SEC CHAMPIONSHIP (Part 2: THIS season and THIS game)

Quotes

"We have better players at each position across the board. Especially on defense" -UGA Safety Baccari Rambo

John Jenkins. LOL

"Alabama's offensive line ain't nothing special. Barrett Jones is no different than any other center we've faced" - UGA Defensive Lineman John Jenkins 

Those were quotes by Georgia players immediately following and the day after the Iron Bowl, when it became official that the Bulldogs were going to get Alabama in Atlanta 7 days later.

"It's just another game. That's the biggest thing I think that everyone needs to just remember, don't make the game bigger than what it is. You know, it's just another Saturday." - AJ McCarron

"They have a really strong front four. They have a lot of size, a lot of strength, a lot of quickness, and they play really well within their scheme. We have a big challenge, but we've been preparing hard all week. They throw a lot of different looks at you, and they're just very fundamentally sound on executing what they do, so that always makes it challenging because they don't beat themselves." - Barrett Jones

Alabama players are approaching this game all business. Georgia players are talking about how much "swag" they have and how much better they are than Bama. They did the same thing before the 2008 game. 

The same thing Miami did before the 1993 Sugar Bowl. Coincidental that Mark Richt came from Miami, isn't it? 

Georgia's 2012 season

The Bulldogs come into this game with an 11-1 record. The one loss being to South Carolina, 35-7. 35-7. That's worth repeating. 35-7. Good LORD how does a team get beaten like that the first Saturday in October, by ANYONE, and then make it to Atlanta?

Credit of course is due to Georgia for improving and staying the course. It is true that they have gotten better as the season has gone on.

They have faced a really tough schedule outside of that South Carolina game. Before they lost to the Gamecocks, they had to trudge through a difficult slate that featured Buffalo, Missouri, FAU, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee. Since the one loss, after a week off, they somehow got past the murderer's row of Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia Southern, and Georgia Tech. 

They are the only team to beat Florida, but Florida turned the ball over 6 times in that game and Georgia barely won. It took Florida's WORST effort to give Georgia that game.

Florida and South Carolina are the only good teams they played all year, so naturally their other games were all blowouts, right? Cause they are so dominant...

They beat Tennessee 51-44. They beat Kentucky 29-24. They gave up 23 points to Buffalo and 20 to FAU. Rambo and Jenkins are totally correct about their defense vs. ours.

This year's Georgia team is no better than last year's Georgia team. They are very good, but they are paper tigers.

With all that said, they have definitely played their best football since the Florida game, so this Georgia team will probably not be the one that gave up 63 points in it's first 3 games against little sissy teams.

Alabama's 2012 season

Alabama started the season off with a monkey stomping of the top 10 ranked Michigan Wolverines, in a game that Saban could've let them score 70, if he had wanted. The final score of 41-14 doesn't even convey how lopsided this game was. Denard Robinson looked about as effective as Jonathan Wallace was for Auburn.

The following 7 games were all blowouts, the only team coming closer than 20 points to Bama was Ole Miss, who lost by 19. 

Then the 29-24 loss to the Aggies, where Bama completely shit the bed, having opportunity after opportunity to win that game. But that's our fault and we deserved to lose. Also, all credit and respect in the WORLD to Johnny Manziel, who is going to win the Heisman Trophy as only a Freshman. 3 more seasons of him. Dammit boy.

Western Carolina and Auburn both met the same 49-0 fate in games that could've both been alot worse if Saban didn't have a heart or didn't care about getting starters injured, etc.

Georgia players want to crow about their defense being superior to ours, but nothing could be farther from the truth, as I will fully illustrate in the next section.

Stats And Comparisons

Defense

Georgia's defense has allowed 1,961 rushing yards this season.

Alabama's defense has allowed 964.

Georgia's defense has allowed 2,093 passing yards this season.

Alabama's defense has allowed 1,880.

In 8 conference games, Georgia's D has allowed 1,019 rushing yards and 1,663 passing yards.

In 8 conference games, Bama's D has allowed 663 rushing yards and 1377 passing yards.

The most rushing yards Alabama allowed in a single month was 466 in November.

The LEAST rushing yards Georgia allowed in a month was 511 in October.

Alabama only allowed 129 rushing yards in the entire month of October. In 4 games. Total.

In 4 non-conference games, Georgia allowed 962 rushing yards.

In 4 non-conference games, Bama allowed 261. 

And Bama was the only one of the two to play a RANKED non-conference team in Michigan.

Georgia's defense allowed 4,054 total yards and an average of 4.97 yards per play this season.

Alabama's defense allowed 2,804 total yards and an average of 3.90 yards per play.

I can totally see how Georgia's defense is SO MUCH better than Bama. I am officially terrified.

Offense

Alabama rushed for more yards than Georgia this season. 2,570 to 2,281.

Georgia passed for more yards than Bama with 3,283 to 2,626.

Georgia averaged 463 yards per game on offense, while Bama averaged 433.

Eddie Lacy has rushed for 1,001 yards. TJ Yeldon has rushed for 847. That's a combination of 1,848 between Bama's top 2 rushers.

Todd Gurley has rushed for 1,138 yards. Keith Marshall has rushed for 720. A combination of 1,858 between UGA's top 2 rushers.

