Could Tide Be In For More Losses?

In the weeks leading up to the start of the current University of Alabama football season,  and even following the first two to three games, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban continued to note that the 2014 Tide team is looking to re-establish the identity of the program and the standard that has kept it at or near the top of the college football world basically since his arrival at the Capstone.

Those Alabama teams which have epitomized Saban's "process" have been known for their physical and relentless nature, for having a certain swagger as well as a great killer instinct, and most importantly have been very disciplined and mentally strong, with very few turnovers, penalties and lapses in concentration.

Frankly, we have not seen anything resembling those vintage Saban Tide teams during Alabama's 4-1 start in 2014, and in fact the last time we have seen Alabama actually play like, well, Alabama, was at the end of the 2012 season when Alabama was pummeling Notre Dame for its most recent national title.

Even last season, when the Tide found itself once again in contention for the national title up until the devastating Iron Bowl loss, Alabama sputtered around most of the season, slopping out a season-opening win over Virginia Tech in Atlanta and not really playing with seemingly any sense of passion, consistency or fire the whole season other than perhaps the LSU game and portions of the Auburn contest.

It was mental mistakes and poor execution which ultimately cost Alabama a win in Jordan-Hare Stadium, and then of course the Tide basically did itself in again with a deluge of mistakes and turnovers in the no-show Sugar Bowl performance against Oklahoma. The fact that Alabama was still in the chase for another title last year despite the overall subpar play most of the season can be attributed to Saban and his coaching staff, the sheer amount of talented players on the Tide roster and the fact that the SEC West was of course nowhere near as rugged and powerful as it is this season.

This season has basically been a repeat of all the woes of 2013, as the Crimson Tide has displayed moments of brilliance in 2014, but has also again had way too many mental lapses, turnovers, dropped passes and horrendous breakdowns on defense and special teams.

To be fair, Alabama has a host of young and inexperienced athletes playing in some very crucial positions, such as quarterback and in the secondary. But still the abundance of mistakes and lapses for the Crimson Tide, and the fact that the Tide no longer seems to exert itself with a presence that seems to strike much fear or respect among its opponents anymore, has led many to speculate about whether or not the Tide dynasty is over or not.  It also has many observers, including myself, wondering about how many more losses the Tide may face in 2014 following the ugly meltdown against Ole Miss.

I have nothing but respect for the incredible work that Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze has done in very quickly vaulting the Rebels into national prominence, and in fact turning Ole Miss into a Top 5 team.  With all due respect to the Rebel program and its supporters, however, there is no galaxy where it should be stated that Ole Miss was the better team against Alabama, but this past Saturday in Oxford, that was definitely the case.  Apparently gone are the days where the Crimson Tide would show up at an opponent's home stadium and simply have the host team beat before the opening kickoff seemingly and simply because it was wearing crimson and white and because it had Nick Saban on its sideline. Remember the "Blackout" game in Athens back in 2008 against the Georgia Bulldogs?

The Rebels outplayed and outcoached the Tide, and Alabama just appeared to be lost at times, continuously undermining itself with inexplicable mistakes and blown plays offensively and defensively. Critical injuries to leaders such as Kenyan Drake, Denzel Devall and Ryan Kelly did not help matters.

Things are not about to get easier anytime soon for a physically-battered and perhaps mentally-fragile Crimson Tide squad and you wonder how it will respond from an early loss to Ole Miss, with Texas A&M, Mississippi State, LSU, Auburn and even an improving Tennessee team still to play.

Next up for the Tide is a trip to Arkansas to play a Razorback team which may be the most improved squad in the nation. If Alabama shows up uninspired and with its collective thoughts still in Oxford, things may not go well in Razorback Stadium and it is a game that could be ugly if Alabama is not ready and Arkansas starts fast and also gets its crowd loud and engaged early.

There is no dispute about the incredible amount of talent on the Tide roster. And only a simple-minded sap would think that suddenly Saban has forgotten how to coach or that the game has passed him by, although the offensive gameplan by Saban and Lane Kiffin against the Rebels was questionably conservative at best in my view.

While it is perhaps unfair to question the heart of this Tide team, you do have to question the overall leadership and chemistry of the 2013 and 2014 teams and I have to wonder if there are too many players perhaps who are not "all in" in terms of buying into Saban's process and the demands required to be a championship-caliber squad.

This season can still be a great one for the Crimson Tide, and like Saban said, all of the team's aspirations are still there for the taking in what is proving to be another topsy turvy college football season and definitely a wide-open SEC West.

But for that to happen, the players on this team need to step it up a few notches and decide whether it is important enough for them personally to play to the standard that made Alabama a championship program under Saban.

