Coach Nick Saban agreed to stage a college football scrimmage against the undefeated Utah Utes Friday night in order to give the Youngs and McDonalds an excuse for fun.
With Dena needing something to occupy her mind quietly at home while recovering from Nyquil-induced loopiness, Dona and Joe contacted the University of Alabama's recently crowned Coach of the Year about the possibility of a season-ending matchup of two highly successful yet lightly regarded teams. Saban immediately embraced the idea, working quickly with Utah administration, the NCAA, Fox Television, and about 100,000 fans to arrange three hours of something resembling football.
"This game isn't about winning," said Saban, who suspended a key offensive lineman, talked several players into "injury" breaks, and set up a clownish game plan featuring shaky-footed Leigh Kiffin trying 50-yard field goals, defenders making fake tackles, and an offense consisting mainly of John Parker Wilson running away from five unblocked defensive linemen. "It's about chips and dip in Goodfield. Period." Nonetheless, Saban at times appeared genuinely angry about something, likely the humor of the commentators coming through his headset.
The images of the game fit nicely onto the Youngs' old and brand-spanking-new televisions. Each T.V. hosted the game for one half, with a halftime ceremony disconnecting the old T.V. for reassignment as a downstairs game screen. Meanwhile, amidst the smell of freshly cleaned carpets and the joyful cries of Utah fans, the family focused on the brighter side of Crimson Tide life, with topics such as hometowns and ages of Alabama players, movie analyses, home improvement, Wii, Facebook, local sports, rednecks teaching mules to drag logs through the forest, and puppies.
After watching the Tide's performance, the Youngs changed the channel to the Tonight Show with Robin Williams as guest, in order to see something less comical.
The success of the event, named the "Sugar Bowl" by Lane since the idea was so "sweet," prompted speculation of a future one involving the NFL. Although the scrimmage atmosphere of Friday's game was amusing, the new concept would add excitement by pitting two teams against each other for the title of world champion. "That'd be super," Troy noted.
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