Both Georgia and Alabama have a good 3rd option. Bama's Kenyan Drake has rushed for 273 yards, while Georgia's Ken Malcome has 272. 

Could we be more evenly matched on offense?

OVERALL

The offenses are pretty much a draw, statistically. However, Alabama has the better offensive line of the two.

On defense, it's no contest. Rambo, Jenkins, and any other member of Georgia's D can run their mouths all they want, but the numbers do not lie. Alabama is head and shoulders above the Bulldogs on D. Rambo did say this was going to be a battle of the defenses. And on that point I say he is right. But it's not going to work out in his favor.

Gurley and Marshall will make a few great plays. They are bound to. And Aaron Murray will make some big passes. We leave enough space in the middle of the field that he's sure to at some point. Even though he is better throwing to the boundaries than across the middle.

At the end of the day, I don't believe Georgia can keep Alabama from score around 27- 30 points. And I believe that Alabama can keep Georgia under 24.

It could really get out of hand, and Bama could really run away with this one if things go certain ways. It could be 2008 all over again. But I think it will be more like the Alabama-LSU game this year.

My final prediction:

Alabama 30

Georgia 20

And then it's on to the beatdown that Notre Dame has coming.

Roll Tide!

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Part 1: History) (And a small look back on the Iron Bowl)

I realized that I never did a post game review of the Auburn game, which I intended to do. I don't want to take up much time with it, but I will give you some quick thoughts that I had immediately following the game.


Quick Look Back On The Iron Bowl

I'm supposed to be classy and humble in victory.

I'm supposed to remember how not so long ago, Alabama was crying for a new coach and better players and a better team and program.

I'm supposed to congratulate Auburn on their effort and be a good sport, but I just can't muster up the lack of self respect that would be required for me to propagate that lie.

I don't feel sorry for Auburn. I never will. I don't feel any remorse for anything I say about Auburn or their players or their fans. They are all worthless.

The only regret that I take away from this year's Iron Bowl is that we sat on the ball at the end and ONLY scored 49. The all time record for margin of victory by Bama against Auburn was 55-0 in 1948. Why not go for the record?

If you look at what Auburn did after the knee that we took, you couldn't help but think we should've just gone for the TD and scored 56. You know we could've. We could've scored 70 if Saban had wanted. And I don't know WHY he didn't want to.

After we took the knee with 11 seconds left to END the game, on Auburn's 5 yard line, Auburn called a time out just so they could get the ball back for one play, in order to get their RB Tre Mason over 1000 yards, since he was 2 yards shy of that at the time. You could see Saban's hysterical and hilarious anger at that move. So you know he wishes he had scored again.

After losing for 6 years in a row, I will never tire of curbstomping the barn. No margin of victory will ever be enough for me. This one was alot of fun though

Anyway that's about all I have to say about that. Now on to bigger things than that little school down the road.

Alabama vs Georgia: A little history

Saturday night will be the 66th meeting between the two schools. Alabama won the last meeting in the famous "Blackout" game in Athens, where Georgia and it's fans all dressed in black and got all fired up and ready to get their asses whipped.

Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran famously was overheard screaming at the team during practice that Georgia was wearing black because they were going to "A motherfucking funeral".

"This was supposed to be a blackout, but it's a public mugging instead" - Brent Musburger at halftime when it was 31-0 Bama. Bama had been pretty big underdogs in that game. Georgia was preseason No. 1 that year and this was the 5th game of the season with both teams undefeated. People had yet to realize that Mark Richt's teams were as undisciplined and unprepared for the spotlight as they are.

Alabama's 1895 football team

This game has alot of historical significance. It is the 3rd oldest rivalry in Alabama history. Alabama and Georgia are the SEC's two winningest programs, with more than 1600 victories between the two. They have combined for 34 SEC titles (Bama having 22 of those), over 100 bowl games and over 60 bowl victories.

The first time the teams played was in 1895, when Georgia won 30-6. It's funny, Auburn won it's first meeting with Alabama as well. Turns out Bama doesn't like being beaten. It's historically proven to be a bad sign for the initial winner.

The teams have played in 6 different cities: Atlanta, Athens, Birmingham, Columbus, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. 

Georgia was Alabama's first opponent in 3 different locations: The Birmingham Fairgrounds in 1905, Cramton Bowl in Montgomery in 1922, and Legion Field in 1927.

From 1971-1982, Alabama and Georgia won every SEC Championship. What if the SEC Championship Game had existed in those days? It would've been the Bryant-Dooley Bowl.

Alabama has won 36 of the 65 meetings, with 4 being ties. Georgia has only won 24.

The first game that Joe Namath ever started was against Georgia in 1962. He whipped their ass that day 35-0. It's kind of a tradition.

In 1965, Georgia cheated to win the game when they pulled this hook and ladder BS at the end of the game and scored, despite the fact that everyone could see that the ball carrier's knee was down. Everyone except the ref. Too bad we didn't have replay in those days


It's Jay Barker and Eric Zeier in 1994. And Michael Proctor's game winning FG.

It's Kevin Jackson's THREE interceptions in a 31-0 beatdown in Athens in 1995.