Time Will Tell On Alabama QB Battle

We are entering the third week of the college football season, but the reality of how many great teams there actually are is still about as clear as mud right now, and really the only certainty of this still-young season is that the Big 10 is forever doomed to be hopeless and miserable, or at least for the foreseeable future.  But we already knew that.

This is because we have been treated to only a handful of really meaningful and memorable type clashes thus far amidst a ton of blowouts by power teams against cupcakes and just flat out dregs. Hopefully with the new playoff system beginning this season, ugly mismatches and matchups against directional schools and other FCS teams will soon be a thing of the past. 

Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide (which is ranked No. 2 by the coaches and No. 3 in the AP Poll, although polls are now fairly insignificant in the playoff world which we live in now) definitely fits the bill as one of those mystery teams. Although the Tide arguably has as much or more talent as any team in the nation, uneven and inconsistent performances thus far in wins over West Virginia and Florida Atlantic have generated much debate, analysis and even some harsh criticism, with many observers and fans already tagging Saban's team with the dreaded "overrated" label. 

Although Alabama has yet to really put forth a complete game where it really played "like Alabama," or at least somewhere close to the standard that it has set for Saban’s program over the past 6 to 7 years, I hardly feel that it is time for Crimson Tide fans to hit the panic button. Southern Miss (a 47-point underdog), truly one of the most horrid teams in college football over the past couple of seasons, presents the Tide another golden opportunity Saturday to iron out a few more wrinkles and play a lot of players before the meat of the season begins the following week against the Florida Gators. 

Perhaps by the time Will Muschamp's Florida team arrives in Tuscaloosa for the key SEC clash against the Tide on Sept. 20, the Alabama quarterback competition between senior Blake Sims and junior Jake Coker will finally be settled, and the gnashing of teeth from some Bama fans and even some media types, will finally subside as well. 

Much like the A.J. McCarron/Phillip Sims quarterback battle which dominated discussion about the 2011 edition of the Crimson Tide team, the current race between Blake Sims and Coker to outright claim this starting job for this season has led to a variety of debates and intense discussion on numerous sports shows and also on various social media outlets. It has already led to the overall Bama fan base being split into camps for both sides of the competition.  During some of those discussions, the debate has gotten particularly nasty. 

This is the dilemma that a coach such as Saban faces when he allows the competition for the team's starting quarterback, obviously the most important position for any team as he is basically the face of that team for the most part, to proceed into the regular season. Not only does he have to deal with the lingering and continuous questions about the situation from media types and a never-patient fan base, but he also must hope that the situation does not translate into division with his team. 

I will, of course, give Saban the benefit of the doubt when he said that the inconsistency of both quarterbacks during fall camp prevented him from naming a starter before the opener against the Mountaineers in Atlanta. However, I also have no doubt in my mind that if a quarterback has at least a week before the season begins with the designation as the starter, it gives him at least a semblance of quality time to establish a certain chemistry with his fellow starters on offense. It also allows him to gain an enhanced level of confidence knowing he is going to be "the guy" heading into that season opener. Of course that would be priceless for any field leader. 

But the quarterback situation is what it is in Tuscaloosa, and even as recently as Wednesday, it was a prime topic of conversation on Paul Finebaum’s SEC Network show. The situation has also netted results from both of the two gifted athletes during game action that have been pretty solid and some that have been, well, not so great. 

Sims, who by all accounts has been a tremendous team player despite all of the position changes he has been forced to endure while at the Capstone, is apparently well-liked by all of the players and all the coaches. I also think his overall attitude and his exhaustive efforts to improve as a complete quarterback were pivotal factors in Saban beginning the season with the Gainesville, Ga. native in the starting role. Of course Sims also had an edge over Coker in terms of confidence, and comfort and familiarity with the Crimson Tide offense, simply due to the fact that he has had a huge advantage relative to time spent learning the offense whereas Coker did not arrive on campus until the fall. Coker is still learning as the season progresses and he seemed to get more comfortable even as the game against Florida Atlantic progressed. 

While some media commentators and even game announcers seem to view Sims as the second coming of Joe Montana or Peyton Manning (and the question of why commentators such as Andre Ware and others on ESPN have been so lightning quick to jump to Sims’ defense and to be extremely critical about Coker is something that I am sure many of us have our own thoughts about) his play, thus far, has been solid and perhaps better than expected, but not spectacular by any means.  He has been very solid in executing very medium and safe type passes and screen throws to weapons such as the incredible Amari Cooper while also avoiding trouble on numerous occasions with his nimble running ability. There is no denying Sims’ athletic ability and that athleticism has never been questioned. For the most part, Sims has also kept Alabama’s offense moving at a nice tempo. 

