I was listening to Finebaum on WJOX on the internet yesterday and wanted to turn it off. I was sick of both the Alabama and Auburn fans calling in saying how they are going to whip each other and how one coach was better than the other and so on and so on.... Here's a little advice for both fan groups!
Alabama Fans:
You ain't won nothing yet! Tradition, History, Past Coaches, Past Games, etc... they are great and wonderful to think about but you can't do nothing about the past! Saban has addressed this! He is going to have to build his own legacy at the capstone, not in the shadows of Bear and Stallings. Just like Bear did when he came back after a time in UA history when there were losing seasons and not the best coaches - the Bear had to come in and start something NEW! Something out from the shadow of Frank Thomas (the great UA coach that no one knows about).
Don't be calling in to Finebaum trying to start some SMACK with the Auburn fans as they are "our daddies" since they have won the last 5. Don't make excuses like, "well that doesn't matter as we had a poor coach in Shula." This is a poor excuse as we should expect to win every year! Having a poor coach is the AD's responsibility to fix.
We must always be mindful of the past as we can learn so much from it. However, help promote the future Bama fans as the past isn't helping you out today!
Auburn Fans:
Shut Up and Smile! You are presently are and have been for several years the "King of the Mountain" in the state of Alabama. Your program is where you want it to be - competitive every year to win the Western division and the SEC and often compete for the BCS crown. This is where every school in the nation wants to be. Recruting is going very well for AU again this year. You are fine!
So why call and argue with Bama fans about what Auburn has done historically against Saban! Who cares the home team won their game -typical among good schools in the league. Ha, talk about living in the past! Auburn trys to disrespect Alabama's past - they are now doing the same thing! This is probably an effect of winning!
Any real Auburn fan should not care about what the rabid Bama fan is saying - but they do... This is an effect of being the secondary school in the state for so long. This is the wrong enigma! Auburn is a fine institution of learning (unless you are a student athlete - they will give you the grade you need to be eligible to play) and a great school to support.
Auburn Fans (Real Fans) need to quit calling in and whinning about the Bama fans and Saban and blah, blah, blah... I bet you that Tubberville is not scared of Saban, but looks forward to the challenge to play a better coach. The Auburn fans are proving that you are scared since you keep whinning about all the press and love for Saban and Bama. Get over it! The last time I looked you were still on top of the mountain!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Road Woes............
I am just disappointed in how the Bama Basketball team can just look terrible when they go on the road. I don't know what is going on with the team! Play zone: Auburn attacks the middle for easy layup's under the basket. Play Steele: He plays good at times on offense and gets whipped on the defensive side. Auburn double teams him and no one comes to help out. Where did the offense of R. Hendrix go? We didn't even go to him in the paint for points against a smaller Auburn front line. We just shot the 3-ball with no luck (live by it and die by it). Auburn got some ridiculous calls last night (OBVIOUS FOULS) but played better as a team and deservedly whipped that hinney.
I support these guys but due to the lack of the spark we had with Steele this year due to his injuries, we are going to be a middle of the road SEC team this year. They should get an invite for the NCAA tournament, but will not go far unless they wake up and Steele gets well soon.
ROLL TIDE ALWAYS!!!
I support these guys but due to the lack of the spark we had with Steele this year due to his injuries, we are going to be a middle of the road SEC team this year. They should get an invite for the NCAA tournament, but will not go far unless they wake up and Steele gets well soon.
ROLL TIDE ALWAYS!!!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Finebaum to WJOX!!!
If you haven't heard, The Paul Finebaum Radio Network is now on the FM dial (100.5FM) at WJOX.
UA Hoops - Tonight Auburn!
I hope that the UA Basketball get's it together for the rest of the season! They won a game that they should have lost Saturday to Georgia. I hope that we see more from this team as they have the tools and talent to make some noise in the league and in the tournament. They need to learn how to play better on the road. I love Mark G, but put this blame on his shoulders! Let's keep on selling out those basketball games in T-Town and supporting the roundballers!
ROLL TIDE!!!
Is this your Head Basketball Coach?
I can understand this if you lost a bet, or if you 19 years old, or had too much to drink, etc... But this is your Head Basketball Coach Tennessee! Words escape me except - wow!
Who is #1!!!
The Florida Gators are National Champs!
I knew that they were going to win! Not only win but win in a dominant fashion. Too many similarities between the 1992 Bama team who no one in the press gave any chance to win. Remember the worst 12-0 team in the country! UF was questioned by many if they were even suppose to be there! Answer - they were!!! 1992 was Alabama's Century of Champions 100 year anniversary. Florida was celebrating their 100 year anniversary of football this year. Spooky! I told you that I knew it was going to be this way!
Congrats to the SEC and the University of Florida! I just wish they would have not had that second half meltdown in Auburn and they would be celebrating a Undefeated season!
