Iron Bowl set to become 'perfect' rivalry

[Maverick.AU 13,287]

In recent years, In Magazines or articles, if the IB is not #1 it always usually #3 behind Army v Navy and Michigan v OSU. I think Army v Navy is a great game, but as far as having true hatred, intensity, and despising your rival, no, not to mention that the stakes for those games are just for bragging right between the academies. As for as Michigan v OSU goes, I have met multiple people from big ten country and fans from both schools. They all say, while their rivalry is intense, its nothing compared to us lol

[war eagle6 0]

The crazy bammers is what makes this rivalry special!

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,992]

If you take out the Alabama wins of the past 10 years, this rivalry features no blowouts

People don't like blowouts

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,992]

Now the Iron Bowl is a hated rivalry without a doubt. Pefect may be up for discussion. In my opinion the Auburn vs Georgia game is one of the most perfect rivalries I can think of because of it's endurance and equality. You almost never know how the game will end.

That logic is fair.

The AU-LSU rivalry of the '00s was as good as it's gotten for me. We traded wins every year from 2000-2007. 5 straight games decided by a touchdown or less from 2004-2008. The SEC West on the line every year. Duval and their band. All the other "weird" stuff that I don't have to get into. Kenny Irons going for 200+ in Red Stick. And the 2006 AU-LSU game was the best football game I've ever seen. In fact, I dare say we won't be seeing 2 defenses like that square off again anytime soon, if ever.

That all said, the Iron Bowl has the potential to absolutely blow that away in the next few years, in terms of intensity (a given), quality and high stakes.

About the defenses, we already have 2011 UA vs LSU

[CJBas 4]

I am afraid that things are about to change. I firmly believe that without Chizic's interference CGM would have already ended little nick's run This year AU will win again in Jordan-Hare West. The problem with the fan base from T-town is they think they are owed the wins every year and they will run off nick if he loses two in a row to Gus.WDE

I don't think 2 losses to Auburn in a row would be lethal to Saban in the eyes of the big monied people, and those are the only ones that count. 3 in a row, however, would put him in the hot seat, and 4 would be pink slip time.

Since I think Saban already pans to leave after the 16 season, giving him 10 years there and vested in the RSA. With what he's accomplished already for them 3 in a row might not be lethal had he not built us a god like aura around himself. When a little god's feet start to crubmle it's curtains for him.

What a lot of people also don't seem to want to remember is that the reason Saban has been able to recruit so well is because his lovin buddy connection with the NCAA assures he can cheat with impunity. His successor might not have such privileges, especially if that successor is Lane Kiffen. Saban may have hired him as insurance. "Get rid of me and this will be who you're stuck with." That'll insure his 10 year tenure no matter what.

[CJBas 4]

If you take out the Alabama wins of the past 10 years, this rivalry features no blowouts

People don't like blowouts

TV viewers change channels. And that counts for more than anything else. You're right. And now that cable/satellite services can tell how many sets are tuned to any channel at any given moment (and not just how many were there when the show started as it used to be), blowouts are not welcome.

[CJBas 4]

Now the Iron Bowl is a hated rivalry without a doubt. Pefect may be up for discussion. In my opinion the Auburn vs Georgia game is one of the most perfect rivalries I can think of because of it's endurance and equality. You almost never know how the game will end.

That logic is fair.

The AU-LSU rivalry of the '00s was as good as it's gotten for me. We traded wins every year from 2000-2007. 5 straight games decided by a touchdown or less from 2004-2008. The SEC West on the line every year. Duval and their band. All the other "weird" stuff that I don't have to get into. Kenny Irons going for 200+ in Red Stick. And the 2006 AU-LSU game was the best football game I've ever seen. In fact, I dare say we won't be seeing 2 defenses like that square off again anytime soon, if ever.

That all said, the Iron Bowl has the potential to absolutely blow that away in the next few years, in terms of intensity (a given), quality and high stakes.

About the defenses, we already have 2011 UA vs LSU

The strike against Auburn/LSU as a rivalry is that they simply haven't played regularly for all that long; only since the SEC split into divisions. Prior to that they rarely played one another. the same with Auburn and Ole Miss, whereas Auburn and Miss St have played nearly every year for over 100 years, much like GA.

