Monday, October 26, 2009

What we learned from Saturday (Week 8)

* How bad can it get for SEC refs? What's left, zebras in black hoods caught sacrificing a live goat in the parking lot? One moderator on an Auburn site pinned the plague of bad calls all on Alabama (imagine that?). I thought we were a second-rate program with delusions of past grandeur. Glad we've been promoted to a criminal conspiracy. Still to come: An ACORN-like video showing zebes and Tide bigwigs fixing the Iron Bowl.

* Is LSU timing the wave?

* There are bye weeks and then there are true bye weeks. Alabama needs one, big time, after escaping the Vols. Terrence Cody will have ice packs on his armpits for the rest of the season. And I still think his helmet came off early.

* Quick, name an SEC QB playing better than Jonathan Crompton.

* Nick Saban's press conferences make for some some of the best SEC footage on the Web each week. His relationship with the media can be prickly, but his answers are honest, open and filled with information. This week's nugget: Saban calling out his own staff on having more faith in the passing game. See it for yourself, courtesy of the Tuscaloosa News. www.tidesports.com/

* Who isn't a little surprised that Arkansas didn't show better against Ole Miss. Close loss to Florida, sure. But the wear of an SEC schedule really showed on the Hogs. Meanwhile, Dexter McCluster may be the most entertaining player in the conference.

mg

2 comments:

Bud said...

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen gets my vote for the stupidest call of the year so far. State was trailing the Gators by just 3 points with 11 minutes to play in the game. State had a 4th and 2 on their OWN 26 YARD LINE and Mullen decided to fake the punt and go for it! The Gators stopped them and went in for a quick TD to break the game wide open and go up by 10. Down in Georgia we call that 4th and dumb.

Anonymous said...

What I learned this week, after a bit of background.

I'm a die-hard Auburn fan. I started rooting for them when Bo arrived when I was about 12 years old. At the end of the Bo Era, my father moved to Huntsville AL for a job. My younger brother also hopped on the War Eagle bandwagon. We have lived through great times (The Bo Years, Terry Bowden's first year, Tuberville's Iron Bowl run) and terrible times (last few Pat Dye years, all of Terry Bowden's years after the first one, 2008). The personal hatred for the rival school that is somewhere near Birmingham is always at full boil. I do not believe any collegiate rivalry in any sport even belongs in the same conversation with this one. For example - yes, MG, the bad officiating in the SEC is all 'Bama's fault. If the weatherman predicts sun in Charlotte tomorrow and it rains, it will be 'Bama's fault.

So I REALLY HATE to admit what I learned this week.

'Bama is going to go undefeated and win the national championship.

To win the title, you have to be both lucky and good. 'Bama is good; everyone knows that. But they're getting all the good fortune too. The Tennessee game reminded me of the Panthers second game in 2003 against the Bucs, when the Panthers blocked a 2nd-quarter field goal, and then the extra point at the end of regulation that prevented Tampa from winning. Of course we all know how good that year turned out to be. This year's 'Bama team is taking on the same aura. Of course, with the Panthers it was a sweet smell. This one stinks to high heaven.