Today, I am embarrassed to be a University of Alabama football fan. After 4 years of hard work and service, Mike Shula has been fired as the head coach for the football program. Taking over at a time when Alabama was hindered by probation and loss of scholarships, Shula did what he could to try and bring Alabama to national prowess.

No one expected Shula to win a national championship this year and most would have told you Alabama didn't have a chance at a top 25 spot. Go back and look at every preseason outlook and Alabama would place no higher than 4th in the SEC West. Just because the team finished at 10-2 last year does not predict the same for the year after.

The team had a new QB and a depleted defense due to graduation. The defense stepped up and continued to keep the games close. John Parker Wilson is going to be a great quarterback, but he's young. He is still trying to develop his skills. Dropping in a new coach will not help Wilson to develop. In fact it will probably hinder him as he will need to learn an all new system which will take at least a couple seasons before there is a comfort level. By then it's time for Wilson to head to the NFL.

I'm extremely frustrated that the university continues to expect a national championship immediately when a coach steps into the position. Shula was in a position to make great strides toward catapulting Alabama back into prominence. At the very least give him one more year. The guys he recruited are just now getting to play. Let's see what they can do. What coach would want to come here when every loss could mean the loss of your job?