Of course, we have also seen a little of the Sims that many of us know very well, with a few bounced passes, an interception in the opener against West Virginia, a portion of the opening game where Sims became a bit rattled and Coker was summoned to begin warming up and the botched exchange with T.J. Yeldon in the Florida Atlantic game that cost the Tide a probable touchdown. With Sims, you can always expect some rough patches as despite his improvement, he is still not a prototypical quarterback and not a great fit for the Crimson Tide’s pro-style offense. 

When Coker finally saw his first real action of the season in the second quarter of the game against Florida Atlantic, it appeared that things were moving at warp speed for the Florida State transfer. He seemed overwhelmed with it all as he struggled getting plays off and overshot a few passes, not to mention his inexcusable blunder near the end of the first half when he allowed time to expire in the half without the Tide getting any points on the scoreboard. That mistake of course proved harmless against a lowly directional school such as Florida Atlantic, but perhaps it might prove fatal against an opponent such as Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss or Texas A&M. 

Although I respect Sims and the perseverance he has shown by sticking it out and paying his dues to gain a shot at the starting position, I also have a little empathy for Coker.  After apparently coming perilously close to gaining the Florida State starting job heading into the 2013 season before eventually finishing second to eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, media types from all over, and myself included, basically assumed that he would arrive in Tuscaloosa and immediately claim the job with little challenge from Sims.  Coker was immediately subjected to all kinds of ridiculous hype and frenzy before he ever threw a meaningful pass in a crimson jersey and FSU coach Jimbo Fisher only added to that by stating that he was head and shoulders above any quarterback Saban had coached at Alabama. Never mind the fact that Greg McElroy and McCarron were good enough to guide the Crimson Tide to a total of three national titles.  That pressure was evident early in the Florida Atlantic game for Coker, but as he settled down, gained a little confidence and survived a few tirades from both Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, he showed a great deal of that touted potential.  He made a few plays with his legs, but fans wanted to see “the arm,” and that was also very evident on several deep passing attempts.  It would have been nice to see a few more actual touchdown drives with Coker at the helm, but still the team seemed to respond well enough with him in the huddle after the initial sluggish start. 

So what does this all mean for the Crimson Tide quarterback battle since we have seen a mixture of the good and not so good from both candidates?

First of all, and not only as a passionate Alabama fan, but also as an objective sports analyst, I have total confidence in Saban, Kiffin and the staff to make the correct decision regarding the right man for the job, and I have no doubt that the situation will play itself out sooner than later. 

Secondly, despite the success that Sims has enjoyed in the starting role, and the dramatic improvement he has made as a field leader, my feelings about who should lead the Crimson Tide on the field as the season progresses have not really changed.  As Alabama gets into the meat of a schedule which includes the likes of Florida, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, I feel that the Tide will need a prototypical quarterback who is more capable of putting pressure on a defense by consistently stretching the field. It also needs a quarterback who is more capable of consistently utilizing all of the Tide’s offensive playbook as well as all of its weapons.  Alabama simply needs a quarterback who is an overall better fit for Saban and Kiffin’s pro-style offense.

That quarterback is Jake Coker. 

Sarah Patterson: An Icon That Touched Many Lives

  

The 2014 edition of SEC Football Media Days, as expected, dominated most of the sports-related headlines in our parts last week, with a record crowd of media representatives flooding Hoover to interrogate coaches and players from all 14 conference programs.

For Tuscaloosa, however, and also a good portion of the SEC community, the retirement announcement last week of longtime University of Alabama gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson also resulted  in many stories throughout the week. There were also plenty of tributes from former UA gymnasts, sports columnists and members of the UA athletic family. Of course all of the tributes were very much merited and truly well-deserved as Patterson is an iconic coaching figure, not only within the confines of Tuscaloosa and UA, but also on the SEC and national level.

That is what happens when you are the creator of a program which has tallied over 1,000 wins, and a coach who equaled legendary Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant by leading the Crimson Tide gymnastics program to six national titles.

Upon listening to Patterson's press conference and reading the numerous stories detailing all of the achievements of her and her program in the days that followed, I wondered if I should follow suit and write my own piece chronicling her success while celebrating not only  the incredible numbers she has totaled with the Crimson Tide, but also her overall impact on the Capstone and West Alabama in general.

Although I have a lot of personal admiration for Patterson  and the program that she and her husband David largely built by themselves following her hiring by Bryant some 36 years ago, I have to admit that I have never been a huge follower of the program, or gymnastics in general,  and have probably only attended a handful of actual meets in my life if that many. I have always enjoyed keeping up with the athletic and academic achievements of the many great student-athletes she has brought into the UA program. I even gained a pretty nice friendship with one of Patterson's most legendary gymnasts ever in Dee Foster, a very impressive and intelligent person and an individual that truly represented the standard of excellence that Patterson no doubt expected from the thousands of young people who she coached and mentored over the years.

