Sports

What happened to the soul of Alabama football?

Published

1 year ago

September 17, 2023

What happened to the soul of Alabama football?

An argument could have been made before its 17-3 loss to Alabama Football on Saturday that South Florida was the worst team in the country.

That’s not a low blow or anything. There was compelling evidence.

A review of the sacrificial Bulls:

The last time South Florida defeated an FBS opponent was two seasons ago.

n 2022, the Bulls’ only victory of the season was against Howard. In 2021, South Florida went 2-11 with victories against Florida A&M and Temple. In 2020, South Florida was 1-8 with a win against The Citadel.

South Florida opened this season with a 41-24 loss to Western Kentucky and then struggled last week in a victory against Florida A&M.

That’s five total victories since the pandemic and three of them were against teams in a lower division. In ancient days, when the Greeks sacrificed oxen to the gods, South Florida’s football program might have been described as a hecatomb of the horrendous.

Alabama was tied with that team 3-3 at halftime.

If you came here looking for answers to explain exactly what’s wrong with Alabama football these days, then I got nothing for you. There is no way to explain this mess in rational words. Someone please find the thief who stole Alabama’s soul this offseason. Alabama is supposed to have more blue chip NFL prospects than any team in the country. This team’s offense looks helpless and confused like someone who took the bus to work and then forgot where they parked at the end of the day.

I’ll just go ahead and say the thing out loud that everyone is thinking. It’s starting to look like the beginning of the end for Nick Saban’s time at Alabama. He’ll go out on his own terms, surely, but for the first time since he’s been back in college Saban’s team resembles one of the joyless groups of pros he coached in Miami.

It’s like the players in college are finally being paid like professionals and suddenly Saban is the clumsy magician unable to fool the children. In the end, Saban’s retirement will be the price college football pays for finally allowing the players to make money.

Saban noted after that game that he was proud of the way his players competed. In an odd way, that notion seems somehow discouraging after the game I just watched.

Maybe I’m being too cynical. Hopefully that’s the case. Certainly, though, something needs to change before next week’s home game against Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss. We all know that Kiffin has been dreaming of knocking Saban off his throne ever since Saban fired Kiffin before the 2017 national championship game.

Coincidentally, the 2017 title game was at the same venue where Alabama struggled against South Florida. Here’s a suggestion to Alabama’s schedule makers. Make every attempt to avoid that place in the future. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s a fun stadium with a pirate ship. For the Crimson Tide, Raymond James Stadium feels like cursed pirate treasure.

There will be questions about Alabama’s quarterback position going into the game against Ole Miss. From what we’ve seen, Jalen Milroe is clearly the best option going into conference play. At least Milroe moved the ball in the loss to Texas. Alabama’s offense against South Florida was nonexistent and quarterbacks Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson felt like they were one hit away from a serious injury. Why is Alabama’s offensive line performing so badly? It’s inexplicable.

How bad was Alabama’s offense against South Florida? Buchner and Simpson combined to throw for 107 yards. Keep in mind that South Florida’s defense allowed Florida A&M quarterback Jeremy Moussa to throw for 374 yards last week.

Saban’s decision to bench Milroe for Buchner made a lot of sense. Now was the time to see the other quarterbacks in action. Either Buchner was the answer, or he wasn’t. Saban pulled the cord on the parachute pretty quick.

Next up was former third-string quarterback Simpson. Why was Simpson the second choice this week? Saban said at halftime that “Ty was the guy who practiced the best as a backup quarterback.”

That comment suggests that Milroe was dogging it in practice after his uneven performance against Texas. If so, add that concerning problem to the growing pile of all the rest.

This is no national champion contender. At least that much is clear three weeks into the season. Alabama was supposed to be angry about what happened in 2022, but I don’t even know if this team is good enough to make a bowl game. Saban’s team started the season ranked No.4 in the AP Poll. It was all based on reputation. The Tide then dropped to No.10 after the loss to Texas. It should drop out of the Top 25 after the game against South Florida.

It was a win in name only. It was showing up to sacrifice a bull and instead catching a horn to the heart.

Related Topics:alabama football.sports Featured

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Sports

Oleksandr Usyk Defeats Tyson Fury Again, Solidifies Legacy Among Boxing Greats

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Oleksandr Usyk Defeats Tyson Fury Again, Solidifies Legacy Among Boxing Greats

Ukrainian boxing sensation Oleksandr Usyk retained his heavyweight championship titles and cemented his place in boxing history with a unanimous decision victory over Britain’s Tyson Fury in their rematch on Saturday night.

The judges scored the bout 116-112 in Usyk’s favor across the board, marking his second consecutive win over Fury. This victory extended Usyk’s flawless professional record to 23-0, with 14 knockouts, adding another chapter to a career already highlighted by Olympic gold and an undisputed cruiserweight championship.

A Masterclass Performance

Usyk, 37, showcased his signature precision and relentless pace, repeatedly catching Fury with clean left hooks and dominating the latter stages of the fight. Fury, at 6ft 9in (206cm) and weighing a career-high 281 pounds, attempted to impose his physicality but was unable to break Usyk’s composure.

The fight, held in Saudi Arabia, saw Usyk wearing traditional Cossack attire during his entrance, while Fury entered the arena dressed in a festive Santa-inspired robe to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

The early rounds were competitive, with Fury landing powerful jabs and body shots. However, Usyk’s endurance and tactical brilliance began to shine in the middle rounds. The Ukrainian landed sharp combinations and dictated the tempo, including a stunning uppercut in the final round that left little doubt about the outcome.

