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SABAN to BAMA. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter aldelgreco
- Start date
redman
Footballguy
Unless Saban has discovered that he's absolutely miserable as a head coach in the NFL in general, or has abandoned hope of turning around the Dolphins in anything like a reasonable amount of time (e.g. because of hitching his wagon to an overrated Culpepper), I'm struggling to understand his move here. Even if it's disillusionment with the NFL that's hard to grasp given that he has plenty of NFL experience to draw upon to prepare him for his position with the 'Phins.
He's highly paid, has absolute power, works for a good and stable NFL organization, and has plenty of job security. Moreover, for all its history Alabama has some rebuilding to do and has as rabid (not in a good way) of a set of boosters as there is out there.
Please explain how this makes sense as a career choice for him.
He's highly paid, has absolute power, works for a good and stable NFL organization, and has plenty of job security. Moreover, for all its history Alabama has some rebuilding to do and has as rabid (not in a good way) of a set of boosters as there is out there.
Please explain how this makes sense as a career choice for him.
Lord of the Rings
Footballguy
Front page of the Miami Herald says that "the decision" has been delayed until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (Wed.) morning. I wonder if it's the 'decision' or 'announcement'. But to the point, not really sure what Saban is thinking either. Seems like he has the keys to the kingdom in South Florida, with a supportive, hands-off owner in Huzienga. Not sure if he'll have that in Bama. Those alumni and boosters have pretty high expectations.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
Maybe Saban knows something we don't - like Huizenga's close to selling the team (something he's been trying to do).I am with you - why the heck would Saban leave the Dolphins halfway through what looks to be a very good rebuilding project.
Edit to add: he's also, IMO, now screwed himself out of getting future NFL jobs. He has a big question to answer to the next NFL Franchise that might come calling "So, will you ditch us halfway through the rebuilding process like you abandoned the Dolphins?"
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diesel7982
Footballguy
If anyone is still keeping score(looking at you Jason Wood), this is another story PFT broke before anyone else in the mainstream media.
I agree as well. Maybe he's trying to pry more money out of Huizenga?Saban is starting to look like Larry Brown.
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
jetpack
Footballguy
My guess would be that he just likes the college game better. Jo Pa turned down the Steelers coaching job back in 68 or so. Maybe he digs football on Saturdays, recruiting, multiple definitions of a successful season (top 10 finish/multiple bowl games instead of just one championship). Or maybe it was all that plus the huge wads of cash.Unless Saban has discovered that he's absolutely miserable as a head coach in the NFL in general, or has abandoned hope of turning around the Dolphins in anything like a reasonable amount of time (e.g. because of hitching his wagon to an overrated Culpepper), I'm struggling to understand his move here. Even if it's disillusionment with the NFL that's hard to grasp given that he has plenty of NFL experience to draw upon to prepare him for his position with the 'Phins. He's highly paid, has absolute power, works for a good and stable NFL organization, and has plenty of job security. Moreover, for all its history Alabama has some rebuilding to do and has as rabid (not in a good way) of a set of boosters as there is out there. Please explain how this makes sense as a career choice for him.
our own Tat told us this would happen almost a month ago
http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...howtopic=294642
http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...howtopic=294642
Lord of the Rings
Footballguy
One of the commentators on ESPNNews said something I found interesting. He said that Saban just likes to be romanced. Strong possibility. Maybe Saban just needs to have people fawning over him and throwing everything at him to lure him away from his current position. It's nice to be adored and wanted. It's nice to be pursued. But once he accepts the proposal, maybe the luster wears off. Then when someone else comes along and winks in his direction, he's tempted to stray. Maybe Saban has a problem with the "C" word.... committment.
Neil Beaufort Zod
Footballguy
He's getting a lot of money to go to a storied program. What's not to like about that? Many fans believe that NFL > NCAA, but as a career that might not be the case. Maybe Bama would be more money and more fun.
nygiants56
Footballguy
he knows Ron Brown is a bust. not only that , he probably knows his O-line is shaky, his QB's are both useless ( Cpepp and Harrington),
and his defense is aging rapidly..
He probably doesn't want to fire Mike Mularkey, but knows he should..
and to top it all off, he can become a 'god' of sorts, by resurrecting the 'Bama tradition and pride..
why would he want to coach in the NFL when he can be a god in 'Bama, like Carroll is in So Cal, or like
Weiss is at ND?