Kevin Jackson

Georgia didn't beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa until 2002. Dennis Franchione can rot in Hell.



















Alabama's SEC Championship Game History

The first SEC Championship Game was played in 1992 in Birmingham. Alabama won that game against Florida, thanks to Antonio Langham's heroic interception, on the way to a National Title.

This is Alabama's 8th appearance in the game, but it is the first time that the opponent is not Florida.

Alabama is 3-4 in this game, largely due to losing to Florida 3 out of 4 tries in the first 5 years this game existed and Florida had Spurrier and Wuerfel or however you spell it. I hate Florida.
My favorite game of all time is of COURSE the 2009 game when we made Tim Tebow cry. It was so much awesome. We had lost to Tebow in 08 and everyone was saying that it was great that we went undefeated through the season again, just like in 08, but we weren't going to beat Tebow. That 32-13 game was one of the sweetest moments I've enjoyed as a Bama fan.

This was just Part 1 of my Alabama-Georgia blogging this week, as there is too much to go into and I don't want any post to run too long for y'all.

Iron Bowl 2012 (The only "bowl" Auburn will play in this year)

I hate Auburn. I mean, I REALLY hate Auburn. But you already know that. And in case you forgot, CLICK HERE. Or HERE. Or even better, CLICK HERE and read Kevin Scarbinsky's column defending me. That last one was definitely my favorite.

I hate John Heisman, I hate Shug Jordan, I hate Patrick Fain Dye, I hate Pat Dye's pants that were found floating in the river, I hate Alabama Polytechnic Institute, and I hate 1892 because that was the year Auburn first fielded a football team.

I hate 1957 and 2010, the 2 years that they cheated to win national championships, I hate all 66 All Americans they have had in their history (Which pales in comparison to Alabama's 100 or whatever), I hate their seven SEC titles because seven is a lame ass number compared to the 22 that Bama has, I hate Pat Dye (That one needed to be said again), I hate Pat Dye FIELD, I hate Jordan Hare Stadium, and I hate the way that they pronounce the name "Jordan" like it has an E in it.

Seriously. NOTHING WILL KILL THEM.

I hate those damn dying oak trees that won't die, I hate College and Magnolia, and I hate the Wal Mart there because they only have Auburn gear.

I hate David Housel, I hate Bobby Lowder, I hate Bo Jackson, I hate Patrick Nix, I hate Stan White, I hate Terry Bowden, I hate Tommy Tuberville and his 6 fingers, I hate Stanley McGlover and the rest of the Auburn defensive line that we made look like future NFL hall of famers in 2005, I hate the 11 sacks on Brodie, I hate the "Honk If You Sacked Brodie" bumper stickers, I hate Quentin Groves, I hate Wes Byrum, and I hate Jason Campbell even though I partied with him in 2004.

I hate Milton McGregor, I hate the yella fella, I hate Jay Jacobs, I hate Jay Gogue, I hate Brandon Cox, I hate Ben Tate, I hate Gene Chizik. Actually, I LOVE Gene Chizik and hope he never goes anywhere. I hate the uphill walk to the stadium that I had to make when I went to AU's spring game in 2007 with some Barner friends, I hate the stupid red headed bitch who scoffed at me when I mentioned Nick Saban and told me that not only would he never win a title at Bama, but he would be gone in 3 or 4 years for another job. I hate the lemonade at the drug store that tastes like piss, and I hate the chick that looked like Ashleigh Simpson who turned me down at that same party that Jason Campbell was at.

I hate the phrase "Go Crazy Cadillac", I hate Rod Bramblett, I hate Justin Hokanson, I hate Jeffrey Lee, I hate AuburnSports.com, AuburnEagle.com, and it's hard to hate Doug Barfield since he was more worthless than Gene Chizik, but I still do. I hate Jonna Chizik and I hate her prayers.

I hate "Punt Bama Punt", I hate "Bo Over The Top", I hate the 24-0 lead in the 2010 Iron Bowl and the 100 or so friends I deleted on Facebook after that game, I hate Cam Newton and all the criminal activity he got away with, I hate Gus Malzahn, I hate KRISTY Malzahn, I hate Devin Aromoshadu and Ben Obamanu, I hate Courtney Taylor, and I hate Al Del Greco.

I hate "Keep It Down Home, Cuz", I hate "ALL IN", I hate their bastardization of the word "Family", I hate Miss Alabama from last year who was a Barner whore, I hate cows, I hate farms, I hate Guthries, I hate Pat Sullivan, I hate Tiger Walk, I hate "In The Trenches with Jeff Whitaker on Auburn Football Everyday, and I hate Auburn Football Everyday.

I hate Brian Van Gorder and his porn 'stache, I hate Daren Bates, I hate Lee Ziemba, I hate Reese Dismukes, I hate Ryan Pugh and his chop blocking, I hate Spirit The Eagle, I hate the Auburn Creed, I hate Tracy Rocker, I hate Terry Beasley, I hate Tucker Frederickson, I hate Takeo fucking Spikes, I hate Karlos Dansby, I hate Carlos Rodgers, I hate Kenny Irons, I hate Nick Fairley, I hate Phillip Lutzenkirchen, I hate the "Lutzie" and I hate that he doesn't know that white people can't dance. I hate Eyes On Auburn, I hate Lee County, and I hate Phillip Marshall.

