Bama fans are going to a lot of crap on this board for tonight

And, yes, they got beat by a team that is pretty far from great. And, yes, their D got completely exposed in that first half, and looked just sort of average in the second half. But this isn't a trend. The program isn't declining; it's actually in fine shape. And if a fan of another SEC team claims he/she isn't envious of the where the Bama program is right now, they're probably lying.

I've lurked around these parts for years without posting much. I'll probably start posting more, but that isn't relevant here. What is relevant is that, from my lurking, I've observed that Bama fans are not always the nicest most civil people in the world. They clearly feel entitled. They're dismissive of others. They're conclusory. And so I can understand the desire to give them a kick in the ribs when they're down. But they're not down. As a program, they're not down at all, and here's why:

1. A.J. Mccarron is absolutely fricking terrible at being anything other than merely average:
There will be no drop off next year at the QB position. I have no idea who will be the QB for Bama next year, but he'll be just as good as Mccarron. Bama fans would argue till they were blue in their goddamn faces that A.J. Mccarron was, in fact, good -- or even great -- at the game of football. They were wrong. Silly wrong. Wildly wrong. Anybody with a head on their shoulders knew they were wrong, and has known they were wrong for the last three years. He was average. And so Bama fans: yes, you are completely delusional, and you shouldn't be proud of that fact, but in this particular case you should be happy that it is a fact.

2. That Henry kid is best back Saban has had:
Yes, better than Richardson. Yes, better than Ingram. Yes, better than Yeldon. Yes, better than Lacy. Yes, I'm judging this off one game. Yes, it's appropriate to judge someone off one game -- in some instances all you need is a single play. Talent jumps off the screen. And that guy is focking sick.

3. The D will be better next year:
I have no information in front of me about how many starters will be returning, and I'm not going to look. My conclusion that the D will be better next year is based on my observation that this year's Bama D has not been up to par with previous iterations, the fact that Saban has not stopped recruiting the top athletes in the country, and that next year's iteration -- whether comprised of mostly new starters or not -- will more closely resemble the Saban defenses that rarely gave up multiple consecutive first downs, much less multiple consecutive scoring drives by an offense that, by any objective measure, is pretty mediocre.

Does this mean Bama will win the National Championship next year? Of course not. And if Bama fans actually go into a season with that expectation then they are invited to punch themselves in the face and then the dick, and then to repeat that sequence a dozen or so times.

But Bama is still the Alpha Dog in the league. And so, Bama fans, don't feel too bad. But also stop being such entitled pricks all the time. Your team is great and your coach is great, but neither are infallible, and both can get exposed.

The end.