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Since football season has returned early, here's a refutation of 5 of Bama's title claims
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:52 am
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:52 am
Writer and post is from another blog.
Very good points....agree/valid or not?
This is how Alabama counts and claims 5 of their "18" national titles.....
1925: Myth
Alabama claims they "share" this one with Dartmouth. Who gave the Tide the title? Houlgate and Helms. Houlgate started his system in 1927. Wait a second—this means 'Bama won their 1925 national championship using a formula that didn't even exist until 1927? The other title giver, Helms Athletic Foundation, wasn't founded until 1941. Hmm, another mind-blowing retroactive scam.
1926: Myth
Alabama claims they "share" this one with three other teams with equal or better records. Once again, it is the Helms Athletic Foundation (founded in 1941) that "gives" Alabama this title. But wait, this organization wasn't formed until over 15 years later, right?
1930: Myth
The Parke Davis poll says that 'Bama tied Notre Dame for the national championship this year, but this was the only poll to award it to 'Bama. Meanwhile, Notre Dame was named national champion in six different polls. I thought there could only truthfully be one champion, but I guess I was wrong. Interesting fact: Parke Davis is another retroactive system. He (an individual, not an organization) didn't create his system until 1933—three years after the fact.
1934: Myth
Alabama says they share this title with two other teams. The title givers this time are Dunkel, Williamson, and Football Thesaurus. Dunkel was a fan—check that, fan—who came up with his own polling system. Williamson was a geologist who also came up with his own system. Football Thesaurus didn't even appear until 1946. Once again, 12 years later. Another title that should never have been claimed.
1941: Myth
One day, when I have children, I'll read about this one to them before bed each night. Fact is, it might as well be written in a book full of colorful pictures and fairy tales. The AP ranked Alabama 20th in the nation this season with 14 teams having better records above them. Once again, it is the Football Thesaurus that retroactively awards the Tide this title. Alabama finished third in the SEC that year, while Mississippi State won the SEC title. It completely baffles me that 'Bama claims a national title in 1941.
Very good points....agree/valid or not?
This is how Alabama counts and claims 5 of their "18" national titles.....
1925: Myth
Alabama claims they "share" this one with Dartmouth. Who gave the Tide the title? Houlgate and Helms. Houlgate started his system in 1927. Wait a second—this means 'Bama won their 1925 national championship using a formula that didn't even exist until 1927? The other title giver, Helms Athletic Foundation, wasn't founded until 1941. Hmm, another mind-blowing retroactive scam.
1926: Myth
Alabama claims they "share" this one with three other teams with equal or better records. Once again, it is the Helms Athletic Foundation (founded in 1941) that "gives" Alabama this title. But wait, this organization wasn't formed until over 15 years later, right?
1930: Myth
The Parke Davis poll says that 'Bama tied Notre Dame for the national championship this year, but this was the only poll to award it to 'Bama. Meanwhile, Notre Dame was named national champion in six different polls. I thought there could only truthfully be one champion, but I guess I was wrong. Interesting fact: Parke Davis is another retroactive system. He (an individual, not an organization) didn't create his system until 1933—three years after the fact.
1934: Myth
Alabama says they share this title with two other teams. The title givers this time are Dunkel, Williamson, and Football Thesaurus. Dunkel was a fan—check that, fan—who came up with his own polling system. Williamson was a geologist who also came up with his own system. Football Thesaurus didn't even appear until 1946. Once again, 12 years later. Another title that should never have been claimed.
1941: Myth
One day, when I have children, I'll read about this one to them before bed each night. Fact is, it might as well be written in a book full of colorful pictures and fairy tales. The AP ranked Alabama 20th in the nation this season with 14 teams having better records above them. Once again, it is the Football Thesaurus that retroactively awards the Tide this title. Alabama finished third in the SEC that year, while Mississippi State won the SEC title. It completely baffles me that 'Bama claims a national title in 1941.
This post was edited on 6/26/23 at 11:53 am
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Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:53 am to JetDawg
how can you make this post when your signature says Georgia has 8 football titles? Is your signature a joke or are you a hypocrite?
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:57 am to I-59 Tiger
quote:
how can you make this post when your signature says Georgia has 8 football titles? Is your signature a joke or are you a hypocrite?
I'm being a hypocrite.
Early on, I added them with the explanation that all 8 were claimed in the same manner as Bama claimed them. If they can claim them, so can "I".
UGA actually only claims 4 national titles -- I claim 8 on their behalf.**
**Albeit, my claiming the other four aren't nearly as ridiculous as Bama claiming theirs, however.
This post was edited on 6/26/23 at 12:00 pm
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:58 am to JetDawg
We all know most of their titles are bogus …. When 3-4 school claim the NC… that’s feels you all you need to know . It’s why they are called National title only one can with it . I get the Ap and coaches polls named their own and a few are split but the ones who claim writing association titles are just losers .
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:58 am to JetDawg
1941 is the crazy one. It’s just silly.
They could certainly argue for 1966 to replace that one. Maybe 1977 as well.
They have been good at the football.
They could certainly argue for 1966 to replace that one. Maybe 1977 as well.
They have been good at the football.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:58 am to JetDawg
While we're at it, please tell me why Alabama wasn't the 1966 Nat'l champion. I can't wait to hear your explanation. 