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
Saban builds programs. I was actually not impressed with the playcalling this year and he handed those duties over to one of the worst possible guys. Mike Mularky.The fact that he didn't make the offensive play calls tells me that maybe he isn't very good at in-game management. The college level might be his best bet.Looks like AZ will have some competition for Norm Chow. And I bet the 'phins win.
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
Could you please defend this statement? Noone in the organization, nor any of the fans, agree with this assessment.As to the OL, they were decimated by injuries this year and the depth is horrendous - it is essentially the same line that produced a tremendous year for Ricky/Ronnie and Frerotte.There was no QB consistency, which is essential to running a decent offense.The DL is aging and Zach Tomas is gettng old - the rest of the defense is a young unit.I think you are drastically underestimating the talent level in Miami if you think that is the reason he is leaving.(incidentally, Saban leaves the Dolphins in a very good cap situation this upcoming year).
I think that Saban is a great coach. He has shown he can produce on the college level, and I believe that with more time he could show that he can produce at the pro level.
As a MSU fan, I hated it year in and year out while he flirted leaving State for the NFL. I hated watching him win at LSU... but I still think he is a great talent and knowledgeable coach.
The comparison of him to Larry Brown is not too far off though. I wonder if he has the patience to go through a 5 year rebuilding process. I think he thrives on being courted for new jobs, and salivates over the $ signs that these organizations keep tossing him.
As a fan, it is frustrating and sometimes difficult to understand... but if you parallel him to any other job us simpletons hold, I think most of us would do the same thing. Go do something new, where you are wanted, and make more money.
The more he moves, the less chance he gets scrutinized by the fans and media if he does fail to produce.
This is a new day and age of coaches. He is still in high demand and in his prime... why not keep moving on?
As a MSU fan, I hated it year in and year out while he flirted leaving State for the NFL. I hated watching him win at LSU... but I still think he is a great talent and knowledgeable coach.
The comparison of him to Larry Brown is not too far off though. I wonder if he has the patience to go through a 5 year rebuilding process. I think he thrives on being courted for new jobs, and salivates over the $ signs that these organizations keep tossing him.
As a fan, it is frustrating and sometimes difficult to understand... but if you parallel him to any other job us simpletons hold, I think most of us would do the same thing. Go do something new, where you are wanted, and make more money.
The more he moves, the less chance he gets scrutinized by the fans and media if he does fail to produce.
This is a new day and age of coaches. He is still in high demand and in his prime... why not keep moving on?
Todem
Footballguy
Our cap situation is 4th best on our own division. The Pats, Bills and Jets all have much more to work this upcoming off-season.Ronnie Brown is no bust but he is also not a great NFL RB. He is good and I expect his best years are ahead but not a #2 overall talent.OL is garbage. It needs an overhaul for the exception of Carey and Hadnot. Jeno James has been a huge dissapointment. A stud LT and a Stud LG away from being dominant. Draft one and land a free agent like other teams seem to be able to do.Culpepper will be 100% next year and back to form. I am a huge fan of Daunte Culpepper and his elite talent. I just hope he has the confidence needed to play his style of football.Our secondary is also garbage. he traded one of the 5 best shutdown corners as his first move when he got here. You never trade that type of player for a second round pick. His 2 drafts have been dreadful.Saban can walk and I will show him the door. He hates dealing with the media and has no clue how to talk to people. He is an ###.Wayne has just had bad luck in his hires.The Phins need a couple of bad years to rebuild as well as someone who has a clue how to evaluate talent.
