Alabama Lost the Rose Bowl — But They Didn’t Lose The Standard

When Alabama fell short in the Rose Bowl the commentary came fast and loud.

Fans said Alabama lost the standard.

They blamed:

• Disorganized execution

• The wrong assistant coaches

• A scheme that didn’t fit the current roster

• Too many moving parts, not enough cohesion

On the surface, those criticisms sound valid. But if we’re honest—those weren’t the real reasons Alabama lost.

And this is where business owners need to lean in.

The Standard Was Never the Problem

The system was.

Alabama didn’t forget how to win.

They didn’t forget discipline.

They didn’t suddenly stop recruiting excellence.

What they faced was something far more common—and far more dangerous:

A misalignment between people, structure, and execution.

That doesn’t mean the talent disappeared.

It means the operating model didn’t match the reality on the field.

And if that sounds familiar… it should.

What Really Happened (And What It Looks Like in Business)

1. The Scheme Didn’t Fit the Roster

In football, you can’t force players into a system they’re not built for.

In business?

• You’re using processes designed for a company you used to be

• Or copying systems from a company twice your size

• Or running on SOPs that no longer reflect how work actually gets done

👉 Result: burnout, confusion, missed opportunities.

2. Leadership Roles Didn’t Match Current Needs

It wasn’t about bad coaches.

It was about right people, wrong seats, wrong moment.

In business, this shows up as:

• Early hires still running critical functions they’ve outgrown

• Advisors who were perfect for startup mode but wrong for scale

• Leaders who can’t execute the strategy you’re trying to deploy

👉 Result: decisions stall, accountability blurs, momentum dies.

3. Too Much Legacy Thinking

Alabama has a legacy.

But legacy can become a liability when it prevents adaptation.

In business:

• “This is how we’ve always done it”

• “That worked before”

• “We don’t need to change yet”

👉 Result: you defend outdated systems instead of upgrading them.

4. Execution Broke Down — Not Because of Effort, But Because of Structure

Players didn’t lack effort.

They lacked clarity, rhythm, and alignment.

Business owners feel this every day:

• Your team is working hard but missing deadlines

• Everyone is busy, but outcomes aren’t improving

• You’re reacting instead of executing

👉 Result: you blame people when the real issue is the system.

The Business Lesson No One Wants to Admit

You don’t lose the standard when you lose a game.

You lose the standard when you refuse to evolve your systems.

Alabama didn’t stop being elite.

They ran an elite brand on a misaligned operating model—for that moment in time.

And businesses do this every single day.

Where CREE Consulting Comes In

At CREE Consulting, we see this constantly:

• Strong founders

• Smart teams

• Proven track records

But broken by:

• Misaligned roles

• Outdated processes

• Revenue strategies that don’t match operations

• Growth that’s stressing the business instead of strengthening it

That’s why we built the CORE™ Framework:

• Clarity – Who does what, and why

• Operations – Systems that match how you actually work

• Resources – People, tools, and capital aligned to the mission

• Economics – Growth that improves the business, not strains it

Because talent without structure doesn’t scale.

And hard work without alignment doesn’t win championships—or contracts.

Alabama didn’t lose the standard.

They exposed where the standard needed to be recalibrated.

And if your business feels like it’s:

• Working harder than ever

• Getting more complex, not more profitable

• Losing momentum despite good people

It’s not a failure.

It’s a signal.

📌 The question isn’t do you have the standard?

📌 The question is does your system still support it?

If you’re ready to find out—CREE Consulting is here to help.