This is Alabama Football!

Living in Alabama, the Iron Bowl is never far from your mind. It's truly something that is talked about every day of the year. But recently the series has lost its luster. Why? Well, it's simple - Alabama is just not competitive anymore. Auburn has won four in a row and five of the last six.

During the Tigers run to an undefeated season in 2004, fans and coaches alike were worried about a letdown against Alabama in the season finale. The truth is, Alabama is the most overrated team and program in the country.

They are like that guy you went to high school with in the 1980's, who still wears his Member's Only jacket. The Tide Nation can't get over the fact that the Bear is really dead. Never mind that he's been gone for more than 20 years. Before every game they pay homage to him on the big stadium screen. Do they realize that today's players haven't a clue who he is or when he coached? Like an analysis on Fox Sports said recently, "Auburn is Alabama."

What he means is that Auburn's program is where Alabama's used to be. It's a sad commentary for the once proud program from Tuscaloosa. Here's an interesting fact: Since the turn of the 20th Century, Auburn has had 15 head coaches. Since 1983, Alabama has had eight.

Dennis Franchione left the Alabama head coaching job for Texas A&M. Would anyone have guessed 20 years ago that someone would leave Alabama for College Station? In fact, Bear Bryant left A&M for Tuscaloosa. My how times have changed.

Alabama is the most penalized program in the history of the NCAA. And their last run-in came within a whisker of getting them the dreaded death penalty. To finish my point, after the Mike Price debacle, Alabama could find no credible head coaches to even consider the job. Case in point, it settled for a "green" Mike Shula over another former Tide player, Sylvester Croom. That was the best they could do.

Meanwhile, in Auburn, the Tigers are chasing their second SEC Championship in three years and are in the hunt for the national championship. In case you missed it, Alabama had to come from behind to beat Vanderbilt on Saturday, 13-10. As the stadium PA announcer likes to scream, "This is Alabama Football."

Link: Football Saturday In The South