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tbl

1/4/2007, 08:45 AM

Pretty good article by Forde...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=2718798

Saban only lied when his lips were moving
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com
Archive

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. -- With Nick Saban en route to a coronation in Tuscaloosa, it's officially time to change the vocabulary used to describe college coaches.

"Integrity" is out. "Character" is out. "Teacher" is out. "Leader of men" is out.

"Liar" is in.

They're not going to tell the truth to us, but we can tell the truth about them. It's this: They'll say anything to get recruits on campus, and they'll say anything to get media members off their backs when angling for a different job. And the panting attempts by school administrators, fans, other coaches and many media members to portray them as men of superior moral fiber needs to stop.

They're coaches, that's all. That makes them part of a pack of lying liars who only lie when their lips are moving -- and Saban's lips have moved most recently.

The Miami Dolphins coach denied being interested in or a candidate for the job at Alabama so many times we all lost count. But we weren't naive enough to believe him -- and Wednesday proved why. He's fundamentally unbelievable.

So it's time to rename the American Football Coaches Association the Liar's Club. I understand that I'm tarring a lot of good men -- and even a few honest ones -- with a broad brush, but that's Saban's gift to his profession.

Of course, he's simply following a proud tradition of dissembling coaches.

Butch Davis wasn't leaving the Miami Hurricanes for the Cleveland Browns -- until he did.

Tommy Tuberville told Mississippi fans the only way he'd leave the school was "in a pine box" -- before leaving for Auburn days later.

Louisville's Bobby Petrino denied a meeting with Auburn that had indeed taken place. The next year he signed a contract extension and said, "This is the place I want to be." He interviewed with LSU within a week of that statement.

Dennis Franchione convinced his players to stay at Alabama after enduring NCAA sanctions -- then fled himself for Texas A&M after two years on the job.

Saban is the latest and perhaps greatest example, if only because he took such umbrage at being asked about the Alabama job that he wasn't interested in (until he was). It required an impressive reservoir of gall to refute angrily questions designed to learn the truth, as if they were unfair attacks on the coach's piety.

Last week Saban said, "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach."

This week, when the topic didn't go away -- because, clearly, it shouldn't have -- he got snippy.

"I'm not talking about any of that stuff," he said. "And I'd appreciate the courtesy of it not being asked."

If you could put a subtitle on that it would read: "My gosh, people, I'm trying to avoid the subject. How dare you not play along with me? Just because I've been lying my eyeballs out, I won't let you paint me into a corner. So it's time to make you all look like jerks for badgering me. Bad manners, all of you!"

The thing is, we've seen it so often that we've become almost immune to this bizarre mating dance of obfuscation and denial. Colleges won't say which coaches they're after, and coaches won't admit to being interested. Universities like using the Latin word "veritas" in mottos and such, but they aren't wedded to the word when it comes to pursuing athletic coaches.

Obviously, telling the truth potentially can create some sticky situations. But this would be my suggested sample comment for a coach being sought for a job other than the one he now has:

"Although I love the position I currently hold, I am a candidate for job X. I will not discuss it further until there is something tangible, be it an interview or an offer, to discuss. Goodbye."

It beats rampant, jaded dishonesty. Especially from college coaches who love to talk about all the valuable life lessons they're imparting to America's impressionable young rush ends, blindside tackles and cover corners.

The real job description at most places isn't terribly heavy on life lessons. It goes roughly like this: Must win, must win some more, must beat archrival, must recruit like a maniac, must put fannies in seats. The secondary clause: Must not get caught committing NCAA violations, must try to avoid a complete and obvious subversion of the university's academic principles.

Winning games is why Alabama wanted Nick Saban, and winning games is why Nick Saban wanted to go back to college coaching. That's as far as the "great fit" goes. You'll probably hear a lot about how Saban loves college towns and college life and coaching young guys, but this is why he wanted to go back to campus: His record at LSU was 48-16, and his record at Miami was 15-17.

