Crimson Red Sports

How did the Tide become so great? For decades, Alabama's greatness was a regional secret, it's biggest triumphs—including the legendary Rose Bowls of 1926, 1931, 1935, and 1946—were known to the rest of the country only through a brief story in the Sunday sports sections. Things started to change in the middle of the last century: In 1958, Paul "Bear" Bryant, undoubtedly the greatest coach in college football history, came back to his alma mater. Bryant, who had played on Alabama's great 1935 Rose Bowl-winning team, didn't begin Alabama's football tradition, but he revitalized it, preaching the virtues of teamwork that had been taught to him by Frank Thomas in the 1930s, who had continued the tradition begun by Wallace Wade a decade earlier.

In 1960, ABC's Roone Arledge transformed televised college football from an occasional entertainment into a Saturday afternoon tradition. The first game he produced was Alabama-Georgia, the opening game of the season. It was the first time Alabama had ever been featured in a national game, and once fans all over the country got a good look at Alabama cheerleaders, heard the million-dollar band blaring, "Yeah, Alabama!", and saw the imposing silhouette of Bear Bryant outlined against a blue-gray september sky, suddenly, it was no longer possible to ignore the greatness of alabama football.

For the next 22 seasons, Bryant and Alabama were college football's dominant force, winning 212 games, losing just 39, appearing in a bowl game every season, and winning six national titles.

After Alabama plays LSU, there will still be he formality of the SEC championship game on December 3, and, oh yes, the official BCS title game on January 9 in New Orleans. But if history is any indication, the question of who has the best football team in the nation will be decided well before then, and the winners will be wearing crimson and white.

This has its downside—people all over the country will be more jealous of us than ever. But everyone has their cross to bear, and the resentment caused by winning is ours. We promise to bear it humbly.