The SEC did well in bowls! For a change, they were given a little respect!!!
Been a While!
I have had a little issue working on my blog due to Blogspot issues (which are now corrected). Also, I have been out and about much of my days working hard and playing hard. Hunting season is coming to a quick close on me - sooner than I wish. I guess I need to play catchup with my blog... Sorry!
Alabama Football
Nick Saban continues to impress! I like most fans are still in a state of shock. I don't know where we will wind up with recruting this year, but it has got to be better than what we were going to have. An immediate impact has been made on this recruiting class in that some who had no interest in Bama are now interested. I don't know if we will get any of these prospects to change their minds - as it is late in the game now - but if he snags a few, this will be better than Mikey. Expect 2008 to be a bang-up recruitment class.
TidePride seating at Bryant Denny is sold out! This has been sold out since 2 weeks prior to last season!
The A-Day game should be much later this year. Expect a mid-April date for the spring scrimmage. I expect to see a HUGE crowd! I plan to go but don't know if I am going to get in the mass of humanity to get autographs at coleman collesium.
The coaching staff! Kirk Herbstriet had this to say about our new coaching staff.
"You look at what Nick Saban is doing right now even at this moment in Tuscaloosa, he is assembling the dream team of a coaching staff and every SEC coach is seeing their chances of dominance evaporate by the hour!" "This is a man who is not going to compete for a national title in 3 to 5 years from now, because I got news for you all.......He wants that title. And he wants it now!" "Alabama's only big loss came to Florida in the final minutes and that was only 15 points, 14 of which were in the final 8 minutes, aside from that one and only game, Alabama could have won any other game with the talent that is there right now had they had a coach like Saban in place." "Unlike the LSU situation Nick Saban walked into which was talent-less by any means, at Alabama all Saban has to do is shore up the special teams, and the defensive line. If he does that in this recruiting season, Alabama with their favorable schedule especially with big SEC powers in Tuscaloosa will be shocking a lot of people in the college football world." "If you're an Alabama fan, you better be ready for a BCS bowl game next year because with this staff Saban has nearly assembled already, he is going to light a fire under these players and you had better believe Alabama is about to return to its throne very soon."
Joe Pendry -- NFL Offensive Coordinator for Texans and Bills.
Steve Marshall -- Offensive Coordinator for Texas A&M.
Major Applewhite -- Offensive Coordinator for Rice.
Burton Burns -- Offensive Coordinator for Southern.
Ron Middleton -- Special Teams Coordinator for Ole Miss.
Kevin Steele -- Current Alabama Defensive Coordinator (Head Coach at Baylor).
Lance Thompson -- Defensive Coordinator for Central Florida.
* Only Kirby Smart and Bo Davis have not yet attained head Coordinator status in their coaching tenure. Davis however was Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator at LSU. Also, Smart is only in his sixth year of coaching, and he has coached on some of the best coaching staffs in the nation, including Georgia, LSU, Florida State, and in the NFL with the Dolphins under Nick Saban
** Talk about a stacked coaching staff -- when you have 7 of your 9 coaches who have served as Coordinators at one time for the side of the ball they are coaching that is very impressive. Not to mention a guy like Bo Davis who brings in his Assistant Coordinator status in Strength and Conditioning. Top off this incredible staff with an up-and-coming coach who can recruit with the best of them like Kirby Smart and you have the recipe for an outstanding coaching staff put together by Nick Saban.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Must Read - Saban's Side of the Miami Job Story!
This article is from the Miami Herald that clearly describes from Nick Saban's perspective of his recent actions with the Dolphins. A must read to see how difficult a situation he was in to make this change.
___________________________________________________________
Saban: 'I wasn't trying to deceive anybody'
By JEFF DARLINGTON
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The door was closed. Alabama coach Nick Saban sat in a leather seat in the corner of his new office, the one that overlooked his new campus in his new state at his new job.
On the outside of that room, people were giddy because Saban had just inspired them with a passionate news conference, where he described his plan to get Alabama's program back on track.
On the inside, it was time for Saban to address the past. The one that included weeks of misleading comments, a sudden departure from the NFL, and a lack of communication about his plans with fans, players and coaches.
Perhaps the most pressing question? Why did he lie?
''When you lie to somebody, you're trying to deceive them,'' Sabansaid. 'I wasn't trying to deceive anybody. I was focused on the season, and I was working. I don't want this to be a distraction to the team, so I say, `No.' ''
In reality, Saban said, he wasn't interested in the job at that time. He was focused on the season. Although he had begun to realize his passion was not in the NFL -- it was in college football -- he was not thinking about leaving.
Saban said he never spoke to Athletic Director Mal Moore until after the season, and he actually became upset with his agent, Jimmy Sexton, for asking about the opportunity in the middle of a season, he said.
''[Sexton] knows that I will not talk about any bull [expletive] during the season,'' Saban said.
