In a break from this interminable political season, I want to talk about last nights beatdown of LSU by Alabama. After the slugfest on November 5 that saw the Tigers win in overtime, I had steeled myself for a repeat of that outcome. Apparently, I hadn’t needed to. Despite not scoring a touchdown until the final minutes of the game, Alabama dominated in a way that even your true believer fans couldn’t have imagined.

I think what was so remarkable about this particular display of dominance was how many people, myself included, had bought into the hype of LSU. They had beaten so many top ranked teams by such large margins. They had walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium, and escaped with a victory. While I thought Alabama could certainly win, I had no idea they would win in this way.

Amidst all the hype, I guess I forgot a couple of things. For starters, LSU made a big mistake by letting Jordan Jefferson take over full time at quarterback down the stretch of the season. He is a great athlete, to be sure, but great athletes do not necessarily make great quarterbacks. Being a great quarterback is about good decision making, and playing within your team. He’s never really been great at either. They should have stuck with Jarrett Lee, who had performed pretty well during the early part of the season, and let the cards fall where they may.

The other thing I neglected to take into account was the coaching mismatch. Les Miles has proven to be a better coach than I’ve given him credit for, but he is certainly no Nick Saban. Yes, he has built on the recruiting machine that Saban left when he went to Miami, but his game day coaching is quite simply, lacking. Saban and his staff thoroughly outcoached Miles. Even the great John Chavis’ defense could not hold up with an offense that inept.

LSU is a supremely talented team, and the Tigers and Tide will likely play another classic next year in Baton Rouge. However, when the proverbial bullets start flying, I’m glad we’ve got Nick.

Ok. I know that Nick Saban is not the most beloved man in most of the country. However, let’s be honest, if you’re an University of Alabama fan, he’s the best thing since Bear Bryant. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to seeing this documentary.

Nick Saban : Gamechanger from Flashlight Media Group on Vimeo.

As is usual following any championship season, the Alabama Crimson Tide got their traditional visit with the President of the United States. Ivan Maisel wrote a great article chronicling the whole experience. The President even offered up a “Roll Tide!”

As the President told the team, spring practice is right around the corner. 2009 is over. It’s time to win another championship!

Finally, after a 17 year wait, ‘Bama wins another National Championship. Despite what anyone says in reference to the McCoy injury, the Tide earned this one. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was exhilarating. I’d say Nick Saban is a bargain right about now.

Next year should be interesting, because, despite losing some key players, most of the core is back. I look to see them right back in the thick of the championship hunt.

Mark Ingram has won Alabama’s first Heisman trophy. Most folks may not get what this means for Alabama fans. Yes, it is an individual award. Yes, Alabama prides itself on championships, not Heismans. But, look back at the abyss where Alabama found itself in the early parts of this decade. To make it back not just to prominence, but to relevance, has been a joy to behold. Nick Saban has seemingly outperformed his huge contract. Ingram seems to have a terrific head on his shoulders. He deserves this.

I’m thrilled to talk about my beloved Tide’s dominance of Florida yesterday. After years of bungling the hiring of it’s football coaches, UA finally got it right with Nick Saban. I’d have to say, however, that most Tide fans had a sense this would happen when Saban was hired. Although, no one could have predicted it happening in only 3 years. Saban was the perfect person to unify the fractured power structure at Alabama.

Now it is off to Pasadena to play Texas for the national championship. It’s been a long time coming.

It’s about time for football to be here. I really can’t get into any of the summer sports. Other than Nashville Predator hockey, I don’t get into anything besides football. Of course my college didn’t have football, so I pull for the team my dad raised me to pull for, Alabama. Needless to say, I’ve had my share of ribbing over the years. Even though recent years have been mostly embarrassing, I’ve never let my love of the Crimson Tide wane. It can be frustrating to be a Tide fan. The national media treats us as an easy punchline. So what. Whether Nick Saban has a short stay or a long one, the Tide will be better off with having him coach there. I’ll talk more about my pro team, the Titans, another time.