One of the worst things to happen on the local sports webs (IMO) in recent times (besides many formerly free sites becoming pay sites) was when Tider Insider "open" forum went totally underground during the Albert Means scandal. Posters were arguing amongst themselves and pointing fingers at everyone and everything. Many thought the discussions were too acrimonious and the Tide's dirty laundry shouldn't be aired in public (no pun intended). So, they moved their general discussion forum to a closed forum and their "open" forum ($38) basically died off. I had been reading TI off & on for a couple of years as some of the posters had a real understanding of FB and had "at length" discussions about it (Arrogant as hell but knowledgeable none the less). A couple of posters were also good recruiting resources. As the Means case unfolded I continued to read the board strictly from the standpoint of interest in another SEC school and what impact the sanctions against them (if any) might have. Anyway, in the late days of the Open TI, Clay, a self proclaimed insider to the program (which was also debated at length) published a couple of "chapters" about what was happening behind the scenes and what was going on in the program & administration. At this point there were multiple stories floated out and debated everyday so this was just one of many however, this one was in a consistent, easy reading format anyway - as well as having some other "insiders" agree with his rendition of events. Now IMO, some of this is total BS, some spin, some propaganda, paranoia, some hilarity, some fantasy, some conspiracy theory, and maybe even maybe some truths woven in but, all in all, it makes interesting reading anyway. Just one guys perspective on the Alabama's program fall from grace and what contributed to it. Clay has now "published" his full report including some chapters I have not read yet. FWIW & for those interested (Skip the propaganda at the top & go straight to the chapters) : http://www.tiderinsider.com/forum/messages/555594.html ******* ******* NOTE: This is, by far, the most insanely through post I've ever seen on an internet message board, EVER. The Fall Of The Tide as posted on the Tider Insider by "clay3482": http://www.tiderinsider.com/forum/messages/555594.html ******* ******* LIST OF CHAPTERS: Chapter 1 - Arrogance Chapter 2 - "Pay for Play" And "The Contract" Chapter 3 - Sorensen & Bockrath Chapter 4 - The Downward Spiral Chapter 5 - Tyrone Beamon Chapter 6 - 1999 Chapter 7 - Cottrell & Culpepper Chapter 8 - 2000 Recruiting Class Chapter 9 - Bensyl-Meyers & the NCAA Chapter 10 - Dubose Falls Chapter 11 - Butch Davis, Fran, & Points to Consider Chapter 12 - NCAA, Marsh, Robbins & Sorensen Chapter 13 - Fran Chapter 14 - NCAA Investigation Continues Chapter 15 - Was Alabama Treated Fairly?
Oh my God. That has to be made into a movie of the week. Even from that it is difficult to ferret out the truth (keep in mind, this was written by a Bama fan).
All you need to read "Now, to make it even easier for the NON-Jocks to understand, would you put LEE ROY JORDAN in charge of Academics at the University of Alabama? Then why in the hell has their been this obsession ever since Bear died tried to put the Athletic Department under the Control of the President?" He still doesn't get it. The football team exists because of the University, not the other way around. Chancellor Emmert still runs things even though Nick Saban is paid a lot more. If it were any other way, LSU would destroy itself. The entire article is rife with jealosy, yet it tries to say that it is the other schools who are jealous. I'm not an NCAA fan, and maybe AMAB didn't deserve what it got. In the end, though, the type of hate spewed in this screed will destroy AMAB, Auburn and Tennesee. I just hope we don't get caught up in it. As long as Nick Saban and Mark Emmert are here, I don't think we will. GEAUX TIGERS
LSU - Death Valley. 1969-2000. Did I see goal posts come down with a victory over a soon to be 3-8 team? I think so. Again enough said. They hate us, as do the rest, but not because we hate them. But simply because they live in the shadow of something bigger and they know it. ~N~O~T~ ~A~N~Y~ ~M~O~R~E~ Nov 2000 Football staff fired at Alabama. Jo meets with coaches with false information obtained from Fulmer and Tenn booster and Culpepper, according to Roy Adams deposition, Rip Scherer shows up at Roy Adams house with Albert Means in the car. Means is still a student at Alabama. "We kept hearing reports about Tennessee being not just dirty but filthy,'' Shanks told SI.com after the meeting. "We never could prove it till Tuesday night.'' ~J~U~I~C~Y~ ~M~Y~ ~L~U~C~Y~ DO YOU KNOW WHAT I "~M~E~A~N~S~"
This was certainly interesting reading. It's kind of like one of those so called "historical" movies Hollywood puts out. It leave you wondering what was true and what was fantasy. Allow me to paraphrase for those of you who don't have the time or willpower to read through an incredibly long, whining essay, about how the whole world hates bama due to our jealousy. I begin: Bama had a paperwork infraction and they got popped really hard for it because everyone hates bama. Auburn alum paid a former Tide player (jelks) to lie about Bama breaking rules. Tenn (Fulmer etal) is so scared of Bama they set Bama up by actually having Tenn alum pay people who acted like they were Bama alum to pay Means to go to Bama. (counter intelligence, double naught spies, and the whole works). I am laughing as I write this. Tenn is actually the dirty program, and of course Auburn too. Dubrose was a bad coach, but apparently got lucky and won the SEC one year. Their top 3 recruiting class (in 2000 I think) really stunk. People just set them up by saying they were 5 star players. I really interpreted this guy as saying other coaches looked at players, talked them up so much that they got 5 star ratings, and then let Bama have them because they weren't good! And finally, the whole thing is really just not fair! Anyone feel free to correct me on my synopsis. The part that really is interesting is the stuff about TN getting a "pardon" for turning in Bama. If this is true, I think it will eventually come out. Thank goodness I am not a Bama, Auburn, Tn, Colo, etc... fan. GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PS I am leaving out the internal political stuff he ranted about. Who cares?
don't waste your time reading it. especially any of the drivel before the actual context. what a joke. everyone wants to be bama, their seasons depend on beating bama and bama only. they want to move on past Bear but then again say they cannot giving them the excuse to continue to live in the past as usual. they still think its 1970 and Bama is the top of the heap. All coaches in the SEC can go 1-11 as long as the win is against Bama. Tennessee is the anti-christ.... Auburn has penis envy. All Bama fans must circle the wagon and offer their lives to save the flagship. Fullmer sucks. Fullmer whips us but Fullmer is still fat and he sucks. Everyone else in the country set Bama up for every infraction ever incurred. that's my cliffs notes version.
I love how Tennessee had to do everything in it's power to stay ahead of Bama in the 90's. Tenn sets up bama despite the fact they are dominating the series. In the meantime, Florida is dominating the conference (and Tennessee), but Fullmer feels no need to bring down Florida. I think Fullmer's job would be more affected by losting to an eastern division team (Florida), than by losing to Bama(which by the way Fullmer rarely does). I love how cheating can be overlooked by this guy just because of the way the information comes to the surface. They sound like the 5 mafia families of new york. Then again, the mafia deserves a better comparison than to bama. Any doubts I had about bama being guilty have just been answered. This guy writes a book trying to set the record straight, yet bama still comes accross looking dirty. Amazing!!! I suspect that Tennessee has lots of dirty laundry as well. If true, that does not make bama less guilty.
love this part.. "LSU - Death Valley. 1969-2000. Did I see goal posts come down with a victory over a soon to be 3-8 team? I think so. Again enough said. They hate us, as do the rest, but not because we hate them. But simply because they live in the shadow of something bigger and they know it. " i didn't run on the field because i hate bama, i ran on the field because a 30 year losing streak was broken. we live in the shadow of bama? who has more Nat. Championships in the last ten years?