It dawned on me that perhaps a better route to take would to actually let one of Patterson's own gymnasts write a guest blog about the legendary coach for this site,  so I immediately contacted one of them who I happen to be Facebook friends with and gauged her interest in doing a piece in honor of her departing coach. I was thrilled when she said she would love to do it.  However, a few days later, after she had already written her blog, the opportunity for my site to publish it was ultimately declined by a representative of the UA Athletic Media Relations Department without any explanation. To say that I was extremely disappointed and frustrated with this decision is a huge understatement, but unfortunately I was not the least bit surprised by it.

For many years, going back to my days with the Crimson White while a student at the Capstone, I have on numerous occasions dealt with the overall rude and genuinely snotty nature of many officials within this department, so this short and sweet rejection note was just another example of how uncooperative and pompous certain people within this department can be.  To be fair I will say that this does not describe the department as a whole as I have also been fortunate enough to have had good working relationships with media office officials who have gone out of their way to be helpful and nice.

I can definitely detail more negative stories than good ones, though, regarding Alabama media relations people, however,  and I certainly felt it was unfortunate that because in this case a representative chose to leave me in limbo for a day before finally blowing me off, a Crimson Tide gymnast was deprived of the opportunity to express in her own words the impact that Patterson has had on her life.  And yes, the guest blog would have been a great and no doubt widely-read bonus for the faithful readers of the site that Darren Owens and I take much pride in and also put a lot of effort into maintaining.

All that being said, it is still very much an honor for me to  express much admiration to Patterson for leading a program that has been a legendary one in the annals of intercollegiate athletics, and one that has also been a jewel for my alma mater in terms of being a model for athletic and academic dominance.  I also wish her much happiness and good health well into the future, especially after she is fully healed from her upcoming knee replacement surgeries.

Of course the gaudy numbers relative to the program's success under Patterson's leadership speak for themselves, including the 6 national titles, 1,006 wins, 43 postseason championships, 8 SEC team titles, 29 regional championships, 20 Super Six appearances and of course the list simply goes on and on.  Perhaps even more impressive, though, is the fact that during Patterson's coaching reign, 73 athletes were tabbed as scholastic All-Americans, 8 received the Honda Award for top women's gymnast in the nation and Kim Jacobs was recently awarded the Honda Cup for top female collegiate student-athlete.

I wish Dana Duckworth nothing but the best as she takes over the leadership of Crimson Tide gymnastics, but she definitely faces a formidable challenge in maintaining the enormous athletic and academic standards which have been achieved by Patterson's program. And to think, when Patterson was first hired by Bryant, the Tide gymnasts were relegated to practicing in an armory, and  the program struggled mightily in the early going to attract any semblance of media coverage and attendance numbers.

What Patterson ultimately built, of course, is a gymnastics dynasty that all Crimson Tide alumni and supporters can be very proud of, and her place in the upper echelon of collegiate coaching legends, including Bryant and Pat Summitt, is already well secured.

I guess what is most impressive to me, is the number of quality ladies that Patterson has guided into not only being high-caliber gymnasts, but also top-class individuals.  The impact that the Pattersons have made in the overall Tuscaloosa and West Alabama communities, not only with their efforts toward disadvantaged individuals but also with their educational efforts toward issues such as breast cancer awareness.

She has left footprints on the University of Alabama and the City of Tuscaloosa that will never be filled, and I imagine she and her husband will continue to impact our community, even as she retires from coaching, for many years to come.

When I think of Patterson, I cannot help but drift back to a powerful gesture by her and some of her gymnasts toward a friend of mine in terms of a testament of her character, kindness and integrity.

This friend and his wife have been avid and regular supporters of Patterson's UA gymnastics program, but during the past couple of years have dealt with a good share of personal tragedy. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Patterson and her gymnasts not only showered them with various gifts, such as Crimson Tide sportswear, but also with an abundance of love and encouragement  that was desperately needed at this time. And this was for people that they really did not even know.

There is no telling how many more similar gestures just like that were made by Patterson and/or her gymnasts to other people in need, but I am guessing there have probably been too many to count.

Of course all of the flashy victory and championship totals and the number of All-Americans in her program speak to her prowess as a collegiate gymnastics coach.  But the number of quality people who have emerged from her program as even more dynamic individuals, and the thousands of lives she has touched along the way speak to her greatness as a person, and also speaks volumes about why she will be so greatly missed by the UA athletic family. 