Saban said he isn't upset or angry about the negative perception of him -- but he is disappointed about the way it all played out because he believes he wasn't trying to be malicious. Instead, he said, the timeline of events that led to his decision were not correctly perceived.
''I'm disappointed that I'm being victimized a little bit here,'' Saban said. ``That's really not the person I am. If you look at 35 years of work that I've done in this profession and my marriage and everything else, that's not who I am. That's not what I've done. I've never been a guy to lie, cheat and steal anywhere. Never. Ever. But now all of a sudden, I am.''
Ultimately, Saban's decision came down to his passion for college football, as well as his family's happiness. Saban said his family wasn't necessarily unhappy in South Florida -- but the camaraderie of a college town differs from anything in the NFL.
''You know, I have factors in my life, too,'' Saban said. ``I've got a family, I've got a wife and people that need to be happy. All those things get taken into consideration when you make career decisions.''
Then the Indianapolis game ended. Sexton told him he might want to really listen if he ever wanted to get back into college football again. After a sleepless night Tuesday, Saban decided he would take the offer Wednesday morning.
``I didn't sleep all night, nor did Terry. I talked to [owner] Wayne [Huizenga] early in the morning about it again, which was another confusing moment. Then when he came over to the house is kind of when [I decided].''
Saban said he didn't tell his assistant coaches in person because Huizenga thought it would be best if he didn't return to the team's Davie facility. Instead, he was forced to tell them via speakerphone.
``The players were all gone . . . I called eight, 10 guys and probably got ahold of six or eight of them. I left messages for other guys. I e-mailed every guy on the team. Some of the guys, a few guys called back. I don't like that either, but . . .''
Saban left the Dolphins prematurely. He admitted that much Thursday. But his reason for leaving wasn't influenced by the team's disappointing season or a seemingly long road ahead for success. Instead, he said, his departure was made more difficult for those reasons.
Asked if he would have left the team if they were playoff contenders, Saban said he would have.
''I don't think it was about that,'' Saban said. ``In fact, it was harder to do because we didn't have success this year. I think if we were 9-7 this year like we were last year, I think if we got in the playoffs, it would have been easier to say, `Ok.'
``I think we made progress. I just think it didn't show up in the win column for this year. Getting off to a bad start was all over the quarterback thing. We should have won a couple more games in the beginning. If we won a couple more games in the beginning, we probably would have been in a better position to win a game or two more in the end.''
Saban couldn't pinpoint the reason for his inability to succeed in his two seasons of the NFL. But he said miscommunication between the coaching staff and the personnel departments could have been a part of it.
I don't know how to say this, because I don't want to throw anybody under the bus,'' Saban said. ``But the personnel people in the building, that's how you gain an advantage. When you look at the teams that have really good personnel people in the building, that are doing what the coaches want them to do, finding the kind of players the coaches want them to find.
When that doesn't happen, Saban said, you wind up doing double the work.
'They say, `OK, here are the three best guys.' These are the three best guys? None of these guys fit our criteria for what we're looking for,'' Saban said. 'Then you go look at the list, and you say, `Oh here's three guys that have what we want.' So you're never on the same [page]. And you've got to be. You've got to be. You've got to be.''
Although South Florida fans likely will disagree, especially after a 6-10 season, Saban said he believes he left the organization much better than it was when he joined the team. After two years of dealing with salary cap issues, Saban believes he finally got the team into better shape.
He expects the team to enter free agency with about $12 million to $15 million under the cap.
''In my opinion, it's taken two years of manipulation of contracts, getting rid of guys that were making too much money, getting it off the books for the future, all the bull you've got to go through to get the salary cap down,'' Saban said. ``We've never had a cent.''
Saban said the team's offensive line situation is improving. He specifically praised tackle Anthony Alabi as a rising star, also saying the team has ``three or four decent offensive linemen.''
The coach has hope for the quarterback position as well, and he believes the team's future starter is somewhere on the roster. And if running back Ricky Williams returns, it would also help the team, Saban said.
''There's still hope at quarterback if Daunte [Culpepper] can get healthy,'' Saban said. ``And I do think between those three guys, Cleo [Lemon] proved that he might be able to play too. And you know, God knows about No. 34 [Ricky Williams], but if he comes back, you win three or four more games if the guy is playing, I'm telling you. He's got a presence.''
So is Saban glad he took a shot at the NFL?
''I think it was always my goal to do it,'' Saban said. ``So I was going to have to do it at some point in time. Then you learn about yourself.''
Toward the end of a 40-minute interview in his new office, Saban was asked if he will miss the NFL. He sat in his chair, contemplating. He paused.
''I never know about things like that,'' he said. ``But obviously, if I look back some day and say I miss the NFL, then I surely screwed up.''
