Saban: A Tentative Defense
The following is what I will call a "tentative defense" of the Nick Saban hiring at the University of Alabama. My defense is instigated by a barrage of criticism from the media towards Saban, the university, college football, and seemingly according to some, life itself. In true debate style, here are their arguments and my responses.
1)"It's all about the money." Really? Because $4.5 million/yr just wasn't enough at Miami, huh? In all likelihood, Saban will only make a few more million (long-term that is) at Alabama. It's not a big difference, folks. Bob Stoops makes $3.45 million/yr and Saban will reportedly make around $4 million. Hardly sounds like an apocalyptic scenario for college football. Not to mention that, contrary to most reports, Dolphins owner Huizenga did not offer a specific counter-offer to Saban, although he did say he was willing to pay more. Saban made it clear he didn't care about that. He was frustrated with the way the Dolphins organization was going (granted, it likely had a lot to do with his ego and control issues but just the same), he clearly felt he functioned better in college football (and his record confirms that), and his family wanted to get out of Dodge, I mean Miami, the armpit of Florida. Next question.
2)"Alabama is no longer a top program in college football." This is one of the reasons I hate the way the media functions. When it looked like Saban wouldn't come to Bama, they said he should. When he actually did come to Bama, they said he shouldn't have. Now, I'm not one of the many Bama fans who carry the martyr complex when it comes to the media. I don't think the media is "out to get" Bama. I just think they're wrong.
To say that Bama is no longer a top program is ignorant. I don't mean that derogatorily; I mean it literally. When you've built a tradition in college football, it just doesn't go away. Alabama has been down in recent years due to sanctions (we got caught, others didn't) and an unfortunate hiring of inept coaches. Herein lies, however, the reason why that ultimately means nothing. If you live or have lived in Alabama, you understand how important football is. If you live in Indiana, it's basketball. If you live in New York, it's baseball. If you live anywhere in the mass expanse of Canada, it's hockey. It's that simple. People are passionate about football in Alabama, and always will be. It's tradition and it's fun. Therefore, even when we suck, we don't, because we sell out every home game (for 20 years straight now) and more people know the coach than the governor. The reason the U of A has money is because people care about it. That's why we've got some of the best facilities in the nation. That's why Bama gets on national TV consistently even when we have a losing record and Auburn gets screwed out of a national championship when they go undefeated. Auburn's been better in recent years, sure, but they'll never be bigger. It's a dream position because it's an automatic spotlight. Sure, if you suck as a coach, you'll get booted even if you're nice (like Shula did) because people want to win. Somewhere, people got the idea that's unique to Alabama football. Really? Move near South Bend and see if they tolerate it. How about Austin, TX? Ann Arbor, MI? Saban sees a golden opportunity in Bama because he knows he can rebuild the program and acquire the fame he so desperately seeks. It's a revival story waiting to happen and he's seizing the opportunity.
3)"He'll leave you like he did us." Ah, the ole cheating rule. Don't date a cheater if you don't want to get cheated. A good rule to live by, actually. And if you think Bama doesn't know that, then you have your head in the sand. Remember Franchione? I think AD Mal Moore knows that Saban is coming for glory and fame. It's a journey of the prideful Saban football ego and Moore is just opening the golden gates to glory. It's simple: we're using Saban, he's using us. Yep, he'll leave when he wants to but that won't be for a while. By the time he does, Bama will have a rebuilt program. In addition, there's also the fact that the media hasn't mentioned one place that would be more attractive to Saban than Bama right now. Think about what he wants and it makes all the sense in the world he's going to Bama.
4)"He lied and betrayed his commitment to Miami." Well, that depends on what the meaning of "is" is, right? Is it a lie if you really believe it? All indications are that Saban intended to stay with Miami due to his commitment to his friend and owner, Huizenga. However, his discontent grew and he began to change his mind. He even told Huizenga that he would honor his contract to Miami if that's what Huizenga wanted. That's not betrayal.
Was he deceptive? Sure. But hey, the media reaps what they sow. The media giants are so starved for money they harass the coaches to give them specific answers to questions the coaches cannot reasonably be expected to answer. Then the media complains when they don't get what they want. Here's an example. Pat Forde, an ESPN columnist, said that coaches should respond with the following comment when asked about potential coaching moves:
"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."
