The Big Football Letdown

Somehow, I’m living with a feeling that the football season has just gone pffffft. It must be some kind of letdown after the memorable weekend I enjoyed. On Thursday, the football team from my daughter’s high school won its final game of the season. It was noteworthy because she is a senior, so this was her final football game as a high school student.On Friday and Saturday, I had the privilege of watching three top ten college teams play in the span of 24 hours. Undefeated Boise State came to nearby Ruston to play Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs fought gamely, but as expected the Broncos remained unbeaten. Halftime was conspicuous for us because I represented the employer on the field and accepted a commemorative football. Not only was my name called out, but they put me up on the big screen, too. My wife and daughter were in the stands. It was a beautiful night for football and despite the local team’s loss I would be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend a November evening.
My wife, ever the good sport, even engaged in the time-honored family tradition of having a photo made with the mascot.
Saturday featured a quick turnaround and a pre-dawn departure for Tuscaloosa, Alabama and a showdown between LSU and Alabama. Both teams had national championship aspirations. The Crimson Tide’s are still alive after a come-from-behind win over the Bayou Bengals dashed any LSU hopes of winning the SEC Western division crown. It was the third year in a row the circumstances of football led me to Bryant-Denny Stadium. I was proud to be there, despite the Tigers’ loss.
Of course, you have to do what you have to do, and when I am at a football game any opportunity to pose with the mascot must be realized. Tradition is tradition, after all.
All of that being said, I still can’t shake the feeling that the best part of the football season is behind us. There’s still a month or so to go, but for now it seems to be preparation for next year from this point on.

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Crimson Christmas

Alabama golf shirt
Originally uploaded by Darrell

(Birmingham, AL) - I opened my gift from the Alabama athletic department. It's a fantastic Alabama golf shirt made by Nike. It's a great color (Crimson! Coincidence? I think not). I am proud to have it.
Where will I wear it? I live in Louisiana where the Alabama football coach is public enemy number one. I'll have to wear it on the road, I guess.
The rain seems to have stopped, but the morning is foggy.
With a couple of exceptions, this is the last Saturday of college football's regular season. This is one of the best places in America to spend it, even if I'm behind enemy lines.

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Nick Saban is a Rock Star

For a season or more, football fans in Louisiana have been pretending to hate Nick Saban; but actions speak louder than words. Saban is spending a few days in the state with his University of Alabama football team. The Crimson Tide will play Colorado in the Independence Bowl, and the Buffaloes have essentially been an afterthought. There are plenty of reasons to keep up the "Hate Nick" charade: he left LSU and he now coaches Alabama. There was a two-year gap between those circumstances, but none of that matters.
I had a chance to chat briefly with him one-on-one on Friday. He was polite to me and to everyone he encountered. He patiently signed autographs and posed for pictures. While a line formed to get a piece of Saban, Colorado Coach What's-His-Name was essentially ignored. I watched Saban carefully. He discreetly looked for an opportunity to exit, found it, caught the eye of a nearby Alabama state trooper and made a bee line for the back door. He left without incident and no one said an unkind word to him or about him.
A lot of local fans are planning to wear LSU colors to the Colorado-Alabama game. While that may make no sense, it lets them feel good about themselves. It also girds them for their intention to boo Saban. But, they will be stuck in a conundrum. They don't really want him to lose, because an Alabama win will make LSU and the rest of the Southeastern Conference look better. Plus, if Alabama's good, it's easier to pretend to hate Saban a while longer. Also, Crimson-clad fans around town outnumber their conterparts by about 1000-1. Considering this is the second year in a row Alabama has played in the Independence Bowl, that's pretty impressive. (Thanks to Photos By Brian for the image.)
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Daddy D Note: I, among many others, shared the head table with Saban at a bowl event. My employer funds two community service scholarships for high school seniors and I had the honor of presenting them to the deserving recipients. The young lady in this photo is bound for LSU. The other (not pictured) is going to Yale. I'm not sure if I'm flattered or disturbed that the mayor (in the top right corner of the photo, seated next to his wife and a prominent Baptist preacher) seems to be paying attention.
Saban photo is by Dougas Collier of the Shreveport Times -----------------------------------------
One more thing: The Independence Bowl mascot, Le General, was around. Of course I stopped for a photo. Unfortunately, I only had my cell phone.

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