NCAA Football

'Bama Doesn't Know They Can't Win Out

Posted Nov 09, 2008 4:20PM By Pete Holiday (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Alabama, SEC

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That's the national consensus, though. It's impossible to make it out of the SEC undefeated, and Alabama's not good enough to do it in any event, therefore it is a foregone conclusion that the Tide will lose a game.

Every week we hear it on talk radio, see it from the talking heads on TV, and read it on the blogs. The Tide just can't go undefeated. Impossible.

If you're betting, that's probably smart money. Minor detail: nobody on Saban's squad cares that you don't think they can win.

The moment that everyone starts insisting that something cannot be done is the moment that it becomes fated to occur. This is the first law of college football. The first corollary to this law is often expressed as "That's why they play the games."

I do not want to be interpreted as implying that Alabama is a "team of destiny" or some such nonsense. There are huge hurdles between the Tide and Miami: an Auburn team hell-bent on making their season actually worth something and a Florida team scoring points like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl. These are both very real threats to Saban's unblemished record and the Red Elephants' chances to make it to the BCS Title game.

The thing is, though, that if we have a chat with our pre-season selves, we will remember that there was a time, not all that long ago, when a prediction that the Tide would start 10-0 was far more outrageous than the prediction, now, that they'll win their next three.

The difference between championship teams and other good teams is a very simple one. It's not run or pass efficiency. It's not rushing defense. It's not a Heisman-caliber quarterback. The difference is winning. Just winning. All the time, no matter the circumstances. No matter the bounces, luck, or bad calls.



Say what you want about Alabama's wins to date. A few of them are not as impressive as they once seemed. Many of them never really seemed that impressive in the first place. The beauty of Alabama's record is not predicated on style points, but on their adherence to Al Davis' memorable catch-phrase: "Just win, baby!"

What you're seeing from the Crimson Tide this season is the clearest possible demonstration of the difference between a Nick Saban team and a DuBose team, a Franchione team, or a Shula team. Those Alabama teams folded like a house of cards upon even the slightest momentum shift. Alabama has been given ample opportunity to pack it up and quit, but they haven't.

This time next week, you might see a flood of articles talking about a "Crooming" and how the rigors of the Tide's schedule finally caught up with the young squad. If you don't, prepare to see an equally forceful flood of articles reminding us all that Alabama just can't keep winning. But don't be offended if Saban and the Tide keep trying to do it anyway and don't be too surprised if it ends up happening.

After all, conventional wisdom serves no purpose in college football except to remind us that these things aren't just the reason they play the games, but also the reason we watch them.


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