PF: Alabama's 2-0 record misleading

[DKW 86 7,438]

http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/pf....xml&coll=3

Alabama's 2-0 record misleading

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Raise your hand now if you have heard the following line from an Alabama fan over the past few days: "Hey, it wasn't pretty, but a win is a win is a win and we're 2-0."

No argument here. After only two weeks of college football, only six of the 12 SEC schools can make the claim of being undefeated and Bama is one of them. Next week, Alabama will most likely be among only four SEC schools who can make that boast.

But what does that statement really say?

Does it mean Alabama should beat the Christmas rush and go ahead and declare a 13th national championship?

Does it say "Hey, I'm not worried, Mike Shula knows what he's doing on offense?"

Or does it really say, "I'm scared out of my mind that Shula doesn't have a clue?"

Those are just a few of the thoughts coming out of yet another slipshod performance at Bryant-Denny Stadium. You can put on a happy face and act like the Tide beating Vanderbilt 13-10 a week after the same team lost to Michigan 27-7 is no big deal.

You can say that games like this happened all over the country on Saturday in places like Tallahassee and Knoxville. Sure, you can. However, while Florida State held on for dear life against Troy and Tennessee against Air Force, both clubs were coming off huge wins against highly regarded nationally ranked teams (Miami and California, respectively).

The Tide was coming off a sloppy win against Don Ho U, one that was only secured on the last play of the game. Many were interested to see if the tired but often used axiom held true: A team usually shows the most improvement between the first and second game of the season.

The good news for Alabama is this week's opponent is Louisiana-Monroe and only the die-hards will pay much attention. After two miserable performances, my sense is not only will tickets be bountiful on Saturday, you will likely be able to have a section to yourself at the beautifully renovated Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Even the most delusional Alabama fans would probably have enough sense to stay home and watch the battle for the SEC West being decided live from Jordan-Hare Stadium and the elimination game for the SEC East later in the evening in Knoxville.

On top of that, there is Michigan-Notre Dame, Nebraska-USC, Oklahoma-Oregon, Clemson-Florida State and Miami-Louisville. Alabama's only chance of making SportsCenter Saturday night is to do the unthinkable.

The question really isn't so much what fans will do this weekend but how they will handle the Saturday after and the one after that when this silly exhibition season finally ends and the Tide plays some real teams.

Can Mike Shula solve the offensive problems before the trips to Arkansas and Florida? If not, this once promising season could implode.

It's worth noting that a year ago Tide fans were equally flummoxed. Shula improved his stock to some extent during the three-week beat down of South Carolina, Arkansas and Florida, which lifted the 2005 season into orbit and dramatically changed the complexity of his career. It didn't hurt that Alabama had one of the stingiest defenses in America. This one is good but not yet in last year's league.

So we'll see about 2006. The bottom line, as fans like to say, is the won-loss record. If the Tide doesn't shape up in a hurry, tired old clichés will fall on deaf ears and this season could become a lost cause.

[Ranger12 46]

Again, PF all of a sudden is the voice of reason to bammers. Too bad most will not listen.

[TigerOne 1,151]

don't be fooled by his slop, he is just stating the obvious. And why insult Hawaii and Vandy?

[WinCrimson 61]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

[jared52 4,354]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

Unfortunatly for your fan base, that's no true. There are pleanty of bama fans who still believe this team is a good as last year or 1992. And they run their mouths about it. On the inside I wanna speak truth to them. On the outside I just smile and nod. I think the quote I first saw here fits my line of thinking: "Never argue with an idiot. They'll being you down to their level and beat you with experience."

FTR, none of the bama posters here are in this class of fandom. It's usually the non-association group who like alabama because (a) it's the name of the state they live in, so why not cheer for them (I've actually been told that I should be a uat fan for this reason), ( the Bahr is the greatest coach ever, © red is prettier than blue, (d) any combination of the above.

[GalensGhost 0]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

I've found a few.

[Ranger12 46]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

Just yesterday alone, I heard three bammers discussing how this team is similar to the 1992 team.

[WarTim 3,456]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

Just yesterday alone, I heard three bammers discussing how this team is similar to the 1992 team.

Very "similar"...they both wear dark pink shirts.

[AuNuma1 1]

I saw ol PF in Starbucks yesterday...what a gooby looking guy in person. No wonder he does radio.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

And PF said early on "No argument here." But there's more... go ahead and read the rest of the article.

[DKW 86 7,438]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

Come to Decatur, I will show you at least 6 fans that have reservations for Tempe already.

KID YOU NOT! Same guy that has "Alabama 17 National Championships" painted on his brand new f-150 4x4.

Same guy that almost started a real fist fight with me telling me that "Bama would have played in the BCS in 2004." He did not know about 1966 Alabama team and yet worships the Bear/Bama/Tuscaloosa etc. Just a little bit worse than the relatives and friends I have that are Bama fans.

[GalensGhost 0]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

Just yesterday alone, I heard three bammers discussing how this team is similar to the 1992 team.

Similar? I heard this team may be BETTER than the '92 team because Anna Nicole Parker Wilson is more mobile than Jay Barker.

[aucanucktiger 1,798]

"Just yesterday alone, I heard three bammers discussing how this team is similar to the 1992 team".

Okay now hold on for a minute. Seriously. The 1992 team frequently played up or down to the level of each opponent and just ended up coming out on top of them all. The Bama '92 team struggled mightily against some REALLY bad teams and relied on some extraordinarily stupid screw ups by opponents to win a couple. Penn State's kicker practically kicking the would-be game-winning field goal practically into the butt of his center (my grandmother could have blocked it) comes to mind.

So as far as comparison's w/ that team, so far so good.