good cap situation compared to what?they have less cap room than the rest of AFC East even thoughj they have like 22 free agents they need to replace.The young players Saban has brought in have not produced.good luck finding a QB- (he should have kept Frerotte)
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
We are at 180 degrees on most of your points - homers at odds
1) 4th in our division or not, the cap situation will be better heading into 2007 than it has been in the last four or five years. And it is good compared to the rest of the league - especially with the expected increase in the cap. The point = they will be in a position to go after some good FAs2) Ronnie Brown will be a fine NFL RB. Top-5? Not sure. Would like to see him stay healthy. A healthy Ronnie Brown would have had near or over 1200 yards despite a dolphin team that was 29th in rush attempts - behind that decimated OL, Brown had 4.2 YPC. Woud also like to see improvement at OL before grading Brown. An improved OL would help him get GL opps and TDs. I think it is way early to say he is not going to be a great NFL RB.3) OL is not garbage. Jeno James has been injured this year - he was a ROCK last year. Easily the team's best OLineman in '05. That you praise Carey, yet tear down the OL in general, is not convincing to me. Carey is good, not great. I agree with you thast the team needs a LT. Carey can be the team's LG. JJames will be the team's RT, Hadnot at center. They need DEPTH in case of injury more than talent at the starting five.4) I agree tha there is hope for C-Pepp, but i am not holding out much. I like Lemon. and thought he did more for the offense than Harrington did.5) LOL at grading his drafts this soon. In 2006 he had only 6 picks total due to the C-Pepp and Feely trades. I think all of Hagan, Toledo and Allen will emerge as good picks. In 2005, he was handcuffed with few picks on the first day of the draft, but he took R. Brown (who we disagree on), Alabi (so far looking like a bust), a pair of DTs who are behind our vets so we don't know what they can do yet, and some secondary guys (notably, Travis Daniel from LSU, who has played well, but was hurt this year). Not sure you can accurately grade his drafts based on this year.Here's where Saban screwed up: 1) hiring Mike Mularkey as his OC, 2) not pursuing better FA OLs, 3) rushing C-Pepp back and screwing the phins for the first month of the season. The thing he's been GOOD at is re-building this team's talent level. The things he's been BAD AT are evaluating the best thing to do on the field (Mularky and C-Pepp are the glaring problems with the Dolphions offense).Not sure how you justify criticizing a defense that is the 4th best in yards allowed, 5th best in points allowed, and is the best defense we have put out there since 2002.The pass D ranks in the top 10 everywhere except INTs - as Saban said in his Monday press conference, the team is missing a BIG PLAY CB not a shut down corner. The Dolphins secondary shuts down opposing receivers - they don't hawk the ball.
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
As mentioned above, the best for the 'phins in quite a few years. They will have more room in '07 than in the past few years to pursue FAs.
Tat
Has-been punter
Had to wait a little to post it, due to the fact of some misleading from one of my sources about Spurrier.I was told this deal has been done for weeks, and that Saban had to wait until 2007 to declare Yay or Nay.
During this time, Saban has been working on his staff that should be amazing.
BigJim®
Footballguy
PFT > Broken Clock
I remember Dolphins fans around here jumping for joy when they signed Mularkey to be the OC. "But he has head coaching experience and was a good OC in Pittsburgh." GB that guy quitting on the Bills and signing with their division rivals. One of the best things to happen last year. I still respect and fear Saban, but putting that putz in charge of the Dolphins offense was a clear sign that he's not infallible.I'd also add that trading for Culpepper instead of signing Drew Brees looks like a major error. Could have had a better QB and another good draft pick.
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Sidewinder
Footballguy
...According to figures obtained from a source by the Sun-Sentinel , the Dolphins are currently $17.8 million under the 2007 salary cap of $109 million. In previous years, that figure would rank the perennially cap-strapped Dolphins among the league leaders in available space entering the upcoming free-agent signing period.Instead, 18 other franchises have more cap room...
Sun-Sentinel article Dec 2, 2006
Colin Dowling
Footballguy
ANyone who chooses to live in Tuscaloosa of their own free will deserves what they end up getting. 
PatsWillWin
Footballguy
Which team did he hold hostage?
Slider
Footballguy
Uhhh, Miami for the last 2 weeks the heavy rumors have been circulating.Which team did he hold hostage?
PatsWillWin
Footballguy
What is your definition of "holding a team hostage"? Is it coaching out the season and leaving at the end of it?Uhhh, Miami for the last 2 weeks the heavy rumors have been circulating.Which team did he hold hostage?
BigSteelThrill
Footballguy
Damn, it doesnt take a day or two into the offseason and profootballcrap is being pushed.
Wilbur Wood
Footballguy
What about his repeated and emphatic "DENIALS" throughout the season that HE DID NOT WANT the Alabama job and that he was committed to staying with Miami. He said this about 4 times up until the last week when he said that he was not going to answer that question anymore.
The man is a major league LIAR if leaves Miami given his posture and comments to the Miami press, fans and players. He repeatedly looked his players in the eye and told them that he was staying the course.
p.s. I was not very impressed with his game management skills. There were a couple of occassions during which the situation clearly called for going for it on 4th and short late in the game (i.e. JETS and Colts games) and he either went for a tying FG or punted.
