Bama's Willful Blindness

[wesfau 0]

So, I made a run through BamaMag this morning and I find this gem by perrybama, followed by much praise and back-slapping:

There comes a time when all parties must sit down and admit the true facts about the status of Alabama Football.

1. On February 2, 2002, no one in the world was as low as I was when probation was announced against the University of Alabama. The only time I was lower was May of 2003, when our football coach totally embarrassed the University of Alabama.

2. Most people fail to realize that in December 2002, the University of Alabama was turned down by such powerhouse Coaches as Walt Harris, Les Miles, Mile Riley, and Jim Leavitt. When it came May of 2003, we had coaches lined up at the door, like no one.

3. In May of 2003, we were as low as a football program could get and this is where the rebuilding class started. By the way we had two very marginal recruiting years in 2002 and 2003.

4. Out of the 36 ballplayers that we recruited those two years we recruited such notables as Titus Ryan, Henry Smith, Nick Luke, Ernest Nance, Chauncey Malone, Brandon Avalos, Grant Dickey, David Scott, Christopher Browder, Eric Johnson, Cliff Davis, Will Roach, Travis West, Justin Moon , Chris Felder, D.J. Chambers and Eric Packer. At least 1 in 2 recruits will never make a major contribution to the Tide. By the way David Scott Zack Fletcher and Derrick Pope were JC’s and never got the chance to really aide CMS’s classes. Folks 20 out of 36 had no chance to really help. That is why we now have no Junior and Senior classes in Alabama Football. That is not to demean the 16 good ones, but it is to point out our lack of senior leadership.

5. Quite a few fans are intent on looking at the Alabama program as half empty, I prefer to think that we are half full and the tap water is flowing into the glass. Alabama is competing against the best in the country with basically Sophomore and Freshman athletes, and competing successfully.

These are not excuses, they are facts. As much as I kid people about Ucheat, we are the ones in this situation. We must pick up the stones and rebuild the house and you start to rebuild the house from the foundation up and not from the roof down.

Four years ago we all knew that 2006 would be a tough year for the Crimson Tide. We are making progress. Only a fool would believe that the Tide is competing on an equal footing. Coach Mike Shula has to be conservative if he is to give this team a fighting chance. Coach Mike Shula is not abandoning his game plan for one win in 2006. I believe that Coach Mike Shula is holding firm to his plan for the future because he knows he has the full support of the administration.

Yes it hurts to lose to 10RC, Arky and Florida, but they had better enjoy it now, because I can see the Tide is turning and is coming back. Don’t let idiots like Finebomb influence you, support the Tide. Yes it is hard and it hurts to lose and I understand Cecil’s frustration, but I am sure that if Cecil had the luxury of two days to think about it he would have reached the same conclusion that I have reached and that is to support the Tide and Coach Mike Shula.

I've marked the pertinent statements in bold. I pointed out to perry that 17 of Bama's 22 starters are Juniors and Seniors. My post was quickly deleted and I received no responses.

So, Bama fans, why is there this perception amongst your fans that this Bama team is "young"?

[saniflush 0]

So, Bama fans, why is there this perception amongst your fans that this Bama team is "young"?

I hear it is because the idea of "young" and "boys" really gets some of their motors going.

[wesfau 0]

Yeah, I'm going to bump my own post.

I want some frickin' answers here, people!

[DKW 86 7,440]

Wes, if you listened to the great unwashed UAT masses, they would have told you that 2002 and 2003 were excellent recruiting classes back then. I am sure everyone on this board remembers being told how Fran was the best recruiter, ole so-and-so will win a Heisman, Fran has a plan involving redshirts, greyshirts, pink shirts, persimmon shirts, chartreuse shirts, etc...

Arguing reality with the majority of them is just a waste of time.

[wesfau 0]

Wes, if you listened to the great unwashed UAT masses, they would have told you that 2002 and 2003 were excellent recruiting classes back then. I am sure everyone on this board remembers being told how Fran was the best recruiter, ole so-and-so will win a Heisman, Fran has a plan involving redshirts, greyshirts, pink shirts, persimmon shirts, chartreuse shirts, etc...

Arguing reality with the majority of them is just a waste of time.

I guess I just want some explanation from them. I want to hear how this simple irrefutable fact can be twisted to support perry's assertion.

