Alabama Crimson Tide Takes a Deep Breath After an Ugly Win

After eight straight games without a break the Crimson Tide finally took a Saturday off to recharge their collective batteries and prepare for the final stretch run of the regular season. The last few wins have not been exactly what you would call pretty but in most books, including mine, a win is a win is a win.

General George S. Patton, Jr. and Vince Lombardi said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all,” and Alabama was fatigued. I don’t care how talented you may be when you are tired you make mistakes you normally would not make. So the off week came at a very good time. The bruises heal and some of the aches go away and young men become lions of the grid iron once again.

With LSU coming to town I would like to recall a night spent at tiger stadium in Baton Rouge as the then undefeated Crimson Tide took on the Bengal Tigers. It was November 6, 1971 and the Tiger fans were at a fevered pitch.

Standing on the balcony of my motel room over a mile away from the stadium I could hear the LSU faithful already raising war cries from inside the tigers den 3 hours before kickoff.  The Million Dollar band practically had to force it way into the stadium because of the crush of LSU purple blocking  their way.

It was a mild night in Baton Rouge and the Television Cameras were set to send the struggle into millions of home across America. And what a struggle it was set to be. Alabama had rolled through their earlier games like a knife through warm butter.

With the exception of the Southern Cal game where the Alabama Wishbone was unveiled no games were even close. Coming off a 41-10 victory over The Mississippi State Bulldogs Alabama fans were confident of yet another victory but it wasn’t nearly as easy as many had expected.

There were names to remember on this Alabama team. Wilbur Jackson, Steve Williams, Bill Davis, Johnny Musso, Terry Davis, just to name a few. This may have been the best Alabama team not to win a national championship. But things were brewing in Baton Rouge that night.

The Tigers had won the SEC the year before under Charley Mac and they knew they had to stop the Tide to do it again. LSU was coming off a 24-22 loss to Ole Miss the week before and their backs were against the wall. That night as the game unfolded it was like two heavy weight boxers slugging it out. The vaunted wishbone attack generated only 9 first downs against the tigers determined defense but the Tides defense was just as stout.

The noise was deafening as the two teams struggled for dominance. When the final horn sounded after what seemed a hundred hours of standing in my end zone seat Bama came away with a 14-7 victory.  Did the news reporters of the day say Alabama looked lack luster or out of sync?

No, They called it a titanic struggle by two extremely talented and well coached football teams. Bama ruled that night but it wasn’t easy nor was it very pretty but it was a win. It was a win that kept Alabama on track for a meeting with Nebraska for the National Championship in the Orange Bowl. I was at that one as well but that’s a story for a different day.

So let that be a reminder that a win may not be what you call pretty but a win is a win. And all Alabama has to do is win ugly the rest of the way to play for all the Marbles at the Rose Bowl again.

Roll tide Roll!