Don't look a single step beyond that. Because if you do, you'll see Alabama's contribution to the higher education mission: a reported $32 million contract for a football coach who spent the last month-plus lying like a rug about having any interest in coming to their school.

Yet they won't be able to introduce Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa simply as the best winner money can buy. The hyperbole will go far beyond that, until he is inevitably hailed as a "man of great character."

I'll simply hail him as the richest member of the Liar's Club.

Don Shula's take
Miami Dolphins legendary coach Don Shula felt betrayed by Nick Saban's departure, telling the Miami Herald …

• That Saban let the Dolphins down: "He has run away from the challenge."

• That Saban lied: "It's unbelievable. There were four or five direct statements that were blatant lies. That tells you a little bit about the guy."

• That Saban quit: "That's obvious. He quit. He left."

• That Saban is a fraud: "What other conclusion can you draw? The guy likes to hear himself talk and then doesn't follow up on what he says."

Urban Meyer's advice
Florida coach Urban Meyer was among those who noticed that Saban took a job after telling South Florida reporters he would not.

"I learned my lesson at Bowling Green," Meyer said. "I was offered a job and I turned it down. I was all set. They went like this and stuck a microphone in my face and said, 'Are you going to take the job?' And I said, 'No. I'm not going to take the job.' And then a few days later I got the phone call from Utah. So everyone was all [ticked] and all that. What's the best way to handle it? Now that you're older? It's 'No comment.' That's always the best way to handle it. Because I heard coach Saban say there's no way he's going to be the coach at Alabama."

tbl

1/4/2007, 08:48 AM

A few more examples of class.

A chronology of comments about Nick Saban taking the head coaching job at Alabama:

Nov. 27:
Saban: "When I was in college it was always about coming to the pros. This is the challenge I wanted. I had a good college job. Why would I have left that if I was going to be interested in other college jobs?

"I took this as a challenge. We certainly haven't seen this through and gotten where we want to go and finished the job here, so why would I be interested in something else?"

Dec. 5:
Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga (after giving Saban a vote of confidence): "I am completely sold on Nick Saban. I would admit we made a mistake if we did make a mistake, but I firmly believe in Nick Saban."

Dec. 7:
Saban: "I'm flattered that they may have been interested in me, but it never really progressed, because we just never let it progress."

Dec. 21:
Saban: "I guess I have to say it. I'm not going to be the Alabama coach. ... I don't control what people say. I don't control what people put on dot-com or anything else. So I'm just telling you there's no significance, in my opinion, about this, about me, about any interest that I have in anything other than being the coach here."

Dec. 27:
Saban: "I'm just making a rule to never comment on something like that again because every time you comment on it, it just makes for another story. So I'm not going to comment on it five years from now, and I'm not going to comment on it next week."

OUHOMER

1/4/2007, 09:22 AM

BLAH BLAH BLAH, who can blame them for lying. If i told my boss, yea I am intersted in that other job, if they make the right offer I am gone. If they dont i will stay. My boss, would just say i hope you get it, now get out.

there are so many people effected in a deal like this, you would not want to tell the world until its a done deal.

the press needs another story. Nick lied to me, and therefore he lied to you. Lets hang him

batonrougesooner

1/4/2007, 09:49 AM

I'm sick of the double standard put forward for coaches on ESPN and in the article above.

How is what Saban did any different than the "vote of confidence" owners and AD's are known to bestow weeks before they fire their coaches?

What good is a contract to an AD or an owner? Saban was 15-17 in two years at Miami. Another year like that and you can bet it would be at least 50/50 he keeps his job the following year. Do you think they are going to tell the media two weeks before the season is over, "Since you asked and since you deserve to know everything, we are planning on firing Nick Saban at the end of the year."?

So hypothetically, how would Miami handle that situation? The press would demand to know from the ownership if Saban was going to be fired and when. They would ask it twenty different ways until they got an answer they liked. Miami would undoubtedly tell them "Saban is our football coach. We believe in the job Saban is doing. Any talk of his dismissal is not based in fact. There are no candidates for the job of head coach of this team because we currently have a head coach." We've all heard them before.

