Is this the best Alabama team of all time? Paul Finebaum shares his thoughts
Only one year after a similar discussion was had about LSU following its national championship, the same conversations are starting about Alabama this season. Is this at least among the best teams of all time, or the best?
The dominance is unprecedented as the Crimson Tide became the first team to ever win 10 SEC games, and they’ve done it by at least 15 points in each win. With Florida on tap in the SEC Championship Game, it’s difficult to put an asterisk by this Alabama season, as some have across the country in general toward college football.
“We’re three games away and this team look unbeatable at this point at this particular moment in time,” SEC Network host Paul Finebaum said on his regular appearance on “The Roundtable” on WJOX 94.5 in Birmingham, Alabama. “You’d need a big fat dictionary and thesaurus, the kind we used to see at the library when we were kids that we don’t ever see anymore, to look up enough adjectives to describe. Yeah, they’re on a path right now, if they move through Florida and whoever else, by this type of margins, I think we would be negligent if we didn’t consider them either among the best of all time, or the best of all time.”
The term “best of all time” is overused. I remember in 2005 watching a series of ESPN shows asking whether USC was “the best of all time”, comparing one historically-great team to see if they measured up to 2005 each day for an entire 10 days leading up to the championship. USC wasn’t “the best of that year”, much less “the best of all time”.
With that said, LSU seems to have been “the best of all time”, but this year’s Bama squad is right there in the conversation.
They’re comparing the Bama team to other Bama teams. I agree that it’s impossible to really compare teams from different years but LSU has nothing to do with the comparison.
This one has to be way up there. Can’t make the claim until they actually win it all. Maybe it just recency bias, but this team looks as good as any they have ever had. No weaknesses anywhere at this time, even though their receiving corps took a hit earlier this season. Being the best Bama team ever would surely make you one of the best teams ever.
I’m as big a Bama fan as there ever has been, but I think it’s a little premature and early to start comparing this team among the best of all time. I reckon I’m comfortable saying one of the best “regular season” teams ever, but with the SEC Title game still a week away, and then having to win another two games in the playoffs in order to bring home the natty, we should pump the brakes and sit tight for another few weeks before suggesting this team may be the GOAT. We have played great so far this season and it’s been a blast to watch, but from here on out, each and every game we play,will be the biggest game of the year. But with that said, how scary is I that all this success has been without Jaylen Waddle.
How scary is *it* all this success is with Jaylen Waddle injured and sitting on the bench.
The Tua team that lost the NC game, had more talent, if you look at the NFL draft. I will say best offensive line Bama has ever had. The defense has come a long ways, but I still need to see them look good against a top tier QB.
I think the best O-line was 2012.
Boondock…I’m with you on the defense…I hope we do not give up too many big plays vs. Florida.
I think Waddle is back for the payoffs. If not the semis then the CG.
Personally I would just settle for best this year. The all time stuff is like comparing apples to Oranges. Like Bryant and Saban, Saban never had to coach 1 platoon football, and he actually got to play for his championships, Bryant had to play fewer games in a season, but for a good part had unlimited scholarships. You can compare different eras.
As most have said it is impossible to compare teams to past teams. Different players, circumstances, etc. With Covid, what this team has accomplished is remarkable. No serious outbreaks, playing every game. No cancellations due to Bama. Injury bug has been minimal. Waddle is the worst of course but only seemed to make the others better. There may have been better Bama defenses statistically but this one is about as complete a defense I have ever seen. Really playing at a high level across the board. Offensively will probably set records for almost every important stat. So best ever Bama team, maybe so. Best ever any team, maybe. Need to finish the season first.
etcjoe, Have to disagree about complete defense. This defense is slow to get to the QB. They do not have that elite pass rusher that scares OCs. It will rear it’s ugly head in the playoffs. BTW, Christian Harris has improved more than anyone on that defense from last year. Also, they should just bulk up 35 and make him a NT.