Comments:

1. Big Tide said:

   posted on November 26, 2007 6:44 PM — 12.208.88.211 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Alabama should have tried to hire Bower way back when we chose Dubose. The guy can coach and he seems to run a clean program.

2.  War Eagle Atlanta said:

   posted on November 26, 2007 6:51 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Big Tide: That's back when Bama still required a direct blood lineage with Bear Bryant, so it wouldn't have worked.

3. gatorhippy said:

   posted on November 26, 2007 7:31 PM — 70.121.185.56 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Ok...

   So let me get this straight...

   I've been affiliated with the school for over 30 years as student, player, GA, QB coach, and OC while still holding or is high on the list in the record books at the school as a player...

   Been the head coach for 17 seasons; of which the last 14 were consecutively winning ones...

   Which is behind only the likes of FSU, Michigan, UF and VT...

   4 conference titles, 3 time C-USA Coach of the year, C-USA 1990's Coach of the Decade...

   Jacked up LSU, Bama, Auburn and UGA at one point or another...

   All while dealin' with the mediocre talent I'm able to reel in here...

   And turning down better offers due to loyalty to my alma mater...

   FIRED!?!?!?!?!!

   F#CK YOU GUYS!!!

   I can get a better gig than this...

   Or at least that's what I would have said if I was Bowers...

   
   

4. Big Tide said:

   posted on November 27, 2007 5:05 PM — 69.34.227.69 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Gatorhippy, my sentiments exactly. WEA #2, yep and that is exactly when the train jumped the track so to speak. I'll never forget back when they were about to hire Dubose and they were interviewing Lee Roy Jordan and LRJ said, "yeah, I think it's going to be Mike. I mean, he' really the only man for the job." I thought to myself - what a f*cking idiot. One of the best programs in the country and there wasn't even a transparent hiring process. We just handed the job to a guy with NO head coaching experience just because he had played for Bear, been an assistant for 19 forevers - I get sick just thinking about it...........

5.  War Eagle Atlanta said:

   posted on November 27, 2007 5:34 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Like I've said before, Big Tide, the whole alumnus thing is an anachronism. Teams (rightfully) want a good coach--period. If he happens to be a member of the family, then it's just gravy. 25 years at the same school? Also a throw-back. Same with wearing the dual cap of HC and AD. Gone with the wind...

   I thought about if Tubs left, maybe giving a look to Pat Sullivan up at Samford. Tigers couldn't ask for a better blood line from a coach, but you just can't help but think what has Sullivan done to be worthy of coaching here?

   It's a damn shame when arguably the most storied player in your history isn't good enough to come home to coach, but that's the dynamic these days. Give me the winner over the legacy--any day.

   Which reminds me. Do you think Miles would be in contention for a Michigan job if he was still languishing at OK State? I say no--yet what has he really accomplished at LSU in three years to be worthy of a Michigan? Maybe one possible SEC title--this year, and a failed cake-walk not once but twice to the MNC title game this year.

   Actually, maybe the powers in Ann Arbor don't think that's enough..

6. Big Tide said:

   posted on November 27, 2007 6:30 PM — 69.34.227.69 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   All valid points. His name slips my tortured brain, but the OC at Miami has got "Future Auburn Head Coach" written all over him....

   Say what you want about Bama hiring Saban, but at least we got off the sidelines and decided to give control to somebody that knows what he's doing. No matter how things turn out with Saban, I feel like he's got the type of strong personality to handle that job. In the end, it just chewed Fran up. He wasn't used to that type of scrutiny. Look at how Tubberville has aged since he arrived in Auburn. I was checking him out the other night. He looks like a guy that has "seen it all" if you know what I mean. He rarely gets excited until after the game. You can tell he gets some extra satisfaction out of beating Alabama and he should. That's what you want in a coach in the end - a guy that REALLY cares about more than just the money. That's what keeps Tiger on top. He hates losing to people that he knows he can beat and should beat. Same with Tubberville. I wish our LA Monroe loss could have come in the second game of the season or third, the way the Mississippi State game fell for Auburn. I don't know if you read it, but before the game last week Saban said in his news conference that he had a lot of respect for Tubberville because Auburn had continued to get better as a team and he went on to say that that was something that had not happened with his team. Lot of truth in that statement. Coaching, I think we all agree, is teaching these young men how to compete and how to achieve more than they really think is possible. Myer and Miles both started at position A as far as recruiting and where the program stood, etc. Tubberville had to work out some kinks when he got to Auburn and Lord knows Saban has a knot to untie. One last thing, you were talking about Brodie bumper sticker last week. I thought that was great. I actually put that sticker on my office door for a week for my best friend and Auburn Alumnus that lives in Mobile. He sent it to me after those famous last words, "no way you guys come to Tuscaloosa and win your 5th in a row. Won't happen." That's when I got out of the prediction business for good.

7.  War Eagle Atlanta said:

   posted on November 27, 2007 7:00 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Big Tide: Pat Nix. You should remember him. He threw the 1993 game-winning TD. With his eyes closed, no less (what Bama fans said) LOL

   Now if you read my posts on here you should know that I have never said anything critical of Saban. I never parrotted the 'Nick lied' tired old song and dance that everyone else was saying. I think Saban is a good coach and will work out at Bama for a while, but in the end, I think that there will be a parting. That's not a sleight to anyone, it's just my opinion. For the record, Tuberville leaves Auburn one day. He won't retire there. JMHO, again.

   Generally speaking, the criticism I have for Alabama in formats like this is constructive in nature. I know that neither Alabama the state nor Auburn is served well by a weak Crimson Tide team. We need the king so we can topple him, you need the challenger so you can squash him. It's not as much fun if neither is up to the task. Okay--maybe for a little while, but not for the long haul, otherwise you get a rivalry like Texas-Texas A+M or Georgia-GA Tech--totally lopsided.

   Yea, I get a kick out of the little things like the "Honk if you sacked Brodie Croyle" bumper stickers. It's all in good smart-ass fun. I still have bumper stickers from the first 5 Iron Bowls I ever attended, 1985-1989, you know, the ones that say "I was There!" and then gives the score. I bought the last four, but the first one was forced on me. I still cherish it--part of my baptism by fire...

8. Big Tide said:

   posted on November 27, 2007 8:46 PM — 12.208.88.211 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   I enjoy your posts and although I have given you a ribbing about naming the field after Coach Dye, I have a lot of respect for him. He always said that in the SEC (just about all football applies) the team that rushes the ball the best will typically win the game. Now he did not say rushes for the most yards, although that is usually a by product, but rushes best. I've always taken that to mean the team that can control the ball will usually win. That is one thing we could not do this year is rush the football when we needed to. Miles should have put a saddle on the Hester kid in the second half against us because we sure couldn't stop him. Still not sure why LSU didn't rush the ball more this season when they got the lead? Anyway, Coach Dye was a hell of a coach. I was in school at Bama during the Nix era. Been to many football games in Jordan Hare. Good memories. Much better than the last few seasons.......

9.  War Eagle Atlanta said:

   posted on November 28, 2007 3:50 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?

   
   
   

   Yea, I wasn't really for naming the field after Pat Dye, but I always liked him as a coach.

   Glad that we have the same agenda--run the damn ball. Maybe I feel that way because of Dye's influence, but I've always been a run kind of guy. Hell, bring back the damn wishbone. If you have a great defense, like Auburn and Alabama, and most of the SEC, running the ball works. You control the clock.

   Having caught Texas Tech and Hawaii games here recently, it really makes you appreciate the running attack when you don't see it at all. Nah, give me some smash-mouth football any day.