University of Alabama Football Report for 9/24/04

J'accuse, Coach Shula!

Before the endless torrents of abuse fall from the cheap seats and demand our newly minted coach's head, let's clear up a few entries from the evidence locker.

1. Alabama's offense played to the level of its competition, which, indicated by the final score, was not where you need to be to keep up with Mr Jones and Co. in Fayetteville tomorrow.
2. No one hit Our Beloved Saint of Rainbow City. In fact, few people touched him all night. Just because Ray Ray had his bell rung is no reason to diss the O line. Saying that is akin to wearing a life jacket to a funeral because the deceased drowned.
3. Shula's not an idiot. He doesn't even look like Terry Bowden. Many legit reasons underscore the Brodie playing one more series last week, and it's a lotto number if her gets injured.

And there it is. The lotto. The royal flush. The thunderbolt. The separated-at-birth-twins-meeting-in-an-airport-because-they've-signed-up-for-the-same-package-tour-to-Australia. Poor decisions and bad coaching can be covered up by good players (references: Dubose, Mike; Alexander, Shawn; SEC title), but there's exactly shit you can do about luck. You're all in and that bastard across the table has an eight floating down the river. There's nothing you can do about it. You, as they say in boxing, have lost.
Shula's not a bad coach. It's worse than that. He's unlucky.
But at least now we know. The bounces will always go the other way. The coin will always come up tails. The kick will always fall outside the uprights. But at least you know.
So take your three backs and your poor man's Brock Berlin, face the Hawgs, and win ugly.
Roll Tide.