"Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event," Alabama coach Nick Saban said towards the beginning of his weekly press conference. "It may be 9-11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to catastrophic events. Pearl Harbor kind of got us ready for World War II, or whatever, and that was a catastrophic event."
While an Alabama spokesman later said Saban was simply talking about challenges facing the team and coming back from incredible adversity, I personally was inspired by Coach Saban’s comparisons. For some people, college football is just a game. For others who aren’t quite so lucky—who suffer through obsession—an average ho-hum Saturday can quickly turn into a personal American tragedy.
That said, as the year winds down, I have taken a look back at some memorable games this year that brought to mind other great explosions of the powder keg that is world history.
Michigan’s loss to Appalachian State
I'm going to go with World War I, the Great War, for this one.
This game officially ignited the fuse and told the world that we were in for a crazy, clumsy, bloody year. It made the world seem so senseless for the first time for Michigan fans, when everything seemed to be getting better and safer. This game was fought in the trenches, a battle of attrition that was only broken by a random field goal.
Little did college football fans know that rather than being the upset to end all upsets, this loss was only foreshadowing an even scarier crop of games than anyone could ever imagine.
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The shattering of Europe and everything the old guard stood for, and the impending doom for everything that was right in college football.
USC’s loss to Stanford
Vietnam.
Jim Harbaugh was talking up a storm about USC (Dee dee mao!), psyching out an entire generation, while his red-clad group of leftist intellectuals staged a coup. The Men of Troy were the perfect Americans: they had not lost a war in so long, the mere thought was unthinkable.
Call it imperial hubris.
Just as there was no way that North Vietnam, a group of hungry yet rag tag weaklings, could topple the mighty United States, Pete Carroll’s men expected to roll over the puny Cardinal without much of a fight. After a shocking four quarters of escalation, in which USC took heavy casualties—including young Lt. John David Booty—Charlie crept in and blew up the men of Troy with a shoebox bomb at the bar of their own watering hole, a 4th and 20 at the Coliseum.
The shell-shocked, disillusioned faces of Trojans everywhere would come to represent the lost innocence of a generation of young, starry eyed kids. The domino effect would later take its toll as Saigon and South Florida fell. Both the Trojans team and the US Army were full to the brim with draft picks, mostly from the inner cities. Both would turn to alcohol and recreational drug use to cope.
Dennis Dixon’s Blown Knee and The Ducks’ Implosion to Arizona
Little Bighorn.
Oregon, led by its inspiring, talented and experienced Custer, was looking to pacify the Pac-10 and round up a BCS title.
Then, a bunch of damn sneaky Indians take advantage of a wounded regiment and an injured Custer. Custer fights valiantly across the river/goalline, attempting to lead his men despite the odds being badly against him. But Custer goes down and his confused team gets annihilated without his seasoned leadership.
An outnumbered regiment falls to a wily, rowdy tribe of Arizona Wildcats.
Oklahoma’s Loss to Colorado
The French and Indian war, also known as Queen Anne’s war.
Oklahoma, like France, was looking to expand its territory. It had been on a good run, climbing its way back to the top and looking to grab the crown jewel of the college football world: Canada’s fur trade and the Mississippi...er, I mean a BCS title.
Then, a group of colonials and indians spoil the empire. To compensate its ally, Spain, for its loss of Florida, France ceded its control of French Louisiana west of the Mississippi.
Oklahoma lost its dominance of the Big 12. France's colonial presence north of the Caribbean was reduced to the tiny islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, but it would be back, only to be demolished again.
Oklahoma would be back, only to be shafted by the efficient Wiermacht, the Texas Tech offense.
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9 months ago
Awesome. Love the USC/Stanford-Vitenam analogy. It truly was the end of innocence for all Trojans.
9 months ago
Great article
9 months ago
hahhaah. This was one of the best articles I've seen this year. Particularly loved the entire section on Stanford-Vietnam
9 months ago
Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome read.
There is no game that resembles war more than football. Two titans going head to head on a battlefield, with one team rallying behind the general to march down field and get the ball in the enemy's end zone. (And those of you who have seen George Carlin's famous routine know the rest...)
What about World War II Ryan? Seems to me that the hunt for the BCS Championship in general could be seen as WWII a fight of football ideologies as we know it, between one loss traditional powerhouses with tough schedules vs. undefeated newcomers trying to prove that they are legit.
Though I will not be the one to say who are the allies and who are the axis...
9 months ago
Wow. Awesome article.
9 months ago
I like the article and how it takes Saban's comments and sort of runs with it. For that ingenious creativity, great work Ryan.
As far as Saban's comments in the first place - I wanted to punch the man in the face. Totally disrespectful, whether he didn't explain himself or not. I think everyone understands WHAT he was trying to say, but it doesn't exuse him for the actual comments.
I love football, don't get me wrong. But comparing a game, a sport, or a competitive event to war is just insensitive, especially when that war/tragic even (9/11 or Pearl Habor) was the cause of several Americans. It just really rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I'm the only one.
-R. H.
9 months ago
This article showed up in our community RSS feeds because you referred to our islands of St Pierre & Miquelon. We are puzzled by this sports metaphor, maybe the author was aiming for a "Dennis Miller Obscure" moment.
8 months ago
I don't know why everyone's so surprised about the Wildcat win. The 'Cats have pulled out a spectacular upset against a top-ranked team for the past 3 years now in November, and they hadn't achieved that yet until the night of November 15th when they beat the Ducks.
So I hope there's no surprise when they pull out a win next year against _____. (Insert top-ranked team here)
7 months ago
While I don't think it was such a "surprise" that the Cats won (hell, it could have many most anyone), I think it was more the fact that the Ducks lost their leader and Heisman Candidate, had their 2nd stringer get hurt and had to play with 4th and 5th string QB's, had starting WR's out, starting LB's out.... YAAAAWWWN, The list goes on.
In my opinion it was the Ducks who shut down... not the 'Cats who made it happen. Hell, even an injured Dennis Dixon (remember, he was actually injured in the previous game) dominated the 'Cats until he finally went down.
A "spectacular" win it was not. :-/
1980 US Hockey team beating the USSR for Gold - Spectacular!
1984 B.C. hail mary pass from Flutie to beat Miami - Spectacular!
2000 AFC Wildcard Playoff (Music City Miracle) Titans beat Buffalo - Spectacular!
Well, I'll stop there... you get the point. While the 'Cats won (wow, they beat a 5th string Frosh. QB and the rest of the wounded Ducks) it was not spectacular.
By the way... sense the sarcasm and let it alone.
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