People are notoriously bad at seeing the big picture. Psychologists have done study upon study that show that human perception is plagued by any number of problems that keep us from behaving rationally and regarding things in their proper context. One such problem is that we tend to ignore evidence that doesn't comport with our world-view. This tends to make us say things that, when considered with the whole of the evidence, sounds silly.Alabama fans are often accused of living in the past, harping on tradition, not realizing that The Bear is dead. Of course, the fans that say those things aren't, generally, Oklahoma fans... or Notre Dame fans... or Michigan fans. They are, almost invariably, fans of teams whose tradition is an embarrassment when compared to the great programs in history. They are teams that, for all intents and purposes, have no tradition at all.
A shining example of this sort of Johnny-come lately chest-thumping is this post by Auburn FanHouse blogger Jay Coulter.
Coulter wants us to believe, on the strength of five wins in six years, that Auburn is now and forever the dominant football power in the state of Alabama. Somehow five wins are supposed mitigate 70 years of football dominance. Six seasons that include no national titles and only one conference title.
This conveniently ignores the comparable stretches of Iron Bowl history that weigh in the Tide's favor. From 1973 to 1981 the Tide won 9 consecutive Iron Bowls. In the 9 meetings between 1905 and 1953, Auburn won only once. From 1959 to 1968 -- 10 meetings -- Auburn was 1-9.
Coulter wants us to believe that the last six years have been something special. In fact, the feat about which he speaks has been done several times before. The Tide won only one of the first seven Iron Bowls. Auburn won 5 straight from '54 - '58. They won 6 of 8 from '82 - '89.
They then lost 7 of the next 10 before finally getting to this world-changing streak of six games that Coulter tells us about.
Auburn has made runs before and those runs are almost always followed by a run of Alabama wins equal to (or greater than) the run of Auburn wins. That's why, despite the Tigers' current dominance in the series, they still trail by 4 games (Alabama is 38-34-1 all time against Auburn).
If you want to look at the situation a little more broadly than just Iron Bowls, consider this: Since 1936, Auburn has only won 75% of their games in a season 18 times. Alabama has hit the .750 mark over twice that at 37 times. (It only took Alabama until 1972 to get to 18)
This is before we even stop to notice that it took Auburn until 2004 to pass Georgia Tech on the SEC Championship scoreboard. That's right. A team that has not played in the conference since 1964 had as many titles as Auburn until just two years ago.
So, Jay, the next time you want to proclaim the death of one of the most storied programs in the history of college football, do your homework.
There's hardly a football fan in the nation that would trade Alabama's tradition for Auburn's last six seasons.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Roll Tide.
Fear The Thumb! Keeping talking about the 70's... War Eagle!
I've been an Alabama fan since the age 0f 5 when I saw the Crimson Tide photos in a book as I recall. I didn't know how to read but understood ROLL TIDE. I was born in 1949 so I'm almost 57 years old. I learned of Bear and I have painting of him over my desk as I type. I loved his coahing and the way he coached. But I was a fan of the CRIMSON TIDE SINCE 5. I'm still that way, my heart and being bleeds the Name ALABAMA. I'm from Red Level, Alabama but live in Michigan since 1981. But my children and grandchildren follow the Crimson Tide. My daughter is 31 and son 29 both Alabama born didn't know that much about Bear, other than what I taught them. My daughter named her beloved Lab Bryant, though about Shula, but wanted him to prove himself first( Mike not the dog). he has (both Mike and the dog).. I want to say as an ALABAMA fan I'm for ALABAMA who ever is the coach.. Yes Bear was great but he went to ALABAMA and he came back, just like MIKE SHULA.... ALABAMA fans, let us always remember the BEAR (he gave on the field and on the sidelines as the head coach) but he would want all of us to say one thing together as ALABAMA FANS--- ROLL TIDE ROLL..
Long live his dream and mine that Alabama will always ROLL..
So remember when saying things about the Crimson Tide writers, we are ALABAMA fans because we are from that great State and others follow the Crimson Tide because of their greatness on the field today, not the past. Thank you for listen to and old Alabama fan from the past til todqy and untill death.
Jimmy Taylor or as my co workers call me BAMA and very proud they do...
