Sugar Bowl Open Thread, Second Half
by cocknfire on Jan 2, 2009 9:48 PM EST
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Halftime thoughts
Utah hasn’t done anything since early in the game. Advantage: Alabama
But the offense still hasn’t done much for Bama. Javier Arenas and Tiffin can’t win this game on their own.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Bama has had a couple of decent drives – inside handoffs, and passing from rollouts are both working. But they haven’t been able to sustain those drives into scoring range.
Fortunately, the defence seems to have recovered from their early game bewilderment – now three straight punts after three straight TDs. But they can’t let up – even 11 points is pretty big deficit for a fairly slow-paced O like this.
So
How many players urinate on themselves during Saban’s halftime “pep talk”?
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Well, you can dress 85 players for a bowl game, so...
…I’m guessing about 86 puddles because I think Tiffin will urinate twice because he missed the field goal.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
You're assuming that Saban doesn't ritually disembowel Tiffin as an example
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Nah
they might need him in the second half. But if I were a walk-on, I’d have been mighty nervous going into the locker room.
I really do loathe halftime shows on television
At the stadium, you can see the whole band, and it’s live music.
On TV, it’s just a really bad music video.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Bama's priority has to be to stop the next Utah drive
They can’t go down by three possessions. They don’t have the offense to keep up.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
And conversely, Utah needs to get something positive from their drive. After a dominating first, Bama had the edge in the second – they didn’t make the best use of it, but they had it. And against a bigger, perhaps deeper, team you can’t count on regaining the upper hand once you lose it.
Yeah, that's the main difference between an SEC team and a MWC team
Typically the 1st team guys at most school are fairly comparable. The difference is that in the SEC, your 2nd and 3rd stringers could play 1st team anywhere in the country. It’ll be interesting to see how this game goes because Alabama doesn’t have a ton of depth.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
That's why Bama has to get Utah off the field quickly to start the half
Otherwise, the defense will get plenty of rest between the halftime and the Utes’ drive.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Eddie George: Utah will "hopefully win this game"
Your bias is showing, Eddie
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
At least his speech is better than Emmitt Smith's
Is there a guy with worse English skills on a pre-game show than Smith?
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Well, he did go to Florida ... and didn't even graduate at that ;)
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
And that bizarre end of the half-penalty now really hurts Bama
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Just what Bama needed ... Johnson coughs up the ball, Bama has it in Ute territory
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Bama has to capitalize
Anything less gives the momentum back to Utah
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Bama to the Utah 5
Their first 1st and Goal of the night, IIRC
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Now, the question goes over to Utah
Do they fold now that Bama’s put together a 17-0 stretch? They still have the lead, but if they get nervous, they’ll start making mistakes.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Now, it's Utah's turn to go on the fritz
From Block U:
This is the game for Utah right now. They don’t score and the Tide will roll ’em.
That’s one of the few printable ones.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
FG doesn't do much for Utah here
Only guarantees a tie if Bama scores another TD
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Another short- to medium-range pass
Have Alabama’s LBs ever, you know, covered anyone?
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
But a worse play by the defender – looked he gambled on the deflection or pick instead of settling for the stop, and whiffed on both. (That’s what we call the “Tony Joiner special.”
That was awful tackling
Had him covered, Ute eluded the defender and dashed for the TD
27-17, XP pending
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
28-17
Our conference is dishonored. I would say it’s time for the Alabama D to commit hari-kari, but I think Saban will probably handle that for them.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Salient comment from Block U
Alabama “Still hasn’t driven down the field to score a TD. Punt return and very short field on the fumble.”
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
I mean, there's still lots of time left
11 points with 10:00 mins to go in the 3rd quarter. That’s not impossible to come back. They just need to keep Utah out of the end zone.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Yeah, but I don't think they can keep depending on short fields
They’re going to have to have at least one 60-70 yard drive
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
"Honk if you sacked Wilson" is getting made for sure
Lowder is already figuring a way to make money off this idea.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Did you see the Bama cheerleader finish her cheer
And then arrange her hair like she had somewhere better to be?