“I thought I’ve won both fights,” Fury said post-match, sporting a bruised right eye. “But I’ll always believe until the day I die that I won that fight.”

A Legacy Sealed

Usyk’s victory solidified his standing as one of the greatest heavyweights in history. Already the first undisputed heavyweight of the four-belt era, Usyk joins the ranks of legends like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and Mike Tyson.

The bout, reported to have a prize purse of $190 million, also underscored Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in global sports. Usyk, who served briefly as a soldier during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, celebrated his victory by hoisting a symbolic sabre belonging to Ukrainian nationalist hero Ivan Mazepa.

Fury’s Uncertain Future

The defeat leaves Fury’s future in doubt. Once unbeaten across 35 fights, Fury now stands at 34-2-1. His attempt to reclaim glory after a brief retirement in 2022 has been marred by back-to-back losses to Usyk.

Usyk, on the other hand, continues to add to his already remarkable resume, leaving fans and critics alike in awe of his technical skill, resilience, and determination. As the heavyweight division looks ahead, Usyk’s reign appears unshakable, and his place among boxing’s all-time greats is firmly secured.

Sports

Lille Netted Just €7M from Osimhen’s €70M Napoli Move, Club President Reveals”

Published

4 days ago

December 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Lille Netted Just €7M from Osimhen’s €70M Napoli Move, Club President Reveals”

Lille’s financial gain from Victor Osimhen’s high-profile 2020 transfer to Napoli was far less than expected, with the French club earning only €7 million despite the deal being valued at over €70 million. The shocking revelation was made by Lille’s President, Olivier Letang, who explained that the €7 million figure was the net result after factoring in the purchase price of Osimhen, four Napoli players who never played for Lille, and various intermediary fees and commissions.

“The net amount, after accounting for the player’s purchase, four players valued at €20 million who never featured for us, as well as intermediaries and commissions, was around €7 million,” Letang told L’Equipe TV.

This disclosure comes amid ongoing investigations by both Italian and French authorities into the circumstances surrounding the transfer, though Napoli has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Napoli’s legal team highlighted the club’s clean record, with lawyer Mattia Grassani emphasizing that the club had been acquitted after facing scrutiny from multiple judicial levels.

Letang, who took over as Lille’s President months after Osimhen’s departure, has now shed light on the intricate financial details behind the deal that saw Osimhen move to Italy. The striker’s move to Napoli would become a pivotal moment in his career, propelling him to stardom and helping Napoli secure their first Serie A title in 33 years.

Born in the tough environment of Lagos’ Olusosun community, Osimhen’s rise to prominence began at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot with a record-breaking 10 goals. After stints at Wolfsburg in Germany and Charleroi in Belgium, Osimhen’s impressive performances at Lille led to his transfer to Napoli, where he went on to score 76 goals in 133 appearances. In 2023, he helped Napoli end their long wait for the Serie A title, earning the Serie A Golden Boot and breaking records, including becoming the highest-scoring African in Serie A history.

Currently on loan at Turkish giants Galatasaray, Osimhen has continued his impressive form, with 10 goals and five assists in just 14 appearances. Though contracted to Napoli until 2026, his future remains uncertain, as his contract includes clauses that could facilitate a permanent departure either in January or the summer. The details of his transfer and the shifting dynamics between player and club add another layer to the complex and ongoing saga of Osimhen’s career.

Sports

Controversy in Morocco as Lookman Beats Hakimi to African Player of the Year Award

Published

4 days ago

December 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Controversy in Morocco as Lookman Beats Hakimi to African Player of the Year Award

Moroccan football enthusiasts have expressed disappointment following Atlas Lions captain Achraf Hakimi’s loss in the race for the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award.

Atalanta’s Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman clinched the prestigious title during the CAF Awards ceremony held in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday evening. Lookman’s achievement sees him succeed compatriot Victor Osimhen, marking consecutive wins for Nigeria in the category.

Lookman’s stellar performances in 2024 made a compelling case for his selection. He played a pivotal role in Atalanta’s historic Europa League triumph, notably scoring a remarkable hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in the final—the Italian club’s first-ever European title. Additionally, the 27-year-old was instrumental in Nigeria’s journey to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, contributing three goals and an assist, and earning a spot in the official Team of the Tournament.

Speculation leading up to the awards had suggested that Hakimi was the favorite for the accolade, given his outstanding contributions to both the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain throughout the year. Reports from Moroccan and French media fueled expectations of a Hakimi win, only for Lookman to be announced as the victor.

The decision has drawn criticism from Moroccan football analysts and fans. Tawfiq Al-Sanhaji, a prominent sports commentator, told 365scores: “It is a great regret for all Moroccan fans, and for all those who follow football in Morocco, because Achraf Hakimi presented distinguished levels throughout the year with the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain.”

Another sports analyst, Abdel Salam Kourahi, suggested potential internal politics within the Confederation of African Football (CAF) might have influenced the outcome. He remarked, “Perhaps there were understandings, calculations, and divisions within CAF that tipped the scales in favor of the Nigerian over the Moroccan international at the last minute.”

Some fans also pointed to past decisions by CAF, noting that Yassine Bounou, a key player in Sevilla’s Europa League victories in 2020 and 2023, was similarly overlooked for the award.

Lookman’s victory represents a milestone for Nigerian football. It is the first time in three decades that the nation has produced back-to-back winners of the African Player of the Year award, harking back to the consecutive victories of Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

While Lookman’s achievements are undeniably remarkable, the debate over the decision underscores the intense passion and pride that the African Player of the Year award evokes across the continent.