Now, if you're stupid enough to believe that would satisfy the media and end all questions concerning the matter, well...you're stupid enough.
With all that said, I will say this. I could be wrong about Saban's motives, etc., but I don't think so. I think he loves football and wants to be famous. I might ultimately hate the guy if he betrays us in the same fashion as Franchione did. But I don't think he will. In the meantime, I'm going to laugh at the media and enjoy being a Crimson Tide fan...because I know what I'm talking about.
posted by thewalrus at 4:41 PM
18 Comments:
Here is a question for the walrus (or anyone else): do you think Saban would have come to Alabama if they were offering a salary on par with other coaches in the SEC or even on par with the top coaches in the SEC which would be around $2 million? The answer (which I think is an obvious No, but I will be interested to here your take) speaks to the first issue you bring up about whether or not Saban moved for the money.
I think the point you bring up about Saban leaving for the money is an interesting point but not the most interesting. Certainly a more interesting point in my opinion as a UAB student is the inconsistency of the Alabama board of trustees who stopped UAB from hiring Jimbo Fisher for $600,000/year (supposedly because it was too much money) and, then, allowed UA to hire Saban for $4,000,000. This one will get even more interesting if Saban attempts to hire Jimbo as his new offensive coordinator.
Now for your second point “When you've built a tradition in college football, it just doesn't go away.” Sure, try and tell that to Army, Harvard, Yale, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. Like it or not things change. Alabama fans may not like it, but if Florida does pull off the BCS win, they will be thrilled with the change. Florida didn’t win their first national championship until 1996. Having some traditions may help build a program, but it certainly does not secure a future. Alabama has a long history, but it is no longer a top program in college football.
I could say a lot about the third point, but I would rather just wait and see, for now. Predicting the success or failure of a hire or a coach's longevity (or lack thereof in Mike Prce's case) is a difficult thing to do. I will simply reference this article from a few years ago. Carroll's hiring is another mistake for troubled USC. The article gets particularly interesting down toward the end when Deinhart compares USC’s and Alabama’s new hires.
And for your 4th point, I am going to tag out and Dan LeBatard of the Miami Herald take this one Saban leaves as a loser, weasel.
Adios.
8:11 PM, January 03, 2007
Welcome back, hobbes. Haven't seen you in a while. Thanks for taking time to respond.
As for your response to P1, I don't know anything about the UAB situation. I would consider, however, that like it or not, UAB football is probably not the best place to invest. I don't mean that offensively at all. On the other hand, I won't pretend to defend Bama's Board of trustees by any stretch.
As for your response to P2, I don't think the schools you mentioned really qualify. First, the last time one of those schools won a national championship was in 1960. Alabama has won 6 since then. All of those schools had their heyday at the beginning of last century or two centuries ago. Three of those schools aren't even in Division I-A. My point would only apply to when college football became a prominent sport, monitored by the Associated Press, etc.
What qualifies as a "top program in college football?" To me, it's tradition, program, fan support, media attention, and success. As I said in the post, the sanctions and coaching blunders are the only things that have hurt Bama.
Considering that LeBatard is upset and doesn't address the key points I made in the post, he just sounds...well, upset. Again, I don't think this situation was handled ideally or even well by Saban. However, I think these situations are created by the media's rabid desire for immediate answers.
9:12 PM, January 03, 2007
Thanks walrus, glad to be back…
Here is a link about the UAB/UA board of trustees situation if you care to dig further 'Little Bear' Bryant crosses line again in denying UAB.
As for the top programs argument (that is the top programs will always be top programs (if they are recognized by the AP (if they are historically winning programs (if historically means since 1960 (but not Florida, since they didn’t come around until the 1990’s (if you don’t judge who is a top program now by mere wins/losses and recent performance but by media attention, (ahem, scandal, ahem)))))))... Well, I may have to give you that one.
Now, LeBatard was clearly upset but still managed to make a good point about Saban’s betrayal. Namely that Saban preached, “the meandering spiel memorized by now. About 'competitive character' and 'overcoming adversity'” but when he faced adversity in Miami he ran off to greener pastures in the friendly confines of college football where, “a new crowd eager for a savior can hear his hot-air speeches about being a gladiator.” LeBatard makes a pretty good case for betrayal. I don’t think the media can be blamed for the inconsistencies between Saban's statements about sticking with the team through adversity and him leaving for Tuscaloosa.
