Yesterday afternoon the Alabama Crimson Tide went to Nashville and destroyed the Vanderbilt Commodores 59- 0. It should have been 66- 0, but Coach Nick Saban directed his team on the final drive to show the hapless Commodores mercy by having his backup quarterback, Toa Tagovailoa (Gonna have to get used to spelling that!), take a knee three times after the Tide made it down to the three yard- line with just over three minutes left to play.
Now, I get sportsmanship. Really, I do. And there's not much to be gained in the court of public opinion by scoring another easy TD against a team that sucked as hard as Vanderbilt did yesterday. They were already humiliated, especially after a few of their players had made the mistake of trash talking Alabama the week before after Vandy upset Kansas.
But in the long run which is more humiliating to an opponent: showing "mercy" by taking a knee three times until time expires or continuing to take it to him and giving him the opportunity to maybe, just maybe, accomplish something dignified at the end of the game? A recovered fumble? A ninety plus yard kickoff return after Alabama scores so that Vandy at least gets on the board? A Hail Mary as time expires that gets them some points at home? I mean, it's football. Stuff like that can happen.
The thing is, Alabama had already been showing Vandy mercy. The second and third string played the entire second half after Alabama's opening drive. After their last score, they were only calling running plays and running clock, again trying to give Vandy a break.
And then the Tide broke through and ended up on the Vandy three yard line with over three minutes to go. In all seriousness, what the Hell was Saban supposed to do to give Vandy a chance at this point? Big Al, the Alabama mascot, was wearing a jersey? Should Saban have put him in at quarterback, overstuffed cartoon head and all? Maybe replaced the offensive lineman with cheerleaders?
In my opinion, Saban should have let his players play. They could have kept tinning the clock, but they should have run it straight up the middle at Vandy each time instead of taking a knee and given the Commodores a chance to make a goal line stand against the number 1 team in the country. If they could have held back the Tide from scoring over 60 points on them on their home field, then at least they would have earned it. And if the Tide had scored (which, to be honest, they probably would have) then Vandy would have gotten the ball back with at least some time on the clock to try to make one of the aforementioned "miracle" plays to get on the scoreboard.
I get the other side of the argument. I just think we as a society lose a little something every time people are held back from doing their best. That includes striving to the best of your ability in the face of certain defeat. Bama taking a knee three times robbed the Commodores of that.
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