Hello all,
Long time no post.  Actually I usually leave everything as is during the "off season".  Bama fans and SEC fans alike know there is no off season in Bama or in Football, however I usually leave that to the other bloggers who live and die on recruiting news and rumors.

I actually have a couple of reasons for this post today..one being an Aubie --chided me indirectly - into "updating my blog".... as he reminded me of my prediction concerning the Utes and how badly I missed my pick.  I assure you Jimmy, it wasn't the first time.  Perhaps you have heard of this fellow, as he has a very famous name... Jimmy Johnson.   Coach?  Driver?  Cartoonist...you betcha.

Jimmy is none other than the one who pens Arlo an Janis for hundreds of Newspapers accross this glorius Nation of ours.  I was a fan before I met him and came away from our dinner at Lake Martin amongst mutual friends with a new friend and much more of a fan.  And I liked him in spite of the fact... that he is an Auburn fan!  If you have not had the pleasure feel free .... www.arloandjanis.com I'm sure he won't mind.  Jimmy only found that I was a fan after I directed him to a link with my amphicar.  He loves the water and sailing and I love cars and happen to have one that ...sorta sails :)~   Hopefully we will breach the waters of Lake Martin together someday soon.

I also posted today because I have added another Tide Ride to my collection.  This one (unlike the others) will be an everyday driver for the most part.  I bought this Smart Car over a year ago after being on a list for a couple of years.  I love the car and after having it a while as with most of the unique ones I begin to think ... humm.. this would look great as a Bama Tide Ride and viola a new TR was born. Hope you like it.

Roll Tide... see you in the funny papers.

Ray

A funny thing happened on the way to the National CZhampionship game....Bama got Tebowed.  I honestly think he "TIM TEBOW" was the difference in the game.  I have been watching Football for quiet some time and never do I recall one player being such a difference maker to his team, as this guy.

Bama played well and hung with Florida for a good 3 quarters, but in the final quarter, with some help from Bama making a few mistakes, Florida pulled away and won.

Bama had it's best Since 92 and now they are headed to the Sugar Bowl against the undefeated Utah Utes.  I really don't know much about the Utes, in fact I am not sure what a Ute is....I do think it is an indian tribe that once lived in Utah.

 

So my fearless pick

This game scares the daylights out of me:  Bama 31 Utah 17

What can I say... Bama of 2008 looked like a throwback of Bama of old.  Let me say it this way, I grew up with Bama beating teams and us wondering by how much, but it wasn't always a blowout in the first quarter or the first half for that matter.

They would come out and methodically drive the ball down the oppositions throat and the Defense would work it's magic....3 and out on the opposition ...and you'd look at the score board and suddenly 7 pts turn to 14 to 21 to 28 etc and Bama would control the game.

Saturdays Iron Bowl reminded me of just that.   Bama came out took control early and never let up.   The result is...was 36 to Zip.  Look at my prediction last week, and you'll see that I am, like many surprised by the shutout.  I did think Auburn would score.
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Fast Forward to today  4:00 Tommy Tubberville fired as the Auburn Head Coach.   Surprised?  Yeah, I am...well somewhat....and now the search is on for Auburn to find a head-coach who can compete consistently and win....more than consistently.  Tubby was at the Plains 10 years and had a 7-3 record against it's arch rival, the Tide....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
None the less, TT is gone and Alabama is still in the running for a National Title.
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10 POINT Underdog....more in some places.  Of course I understand how betting lines work and I understand that the reason for betting lines is just that to get people to bet.  That being said, do I think Fla is 10 points better than Bama ???? No... Saturday will tell us !!!!

My 2 cents.
Bama will have to control the line of scrimmage and on Defense will need to hold Fla in their running game to less than 100 yds.  Not an easy talk at all, especially when you consider where the Gators are in Stats.  The most startling of those stats to me is the number of times the Gators have turned the ball over and their turnover ratio....OFF THE SCALE.

Bama has it's hands full....and if you compare team for team position to position...Fla has the advantage in many areas, but Bama has the advantage in two areas (IMHO) Coaching and desire.

Bama 31  Florida 24
ROLL TIDE
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The Miss State Dawgs put up a battle for a while, but succumbed to the Tide's methodical game and the Defense....when the game ended... Bama 32 Miss State 7.

Bama broke another streak... 0-2 against the Dawgs for the past 2 years.  AND Bama is 11-0 for the first time since 1994.  That year Bama finished the regular season with a win over Auburn and was beaten in the SEC Championship Game, a heart-breaker... 24 - 23 against the Gators.  Can you say Deju Vu?  Well as the Chipmunk on ESPN Game Day says "Not so Fast My Friend" . :)  Bama has a date with Auburn this Saturday and speaking of streaks....well Tommy held up "the finger on the Other hand" last year and that is a streak I would like to see end, as I know would all Bama fans.

Bama is Favored by 12 - 14 depending on where you look.... Bama had fared well this year when favored, but better on the road than at home.  Speaking of Stats... Auburn has played on the road 4 times this year... and won ..one of those games.. Miss State.  3-2 .  Not sure about this stat but heard today that the biggest stadium the Tigers have played in on the road this year ... 60,000 people.  So I am again hoping that the Tigers step onto Bryant Denny and are met with a LOUD 90plus Thousand who will make it difficult for them to hear signals and make the game intimidating for them.  

I dreamed about the game last night... first time in about ohhhhhh 14 years, coincidental ?...I think not.   Most folks say "throw the record books out the window on Iron Bowl day" and I don't have the stats to back this up, but I am almost certain the favored team has won more times than not.

I am now dreaming of a 12-0 on Saturday.....I am guessing around 6:00 or so.  I also hope when Coach Saban leaves the game he holds one finger HIGH in the air, not to indicate the win over the Tigers, but to indicate where Bama will begin 2009 and end 2008 as the #1 team in The Country.

Roll Tide.

Bama 31 Auburn 13

WOW..LSU OT 26 - 21 .  A BARN Burner, a Donnybrooke, a Nail Biter, name it call it what you want,  Bama did almost everything it could to give the game to the Tigers, but....the (Bama) pulled it off in classic style.  What a great game, Bama picked LSU QB 3 times, one was for a score.  One was to prevent LSU from scoring in OT ..... yet Bama turned the ball over 3 times .... again doing as much as possible to give the game to the Tigers.   This is a game that Bama played in my opinion, their worst game of the year.   Mistake after Mistake..... yet one of the characteristics of a Champion is the ability to win close games, and Bama did that.

I won't chronical the game but move to the next... MISS STATE.

The Bullies are a dissapointment in Starkville and understandably so, it was thought that Head Coach Sly and the Family Croom would be doing better, but they have struggled on O and on D.   But Bama has that big ole Target on their back and Every Game is the most important game of the year.

 

They did sew up a spot on Dec 6 against Fla for the SEC Championship, regardless, however to pursue the goal of NC...Bama must win and play each game as the next game.

 

I think Bama at hom e will handle the Bulldogs, but it may be close for a while.

 

Bama 31 Dawgs 10

Roll Tide.