Anyways, he's Alabama's coach now, and it will be fun to see him back in the SEC. I suspect that much of this will be forgotten if he is able to win a few games next fall.
10:48 PM, January 03, 2007
lol dude, I'm not following your top programs joke...esp. the scandal part.
I guess I'm not convinced that Saban left because he couldn't face adversity. In other words, it wasn't a battle he couldn't fight, it was a battle he didn't want to fight. Like Spurrier, he clearly recognized his coaching skills fit on the college level better than the pro's. It's a whole different animal. I really don't think he left because he was losing and in "tough times." I think there were extraneous factors (organizational, familial) that played the trump.
Yeah, except for the occasional jab, this will be forgotten in the long run. The Miles/Saban face-off will take precedent. How about LSU tonight? Personally, I think they are the best team in the nation.
11:49 PM, January 03, 2007
Whoa,
I went to sleep last night thinking of my responses to the Walrus' 4 points, but Hobbes beat me to the punch. Here is my take:
1. 'Its all about money' - Wait, isn't EVERYTHING about money? I have 2 points:
A. Nick $aban left a $4.5 million a year job that looked to be over anyways. He jumped to a guaranteed contract worth $32 million. Don't fool yourself into thinking it is only $4 million a year. I bet there are few rational 'bama boosters who believe that $aban will be in Tuscaloosa for 8 years. I predict 4 years, do that math he made $8 million a year. Let's say $aban goes 9-0 next year going into the Auburn game, Auburn wins 56-0. The boosters grumble, Mal Moore crumbles, and they fire him, then little Nicky walks out with a check for $32 million. Whether it was 'all about money' or not, Nick $aban is in a much better financial position today than we was 3 days before.
B. Isn't Alabama a public school from a decidedly poor state?? I know that 'Bama Football INC. has the money but the rest of the world thinks that a desperate 'top program' with dollars to burn should not be setting the contract negotiation pricing points for college football coaches for years to come. What is the harm you say? I know you can see it, I see it at Auburn. Boosters with ever increasing stacks of money loose their grip on reality (student athletes and true competition) and go farther and farther with more and more money to make sure their team wins. Academics get pushed aside, boosters become trustees and further divert money and attention from the University to the football program.
I know it is tough for people who are fans of football teams of schools they never attended to understand that the University is something more than a color to root for on Saturday afternoons. It is tough for them to see past "my team won, I feel good" or "my team lost, I feel bad." Some of us actually went to these Universities and understand how the 'politics of football' often leave the academics out in the cold.
Just understand, the perspective from those of us who know there is more to a University that it's college football team think that this is another step away from Academic and a HUGE step towards the slippery slope of money, powerful boosters, and winning at all costs.
2. 'Alabama is no longer a top program in college football' - Debatable, what is a 'top program'? The Walrus throws our some criteria: "To me, it's tradition, program, fan support, media attention, and success." How long does a program get to languish in NCAA probation, have a hilarious coaching carousel, and finish the year with a loosing record before it gets dropped from the list of 'top programs'? 5 years? 10 years? I also second Hobbes' nomination of Army, Harvard, Yale, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania as former 'top programs' whom have "built a (winning) tradition in college football" that HAS gone away. Technically your point is correct, the Harvard "tradition in college football" has not gone away, they just can't beat anyone anymore.
But I think what the media is trying to say is that no one fears/respects 'bama anymore. Gone are the days of recruiting speeches that consist solely of "I am Bear Bryant, come to alabama to play football boy." Ask a top blue chip recruit from Texas who Bear Bryant is/was, I bet they won't know. Ask a top blue chip recruit from Alabama who Bear Bryant was, their answer would most likely be "Isn't he the guy wearing the funny hat in all those pictures I saw in that redneck's house?" The mystique of the Bear (and sadly Bo Jackson) is completely lost on today's 17 year old male population. 'bama fans like to avoid thinking about the present ugliness and focus on the glory days of yore. You do that because it is your team. But, the national conscience has forgotten you or worse scorns you.