C'mon Bama fans, the gauntlet has been thrown down. The challenge has been issued.

[otterinbham 0]

Hey. I like willful blindness.

Just Monday, I was talking to a client of mine who said "Mike Shula's doing a fine job," and said it with a straight face. As long as these guys keep rationalizing failure after failure, then we will keep thrashing them.

[aerotiger 0]

Coming from a family of SPUAT fans (yeah, I apologize for that in advance), I know from extensive personal experience that there will ALWAYS be an excuse with these people. Here's my favorite one of recent times:

Me: "So what's your excuse this year?"

dad: "We're still hurting from probation."

Me: "You have just as many players as everybody else"

dad: "Yeah, but these players are an anomaly. Auburn got better HS players during our probation, and HS players thought for a while that auburn was the better school. Now, it's obvious who is on the upward trend and who is going down."

Me:"Oh really, and who would that be..."

etc, etc, etc....

I'm sure that this is nothing new to everybody around here. The arrogance of these people are uncanny.

The only thing that really worries me is that if we blow Bammer out of the water again, we can probably look for another scandal over the summer. You just know the SPUAT nation will be trying their damndest to dig out some dirt on AU, whether there is any to be found or not.

[kickerman97 3]

So, Bama fans, why is there this perception amongst your fans that this Bama team is "young"?

BG will answer this I'm sure.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

The bammers have been very quiet since the Tenn. game. Winning games by three points is great but losing close ones makes it hard to swallow.

[CircleDrill 178]

Look, the bottom line is they are making excuses for their coaching staff.

But if you want me to break it down more, then here you go...

When they first went on probation, the spin was "The best players will still come to Alabama because we are Alabama."

IOW probation will not make much difference. Then they went through probation, and indeed there was not really much difference to speak of.

Toward the end of probation, the team starts to suffer, but not from probation...due to their willingness to hire sketchy coaches and create scandals. To get out of that, they hire a sub-par coach and give him a huge contract to create the illusion of "stability."

That coach lucks up in 2005 and has a 10-2 season with a Cotton Bowl trip, and they proclaim "They are Back" and print 10 million Sports Illustrateds which Wal-Mart recycles into egg crates less than 9 months later.

Less than 12-months after the "return to glory" 10-2 season, we have reality that bammers refuse to accept, resulting in the creation of http://www.keepmikeshula.com

Mike Shula is a horrible head coach. I pray that the bammers disagree with me for the next 20 years. But the truth is that they are not going to move forward until they get rid of him because he does not know what he is doing.

[aerotiger 0]

I went and looked at their starting lineup, and I counted 5 starters younger than juniors. The lineup may have changed (I found one from September), but I don't think it has considerably. Obviously, "That is why we now have no Junior and Senior classes in Alabama Football" is a completely false statement, unless you don't look at the 17 starters.

Maybe Bammer should start injuring themselves a little more in practice so they have some excuses with a little more kick. Or maybe they should just concentrate at their best sport: GYMNASTICS.

[vatz22au 142]

I dont care what any Bama fan likes to state these days... the answers are very obvious. Alabama has just as much talent on their team as last years... if not more.

Some of the answers may have to do with:

1. Is the staff developing players as well as other teams throughout the years?

2. Shula seems to always play each game as," lets not win this game... lets just try not to lose."

3. Maybe discipline?

Actually, I believe that if Shula did something as simple as give all play calling duties to Rader or bring someone in who can bring alot more explosion to the offense then Alabama would be a totally different team right now.

[TDAuburn 2]

Coming from a family of SPUAT fans (yeah, I apologize for that in advance), I know from extensive personal experience that there will ALWAYS be an excuse with these people. Here's my favorite one of recent times:

Me: "So what's your excuse this year?"

dad: "We're still hurting from probation."

Me: "You have just as many players as everybody else"

dad: "Yeah, but these players are an anomaly. Auburn got better HS players during our probation, and HS players thought for a while that auburn was the better school. Now, it's obvious who is on the upward trend and who is going down."

Me:"Oh really, and who would that be..."

etc, etc, etc....

I'm sure that this is nothing new to everybody around here. The arrogance of these people are uncanny.

The only thing that really worries me is that if we blow Bammer out of the water again, we can probably look for another scandal over the summer. You just know the SPUAT nation will be trying their damndest to dig out some dirt on AU, whether there is any to be found or not.