[WinCrimson 61]

"Just yesterday alone, I heard three bammers discussing how this team is similar to the 1992 team".

Okay now hold on for a minute. Seriously. The 1992 team frequently played up or down to the level of each opponent and just ended up coming out on top of them all. The Bama '92 team struggled mightily against some REALLY bad teams and relied on some extraordinarily stupid screw ups by opponents to win a couple. Penn State's kicker practically kicking the would-be game-winning field goal practically into the butt of his center (my grandmother could have blocked it) comes to mind.

So as far as comparison's w/ that team, so far so good.

Really? That's strange considering we didn't play Penn State in 1992.

9/5 vs. *Vanderbilt (4-7) W 25 8

9/12 vs. Southern Mississippi (7-4) W 17 10 @ Birmingham, AL

9/19 vs. *Arkansas (3-7-1) W 38 11 @ Little Rock, AR

9/26 vs. Louisiana Tech (5-6) W 13 0 @ Birmingham, AL

10/3 vs. *South Carolina (5-6) W 48 7

10/10 @ Tulane (2-9) W 37 0

10/17 @ *Tennessee (9-3) W 17 10

10/24 vs. *Mississippi (9-3) W 31 10

11/7 @ *Louisiana State (2-9) W 31 11

11/14 @ *Mississippi State (7-5) W 30 21

11/26 vs. *Auburn (5-5-1) W 17 0 @ Birmingham, AL

12/5 vs. *Florida (9-4) W 28 21 @ Birmingham, AL SEC Championship

1/1 vs. Miami (Florida) (11-1) W 34 13 @ New Orleans, LA Sugar Bowl

13-0-0

366 122

[WinCrimson 61]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

And PF said early on "No argument here." But there's more... go ahead and read the rest of the article.

I read it. Agreed with some of it... disagree with some of it. But in the end I recognized (as with all PF articles) that he is pimping his radio show.

And yeah PT, we should just fold this season and come back in the spring.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

last wasn't 92; this year isn't 92. that was the best defense i've ever watched (with lsu in 2003 coming in second). i know that defense didn't finish on top of every category like lsu did, but i know they could've shut down any offense i've ever watched. they had a bad day against the gators and still won... hate admitting it, but that team was for real. this team doesn't deserve to stand in that one's shadow. the dark pink warriors are gonna win 9 one of two ways... win 8 in the regular season, bad bowl, get a win; win 9, good bowl, take a loss.

[quietfan 233]

The voice of reason to us? All he said was that we've got to get better and that we've won 2 ugly games. You won't find a single Bama fan that disputes that.

Just yesterday alone, I heard three bammers discussing how this team is similar to the 1992 team.

Yeah, but every Bama team since 1992 that has struggled to put points on the board has been compared to the '92 team. I knew the '92 team, and this defense, sirs, is no '92 defense!

[WinCrimson 61]

Of course not. You may not be able to find a defense with that kinda talent... ever seen any of the defensive highlight films from '92? Wow.

This D isn't as good as last year's (but few are). We're legit on D and will keep ourselves in a lot of games and give us a CHANCE to win every game. Not saying that we will win every game... just wanting to clarify that!

[ECEstudentUA 9]

Im sorry, but I dont think we will have a D like 1992 anytime soon. Yes, we have a better D than most this year....but that 1992 team had like 6 guys that played in the NFL, just from that year. Im sure some of the younger players went pro also. Alabama's D is young and is going to make mistakes.They just need to get some games under their belts and learn from those mistakes.

The key here is that the 92, and other 90's teams could score in the red zone. I seriously think that this 2006 team is scared or something about being inside the 20 yd line. What, we have scored a whole 3 tds this year....I think one was inside the redzone. Thats going to be the difference in Bama's ability to win football games. If they cant get TD's in the red zone, we will be lucky to win 7 games this year. UGH, it makes me mad to see us move the ball down the field in a passing manner and then halt everything and try to pound the ball. Sometimes I really think that Dave Rader out thinks himself.

#14 Wilson Att Comp Int Pct Yards TD Long Sack-Yds Effic

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hawai'i............... 29 16 0 55.2 253 1 36 1-2 139.83

Vanderbilt............ 29 18 1 62.1 207 1 36 1-13 126.51

TOTALS................ 58 34 1 58.6 460 2 36 2-15 133.17

253 yds and 207 yds.......but only two touchdowns........that sucks!

[WarTim 3,456]

It's lsWHO week. Two top ten teams playing for a trip to Atlanta. WHO CARES about the smaller-unranked"school" in west vance?

[CircleDrill 178]

PF is trash, and anyone who listens to him is a fool. Bama is BACK and everybody knows it.

[WAR-MATT 2]

It's lsWHO week. Two top ten teams playing for a trip to Atlanta. WHO CARES about the smaller-unranked"school" in west vance?

Thank you War-Tim.

[aucanucktiger 1,798]

Okay twink, but you know the Penn State game I'm referring to in the early 90s. If you want to claim a REAL kicka$$ Bama defense, cite to 1979. Otherwise I'm standing by my statement that '92 Bama lived a charmed season. Research Jeff Bowers moronic coaching for Southern Miss (Bama beats the 7 win team by 7 @ home), the 13-0 escape against La Tech (had a losing season and was just aweful that year), Miss State's unbelievable gifts to Bama in the 4th quarter of the 31-20 game, and most of all Shane Mathews' playing like I'd swear he was paid off in the worst game of his career @ UF. The '92 D is remembered for scoring TDs because the O struggled against good Ds all year, and for the Curry/Copeland sack machine. Period.

I'd pit 2004 AU against '92 Bama any day, but it would be close against '79 Bama.

[TigerProphet 1]

Very "similar"...they both wear dark pink shirts.

They had holes in them too, right?