I couldn't decide whether to use an NCAA logo, or the Miami Dolphins logo.
ESPN (among others) is reporting that Nick Saban has taken the job as the new head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Has anyone ever heard of a current NFL head coach leaving to take a job at the college level? It seems a little surprising. It's probably a better job money-wise, so that probably explains it.
There is a highly touted running back out of Sarasota, Fla., named Mike Ford who had committed to Alabama but switched his verbal to South Florida after the firing of Shula. I am praying this doesn't change his mind back.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoHas anyone ever heard of a current NFL head coach leaving to take a job at the college level? It seems a little surprising. It's probably a better job money-wise, so that probably explains it.
I think this will be a reaccuring trend in football. There was an article in SI not long ago, about coaches having a better go of things at the college level. Pete Caroll is the perfect example. At that level, you have complete control over the product you put on the field,such as recruiting. Also, in some cases the money is better, and that's always a factor.
Rusty Shackleford is just the name he uses to order Pizza with.
I don't think money is a factor in this. From what I've read, Saban was supposed to make $4.5 million with the Dolphins in 2007, versus the $4 million he'll be making with the Tide.
But when a more attractive job comes in along in 2 or 3 years, Saban will be gone from Tuscalusa.
I think Saban will prosper in Alabama and he'll have that program in tip top shape in no time. They'll be beating Auburn at the very least.
But still, releasing a statement two weeks ago saying that you won't take the Alabama job and then turning around and taking the Alabama job makes Saban look like a total scumbag. I'd rank it about a 9 on the Larry Brown scale.
EDIT: Did I say "months", because I meant "weeks"...which is significantly worse.
Dan Le Batard has a column killing Saban. Acutally, killing it is putting it too nice...
The punctuation on the Nick Saban Error is greasy and greedy. You know what he was as Dolphins coach? A failure. A loser. A gasbag. And one of the worst investments Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga has ever made. He was less of a success than Dave Wannstedt and more of a traitor than Ricky Williams. There has been very little in franchise history that came with more expectations and fewer results than this hypocrite who at the end avoided the hard questions one last time.
I could have SWORN that I saw Saban on TV not even 48 hours ago saying (I'm slightly paraphrasing here), "I am not interested in the Alabama job." I mean, no mincing of words, no intimating, no room for a little wiggle, nothing. Just a straight up lie. Goodness.
Originally posted by StingArmyI could have SWORN that I saw Saban on TV not even 48 hours ago saying (I'm slightly paraphrasing here), "I am not interested in the Alabama job." I mean, no mincing of words, no intimating, no room for a little wiggle, nothing. Just a straight up lie. Goodness.
I'm pretty sure what you saw was a couple of weeks old. That was Saban's line until the Dolphins' season ended.
Holy fuck shit motherfucker shit. Read comics. Fuck shit shit fuck shit I sold out when I did my job. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck. Sorry had to do it....
*snip*
Revenge of the Sith = one thumb up from me. Fuck shit. I want to tittie fuck your ass. -- The Guinness. to Cerebus
I agree that its wrong for Saban to have lied about his intentions, but what else was he supposed to say? All talk about him taking the Alabama job centered around rumour, since Alabama wasn't going to make Saban an offer until after the NFL season. It does Saban no good to publicly commit to a job that he hasn't actually been offered yet - look at Jim Mora's comments to see how that would have gone over. Anything short of a definitive no by Saban would be interpreted as an implied yes, and that would have done him no good. He was really in a no-win situation, even if that situation is mostly his own doing.
You believe me, don't you? Please believe what I just said...
Originally posted by thecubsfanDan Le Batard has a column killing Saban. Acutally, killing it is putting it too nice...
The punctuation on the Nick Saban Error is greasy and greedy. You know what he was as Dolphins coach? A failure. A loser. A gasbag. And one of the worst investments Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga has ever made. He was less of a success than Dave Wannstedt and more of a traitor than Ricky Williams. There has been very little in franchise history that came with more expectations and fewer results than this hypocrite who at the end avoided the hard questions one last time.
