I know nothing, Jon Snow

[WiregrassTiger]

Likewise for those who follow along blindly and have zero say in the direction of said program.

Them too. I'm sure it sux to be you.

[Snaggletiger]

Them too. I'm sure it sux to be you.

Happy as a clam.

[Kaos]

Said it a dozen times before.  Done with Gus after Clemson last year.  Only way he survives is turning it all over to someone else. He didn't against Clemson again this year.  If he had, we'd be 5-0 and top 5.  But Gus screwed the pooch again. I'll ride it out as if I/we have any choice.  Hope we win them all. Have zero faith that Gus won't step in and fuck it all up. 

It's coming.  Do you hear it coming?

Yes.  I hear it.

I'm in the same place you are.  Nothing has really changed for me. 

However.....

What gives me pause is the smoking craters in Knoxville and Baton Rouge.  How the flavors of the week in Nashville and Starkville both turned rancid and bitter. 

Outside Tuscaloosa and Clemson is there a "great" coach out there? What are the chances we will actually find that diamond in a bucket full of broken glass? Don't hand me Chip Kelley, his schtick was up at Oregon before he fled.  Don't give me Jon Gruden. Or Bob Stoops.  All three of them are headed to Tennessee anyway.

Am I happy with Malzahn? No.  Hell no.  The limp dick bumbling efforts he comes up with at the worst possible times are infuriating.  But when I think of the parade of awfulness that's trudged through Knoxville over the last decade?  I don't know how I feel. 

[wesfau2]

Said it a dozen times before.  Done with Gus after Clemson last year.  Only way he survives is turning it all over to someone else. He didn't against Clemson again this year.  If he had, we'd be 5-0 and top 5.  But Gus screwed the pooch again. I'll ride it out as if I/we have any choice.  Hope we win them all. Have zero faith that Gus won't step in and fuck it all up. 

It's coming.  Do you hear it coming?

The only consolation is that no one will fault us for that loss to Clemson.  The pundits will forget what an offensive clusterfuck it was and remember only the final score.  We're still very much alive and, with the rest of the conference largely sucking rancid ass, I'm feeling much better about our prospects.

What gives me pause is the smoking craters in Knoxville and Baton Rouge.  How the flavors of the week in Nashville and Starkville both turned rancid and bitter. 

Outside Tuscaloosa and Clemson is there a "great" coach out there? What are the chances we will actually find that diamond in a bucket full of broken glass? Don't hand me Chip Kelley, his schtick was up at Oregon before he fled.  Don't give me Jon Gruden. Or Bob Stoops.  All three of them are headed to Tennessee anyway.

Am I happy with Malzahn? No.  Hell no.  The limp dick bumbling efforts he comes up with at the worst possible times are infuriating.  But when I think of the parade of awfulness that's trudged through Knoxville over the last decade?  I don't know how I feel. 

I mostly agree with this.  Like I said, we need to weather the Saban/Jacobs storms before we reach for the stars. 

[WiregrassTiger]

The only consolation is that no one will fault us for that loss to Clemson.  The pundits will forget what an offensive clusterfuck it was and remember only the final score.  We're still very much alive and, with the rest of the conference largely sucking rancid ass, I'm feeling much better about our prospects.

I mostly agree with this.  Like I said, we need to weather the Saban/Jacobs storms before we reach for the stars.

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.

[Kaos]

Like I said, we need to weather the Saban/Jacobs storms before we reach for the stars.

This can't be overstated. 

As much as Malzahn pisses me off, I did live through the 70s and the Barfield era.  That's as close a comparison as there can be to the current time in which we find ourselves. 

To Malzahn's credit, this isn't as bad even though those cheating fucks across the state might be better than they were in the 70s. 

When Bryant was at his peak we simply were not competitive.  We weren't competitive in recruiting, we weren't competitive on the field, we weren't competitive in marketing, we weren't competitive in any real way.  They dominated us on the field and in the living rooms. 

