ESPN: No Easing Off The Petal For Alabama In 2011

[pmull]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- It’s probably not a huge revelation that the Auburn loss last season gnawed unmercifully at Nick Saban.

Any loss in the Iron Bowl tends to have that effect, and when it’s at home against the No. 1-ranked team in the country, seeing it slip away is all the more nauseating.

But what ate and still eats at Saban is the way his Alabama team lost that game.

In many ways, it was a microcosm of the Crimson Tide’s entire season.

“You keep going back to the way we lost the game,” said Saban, who saw his team race out to a 24-0 lead, only to squander repeated chances to tack on more points in the first half.

“We left points out there by errors that we made. And then to not be able to control the game in the second half was just as disappointing. You put the 24-0 score up there and then put the final score up, 28-27, and you say, ‘Are we ever going to let this happen again in terms of our psychological disposition to compete for 60 minutes?”

You don’t have to look hard to find reminders of that game, not to mention Alabama’s other two losses, in and around the Crimson Tide’s football complex.

There are signs hanging up in the weight room, the locker room and several other areas that read simply, "Never forget. 28-27."


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[SUPERCOACH]

“We really feel like we underachieved last year, and that’s a terrible feeling to have,” junior offensive guard Barrett Jones said. “Last year, we just expected it to happen and forgot how it did happen two years ago and all the work we put in and all the extra stuff we did to be national champions.

“I think we bought into the hype and started thinking Alabama was untouchable, and I definitely don’t think we’re coming into it this year with that kind of attitude. We learned that we are very talented. But if we don’t play our best game, we’re going to lose.”

Great article.

[cbbama99]

There are signs hanging up in the weight room, the locker room and several other areas that read simply, "Never forget. 28-27."

This makes me want to go tackle the first barner I see today. 

[2Stater]

There are signs hanging up in the weight room, the locker room and several other areas that read simply, "Never forget. 28-27."

This makes me want to go tackle the first barner I see today. 

I hope this is the mantra for 2011.

[pmull]

There are signs hanging up in the weight room, the locker room and several other areas that read simply, "Never forget. 28-27."

This makes me want to go tackle the first barner I see today. 

I hope this is the mantra for 2011.

The 2008 SEC Championship game loss to Fla fueled our National Championship fun the following year. The Auburn loss could do the same thing. I know Mich St don't want to see us again anytime soon.

[SUPERCOACH]

There are signs hanging up in the weight room, the locker room and several other areas that read simply, "Never forget. 28-27."

This makes me want to go tackle the first barner I see today. 

I hope this is the mantra for 2011.

The 2008 SEC Championship game loss to Fla fueled our National Championship fun the following year. The Auburn loss could do the same thing. I know Mich St don't want to see us again anytime soon.

I think you are right about that.

[BAMAWV]

If MSU was smart they would try to schedule us every year. I am sure they learned a hard, but valuable lesson. To be the best you have to play the best. They would grow in leaps and bounds from the annual flogging and soon overshadow the other two silly teams in the big ten.

[2Stater]

If MSU was smart they would try to schedule us every year. I am sure they learned a hard, but valuable lesson. To be the best you have to play the best. They would grow in leaps and bounds from the annual flogging and soon overshadow the other two silly teams in the big ten.

If they do, they need to make at the end of their schedule or there won't be anyone left to play the other silly teams.

[cbbama99]

If MSU was smart they would try to schedule us every year. I am sure they learned a hard, but valuable lesson. To be the best you have to play the best. They would grow in leaps and bounds from the annual flogging and soon overshadow the other two silly teams in the big ten.

So we are equal to .....

[che boludo]

I agree with the sentiment that last year's IB loss will provide a great deal of motivation for this year.  Hopefully, we can ride that emotion to #14.

However, I am uncomfortable with setting a precedent where we can't sustain success through internal motivation, focus, and desire.

Don't get me wrong, I would take another BCS Championship every other year from here until forever, but those off years in which we require a motivational recharge through home losses to ULM, 4th qtr losses in the SEC championship game, Sugar Bowl losses to the MWC, and blown 24-0 leads at home to the Barn, etc. are likely to kill me.

Hopefully, the end state of the "Process" accounts for that and sets us on course for a self-sustaining path of dominance which will no longer depend on the aforementioned heart breakers, speeches, and embarrassing losses to provide us with the internal drive to compete and win.  At the very least, I hope that the time required between those "necessary" motivational events is lengthened longer than a single season.

RTR!!!

[2Stater]

I agree with the sentiment that last year's IB loss will provide a great deal of motivation for this year.  Hopefully, we can ride that emotion to #14.

However, I am uncomfortable with setting a precedent where we can't sustain success through internal motivation, focus, and desire.

Don't get me wrong, I would take another BCS Championship every other year from here until forever, but those off years in which we require a motivational recharge through home losses to ULM, 4th qtr losses in the SEC championship game, Sugar Bowl losses to the MWC, and blown 24-0 leads at home to the Barn, etc. are likely to kill me.

Hopefully, the end state of the "Process" accounts for that and sets us on course for a self-sustaining path of dominance which will no longer depend on the aforementioned heart breakers, speeches, and embarrassing losses to provide us with the internal drive to compete and win.  At the very least, I hope that the time required between those "necessary" motivational events is lengthened longer than a single season.

RTR!!!

It does seem we have more than our fair share of these heartbreakers. But then again, we have more NC's than anyone else. Maybe it's the price we have to pay.

[FocusedFan]

"It does seem we have more than our fair share of these heartbreakers. But then again, we have more NC's than anyone else. Maybe it's the price we have to pay."
               When it doesn't break our heart, we will have ceased to
               have the heart of a champion.

[SUPERCOACH]

"It does seem we have more than our fair share of these heartbreakers. But then again, we have more NC's than anyone else. Maybe it's the price we have to pay."
               When it doesn't break our heart, we will have ceased to
               have the heart of a champion.

[ricky023]

It was heart-breaking. This should be our year. RTR!

[Marshal Dillon]

I hope the lesson Saban has learned is don't play NOT to lose. Also, we have to be more creative in the passing game.

 

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