Eagerly Awaiting The SEC Network

After a long summer dry spell in the sports world during the past several months (of course not meaning any disrespect to the suddenly-rabid bandwagon soccer fans who have flooded my Facebook and Twitter news feeds during the last few weeks), the arrival of SEC football players and coaches in Hoover for the beginning of Media Days Monday signaled that college football is finally just around the corner. That, of course, means that all will soon be right and good in the sporting universe.  Then I can finally stop desperately drowning myself in pigskin preview magazines.

SEC officials were expecting the largest media turnout in the history of the frenzied event this week, and I certainly would have loved to have been in the middle of all the madness. A couple of weeks ago I actually applied for Media Day credentials for both this site and also for the Tuscaloosa-based publication that I regularly write sports articles for.  Ultimately I was denied for both by the powers-that-be in the SEC office.

The power to select who may obtain credentials for the event is of course the SEC's prerogative, but it is also a little disappointing.  Just from having attended the event in the past, I know that passes are given to some longtime attendees because they happen to be a part of the "old boy network" that definitely exists in the SEC media culture.  They are also typically issued to wannabe journalists who simply show up each year to grab free souvenirs and participate in the golf event associated with the festivities without actually listening to any of the speakers or talking with the players.  I was, however, hoping for the opportunity to actually cover the event for a growing publication in one of the SEC's most prominent markets, that being Tuscaloosa.  I mention all of that not intending to take a shot at SEC officials, nor to whine about not being allowed the golden ticket to attend the proceedings at the Galleria, but to emphasize just how increasingly strong the demand is for any access to the nation's most powerful conference, especially when it comes to college football.

The huge media throng at Media Days, and the presence of ESPN cameras and personalities to once again chronicle much of the event, only serves as yet another exclamation mark to the statement that yes, it is largely an SEC world, and this will not be changing anytime soon.  

As has been the case in previous editions of Media Days, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive kicked off the first day of the event with his annual state of the conference address.  This allows the opportunity for Slive to speak with obvious pride (and perhaps a little bit of justified downright arrogance) about the accomplishments during the past year by various conference teams and athletes, both athletically and academically, and to also update the assembled scribes, analysts and other media types on developments that are occurring within the SEC or changes that might be on the horizon.

I cannot say that Slive is always a riveting speaker by any means, but he can display a dry wit at times and he usually expresses his sentiments in a very eloquent manner. He obviously is a very gifted historian as well, as his comments on Monday included quotes from Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela among other notable figures.  Much like former SEC leader Roy Kramer, whose main legacy will always likely be the SEC Championship Game, Slive is an innovator, and the SEC Network which debuts on August 14 will likely be just one of the main feathers in his hat when his overall tenure and sheer legacy is considered.  

The network, which is a partnership with ESPN, a major contributor to the growth of college football over the years, will likely shape up as perhaps one of the conference’s greatest jewels, especially during the reign of Slive. Slive was also a key contributor in the development of college football’s new playoff system by the way.

Obviously for those of us who eat, drink and breathe college football once the pigskin is first kicked off in August, just the thought of the network and all of its possibilities is enough to cause major salivation.

I suspect that many of you share my opinion that there can never really be enough football (and by that, I mean football and not futbol), and providing that all of our respective cable providers reach agreement to carry the SEC Network in the very near future, I cannot foresee a lack of good college football ever being a problem again. Thanks to the new network, and the agreements that the SEC already have in place with CBS and the existing ESPN networks, we will be able see every SEC team play on a weekly basis, which is always a good thing, and of course we will also still be seeing plenty of big games from other conferences on other networks every week, so the options for viewing will be pretty much limitless.

If being able to plop down on the couch or in your recliner with your food and beverage of choice, and to watch a huge number of college football games is not enough of a treat each week, the SEC Network will also serve up a veritable gridiron smorgasbord that includes numerous studio and discussion shows, live pre-game and postgame discussion shows, highlight shows and even airings of classic SEC games which date back as far as the 1960s. I am personally pretty pumped up about seeing some of those vintage games, considering I am such an avid historian of college football anyway. Imagine turning on the new ESPN channel during the week at various times and being able to watch a Florida/Georgia affair during the 1980s when Herschel Walker was still rambling between the hedges in Athens or tuning in and seeing an Alabama/Auburn game from the 1970s.

I am also looking forward to seeing how some of the network newcomers such as former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy and former Florida great Tim Tebow blend in with some of the ESPN analysts already in place. This includes the legendary Paul Finebaum, who has already cemented a solid presence at ESPN with his bold candor and acerbic personality. He has been one of my favorite analysts and writers for as long as I have loved sports and The Paul Finebaum Show should also be a great fixture for the network.  McElroy and Tebow have engaging personalities, and that should blend in well with the likes of Jesse Palmer.