Barfield was nice guy who was in over his head.  Shug, God love him, didn't leave Doug much to work with.

We are more competitive with them now than we were then.  We haven't completely folded up the recruiting tents, we haven't been shoved into a virtual corner or marginalized.  I don't envy any coach having to deal with the Saban effect day after day after day.  What upsets me the most is that we are just as well positioned as, say, Clemson to compete at that level and provide a perpetual challenge but we've coached and outcoached ourselves far too often. 

When Bryant's power began to wane -- as Saban's inevitably will -- we were prepared to step into the void that was left.  Our administration had the wisdom to hire Pat Dye. 

I don't trust those currently in power to make that sort of hire.  If we stick with Gus, he HAS to learn how to do this job.  He can't keep bumbling around.  There is going to be a power vacuum in the fairly near future.  We have everything needed to fill it.  Except I don't trust Gus to be that guy. 

[Buzz Killington]

Likewise for those who follow along blindly and have zero say in the direction of said program.

[bgreene]

The Gus Bus is still on fire.  Someone already said it, we are where we are in the polls because the rest of the SECW looks like the SECE.  Gus will choke against UGA and the gumps. We will end the season with 3 or 4 losses, depending on bowl game and we will have this limp ass bus to ride again next year.

[chinook]

The Gus Bus is still on fire.  Someone already said it, we are where we are in the polls because the rest of the SECW looks like the SECE.  Gus will choke against UGA and the gumps. We will end the season with 3 or 4 losses, depending on bowl game and we will have this limp ass bus to ride again next year.

I can't wait to play Wisconsin in the Outback Blooming Onion Bowl.

[Snaggletiger]

I can't wait to play Wisconsin in the Outback Blooming Onion Bowl.

Good times.  Yeah, good times.

[Pell City Tiger]

I can't wait to play Wisconsin in the Outback Blooming Onion Bowl.

Or the Check into Cash Citrus Bowl brought to you by Dollar General.

[bgreene]

If we're lucky we will land in the Dollar General Bowl

[WiregrassTiger]

If we're lucky we will land in the Dollar General Bowl

Hopefully. Certainly hope we don't have to drive out of state.

[dallaswareagle]

 But when I think of the parade of awfulness that's trudged through Knoxville over the last decade?  I don't know how I feel.

[GH2001]

This can't be overstated. 

As much as Malzahn pisses me off, I did live through the 70s and the Barfield era.  That's as close a comparison as there can be to the current time in which we find ourselves. 

To Malzahn's credit, this isn't as bad even though those cheating fucks across the state might be better than they were in the 70s. 

When Bryant was at his peak we simply were not competitive.  We weren't competitive in recruiting, we weren't competitive on the field, we weren't competitive in marketing, we weren't competitive in any real way.  They dominated us on the field and in the living rooms. 

Barfield was nice guy who was in over his head.  Shug, God love him, didn't leave Doug much to work with.

We are more competitive with them now than we were then.  We haven't completely folded up the recruiting tents, we haven't been shoved into a virtual corner or marginalized.  I don't envy any coach having to deal with the Saban effect day after day after day.  What upsets me the most is that we are just as well positioned as, say, Clemson to compete at that level and provide a perpetual challenge but we've coached and outcoached ourselves far too often. 

When Bryant's power began to wane -- as Saban's inevitably will -- we were prepared to step into the void that was left.  Our administration had the wisdom to hire Pat Dye. 

I don't trust those currently in power to make that sort of hire.  If we stick with Gus, he HAS to learn how to do this job.  He can't keep bumbling around.  There is going to be a power vacuum in the fairly near future.  We have everything needed to fill it.  Except I don't trust Gus to be that guy.

Ehhhh this is kind of where I too. I have to put into perspective the Saban effect. Other than Dabo, Gus is probably holding his own as good as anyone. Although not ideal we have to put it into context.

[Buzz Killington]

Or the Check into Cash Citrus Bowl brought to you by Dollar General.

Fingers crossed for another 20 minute ride to the Birmingham Bowl