University of Alabama Football Report for 9/9/05

With Cajuns sprinkled about the country and the President covering his ass, Southern Miss comes to Tuscaloosa for the final installment of their long home-and-no home series with the Crimson Tide. Sadly, for a school willing to take the payday and (mostly) the loss in this series, a game in Hattiesburg isn’t just outside the contract, it’s inside the recovery zone – the Golden Eagles are drying off in… Memphis?

With the exception of Tulane, no Gulf Coast school has faced the obstacles from last week’s disaster as has Southern Miss. But like the mythic ideal of ladyhood the school’s name implies, her players, tough and dignified, have responded better than could be expected and could produce a few gasps from the Tide faithful in attendance tomorrow.

Last week against a directional school, the Tide rolled in flat and led by halftime only by the blessing of a scoring defense. In the second half, the offense caught up somewhat but there’s no doubt that the loudest cheer of the game was for Coach Shula – not for any schematic adjustments at the half (you don’t need to be John McKay to know Ken Darby should run the ball), but for benching Our Blessed Saint of Rainbow City with a fourth quarter lead and letting John Parker Wilson (whose name could either push his career path toward Southern school’s quarterback or Presidential assassin) eat the lone sack Alabama’s prepubescent offensive line allowed.

However, under the early season principle of ‘showing as little as you have to on offense and as much as you can on defense’, this was a good win, as are they all. And while nothing’s worse than losing, winning isn’t everything.

Before last week’s season opener, 300 Alabama fans decided to stay in the parking lot and listen to the game on the radio instead of taking their seats in the stadium. The seats weren’t empty though. They were given to 300 people in Tuscaloosa’s Red Cross shelter who escaped Katrina. Reports are sketchy regarding a blog writer with a drinking problem who allegedly taught Louisiana children the “Rammer Jammer” cheer before stumbling back toward the Quad.

Build people a home.

Give people some food.

Give people some money.

Mail the food there yourself.

Roll Tide.