Besides what the SEC Network will mean for college football, I think it will also prove to be a boost for basketball, baseball and softball and even sports which are not seen on television quite as much, such as volleyball, track and even swimming.  The conference has had plenty of powerhouses and even dynasties in some of those “other sports” too.

If that was still not enough for you, the SEC Network package will also include the always-interesting SEC Storied documentaries, which to me are always fascinating and well-conceived. Some of the previous ones have included the touching film about the Manning family and the riveting one concerning the intense gymnastics rivalry between Sarah Patterson’s Alabama program and Suzanne Yoculan’s Georgia program. Upcoming films will include what is sure to be a tear jerking one about Ole Miss legend Chucky Mullins.

I think the network will be a win-win situation for anyone who loves Southeastern Conference sports in general, and will no doubt only serve to confirm why the SEC is king, and also why jealousy reigns among the other conferences who keep unsuccessfully attempting to knock it from its throne.  I think it will also be a shining tribute to Slive.

Field Of Dreams Still Tops In My Book

"It keeps on getting better, how life just keeps movin' on.

Children growing older, seems I just looked over

Found that time was here and gone."

From Time is Here And Gone, by The Doobie Brothers.

The  opening lines above to one of my favorite Doobie Brothers songs have definitely been hitting home with me over the course of the past few months.  Although I don't want to sound like I am growing old before my time, I am surely beginning to feel the aches and pains, and the occasional exhaustion of a man who is creeping ever closer to his 50s, and simply wondering just where the time went.

I guess it is during this time in your life when you become a bit more cognizant of life seemingly zooming by in much more rapid speed. I find myself also becoming more emotional now as people I have known most or all of my life begin to fade dramatically and then suddenly they are no longer in my life anymore. My dad's death back in November touched me in ways that I still probably do not fully realize yet, but I know it has certainly made me a lot more aware regarding the issue of mortality.

OK, I know all of that is a bit gloomy, so I want to lighten the mood just a tad by noting that even a much more trivial matter such as my favorite movie of all time has also served to remind me yet once again that even 25 years can travel by in what seems like the speed of light.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of the iconic Kevin Cosner film Field of Dreams, a Frank Capra-esque movie which has appropriately been tabbed by many as the It's A Wonderful Life of our generation.

A couple of nights ago, with nothing of note really on television to suit my viewing needs, I pulled out my DVD of the superbly-cast (James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster, Amy Madigan, Timothy Busfield and Ray Liotta, among others, also shine alongside Costner, my favorite actor) and superbly-directed fantasy-drama, and watched along with my mom.  And for me personally, even 25 years after I first saw this Oscar-nominated flick for the first time with friends at a theater in Tuscaloosa, Field of Dreams, shot on that now-legendary farm in Dyersville, Iowa,  still resonates within me on a deep and powerful level, and the emotional impact that it has on me has only grown through the years.

Some of you might say those are overly syrupy sentiments to use for a fictional baseball movie, but for people who have always totally embraced all of the movie's various layers, of which there are many, they recognize that simply writing Field of Dreams off as a "sports flick" is actually demeaning to the film's overall brilliance in terms of the script, and its ability to bring so many conflicts to a neat and poignant resolution while wrapped in a baseball theme.

While there are religious tones to the film, with the Heaven vs Iowa thing, the more prevailing themes include the strained father-son relationship between Costner's Ray Kinsella and John Kinsella, played in moving fashion by Dwier Brown,  the deep desire of Jones' Terrence Mann to revive his career as a journalist, the heartbreaking love of the game of baseball expressed in such descriptive form by Liotta's scandal-ridden "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and the story of Lancaster's revered "Moonlight" Graham, a very successful doctor who fell agonizingly short of achieving his chance at the spotlight in the game he so deeply loved.

All of those storylines are, of course, resolved in miraculous fashion and we are all transported back into a simpler and better time,  and I guess like Costner's character at the end of the film, we are all wondering if that Iowa cornfield is indeed Heaven or just a symbol of what many of us would like Heaven to be.  Perhaps it is only fitting near the end of the movie when John Kinsella tells his son that there is indeed a Heaven, noting "it is where dreams come true."  The father and son dynamic of the film is what has always grabbed me by the heart more than anything about the film, and watching the movie now in the aftermath of my father's passing only makes the viewing experience of Field of Dreams even more emotional for and relatable to me.  This is not to say that the relationship between my dad and I was anywhere close to that of the Kinsellas in terms of their long-term estrangement and the cruel remark that Ray Kinsella made to his father regarding "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.  I loved my dad dearly and we were very close for the most part and shared so many incredible times together. He was truly my hero.

