By Staff
Charles Prince, Sports Editor
As the crowd was filing out of JP Cain Stadium Friday night, after Hartselle won a come from behind thriller over Etowah, some folks described the win as "lucky."
Were the Tigers lucky?
Was it luck when Daniel Crowe stopped a punt from rolling into the end zone and downed the ball at the one-yard line?
I don't think so. First, I don't believe in luck. I have never told a coach "good luck" before an upcoming game.
I usually tell them I expect their team to play well, if I think they will.
I subscribe to the theory of some "old school" coaches who didn't believe in luck either.
Bear Bryant was famous for saying "luck follows speed." Attributing it all to talent.
Legendary Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson said, "You make your own luck during the week by what you do in practice." He didn't believe in luck either, he felt you worked for your so-called luck.
No, in my opinion the Tigers weren't lucky.
Crowe was hustling and made a great special teams play. Then Joe McClanahan and JD Glenn both made great plays to force a fumble and score the tying touchdown.
The Tigers work as hard as any team I've covered, and because they hustled and never gave up, they made their own luck against Etowah.
Hartselle (9-2) at Fairfield (10-1)
What I know about the Fairfield Tigers comes from talking with their coach and two writers who work for the Birmingham News.
Coach Vakakes extols his team's defense. It sounds like it's a good unit, but perhaps not as good as Etowah's.
The two writers I talked with both have seen Etowah and Fairfield play this season. Both told me they thought Etowah's defense was a little quicker than Fairfield's, and their offenses were about even in strength.
They also said they would favor Etowah if they played Fairfield, but each said they felt it would be a close game.
If the reports I have heard are true, the visiting Tigers have every right to expect to come out on top.
If Athens upsets Scottsboro this Friday, the Tigers will have one more home game, because the Tigers will win their second playoff game…
Hartselle Tigers 20, Fairfield Tigers 10
Auburn (10-0) at Alabama (6-4)
This appears to be a blow-out.
At least that's what everyone I hear discuss it says.
However, this being an in-state rivalry, and one of two or three best rivalries in the nation, I don't think it will be a rout.
The Tide will have a hard time sustaining long drives against the Tigers' defense.
But, the Crimson Tide defense should keep this game a lot closer than most people expect…War Eagle 20, Crimson Tide 17