I can empathize aerotiger, I have 3 siblings that went to uat, I'm an AU alum. BUT... imagine your situation suffering through the Barfield years and losing to uat for 10 years straight. Curiously, the subject never comes up at family get-togethers lately.

[SKCAUB 0]

So, I made a run through BamaMag this morning and I find this gem by perrybama, followed by much praise and back-slapping:

There comes a time when all parties must sit down and admit the true facts about the status of Alabama Football.

1. On February 2, 2002, no one in the world was as low as I was when probation was announced against the University of Alabama. The only time I was lower was May of 2003, when our football coach totally embarrassed the University of Alabama.

2. Most people fail to realize that in December 2002, the University of Alabama was turned down by such powerhouse Coaches as Walt Harris, Les Miles, Mile Riley, and Jim Leavitt. When it came May of 2003, we had coaches lined up at the door, like no one.

3. In May of 2003, we were as low as a football program could get and this is where the rebuilding class started. By the way we had two very marginal recruiting years in 2002 and 2003.

4. Out of the 36 ballplayers that we recruited those two years we recruited such notables as Titus Ryan, Henry Smith, Nick Luke, Ernest Nance, Chauncey Malone, Brandon Avalos, Grant Dickey, David Scott, Christopher Browder, Eric Johnson, Cliff Davis, Will Roach, Travis West, Justin Moon , Chris Felder, D.J. Chambers and Eric Packer. At least 1 in 2 recruits will never make a major contribution to the Tide. By the way David Scott Zack Fletcher and Derrick Pope were JC’s and never got the chance to really aide CMS’s classes. Folks 20 out of 36 had no chance to really help. That is why we now have no Junior and Senior classes in Alabama Football. That is not to demean the 16 good ones, but it is to point out our lack of senior leadership.

5. Quite a few fans are intent on looking at the Alabama program as half empty, I prefer to think that we are half full and the tap water is flowing into the glass. Alabama is competing against the best in the country with basically Sophomore and Freshman athletes, and competing successfully.

These are not excuses, they are facts. As much as I kid people about Ucheat, we are the ones in this situation. We must pick up the stones and rebuild the house and you start to rebuild the house from the foundation up and not from the roof down.

Four years ago we all knew that 2006 would be a tough year for the Crimson Tide. We are making progress. Only a fool would believe that the Tide is competing on an equal footing. Coach Mike Shula has to be conservative if he is to give this team a fighting chance. Coach Mike Shula is not abandoning his game plan for one win in 2006. I believe that Coach Mike Shula is holding firm to his plan for the future because he knows he has the full support of the administration.

Yes it hurts to lose to 10RC, Arky and Florida, but they had better enjoy it now, because I can see the Tide is turning and is coming back. Don’t let idiots like Finebomb influence you, support the Tide. Yes it is hard and it hurts to lose and I understand Cecil’s frustration, but I am sure that if Cecil had the luxury of two days to think about it he would have reached the same conclusion that I have reached and that is to support the Tide and Coach Mike Shula.

I've marked the pertinent statements in bold. I pointed out to perry that 17 of Bama's 22 starters are Juniors and Seniors. My post was quickly deleted and I received no responses.

So, Bama fans, why is there this perception amongst your fans that this Bama team is "young"?

There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth...for years to come.

[cehuff21 0]

I'm tired of hearing the probation excuse... I believe was a certain Auburn team that went undefeated while under probation...

[wesfau 0]

Bumpity-bump.

Still nothing from our crimson neighbors?

[WarDlowe 39]

Actually, I believe that if Shula did something as simple as give all play calling duties to Rader or bring someone in who can bring alot more explosion to the offense then Alabama would be a totally different team right now.

i agree... why is rader even there if he doesn't call plays or anything? i like the system they have, they don't need to change it... but if they did they might be a different team

[eagle76 1]

On paper, uat did have some very good and high ranked recruiting classes. BUT, getting a kid to commit and getting him into and keeping him in school are worlds apart. Many of bammar's 4/5* recruits never made it to the practice field. Several keep counting year after year because they are still in prep school or jr college.

[tombigbeetiger 223]

having bammerfarts around saves you money....no need to pay to go to a comedy club or subscribe to the comedy channel.....they are a laugh a minute.....sad lot,but a funny bunch of assclowns

[vatz22au 142]

I'm tired of hearing the probation excuse... I believe was a certain Auburn team that went undefeated while under probation...