I think the media is treating Saban poorly in this for many of the reasons our local media likes to sometimes take pot-shots at Stoops. He doesn't kiss the media's ***. He tells them what he wants them to know, not what they think they NEED to know.

Coaching is a business. It is a two-way street. What is good for ownership and administration is good for coaches.

Sooner in Tampa

1/4/2007, 10:55 AM

This is much ado about nothing. Saban was in a no-win situtation with the media and his team. There was no way in hell he could come out and say "Yes, I am interested in the 'Bama job" with games left in the season. His team would have quit in him.

I respect the hell out of Don Shula...but his remarks are pretty classless. Don't kick a dude on his way out the door...because you damn sure wouldn't be talking smack about being 15-17 if he stayed.

leavingthezoo

1/4/2007, 11:00 AM

i'm no fan of saban, but someone who writes for ESPN calling out coaches for being liars is comical. i'm especially surprised he used the word "integrity" as if he has any clue what that means.

picasso

1/4/2007, 11:01 AM

not taking up for Saban but Shula just might have a grudge due to the fact that he's replacing his son.

Sooner in Tampa

1/4/2007, 11:09 AM

not taking up for Saban but Shula just might have a grudge due to the fact that he's replacing his son.HEH...I neve thought about that.

TheHumanAlphabet

1/4/2007, 11:16 AM

sooner518

1/4/2007, 11:21 AM

geez If I were planning on leaving my job, I sure as hell would lie to my current job until it was time for me to leave. its not like Forde is finally uncovering some disturbing trend among just coaches. and I dont feel that anyone has any obligation to tell the absolute truth to the media.

TMcGee86

1/4/2007, 11:26 AM

I agree it's ridiculous to expect him to admit he is thinking about another job while there are games left in the season.

So what is he supposed to do? Say "No Comment" ? All that would do is fuel the fires of ESPN that in fact he was taking the job because otherwise he would have denied it, right?

He was in a no win situation. And in the end, who gives a shish if he freaking lied. Who exactly did he lie to? The media? Us? Does he owe either the media or the public the duty to always tell the truth? I think not.

And it's not like he had a bunch of recruits coming in that he lied to. Its the pros, those guys get paid lots and lots of money to do what they do and I am sure they can handle their coach leaving.

The only way I can see anyone handleing a situation like this is just to say before every press conference that he will not take any questions regarding a coaching change. And then just sit there when the questions are asked. Because regardless of what you do they will still ask the questions and when you dont answer they will no doubt write articles about how you dodging the questions proves you are leaving. All of which tells you exactly how much weight to give jackholes like Pat Forde when they feel righteous enough to use the term "integrity". Which not surprisngly always coincides to when they get their little feelings hurt.

Luthor

1/4/2007, 11:29 AM

I think what we're seeing is that these young coaches are much more like their players than the older coaches are. They're eager for all the props and video highlights but forget about any personal accountability. That's just an invasion of privacy.

I heard a comment Switzer made last week on a bowl preview show. He was asked if he would coach again if he got the chance and what his preference would be for either college or pro. He said he would love to coach again but only in the NFL. He said coaching at the pro level was easier than at the collegiate level because you're not worried with shaping the lives of teen agers at the pro level. NFL players are men and you treat them as such.

Saban is a merc for hire and nothing more. The NFL started crowding his mojo so he bailed.

MrKurt

1/4/2007, 11:30 AM

I've found that people who scream about "integrity" and "class" generally come across as shady fools when I read their opinions.

batonrougesooner

1/4/2007, 11:34 AM

I had little respect for Saban before, none now. Alabama has lost all vestiges of respect as a University, they should just go pro now.

I don't understand your point. What did they do that anyother program wouldn't have done? Is it the money? I seem to remember when Stoops' high paying contract raised a few eyebrows.

soonerinabilene

1/4/2007, 11:35 AM

pat forde writing about class is like hitler writing about world peace.

