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Crimson Tide freshman signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa came off the bench to start the second half and cap off an epic comeback that won’t ever be forgotten. Wochit

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Bo Scarbrough didn’t have to yell “F--- Trump” before helping Alabama win the College Football Playoff title game Monday night in Atlanta.

Still, he further fueled what has become a controversial decision after teams win championships.

Should Alabama make the customary trip to the White House to see our nation’s president, Donald Trump?

Haven’t seen a tweet invite from President Trump yet. Kind of strange he hasn’t tweeted one out considering the support he has in the state of Alabama.

When Trump does, I say let the players decide.

Those who want to go, go. Those who want don’t want to go, don’t go.

If all the players agree to go, fly out as one. If they all agree to pass, stay put as one in Tuscaloosa.

More: Trump's visit to the CFP final is great, but Georgia, Alabama players focus on football

Before Monday’s title game, Tide sophomore left tackle Jonah Williams told USA TODAY the decision would be left up to Alabama coach Nick Saban and whether a trip would fit in the team’s schedule.

That’s why CREDO Action’s petition urging Alabama to skip the trip to the White House, if it won a national title, was directed at Saban, not the players.

The petition has reached 72,000-plus signatures with a goal of 100,000.

The social change organization knows Saban will probably make the call on this, but Saban, in many ways, is a players’ coach. A disciplined and demanding one who screams and yells, but usually gives credit to his players and will defend them even after they’ve made mistakes.

Saban may very well let the players decide what to do.

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Before you say that’s out of the question, let me take you back the morning after Saban won his sixth national championship.

Saban was asked what it meant to him to tie Bear Bryant for most national titles. He said it all starts with the coaches, administrators and athletic directors. He mentioned the late Mal Moore, Bill Battle and current Tide AD Greg Byrne by name.

He later talked about the support from the university community. Still, he gave his biggest praise to the ones senior defensive back Tony Brown said would die on the field for the Crimson Tide.

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Alabama players talk about winning a fifth national title in nine years under Nick Saban. Duane Rankin/Montgomery Advertiser

“We won all these things because we had really, really good players who bought in to the principles and values of the organization, the hard work and the perseverance it takes to do this,” Saban said. “They’re the people who should be getting the credit for winning the championships.”

If winning championships is about the players, as Saban says, they should decide how to celebrate.

This isn’t even a football decision. It’s a personal one. The players don’t have too much say on anything once they show up on campus, but they should have it now.

Players often say they don’t care about politics or don’t have time to care, but someday, they will. Some will have families and want a president who can provide the best health care for their children.

Some may struggle finding work and want a president who’s going to create jobs. They all should care about our international relations. Having peace on earth helps your peace of mind.

More: Tua's legs, not arm, started epic Alabama comeback

Right now, however, it’s football and school for the athlete-students, I mean, student-athletes.

“That’s pretty much a full-time job, plus overtime,” Williams said to USA TODAY.

Williams is one of the smartest players on the team, but says he must be “really educated” to have an opinion on a subject. When the news broke that Trump was coming to Atlanta, it became an aspect of the game neither the players nor Saban himself could control.

It got political.

Trump’s appearance at the title game appeared to initially go without a hitch outside of a little booing, but we later found out that all the extra security held up fans trying to get in the game.

That’s why Mercedes-Benz Stadium was half empty 15 minutes before kickoff.

Then Trump appeared to mumble through parts of the national anthem and didn’t sing some of the words before the opening kickoff. Bad look for someone who said the NFL players who kneeled during the playing of the anthem in joining Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police brutality and social injustice against people of color were disrespecting the American flag.

Then Sporting News tweeted out a video of Scarbrough yelling “F--- Trump!!” as the Tide walked down the hallway before the game.

Uh oh.

In response to the tweet and article, Scarbrough tweeted he shouted ‘Georgia,’ not ‘Trump.’

Oh really.

I’ve listened to the audio several times. The problem with Scarbrough’s claim is Trump is one syllable.

Georgia has two. Sounds like he’s just saying a word with one syllable that starts with a ‘T’, not a ‘G.’

While this is just one player caught on camera, it makes you wonder how many other ones feel the same way. On the flip side, I’m sure several Trump supporters, who also roll with the Crimson Tide, want to see Saban and the Alabama players on that finely manicured lawn with the president they voted in.

Going to the White House was never a political statement when Barack Obama was in office.

It was actually a fun experience. The Tide won four national titles in his eight-year run. On that last trip after the 2015 championship season, Obama joked to just call him “O-Bama.”

At some point, Alabama will decide whether to make another trip to Washington D.C. or not. I got to think the invite has either come and Trump hasn’t tweeted it out yet, or it’s coming.

The 2017 NBA champion Golden State Warriors and 2017 NCAA men’s basketball champion North Carolina Tar Heels aren’t going.

Will Alabama follow suit?

Now that they’ve won a national championship, the players have earned the right to exercise their freedom of choice like Scarbrough exercised his freedom of speech.

Whatever the Tide does, Saban should leave it up to the players.

After all, they’re the main reason he won his sixth national title Monday night.

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