The man is a major league LIAR if leaves Miami given his posture and comments to the Miami press, fans and players. He repeatedly looked his players in the eye and told them that he was staying the course.
p.s. I was not very impressed with his game management skills. There were a couple of occassions during which the situation clearly called for going for it on 4th and short late in the game (i.e. JETS and Colts games) and he either went for a tying FG or punted.
Colin Dowling
Footballguy
WHy am I the only one that thinks going to Alabam will be MUCH harder then coaching in the AFC East? Good grief, the talent in the SEC in conjunction with the schedule he will have to play is going to be brutal. The coaches and teams in the SEC are all consistently strong and while he has indeed experienced success in the SEC, going to Alabama to coach a team that is in need of a talent infusion does not seem like an upward move to me, regardless of pay.
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
Can't count me in that camp.
I remember Dolphins fans around here jumping for joy when they signed Mularkey to be the OC. "But he has head coaching experience and was a good OC in Pittsburgh."
Marc Levin
Hangs out with Oscar Zeta Acosta
I can't tell if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me.Like I said, the Dolphins are in the best position they have been in over the last four or five years.
Not clear why it is debatable - Saban ois leaving the Dolphins in a good cap situation (compared to the situation the Dolphins were in when he got there).
guderian
Footballguy
I'm no fan of LSU, but I followed the Saban drama while he courted Miami. He repeatedly denied any interest in the Miami job and was adamant that he was staying at LSU for the long-term. I even recall him saying that he just planted some trees on his property and he "planned on staying until they were full grown." A few days later he bolted for Miami (uber fast growing trees I guess). Saban impresses me as an attention whore. I understand the fact that he wants the best deal, but he drags these things through the media to negotiate his position. He could easily quickly decide and move on, but drags these things out as long as he can.
rabidfireweasel
Footballguy
Well, he has one national championship coaching after taking over a less regarded opportunity in the SEC, so he probably thinks he can do it again. Whoever wins the SEC has a reasonable chance of being in the BCS game. He also won't have to coach agaisnt two of his good friends for one quarter of his games and he won't have a salary cap.
diesel7982
Footballguy
No doubt, but if you are applying that to PFT, you havent been paying attention.
Neil Beaufort Zod
Footballguy
Kind of like how Arizona has been holding Dennis Green hostage? I bet they knew weeks ago that he was going to get fired.It's a business. Unless both sides are happy, the other side's grass will always be a tempting shade of green. Can't blame Saban for looking out for himself, just like the Dolphins would jettison him for the "perfect" coach (if such a person existed).Slider said:Uhhh, Miami for the last 2 weeks the heavy rumors have been circulating.JetsWillWin said:Which team did he hold hostage?Slider said:
unfortunately, the rest of the teams are in far better cap position than the Dolphins, so there won;t be as many players cut loose and there will be more competition for the ones that do get released. funny - you didn;t mention Jason Allen as one of Saban's fine young players - huge mistake with his 2006 #1.Marc Levin said:
Colin Dowling
Footballguy
I'm looking at this through Orange-glasses...I just hate Alabama. All I really wanted for Christmas was for no one to take the job and the school to disband the football program in a fit of shame and embarassment...rabidfireweasel said:
need more infoA man's allowed to cancel an appointment and consider career options.Did he call and cancel? Did Fins owner say "take a few days to think about it" like the Rooneys pretty much told Cowher?Article linked in FFA says he called Huziengaespn reports saban did not show up to meet with the owner today and is on a plain to alabama and will not be at his press conference. truely a classless move
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Horses Mouth
Footballguy
seriously. dissin' the huizenga? that's not kosher.espn reports saban did not show up to meet with the owner today and is on a plain to alabama and will not be at his press conference. truely a classless move
Colin Dowling
Footballguy
ESPN News saying it's a done deal
Sidewinder
Footballguy
...And it is good compared to the rest of the league ...In terms of cap room, 19th out of 32 teams is "good compared to the rest of the league" ? Ooookay...Marc Levin said:
-Flounder-
Footballguy
H.K.
Footballguy
Yep, the classy thing to do would be to go on a private plane. I am curious what plain he took, though....espn reports saban did not show up to meet with the owner today and is on a plain to alabama and will not be at his press conference. truely a classless move
