COME ON TIDE FAN, USE YOUR FOOTBALL IQ

Death and taxes just got a neighbor. This world has things you can set your clock by and Alabama fans have provided a third. Bashing a Tide Player after a loss.

Our favorite punching bag is back. Hello John Parker Wilson, where have you been all season.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but how did JPW play any worse than any other guy in crimson. JPW didn't wear jersey #24 and make 9 tackles because Utah saw that they could throw it at #24 all night long forcing him to make tackles to save touchdowns. JPW didn't wear jersey #88 and jump off sides a few times. He wasn't billed as "Mount Anything" before the game only to be equalized by the Utes speed. JPW didn't play ole' with the Utah blitz allowing 8 sacks and mardi gras size of rushed throws. He didn't get suspended. John Parker Wilson had a bad Sugar Bowl game. So did Nick Saban. Add Jim McElwain. Soon to be Clemson Coach Kevin Steele, check.

Let's face it, there were a few sour notes in the Million Dollar Band and I thought Big Al mailed it in.

It's time to man up Bama nation. Butts were kicked. Utah was hungry. Utah was aggressive. Utah was dang near perfect right out of the locker room. Remember the question we asked all week... What's a Ute? Apparently it's a small animal that eats elephants.

Blaming John Parker Wilson is easy. It makes you feel better. It helps us keep the dream alive that Nick Saban has no kryptonite.

My football IQ tells me that Alabama would have been in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl without John Parker Wilson.

Remember the way he managed that high pressure opener with all those true freshman? Remember the blackout in Georgia where JPW slung the pigskin all over that Sweet Georgia Night? Remember the overtime pass in the "scalp Nick Saban" atmosphere in Baton Rouge? Remember how he never missed a start despite being hit on more frequently than Erin Andrews during the Rose Bowl pregame warm ups.

Let's move forward as a fan base. Give credit to Utah. Respect what the season brought Alabama. A BCS Bowl bid, a trip to the SEC Championship Game. Rivalry wins over Tennessee, LSU and Auburn and a National Number One ranking for the first time during the regular season since 1980.

Without John Parker Wilson, most of that would not have happened in 2008.