Alabama Prepares for Homecoming and Ole Miss: A New Identity Is On the Horizon

The 2010 Crimson Tide has now tasted both victory and defeat. Freshmen and sophomores on this team didn't know what that was like until the fateful day of defeat in Columbia, South Carolina. Saturday, October 9th is a day that will last in their collective memory.

The Ol' Ball Coach prepared a Gamecock team that stood up to the Big Red Elephant and went blow for blow until the giant pachyderm fell to its knees. It wasn't a nail-biter, one that the Tide should have won; they were simply outplayed and beaten. It was not a fatal blow, only a midseason defeat, but one that exposed weaknesses that must be overcome.

This team didn't get to where they were in the national spotlight by themselves. The arrived there standing on the shoulders of giants who came before them. John Parker Wilson, Cory Reamer, Glenn Coffee, Rashad Johnson, Rolando McClain, Andre Smith, Terrence Cody, Roy Upchurch, Kareem Jackson, Javier Arenas, Marquis Johnson and Mike Johnson, to name a few.

There are many others who filled the role of champion over the past two years and paved the way for the 2010 preseason predictions and early-season seedings. There is a remnant of the 2009 championship team representing a nucleus of leadership in 2010.

But a championship team is forged over an entire season. Not to just share in the spoils of victory, they must also overcome adversity at some point and show unity through the process of enduring the event or events. It is a test that some teams do not endure with cohesion.

That moment of testing has arrived for this team.

Many still feel this team has the toughness and grit to find a way to become a champion, but now that is finally the goal. The mythical preseason crown has been removed from their brow and placed on another's head for the time being (the mythical in-season crown).

It's time to do what it takes to become a champion.

Finally, Nick Saban is in his element, his happy place, the situation where he works best: preparing a team to compete with something to prove. A team that can carry a chip on its shoulder and dare someone to knock it off.

One of two paths are available for these young men. One path leads them on the road to become champions. The other path, to mediocrity. There is nothing wrong with either destiny, it is what it is, and life goes on either way.

We have seen it in boxing, from an individual standpoint. Let's review a few examples and set the stage for further discussion.

The champion Muhammad Ali, suffering a loss to Joe Frazier in Ali vs Frazier I, rose in the next bout to take back the crown from his nemesis. When others disputed Ali's victory because of the rope-a-dope strategy used in Ali-Frazier II, he proved his dominance in Ali-Frazier III, "The Thrilla in Manila."

Ali took it to the level of pummeling Frazier mercilessly in the late rounds, when Frazier's manager chose to stop the fight and prevent further injury to Smokin' Joe, his valued prizefighter. Ali's championship was never in question again. Frazier never recovered.

Or, such as the return to glory in 1980, for Sugar Ray Leonard. Sugar Ray lost the welterweight title to Roberto Duran on June 20th, in Montreal, only to reclaim his championship on November 25th of the same year in the famous "No-Mas" unravelling of Duran. Talk about "making his ass quit!"—it was the epitome of a champion reclaiming his rightful crown.

And then there is the other side of fate. One of a champion who lost the fire, or of one exposed as a pretender. "Kid Dynamite" rose to become a champion in the late '80's by fighting borderline contenders and older champions. Garnering the name "Iron Mike" after his defeats of a 38-year-old Larry Holmes and 32-year old Michael Spinks, Tyson climbed on the shoulders of these aging giants and gathered their crowns.

The victories went to his head, and he didn't handle fame with class. Dysfunction in his life was prevalent and exposed in the national spotlight. When he returned to the ring as a 42-1 favorite, the prizefighter folded like a lawn chair. Mike Tyson never recovered from the defeat by Buster Douglas. Douglas was a good fighter but not a true champion. But he took the pretender down.

Jermain Taylor, also a good young fighter, rose to national prominence with wins against an older Bernard Hopkins. He defeated the 40-year-old Hopkins twice. Although the results were disputed, he was crowned champion.

But when pitted against a real contender his own age and skill level, Kelly Pavlik, the young champion, Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor, stood toe-to-toe until he was eventually knocked down in a late round.