___________________________________________________________
Saban: 'I wasn't trying to deceive anybody'
By JEFF DARLINGTON
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The door was closed. Alabama coach Nick Saban sat in a leather seat in the corner of his new office, the one that overlooked his new campus in his new state at his new job.
On the outside of that room, people were giddy because Saban had just inspired them with a passionate news conference, where he described his plan to get Alabama's program back on track.
On the inside, it was time for Saban to address the past. The one that included weeks of misleading comments, a sudden departure from the NFL, and a lack of communication about his plans with fans, players and coaches.
Perhaps the most pressing question? Why did he lie?
''When you lie to somebody, you're trying to deceive them,'' Sabansaid. 'I wasn't trying to deceive anybody. I was focused on the season, and I was working. I don't want this to be a distraction to the team, so I say, `No.' ''
In reality, Saban said, he wasn't interested in the job at that time. He was focused on the season. Although he had begun to realize his passion was not in the NFL -- it was in college football -- he was not thinking about leaving.
Saban said he never spoke to Athletic Director Mal Moore until after the season, and he actually became upset with his agent, Jimmy Sexton, for asking about the opportunity in the middle of a season, he said.
''[Sexton] knows that I will not talk about any bull [expletive] during the season,'' Saban said.
Saban said he isn't upset or angry about the negative perception of him -- but he is disappointed about the way it all played out because he believes he wasn't trying to be malicious. Instead, he said, the timeline of events that led to his decision were not correctly perceived.
''I'm disappointed that I'm being victimized a little bit here,'' Saban said. ``That's really not the person I am. If you look at 35 years of work that I've done in this profession and my marriage and everything else, that's not who I am. That's not what I've done. I've never been a guy to lie, cheat and steal anywhere. Never. Ever. But now all of a sudden, I am.''
Ultimately, Saban's decision came down to his passion for college football, as well as his family's happiness. Saban said his family wasn't necessarily unhappy in South Florida -- but the camaraderie of a college town differs from anything in the NFL.
''You know, I have factors in my life, too,'' Saban said. ``I've got a family, I've got a wife and people that need to be happy. All those things get taken into consideration when you make career decisions.''
Then the Indianapolis game ended. Sexton told him he might want to really listen if he ever wanted to get back into college football again. After a sleepless night Tuesday, Saban decided he would take the offer Wednesday morning.
``I didn't sleep all night, nor did Terry. I talked to [owner] Wayne [Huizenga] early in the morning about it again, which was another confusing moment. Then when he came over to the house is kind of when [I decided].''
Saban said he didn't tell his assistant coaches in person because Huizenga thought it would be best if he didn't return to the team's Davie facility. Instead, he was forced to tell them via speakerphone.
``The players were all gone . . . I called eight, 10 guys and probably got ahold of six or eight of them. I left messages for other guys. I e-mailed every guy on the team. Some of the guys, a few guys called back. I don't like that either, but . . .''
Saban left the Dolphins prematurely. He admitted that much Thursday. But his reason for leaving wasn't influenced by the team's disappointing season or a seemingly long road ahead for success. Instead, he said, his departure was made more difficult for those reasons.
Asked if he would have left the team if they were playoff contenders, Saban said he would have.
''I don't think it was about that,'' Saban said. ``In fact, it was harder to do because we didn't have success this year. I think if we were 9-7 this year like we were last year, I think if we got in the playoffs, it would have been easier to say, `Ok.'
``I think we made progress. I just think it didn't show up in the win column for this year. Getting off to a bad start was all over the quarterback thing. We should have won a couple more games in the beginning. If we won a couple more games in the beginning, we probably would have been in a better position to win a game or two more in the end.''
Saban couldn't pinpoint the reason for his inability to succeed in his two seasons of the NFL. But he said miscommunication between the coaching staff and the personnel departments could have been a part of it.
I don't know how to say this, because I don't want to throw anybody under the bus,'' Saban said. ``But the personnel people in the building, that's how you gain an advantage. When you look at the teams that have really good personnel people in the building, that are doing what the coaches want them to do, finding the kind of players the coaches want them to find.
When that doesn't happen, Saban said, you wind up doing double the work.
'They say, `OK, here are the three best guys.' These are the three best guys? None of these guys fit our criteria for what we're looking for,'' Saban said. 'Then you go look at the list, and you say, `Oh here's three guys that have what we want.' So you're never on the same [page]. And you've got to be. You've got to be. You've got to be.''
Although South Florida fans likely will disagree, especially after a 6-10 season, Saban said he believes he left the organization much better than it was when he joined the team. After two years of dealing with salary cap issues, Saban believes he finally got the team into better shape.
He expects the team to enter free agency with about $12 million to $15 million under the cap.
''In my opinion, it's taken two years of manipulation of contracts, getting rid of guys that were making too much money, getting it off the books for the future, all the bull you've got to go through to get the salary cap down,'' Saban said. ``We've never had a cent.''