I hate Cam Newton. I hate CECIL Newton. I hate the Carolina Panthers now, just because Cam plays for them. I hate the laptop that he stole and the students at Florida whose papers he cheated off of. I hate Blynn Junior College and I hate the stats he racked up for them, in between Florida and the 180,000 reasons he ended up at Auburn. I hate Mississippi State for letting themselves be outbid for Newton's services. Cause we all know that Jesus could play for MSU and they still couldn't win a championship.

I hate BB&T from way back when it was Colonial Bank and was a proud supporter of Auburn Football. I hate the fact that I had to switch banks because of that.

I just really really REALLY hate Auburn, you guys.

THIS YEAR'S GAME


But anyway, enough of that. Let's talk about this year's game. If we can even call it that. It's not even going to be competitive. The record for largest margin of victory by Alabama in the Iron Bowl is 44 points and Nick Saban will easily beat that record. He could double it, if he truly wanted to. But there will come a point when it's more important to let the backups play and not get anyone hurt, since there's a real game to prepare for the week after.

After the 2010 Iron Bowl, and heading into the 2011 season, when the phrase and promise "Never Again" got started, it wasn't just a motivator for last season. It didn't just mean that Bama was going to do everything in it's power to dominate the next Iron Bowl and exact revenge for the Cam Newton led atrocity. Never again means NEVER AGAIN! EVER!

It will be a long damn time before we will get over that collapse against Cam, and it will be an even longer time before Auburn's price for that game will be paid in full. Last year's 42-14 curb stomping was merely the first payment on a 25 year mortgage. And really, I will never be satisfied.

When it comes to this year's game, as with any game against Auburn, I long for total and completely merciless and embarrassing annihilation. I don't want Auburn to score a single solitary worthless point.

I don't want to cross their own 25 yard line. I want all of their drives to end with a punt on 4th and 23. 

I don't want them to complete a pass. I don't want them to achieve one first down. Every time an Auburn running back, whether it be Onterio McCallebb, Tre Mason, or Jay Prosch gets the ball, I want them to be tackled behind the line. Or better yet, fumble.

I want to sack Jonathon Wallace 20 times in the game, I want Auburn to throw 7 interceptions. I want the cameras to show Auburn fans crying as early and often as possible.

I want us to play Rammer Jammer B E F O R E the game even starts. "We are GOING to beat the hell outta you!"

I want Gene Chizik to trip and fall as he's trying to walk across the field to greet Nick Saban, I want Trooper Taylor to lose his hat before the game, I want Clint Moseley to play at least one snap, so we can sack or intercept him to. Same for Kiehl Frazier.


Throw out the records? Stats, etc.


Everyone always talks about rivalries and they always use that same played out cliche because this game is supposedly "different" and it doesn't matter what each team's record is, because each team is going to play with more passion and hatred and anything can happen. 

While crazy stuff HAS happened in the Iron Bowl, the fact of the matter is that the only time a huge underdog actually won the game was in 1972 and 1989. 

The best team pretty much always wins that game.

And the gap between the teams has NEVER been bigger.

• Alabama is 2 wins away from playing for it's 15th title, and 3rd in 4 years, while Auburn's players and coaches, it would appear, have pretty much given up on the season and are making plans for the holidays. Several of their players have said things on Twitter this past week about how they can't wait til the season is over and they can go home, etc.

• The last time Auburn's offense scored a point on Alabama's defense, it was on a touchdown pass from Cam Newton. And Cam Newton AIN'T WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR!!!!

• Alabama and Auburn have 5 common opponents this year. Alabama outscored Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M by a combined 168-67, going 4-1 against those teams.

• Auburn has been OUTSCORED by almost an identical mark, 168-68, in going winless against those teams.

• 22 times in history, the Iron Bowl has been played with Alabama being ranked in the top 25, and Auburn being unranked. The only victory for Auburn in those games came in 2002 while Dennis Franchione was letting go of the rope.

• No team in the SEC has scored LESS points in the 4th quarter of games than Auburn, with only 36 all year. They pretty much shit the bed and then QUIT. That is what will happen this week also.

• Alabama's Jeremy Shelley is the ONLY kicker in the entire country who has NOT missed a FG this year. Amazing, after last year, huh?

• After Saturday, this will be the first time Auburn has lost 9 games in a season since 1950. Gene Chizik is doing a GREAT job, y'all

• No defense in the country has intercepted less passes than Auburn this year. They only have 2 INTS all year. 

• Auburn has lost 9 straight SEC games.

• Only 12 times in history has a team finished the season with on 0-8 record in the SEC. Auburn is about to be No. 13.

• Only once in history has Auburn beaten Alabama, when Auburn's record is at least 3 games worse than Bama's. Auburn's record is an astounding SEVEN games worse than Bama's this year. 

• Alabama has won 37 straight games against unranked opponents. The last time Alabama was an underdog in a game was against Florida in 2009.

