The wizard behind the Crimson Tide’s curtain of BS was revealed the week before the 2009 Iron Bowl. Former University of Alabama sports information director Wayne Atcheson admitted to the Birmingham News that in the mid-1980s he invented the claim to five pre-Bear Bryant national championships using the same sort of statistical end-arounds that would earn Auburn a claim to, like, five of its own. It’s old news.
Still, it’s nice to be reminded.
That’s the 1983 Alabama media guide—the first Atcheson put out. National championships listed? Six. Three years later, they had 11. Roll Damn Tide.
Photo via @SkyeUnderwood.
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Whatever helps them sleep at night. The funny part is he convinced a whole administration to go along with it. Institution of higher learning indeed. Roll Updyke.
BartC co95, maybe Atcheson didn’t get the administration to go along with it., and they just ignored it…can you say “lack of institutional control?”
Michael Val
(who offers the above as a JOKE only)
Haha well that still means we got 6 more than you and 15 more sec titles
Yes, congrats, but at least Auburn can count.
Thank you, Deathscythe…you made me literally LOL!!
Most if not all of those statistics Mr. Atcheson is referencing belong to coach Bear Bryant including the 6 national titles. (so I’m fairly certain these stats were not cumulative since Alabama football’s conception)