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
I was just thinking
She seems like she’d rather be on Bourbon Street.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
At least they didn't suffer the same fate as Hawaii fans
Taking out second mortgages only to see your team poop themselves on national television.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Man, that was an awful, awful game
You could just look at Georgia after the first few plays and say, “Man, they’re going to kill them.”
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
The freaking out at RBR has begun
“Why God?
Why Coffee? Why now?”
Just a little snippet from over there.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Oh. Hate to say it
But with Andre Smith and Coffee … do they get that one?
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
As you mentioned earlier
They avoided the injury bug this year and were lucky because they had so little depth. This is a completely different team without those guys. They don’t have someone that can just step in and take over.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
It really is – I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a team miss a single offensive lineman so desperately.
Anyone who doubts the value of line play needs to watch this game
It’s the best example since Oregon State-Southern Cal
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Or the Bama/Georgia game
They manhandled Georgia on both sides of the line and flat out dominated that game.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Tiffin is going to need a bodyguard to even go to the sideline
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Saban: "Kid, I've got your mother fitted with cement boots and dangling over the Mobile Bay."
“Don’t miss another.”
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Can we kick Mississippi State out of the conference and add Utah?
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
It's just not the same without Croom
“Mullen’d” just doesn’t work for me.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Did you guys see the Utah tackle just thrown the Bama DE to the ground on that screen pass?
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Nope. They try to play field position, but it's a touchback anyway
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Bama is seriously running out of time
They’ve got 17 minutes to score 12 points, with an offense that isn’t used to being required to do that, on a night when said offense still hasn’t driven the length of the field.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
They've got some bandwagon jumpers over at RBR, looks like
Maybe I should offer them to jump on the Georgia bandwagon. There’s pretty of room on it, I hear.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Y'all had to rally to beat Michigan State and you're probably losing your top offensive players
There should be extra room
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
All aboard
I’m riding it out with Kyle and Macon Dawg over at DawgSports.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
On first look, it appeared ticky-tacky
He got a pretty good pull on the jersey.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
BlockU comment
we have to get to JPW
Give him time and he’ll kill us.
They haven’t watched much SEC football, have they?
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
I could understand if they only watched the Bama/Georgia game
JPW was lights out in that one, but other than that he’s been average at best.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
No question
It’s Tebow/Stafford, Snead, and everyone else
There are some young ones out there who could be good (Jefferson, Garcia), but none that have done it quite yet. Poor Kodi Burns will never get his head straightened out after the last year.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Snead
He’s definitely up there with Tebow and Stafford by the end of the season.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Jefferson in particular could be a rising star. But the pool was awfully shallow this year, and at far too many schools the future doesn’t look much brighter.
Let's not coronate Jefferson yet
If Stafford and Tebow leave, it’s Snead and someone else TBD.
The kid’s played in a few games. Jefferson isn’t the guy for LSU yet.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Snead is probably tops. Jefferson would definitely be in the conversation. Brantley hasn’t been particularly brilliant in his cameos, but he was very highly regarded out of high school and might have the best arsenal in the conference.
I'd love to see Brantley more
Meyer rarely recruits a bad one.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
He has shown flashes of real promise – but so far he’s never been in a position to do anything but run out the clock. His offence certainly won’t be the same as Tebow’s – Brantley looks like a waif next to him – but hopefully he’ll be able to run enough to keep defences honest. (Tebow as the default short-yardage option works, mostly, but it isn’t really a desirable system.)
That's just a bad idea
Let’s run it straight at Terrence Cody on our own goal line. It’s not like he pushes centers around or anything.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Another medium-range pass
Not an easy throw, either. Johnson is good, if it still needed to be said.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
IMO
Both he and Nate Davis of Ball State didn’t get the respect they deserved for Heisman consideration. They both played really well this year and if they were at Georgia/Florida/USC/Texas they would have been on magazine covers and awards finalists.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Wow
Johnson has thrown for 301 yards. Granted, Utah only has 19 rushing yards, but that’s an impressive stat.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
I think it's more impressive with the running total
Alabama knows exactly what a team with supposedly inferior athletes is going to do — and they still can’t stop it.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
How much guaranteed money has Andre Smith picked up tonight?