Saban said the team's offensive line situation is improving. He specifically praised tackle Anthony Alabi as a rising star, also saying the team has ``three or four decent offensive linemen.''
The coach has hope for the quarterback position as well, and he believes the team's future starter is somewhere on the roster. And if running back Ricky Williams returns, it would also help the team, Saban said.
''There's still hope at quarterback if Daunte [Culpepper] can get healthy,'' Saban said. ``And I do think between those three guys, Cleo [Lemon] proved that he might be able to play too. And you know, God knows about No. 34 [Ricky Williams], but if he comes back, you win three or four more games if the guy is playing, I'm telling you. He's got a presence.''
So is Saban glad he took a shot at the NFL?
''I think it was always my goal to do it,'' Saban said. ``So I was going to have to do it at some point in time. Then you learn about yourself.''
Toward the end of a 40-minute interview in his new office, Saban was asked if he will miss the NFL. He sat in his chair, contemplating. He paused.
''I never know about things like that,'' he said. ``But obviously, if I look back some day and say I miss the NFL, then I surely screwed up.''
Must Read - Spurrier Knows Saban's Pain
Spurrier can relate to Saban's quandary
PAT DOOLEY, The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun
Published January 4, 2007
Spurrier, whose name came up in Alabama's search for a new coach before it hired Saban, said he figured once Rich Rodriguez turned down the job Saban was going to be the Alabama coach.
"I think Nick Saban is sick of (the NFL)," said Spurrier, who left Washington after two years. "When we were all growing up, we'd think that someday we'd coach in the NFL. You go there and you realize it's not what you thought it would be. In college, you work for two people -- the athletic director and the president. And they don't tell you who to play, they don't come to practice, they don't recruit for you."
When Spurrier left the Redskins, he sat out a year before taking the job at South Carolina.
"I wish there had been a big-time opening during my second year in Washington," he said. "I would have left in a heartbeat."
Saban's $4 million per year deal more than doubles Spurrier's recently-extended contract that pays him $1.8 million per year. But it doesn't bother the former Florida head coach and Heisman Trophy winner.
"It just jacks it up for the rest," he said. "All of those guys who are blasting him are just jealous. The one thing he shouldn't have said was, 'I will not be the coach at Alabama.' But those guys who are criticizing him are just jealous."
PAT DOOLEY, The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun
Published January 4, 2007
Spurrier, whose name came up in Alabama's search for a new coach before it hired Saban, said he figured once Rich Rodriguez turned down the job Saban was going to be the Alabama coach.
"I think Nick Saban is sick of (the NFL)," said Spurrier, who left Washington after two years. "When we were all growing up, we'd think that someday we'd coach in the NFL. You go there and you realize it's not what you thought it would be. In college, you work for two people -- the athletic director and the president. And they don't tell you who to play, they don't come to practice, they don't recruit for you."
When Spurrier left the Redskins, he sat out a year before taking the job at South Carolina.
"I wish there had been a big-time opening during my second year in Washington," he said. "I would have left in a heartbeat."
Saban's $4 million per year deal more than doubles Spurrier's recently-extended contract that pays him $1.8 million per year. But it doesn't bother the former Florida head coach and Heisman Trophy winner.
"It just jacks it up for the rest," he said. "All of those guys who are blasting him are just jealous. The one thing he shouldn't have said was, 'I will not be the coach at Alabama.' But those guys who are criticizing him are just jealous."
Timeline of Events ?
Let me be clear that I do not know the source of this or if it is even true. Found this on another board...thought you all would enjoy it.
from a source at The University:
OK here goes I told ya'll I'd give you a synopsis of what transpired for Alabama to land Nick Saban. Here it is.
The week after the Alabama vs UT game, Saban's agent contacted Alabama officials to inform them that Nick would be interested in talking to them about the head coaching position if it were to come open. At that time, Mike Shula had full confidence from his superiors and there was no reason to believe that there would be a coaching vacancy, however there were beginning to be some rumblings within power circles that Shula was over his head and it was becoming obvious. Anyone who watched Alabama underachieve could not deny it. Then came the loss to MSU and that is when the powers that be started reviewing their options.
The week after that game, Mal met with Shula and to ld him that there had be signs of improvement the following two weeks. He didn't dictate that Shula had better win but back to my point earlier, it was obvious the team was digressing instead of progressing. Bama played better but lost to a good LSU team and for the most part it looked like the problems had been addressed. Then came the Auburn game. Shula horribly mismanaged that game and Dr. Witt and Mal were both so furious that they stormed out of their skybox before the game ended.