TheHumanAlphabet

1/4/2007, 11:40 AM

I don't understand your point. What did they do that anyother program wouldn't have done? Is it the money? I seem to remember when Stoops' high paying contract raised a few eyebrows.

Its the fact that Alabama was besides themselves angling to get him and the fawning, second coming reaction they had to him when he went to 'Bama. If it were me, I would have moved on after the second or third no thanks...

Its not the price of the contract, and I don't begrudge Stoops' money. He at least didn't hem and haw...

batonrougesooner

1/4/2007, 11:43 AM

Its the fact that Alabama was besides themselves angling to get him and the fawning, second coming reaction they had to him when he went to 'Bama. If it were me, I would have moved on after the second or third no thanks...

Its not the price of the contract, and I don't begrudge Stoops' money. He at least didn't hem and haw...

I guess we don't really know what was going on behind closed doors. I would think if they really didn't think they were going to get him they would have publicly moved on after his emphatic "no". Alabama had been strangely quiet over the last several weeks.

FlatheadSooner

1/4/2007, 12:12 PM

pat forde writing about class is like hitler writing about world peace.

:D

Ding-ding, we have a winner!

TheHumanAlphabet

1/4/2007, 12:16 PM

AlabamaSooner

1/4/2007, 12:21 PM

I hope Alabama hasn't made a deal with the devil. It appears to me that they have. If money could sway him to say yes, what will happen when a good program comes along...Another Fran? Alabama was just begging at the end, they probably would have agreed to paycheck for life if it was asked.

I had little respect for Saban before, none now. Alabama has lost all vestiges of respect as a University, they should just go pro now.

He got no pay increase (in fact I remember hearing that he's being paid $500,000 LESS per year to come to Alabama). It was stated time and again that money wasn't an issue and he wanted back into the college game. Getting that shot at Alabama seems like a good situation to me.

RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!

1/4/2007, 12:49 PM

At least your Bammer aggy might now take a back seat in recruiting. It's just not right for aggy to have the dominant football program in a state!

badger

1/4/2007, 12:53 PM

yes, saban beat us in the sugar bowl, but that's because he had a recruiting monopoly on the talented state of louisiana. when he's competing with a more-successful Auburn (CURRENTLY more successful) what will he do?

(I mean, besides demand more money)

Penguin

1/4/2007, 12:56 PM

Be a good guy or take $40 million and be called a liar?

I'll take the $40 million.

People that blame Saban just want to get worked up about anything.

RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!

1/4/2007, 01:04 PM

Be a good guy or take $40 million and be called a liar?

I'll take the $40 million.

People that blame Saban just want to get worked up about anything.$40 million would be like maybe 3 National Championships to me.

GulfCoastBamaFan

1/4/2007, 01:55 PM

batonrougesooner

1/4/2007, 01:59 PM

Nick Saban will easily and quickly dominate recruiting in the state of Alabama.

It is a talent rich state and more so than Louisiana, primarily because the population is higher and the public school system in Alabama produces academically eligible football players (a huge problem in Louisiana even before Katrina and Rita).

Auburn is a hard sell in a state where fan polls run nearly 2-to-1 in favor of the Tide. Saban is a tireless recruiter and most of the kids in the state are Bama fans anyway.

I agree.

Is Tuberville worried about the onslaught of decommits he is likely about to get? Wouldn't surprise me if he had a few late defections.

Do you think JaMarcus Russell (Mobile, AL) is at LSU right now if Saban recruited him to Bama instead of Baton Rouge? I'm thinking not.

soonersam

1/4/2007, 02:03 PM

I think he stole my liars club jacket....

Socrefbek

1/4/2007, 02:08 PM

Saban just screwed up from a PR standpoint.

Reporter: Coach are you considering the Alabama job? Are you a candidate?

Saban: I am the coach of the Miami Dolphins I do not comment on other jobs.

Rinse, Ring, Repeat ... :pop:

He brought this on himself IMO.

RedstickSooner

1/4/2007, 02:15 PM

pat forde writing about class is like hitler writing about world peace.