And I think to count as a great rivalry, the teams need to have played regularly for generations, not just a few decades or less. bamas claim the AL/ND series, what little there is of it, is a great rivalry. It isn't.

Aubrn/georgia is about as perfect as a rivalry gets. With everything that's already been said about it, we rarely really hate one another. It usually been more like a pair of country cousins getting for a big family reunion and cookout and a brawl where last man standing wins. then we'd all laugh about it, slap each other on the back, and swear we couldn't wait til next year when we'd all do it again at their place.

[The lions roar 119]

I am afraid that things are about to change. I firmly believe that without Chizic's interference CGM would have already ended little nick's run This year AU will win again in Jordan-Hare West. The problem with the fan base from T-town is they think they are owed the wins every year and they will run off nick if he loses two in a row to Gus.WDE

I don't think 2 losses to Auburn in a row would be lethal to Saban in the eyes of the big monied people, and those are the only ones that count. 3 in a row, however, would put him in the hot seat, and 4 would be pink slip time.

Since I think Saban already pans to leave after the 16 season, giving him 10 years there and vested in the RSA. With what he's accomplished already for them 3 in a row might not be lethal had he not built us a god like aura around himself. When a little god's feet start to crubmle it's curtains for him.

What a lot of people also don't seem to want to remember is that the reason Saban has been able to recruit so well is because his lovin buddy connection with the NCAA assures he can cheat with impunity. His successor might not have such privileges, especially if that successor is Lane Kiffen. Saban may have hired him as insurance. "Get rid of me and this will be who you're stuck with." That'll insure his 10 year tenure no matter what.

I have a better chance of being named Bama head coach than Kiffen. If they lose 2 iron bowls with Kiffen, he will most certainly be the sacrificial lamb. He is a time bomb ready to explode if things don't go like they have gone in the past with Saban.

[quietfan 233]

The Iron Bowl has long held the crown of "Best Rivalry" in my book, and the fact that there are a few idiots in other parts of the country that won't acknowledged it will never change my opinion!

I think more often than not, at least one of the teams was highly ranked (i.e., Top 10), and frequently both have been ranked Top 20-25.

This year, of course, it does have the potential to be Unbeaten vs. Unbeaten, first time since 1971 if I remember correctly, and possible 2nd time ever. (Can't recall if Bama had a loss coming into IB 1993...nor any IB specifics from days of yore preceding Jordan & Bryant. Anyone??? )

[Rednilla 5,439]

Funny that FSU-Miami has been mentioned, but FSU-Florida hasn't, because the 90s version of that rivalry has always been the standard of year in and year out excellence on both sides for me. From 1991 to 2000, FSU won 2 national titles and either outright won or shared 9 ACC championships, while Florida won 1 national title and 6 SEC championships. The fact that it is the last game of the season for each also brings the parallel a little closer...but in no way do I think the passion of the rivalry approaches that of the Iron Bowl.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,992]

Funny that FSU-Miami has been mentioned, but FSU-Florida hasn't, because the 90s version of that rivalry has always been the standard of year in and year out excellence on both sides for me. From 1991 to 2000, FSU won 2 national titles and either outright won or shared 9 ACC championships, while Florida won 1 national title and 6 SEC championships. The fact that it is the last game of the season for each also brings the parallel a little closer...but in no way do I think the passion of the rivalry approaches that of the Iron Bowl.

Florida is so ahead of FSU in that rivalry I don't think FSU could ever really come back, but they have the attitude like their leading over UF. The second most successful SEC team of the past decade vs the most successful ACC team is pretty nice to have

[AU64 10,122]

The Iron Bowl has long held the crown of "Best Rivalry" in my book, and the fact that there are a few idiots in other parts of the country that won't acknowledged it will never change my opinion!

I think more often than not, at least one of the teams was highly ranked (i.e., Top 10), and frequently both have been ranked Top 20-25.