I mean, if you’re an NFL scout and you’re watching this…
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
They're conceding defeat over at RBR
“do we chalk this up to not having anything to gain or just getting our asses kicked?”
It still seems to early to me for that kind of talk.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
The answer
is that they’re getting their asses kicked, but there’s still 10 minutes in the game.
I got to tell you
I’ve been pretty impressed with “Moose” Johnston’s color commentary. He’s not been too bad at all.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Some of the Fox guys aren't bad
But they need to cover more than five games a year to do well.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Except Thom Brennaman
That guy is terrible. He pulled his best Joe Buck and spent 10 minutes criticizing Mark Richt because he threw the ball in the end zone when up 41-10. What he failed to acknowledge was it was with all backups and seniors playing in their only Sugar Bowl.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Bama has a nearly 9:30 advantage in TOP
Against an “inferior” team. And they’re still losing.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Um, Bama, this is just the Wild Hog or the Wild Rebel
You’ve seen this before
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
They might milk the clock all the way to the end zone
If they don’t hold
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Forget Southern Cal
Maybe these guys should play the winner of Florida-Oklahoma
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
I love the wildcat formation btw
Utah has good coaching
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:23 PM EST up reply actions
I won't be surprised if they get a few first place votes
They did beat Oregon State this year. Something SC couldn’t do.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
I definitely think
they get some first place votes. The MWC is better than the Big East so this isn’t a one-game thing for them.
I'm ready to kick out the Big East and put the MWC in the BCS
There might be a few presidents and ADs ready to do that now
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
i think people are ready to kick out the B10
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:27 PM EST up reply actions
of course that would hurt my blog...
i feel like its premier league soccer…relegate the big 10
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
The Big Ten will be back
The Big East was only in the BCS to make sure Miami and Virginia Tech were in. With those two in the ACC, I don’t see why West Va doesn’t go to the Big Ten and leave the rest of the Big East to become a mid-major
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
not a passing dominated offense
balanced for years…
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
Hopefully
This will end some of this stupid SEC chest thumping bravado that we’ve experienced the last few years. Although it will probably lead to chest thumping bravado from other conferences’ fans.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Yeah
Only Florida left to play. I just think this “conference supremacy” thing is silly. I hardly agree with Stewart Mandel, but I think he’s right. It’s a cyclical thing.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
of course
but uh i do think the SEC has some in grown advantages
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:33 PM EST up reply actions
and I think
the Big 10 coaching and programs have been behind the offensive 8ball
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:34 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly
The Big Ten has a great deal of talent. It just needs to use it better.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Defense, too
That’s why you fare so badly against Southern Cal and the like. I think your defense is behind a bit.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
I don't believe so
What the Big 10 lacks is speed along the lines. Cocknfire and I talked about this on the earlier thread. Every school has plenty of speed at the skill positions (WR’s and DB’s). What the SEC has done has put 260 pound guys with sprinter speed on the lines and that’s the difference.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
True
That is some coaching, too. Big Ten teams don’t have fast linemen because some of the coaches don’t think they’re needed.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
That's Urban Meyer ballsy
Calling the hook and lateral up by two scores. Wow.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Okay, let's put this in perspective
The SEC is not miles ahead of anybody else, as anyone rationally watching it play this year has known. It’s probably either No. 1 or No. 2, with the Big XII taking the other spot, but it’s not that much better.
