starting around 1995, bama was an up and down program.
95 and 96 weren't bad, but not like the previous few years either, going 8-3 and 10-3 respectively.
97 the was some foreshadowing of things to come, went 4-7.
98 was slight recovery and moving in right direction, went 7-5.
99 was a return to great team, went 10-3 with a loss in orange to mich in epic ot game (tom brady final college game).
00 was when wheels really fell off, going 3-8 after start season ranked #3. also the year the infractions case first came out.
01 was small recovery to 7-5 but also go hit with sanctions right after the season.
02 we thought we'd weathered the storm, had a new coach going in right direction and went 10-3.
03 was the culmination of epic failures leading to this point. francione bolts for aTm right after season after pleading for players to stick around. in middle of some of the most harsh ncaa penalties. hire coach price who promptly gets himself fired with the whole prostitute "it's rolling baby" scandal, then we hire no experience hc mike shula in summer of 03 just to clean us up. not really even to bring us back, just don't make us look like fools we have been the last decade+. and in that, he did an admirable job. we went 4-9 his first year, though. was rough.
04 went 6-6.
05 went 10-2 and we thought shula might be more than just a coach to clean us up. lost to lsu in ot and fell apart following that to lose to au as well. those 10 wins were later vacated because some players got some extra textbooks or something for their girlfriends, though.
06, shula final year, went 6-7 with loss in bowl game. shula was fired and saban hired. at the time, i didn't think we needed to fire shula, mainly cause i didn't think we would be able to get a coach like saban. but mal moore managed to get him. almost forgotten, we had rich rodriguez all but hired. last second he changes his mind (rumors that saban indicated he'd take it if we waited and so we told rich rod no, but i don't know about that).
rest is saban. i thought we'd be back one day, and maybe even soon. but i thought back meant winning 10 +/- most years with occasional 8 win bad season and 12 win great season with maybe a title every 10-15 years. what we've had has been amazing and historical. i don't think in my most optimistic dreams did i think we'd be on a run like this. didn't think it was possible for anyone. thought carroll's usc was peak one could reach. it's been fun.
