The first NCAA polls have been released, and of course the 2013 National Champions sit at the top of the polls. That’s to be expected, but that is not the purpose of this post.
Instead I’ll ask you to focus on the highlighted team in the #2 slot, my beloved Crimson Tide. Last year, they were preseason #1 after winning their second consecutive national championship. They didn’t get the hat trick with a third championship in a row though, and they ended up losing the last two games to finish out the year. The only time Alabama has ever started and finished #1 was in 1978 when Bear Bryant won his 4th of his 5 national championships.
This year, I’m wondering if we’re having a bit of deja vu in play. Let me explain why I say that.
This is the 6th consecutive year that The Tide has been ranked in the top 5 in the preseason poll. Three of those years ended with Saban and crew hoisting the Coach’s Trophy over their heads in a shower of confetti. In 2008, The Tide finished off the year with two consecutive losses, with the second one coming against Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Last year, it was Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl for the second loss.
This is how the preseason poll looked in 2009.
This is how the final poll looked at the end of that season.
There’s quite a few weeks from the opening weekend until that final poll is released. History has a way of repeating itself, and I will not be upset if this particular history repeats itself once again.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALLLL!!!!! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!
The Mind of Brosephus 
Go Vols! Boo… tide…
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Go Vols!! Every weekend except for one. Then, it’s game on. 😉
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hahaha! 😉 Fair enough.
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For some reason, that one was in moderation. Thanks to Peyton Manning, I know half the words to Rocky Top and I catch myself humming it from time to time.
I remember that you’re from Memphis too. My older brother played at Memphis State on the team that beat Southern California in 92 or 93. I can’t remember the year right now.
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Nice! I wouldn’t be surprised if I had seen him play actually.
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If you ever watched the Extreme Home Makeover show when it was on ABC, they did a house for a guy here in Georgia that was suffering from ALS. He played on that team, and most of the teammates came down to help out with the house. I happened to watch that episode and saw my brother standing there, not realizing that he would be on that episode.
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I actually need them to come do my house next. 🙂
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LOL!!!!!! I’ve been trying to find the Yard Crashers people myself. 🙂
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The real lesson is that if you’re going to have one loss, lose early and get it out of the way. Not all losses are equal.
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That’s very true, and that’s also why I usually hate Alabama’s November schedule. I was happy that they moved TA&M up out of November because, when they played them, LSU, Miss St, and Auburn in one month, there was no way in hell they were going to win all those games.
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Only joy I get from that post is you have a beautiful family you are thankful for. The other is sadly sobering. Very much so.
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That last was for your 12:47, Brosephus.
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I am very thankful for my family, and I’m also thankful that I am able to experience such joy. I told Stands on a previous post that I sometimes feel guilty about thanking God that I didn’t have boys. I don’t know how I’d react in a situation such as the one Michael Brown’s parents are facing. I would be a complete wreck.
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Lesson here is, don’t go to the Sugar Bowl!
Yes, I’m ready. Going to the season opener at Cowboys stadium with my sons- half FSU alumni, half OSU alumni (I know that’s not the stadium’s official name, but it’s the name everyone knows). Interested to see how the playoffs go this year. Auburn has one of the toughest schedules around. Annnnnnnd…. it’s college football. Anything can happen!
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I’m hoping we can avoid the Sugar Bowl, especially after a loss to Auburn. LOL!!!!
I’m definitely ready for the season. I was hoping to take the girls to a game in Montgomery so they could see the battle of the bands. We may get to one although it may end up being after mommy gives birth.
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I have a son and daughter-in-law who would envy you. Three boys. One six, twins three, in vitro. I gently asked if they were going for a girl (which she desperately wanted) and she said “we’d have to go through in vitro again and that probably means twins and probably boys and that would be SIX boys in this house and THERE’S NO WAY!!!”
She’s real good at letting you know what she thinks!
I like the battle of the bands part. Same son was involved in the football music program at FSU. I do like the opening, halftime and closing ceremonies.
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Some people have asked me if we’re going to keep trying for a boy if this one is a girl. I tell them no way. Three’s enough, and I’m taking Bob Barker’s advice and getting my pet neutered this fall. 🙂
Considering the extra pressure and danger faced by young Black men, I’m ok with having all girls if the third one is also a girl.
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