The West Is Won, and That's All That Matters: Alabama 24, LSU 15

by cocknfire on Nov 7, 2009 7:59 PM EST in Football Comment 16 comments

If anyone wants to point to the fact that Alabama got off to a slow start against LSU and won after a dubious decision on what should have been an LSU interception along the sideline, there's an easy response available to the Tide: Iowa and Oregon. That won't and shouldn't protect Alabama from any poll fallout in relation to Texas and Florida, but it shows why there's no killing the cliche that it's better to win ugly than to lose pretty.

Not that any Alabama fans are likely to see much ugly in a win against LSU that clinched the SEC West title and kept the Tide undefeated and on a collision course with Florida in the SEC Championship Game. If both teams continue to do their jobs, the matchup of 12-0 teams will be one of the most eagerly anticipated games of the decade and a de facto play-in for the BCS National Championship Game.

And there's actually several reasons for the Tuscaloosa faithful to be encouraged by Saturday's game. The beleaguered offense rang up 452 yards of offense against LSU and limited the Bayou Bengals to 253. Greg McElroy had one of his best days in a while (19-of-34, 276 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT), Mark Ingram added to his Heisman-contending numbers (22 carries, 144 yards) and Julio Jones (4 receptions, 102 yards, 1 TD) and Marquis Maze (6 catches, 88 yards) both had nice days.

So let the critics talk about officiating conspiracies and slow starts and losing ground in the polls. As long as Alabama wins, it doesn't really matter. When you win them all, they still call you champions.

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Good win Bama

Lucky call on the pick, but I wouldnt say anything more then that.

by Hook85 on Nov 7, 2009 8:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The thing about that bad call

It merely delayed Jarrett Lee’s inevitable INT. Does anyone think he actually would’ve marched LSU down the field for a TD? That’s a rhetorical question. Of course he wouldn’t have.

"That rug really tied the room together."

by pantsfucious on Nov 7, 2009 8:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It is tempting to say “once Lee goes in, the game-killing INT is only a matter of time.”

by peachy rex on Nov 7, 2009 8:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I WOULDNT GO THAT FAR

The INT he threw at the end of the game was a completely different situation, being down 2 scores with only 3 min lefts, a QB is going to make erratic throws compared to being down less then a TD with 5 min left.

It was a bad call, ALL OF US FANS GOT SCREWED OUT OF A CLOSE ENDING THAT COULD OF BEEN HUGEEE!!!! but hey you brought it up.

by Hook85 on Nov 7, 2009 10:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the replay booth made the right decision.

there is no way for sure you could prove from any of those camera angles that his foot wasn’t out of bounds. Since it was called incomplete, you have to stick with that. And if LSU fans want to blame the refs for the loss, then there’s a certain missed PI call in a game a few years ago they can thank the refs for for that win. So if anything, it’s even now.

by jsholt969 on Nov 8, 2009 12:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

looked inbounds to me, especially when the dirt flies up on the right and left foot. Look at the link above, the writer actually took a picture of the imprints in the ground where his foot landed after the play. He explain it better though.

But thats the problem with the rules, it has to be undisputable… Meaning if 1 person out of 100 might disagree then its not conclusive. The rule works most of the time, but theres always the plays like tonight where its clear his foot was inbounds, but that one person will say, oh but we can see the other side of his foot so it doesnt count.

by Hook85 on Nov 8, 2009 12:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that was made by his first foot when possession was questionable.

What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.

-Hank Hill

by Zoltar on Nov 8, 2009 8:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

nvm my comment was deleted with the link

not sure what I wrote, but oh well. I dont doubt that the rules were were inforced by the refs about the whole conclusive crap. Theres not another angle to see the other side of the second foot that landed inbounds, but from the angles you can see its pretty convincing to a A LOT OF PPL. Just sucks technolodgy still isnt advanced enough yet that the other side of the foot cant be seen. Its like a guy getting away with a crime everyone knows he committed becuase of a technicality will not allow him to be convicted by law.

If my comment gets deleted, it would be nice to know..so I can learn what I did wrong.

by Hook85 on Nov 8, 2009 11:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I believe it was a reply to a comment that got deleted

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Nov 9, 2009 2:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

oh

didnt know thats how that worked. my bad.

by Hook85 on Nov 9, 2009 3:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dear Bama Fans – Remember the Dustin Doe fumble a couple of weeks ago, and how everyone and their great-aunt Matilda said “the ball was clearly out before he crossed the line, is the replay official on drugs?” And Florida fans said “there’s no conclusive camera angle, and parallax mucks calls like this up on replay”, but no-one believed us? Well, it’s your turn now. Have fun!
Sincerely, Gator Fans Happy for a Week of Peace At Last

by peachy rex on Nov 8, 2009 7:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

personally I agreed with that replay as well. whatever though.

What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.

-Hank Hill

by Zoltar on Nov 8, 2009 8:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Officiating in the SEC this year has been questionable at best. This didn't just start yesterday.

It seems to be getting so much attention now because of what was at stake with the game. I didn’t like some of the calls (and noncalls), but to say the officiating cost us the game is ridiculous, and even worse, bush league. We won the first half, Bama won the second half. Unfortunately for us, the game is over after the second half.

by artiger on Nov 8, 2009 9:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The better team probably won

but I can’t believe anyone is questioning whether or not that was an interception. The only real question is whether it would have been an interception in the NFL or not.

Gregatron is not responsible for any of the crap he just wrote.
St. Louis vegetarian blog

by Gregatron on Nov 8, 2009 11:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

thinking it was an interception and having indisputable video evidence that it was a pic are two different things. With the first foot, it was really close to when he established possession. The second foot was very close to the line, and there wasn’t a definitive angle to show it wasn’t out.

There was some doubt in the refs mind, i supposed. A VERY slim doubt, but enough to keep him from overturning the call on the field.

What you're seeing is team spirit. It's like the Holy Spirit, but more powerful.

-Hank Hill

by Zoltar on Nov 9, 2009 10:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't believe people are defending the replay officials.

Everyone saw it was an interception. It wasn’t even really that close. Just look at that picture. Pretty much as soon as he touched the ball he had possession. You don’t have to tuck it to have possession.
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm222/goose7856/DSC_05901.jpg

All that being said, LSU still had plenty of chances to win, and they didn’t.

by Ianoka on Nov 10, 2009 11:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs