Alabama football’s 2024 season is the subject of a new Fox Nation documentary, ‘The Tides That Bind: Inside Alabama football.’ The six-episode series on the premium streaming platform debuted on Wednesday with an episode called ‘Faith’ that revolved around the Crimson Tide’s preparation for last September’s Week 4 home clash against Georgia, and the spiritual impact of the program on both the players and fan base. Subsequent episodes will be made available on Wednesdays over the next six weeks. A few observations from the first episode:
Kalen DeBoer’s rare curse word
It’s well-known that head coach Kalen DeBoer doesn’t curse like his predecessor, Nick Saban, if at all. Apparently, that includes even the mildest of curses. In firing the team up before it took the field against Georgia, DeBoer said “We’re tough as hell,” resulting in some smiles among players who appreciated his momentary lapse of decorum. It was a light moment amid a high-pressure scene, with the Crimson Tide psyching itself up for what would be a thrilling 41-34 win over the Bulldogs.
JaMarcus Shephard’s intensity
There weren’t many moments in the initial episode that offered anything revelatory about team’s play, but one exception was a clip of the Alabama co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach leading a meeting in the receivers room, in which he minced no words about preparedness, or lack thereof.
“I’m tired of sugar-coating (expletive) for people in this room. It’s a tell-tale sign that our two receivers who have the most production in the room are the two taking notes right now,” Shephard said, clearly bugged that more of his players weren’t taking notes. “It’s a tell-tale sign that that’s how it is. I’m sick of this (expletive). The ball goes in the air, we’ve got to want it. Everybody wants to be cute, all these weak-ass haircuts y’all got, sit all pristine and (expletive). And nobody’s got no dog in them.”
Although the clip didn’t clearly show which two receivers were taking notes, the team’s top receivers at the time, and at season’s end, were freshman Ryan Williams and transfer Germie Bernard.
Jalen Milroe’s emotion
During a clip in which an Alabama fan, Tim Esco, was speaking to the team after a Georgia-week practice, quarterback Jalen Milroe shed tears over the death of Esco’s son, T.J., who passed away of Leukemia at age 14. Milroe and two offensive linemen, Tyler Booker and Kadyn Proctor, had previously visited T.J. to lift his spirits.
“Their encouragement was indescribable,” Esco said. “T.J. just looked up to them and he said, ‘They told me I can do it, to do my best.’ He never gave up. They instilled that in my son.”
The documentary had a feed to coaches’ headsets
At various points, the first episode included audio clips of the UA coaching staff communicating through their headsets during the Georgia game. They weren’t really insightful — a lot of it was coaches just saying ‘Good job,’ after a touchdown or some other trivial pleasantry — but there are five more episodes left for this element of the documentary to be much more telling. Here’s hoping producers had the material, and the green light, to put the coaching staff’s spicier exchanges during game action on fuller display.
Chaplains in focus
As the episode carried a spiritual flavor, Alabama athletics chaplains Jeremiah Castille and Scotty Hollins were shown speaking to players with guidance and encouragement. Castille played cornerback for legendary Alabama coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant, and had three sons who played for the Crimson Tide, as well. Included among them: former walk-on Caleb Castille, who went onto a successful acting career and was one of the documentary’s creators.