Now, wait just a second there, buddy - Hitler was all for world peace - with Germany as the world's overlords and that whole Ubermench thingie.

Ya silly goose.

I don't really see why anyone cares, though - NFL stands for No Freaking Loyalty.

The teams have no loyalty to the players, the players have no loyalty to the teams, and I see no reason why we should expect any different from the coaches.

Saban's rub should be the times he's bolted college programs without much warning (like leaving Michigan State, which still cries a river whenever the subject comes up). However, in the case of LSU, he handled the departure quite well. Which is why it's kinda odd he handled this departure so poorly.

NFL coaches aren't necessarily allowed to say no comment, are they? Don't the organizations usually require them to respond to the media?

Tear Down This Wall

1/4/2007, 02:52 PM

Sports "journalists" are idiots. In fact, sports "journalism" is probably the lowest form of literature next to porn mags.

Sports "journalists" sit around and make up stuff if coaches and players won't answer their idiotic questions. Even when the players and coaches do talk to them, they make stuff up if what the player or coach told them doesn't fit their perception of the team.

This guy Forde calling any coach a liar is the height of hypocrisy. No one lies more than sports "journalists." Dirt bags.

SleestakSooner

1/4/2007, 03:24 PM

Cry me a freaking river Patricia! God forbid anyone should not tell the media the truth.

You can't just run around spouting off about every job offer or interview you have. If Mr. Forde were worth a damn as a reporter he would do his research and find evidence to back up his story.

In journalism you sometimes rarely get your information 'from the horses mouth'. But if you read Pat Forde's whinery club posts you might be getting it from the horses ***.

And WTH was this line? Mating dance?

The thing is, we've seen it so often that we've become almost immune to this bizarre mating dance of obfuscation and denial.

SleestakSooner

1/4/2007, 03:29 PM

Bourbon St Sooner

1/4/2007, 04:02 PM

So these media types lambast Mora for saying he'd be interested in the UW job, but act all high and mighty when Saban takes the easy way out. Big **** if he lied to the NFL. There's certainly no loyalty in that league.

soonerinabilene

1/4/2007, 04:15 PM

i can just see saban sitting in his car." They'll keep calling me, and calling me, and calling me. alright fine, i'll go i'll go i'll go" then hit the seat a few times.
when saban was in dolphin land, let my saban go.

GulfCoastBamaFan

1/4/2007, 04:54 PM

I agree.

Is Tuberville worried about the onslaught of decommits he is likely about to get? Wouldn't surprise me if he had a few late defections.

Alabama has a small class coming in this year, because of grey shirts and a very small graduating senior class. There might be a few splashes for the 2007 class, but 2008 and beyond are going to be interesting.

Do you think JaMarcus Russell (Mobile, AL) is at LSU right now if Saban recruited him to Bama instead of Baton Rouge? I'm thinking not.

I'm thinking absolutely not, and I'm thinking Patrick White (now at WVU) stays home, too.

OUinFLA

1/4/2007, 05:12 PM

Sports "journalists" are idiots. In fact, sports "journalism" is probably the lowest form of literature next to porn mags.

It makes me unhappy in my pants that you think Sports Journalism is above pron mags.

Would you reconsider?

GrapevineSooner

1/4/2007, 05:12 PM

If Pat Forde and his ilk disappeared tomorrow, would anybody actually miss them?

Harry Beanbag

1/4/2007, 05:32 PM

The sports media is a bunch of self-important, arrogant, ignorant pricks who are too stupid to comprehend their rightful role in life. Saban found out he doesn't really like coaching in the NFL like he thought he would, which I believe is the same thing that Stoops will figure out some day down the road. The hours required to achieve anything resembling decency on the field are astronomical compared to college, with little reward and a faint light at the end of a tunnel.

I think he could have been a good NFL coach, but you could tell by watching him this year that he was miserable. Life is too short to live like that. People are calling Saban the Larry Brown of football now, which is a crock of ****. He went from Michigan State to LSU, that's a no brainer decision right there. The NFL came calling, and a good franchise at that, so he figured what the hell, I'll give it a shot. A couple of years later he finds out it sucks, then Ala-dad-gum-bama of all schools is there to reel him back to the college ranks. Who can begrudge him for making that decision (a decision that he believes will improve his and his family's quality of life), other than a few sanctimonious blowhard sports media members? Ho hum.