Let me go back a little. Mike Price brought in an OL coach named Bob Connelly who taught the zone blocking scheme that is ideal for a spread offense. Shula retained him when he came and it became painfully obvious to everyone (except Shula) that the zone blocking scheme was not working for the pro set that Shula wanted to run. It was clear in 2004 that a new OL coach was needed and Shula never addressed it. Also, although Shula had an "OC" in Dave Rader he chose to call the plays himself and quite frankly was not very good at it. Back to the Auburn loss; Mal held a meeting with Shula the Monday after the Auburn game and told him that he needed to address the problems with the O-line and with playcalling.
There were also serious issues in regards to discipline and S&C that needed addressing. Shula did not demand S&C participation and left it up to his assistants to oversee player participation, however he did not back up his coaches when the players were not attending as they should. They met again the next day and Shula's plan was to move the OL coach to centers and guards and to move the ST coach (who has never ever coached the O line) to tackles. He also told Mal that he would not give up playcalling duties. Mal told him that was not acceptable and to present another plan to him the following day. Well, Shula came back the next day and gave him the exact same plan.
What was really happening is that Shula was getting bad advice from Ray Perkins (who was Shula's coach at Bama and was positioning himself to be AD when Mal retired.) Perkins was telling Shula to stand his ground because they wouldn't dare fire him. In the meantime, Mal and Dr. Witt were making contengency plans. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Shula scheduled a players meeting for that night and attended that meeting and informed the players that there would be no changes and that all the coaches would be back next year. He was fired shortly after that meeting. What many don't realize is that Shula knew what he was doing and was trying to force Mal's hand because Mal had been trying to call him all day long and Shula wouldn't answer his phone.
In the days preceeding the firing, Saban's camp had reiterated that they were interested in the job but would not talk further until there was an official opening. Once that opening came, talks progressed fast and Saban told Bama that if they would wait until the end of the NFL season that he would be theirs. At that time, Jimmy Sexton started leaking Spurriers name about the job and that was done in order to try and keep the attention off of Saban for as long as possible. There was really never any serious flirtation with Spurrier and contrary to reports he was never offered the job.
There is a group in the Alabama AD that I call the "rats". these guys consist of a bunch of good ole boys who have jobs because they know the right people and would rather protect their jobs than do what is best for Alabama. These "rats" were putting pressure via there powerful (BOT) friends on Mal to look at other options because they "thought" Saban and Sexton were just using Alabama to get an extension. The reason I put "thought" in parentheses is because these guys actually knew that Saban would come if Bama waited (and Mal and Dr. Witt were willing to wait) and they also knew that they would be out of a job if Saban came.
Mal went to New York for the NCAA awards ceremonies and while there he met with three people (and you can call me crazy if you want but my record speaks for itself) Greg Schiano, Bob Stoops, and Rich Rodriquez. RR was very interested in the job and he was immediately positioned as the #2 guy if something should fall apart with Saban. Unfortunately, the "rats" convinced their BOT buddies that we could not take the chance to wait on Saban and we needed to get RR while we could. We offered him and he agreed. Now this is where it is pure speculation on my part but I really believe that Mal helped "sabatoge" the RR deal because he allowed him to go back to West Virginia to think it over, and thus allowing WV to counter offer. Thank god RR turned it down because #1 it allowed Mal to get back in control and it allowed the "rats" to be outed.
After RR decline, Bama got together a powerful group to "support" Mal and keep the "rats" at bay. That group consisted of Joe Namath, Gene Stallings, Lee Roy Jordan, and Billy Neighbors. Saban's camp once again said that things could happen if we would just wait. So we did. During the meantime, the contract was essentially drawn up between Sexton and Bama officials with the only thing holding the announcement being Dec 31. During this time Nick was already putting out feelers to guys he was interested in bringing in as assistants. On Jan 1, Mal and Billy flew down and Joe met them there. They met with Nick and his family and all plans were for a formal announcement on Tuesday, however, Nick thinks very highly of Wayne Huizenga and Wayne asked that Nick wait one more day to make the decision, which was never a decision at that point.
Tuesday afternoon Nick signed some documents that were akin to promissory notes and then Tuesday night around 8:30 est Nick signed the contract. Nick and family flew with Mal Moore to Tuscaloosa and toured the facilities on Wednesday afternoon. He was introduced as the 27th coach of the University of Alabama yesterday!
from a source at The University:
OK here goes I told ya'll I'd give you a synopsis of what transpired for Alabama to land Nick Saban. Here it is.
The week after the Alabama vs UT game, Saban's agent contacted Alabama officials to inform them that Nick would be interested in talking to them about the head coaching position if it were to come open. At that time, Mike Shula had full confidence from his superiors and there was no reason to believe that there would be a coaching vacancy, however there were beginning to be some rumblings within power circles that Shula was over his head and it was becoming obvious. Anyone who watched Alabama underachieve could not deny it. Then came the loss to MSU and that is when the powers that be started reviewing their options.