That knockdown happened on September 29, 2007. He has yet to recover as a fighter, much less as a champion.

So, as a team, the Crimson Tide is at a crossroads. How will they respond? Are they true champions or are they pretenders? Is this a team of dysfunctional athletes on the brink of destruction? Most don't think so, not in any way, shape or form, but they will have to prove it on the gridiron.

This week will be a week of preparation for that defining moment. The moment of redemption. Houston Nutt will bring in his rested and battle-tested Ole Miss team to Tuscaloosa on October 16th.

Ole Miss is a team that has struggled in the first half of the 2010 season. They currently stand at 3-2, 1-1 in SEC play, with a loss to Vanderbilt in their SEC opener and a recent win against a tough Kentucky team.

Their first loss in the season came as a shocker against Jacksonville State, in overtime. The 49-48 loss was a tough nut to swallow for the pride of Mississippi.

Overcoming the preseason turmoil and controversy of accepting a player banned from play by another D1 program, Houston Nutt led his team into an opening-season contest against his old mentor, Jack Crowe. Crowe had prepared his hungry JSU Gamecocks squad for that encounter, and they walked away as victors.

But in the last two weeks, Nutt and the Ole Miss team have regained their poise. With wins over Fresno State (55-38) and Kentucky (42-35), they are building a respectable resume for postseason play. A win over the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa would please the Mississippi fanbase more than an Obama stimulus package. It would secure Nutt's job for another five years.

If the Crimson Tide is to respond favorably this week in practice with toughness, pride and conviction to do things right, there is a prize waiting for them on Saturday. A chance for redemption. Not to say that a victory against Ole Miss will place them back as No. 1, but it will erase the taste of defeat and set the rudder back in proper alignment toward the goal of being a champion.

Ole Miss has had an extra week to prepare for this encounter on the gridiron. Houston Nutt has the knack of pulling off an unexpected upset at least once in a season. They will come into Bryant-Denny with a game plan that the Alabama defense must disrupt. It is an opportunity to get things right.

QB Jeremiah Masoli is not a player to be toyed with on any given Saturday. He is an opportunistic player with effective skills in running and passing the pigskin. Masoli has completed better than 60 percent of his passes for 823 yards.

Masoli has six touchdown passes against five interceptions. Therein lies a chink in the armor.

Brandon Bolden leads the Ole Miss rushing attack with 76 carries for 518 yards (6.8 yards per carry). His efforts in the rushing game are enhanced by the quarterback who ranks second with 262 yards on 50 carries (5.2 yards per carry) and they have collectively scored eight touchdowns. Enrique Davis is a third prong in the attack, adding 144 yards on 41 carries with three touchdowns.

Interestingly, Brandon Bolden is a leading receiver, harnessing 11 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. The biggest gains in the passing game have been on tosses to playmaker Markeith Summers. Summers has a net 242 yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches, averaging 22 yards per catch.

There is no rest for the weary in the SEC. That is one reason for the 24-hour rule. Enjoy the victory or sulk in defeat, then tighten your chinstrap and get back to work on Monday.

If Alabama wants a rematch with the Gamecocks, it's time to put in the work to achieve that goal. Nothing good comes easy.

It takes hard work, focus and the desire to be a champion in order to become one. There can be no grumbling. It takes monumental effort just to get to the point of contention for that final moment. Many good men fall short. Championships don't come easy.

As Nick Saban said at the end of last season, "This is only the beginning." The journey is long and the road is not always paved with fresh asphalt, especially in the south. One thing is for sure, Alabama has talented athletes with special gifts and with a penchant for winning at every level. 

Moreover, we have a coaching staff that is one the best in the business. On Saturday, Alabama will be prepared. The question is, how will they respond?

They're in the process of learning what it takes to become champions. They have a coach who wrote the book on how to be a champion. This will be a long week of preparation.

They have the unwavering support of their fanbase. The atmosphere will be electric on Saturday night. Welcome to Bryant-Denny and a Homecoming for Alabama, Ole Mississippi. God bless this sport. Ain't it great!