Alabama vs. Auburn: Success Brings More Success

While reading comments on an article, I realized there was a misconception that needs to be cleared up. Many fans seem to think the success of one rival leads to failure for the other. This simply is not true.

Alabama won another national title this year. Auburn has their best recruiting class in recorded history this year. Success pushes success.

Auburn recently had a run of wins against their fierce rival. Was that success? Auburn had a great team in 2004, but severely underachieved in recruiting and performance in 2005 and 2006.

In 2006, Alabama was recruiting a great class that was the new beginning for them. They turned this into a national title in 2010. Again, success pushes success.

In the modern NCAA era with scholarship limits and strict recruiting rules, the dynamics have changed. For top-tier universities there are more than enough great recruits to go around.

Success by one program will do two things. First, it will help that program get more talented recruits. Second, it will get that program's biggest rivals more talented recruits.

Sportsmen by nature want to compete. They want to be the best. Championships and recognition are craved. This will draw them to the most competitive situation they can find. 

Some will join the winner hoping to achieve more glory. Some will join the rival to prove they can beat the best. All will be motivated and pushed to higher levels by the competition.

The success of the SEC at the highest level has helped both Auburn and Alabama. The success of Alabama at the highest level helped them more. The closer a program is to success the more potential for success it will have.

Both Auburn and Alabama have wonderful universities. The facilities at both places leave nothing to be desired. Both places have a community of success. Even so, the fierce competition in the SEC has helped both football programs.

The fierceness and unpredictability of the annual Iron Bowl over so many decades has pushed many a recruit to each program. All of these recruits had an agenda. They wanted to prove they could play with the best under the most competitive conditions there is.

Is there bitterness in the Auburn community over the Alabama success? I do not know, but there should not be. 

Does the Alabama community realize what helped push them to their latest success? I do not know, but it is certainly a factor.

Smart fans know that a weak Auburn or Alabama will lead to the other being weak. There is just something about knowing that defeat always lurks only a few miles away that pushes a program to work that much harder.

Both Alabama and Auburn are at the top of the recruiting charts. What does that mean? It means competition at the highest level for years to come. It means we as football fans have much to be grateful for.