High Tide, Low Tide

Way back in sixth grade, the night before we were set to return to school, I could remember watching the National Championship game between Alabama and Miami in the Superdome.  Miami was the team you loved to hate, especially as a loyal Pitt fan.  Most likely no fan of the Big East liked the Hurricanes and would have thoroughly enjoyed seeing them lose to the underdog Crimson Tide.  I can't say I remember anyone on that Alabama team or any signature plays from that Sugar Bowl.  I did remember Gino Torretta, the starting quarterback for the Canes.  He won the Heisman Trophy that season over Marshall Faulk and Garrison Hearst (and this was probably the only time I watched the Heisman Show from start to finish because I really wanted Faulk to win.)  I was happy Gino lost.  I was happy the head coach for the Tide, Gene Stallings, won.  And most importantly, I was happy that Miami didn't really every come close to tasting victory that evening.

That's the last time I was genuinely concerned about Alabama Football winning or losing.  And it's not because I don't care about Alabama Football winning or losing.  It's that, ultimately, as someone who does not live and die with the SEC West, I would imagine the bar for Alabama is set at winning a national championship.  Winning the SEC ... that's loser talk.  Undefeated regular season ... lame.  SEC Title game trophy ... old news.  Beating Auburn ... a necessity, but not ahead of winning a title.

The backdrop just looks out of place behind Saban.

This is what Nick Saban has done for Alabama.  You either finish the season #1 or stamp the season a failure.

You may not remember this, but Saban's first bowl game as the Crimson Tide's head coach was in the Independence Bowl.  That game (and victory) over Colorado was probably only acceptable because it was Saban's first season.  Since then, Saban has guided the Tide to a January bowl game every year, going three for three in national championship games.  Some fan bases may call that run "fortunate."  Other may dub it "an abundance of riches."  Tide fans call it "just another season."

By Alabama standards, the program was been through quite a drought in their national championship runs, last earning a title way back in January 2013.  Other schools might claim their goal is a national championship, but at no other university can the zenith of a season only be found year after year with a national title.

That's what makes Alabama so unappealing.  Understand that I don't want Alabama to lose.  I don't really care one way or another if they win.  It just seems like an unattractive proposition for a fan base to either be infuriated with losing or relieved with winning.  There's no joy from that kind of journey and no memories of being the underdog and winning a game that you should not have.

Thursday night, when the Tide lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, I watched exactly zero plays of the game.  I had no interest in the outcome.  None.  Alabama was either going to win, which is what they're always supposed to do, or they would lose, which would seem like a fluke.  And now, as we prepare for the Ducks and Buckeyes to face-off for the national championship, I guarantee, that both programs will feel a high level of satisfaction with their season.  Florida State, too, probably feels justified and validated with their season, going undefeated for 13 games and raising another ACC Championship trophy.  They may have gotten pummeled by Oregon in the Rose Bowl, but it was a fun and thrilling ride the Seminoles took their fans on for two full seasons.  And if any of these squads stub their toes next season and don't make it to the Final Four, that's probably OK.

Not Alabama.  Ask any Alabama fan what they remember about 2014 and I would bet half of them blame Blake Sims for ruining their season.  Or Lane Kiffin for not running up the score in the first half of the Sugar Bowl.  Or Saban for not stopping the OSU running attack.

For me, I hope that I can return to the days of cheering for Alabama the underdog.  Underdogs, for me, always make more appealing plots, especially against teams I enjoy loathing.  I don't loathe Alabama.  Or Auburn.  Or LSU.  Or any other college football powerhouse in the country.  It just seems like there isn't any point in following these programs if the expectation is to never lose.