The University of Alabama's crystal prize for winning last season's college football championship had a pretty short shelf life – and somewhere, a player's parent is blushing crimson.
The roughly $30,000 Waterford crystal football that tops the trophy from the American Football Coaches Association fell and shattered on Saturday when the father of an Alabama player caught his foot on a rug where the trophy stood at Alabama's Mal Moore Athletic Facility, according to CNN affiliate WIAT and ESPN's Alex Scarborough.
The accident is said to have happened after the Crimson Tide's annual intrasquad spring game, which 78,526 fans watched Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Scarborough's Twitter account has a picture of what he says is a tiny piece of the broken crystal prize, made in Ireland.
Alabama was awarded the trophy after beating LSU 21-0 in the Bowl Championship Series title game on January 9.
Mel Pulliam, marketing director for the AFCA, which issues the trophy to BCS-winning teams, told CNN on Tuesday that Alabama would be responsible for paying for a replacement, and that he didn't know whether the university had insured the prize.
Alabama's sports information department didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. But Pulliam said the AFCA would work with a supplier "as fast as we can so that (Alabama) can display" a replacement.
"It's rare that these things happen. The trophies make hundreds of appearances and celebrations - it’s got a pretty good track record," Pulliam said.
Rare, perhaps, but Alabama isn't the first Southeastern Conference school to see its BCS trophy fall to pieces.
When high school recruit Orson Charles visited Florida in 2008, the tight end knocked over Florida's 2006 championship trophy, the Anniston Star reported. Charles ended up playing for SEC rival Georgia.
For Alabama, the celebration of January's BCS win goes on without the trophy. Members of the team collected their championship rings on Monday, and they will visit the White House for a traditional champions' visit with the president on Thursday.
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What kind of doofus organization makes a $30,000 trophy that is breakable (and also a really cheap looking)?
You have apparently never purchased Waterford crystal before.
Obviously one you will never see!!!!! The crystal may be broken but the victory is still sweet!!! ROLL TIDE!!!
Attention AFCA: I suggest that you find a better looking trophy and perhaps consider a material similar to the Super Bowl Trophy. Attention University of Alabama: This looks like an insurance claim to me. Let's see that Tide Power work on your insurance carrier.
Wait...Tech? As in Texas Tech? What are the chances you'll EVER have that trophy in you GUNZ case? Roll Tide.
why would the dad be so stupid
Ah, yes...because tripping makes one stupid.
This would have happened much sooner had it not been for USC beating us in 2005
Every player should get some part of the BCS Trophy. Roll Tide
I'll buy a piece of the broken one.
A karmic episode triggered by the NCAA Bowl Selection Committee which placed Alabama in the championship game rather than Oklahoma State. I'll never forget how OSU was slighted and we had a repeat of the conference championship. It wasn't fair then, it isn't fair now, and uh oh, too bad about your little token breaking. I'm pretty upset about it.
OSU was slighted? They couldn't even beat unranked Iowa State....
OSU was slighted? They couldn't beat unranked Iowa State. That doesn't put a team in a championship game...
And its not that big a deal in Tuscaloosa....they got 13 more....
Always keep some cheap glass spares.
Sell the pieces on Ebay
Couldn't have happened to a more appropriate symbol.
Perhaps players salaries at "bama are going to take a little hit.
Why didnt it fall and and hit the SEC Championship trophy too? Oh thats right they didnt play in the SEC Championship game because they were not the best team in their own conference.
No but they were the best team in their own state by 27 points.
Nope, we were *just* the best team in the country. PS, jealousy is a stinky, stinky cologne.
It's a message from God. Clearly it was something they couldn't hold on to.
oops!!!!