Alabama Football: Why the 2011 National Title Was the Sweetest in a Generation

It has been a few weeks since Alabama won its 14th national title, but the sweetness of the triumph has not worn away.

In fact, now that it has been long enough for the recency bias to subside, it is safe to pronounce Alabama's 2011 national title the most satisfying of this generation.

Make no mistake. Alabama's 1992 and 2009 national title teams were splendid. Their accomplishments brought unbridled joy in the lives of Alabama fans far and wide.

There was just a little something extra satisfying about the ride in 2011.

Quite simply, Alabama's 2011 national title set an upside-down world back on its feet.

It would be overly simplistic to suggest that Alabama's football title fixed the damage of the April tornadoes that ripped through down—that kind of suffering is beyond what football success can remedy. 

But it certainly helped.

Coming on the heels of tragedy, Alabama's most recent title at least provided all involved a reason to smile. For those not affected by the horrific damage, Alabama's title eased a different kind of pain, albeit on a smaller scale.

Alabama's 42-14 Iron Bowl win this year didn't fully erase the hurt from blowing a 24-point lead to Cam Newton's Auburn squad the year before. It also did not erase the annoyance of archrival Auburn riding a scandal-ridden quarterback to the state's most recent national title while the NCAA (which had never missed an opportunity to bite Alabama) inexplicably looked the other way.  

While Alabama's 2011 Iron Bowl win alone could not right those wrongs, Alabama's 2011 national title turned both those stories into ancient history. 

Alabama's title proved its superiority beyond just the borders of the state. The media drumbeat had already started touting Les Miles as the SEC's best coach, and LSU as the nation's overall best program.  With a loss against LSU, Alabama fans would have spent an entire offseason (at least) hearing how the younger Les Miles had surpassed his predecessor, Alabama's Nick Saban, defeating him three times in a row en route to two national titles in five years. 

Alabama's rematch win stopped that story in its tracks. The win cemented Alabama as the nation's top college football program, and Nick Saban as college football's best coach.

Alabama's other national titles in the post-Bear Bryant era were special, but they did not carry the same import.  

The 1992 championship was satisfying because it proved that Alabama football was still capable of greatness, even without the Bear at the helm. Deep down, though, Alabama fans never doubted that would be the case. That title was more satisfying because it came against a Miami team that seemed to value swagger and individuality over hard work and unity, but the same dynamics were in play against LSU in 2011. 

The 2009 championship was special because it marked the indisputable end to Alabama's wander through the desert, marked by NCAA probation and a succession of bad coaches named "Mike."  

But Alabama's 2009 title was somewhat anticlimactic. The most exhilarating game of that season was its SEC title win against Florida. The Tides' subsequent sloppy BCS Title Game victory over an overmatched Texas team, whose best player got hurt five snaps into the game, didn't provide the same sense of accomplishment as making The Great Tim Tebow cry in the SEC title game and avenging a heart-wrenching loss to the Gators in 2008.

After having already taken revenge on Florida, Alabama's national title game against Texas seemed more like an obstacle than an opportunity.  

Alabama got a similar sense of vengeance this year, only it came in the BCS Championship Game itself. Rather than being merely a step in the process of redemption, it marked the journey's completion.  

And while this second bowl January bowl game in New Orleans was not technically called the Sugar Bowl, Alabama's victory there sure was sweet.

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