This year, of course, it does have the potential to be Unbeaten vs. Unbeaten, first time since 1971 if I remember correctly, and possible 2nd time ever. (Can't recall if Bama had a loss coming into IB 1993...nor any IB specifics from days of yore preceding Jordan & Bryant. Anyone??? )

I don't know for certain but I think some of the idiots live in the state of Alabama don't they?

Not that long ago during Tubs time here and in the process of winning one for the thumb that many bammers were saying AU was not really their rival......, that the Tennessee game was their major rival.

So I guess AU will be a major rival for Bama until AU gets the upper hand in the series...and then the AU game will cease to be important to the bammers.

[FHeal 4]

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would involve good-natured competition between two morally upright teams and fan bases... and I only see one.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not involve people shooting other people... for them not being distraught enough in defeat.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not have a Danny Sheraton... nor Harvey Updike... nor any teabagging going on.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not involve one team creatively claiming any number of championship wins.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not have two criteria of rules from it's governing body.... one for the rival and another for everyone else.

THIS IS ANOTHER TYPE.... and FAR FROM PERFECT ( maybe in a hundred years we'll have one with Texas A&M )

[AU64 10,122]

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would involve good-natured competition between two morally upright teams and fan bases... and I only see one.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not involve people shooting other people... for them not being distraught enough in defeat.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not have a Danny Sheraton... nor Harvey Updike... nor any teabagging going on.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not involve one team creatively claiming any number of championship wins.

A Perfect Rivalry ...

... would not have two criteria of rules from it's governing body.... one for the rival and another for everyone else.

THIS IS ANOTHER TYPE.... and FAR FROM PERFECT ( maybe in a hundred years we'll have one with Texas A&M )

Have to agree with this...the UGa series was close to a perfect rivalry for years...mutual respect and good games but I'm afraid that's on the way out too. Maybe in this day of multimillion dollar coaches and semi-professional players the mutual respect angle is a thing of the past.

[weagl1 1,796]

I don't know that it his the perfect rivalry but it is certainly the most intense rivalry in all of sports. After what happened this year I would be willing to bet it will be the most watched CFB game in the country next year and it won't even be close in the ratings.

[AUbritt 611]

There's a distinction to be made, I think, between a perfect rivalry from the perspective of a fan of one of the teams involved and a perfect rivalry from an outside perspective. I think the author of the original article was speaking from an outside perspective. Part of the appeal from an outside perspective is having a bad guy and a good guy (it just makes things easier to get a handle on). Last year, we became the good guy for most of the outsiders, in part because most of them wanted to see Bama not 3-peat. I'm fine with that. If their interest in the Iron Bowl grows, they'll learn more and more that they were right to choose Auburn as the good guy.

Georgia used to be the perfect rivalry (from an inside perspective). Now, it's almost as much of a hatefest as the Iron Bowl. Sad.

[McLoofus 35,182]

There's a distinction to be made, I think, between a perfect rivalry from the perspective of a fan of one of the teams involved and a perfect rivalry from an outside perspective. I think the author of the original article was speaking from an outside perspective. Part of the appeal from an outside perspective is having a bad guy and a good guy (it just makes things easier to get a handle on). Last year, we became the good guy for most of the outsiders, in part because most of them wanted to see Bama not 3-peat. I'm fine with that. If their interest in the Iron Bowl grows, they'll learn more and more that they were right to choose Auburn as the good guy.

Georgia used to be the perfect rivalry (from an inside perspective). Now, it's almost as much of a hatefest as the Iron Bowl. Sad.

Ball, meet the outside of the park.

[FHeal 4]

There's a distinction to be made, I think, between a perfect rivalry from the perspective of a fan of one of the teams involved and a perfect rivalry from an outside perspective. I think the author of the original article was speaking from an outside perspective. Part of the appeal from an outside perspective is having a bad guy and a good guy (it just makes things easier to get a handle on). Last year, we became the good guy for most of the outsiders, in part because most of them wanted to see Bama not 3-peat. I'm fine with that. If their interest in the Iron Bowl grows, they'll learn more and more that they were right to choose Auburn as the good guy.

Georgia used to be the perfect rivalry (from an inside perspective). Now, it's almost as much of a hatefest as the Iron Bowl. Sad.

Ball, meet the outside of the park.