good teams, the answer of punishing them for that transgression may not be fair. 

           We have no real way of knowing whether Alabama is the fourth best team in the nation or not. We have no way of knowing whether they are a top ten team.  Our belief about Alabama’s rank is intermingled being a fan it's difficult to be objective isn't realistic. Let's not kid ourselves about the Selection Committee. The purported use of some objective standards to make a subjective decision isn’t possible That "method", even on its face, is laughable. 

         The thing we must remember is that the Selection Committee is not trying to identify the best team in the NCAA. Their job is to find a National Champion. That doesn't mean the National Champion is the best team.  We all like to think it does, and I'd like the method they use if they expanded it to eight teams. So take the inclusion into the top four for what it means. It means to have some fun, but this doesn’t matter in the least. I'm not saying it isn't nice to have. I'm more concerned about another team selected in the opening poll right now.

SEC OPINIONS - OLD RIVALS MEET IN A BIG ONE

THE AIR IS BECOMING CHARGED WITH ANTICIPATION…

          Every we have that special week. You can always argue the Auburn game is that week.  You’d have a hard time convincing me this week isn’t that week. It’s the one that could mean the most for this year's rendition of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Should the Tide win they won’t completely control their destiny for the SEC Championship, but they sure will feel better about the chances. At least a lot of us fans will feel better. Once again, our beloved Tide has managed to back themselves in a corner. We need to beat LSU and someone needs to beat Ole Miss.  One more time, we have to hope the competitive nature of the SEC helps the Crimson.

THE BIGGEST NATIONAL GAME IS IN TUSCALOOSA…

           It doesn’t matter what anyone else needs to do this week except two teams. LSU needs to beat the Tide and vice versa. This is going to be the week where we finally find out if the stonewall defense of Alabama can stop the wrecking ball named Leonard Fournette. Don’t get me wrong. I love Derrick Henry. He is a great running back. But he is not Leonard Fournette. On the other hand, I’m not sure that the Tiger front seven are equal to the Tides. The question is whether the match-ups of that day will favor the Tide or not. I also think Henry is more balanced than Fournette. He can block, catch passes, get outside, and loves the inside. On paper, it seems the Tide has just the run defense to slow down the gifted Tiger bulldozer.  If the Tide’s front seven can do that without bringing additional defenders into the box, the Tide should win. Bama’s cornerbacks always play a lot of man to man defense. That should help the Tide, but LSU has a lot of great young receivers. They also have an improving quarterback, Brandon Harris, in much the same manner as Alabama. A lot of national commentators have said that the running games will cancel each other out, and we have a battle of quarterbacks and receivers. 

LSU GAME HAS BECOME SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL …          

          The LSU game has become unique in the last decade. In all fairness, the LSU game was an afterthought at one point. The rivalry has always been spirited, but pretty one sided. Now, it is one of those games you dread as an Alabama or LSU fan but look forward to as a football fan. You know the game is not going to be easy, and very physical.  It seems the game has become one a team survives as much as wins. I am always very relieved when the game is over. Relief as much as jubilation seems to be the general rule. You also know this is going to be grown man football.  It isn’t some of those silly Gus Malzhan and Big 12 offenses. This is line up, point your finger across the line and tell your opponent we are coming at you on this play. This is Dick Butkus and Vince Lombardi football. This is the type of football that Bear Bryant would love. I bet Nick Saban is smiling this week. I can almost hear him telling Lane Kiffin we are going to run, and you are going to enjoy it. Truthfully, Kiffin is going to have a dead good run/pass ration that will keep the LSU front seven guessing. 

 
  One thing that both teams has historically learned about each other is they always try to run over the other team, but it is rarely the death blow that wins the game. After the 9-6 slug-fest, the Tide opened it up through the air in the National Championship game. Saban put the ball in the quarterback’s hands and told him to win the game. McCarron did, and the Tide dominated the Tigers. That was the night the Honey Badger bit the dust. The Tide won another National Championship that night, and a win this week can go a long way in earning #16. 

        Alabama opened as a 7 point favorite.

AUBURN IS A DEAD TEAM WALKING....

AUBURN FALLS TO 4-4 AND IT WILL BE WORSE...

FEEDING FRENZY BY LAND SHARKS

         The Gus bus has blown its engine. The Tires are flat, and the tank is empty. The Tigers just lost SEC game number 4 behind a combination of questionable coaching decisions and poor tackling, The Tigers, like it or not, are looking a losing record down the road unless they can beat Georgia, Texas A&M, or Alabama. The Auburn-Georgia game is now nothing more than determining which team gets to extend the misery of their season. Heavens forbid, that either of those teams actually go to a bowl game. I think that Gus Malzhan’s decision to try a 4th and l in their own territory, when no need existed,  is going to be remembered for a long time.  It’s always easy to look back at a decision and be 100% correct in your judgment. That call was as stupid as stupid can be. As we all know you can’t fix stupid.  Luckily, for Malzhan, Mark Richt decided to start a 3rd string quarterback.  And as that travesty unraveled you could hear the guillotine blade being sharpened in Athens. That might have been even more stupid. 

AUBURN’S DEFENSE IS REMARKABLY BAD…

             Auburn’s new defensive coordinator, Will Muschamp, watched his side of the ball give up a staggering 551 yards to Ole Miss.  An even worse number was 91.  That was the number of plays the Rebels ran against the swiss cheese Tiger defense. The Tiger offense had a huge day as well. The carved up the Land Shark defense for 414 yards but could only score one touchdown. That proved to be the difference. Ole Miss was able to score in the red zone and the Tiger’s were left red-faced inside the twenty by having to kick field goals. 

FOURTH QUARTER FIELD GOAL KILLS THE TIGERS…

              Late in the fourth quarter the Tigers had to settle for a field goal which cut the Rebel lead to 20-19. The Rebels then put together a scoring drive of their own to move the score to 27-19 and it was game over. The Tigers just lost their 4th SEC game this season and are looking at upcoming games with Texas A&M, Georgia, and Alabama. It’s hard to see the Tigers winning those games. They might beat Georgia, which has experienced a collapse of their own after losing to Bama and then Nick Chubb. What is happening in Lee County is almost unbelieved.  How can a team of such talented players perform so poorly?  It started with Jacksonville State and has progressed without much hope. Thank goodness for Kentucky if you are an Aubie fan.

FLORIDA READY TO CINCH THE EAST...

                In a year where many picked Auburn and Georgia to win their respective divisions, it has been Florida who has been turning heads. All the Gators have to do is to beat a struggling Vanderbilt team to clinch the East. All the talk surrounding the East was Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. It appears to be the first-year Florida's head coach Jim McElwain will do what most media experts thought was impossible. The Gators are about to win the SEC West.