We
liked the grades better than the game, Commissioner. We've mentioned
before that things have changed mightily. We have reached the point where
beating a division opponent by two touchdowns, holding it to a single score,
more or less doubling its yardage gained, and doing all that despite four (try
not to think about it) turnovers.
Alabama
is ranked #1 in the country, is undefeated, controls its own destiny for the
SEC Championship, and is putting together yet another top recruiting
class. In such circumstances, we'll take an ugly win in Starkville any
day. We expect plenty of Oregon fans who were solidly #2 in the polls two
weeks ago or last week's #4 Stanford Cardinal would trade places with us
today. The bottom line, though, is that Alabama didn't play to its
standard. The Grades correctly reflect that fact.
Offense:
So we have a running back run for over 150 yards (and go past 1000 on the
season), give up a single sack, score 20, average over 5 yards a carry, over 7
yards a reception, give up one sack (on a drive where we scored), win the game
and end up with an offense with a grade of "F"? Dadgum
right. We tried really hard to say that all that added up to a D- and
passing (sort of like when Mr. Walden gave us points on our Algebra II final in
high school) but we just can't do it. AJ was off all night. We are
highly suspicious that one of the two interceptions really wasn't one, but
apparently ESPN didn't have a camera angle that would have helped. But he
was just not himself, either on his decision-making or his throws. Coach
has alluded to some lingering shoulder problems from the Tennessee game.
Both running backs put the ball on the ground and it's no use calling these
isolated instances or "great plays" by the defense. "Once
is a mistake, twice is a habit" is the rule around here when a guy forgets
to balance a customer's new set of radials. Yeldon and Drake now both
have fumbling habit . Perhaps this is good, given that it will keep the
team from getting the big head and give the coaches specific points to work on
for the tail end of the season. We hope so.
Defense:
The Defense was on the field a lot of the game, especially in the first
half. But they held the Bulldogs down pretty well. A rushing total
of 52 yards on 29 attempts will not win a lot of football games. Picking
up a loose ball in the end zone probably would have preserved a shut out.
Somehow Clinton-Dix not only intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned
it, he managed to knock MSU's quarterback out of the game on the same
play. The defense clearly misses Vinnie Sunseri. The Stop
Troops were consistently put in bad positions by the generous attitudes of
their offensive counterparts (pun intended). It seemed like the
defense was having trouble getting off the field, but the statistics show that
was an illusion. A good grade is warranted.
Special
Teams. Hats off to our punter. We know it is a team game, perhaps
the ultimate team game, but kickers are the biggest (loneliest) individual
element. On Saturday night Cody Mandell earned a gold star. His
punts averaged over 55 yards and two of them were downed inside the 20.
He is a weapon. Kick off coverage was far improved over the last two
games.
Broadcast:
F. You know, we don't really mind the ESPN night time crew, but whatever
bonehead made the decision to stay with the post-race interview portion of the
second string car race championship and to move the Alabama Mississippi State
football game to ESPNews, and then move it back to ESPN in the middle of a
drive with practically no warning, needs some priority lessons. I'm not
saying college football is better than car racing necessarily, but the race was
over a good 30 minutes before the game was to kick off. I am saying that
a live SEC football game is better sports programming than watching people talk
about a second-level car race that has been over for half an hour.
Wouldn't interviews with race car owners sound like programming for
ESPNews? Down here at the Tire Store, we have to pay attention to what
the customers think -- apparently ESPN doesn't. It didn't help any
that as soon as they switched the game back to ESPN the talking heads on
ESPNews started gushing about how great Alabama Polytechnic University was for
blowing a three-score lead in the fourth quarter.
In
addition to the more recent past, it is a good thing to remember the
not-so-recent past. In 1980 Alabama was undefeated, ranked number
1, on a 28-game winning streak, and was trying to win its third straight
national title. Alabama fumbled inside the five on the last play of the
game to lose to Mississippi State in Jackson, 6-3. Last night may not
have been the best Alabama performance of the year, but because I go back past
1980, I'll take this one, I surely will.
On
to Senior Day, for a group that is entitled to as much adulation as any we can
remember.
The Correspondent From The Tire Store
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