Posted on 6/26/23 at 11:59 am to JetDawg
in hindsight, when their SID woke up one morning in 1988 and said "we have 11!" had he chosen 1945 or 1966 instead of 1941, 95% of the darts thrown at them would have never materialized. That "1941" was like a spotlight or neon sign.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:02 pm to JetDawg
1925, 1930 and 1934 are about as legitimate as possible for the time period.
I understand the problems with retroactive claims, but I'm not sure what else Bama is supposed to do except go undefeated and win the only bowl game. They have as good a claim as any team in that they won it on the field and don't have to rely on the opinion of some long-since dead sportswriters.
1941 is a joke.
I understand the problems with retroactive claims, but I'm not sure what else Bama is supposed to do except go undefeated and win the only bowl game. They have as good a claim as any team in that they won it on the field and don't have to rely on the opinion of some long-since dead sportswriters.
1941 is a joke.
This post was edited on 6/26/23 at 12:10 pm
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:03 pm to I-59 Tiger
quote:
in hindsight, when their SID woke up one morning in 1988 and said "we have 11!" had he chosen 1945 or 1966 instead of 1941, 95% of the darts thrown at them would have never materialized. That "1941" was like a spotlight or neon sign.
Unfortunately true.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:06 pm to Tornado Alley
quote:That's what they did in '66 (defense allowed 4 points a game), while ND and Mich. St. tied each other and co-championed.
I understand the problems with retroactive claims, but I'm not sure what else Bama is supposed to do except go undefeated and win the only bowl game.
PS- they were reigning undefeated Nat'l Champions the year before!
This post was edited on 6/26/23 at 12:09 pm
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:07 pm to JetDawg
1941 is an embarrassment
Everything else is as legitimate as anything else pre-polls
Everything else is as legitimate as anything else pre-polls
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:07 pm to MOJO_ERASER
quote:
It’s why they are called National title only one can with it
Well, that's the thing, for most of college football history, more than one team could win it.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:07 pm to coachcrisp
quote:
While we're at it, please tell me why Alabama wasn't the 1966 Nat'l champion. I can't wait to hear your explanation.
You got it.
Bama wasn't awarded the '66 title because of politics. The 1960s were a decade of social and racial upheaval in the United States and the fact that Bama also had an undefeated team rivaling unbeaten Notre Dame and Michigan State gave the voters impetus to go with the northern schools.
After ND and Michigan State's famous 10-10 tie (both finishing 9-0-1), those two were awarded as co-national champions with ND getting both the AP and UPI national titles and the consensus of all polls. Bama (11-0-0) was relegated to the Berryman and Sagarin ratings title.
Had I been a voter back in those days? ALABAMA would get my vote as national champion.
This post was edited on 6/26/23 at 12:12 pm
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:09 pm to JetDawg
quote:
You got it.
Bama wasn't awarded the '66 title because of politics. The 1960s were a decade of social and racial upheaval in the United States and the fact that Bama also had an undefeated team rivaling unbeaten Notre Dame and Michigan State gave the voters impetus to go with the northern schools.
After ND and Michigan State's famous 10-10 tie (both finishing 9-0-1), those two were awarded as co-national champions with ND getting both the AP and UPI national titles and the consensus of all polls. Bama (11-0-0) was relegated to the Berryman and Sagarin ratings title.
Politics had a lot to play in Bama's titles under Wallace Wade and Frank Thomas too.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:13 pm to JetDawg
quote:You are correct, BUT that's NO excuse for the undefeated reigning Nat'l Champs to be denied by two teams with a tie!
You got it.
Bama wasn't awarded the '66 title because of politics. The 1960s were a decade of social and racial upheaval in the United States and the fact that Bama also had an undefeated team rivaling unbeaten Notre Dame and Michigan State gave the voters impetus to go with the northern schools.
After ND and Michigan State's famous 10-10 tie (both finishing 9-0-1), those two were awarded as co-national champions with ND getting both the AP and UPI national titles and the consensus of all polls. Bama (11-0-0) was relegated to the Berryman and Sagarin ratings title.
Take the '41 title away and award Bama the '66 title. That'll make it right!
This post was edited on 6/26/23 at 12:14 pm
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:13 pm to JetDawg
quote:
Bama wasn't awarded the '66 title because of politics. The 1960s were a decade of social and racial upheaval in the United States and the fact that Bama also had an undefeated team rivaling unbeaten Notre Dame and Michigan State gave the voters impetus to go with the northern schools.
In society,no one denies that. However, Alabama won NCs in 1961,1964 and 1965 and Texas won one in 1963. So, that wasn't the entire story. What's even more curious is how Alabama started the season #1.
If you look at the AP archive for 1960, Ole Miss' denial of an AP title in 1960 is almost as bad.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:16 pm to coachcrisp
quote:
Take the '41 title away and award Bama the '66 title. That'll make it right!
I can go along with that!
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:16 pm to Tornado Alley
quote:You wanna expound on that a little?
Politics had a lot to play in Bama's titles under Wallace Wade and Frank Thomas too.
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:18 pm to JetDawg
quote:Hell!..that was easy enough!
I can go along with that!
What else can we fix? 
Posted on 6/26/23 at 12:19 pm to JetDawg
That’s the right answer.
We still have a bunch, either way ND is beating their chest recently about nattys for some reason.
We still have a bunch, either way ND is beating their chest recently about nattys for some reason.
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