This is an opinion column.

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These days, college football is a tough sell.

Let’s start there before we tackle Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne.

It’s been a rough few days for Byrne and Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide are losing more players to the transfer portal than they are taking in and rival Auburn is making serious moves.

And LSU.

And Tennessee and Texas too.

In the NFL, they have free agency. College football, on the other hand, is all about “gate fighting.” It’s a bit like the old Mortal Kombat video game, but with a lot more blood and a lot fewer rules.

And Alabama, according to Byrne, is losing the battle.

“Fight you” Byrne pleaded with fans Wednesday in a letter that likely did more harm than good.

But it’s the holiday season, Greg, and college football, well, it’s not what it used to be.

Is it better? Is it worse? Is it broken? This is all subject to debate. Well-heeled teams like SMU, Texas A&M, Auburn and Oregon, for example, are taking advantage of this new game of chaos very well.

But Alabama is apparently poor.

In this new world of college football, the players have all the power. For schools like Alabama, the old game was a lot more fun.

Alabama wants the transfer portal to be reduced to once a year so DeBoer and Co. can maintain a competitive roster. But should the rules really be changed so Alabama can stay on top? I’m not sure Oregon, Ohio State, and Texas will agree to this anytime soon.

What happened? Where did all the money go, Greg? Isn’t Roll Tide Willie giving enough in the fight?

Byrne’s brainchild of NIL is called Yea! Alabama. I encourage all Alabama fans to visit the website and pay. Byrne even retails online. Fans can shell out $175 for one “performance polo shirt for young people. »

No joke, $175 for kids’ clothing to pay a player who might just leave after spring training. That’s the plan.

That’s a tough ask and that’s a lot of chicken for three points against Oklahoma and a loss to Vanderbilt.

Roll Tide Willie asks a reasonable question. Why give money to football players like Iron Bowl hero Isaiah Bond when they’re just going to move to Texas? Why bother paying players like Caleb Downs when they’re just going to go to Ohio State?

Alabama had plenty of money to pay Nick Saban, and apparently they’re still paying him too. But for Saban’s former players, Byrne is passing the hat around and begging fans to buy reader podcast subscriptions.

It’s pathetic.

Look, podcasts are cute and all, but really, the only content Alabama fans want from their football team is more national championships.

Here’s an idea. Maybe pay the coaches and administrators less and the players more. Byrne and his PR team are clearly out of ideas and DeBoer, for all his wins in Washington with quarterback Michael Penix, doesn’t really strike me as the kind of guy who can walk into a room and ask the southerners to donate millions of dollars. .

However, Auburn’s Hugh Freeze is definitely that guy.

When the transfer portal opened, I knew Auburn and Freeze were going to make some noise. However, no one was prepared for Alabama’s embarrassing response. Byrne makes the Crimson Tide look desperate.

Is it really that bad?

If it helps, I will gladly use this column to help Alabama raise funds. Donate to the cause, Alabama fans. Buy a $299 soccer ball autographed by DeBoer. No doubt this will be a rare collector’s item in a few years.

BE HEARD

Do you have a question for Joe? Want to get something off your chest? Send Joe an email about what you think. Make your voice heard. Ask him anything.

Joseph Goodman is the leading sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group and author of the book “We want Bama: a season of hope and the creation of Nick Saban’s ultimate team.”