Alabama is the Ford of College Football. The changes in the market such as scholarship limits, different attitudes of young athletes, and NCAA rules (practice time limit rules) serve to level the field resulting in college football parity. Practices of the past - Bear used to sign athletes to keep them from attending other institutions knowing they would never play at Alabama, cannot be practiced today. This common practice during the 60’s and 70’s, was not only utilized at Alabama but at other large Football Programs such as Texas and others (Read Meat on the Hoof by Shaw). Tactics must change with the changes in rules. Teams must win on the recruiting field then on the Football Field. The time of a field tilted in favor of the large and well financed programs is over (as much as the rules can limit advantage of this sort).
Back to the Ford analogy – these are just some of the changes to the market place faced by Alabama, Notre Dame, et al. The individual recruit is more important than in the past (a change to the market). Bear would not be successful in today’s College Football Game using the same formula he used in the 60’s and 70’s. It is clear that market share for Alabama is now being eroded by Auburn’s success. The changes in fan market, recruiting market, and press market will require Alabama change their play book to be successful. Success may need a new definition. My opinion is that a Division I Football Playoff and True Championship will be necessary to the future of College Football due to the parity of teams.
Will Ford be successful with reorganization? Will Alabama return to past greatness? These two questions have the same answer – it depends on their ability to adapt to a change in market place.
Thank you for the chance to blog – it is my first.
Randy,
Times change and teams change... even the best teams have stretches of years when they're not on the national radar.
Using a 6 year stretch of losing a rivalry game to signify the end of a program is still silly, no matter what.
Also: if you think that Alabama's "market share" is being eroded by Auburn, I'd guess that you don't really understand how southern college football works. The number of people who are fans of one or the other and who would be swayed by a few consecutive wins are so few as to be negligible.
First off, this comment comes from an Auburn fan. I grew up in georgia, away from the 365 war of words that is UA/AU in the state of Alabama. I would not try to convince either fan of anything(can't be done if your true, fair weather fan if you can). Alabama was a dominant program under Bear Bryant (he IS gone), and UA has had varied success with coaches since(Stallings to Dubose)and the way NCAA rules throttle programs (supposedly so everyone can compete). That has hurt Alabama, and other programs like Nebraska that at times could easily field 130-140 players. Auburn has had equally varied luck since the great Shug Jordan (Dye to Buster Bowden). I would say thaT Alabama's "domination" over Auburn is over, and most Tide fans will agree. It is certainly not a GIVEN that UA beats AU any more, hasn't been for a while now, but it will never be the other way around either. AU can be 11-0 going into UA week and UA 1-10 and it will still be a head-knocker, close game, because it is played on EMOTION, and that is a powerful thing. How many times did UA come in heavily favored in AU's down years, only to barely escape, and vise versa.I would love to tell y'all AU will be the dominate team for a long time, but I've been to too many Iron Bowls to say that. I just hope we win more than Bama for a while. WAR Eagle to y'all, and Roll Tide to thE Rammer Jammers, I'm looking forward to Tusktown in NOv.!!!!
One other comment from the Plains. My dad is a DYE HARD Auburn Fan, and will get his Golden Eagle in 2008(50 years since graduation). His best friend is a DIE HARD Bama fan, and has several degrees from UA. They spend all year discussing recruiting(year round fun these days),who's palying good/not, etc. They both respect each other's right to pull HARD for their Alma Mater. I am an Auburn man, through and through, but I have respect and admiration for ANY true Bama fan. Y'all have your ahre of "fair weather" folks, and with Auburn winning now, we got 'em too. Y'all know I'm talking about, crimson shirt in one drawer, orange in the other......To Auburn folks out there, lets enjoy winning and doing it with a clean program we can be proud of, like my Dad is proud. To Bama fans, the Tide will be back (too much tradition not to be a power). It may be a little while(probation will hurt y'all more than you think over the next 3-5 years),but never fear,well,fear the THUMB this Year!!
War Eagle!, and a respectful Roll Tide.
This article was amazing...its true i dont give a crap about the current seasons that Auburn is having look at the history....and atleast when we have an undefeated season we win a national championship!!!! 12 baby!~!