Talk like a warrior. Behave like a weasel.
As a Dolphin fan, I agree wholeheartedly with Le Batard.
Thanks for nothing Nick. You came and took a team that needed help and now they need more help.
I really believed that he was moving in the right direction, but now we will never know. There were mistakes (see Culpepper over Brees), but they are fixable if he was to stay and try and finish what he started.
Go back to the safety net of College ball in Tuscaloosa ya bum!!
There's a World Container with your name on it, and a billion ways to go bezerk!!
Good luck. He can lose four games without the Alums gritting their teeth his first year. But this schedule is a cakewalk and big things will be expected, especially if Bama gets lucky and has nine or ten wins going into Auburn. Then get smoked. That's the killer part, but I doubt they'll ride him out of town like Shula
There is a highly touted running back out of Sarasota, Fla., named Mike Ford who had committed to Alabama but switched his verbal to South Florida after the firing of Shula. I am praying this doesn't change his mind back.
Yeah - and where are Saban's recruits going to come from the next (x)# of years? He's pissing up a rope playing "Roll Tide" in the SEC, much less having to compete with up and coming schools like USF and UCF.
Both of those programs have decent money starting to flow in and stability. Saban's a flake - something that is starting to become general knowledge on the resume. If I was a recruit that had my choice of schools, I'd put the prospects of Saban being there my Senior year at slim and none. Compare that to Urban Meyer, or even George O'Leary knocking on your door.
Meyer's about to be annointed God, and O'Leary's (UCF) has not won a lot of games yet, but his recruits get playing time and individual all-conference honors, etc. Noticed and Drafted. And you know they'll be your Coach in 4 to 5 years. Still works for Bowden and Spurrier, too
I've got to agree with Le Batard. The guy's an asshole
FLEA
Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high
I don't have a problem with him leaving for another job, especially since college more often than not is a more secure, easy job to keep long term for a good coach. However Bama is one of those "not" schools. It's not a love of football so much as unrealistic expectations.
Oh you can still win at Bama, but even if he gets a national title they're the type to run him out of town two years later after back to back losses to Auburn. I think they believe Bear Bryant never lost any games ever and expect his reincarnation to come along any day now.
He could have just said from the start, "I don't discuss contract matters. Ever." instead of lying. Sure the question would be there but he's the type of guy where the question will always be there anyway. Not that I'm all that bothered by him saying what he did anyway.
I'm surprised that team owners and/or college presidents haven't worked out some kind of arrangement to prevent coaches from just outright bailing on their contracts. I know there's no coaching union or anything like that, but surely some kind of deal can be reached where a guy can't just bail two years into a multi-year contract. That's what a contract is supposed to be all about. It's even worse in college, when a player can commit to a school and then have the coach who impressed him just take off after a year.
I don't know what is more disquieting -- the fact that the rest of the statue is missing, or that it has four toes.
I agreed with both Le Batard AND Jay Mariotti on ATH today, and just for THAT I'm annoyed about this, let alone the ramifications it has for the Dolphins, who are now in the same position they were two years ago, except older. The only things of long-term help we've gotten in the last two seasons are Ronnie Brown and Channing Crowder with a defensive line that's older and an offensive line that's not much better (if at all better) then the one he inherited. To say nothing of the whole QB situation.
Him getting another job doesn't bother me. If he thinks he can do better back in the SEC, fine. But the way he acted superior to the question and then to pull an end-around with his boss AND his staff (agreeing to a meeting this morning, only to skip out on it, essentially quitting via conference call) was the most unmanly way to handle this situation. Coaches lie all the time about these things, but he handled this situation more like a jailbreak than he did accepting an offer he simply wanted more.
Oh, and Art Rooney II: [/Martin Landau in "Entourage"] what if I were to tell you that you could have 10 million clams and a few draft picks in exchange for your coach that may not want to be there anyway...is that something you think you might be interested in? [off]
WAR EAGLE
(edited by JoshMann on 3.1.07 2242) 2006 Time Man Of The Year
Originally posted by RYDER FAKINA look at Saban's future...
