Warren,

Man, I was thinking about you the entire time, my friend. It's nice to hear that you're taking this setback in stride. And you're right--how can it sting too bad after a season like this? Nothing a few post-game Bama Bombs didn't cure, I'm sure.

I was suffering through an almost unwatchable Nebraska-K State game. How about some advice for fans suffering through turmoil....and how to cope??

Thanks, man.....I've lost count of how many times I've recommended the book.

Roll Tide....and Go Big Red!!

J.B. in Lincoln

I was crushed for about six minutes. I gaped at the tv, jaw hanging, for the first four, cradled my head in my hands for the next two, then turned around and said "let's go watch the Auburn game. Go Bulldogs."

And well, that one sucked too. As did the FSU game earlier in the day.

But what are you gonna do?

Walsh and I missed y'all at Innisfree Saturday night (although I had fun arguing with a guy from the Denver Post about Alabama's uniforms).

As a Bama fan, I'd have to agree. I'm happy with what the team and staff has accomplished, and I'm excited about the future.

A couple of F-14s buzzed the Michigan game, but I think they screwed up the timing because the PA announcer didn't say anything. It was just "whoops," and there were two jets flying fifty feet over your head.

Yeah -- I'm still in a rather depressed mood two days out, but not outright devastated like when I cried after the Mississippi State loss in '96. At the beginning of the year, I would've accepted eight wins, so nine is nice...and 11 would be better.They've just got...to...beat...Auburn.

Warren,

As usual, you are the voice of rational fandom. I have tried to adopt the position reflected above and have semi-succeeded. Like any good Bama fan, I have questioned some play selection but, overall, I am happy with 9-1 and will be THRILLED with 10-1 if we can get it. The silver lining is that we can continue to rag our Auburn friends about going 13-0 and finishing 2nd. As I am fond of saying, when Bama goes undefeated, they call it a national championship. When Auburn goes undefeated, they call it a miracle (see Bowden's first season - they printed the posters themselves).

ROLL TIDE!!
BEAT AUBURN!!!!!!!!!

I had a girlfriend in college tell me once after an Alabama loss that "It's just a game." She is NOT my wife today.

It's NOT just a game. It hurts. Sure our record is admirable by the standards of most programs, but this isn't the Big 12 North where a .500 record wins the division. This is Alabama. We expect more.

I remember having a debate once about whether it's less painful to lose an obvious blowout that your team was never in or a close game that you should have won. Bottom line: they both suck. It doesn't help that we were "in it" and played respectively, it just sucks that we let our halftime lead get away from us, that a very questionable pass interference call kept LSU's opening drive in the second half alive, that we didn't stop them on 4th and goal, and that we didn't manage the clock better on the closing drive allowing a field goal attempt when the clock expired with us inside the 15. Missed opportunities sit with fans for a long time, giving birth to depression and despair, alleviated, but not forgotten, if the team does well the following week.

Bottom line: if Bama rebounds against Auburn it hurts less. If Bama loses to Auburn it's still a better record than most expected. But win or lose to Auburn, last Saturday's loss still hurts. It's NOT just a game.

PS: This week against Auburn REALLY is NOT just a game.

It was a real tough loss to swallow. Especially after we played so well in the first half. But it really was great to watch two heavyweight defenses slug it out. Great football game, but the loss still hurts.

Was listening to Eli Gold on Sirius right before the game. He was clearly shaken by the closeness of that jet that passed over the stadium.

I've been in a stadium where a Harrier did a fly-by, and that was absolutely deafening. I can't imagine getting buzzed by a massive cargo jet like that, that must have been soul-shakingly loud. From the photo you posted, it almost looks like the plane is going to fly *under* those cranes.

I've been trying to figure out what type of jet that was, thanks for the info.



I was late getting to the game and was walking up beside Tutwiler listening to the last bit of the anthem when all the sudden .... whooooom!



Wooooooo yeaaaaaah! That was a completely vulgar display of power. I was jacked up and ready to roll with the tide. Sadly, a few hours later I came crashing down. I know we've had a great year, but I'm still upset with a loss. It's totally irrational, but that's just a part of being a Bama fan, complete delusion. I feel like we could be the Colts even if we had to field a team of intramural players. Bama I believe! Roll Tide Roll!

I am in the 117th ARW which did the flyover. They knew how low they were and had done a survey before the game to make sure they would be safe. I hope everyone realizes that the guys in that plane are all huge Bama fans (one a grad) who just wanted to get the crowd excited. They had written Roll Tide on the underside of the wings so everyone could see that they weren't just average Joes flying by, but Bama fans doing something they had dreamed of. No one dreamed it would scare anyone especially since the announcers had announced they were coming. About the noise, the tanker is actually very quiet, it was the F-16's that were loud and that was because they kicked the afterburner in. I just hope no one thought it was done to frighten anyone, it was the total opposite. They just simply wanted to get the crowd going to help the team.