But dad and I did not always agree on everything, and it was hard for him to show his emotions to me until later in life when he had mellowed quite a bit with age. Like with every father and son, we had our arguments and I am sure I tested his patience more times than even I knew sometimes.  But sports was always a common bond for us, especially Alabama football....but also baseball. My dad had a baseball hero too, and it was the legendary Stan "The Man" Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals, whom he named me after, and I take pride in that fact every day of my life.  We didn't play many games of catch together, but we watched a lot of baseball together and especially loved those games between his Cardinals and my Cubs. That great baseball rivalry was also a fun personal rivalry between dad and I.  

That is why the whole segment near the end of the film with the two Kinsellas is so compelling, so engrossing and even gut-wrenching, from the time that Costner's character first sees his dad walking toward him to the end of the movie when Ray Kinsella asks his dad if he wants to "have a catch" and the two instantly reconnect while the lighted baseball field beams in all of its beauty, and the lights of cars from miles and miles away are seen making their way toward the magical farm.  Of course the sight of all of those cars also makes good the predictions made by Kinsella's young daughter and by Mann that "people will come" to see the field and to pay money to see it, which no doubt was a way to resolve yet another conflict relating to the financial difficulties the family were facing with the farm. No matter how many times I see the movie, that final overhead shot of the gleaming park below and the cars coming toward it, never fails to give me chills. The music in that final sequence, and throughout the entire movie, also only serves to enhance the mystique of Field of Dreams even more.

Happy 25th Anniversary to an American icon and a cinematic treasure, and may the legacy of Field of Dreams always remain strong.  It will always move me in ways that no other movie can even come close to doing.  As Ray Kinsella would say, "It is perfect."

 

A Little Bitterness From The Ole Ball Coach

Don't look now, but the start of the college football season continues to loom ever closer. 

This may be a hard concept for some of you to actually grasp, especially those among you who are currently swept up in the magic (heavy sarcasm) of the soccer extravaganza which is the World Cup, in all of its neck-biting and mind-numbing glory. 

But there are certain tell-tale signs that the sport that the great majority of us love the most, and have endured many cold sweats and dizzying episodes of panic without during these past several cruel months, is about to once again take its rightful place at the forefront of the sports universe. These include the presence of various college football preview magazines at bookstores and newsstands everywhere, the annual invasion of coaches, players and fans to Hoover for SEC Media Days being about two weeks away and the fact that Steve Spurrier is once again taking little digs at other coaches or programs. 

Anyone who has followed college football on a moderately regular basis is well aware that for that past two decades or so, the "ole ball coach" has seemingly generated as many headlines with some of his jabs at programs such as Tennessee (once noting that you cannot spell Citrus without UT whenever the Volunteers found themselves relegated to a lesser bowl such as the Citrus Bowl) and Florida State (referring to the Seminole program as Free Shoes University in relation to a 1994 scandal involving several of Bobby Bowden's players) as with his success at both Florida and South Carolina. 

There have been occasions where some of Spurrier's shots have come off as fairly amusing, and that is one of the many reasons the veteran, visor-tossing coach has often been a darling of the media. Of course, however, at other times, Spurrier’s zingers have not played quite as well, and in fact have reduced the coach to sounding petty and a little vindictive. I would definitely place Spurrier’s latest mini-controversy in the petty category, with perhaps a little sour grapes and jealousy thrown in for good measure. 

As you know by now, Spurrier aimed right for the top of the college football ladder for his latest attack as he basically insinuated that Alabama coach Nick Saban, who tops any current credible list as the nation’s top college football coach, and who has basically also secured his place in the pantheon of the best coaches of all-time, has somehow underachieved during his seven-year tenure at the Capstone. 

Let’s see. During Saban’s coaching reign in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide has captured three national championships while just falling short in a couple of those other seasons after being in serious national title contention during the majority of those seasons. Alabama has been a fixture in the polls under Saban and has spent many of those weeks as the nation’s No. 1 team.  He has dominated the recruiting rankings like no coach ever has, bringing in several of the nation’s top classes to Tuscaloosa, and many analysts have stated that the incoming class is perhaps the best class ever assembled.  In seemingly record speed, Saban turned a Crimson Tide program heading toward total irrelevancy into the gold standard of college football, and his three national championships in four years with the Crimson Tide (including the back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012) have already secured Alabama’s place as one of the top college football dynasties of all time. 

Apparently that record does not quite cut it with Spurrier, however, who said he feels that perhaps Saban has not “maxed out potentially as well as he could” due to the fact that the Tide coach, despite all of the talent that he has accumulated at UA, has only achieved two SEC titles.  Of course it is never really surprising when the former Florida legend puts his foot into his ever smirking mouth, but the comments regarding Saban were over the top even for him, and probably would be considered quite comical if not so remarkably absurd.  And this is coming from a coach who might actually want to look at the man in the mirror when it comes to underachievement. 

