In a world devoid of context and comprehension skills, we get the latest "college football beef" between Alabama's Ryan Williams and Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia.
A viral clip of Williams discussing last season's loss to Vanderbilt with Jon Gruden has made the rounds. Williams is heard saying that in a rematch against the Commodores, the Tide will be "killing an ant with a sledgehammer."
That quote came in reference to Gruden asking what happened in last season's loss to Vanderbilt, the first Tide defeat at the hands of the 'Dores in 40 years. Of course, context is being ignored. Williams spent the first part of the clip giving Vanderbilt credit for winning the game. And his quote about the sledgehammer and ant was not directly in reference to Vanderbilt, but in reference to Alabama's mentality against the three teams that beat them in the regular season and the season as a whole.
Williams' quote is about Alabama not taking anything for granted next season. Killing an ant with a sledgehammer is an obvious metaphor for doing much more than is needed to accomplish a task. Last season, the Tide played down to its competition and didn't take everyone as seriously as was necessary.
That's why they lost to Vanderbilt one week after beating No. 1 Georgia in Tuscaloosa. They are determined not to let that happen again.
Of course, that context isn't as fun as pretending Williams was comparing Vanderbilt - a consistent SEC bottom-feeder - to an ant. Because it's June and the national media has nothing better to do or write about than to drum up faux-outrage. It makes for a good story and drives clicks. It's also just not reality.
Diego Pavia responds to Ryan Williams on social media
The Williams quote/clip made its way to Vanderbilt's locker room, and outspoken QB Diego Pavia was obviously going to have a response. And in defense of Pavia, his response is understandable. The clip was taken out of context by the media, and he's just running with what he's seeing from them.
Vanderbilt's win over Alabama last season, no matter how statistically improbable, has emboldened Pavia and his fellow Commodores to be able to talk smack to big, bad Alabama. That is nobody's fault but the Crimson Tide's.
That loss should never have happened. If it didn't, this isn't a conversation because Williams isn't asked the question that led to the controversial quote.
A war of words with Vanderbilt is, quite frankly, embarrassing for Alabama. They earned the win last season and deserve to continue to celebrate it. When you beat a team once every four decades, you have to stop and smell the roses.
Williams and Alabama's best course of action is to say nothing. Take a page from the handbook of the 2017 Crimson Tide, which responded to misguided Vanderbilt trash talk with an emphatic win in Nashville.