On the other hand, Utah is a good team. This loss doesn’t say the SEC’s bad. Just that the people who take the name of this blog literally (instead of facetiously) are deluded.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
I agree with that, although
I think there’s a gap between 2 and 3 (which I think is the Pac-10) and I think the Big Ten has been overrated for years (6-15 in last 21 bowl games—at some point that’s a reflection of the quality of the conference
Well, team speed does kill – it just isn’t the monopoly of the top SEC teams this year, as it has occasionally appeared in the past.
such a rarity
I had Bob Griese the other day…horrendous
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:39 PM EST up reply actions
I was aching...it was like a senior home, not that i dont love Madden and Summerall
by Graham Filler on Jan 2, 2009 11:41 PM EST up reply actions
Did you see Maguire at the Michigan/Ohio State game?
He was bundled up on the camera stand eating cookies. It was sad.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
I was kind of disappointed that that ridiculous hat didn't electrocute him
I kid.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Let's put this season in perspective
Alabama was predicted to finish third in the SEC West behind Auburn and LSU by Phil Steele. They went out and smacked Clemson and Georgia in the mouth on the road and are about two years ahead of schedule. They went toe to toe with what many think is the best team in the country in the SECCG and their other loss is going to be to the only remaining undefeated. Pretty damn good season if you ask me.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
It is, definitely. The lack of depth that finally caught up with them here is an inevitable side-effect of being ahead of schedule…
Definitely agree
But I don’t think anyone thought Utah was going to come in and manhandle Alabama. And they’ve done it without tricks, turnovers, or much else. Outgained them by about 150 yards and only allowed 1 offensive TD.
Yes
This is only disappointing if you grant that Utah is a bad or “only good for a mid-major” team. They’re not.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
The problem the SEC will have is that so few people watched this game
Many of them will go “LOLOLOLOL ALABAMA LOST TO UTAH EMM DUBYA CEE SPEED LOLOLOLOL” instead of “Man, Utah’s a good team.”
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
This is the first real surprising loss the SEC has had in bowl games the past 3 years
We’ll suck it up and move on.
Now the name calling and calling Utah players "classless" ensues at RBR
They don’t take this whole losing thing easily over there in Tuscaloosa, eh?
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
Perception-wise, this might be the worst loss in Bama history
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
And that’s it, folks. And may I say on the way out, that this was an impressively courteous and friendly chat – though TSK is definitely a cut above the average in that respect normally. See you all later.
No perspective in Tuscaloosa
From RBR: “Alabama football is dead for another year guys.”
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Okay folks, it's past my bedtime
As peachy said earlier, this has been a cut above and everyone was respectful, cordial, and insightful. Easily the best thread I’ve been on all year. Take it easy, folks.
http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/
For anyone still here
should Utah garner some #1 AP votes?
I think a few should do it as a sign of respect
But I’m not sure they deserve to be No. 1. Florida or Alabama will have played tougher schedules. I’ll definitely have the Utes in the Top 3.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
Resume isn't
bad. Wins over TCU and Alabama (two top 10 teams). Beat Oregon State with Jacquizz Rodgers. Beat 6 bowl teams and no losses.
Florida or Oklahoma will have played tougher schedules
Alabama will be lucky to stay in the Top 10 at this point
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
The problem with not ranking them #1
is that it’s entirely on the basis of punishing Utah for imaginary games that they never got to play.
You might argue, “I’m sure if they played Florida, the Gators would win by multiple scores.” Well, maybe. But you’re counting a loss in a game that never happened.
As far as I’m concerned Utah’s the only legitimate I-A champion, and Oklahoma and Florida are playing for the championship of the 6 BCS conferences plus Notre Dame. Utah and every other mid-major never had a chance to win that BCS championship, so let’s not pretend its scope is all of I-A.
It's not punishing Utah for imaginary games that they never got to play
It’s saying who has the best case to make for No. 1. Utah played the games they played, and Florida played the games they played. As far as I’m concerned, the argument for No. 1 probably comes down to the winner of Florida-Oklahoma and Utah. Even if Texas blows out Ohio State — well, it’s Ohio State. If you discount the fact that Florida played the games they played, you’re punishing the Gators for not playing a weaker schedule.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
It's time for packing
Thanks to all who took part. As others have said, it was a great conversation, almost entirely because of those who joined in.
Good night.
Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.
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