The agony of defeat still clings to the minds of most here at The University of Alabama as Saturday’s last-minute Iron Bowl loss continues to make headlines on “SportsCenter” even days after the initial event.
And why shouldn’t it? This loss is as bad as it could have been.
We had the chances; we had the team; we had the championship in our sights. It was on a big stage; it was away; it was decided in the last second, and it was against Auburn.
Doesn’t get much worse.
But I have a confession: I have never been more proud to be an Alabama fan.
Why, you ask? How could this possibly compare to seeing my first BCS Championship Game last year?
It’s simple, really. I am a firm believer that true character reveals itself in the face of adversity.
And let me tell you, Tuscaloosa, the University and, most importantly, the 2013 Crimson Tide football team have true character.
After I had gotten over my initial shock and disappointment, I started looking around at my fellow Alabama students, and I honestly have never seen as much outright and absolute support as I did among my peers.
From Facebook posts thanking our seniors to Kaitlin Goins’ masterful letter to Cade Foster, I know that almost every note had a positive tone and a gracious attitude of support for our program.
These are true Alabama fans – those who congratulated the opponent, those who welcomed our boys home.
Those who sent Foster threats, attacked the team from the safety of the Internet and who continue to speak in only negative connotations are nothing more than spoiled, fair-weather fans.
I understand disappointment, but for you to really consider yourself a fan, you have to be prepared for the good times and the bad.
And with the Iron Bowl, you can never be sure which one is going to happen.
But what’s an even greater indicator of the character of the Crimson Tide was the outright respect and brotherhood shown by our team.
For instance, McCarron tweeted almost immediately, “Love my Team!! Salute to AU players Great program but let me say this we win & lose as a team,” and he was just one of many.
Everyone got in line behind Foster, just like we all should.
Our football team has more morality and valor than any other I have ever seen, and that’s a true testament to what Saban does on a daily basis.
It’s also why our program is only going to flourish from here.
So, I will fall in line behind our team, who we are blessed to have not only on the field, but also as role models off it.
Still, people continue to talk about it, as the question, “How are you doing?” has taken on a completely new meaning, being voiced in the connotation of, “How are you dealing with this? Is your sanity intact?”
Of course, Tuscaloosa will be all right. We’ve merely hit a snag in the road.
Mind you, in this connotation, a “snag” has still ensured that we will attend one of the largest BCS bowl games – be it Orange, Sugar, Rose or the National Championship (for which we still have 60:1 odds).
And if this were 2014, a snag would merely have us at a lower seed in the playoffs.
Honestly, the more I think about it, the more OK I am with the defeat.
This loss has merely broken me of my “title town bubble,” stripping me of my insane ignorance of defeat.
This loss has merely reinforced my love for this program, for this town, for this school.
Congratulations on an amazing season, guys. Here’s to many more.
Maxton Thoman is a sophomore majoring in biology. His column runs on Wednesdays.
