HOOVER, Ala. -- Sometimes it’s hard to have sympathy for the rich, famous and powerful. As has been the case lately, Alabama qualifies.
The Crimson circus came to town here at the 2015 SEC Media Days on Wednesday armed with what sounded a lot like excuses.
“Guys aren’t scared to play us anymore,” linebacker Reggie Ragland said. “That’s simple and that’s a fact.”
Strange talk from a program with the best of everything, whether it be facilities, NFL opportunities or Bear Bryant impersonators.
When their time here was done Wednesday, you’d have thought the No. 1 brand in the sport hadn’t been out of the West Division basement in a decade.
“When I got here, I used to see teams break down in the first half,” Ragland said. “We’ve got to get that back.”
This from a team that won by an average of more than 18 points per game last season. This from a team that brushed Missouri off its shoulder pads in the SEC title game like it was a piece of lint.
"Our team chemistry from the SEC Championship Game to the playoff was affected by something," Nick Saban said.
Something. This has been a theme from Alabama’s coach since a national semifinal loss to Ohio State. Something, most likely, in the form of Cardale Jones, who the Tide had precious little film of prior to their game. In retrospect, something in Saban's mind was that dirty, little declaration deadline for draft evaluations (Dec. 15).
“I get six junior draft grades backs [on Dec. 22],” Saban said. “I have to sit down and share this information with players a week before playing a game.
“One guy finds out he’s a first-round pick, another guy finds out he’s a first-round pick, another guy thinks he’s a first-round pick. And a couple of other guys who thought they were going out for the first round are third or fourth round picks.
“All the sudden I’m managing something that has nothing to do with playing Ohio State.”
It’s always something. When we don’t achieve, it’s human nature to make excuses. And these are excuses.
“Then if he has a first-round grade is he worried about getting hurt, is he running out of bounds?” Saban asked.
Taken all together, it’s a bad look for the Tide. Seven months ago, Team Tuscaloosa was No. 1 with a bullet, favored to win the first College Football Playoff.
Something happened, but it hasn’t affected the expectations and aspirations. The Tide will likely be favored to win the SEC again when the preseason media poll is released Friday. Don’t be surprised if they’re No. 1 in the country this preseason in some poll, though Ohio State will contend for that spot.
The reality is no SEC team -- or one from any other conference -- is going to come close to winning seven titles in a row. Don’t forget the SEC still has played for nine consecutive national championships. Alabama has been involved in four of them.
Overall, those days of dominance are over. Simple math should tell you.
It doesn’t necessarily mean Alabama or the SEC has declined. It does mean Alabama has to get better in the secondary. It means Saban has to find a quarterback. Waiting until the fall’s second scrimmage for a Blake Sims to emerge -- like he did last year -- shouldn’t become a habit.
The draft declaration deadline had nothing to do with Ezekiel Elliott going crazy on Alabama in the Super Dome. Saban had the same distractions when he won titles in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Saban essentially admitted as much. He cited Julio Jones, C.J. Mosley and Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix as guys who sealed the deal for championship teams.
“It was who they were,” he said. “It was the kind of competitors they were.
Draft declarations? In the last four drafts alone, 37 Alabama players have been drafted. Maybe Alabama is so good it’s getting hard to manage the exit interviews.
“When you win so much sometimes, guys lose focus on the prize,” Ragland said.
Yes, but why?
Saban was asked about the excuse angle on national television Wednesday. He brushed it off as easily as he brushed off Missouri.
"It wasn't an excuse at all for losing to Ohio State. There's no excuse,” he said. "It kind of surprises me that somebody in the media would take it that way when you make a suggestion that would make things better."
The rich, famous and powerful sometimes don’t even have to explain themselves. Saban didn’t need the added criticism when he followed up another No. 1 recruiting class with the addition of Jonathan Taylor. Alabama is simply too good to even consider admitting Taylor in the first place.
“We don’t condone at all any kind of domestic violence” but, “I do not regret giving players opportunities," he said Wednesday.
This in the same building where Steve Spurrier reiterated his no-tolerance stance on violence against women.
This in the same conference that not only has the best of everything, Alabama is the best of everything in college football.
Usually.
If not, please, no excuses.
