I don't see Arkansas, Ole Miss or Auburn for that matter as playing "down". Seems to me Ole Miss was expected to challange Alabama in the west this season and Arkansas has the talent to be a great team. This isn't the PAC10. If we played "down" to a team this season it was only to La Tech. Very rarely are you going to blow out SEC teams...the competition is too great.
Hah! Believe me I am NOT pulling for gumpsville. Unless TCU miraculously gets a shot at the title, Tiger fans are screwed. Florida doesnt need another NC. Would make them the team of the decade, not us. Bama...nuff said. Texas? We recruit against them. They dont need a NC either. Prefer the SEC to win it all but not if its Florida or Bama. So guess I'm pulling for Texas as the least painful outcome. BTW, I predict this year is going to be the pinnacle of Saban's time at Bama. Just got a feeling Bama is going to slip back to the middle of the SEC pack.
screw that man, you better be cheering for TCU. I don't care who Alabama plays, i am cheering for the other team.
Very well said. I said it at the beginning of the season that the SEC is back to beating itself up. With the exception of Bama and UF that pretty much held true. Even with them, some of their games were very suspect and could have gone the other way. The 7-5 teams of this year pushed almost everybody to the edge that they lost to. UGA and USCe beating 2 ranked teams this weekend just adds to the fire that the SEC is too deep to keep having seasons like Bama and UF had. You take away the Tebow factor and UF loses at least 2 games this year. The same can be said for Bama. With the exception of a couple of plays and a couple of questionable calls neither of those teams dominated much of the SEC. Next year will be very interesting to watch. I think we will see much of the same as this year, but with noone going undefeated. All of that said, Miles and the Tigers need to be on top of the SECw or his seat will get very hot. I think the changes that are going to be made on the offensive side of the ball this off season will make a huge impact on how much better we will be. With 10 teams going bowling this year it is apparent that the SEC is very close in talent and coaching from top to bottom. The big difference from the top to the middle, in many cases is just one difference maker player. Bama and UF both have them, but UF is losing theirs. We have an up and comer in RS and I see us being the top of the mountain.
It could be worse... I mean being Vandy or KY is worse then being mediocre. I am not even gonna bring up the National Championship in 07 and the amount of good fortune and luck it took to get us there..because I dont and NO college fan should expect a National Championship ever year...because it does take alittle bit of luck most of the time...hell you can go undefeated and not get to play for one!! BUT I do not think it is beyond the realm of reason to expect a SECC every season!!!! Since 06 he has lost 2 or more SEC games each year...and yes Miles won a SECC in 07 with those 2 loses HOWEVER there were no better SEC schools that year you had 5 schools in the SEC with winning SEC records..7 teams at .500 or WORSE!!! So the only SECC he has won he won it in a season in which the SECC was mediocre within itself!!! Miles is the definition of mediocrity and thats ok...cause it could be ALOT WORSE!!!
One of the things that really bugs me about this place lately is that it seems that there is a general perception that if you are a Miles hater than you are automatically a Saban supporter. In many of the posts I've read bashing Miles, there is rarely talk of Saban. It's only when his defenders pipe up that THEY bring up Saban. That being said, I'm not a huge fan of Miles as a coach. As a person, he's awesome. But as a coach, I'm not convinced and never really have been since Tennessee back in '05. I just don't think he's got this program headed in the right direction. Yeah, I got it, he won a national title and an SECC and he's had a phenomenal record. But in my opinion, a majority of those wins were straight up luck and talent. His coaching decisions have left much to be desired and have notably either come close to costing us games or have cost us games. I won't get into specifics because they are pretty obvious. I said after our first few games that if we played the way we did in those wins, it would bite us in the a$$ when we got into the meat of the conference schedule. Lo and behold, that is exactly what happened. And that is exactly why I continue to have a problem with Miles as a coach. Bottomline, though, I'm not a Saban fan either. Yeah, he is a great coach and he launched this program into elite status and should absolutely be remembered for that. But he's gone and we've moved on. He ain't coming back. Why his name is even brought up at all anymore is beyond me.
I guess I have a different perspective of Miles. While he does make some questionable game decisions I think he has a great head for the game. He generally surrounds himself with good coaches and makes adjustments when needed. I look at him as a figurehead more than a game manager. He leaves that up to his assistants. He sure as hell knows how to get a team ready for bowl play and is a hell of a recruiter. I don't even have to mention his heart. Show me a coach who hasn't made some questionable game decisions and I'll show you God Almighty coaching your team. Hell 4th and 2, deep in your territory, with the lead and time running out against the Colts and you go for it? Who makes that bonehead decision?
You misread a period or comma in my post. I said unless TCU gets a crack at the title, we are screwed. TCU is the only outcome that isnt bad for us.