There is no doubt about Spurrier’s place as one of the game’s greatest coaches, and he has definitely earned his legendary status in Gainesville, both as a player and a coach. I feel that what he has done at South Carolina is also remarkable as he turned the Gamecock program into a consistent power, both on the SEC and national level. This is doubly impressive at a school which has never been known as a huge football mecca, even with its share of legendary players and an overall great football atmosphere at Williams-Brice Stadium. But due to the nice coaching job done by Spurrier himself in Gainesville during his 12-year tenure, the overall expectations for the Gator program will always greatly surpass those of the South Carolina program and if you look at Spurrier’s time with the Gators, it is definitely a study in magic moments combined with plenty of missed opportunities as well. 

In 12 seasons with the Gators, Florida captured six SEC titles, which is impossible to discount in terms of impressive conference supremacy, but it also should be noted that the SEC during Spurrier’s Florida tenure was very solid, but hardly the powerhouse that it has been in the course of the past 8 years (with the SEC having won 7 of the past 8 national titles and being only 13 seconds away from having captured the last 8 titles). Winning SEC titles is more difficult than ever now, and the fact that Alabama was able to gain the 2011 national title without even winning its own division only serves as testament to that fact. It is also fact that Alabama’s ability to beat a conference rival in the national title game that it had previously lost to during the regular season is one of the main reasons why we are finally having a college playoff this coming season, along with the SEC’s overall dominance during the past decade. 

During that same period, however, Florida was only able to capture one national title, and no matter what the ball coach might have to say about the importance of taking home conference crowns, he established a program in Gainesville where national championship trophies had become a routine part of the expectation level. But despite the fact that the Gators are located in arguably the most talent-rich state in the nation, Spurrier has to be frustrated with the fact that Florida could only get it done one time on the national championship stage. 

So being well aware of this fact, some might wonder why Spurrier would be inclined to criticize the record of the coach currently leading the nation’s top program. 

I think jealousy may play a role in some of this as Saban is currently gaining all of the national acclaimed praise that Spurrier routinely received at Florida up until the time that he left his alma mater for a forgettable stint as coach of NFL’s Washington Redskins. I think Spurrier also realizes that his coaching days may be somewhat numbered and knows that his Gamecock program will never reach the plateau of success that Saban’s Crimson Tide has attained. 

This may be reaching somewhat, but I think that sour grapes may also play into the equation somewhat as the Crimson Tide has been a true nemesis to Spurrier at times, especially during his time at Florida. 

Spurrier actually dominated the Crimson Tide during his Florida days, topping Alabama several times in the SEC title game and also besting Bama in a couple of regular-season games during Gene Stallings’ tenure as coach of the Tide. He also gained a nice home win at South Carolina against Saban’s defending national champions in 2010. But it is probably the games in which his Gators fell short against the Crimson Tide that might actually still cause him to lose a bit of sleep on occasion. 

Of course the inaugural version of the SEC’s title game in 1992, pitting Spurrier’s Gators against Stallings’Crimson Tide is considered one of the most important games in college football history, as the Gators were not only hoping to win the conference’s first title game at Birmingham’s Legion Field, but to also crush the national championship aspirations of an 11-0 Crimson Tide team. The rest of course is history with Alabama’s Antonio Langham providing the winning points with a pick six off of Florida quarterback Shane Matthews in a riveting 28-21 Alabama victory. That iconic Langham play may have translated into the most crushing defeat of Spurrier’s coaching career.  Then flash forward to 1999, when Alabama ventured into The Swamp and ended Florida’s 30-game home winning streak with a breathtaking 40-39 overtime shocker. That same season, Alabama completed a two-game sweep of Spurrier’s team by drilling the Gators 34-7 in the SEC title game. I imagine the fact that a Tide team coached by Mike DuBose, basically a modern-day version of J.B. “Ears” Whitworth in theannals of Crimson Tide football, was able to knock of his Florida team not once but twice has to also be an irksome thing for Spurrier to have on his record.

Whether or not those stinging losses to the Crimson Tide have anything to do with Spurrier’s recent remarks regarding Saban is fun to ponder, and debatable at best. But I, for one, am not discounting the possibility anyway.  At the end of the day, I think the ball coach should probably concentrate on improving his own legacy considering that he himself has fallen quite short in the one area that is most important for SEC schools who want to maintain football programs that are considered to be in the upper echelon category, and that is national championship rings.  In fact, it might be nice for Spurrier to gain at least one SEC title at South Carolina before he continues to hurl hollow jabs at other very proven coaches.