Tide Tidbits - October 4, 2008

Alabama Tide strives for sustained success
Alabama is a 16 1/2-point favorite against one of the better teams Kentucky has fielded in a generation. Welcome to college football's elite, where you're expected to be perfect on Saturdays. The challenge for Alabama is how to handle success after years of futility. The second-ranked Crimson Tide is accustomed to battling through coaching changes and a shortage of players brought on by NCAA sanctions. But as they've risen to the top of the college football mountain -- much quicker than anyone could have anticipated -- are they prepared to handle their new role as national championship contender?

Alabama First and 10 Wel'll soon see just how good Alabama can be
It's a recurring theme that keeps drifting through my mind as I look at Alabama's lofty spot in the rankings. I keep telling myself this team, with its paper-thin depth and seven first-time starters on defense, has no business being No. 2 in the rankings and rocketed way too quickly up the polls. But why not? Even if you consider Clemson and Georgia as being overrated, Arkansas is on its way toward a losing season and Tulane as perhaps the best non-conference team the Tide will play. You have to look around the country and make comparisons. Is South Florida better? Has Oklahoma played tougher competition? Is LSU (my preseason pick to win the West) the best team in the conference? Let it play out and we'll see. In the meantime, a 5-0 Alabama team has as much right to be there as anyone else. Until they prove they don't.

ESPN adopts Crimson Tide as new love; the Guilbeau Poll
With USC losing to Oregon State last week, ESPN may have adopted the Crimson Tide as its new love. Play-by-play man Mike Patrick, the guy who out of nowhere started talking about Britney Spears during overtime of the Bama-Georgia game last year, was focused squarely on the Tide during its dominating victory over Georgia Saturday.

Roll Tide!