• Alabama has won 58 games since the start of the 2008 season, which is the SEC all time record for a 5 year span. The NCAA all time record for wins in 5 years is 60, by Nebraska in the 90's. With 3 games left on the schedule Bama could break that record. At least tying it is almost assured. Folks, we are in the middle of a dynasty never before seen at Bama. Saban is having success, sustained and consistent success, like even Bear Bryant didn't have. That sounds crazy, but it's true and there are a dozen other accomplishments I could point to as proof of that.

• The last time Alabama failed to score a point in a game was the year 2000. The last time Auburn was shutout was last week against Georgia.

• Alabama has been ranked in the AP Poll 78 straight weeks, which is a record. LSU is second with 61 straight weeks in the Top 25.

• With 3 games left in the season, AJ McCarron already owns the school record for TD passes in a season with 21, breaking Greg McElroy's record of 20 in 2010. He is going to SHATTER that previous record.

• The number of QB's that have started for Auburn this year is equal to the number of games they have won: 3

To summarize: Alabama has one of the best teams they have ever had and Auburn has possibly the worst team they have ever had. That's not hyperbole. That's fact and it's about the surest bet ever that this game will not be close. 

A VANDY fan is trash talking AU

Quotes

"Even if all the planets aligned, Nick Saban got stuck in traffic and couldn't make it to the game, AJ McCarron threw five interceptions, both Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon got hurt and Onterio McCalebb returned two kicks for touchdowns, Alabama would still win by double digits." - Mike Herndon

"Win or lose, we keepin' Bama outta that championship game" - AU DL Gabe Wright. What the hell does that mean? 

"In their last two SEC games, the Tigers have surrendered 101 points to Texas A&M and Georgia. In truth, that sentence should've ended after "surrendered."" - Kevin Scarbinsky

So Auburn fans at least have something good to look at, I give you:

My 3 Worst Days As A Bama Fan: No. 2, Arkansas 2006

No. 2. Alabama @ Arkansas 2006

This one stood as the No. 1 worst day of my Bama fan life for 4 years. It was unbelievable. And not just because of the final score. Not just because Leigh Tiffin missed FIVE kicks, that pretty much ALL would've won the game if he had made any of them.

I watched this game at the house of a friend in Jemison, AL. I had been working with Billy for a couple years and we had become good friends at work, but had never hung out away from work. So he invited me to come over and watch the game and drink some beer with him and his family.

I've always been nervous about the Arkansas game. Every year. Even THIS year. I'm more afraid of them than I am of any other team, annually. It's absolutely illogical, especially recently. We've been kicking their ass on a high level of late, but I still fear them. 2006 will never leave my mind.

It took a few years of Saban for me to get over my chronic Shula-itis. Shula-itis is a long cured disease that was characterized by a deep seeded fear that no matter the lead you had at halftime, you would fall off in the second half, mainly due to depth issues, and either barely hold on for the win at the end against a lesser team, or completely shit the bed and lose to a better team than you, that you could've beaten. 

When this game ended with Arkansas kicking the game winning extra point (God, that is embarrassing to even say. Game winning EXTRA POINT), in overtime, I was so mad that I just got up and said I was going home.

At this point, I had drunk about 12 beers and was pretty intoxicated. And I was about 20 miles from home. And it was the middle of the afternoon. It was also POURING rain outside.

My friend's trailer that he lived in had about a 1 ft drop off between the floor level inside and the front porch. When I was leaving, I had forgotten this, and when I went to leave, I fell out the door and landed on my knee on this porcelain frog that Billy had on the porch, splitting open my knee and bleeding all over the damn place. I laid there on his porch, bleeding profusely, drunker than Pat Dye on a Finebaum Monday, being soaked by the pouring rain (Even God was crying). I laid there for about 10 minutes. Crying. Finally, I got up, cleaned my knee up and drove home. I drove home VERY drunk in the middle of the afternoon. Good thing I didn't get pulled over or kill someone. I went home and drank several more beers and went to bed. At like 7pm. I didn't get over this game for the rest of the season and I still haven't. Thank God and Nick Saban that we haven't lost to Arkansas since, and with the exception of the 2010 game, which we had to win at the end, we have dominated them and blown them out every year

My 3 Worst Days Ever As A Bama Fan. No. 3: 2007 La. Monroe

I thought I would take a moment away from posting about current football events and tell y'all a few stories about the worst experiences I have had as a Bama fan. The three Bama losses that hurt me the most.


In countdown fashion, I will start with No. 3

Billboard in Louisiana later that year. Sigh.

This was of course the most unexpected loss I have endured as a Bama fan. At the time, in November of that year, I was in the middle of a 7 month relationship with a girl who was a HUGE Auburn fan. She was just as crazy for AU as I was and am for Bama. It was also a bad day on a personal level already, because her grandfather, who was a great man, was in the hospital and we went to visit him that day.

The game kicked off while we are at the hospital and I wasn't much paying attention to this game, or even caring that much about it. It was a weak opponent that we were going to blow out, and the grandfather was a more important priority that day. We left the hospital at halftime, and put the game on in the car on the drive back to my girlfriend's house.

I wanted to see how badly we were beating them. We must have been whipping their ass. Even though this was basically a Shula team being coached by Saban, and I had grown accustomed to Bama playing down to little teams under Shula, I wouldn't have expected it from Saban.

So I turned on the radio, and we were only winning 14-10. I was disgusted.

