Thanks to Gerry Dorsey for this week’s fascinating questions:
1. what team will be the biggest surprise in the sec in ’08?? the biggest disappointment??
I’m sticking with my prediction that Ole Miss is the sleeper in the conference and I will add that I would not be surprised to see the Cocks (hehe – he just said cocks – absolutely never gets old) do well this year. The Vawls are this years train wreck waiting to happen; no defense + new offense = disaster.
2. we appear to know who our qb is going to be for the season barring something crazy, but not all offensive skill positions are so certain. as the season progresses, who do you see stepping up to be this squad’s most productive rb?? and wr??
Terry Grant is due. But I also believe that Saban likes the committee style running back so I look for either Jimmy Johns (my bad, couldn’t resist) Roy Upchurch or Glen Coffee to make their mark this year. As far as receiver look for Nikita Stover to lead all categories, but I believe there will not be a lot of difference between the group as a whole. You should notice a trend here – I believe that if this offense is successful it will be because the ball is spread around and keeps the defense guessing. We’ve been used to one running back with all the carries and one WR leading all others by a large margin. I don’t think you’re going to see that this season and if you don’t the most important stat, W, will be greater that it has been lately.
3. obviously “the saban” is lord and savior, and created the heavens and the earth, but if you were forced to trade saban for another active coach, who would it be and why??
Similar to Gerry’s answer for the trade-a-player question a few weeks ago, I’m standing pat. There is no one else I want. I think that Saban is the perfect coach at the perfect time for Alabama. To give a little bit of an answer I’ll say that I like the way that Mark Richt is running things at Georgia and I think that Tubberville is doing about as well at Auburn as any coach can, and he is to be commended for that but I quite happy with who we have and neither one of those guys would come to Alabama now anyway. Our next coach will be coordinator somewhere with a lot of success or a mid major coach with the same characteristic. But I hope that in at least 5-7 years, minimum.
4. some people view bama fans as insane. while “insane” is an awfully strong word, many bama fans have a disturbing obsession with their team. what is the most significant/unique/valuable/weird piece of bama paraphernalia you have and why??
As soon as I wake up on a game day before I do anything else I place my crimson flag with the white scripted A in its place on the front of our house. Only football games, whether home or away; so this happens twelve or thirteen times a year, but it is the most crucial thing I do that day and I am obsessive about it. If I am at the site of the away game I call my wife and make sure she has it up (she hasn’t traveled much since the children arrived- that’s changing this year and I’m not sure what I’m going to do – well, there goes any hope for productive work today.) Also when out of towns guests are stating with us, they are awakened by “Yea, Alabama” very loud. Hungover or not. In ‘99, after I put the flag up I would go get Hardee’s biscuits and got to my dad’s and we’d read the paper, eat, drink coffee and discuss the game. We won the SEC that year. I guess I’ve got to start that again. OK, I’m very OCD about game days. Game days are the best.
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June 27, 2008 at 9:39 am
Noodle
So it’s your fault since 1999? You broke your patern! All this time I thought it was my, “wear the same shirt we won in” ritual.
June 27, 2008 at 10:27 am
moondogleft
Mississippi State is going to be solid again this season. If there is a team that is going to come out of the shadows of the SEC elite, it will be the Bulldogs.
You guys don’t know anything about Tennessee. I don’t speak as a homer. I’m telling you they are going to be a lot better than what everyone thinks.
The Tide will finish no better than third in the SEC West. LSU and Auburn are simply better.
June 27, 2008 at 10:48 am
picturemerollin
Moondog- I think you are being a homer – and “everyone” has them in their top 25. I’ll freely admit that part of my prediction is a bias against them, but you cannot deny the fact that the UT defense was horrid last year. The secondary may be better but the front seven will be the same or worse. Eric Berry might be the next Ed Reed, but without pressure up front any defense isn’t going to perform well. We’ll see what Crompton has but right now, I key on Foster and the run, put massive pressure on Crompton and make him beat me. He will sometimes but more often he won’t. Plus, UT’s schedule is front loaded. If they can’t pull it together quickly they will be irrelevant by mid-October. They’ll be better in November but the schedule is weak then.
As far as Alabama, I think you would find agreement in a lot of people about Alabama being third in the West. That’s exactly where they will be voted next month by the sports writers. I promise you this though – they will not be third this year. They’ll struggle at first but the winner of the Iron Bowl goes to Atlanta. Alabama will be a much better team by the time Auburn comes to Tuscaloosa. So will Auburn but this will be the closest the match up has been in a while and Alabama has been a play or two from that game (other than ‘05) every year. I’m not saying they will win but they have a better shot this year than they have in a while.
I will guarantee that Alabama will beat Tennessee this year though – in fact, I’ll put a case of beer between you and me that they will.
June 28, 2008 at 11:08 am
moondogleft
You seem to forget the defense improved over the course of the season, especially in the last two games against LSU and Wisconsin. The Vols have a lot of talent, the LB’s and the secondary is solid, and the front four isn’t so bad that teams are going to run up and down the field on us.
Screw a case of beer – let’s talk cash.