Alabama Football: Surprised That Crystal Trophies Don't Break More Often

When your team wins a championship, everybody wants a piece of the action. That's why college football players pass around the crystal football, hockey players skate around with the Stanley Cup and NBA players kiss the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.

Sometimes, accidents happen. In Florida's case in 2006, jokes happen too.

Alabama is now in the crystal football market, after the parent of a current Crimson Tide football player broke Alabama's 2011 Coaches Trophy over the weekend's A-Day festivities, according to Andrew Gribble of AL.com. The trophy, which is presented by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), is made entirely of Waterford Crystal and worth an estimated $30,000.

This will undoubtedly become the punchline of several jokes (h/t Kevin McGuire of CrystalBallRun.com), but I'm honestly surprised that this doesn't happen more often. Not just after-the-fact, I'm surprised that it doesn't happen immediately upon being awarded.

On-the-field celebrations are hectic, crowded and often times full of adrenaline; everybody wants a piece of that trophy. 

Just look at Auburn's Nick Fairley after Auburn won the 2010 BCS National Championship. Granted, he has large hands, but that ball could have easily slipped out of his hands.

This will be a minor embarrassment for Alabama, and they'll have to replace the trophy. But they were going to have replicas made anyway.

Besides, Alabama can afford it.

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