volinbham
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I moved to Alabama in August 1999. Dubose was the coach and UT won it's 5th straight over the Tide.
First I was shocked at the attitude I encountered leading into the game - most Tide fans felt that UT would win the game. Having suffered through some of 12 game streak ended in 1982 and the 9 year streak after that, I always felt Bama had our number. It was my first clue that Bama was not what it had once been.
After winning the SEC in 1999, it looked like same old Bama to me but the next year was bad (Dubose had been a bad boy sexual harrassment-wise in 99 but winning cures a lot - he was about to be fired but then he went and won the conference). Dubose got the boot and in came Franchione. Fran righted the ship but rubbed some fans the wrong way. He wasn't a Bear-boy and he talked funny :crazy: None the less, he had good games against Oklahoma and beat the dreaded Vols right around the time the NCAA was knocking. Fran kicked it up a notch and fans were buying in but...
The first sign of trouble was the continual questioning of Coach Fran about his long-term intentions. Every damn day somebody asked him if he was staying or speculating he was leaving. Bama drug its feet on signing his new contract and I believe Fran saw what was coming from the NCAA. He left in a chickensh*t way but I don't blame him for leaving.
I think Bama was stunned he left. They fumbled around and chose Mike Price. From the very beginning, many were against him and felt his style was too finesse for the SEC. In my view, he never had a chance. People were pissed at Fran because he totally wiped out the Dubose era feelings by returning discipline and respectability but then he left. Betrayal - how could anyone leave Alabama for any other school. Some realized what it meant, many didn't see it. Mike Price probably would have been a good coach but he would have never lasted even if he was a Saint.
The mad scramble after Price led to Shula. Not a great choice but they had few options. In hindsight, he restored some respectability to the program but of course it's just win baby.
Longwinded but here's what I've learned: Bama fans are nuts. Flat-out nuts. Many still believe this is one of the top 5 (really the top) jobs in the country. I've lived here less than 8 years and they will be announcing their 5th coach in that time!
If you suck but then you have good year (e.g. Dubose) all is forgiven until you suck again.
If you are good, they'll badger you daily about your loyalty to the school (Franchione) until you eventually realize you're living in a psycho world. You won't be trusted because you are an outsider (not from the Bama-ly).
If you are good but think scoring more than 20 points a game is the way to coach (Price) you will never have the support of the fans. Add a few lap dances and you are toast.
If you have the Bama legacy and are willing to step into a no-win situation (Shula) you will get lip service about how important it is to return the program to respectability after the NCAA and lap dance scandals but in the end, it's win baby win. Finishing 8th in the country was a fluke. Worse yet, fans question whether or not you (Shula) even care about the university since you don't show enough emotion.
Now - who wouldn't want this job?????
Addendum - as opposing fans, we all have seen the arrogance of the Bama nation. If you analyze the coaching wheel of fortune at Bama you see that's it's not just the fans but the whole administration that can't see that the past is just that. There's nothing wrong with expecting greatness but when you still see your program the way it was 25 years ago and expect that everyone else sees it the same way, you are the only one that is fooled.
First I was shocked at the attitude I encountered leading into the game - most Tide fans felt that UT would win the game. Having suffered through some of 12 game streak ended in 1982 and the 9 year streak after that, I always felt Bama had our number. It was my first clue that Bama was not what it had once been.
After winning the SEC in 1999, it looked like same old Bama to me but the next year was bad (Dubose had been a bad boy sexual harrassment-wise in 99 but winning cures a lot - he was about to be fired but then he went and won the conference). Dubose got the boot and in came Franchione. Fran righted the ship but rubbed some fans the wrong way. He wasn't a Bear-boy and he talked funny :crazy: None the less, he had good games against Oklahoma and beat the dreaded Vols right around the time the NCAA was knocking. Fran kicked it up a notch and fans were buying in but...
The first sign of trouble was the continual questioning of Coach Fran about his long-term intentions. Every damn day somebody asked him if he was staying or speculating he was leaving. Bama drug its feet on signing his new contract and I believe Fran saw what was coming from the NCAA. He left in a chickensh*t way but I don't blame him for leaving.
I think Bama was stunned he left. They fumbled around and chose Mike Price. From the very beginning, many were against him and felt his style was too finesse for the SEC. In my view, he never had a chance. People were pissed at Fran because he totally wiped out the Dubose era feelings by returning discipline and respectability but then he left. Betrayal - how could anyone leave Alabama for any other school. Some realized what it meant, many didn't see it. Mike Price probably would have been a good coach but he would have never lasted even if he was a Saint.
The mad scramble after Price led to Shula. Not a great choice but they had few options. In hindsight, he restored some respectability to the program but of course it's just win baby.
Longwinded but here's what I've learned: Bama fans are nuts. Flat-out nuts. Many still believe this is one of the top 5 (really the top) jobs in the country. I've lived here less than 8 years and they will be announcing their 5th coach in that time!
If you suck but then you have good year (e.g. Dubose) all is forgiven until you suck again.
If you are good, they'll badger you daily about your loyalty to the school (Franchione) until you eventually realize you're living in a psycho world. You won't be trusted because you are an outsider (not from the Bama-ly).
If you are good but think scoring more than 20 points a game is the way to coach (Price) you will never have the support of the fans. Add a few lap dances and you are toast.
If you have the Bama legacy and are willing to step into a no-win situation (Shula) you will get lip service about how important it is to return the program to respectability after the NCAA and lap dance scandals but in the end, it's win baby win. Finishing 8th in the country was a fluke. Worse yet, fans question whether or not you (Shula) even care about the university since you don't show enough emotion.
Now - who wouldn't want this job?????
Addendum - as opposing fans, we all have seen the arrogance of the Bama nation. If you analyze the coaching wheel of fortune at Bama you see that's it's not just the fans but the whole administration that can't see that the past is just that. There's nothing wrong with expecting greatness but when you still see your program the way it was 25 years ago and expect that everyone else sees it the same way, you are the only one that is fooled.
