Which Alabama Football Player Will Have Most Impact in Super Bowl 51
By Ronald Evans
Courtney Upshaw – Linebacker, Atlanta Falcons
Courtney Upshaw will be remembered as one of Alabama’s great players. He was the Defensive MVP for the Tide in the 2012 BCS National Championship game. Upshaw will always be known for his comment during the Championship Game celebration when he told teammate Mark Barron “touch that thang fo.”
Courtney simply wanted Barron to get his hands on the trophy. Many media wizards interpreted Courtney’s vernacular “fo” not as the number four but as “folk”. Conjecture spread as to the meaning of Courtney’s exhortation “touch that thing folk.” All Upshaw was doing was telling his friend and teammate #4, Mark Barron to touch the trophy.
Courtney Upshaw does not gain the notoriety of Jones and Hightower. He is listed as a linebacker for the Falcons, but he plays mostly with his hand down. The Patriots cannot afford to let an unimpeded Upshaw and his 272 lbs. get a shot at Brady. One shot might be all it would take to determine the outcome of Super Bowl 51.
Take a look at Upshaw as a Baltimore Raven, bringing the wood to Ben Roethlisberger:
I don’t see Tom Brady surviving that kind of punishment. Any such lick would assure Courtney Upshaw being the former Tider with the greatest impact in Super Bowl 51.