The week after that game, Mal met with Shula and to ld him that there had be signs of improvement the following two weeks. He didn't dictate that Shula had better win but back to my point earlier, it was obvious the team was digressing instead of progressing. Bama played better but lost to a good LSU team and for the most part it looked like the problems had been addressed. Then came the Auburn game. Shula horribly mismanaged that game and Dr. Witt and Mal were both so furious that they stormed out of their skybox before the game ended.
Let me go back a little. Mike Price brought in an OL coach named Bob Connelly who taught the zone blocking scheme that is ideal for a spread offense. Shula retained him when he came and it became painfully obvious to everyone (except Shula) that the zone blocking scheme was not working for the pro set that Shula wanted to run. It was clear in 2004 that a new OL coach was needed and Shula never addressed it. Also, although Shula had an "OC" in Dave Rader he chose to call the plays himself and quite frankly was not very good at it. Back to the Auburn loss; Mal held a meeting with Shula the Monday after the Auburn game and told him that he needed to address the problems with the O-line and with playcalling.
There were also serious issues in regards to discipline and S&C that needed addressing. Shula did not demand S&C participation and left it up to his assistants to oversee player participation, however he did not back up his coaches when the players were not attending as they should. They met again the next day and Shula's plan was to move the OL coach to centers and guards and to move the ST coach (who has never ever coached the O line) to tackles. He also told Mal that he would not give up playcalling duties. Mal told him that was not acceptable and to present another plan to him the following day. Well, Shula came back the next day and gave him the exact same plan.
What was really happening is that Shula was getting bad advice from Ray Perkins (who was Shula's coach at Bama and was positioning himself to be AD when Mal retired.) Perkins was telling Shula to stand his ground because they wouldn't dare fire him. In the meantime, Mal and Dr. Witt were making contengency plans. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Shula scheduled a players meeting for that night and attended that meeting and informed the players that there would be no changes and that all the coaches would be back next year. He was fired shortly after that meeting. What many don't realize is that Shula knew what he was doing and was trying to force Mal's hand because Mal had been trying to call him all day long and Shula wouldn't answer his phone.
In the days preceeding the firing, Saban's camp had reiterated that they were interested in the job but would not talk further until there was an official opening. Once that opening came, talks progressed fast and Saban told Bama that if they would wait until the end of the NFL season that he would be theirs. At that time, Jimmy Sexton started leaking Spurriers name about the job and that was done in order to try and keep the attention off of Saban for as long as possible. There was really never any serious flirtation with Spurrier and contrary to reports he was never offered the job.
There is a group in the Alabama AD that I call the "rats". these guys consist of a bunch of good ole boys who have jobs because they know the right people and would rather protect their jobs than do what is best for Alabama. These "rats" were putting pressure via there powerful (BOT) friends on Mal to look at other options because they "thought" Saban and Sexton were just using Alabama to get an extension. The reason I put "thought" in parentheses is because these guys actually knew that Saban would come if Bama waited (and Mal and Dr. Witt were willing to wait) and they also knew that they would be out of a job if Saban came.
Mal went to New York for the NCAA awards ceremonies and while there he met with three people (and you can call me crazy if you want but my record speaks for itself) Greg Schiano, Bob Stoops, and Rich Rodriquez. RR was very interested in the job and he was immediately positioned as the #2 guy if something should fall apart with Saban. Unfortunately, the "rats" convinced their BOT buddies that we could not take the chance to wait on Saban and we needed to get RR while we could. We offered him and he agreed. Now this is where it is pure speculation on my part but I really believe that Mal helped "sabatoge" the RR deal because he allowed him to go back to West Virginia to think it over, and thus allowing WV to counter offer. Thank god RR turned it down because #1 it allowed Mal to get back in control and it allowed the "rats" to be outed.
After RR decline, Bama got together a powerful group to "support" Mal and keep the "rats" at bay. That group consisted of Joe Namath, Gene Stallings, Lee Roy Jordan, and Billy Neighbors. Saban's camp once again said that things could happen if we would just wait. So we did. During the meantime, the contract was essentially drawn up between Sexton and Bama officials with the only thing holding the announcement being Dec 31. During this time Nick was already putting out feelers to guys he was interested in bringing in as assistants. On Jan 1, Mal and Billy flew down and Joe met them there. They met with Nick and his family and all plans were for a formal announcement on Tuesday, however, Nick thinks very highly of Wayne Huizenga and Wayne asked that Nick wait one more day to make the decision, which was never a decision at that point.
Tuesday afternoon Nick signed some documents that were akin to promissory notes and then Tuesday night around 8:30 est Nick signed the contract. Nick and family flew with Mal Moore to Tuscaloosa and toured the facilities on Wednesday afternoon. He was introduced as the 27th coach of the University of Alabama yesterday!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Quotes of the Day!!!
Click here for raw video of Coach Saban landing in T-Town!
