Crimson Rain

In 1957 University of Alabama football coach J.B. “Ears” Whitworth, after a 40 – 0 loss to cross state rival Auburn, was fired.  The Crimson Tide welcomed former player Paul “Bear” Bryant as their new coach.  It was an historic hire.

Over the next twenty-five years Alabama became the top program in football.  They won an astonishing six national championships and 11 Southeastern Conference championships.  Alabama was the winningest program in college football for two decades.  Bryant became the winningest coach in the history of college football.  Their dominance was remarkable especially over rivals Tennessee and Auburn as reflected in 11 game and nine game winning streaks, respectively.

Alabama’s success built a culture of arrogance among the fans which went beyond repugnant.  Images of Bryant walking on water were not uncommon.  Tide devotees openly boasted that Alabama’s college team was better than any professional team.  They treated championships as papal confirmation of their greatness.

Tide fans viewed themselves as Roman aristocrats.  Bear, of course, was the emperor and the players, gladiators.  Bryant’s achievements had raised expectations so high that not even he could satisfy them.

In 1982 the emperor’s reign ended.  After losses to Auburn and Tennessee Bryant announced his retirement.  Changes in scholarship rules had leveled recruiting.  The days of stock piling talent were over.

The slide soon followed.  A year after Bear vacated his thrown in Tuscaloosa Auburn won the SEC championship.  Before the decade of the 80’s was over it was the Tigers that were the class of the SEC.

In the roughly two and a half decades since Bryant’s departure Alabama has won just three conference titles while rivals Auburn and Tennessee have notched five each.  Florida has won seven.  Although the Tide won another national championship in 1992 it has been tarnished after the revelation of improper payments to players and an embarrassing probation that soon followed.

Since then Tennessee has won a national title.  LSU has won one as well, and Florida was won two.  Twice Auburn has finished with the best record in college football while going unbeaten and untied.  The same Alabama that was the winningest program in all of college football for twenty sum odd years is now only the sixth winningest program in the Southeastern Conference.

The downfall is reflected in more than just wins and losses.  Instead of championships, countless distressing events like death treats, player arrests, implications of racism, recruiting violations, and more NCAA sanctions are now the legacy of Alabama football.  Even incidents of improprieties among the athletics staff with secretaries and strippers have been uncovered.

The coaching position at Alabama is another source of embarrassment for the Tide.  Since Bryant left they have had eight coaches - that is a new coach every 2.8 years.  The situation is so volatile that recently they had to offer four times the going rate just to get someone to take their coaching position.