When you’re a sports fan in the Southeastern Conference, it’s like being part of a family. Every member has their quirks and we all have some people we like more than others. We don’t want them to embarrass the entire group, but we don’t mind them stepping into a pile of dog poo on their own once in a while.

Alabama’s football team is the super annoying, super successful cousin. They live in the best neighborhood, drive a fancy car and have a cushy job. They work hard and earned what they have, which makes the air of superiority they radiate all the more obnoxious — they can act better than us, because they are better than us.

Alabama has won more national championships in 11 years under Nick Saban than seven SEC teams have conference titles in the past 86 years. Even when other teams have great years Alabama often comes along to steal their thunder. The Crimson Tide has twice won national championships under Saban without even winning the SEC West.

On Monday, Alabama showed up for a coronation in the College Football Playoff championship game. Clemson had an excellent, undefeated team as well, but this Alabama team was historic. It crushed people so badly that its Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback barely had to play in the fourth quarter until November. The championship game was a formality, the last step in crowning this Alabama team as the best of all time.

Or not.

Alabama got, as Emmitt Smith famously said, debacled. Clemson did the crushing, winning 44-16 with an impressive effort in every facet of the game. Alabama had one of those awful nights so many teams have had against them for years.

For the rest of the SEC family, it was delicious theater.

We know Alabama will be back in this position next year. They won’t fall apart as a team or run Nick Saban and his six championship rings out of town.

But for one night we got to enjoy the successful cousin of the family not just stepping in dog poo, but falling face first into a Great Dane-sized pile of it. Clemson gave us eight months of memes and jokes about the worst fake field goal in NCAA history.

Whether you’re a Rebel or a Bulldog, a Vol or an Aggie, a Tiger or … umm … a Tiger, that’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year round. We don’t hate you, Alabama. You give the family a good name. But every so often we sure don’t mind you seeing how the rest of us live.

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Ernest Bowker is the sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at ernest.bowker@vicksburgpost.com