Oh, and I also had the flu that weekend and was sick as hell.

We got back to her house and I felt so bad that I told her I was just going to go lay down and take a nap. I figured even though we were only holding a slight lead at the half that we would surely pull away at the end. Castille or someone would get a big pick or Arenas would run one back or something. I didn't trust JPW to do anything about it.

I woke up 4 hours later, actually feeling alot better, and asked my gf how the game ended up. She didn't know, cause she hadn't been listening to it or anything, but she was sure we had ended up winning big. 

I went outside and called a good friend of mine to ask how bad we ended up beating them? Now, he wouldn't have expected me not to have listened to every minute or the game, since it wasn't on the radio. I was not known to miss a second of any Bama game and I'm still not, whether it's televised or not. So he thought I was joking or something for some reason.

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?", was his incredulous response.

Ok, so did we not win by much? Did we look like shit still in the second half? What happened?

"WE LOST, MAN! WE LOST TO LOUISIANA FREAKING MONROE". I edited his language there.

I went back inside and informed the gf, at which point I had to hear it from her obnoxious loudmouth Barner ass.

I got drunk and went back to bed.

Goodbye Gene Chizik

I have really tried for awhile now to NOT use my blog to write about Auburn. But today is a special occasion. This can't be ignored.

Phillip Marshall wrote an article today that states that Gene Chizik is all but gone. Auburn President Jay Gogue has spoken to several members of the Board Of Trustees and told them he is putting together a plan to replace Chizik, ASAP. He told them that one of the main candidates to replace Chizik is Shawn Watson.

I know, I know. You are all saying the same thing: WHO?

I had to google him myself. He is currently the offensive coordinator at Louisville.

He is also the QB coach there, which is a plus for AU. Anyone who has watched 5 minutes of an Auburn game this year knows that they don't have anyone on the roster who knows how to throw a ball, and they are getting no coaching in that regard. That is obvious.

Watson was also a member of the Miami Hurricanes staff for seven years in the late 80's, early 90's, so he would be well versed in the pay for play cheating ways of a program like Auburn. Trooper Taylor could hang around!!!!!

As far as his head coaching record, he coached for 3 years at Northern Illinois and posted a record of 11-22. Hey, that is at least an improvement over 5-19, you have to admit

Auburn fans are killing me getting mad at Jay Gogue for considering hiring a guy who is a coordinator right now to be their head coach. They say you can't take a chance on a coordinator at this point, if you want to win you HAVE to hire a PROVEN HEAD COACH. Well that is a true statement.

The problem for these Auburn fans is that the only proven HEAD COACH that Auburn could get right now would be Bobby Petrino, who they are on a high horse right now saying they do not want. It's true that Petrino is a scumbag. Everyone knows it now. There was a rumor recently that Mike Slive has asked SEC coaches to NOT hire Petrino.

But who thinks Auburn does anything based on what others outside of Lee County think? They are the loveliest cult on the Plain. Why would they listen to the boss, or follow rules at this point?

So you can throw morals and the Auburn Creed and all that other bullshit out the window, get Petrino, and probably WIN GAMES.

Or you can get a coordinator and be Auburn. Sit around the campfire, sing Kumbaya, hold hands, and roast marshmallows and talk about how much better people you are than everyone else, while the rest of the SEC continues to dominate your ass for the next DECADE!!!!!

Do they want to win?

For me personally, it is hilarious and AWESOME that the best Auburn can hope for right now is a piece of shit for a head coach or a coordinator that they would be, at best, taking a chance on.

From All In to All Out in only 22 months. That is damn impressive

Good times, my fellow Bammers. Good times.

Alabama-LSU game. My thoughts, predictions, and some history

The first game between Alabama and LSU was played in 1895. LSU won that first matchup in Death Valley, 12-6. So it goes back a long way.

We didn't start playing each other annually though until 1964.

In 1969, LSU beat Bama in Death Valley 20-15. It would be the last time they would beat Alabama in their home stadium for 31 years.

In 1999, LSU struggled to a 3-8 record. They were AWFUL that year. They lost to Auburn 41-7 that year. They lost to Kentucky 31-5 that year. They lost to Houston and Ole Miss. Imagine that now. Crazy, right?

Enter Nick Saban.

In 2000, in his first year at LSU, Saban coached them up to an 8-4 record. Those 8 wins included a 30-28 win over Alabama on Nov 4. On CBS. In Death Valley. LSU hadn't beaten Bama at HOME since 1969, and Saban got it done in his first year. They beat us again the next year before we knocked that smartass grin off Saban's face in a 31-0 beatdown in 2002. God, I hated Saban then. Crazy.

Saban again beat Alabama as the LSU coach in 2004, in Death Valley, making him 2-1 against Bama in Tiger Stadium after LSU hadn't won there in 31 years.

When Saban arrived at Bama in 2007, Alabama hadn't beaten LSU since that 31-0 game in 2002. And they lost to LSU in his first year, barely, at the end, and watched LSU go on to win a second national title in 4 years. Amazing, the program that Saban built LSU into in this past decade after they hadn't done much, really ever. If you ask me, LSU is STILL benefiting from the fact that Saban went there 12 years ago. If Saban were to leave Bama after this year, who believes we would just immediately fall off the map next year? Nobody. Any dipshit could coach Bama to 10 win seasons for the next 5 years if Saban left now. That's the kinda programs he builds.

