At some places, they talk about winning the day. At Alabama, we win national championships. At some places, they talk about upsetting their rival. At Alabama, we go to their house and beat them 42-14, while holding a win streak totaling 104 in another sport.
At some places, winning a national championship is the pinnacle of success. At Alabama, “it is not the end, it is the beginning.”
We know it’s great to be at Alabama. The football team has won two national championships in three years, and the gymnastics team is in the process of defending their national championship.
Now it’s your turn, Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy. Win us a national championship.
Honestly, Murphy may need to win a national championship more than his fans want one.
Alabama softball was one out away from making the College World Series in 2009 and made it in 2010, coming dangerously close to the national championship series. If progress towards the ultimate expectation doesn’t continue, people will start to think Alabama softball has peaked, and that is not good for Murphy’s job security.
Murphy needs to win it all for his seniors. The ladies that came to Alabama in the recruiting class of 2008 and are now in their senior season have won two straight regular-season Southeastern Conference championships, one SEC tournament championship, three NCAA Regional championships and two NCAA Super Regional championships to make for two Women’s College World Series appearances.
However, there is no national championship.
In his press conference Monday, Murphy was gushing optimism about his team, discussing both the dominance of his pitching staff and the team’s ability to hit the ball, which Murphy said amazes him. It’s exciting stuff for the Alabama softball fan, and the need to expand on that excitement and finally deliver on the expectations is bigger than ever. This year, it really is national championship or bust.
Now, make no mistake about it. Coach Murphy took over a Crimson Tide softball program that was only in its third season in program history in 1999 and led it to a 39-26 record. Since then, Murphy has averaged just over 13 losses per season and has lost less than 10 games in three of those seasons.
The work Murphy has done with Alabama softball is truly remarkable. That being said, it’s time to solidify your legacy and win a national championship.
In addition, many of us have not forgotten your little LSU sabbatical, Coach. I heard fans describe it as a slap-in-the-face, and there are fans that are still a little skeptical of it all. Want to right the wrong? It’s simple, Coach. Winning fixes everything.
Just look at the 2010 Alabama football team that finished 9-3 and didn’t convert on a chance to ruin Auburn’s national championship season at home.
It’s funny how everyone seems to have forgotten that, isn’t it?
