Forum Classics

What does Alabama mean to the SEC?

Posted by MADDOG on October 30, 2001

Had some free time and thought I would kill it with a little ramblin'. What does Bama mean to.........

Kentucky - They beat us for the first time in forever and an eternal day during a season that we were 4-7. Goal posts tumbled. Folks were trampled. And the president and AD of the school said it was the biggest win in the history of Kentucky football. One win over a 4-7 Bama team and they were proclaiming the emergence of Kentucky as a national contender. We apparently mean alot to these guys.

South Carolina - Ranked in the top 20 and playing a team at .500, the Gamers finally beat Bama for the first time ever. I repeat EVER. Keep in mind that a top 20, and later top 10, team was playing an unranked .500 team and when they win the game in the closing seconds, they too tear down the goal posts and celebrate into the night. I read an interview where some of the officials claim that game to be one of the biggest wins in Gamecock history. OVER AN UNRANKED .500 TEAM? Seems we are pretty big in their eyes also.

Vanderbilt - When the league divided into an East and West division, Vandy asked that we be a rival game for them. A school official, I don't remember his name, was quoted as saying that he wanted Bama because they were the best in the SEC and on those rare years that they pulled off the upset it would make the year for them. Here is a school willing to take 19 beatings just to win that one game every 20 years or so against us so they can proclaim it a good year. How big is Bama in the eyes of Vandy?

Georgia - I read a quote one time from a Georgia alumni that was being interviewed. In this interview he was asked about his stay at UGA and if he had any regrets. His reply was "I regret that we never beat Alabama". Now, he didn't mention Championships, although this player may have won one because I can't remember his name I just know it was several years ago, or awards. His regret? He can't tell his grandkids he played against and beat Bama. We have less ties with UGA than any team, IMO, but they know about us. Much more, I am sure, than we know about them.

Mississippi State - As recently as the mid 90's they brought down the goal posts with a win over Bama. Not to mention the fact that their head coach was on the verge of being fired on more than one occasion and a win over Bama saved his job. This coach has admitted, although not lately, to thinking ahead to Bama as early as spring practice. Lose to Auburn and Florida and Ole Miss and you will be counciled. But beat Bama and all is well until next year. What does that tell you we mean to the Bulldogs?

Ole Miss - What else can be said? Mississippi St. is supposed to be their real rival but guess what? They recruit players to match up with Bama. At least they used to. Beaten and battered too many times to mention, Ole Miss broke through this year and pulled out a last minute victory over the .500 Tide. Again what do we hear from their coach? One of the biggest wins in my head coaching career. Now granted his HC career has been short thus far, but hasn't he beaten other .500 teams having a down year? Yes but none the magnitude of Bama. Enough said.

LSU - Death Valley. 1969-2000. Did I see goal posts come down with a victory over a soon to be 3-8 team? I think so. Again enough said. They hate us, as do the rest, but not because we hate them. But simply because they live in the shadow of something bigger and they know it.

Arkansas - Danny Ford, former coach of the Hogs, said many times he lived to coach against Bama. Why? Because according to him, if you beat Bama you knew for that year you had done your job. For that year? Was he trying to say that the Bama game meant more to Arkansas than the rest of their games. I think so. But wasn't it Bama that denied them a NC? Can't remember for sure, but I know we used them to win one of our own on cold day in January. Bitter tastes are hard to get rid of.

Florida - What hasn't Spurrier done for Florida. The list of accomplishments are long including a NC. Spurrier, whether we like him or not, is a great coach and nothing seems to be out of his reach. Well almost nothing. The one thing he didn't accomplish was a streak of 5 straight SEC championships for the Gators. He called it mystique. We called it a record still intact for the Bama nation. Even the loose lipped Spurrier admitted that having a record that the legendary Bear Bryant set would top his coaching career. Are you kidding? The man that respects noone would like his name in lights with Bear Bryant? What does Bama tradition mean to Spurrier and the Gators?

Tennessee - Although they are currently getting the better of this rivalry, they are down in the overall scheme of things. In other words, we have beaten them more than they have beaten us. They own Bama. They rule Bama. They do not fear the Mighty Tide. They don't need any help beating Bama. That is what they say. But actions speak louder than words. Actions such as UT boosters being deeply involved in scandalous accusations against the Tide. Coaches telling recruits if they go to Bama they will not be playing football in 2 years. That sounds like desperation to me. Almost sounds as if they know that head to head that UT can never sell their program the way Bama can. And they know that. Outside of Auburn they will be the last to admit it, but they know who feeds them. As Fulmer holds his press conference after another Florida debacle last year, he feels the need to point out that UT and UF are the two winningest teams in the 90's in the SEC. Why Phil? Were you afraid that some of the country thought Bama was? I think so. You even had the smirk on your face. You knew you didn't measure up to the Gators and it didn't even matter to you. You just want to measure up to Bama. UT has even fired coaches because they couldn't beat Bama. True or false? In UT's mind we are Goliath. And it burns them deep within.

Auburn - This wasn't even funny until they started hiring Bama alum and Bear diciples to run their program. And they even had some success and long as big brother was running things. Then came trouble because even those guys had trouble competing with us and the Bama alum were ousted. And with an occasional win against the Bammers, as they call us, they were happy. Ecstatic in fact. But they can't hide from it. They play in the shadow of the ones they hate the most. No matter what they do. They wish it would go away. They even tried to believe it would go away. They even told recruits it would go away. But look whos still standing Barn people. Thats right. THE TIDE. So get used to it. There would be much less animosity if you would just admit it. Until you win all the marbles you will just be that other school in Alabama. And to top it off, all roads to the marbles roll through Tuscaloosa. It hurts I know. But with therapy and a willingness to be second best it will go away. What do we mean to Auburn? EVERYTHING.

Anyone that reads all of this has time on their hands like me. But it felt good writing it.

DOG