Everyone remembers The Game Of The Century last November. Both teams had completely dominated everyone else up to that point in the season, and were ranked 1 and 2. It was a highly anticipated clash of the titans. It was an absolute dud. 

Saban went ultra conservative, didn't deviate too much from the plan of just running Trent Richardson up the middle, and got us into FG position 7 times. Bama went down the field fairly easily for the entire game, only to stall at that point and end up having to kick FG's. And we only made 2 of those FG's. So we lost 9-6 in overtime. LSU only got down the field on us a couple times throughout that entire game, but they made both of their FG attempts and so they tied us at the end of the game and then won it when we missed another FG in overtime. 

That first clash of the titans was a dud, as Bama's offense didn't play up to it's capabilities, despite the outstanding effort of the defense. 

When Bama got a rematch in the BCS National Championship Game in January, LSU's fate was all but sealed. You don't play a team like Bama the way that LSU did in November, barely squeak by due to Bama's own mistakes, and then come back and beat them again in a rematch. It rarely happens. Bama was the better team and they proved that in January. 21-0 was one of the most enjoyable games I've ever watched in my life. I've probably watched it 30 times since then. I'll have to watch it again at least once before Saturday.


All this offseason, LSU has had to think about last season and how great it was. How they went 13-0, won the SEC, against one of the toughest schedules of ALL TIME. And how it didn't matter when they had to face Bama again for the ultimate prize.

They've had the entire offseason to stew over the fact that Bama stole the whole season from them in one night.

In March, if you had asked me, I would've told you that I was predicting LSU to get their revenge on us this season and win it all this year. They had ALOT coming back. They had the Honey Badger coming back. They were barely losing anyone. They were losing their QB's Jefferson and Lee, but everyone agreed that was addition by subtraction.

Zach Mettenberger, a JUCO transfer after he didn't work out at Georgia, was supposed to come in and be the missing piece that LSU hasn't had for years, and that is an even GOOD quarterback. Mettenberger looked to be a GREAT one.

He started his career out at Georgia, a freshman in the same class as Aaron Murray. He and Murray competed for the job throughout spring and fall in 2009, before Mettenberger beat out Murray and won the starting job. Mettenberger was set to be UGA's starter as a freshman in 09, before he was arrested for raping a girl, and kicked off the team. And so Georgia went with the "backup plan", Aaron Murray.

Everyone knows how good Aaron Murray has been the past couple seasons. Everyone figured if Mettenberger beat out Aaron Murray at first, then he had to at least be THAT good, if not better.

So far this season, it looks like we all figured wrong on that one. Mettenberger has looked nothing but confused and in over his head the entire season. He's gotten sacked too many times, basically looking like he doesn't belong in the SEC.

LOL

All of that doesn't rest entirely upon his shoulders, as LSU has lost THREE of their starting offensive linemen since the season started. They lost their best lineman, LT Chris Faulk, before the season even started. They've barely been physical up front and haven't protected him much this year. Auburn was in his face all night in their game.

But it's not just the O-Line. LSU has lost at least 16 players since the SPRING GAME. That's over half a recruiting class worth of players, 20% of your scholarship players that you were expecting to have this year, that are not there now. For various reasons. Academics, arrests, injuries etc. We all know the story of the Honey Badger at this point.

So the mighty LSU team that I was expecting to see this season hasn't come to fruition. For every reason. They only scored 12 points in their narrow victory over Auburn. They only scored 6 points in their LOSS to Florida. How are they gonna beat Alabama like that? Alabama has the best defense in the nation (AGAIN), and one that is so MUCH better than Auburn's especially.

Alabama is also averaging 40 points a game this year on offense. The average score of their SEC games is 42-7 Bama. It hasn't just been the defense, as it has been in the past. It's every area of the team. Alabama has thrown for AND rushed for almost the same number of yards this season. AJ McCarron has YET to throw one single interception and he has thrown 18 touchdowns. The offensive line is the best in the country and the running game hasn't missed a beat, even without their greatest RB of ALL TIME Trent Richardson.

LSU's defensive line is probably the best area of the team but they will get cancelled out by Bama's offensive line. On the other side, Bama's defensive line and linebackers should have a field day with this patchwork line that LSU is throwing together on offense and the statue at quarterback. I expect at least 2 interceptions from Molestenberger. At least.

Bobby Hebert, an LSU legend, whose son currently plays for LSU, said on a radio show in Baton Rouge a few weeks ago that all that team cares about this year is beating Bama. That's all they want out of this season is to get revenge on Bama. They don't even care if they lose a game or two, as long as they beat Bama.

Well that kinda thinking got them ALMOST beaten by sorry ass 1-7 Auburn, and it GOT them beat against Florida.

Saturday night, in Death Valley, they are looking to make up for all that. They are looking for redemption. 

And they are not going to get it

If the Alabama team that we have seen so far this year plays the LSU team we have seen so far this year, the score could be pretty much exactly what we have seen from every other Bama game, regardless of the opponent. Bama could dominate them just in the way they dominated Mississippi St. 