With Pat Dye's players.... look at the amazing recruits lil Ole Terry brought in through the years, and look at the records that coincide. Same thing goin on with Bama... although the probation excuse is losing its shine and glitter these days.

[UA-CT 1]

aTm, would have told you Fraud was a good coach too when they hired him. If Fran's motives weren't clear when he took over at Alabama, then surely even our Arnge and Blew brethren can see what his intentions are now. He wasn't planning on staying and he only recruited as such. The easiest way to look at why we are a young team is 38 to 58, that is the difference between bammer's and barney's scholarshiped players due to sanctuations in 2002 and 2003 against us. We have some seniors and juniors starting but little depth behind them. We Are a Young Team..

[The Prowler 1]

Yea.........I Love listening to the bammers explain how Coach Hula has done a Wonderful Job, just

look at last year.........I Told Them,

Coaching last years team was so easy........

A Caveman Could Do It..........

[abrnfanatc 6]

aTm, would have told you Fraud was a good coach too when they hired him. If Fran's motives weren't clear when he took over at Alabama, then surely even our Arnge and Blew brethren can see what his intentions are now. He wasn't planning on staying and he only recruited as such. The easiest way to look at why we are a young team is 38 to 58, that is the difference between bammer's and barney's scholarshiped players due to sanctuations in 2002 and 2003 against us. We have some seniors and juniors starting but little depth behind them. We Are a Young Team..

And everybody on AUNation loves me. Ignorance IS bliss isn't it?

[DKW 86 7,440]

aTm, would have told you Fraud was a good coach too when they hired him. If Fran's motives weren't clear when he took over at Alabama, then surely even our Arnge and Blew brethren can see what his intentions are now. He wasn't planning on staying and he only recruited as such. The easiest way to look at why we are a young team is 38 to 58, that is the difference between bammer's and barney's scholarshiped players due to sanctuations in 2002 and 2003 against us. We have some seniors and juniors starting but little depth behind them. We Are a Young Team..

CT, we hear you, but back then all we heard was how frantastic a recruiter he was, second coming of Bear, Standing in the Shadows Print, The Bear Fairy, etc. We heard it all. Heck, Shane for brains spent 20 minutes on PFS one day explaining how probation would not in anyway cost Alabama because "We are the Tide!"

"Kids crawl a mile through broken glass to wear that Crimson jersey."

Tyler Watts was going to win two Heismans and Brodie was the greatest quarterback ever signed within the state of Alabama. He was going to win one or two MNCs, etc.

Ct, we heard it all. All day long, 24-7, 365 for 3-4 years. probation wasnt going to affect bama in the least because "Bama has its standards. We are the Crimson Tide!"

So someone wearing Crimson tell us now, were you wrong then, or are you wrong now?

[UA-CT 1]

aTm, would have told you Fraud was a good coach too when they hired him. If Fran's motives weren't clear when he took over at Alabama, then surely even our Arnge and Blew brethren can see what his intentions are now. He wasn't planning on staying and he only recruited as such. The easiest way to look at why we are a young team is 38 to 58, that is the difference between bammer's and barney's scholarshiped players due to sanctuations in 2002 and 2003 against us. We have some seniors and juniors starting but little depth behind them. We Are a Young Team..

CT, we hear you, but back then all we heard was how frantastic a recruiter he was, second coming of Bear, Standing in the Shadows Print, The Bear Fairy, etc. We heard it all. Heck, Shane for brains spent 20 minutes on PFS one day explaining how probation would not in anyway Alabama because "We are the Tide!"

"Kids crawl a mile through broken glass to wear that Crimson jersey."

Tyler Watts was going to win two Heismans and Brodie was the greatest quarterback ever signed within the state of Alabama. He was going to win one or two MNCs, etc.

Ct, we heard it all. All day long, 24-7, 365 for 3-4 years. probation wasnt going to affect bama in the least because "Bama has its standards. We are the Crimson Tide!"

So someone wearing Crimson tell us now, were you wrong then, or are you wrong now?

Really DW, you can't expect me to answer for the complete fallacy of some fans you might have talked too, but to believe that the probabation we recieved wasn't going to have an effect is ludacris. I'd rather have twice the number of players than a handful of overhyped highschoolars any day.