Come January 7, either the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be hoisting the championships trophy in the middle of Sun Life Stadium. For local sports fans, either way it will be a stomach churning affair. Could there have been a more nightmarish mashup for fans of the two teams that call the stadium home during the final year that Miami hosts the BCS Championship Game under the current rotation?
For the third time in four years, the Crimson Tide will get a chance to take home the championship. The last time a team even came close to such an era of dominance? The Miami Hurricanes, who finished atop the AP poll three times within five seasons between '87 and '91.
Of course, that's a minor quibble compared to the history of Alabama coach Nick Saban and the Dolphins. Saban of course is still regarded as the great Benedict Arnold of Miami sportsdom for promising he'd never leave his position as the Dolphins head coach pretty much up until he started packing his bags to take the Alabama job. Not that the guy was exactly the greatest Dolphins coach, but his departure further ensured the frustrating instability that have plagued the Fins in their post-Marino years.
Then of course there's Notre Dame. The sole reason the Hurricanes did not rack up four national championships in that '87-'91 span. The other half of the historically heated "Catholics vs. Convicts" rivalry. And it hurts so much that that rivalry returned to the schedules this year, only to have the 'Canes play the roles of just another patsy the Irish rolled through in their return to national prominence.
This matchup leaves us with no opportunity to even have a casual rooting interest. Worst still is the fact we'll have to spend an entire weekend surrounded by these team's fans. The only good news is that there's intense interest in the game, which should lead to a local economic windfall. That's fine. Just leave the money on the nightstand next to the whiskey, and no kissing on the mouth.
Don't even remind us that FSU is playing in the Orange Bowl. It's too much to take in all at once. Go Norther Illinois?
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