One of LSU's defensive linemen said that they were going to win by being more physical than us, by "out-physicalling" us, as he put it. Good one.

I'm counting on LSU to have their act together, as important as this game is. I'm counting on a couple big plays from LSU, and I also figure that at SOME point this year, AJ McCarron has to throw a pick. I mean, he HAS to, right? This is the toughest game left on Bama's schedule, including the one the first week of December that isn't scheduled yet, and possibly the one in January if they win out.

With all that said, I think it comes down to this simple analysis:

Can LSU score 20 points on Bama? I don't think so. I don't think they SHOULD score more than 10, when you consider how they have looked so far. But I figure it to be damn near IMPOSSIBLE for them to reach 20. I'm putting their score at 13.

Can LSU possibly STOP Alabama from scoring at least 20? I don't think they should be able to keep Bama under 30, but I think they'll play up to the moment and give Bama it's best, and maybe ONLY, test of the year. 

I think it will be close at the half, but Bama will put it away in the 4th, maybe even the 3rd.

Alabama 27
LSU 13

But don't be surprised if it's a bigger beatdown than that. I won't be.

In the last 244 games, LSU has only been shutout 3 times. Only 3 times. All 3 games were against Alabama. In Louisiana. At night. 

My Alabama-Mississippi State Preview, Prediction, and Thoughts

The fact that MSU fans are trying so hard to let everyone know they believe is a good sign that they probably don't.

This year AJ McCarron has thrown the exact same number of INTs as Mississippi St has won national titles in their HISTORY. In all NCAA sports COMBINED: 0

Tonight, Alabama will face an SEC opponent that is undefeated. They are 7-0. They are a division rival. And Alabama is a 24 point favorite. I can't help but laugh at the level of national disrespect that MSU is getting going into this game. This is the first time since 1942 that Alabama and Mississippi State are facing each other, while BOTH being undefeated.

But I think it's more a show of respect for everything we have seen from Bama, than a slight of the Bulldogs. MSU has played the weakest SEC schedule so far, only having to beat Auburn, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Other than that, they have played Troy, Middle Tennessee, Jackson State, and South Alabama. Any MSU team from the past 5 years would be at LEAST 6-1 against that stretch. They front loaded their schedule to allow for the most early success, for confidence reasons or whatever. Either way, it has worked like a charm. They are still gonna lose at least 2 games, including the one tonight and to LSU. Ole Miss and Arky aren't gimme's either. Especially the Rebels, IMO.

Stats, Comparisons, And Rankings

While it is true that State has the exact same record as Alabama, if you look deeper you will see a stark contrast in the two teams.

Defense: Bama is ranked No. 1 in the nation. State is 25th
Passes Defended: Bama is 16th in the nation. State is 52nd
Sacks: Bama is 21st in the nation. State is 82nd.

63% of State's rushing yards and 73% of their TD's have come against Non-SEC opponents.
The opposite is true of Bama. 66% of yards and 77% of our TD's have been against SEC teams.

State has the SEC's leading individual rusher in LaDarius Perkins, but he is their bellcow. 

As a TEAM, Alabama is 2nd in the SEC in rushing, while MSU is 7th. The combo of Lacy/Yeldon beats the HELL out of Perkins. Perkins has 724 yards. Lacy and Yeldon have combined for over 1,100, each with around 570

Nationally, Alabama is 20th in rushing. State is only 47th.

Bama is 14th in the nation in scoring offense. State is 27th.

State has the edge in turnovers forced with 21 to Bama's 20, but 8 of their 12 INTs have come against the Non-SEC sissies I have mentioned.

State is 56th in the nation in passing offense, while Bama is only 75th, but Bama LEADS THE NATION in passing efficiency. We don't make mistakes. At all. EVER.

In the SEC, Miss St ranks behind or about the same as Tennessee in every offensive category. And we saw what Bama's D did to the Vols.

State's QB Tyler Russell has been impressive, throwing 15 TD's and only 1 INT. Bama counters with better numbers there, as AJ McCarron has thrown 16TD's and ZERO (0!!!) INTs

As far as the corners go, Dee Milliner and Johnthon Banks compare favorably, and some people disagree on which one is the best in the SEC.

Milliner has had 25 passes thrown his way this season. The TOTAL yardage for the opposing QBs on those 25 passes: 77 yards.

I'll give the edge to Dee.

As far as stopping the run, State is only 47th in the nation (Same as their rushing offense. Weird). But they are 47th in the nation at stopping the run. And this despite the fact that they have yet to face a team that poses even a remote threat to run the ball. Alabama's offensive line and running game is going to be NFL level compared to what State has seen this year. And they have been AVERAGE against what they have seen this year so far. HUGE advantage to Alabama here.

****

There are plenty more stats and I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that, while it's great that MSU is 7-0, and they have every right to believe in their team, Alabama is CLEARLY the better team here and it's not really that close. 

The 24 pt line is about right, but I'll go a step further and say that Bama wins even bigger. It might be within 14 at the half. Something like 20-6. But I think Bama will run away with it in the end.

Alabama 48
Miss St 9

Nick Saban has a message for Alabama fans for this game:

At Mississippi State, they believe. At Alabama, we know. Roll Tide