Broken trophy national champions…Roll Tide

When you have (claim) as many titles as Alabama does, the sheer volume of trophies allows you to be a little careless with a few every now and then.  The below story, however,  claims that it wasn’t mere hubris but a players father accidentally tripping on the podium, knocking off the glass football.  But, I think we all know the actual explanation involves the words “Chris Carter” and “dropped fade route in an imaginary end zone”.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A piece of history from the University of Alabama’s championship run was shattered on Saturday afternoon following the Crimson Tide’s annual A-Day scrimmage.

The Coaches’ Trophy from this season’s BCS national title was accidentally knocked off its podium and shattered by a current player’s father whose foot got caught on a rug that sits beneath the trophy display. The Waterford Crystal trophy was on display in the Mal Moore Athletic Facility halls, home to coach Nick Saban’s office and other athletic personnel.

The handmade trophy sculpted in Ireland is valued at $30,000. The university previously had two such trophies, one at the Paul W. Bryant Museum and the other at the athletic facility. A university spokesman confirmed that they will immediately begin the process of replacing the trophy.

The crystal football has been a fragile piece in recent years. In 2008, Florida had its broken when then-recruit Orson Charles fumbled the ball away. In 2004, Florida State had a pair of trophies stolen from a glass case outside of Bobby Bowden’s office during renovation of the building.

Charlie Green, trophy manager for the American Football Coaches Association, said he uses adhesive tape to secure the ball when it’s toured around the country and advises universities to take the same precautions when displaying it.

“It’s pretty fragile, I guess,” Green said. “It only weighs about 8 pounds so I can see where if it gets bumped it would roll off.”