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Alabama Football: What time does Gus crank up the bus?

By Ronald Evans

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers talks with the officials during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers talks with the officials during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 2, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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For Alabama football fans and the Auburn faithful, the Iron Bowl is sacrosanct. For one man the game may be only an interlude.

My first and my forever college football allegiance has been and always will be the Crimson of Alabama football. In my head, I know fans of other schools (even Auburn) can feel the same sacred bond. My heart, though, does not understand. My heart swears being a Crimson Tide fan is an incomparable hallowed condition.

Either during or immediately at the end of the 82nd Iron Bowl, hearts will be broken. Tears will be shed. Agony will be shared. The pain will be real and it may linger for days or months or longer.

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Alabama football fans know of what I speak. I am still recovering from the1970 game when Johnny Musso, playing with bruised ribs, had to leave the game in the 4th quarter in too much pain to continue. He had fought for 221 painful yards. Auburn won 33-28.

I will not expound on other similar heart-crushing defeats. This format does not lend itself to longform and talking about 2010 alone could lead to a torrent of words – and emotion.

I agree with Nick Saban (I paraphrase Nick) that the pain of losing is stronger than the joy of winning. One fan base will share the pain of losing sometime Saturday evening down on the Plains. I don’t think it is a sacrilege to pray it is not ours.

Gus in No-Lose situation

Whatever the outcome of the Iron Bowl, one man will be just fine. Arthur Gustavo Malzahn is in a no-lose situation. If Auburn wins, Gus can dictate terms for an Auburn extension. If Alabama football prevails, Gus’ next Waffle House visit will be in another state. His home state of Arkansas will welcome him with open arms and a ‘Brinks’ truck full of money.

No doubt, Gus is a proud man who wants his team to win. He will say the right things after an Auburn loss. But I cannot help but think while he is consoling players, the ‘Gus Bus’ may be warming up right outside Jordan-Hare.

I suspect any remorse he feels will dissipate quickly. He has long chafed at the influence of Pat Dye. No one at Arkansas will try to tell him what assistant coaches to hire. The Hogs will gladly let Gus call plays for as long as he wishes, which is Gus’ case means forever. Not to mention, full-throated choruses of “Woo Pig, Sooie” and Gus seem made for each other.

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I hope during the game when Gus goes into one of his arms flailing, hurry-up frenzies, his bus driver does not get confused. The driver may mistake Gus’ manic behavior as a signal to crank up the bus. If they crank the ‘Gus Bus’ in the first quarter, there may not be enough gas to make it to Arkansas.

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