On a side note, I ****ing hate ESPN. Some of you may have read my diatribes against them before, but my hate burns a deeper red every season. The only reason they are so boisterously loud in their quest for a college football playoff, a huge one like 16 teams, is because they want the television rights to that cash cow. They don't give a flying **** about what's best for college football, its traditions, and its uniqueness. They just want a gigantic payday. Hmmmm, kind of like what they're accusing Nick Saban of doing.

Stitch Face

1/4/2007, 07:50 PM

He got no pay increase (in fact I remember hearing that he's being paid $500,000 LESS per year to come to Alabama). It was stated time and again that money wasn't an issue and he wanted back into the college game. Getting that shot at Alabama seems like a good situation to me.

I believe it's less money per year but more years so a bigger total contract (and therefore bigger potential buyout if he sucks and gets axed - therefore more secure money in the long run).

GulfCoastBamaFan

1/5/2007, 01:49 PM

I believe it's less money per year but more years so a bigger total contract (and therefore bigger potential buyout if he sucks and gets axed - therefore more secure money in the long run).

You are correct!

However, his contract with the Dolphins called for a lump sum payment of the full remaining value if he were to be fired. If he quit or was hired away, there was no reciprocal buyout.

He originally signed a 5-year, $22 million deal. He could have stayed one more year, gotten himself fired, and sit around doing nothing for $4.4 a year for three years, or take the Bama job and actually have to earn his keep for a little less money.

Some people are accusing him of being greedy, but from a cash flow perspective, staying put would have been the better decision.

Scott D

1/5/2007, 02:20 PM

Forde is an idiot.

The only place Saban may have been upfront with about leaving in his career is Kent State. He told Michigan State he'd only leave for the NFL...bam before a bowl game he agrees to go to LSU.

I do think that sports journalists are the best people in the world to lie to...well outside of political journalists and analysts.

jthomas666

1/5/2007, 02:54 PM

BTRSooner - I know. This whole thing stinks IMO. They fire a guy doing a decent job IMO. Then they have the debacle of people lining up and telling 'em no. Then this. I just appears bad from a fan standpoint, is the AD desperate? or savvy? I don't know, I only know what I think seems a bit much.Here's your first mistake. Shula was not doing a decent job.

He was not making the players hit the weight room--which could be seen in weak 2nd half performance across the board, but on the OL line in particular.

He stuck with an OL coach who was not getting the job done--this was a problem that was evident three seasons ago.

He did not show many signs of learning from his past errors.

Discipline was becoming a problem on and off the field.

Shula did a lot of good things for us, but the bottom line was that the team was not progressing, and the was no indication that it would ever progress under a Mike Shula regime.

Your second mistake is mentioning the "debacle" of people lining up and telling us no. We offered the job to exactly one other person--Rodriguiez. He told us yes, then changed his mind at the last second (and yet no one is pillorying him for lying the way their villifying Saban. Go figure.) No one else was offered the job--no matter what rumors have been floated out there.

TheHumanAlphabet

1/5/2007, 03:44 PM

85sooners

1/5/2007, 04:45 PM

**** saban!!

SelmaBamaFan

1/5/2007, 05:17 PM

Thanks for clearing that up. Then UA did a bad PR job of telling the story of who was and wasn't offered. I agree, Rodriguez was just using UA to up the ante to WVU. I don't think he ever intended to go to UA. UA could have done the change better as well, stating something as you just said would have gone a long way to help UA's image as replacing a person that wasn't doing the job...

I think the way OU fired thefatone was good. It was made clear that the job wasn't getting done and the search was secret. Oh, lots of speculation no doubt. But it seemed well run. UA's search no matter what happened, didn't seem well run - at least publicly.