“Praise the Lord, God is so good, Nick is now in the Bama hood." University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban receives a kiss from Colette Connell as he is mobbed by fans at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport on Wednesday
"GRAND SLAM HOMERUN by Mal Moore! Nick Saban will win easily at Alabama. Nick Saban is the best hire since Bear Bryant. Nick Saban will win a National Championship in 4 years at Alabama" Paul Finebaum from the Paul Finebaum Network on Fox 6
Paul on Fox6 (Video Clips)- Saban will win Easily & Saban is best Coach since Bear Bryant
"It's an act of desparation by the University of Alabama" Ivan Maisel ESPN Columnist
"I think (current LSU coach) Les Miles can go head-to-head with Nick Saban or anybody else in the United States." LSU Athletics Director Skip Bertman
“Praise the Lord, God is so good, Nick is now in the Bama hood." University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban receives a kiss from Colette Connell as he is mobbed by fans at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport on Wednesday
"GRAND SLAM HOMERUN by Mal Moore! Nick Saban will win easily at Alabama. Nick Saban is the best hire since Bear Bryant. Nick Saban will win a National Championship in 4 years at Alabama" Paul Finebaum from the Paul Finebaum Network on Fox 6
Paul on Fox6 (Video Clips)- Saban will win Easily & Saban is best Coach since Bear Bryant
"It's an act of desparation by the University of Alabama" Ivan Maisel ESPN Columnist
"I think (current LSU coach) Les Miles can go head-to-head with Nick Saban or anybody else in the United States." LSU Athletics Director Skip Bertman
Skip Bertman we will see how Les does on November 10th in Tuscaloosa!
"The Alabama Job is wonderful, as long as you win every game. That's all, that's all you have to do. and if there is a way to beat Auburn twice in a year, see that you do that as well. The idea at Alabama is to be sure that you are in control. The president is not in control, the athletic director is not in control, there is a group that is in control and it has been called various things by various people." Former Alabama Football Coach and Current ESPN college analyst and High School Teacher (Baylor - Chattanooga, TN) Bill Curry
"If you are a football coach and you want to win big time games; not many people is going to go from Alabama to Kentucky." Former Alabama Coach Gene Stallings remarks (on the Paul Finebaum Network) towards Bill Curry's comments about Alabama's Leadership
"If you are a football coach and you want to win big time games; not many people is going to go from Alabama to Kentucky." Former Alabama Coach Gene Stallings remarks (on the Paul Finebaum Network) towards Bill Curry's comments about Alabama's Leadership
Thank you Coach Stallings - one who knows how to win - for putting Bill Curry in his place!
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
SABAN to BAMA!!!
I can not believe it! Mal Moore has just pulled 0ff one of the biggest movements in sports as we know it today. It is a first! A university going after and getting a NFL coach under contract who was wanted by the team president! This will have ripple effects among the NFL and the NCAA Div-1 Coaching ranks. Bottom Line: College coaching, while still cut throat, is a better job than an NFL gig due to the pressures of dealing with owners and players who often make more money than the coach.This is what we know:
1. Saban to Bama talks have been going on for sometime. Finebaum knew something was up by the way that Jimmy Sexton was lying! Another item to consider. Dr. Witt is without a doubt the decision maker at the Capstone. He fired Mike Price and made the decision to let Shula go. Why did Dr. Witt not go to Miami to woo Saban? Saban probably had an understanding with his new boss Dr. Witt prior to Mal getting on the plane.
2. It was not about the money! Saban is taking a pay cut to come to Bama. Granted Bama is guaranteeing a longer contract than what the Dolphins have to offer. He wanted to get back in the college game and chose on of the premiere jobs in the nation.
3. Mal Moore looks like a genius for the first time since deciding to expand the stadium. Bama attendance ranked 5th in the nation for this past 2006 season. DEMAND is still high and will go no where but UP! I need to apologize to Mal for criticism. However, he should retire while on top of the mountain!
4. ESPN has a bunch of idiots! Several weeks ago they were blasting Bama for considering Nick Saban or Spurrier. "Bama is a dead-end-job. Who wants to work in the shadow of the Bear? Who would want to work in that pollical mess where boosters, the board of trustees, and the president are your bosses'." Now they have taken a 180 turn because they have egg on their face. Now spout off your mouth Colin Cowheard and Jim Rome!
5. ALL MEN NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS! In both cases with Rich Rodriguez and Nick Saban we learn one true saying, "If mama aint' happy, no one is happy!" Rita Rodriguez didn't want to leave Morgantown and Terry Saban wanted out of Miami (Havana North).
6. Cecil Hurt and Paul Finebaum were the only 2 news guys who said publically that Saban was a real candidate! They are the source of what's going on with UA! The rest are "Ready, Fire, Aim" reporters...
Tuscaloosa News Report (click here)
Congrats to Bama!
Congrats to the SEC!
Congrats to Mal Moore!
Congrats to the college football game!
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