Alabama's complete 2007 schedule is as follows:
--Sept. 1, Western Carolina
--Sept. 8 at Vanderbilt
--Sept. 15, Arkansas
--Sept. 22, Georgia
--Sept. 29 vs. Florida State
--Oct. 6, Houston
--Oct. 13 at Ole Miss
--Oct. 20, Tennessee
--Nov. 3 at Mississippi State
--Nov. 10, LSU
--Nov. 17, Louisiana-Monroe
--Nov. 24 at Auburn
Good luck. He can lose four games without the Alums gritting their teeth his first year. But this schedule is a cakewalk and big things will be expected, especially if Bama gets lucky and has nine or ten wins going into Auburn. Then get smoked. That's the killer part, but I doubt they'll ride him out of town like Shula FLEA
I can see 6-7 losses on that schedule for Alabama, with Vandy no longer being a cakewalk, then Arkansas/Georgia/Florida State on consecutive Saturdays could cause things to snowball. Now, I don't think he'll commit the sin of Shula and lose to The Fighting Sylvester Croom's of Mississippi State, which, along with not beating Auburn, were the death knell for Shula the year after going 10-2 with a Cotton Bowl win. Saban had everything set for life if he stayed at LSU. The talent base was there for 9 wins in a down year and competing for national titles every 2-3 years. Even Gene Stallings couldn't get out of Bryant's shadow and he went unbeaten and won a national title. On Chuck Fairbanks: It was late in the 1978 season while he was coaching a Patriots team that was playoff bound.
The Horsemen DVD is 3 Discs and 9 hours. Let Us Rejoice and Sing Its Praise.
Originally posted by Mayhem I don't think money is a factor in this. From what I've read, Saban was supposed to make $4.5 million with the Dolphins in 2007, versus the $4 million he'll be making with the Tide.
But when a more attractive job comes in along in 2 or 3 years, Saban will be gone from Tuscalusa.
Ah, but *guaranteed* money is a factor. Saban had three years left on his deal with Miami at $4.5 million a year. His entire $32 million is guaranteed at Bama, plus there's bowl game bonuses. Now, Saban would have to coach at Bama for eight years to get that entire $32 million, but even if he stays for five years, which is how long he was at both Michigan State and LSU, then he'll make at least $20 million. And Saban's a good enough coach that he can probably get Bama into at least a couple decent bowl games in five years.
As for the problems in recruiting, it's simple. "I went to the pros and found out it wasn't for me. I never should have left college ball and I won't make that mistake again."
Originally posted by redsoxnationSaban had everything set for life if he stayed at LSU. The talent base was there for 9 wins in a down year and competing for national titles every 2-3 years. Even Gene Stallings couldn't get out of Bryant's shadow and he went unbeaten and won a national title. On Chuck Fairbanks: It was late in the 1978 season while he was coaching a Patriots team that was playoff bound.
There's part of the reason I can see him wanting to come back to the SEC besides money. Yeah the SEC is going to give you a hard schedule and you're going to have a tough time recruiting with all the SEC schools and Florida schools but he's been there done that. It was Saban that brought the LSU program back to life, hit the knockout punch on Florida (which they are just now recovering from) and took over as the winningest program in the SEC since 2000. I don't see why he can't do that at Alabama. Plus Florida is off the schedule for a few years, Arkansas is pretty inconsistent, who knows if they'll still be good next year. As long as you can compete with Tennessee/Auburn/LSU Bama has a good chance of a 10 win season every year. Yeah Bama has high expectations for coaches and Saban isn't going to be there forever but I don't see anything wrong with going to a high profile college program for 3 to 5 years and see what happens.
When this was last tossed around (before ND signed their original NBC deal), it was supposed to be as much about pulling in viewers as anything, for the in-the-planning Big Ten Network.