For some reason UA has always had a ****ty PR dept. We seem to let whatever gets out stay out. ESPN and the other major networks/media outlets can say whatever they want and UA wont say a damn thing about it.

BTW THA, most of the rumors got started because Bama used a firm to head up the coaching search (Same one U of Miami used, among lots of other schools). Basically they send out people to pretty much every coach in the nation gathering information to see if they would be a 'fit' for what a certain school was looking for.

Bama was looking for a 'proven college coach with successful HC experience'. Using that information the firm went directly to the biggest names in the business to gather information. Most people, and the media for some damned reason, took these surveys as 'official offers from the University of Alabama', when infact NO ONE from the University had even contacted them.

So Spurrier wasnt offered the job, but I'm sure that firm contacted him and asked him some questions... one of which was if he was interested.

EDIT: We did offer RR ofcourse, but not the other coaches that 'turned us down'.

Rock Hard Corn Frog

1/5/2007, 05:29 PM

For some reason UA has always had a ****ty PR dept. We seem to let whatever gets out stay out. ESPN and the other major networks/media outlets can say whatever they want and UA wont say a damn thing about it.

BTW THA, most of the rumors got started because Bama used a firm to head up the coaching search (Same one U of Miami used, among lots of other schools). Basically they send out people to pretty much every coach in the nation gathering information to see if they would be a 'fit' for what a certain school was looking for.

Bama was looking for a 'proven college coach with successful HC experience'. Using that information the firm went directly to the biggest names in the business to gather information. Most people, and the media for some damned reason, took these surveys as 'official offers from the University of Alabama', when infact NO ONE from the University had even contacted them.

So Spurrier wasnt offered the job, but I'm sure that firm contacted him and asked him some questions... one of which was if he was interested.

EDIT: We did offer RR ofcourse, but not the other coaches that 'turned us down'.

You know how the feelers and behind the scenes contacts are though. The conversation is basically....

to Spurrier's agent "If Bama were to offer you the position of head coach would you be interested.

Spurrier through his agent, possibly or yes....offer follows

.............No, then the job wasn't offered.

BUT, one of the agents or Spurrier himself has an ego and doesn't keep it to himself and then word gets out that the job was offered and turned down. Of course then Spurrier and the University both give the standard line that no offer was made, which is technically the truth but is a defacto rejection.

Bama did a great job though of coming through in the end. For what Saban is getting paid though he pretty much has to win a NC. Anything short won't do.

SelmaBamaFan

1/5/2007, 05:45 PM

I dont think Bama fans expect to win the NC soon, we just want to be consistantly competitive again.

Rock Hard Corn Frog

1/5/2007, 05:51 PM

I dont think Bama fans expect to win the NC soon, we just want to be consistantly competitive again.

You might feel that way and so does a good percentage but the team was just one year removed from having a very good year. I know you said consistant. I really doubt Saban will be a flop. His track record suggest you win a minimum of 8 games next year possibly 10 and could be in the NC hunt in 2-3 years.

I think the $$$ being spent though suggests a different set of expectations from some of the boosters.

I don't know the programs budget but I wouldn't be suprised if you aren't able to get tickets for a game for under a C-note for what is being spent.

SelmaBamaFan

1/5/2007, 06:23 PM

Tickets wont change too much, skyboxes however....

zeke

1/5/2007, 07:03 PM

Like him or or not (or his profession) Pat Forde hit the nail on the head.

I guess what lot are saying that if $$ is involved its ok to lie.

Teach your kids that as long as anything helps them gain more money or if lying bails them out of a jam go right ahead an lie their way out.

Big Red Ron

1/5/2007, 07:18 PM

Forde is a *********. He ripped David Boren and Bob Stoops over the Oregon thing. He is dead to me.

OUinFLA

1/5/2007, 09:15 PM

For what Saban is getting paid though he pretty much has to win a NC. Anything short won't do.

I'd think they would want something more than what they claim every year?

:D

josh09

1/5/2007, 09:41 PM

Oh sorry i thought this said "Saddam joins liars club"

Ill leave.