San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Is Saban masking his true feelings again?
Sez Me … “We defend and we build a way of life.” — FDR
True, Mr. President. More than ever in this Groundhog Year, those in charge — including football coaches — must provide for the common defense.
Politicians aside, no question it’s harder than ever for those who coach the other side of the ball. But not many are providing, and worse, they don’t seem to care.
Offense is sexy. It sells. It’s what TV and sponsors want. Defense is drain cleaner. It sits on shelves until needed.
There is a layer of fog around the memory bank, but I believe it may have been the day I was born when my daddy told me: “Defense wins championships.”
For certain, in my dozens of conversations with A.J. Smith when he was general manager of the NFL Team That Used To Be Here, he said it bakers dozens of times.
A.J.’S defenses never won championships (plural) or a championship (singular).
Nick Saban’s Alabama teams have. The most successful coach of college football’s modern era has a defensive pedigree and has thrived stopping people.
Now he “talks” as though he’s given up.
“It used to be that good defense beats good offense. Good defense doesn’t beat good offense anymore,” he told ESPN last week. “Georgia has as good a defense as we do an offense, and we scored 41 points on them. It used to be if you had a good defense, other people weren’t going to score. You were always going to be in the game.
“It ain’t that way anymore. I don’t like it. But we just have to make sure we have an offense that’s explosive, which we have.
“It’s hard to coach defense now, because there are so many run-pass concepts in what everybody does. I mean, it’s really, really hard to coach the secondary ... you get so many mismatches back there.” Smith (shocker) disagrees. “He must be right. I mean, he’s Nick Saban!” A.J. says. “In my humble opinion, after 40 years of football experience, defense wins championships. Obviously, I am aware that a prolific offense with outstanding players and headed by a franchise-type quarterback will put a strain on any defense. I love offense.
“But I also love a dominating, dictating, intimidating, physical defense that strikes fear in every opposing offensive player on the field — especially the quarterback leading Saban’s highscoring offense. I never won a Super Bowl. I never won a national championship. But defense wins championships.”
I agree with A.J. and believe Saban is pulling at our collective trouser legs just a bit.
Rules changes drastically have favored offenses — to the point of being terribly unfair — and, as we have seen, COVID restrictions and delays put a larger strain on D than O.
Not being able to practice tackling hurts, but good defensive coaches with good players find a way. Outside the Big 12, some at least try.
A team with a terrible defense (Seahawks?) isn’t winning a title — college or pro. Last time I checked, the outscored still lose . ...
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If you think what Turner did was OK, you are a larger fool than he is. Beyond irresponsible. And Dave Roberts, a cancer survivor, should have told him to get his ass out of there. …
David Letterman on Turner: “There is no “i” in team. There is an “i” in ventilator.” …
Rumor: MLB may fine them $5 billion . ...
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But, give them credit. They beat the best teams, and every L.A. postseason starting pitcher (18 games) was farm-to-table . ...
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Ninety percent of NFL players are registered to vote. The other 10 percent will bitch about playing time and politicians . ...
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Nebraska would play football naked and wet in London during The Plague. …
K.C.’S Chris Jones on the Jets: “That’s a very good football team. People forget that because they haven’t won a game.” ...
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This year’s Heisman Trophy is much smaller and comes with a mask. …
Trevor Lawrence didn’t allow B.C. 28 first-half points. …
Hard to say which college teams are overrated, so let’s say all of them . ...
New Jersey sports books took in $173 million more than Nevada in September. California? California? …
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Stink O’ The Week: These campaign ads. Used to be we found some candidates were criminals after they took office. …
The Hatch Act is like WAR/ war. What is it good for? …
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Do you chuckle at senior moments? Have you had any? If you’re lucky enough, you will . ...
Russia took a brief timeout from our election to order a national mask mandate. Russia! America, there was a time when 65 percent of us were anti-seat belt. …
Voters should have to wear masks. But not gas masks.
sezme.godfather@gmail.com Twitter: @sdutcanepa