I think the intense media 'attack' on 'bama kinda proves my point. No one except 'bama people are defending it, because the collective college football mentality is ashamed of 'bama. A once glorious football program, because of money and an overwhelming desire to win, have turned it into a probation ridden, running joke, loser of a team.
3. "He'll leave you like he did us." Yeah he will. Tubberville told the press at Ole Miss that the only way they would get him out of Oxford was a pine box. 4 days later we has the coach at Auburn. $aban will leave you, before his 8 years are up. Why is this bad? See point #1.
4. "He lied and betrayed his commitment to Miami." Yeah he did. See points 3 and 1. I read the same Pat Forde article and I like the script he and the Walrus mentioned for perspective new coaches. This is a problem made by the media, and the media sucks (I think we all agree), but would the media do such destructive things unless they were making money? (see point 1) Would they be making money if the public wasn't enthusiastically sucking in all the media's product and demanding more?
Bottom line, after the last 5 years the 'bammers need some good news. They got some news that the rest of the civilized world thinks is bad news and the 'bammers now feel the need to defend themselves against legitimate complaints about the whole situation. It's understandable. But just realize that what you consider salvation has become a joke to many more people than just Auburn fans, your savior is a money grabbing weasel, your boosters a tangled mess of redneck ego. Alabama Football is in shambles, and just like the 4 coaches who came before him, people who don't regularly wear crimson doubt that $aban is a legitimate savior.
I was going to write a great parable how poorly 'bama treated Mike Shula, but then I realized he actually is a meathead.
Granted, all the points made above do come from a person who HATES the fucking crimson tide, but also realize the actions of the University as they apply to the football program have created a whole new subset of people who think that Alabama Football is a joke.
7:27 AM, January 04, 2007
Thanks for responding octavio.
I'm going to be one of the few irrational people who think Saban is in for the long haul. Here's why: Where else does he have to go? What else does he have to do? It is any coach's dream to build a program to prominence. To do it at a school where the stage is always set and it's simply a matter of acting is even more incentive. He's not going back to the pro's and so, barring some unusual circumstances, he'll be here a while. He said he'd be at Bama til he retires. This time, I think I might actually believe him.
Due to the nature of my defense, I probably haven't made clear that I do think the salaries of college coaches are absurd. I would also agree that allocation of that amount of funds will ultimately hurt academics at the school. My only point was that Bama's become a whipping boy for a problem that's been in college football for a while. They're not unique.
Again, the media situation is about money which is precisely the problem. You have no argument from me here. However, I don't think Saban betrayed his commitment. In fact, there's a fairly good argument to be made that he honored it considering the circumstances. That became even more clear in the press conference this morning.
The subset of people who think Bama is a joke is largely comprised of Auburn fans, honestly. If Bama is such a joke, I have yet to see that anywhere other than Auburn fans on Bama message boards. ESPN analysts even admit Bama's in the top 10 programs in the nation, even when they're bad.
This is my key argument that has gone unanswered. What about Bama's situation makes it distinctively different than the other major programs in college football? Because they went through sanctions? I assure you no school is laughing at us. They're thanking God they didn't get caught. Because of the "coaching carousel"? Perhaps from someone who is unfamiliar with the situation, yes. But that's synonymous with ignorance. Because it's been 15 years since they won a national championship and 7 since an SEC championship? Well, considering the number of schools who haven't won championships in 30 years (Aubie fans can just keep on counting), I think that hardly qualifies Bama as a laughingstock. Again, Bama has been through some hard times and has rightly put itself in many positions to be scorned at times but the bottom line is merely that they've struggled for a few years. That's pretty common you know.
In a few years, we'll have top 10 football and basketball teams (we already have the latter). The best thing about being a Bama fan is that it's just fun as hell. We're crazy and we never quit. If that creates envy and scorn from those on the outside, we'll just go ahead and let them waste their energy while we have a good time...and we'll do it watching our team on national television...because it's Alabama. Mystique has power.
4:07 PM, January 04, 2007
"Bunch of Suckers"
This guy nails it on the head.
5:53 PM, January 04, 2007
Even Dodd's on board with me:
CBS' Dodd's article
6:05 PM, January 04, 2007
Hey, not a 'Bama fan, so I'm afraid I'm not going to be taking the time to read all the posts re the same. But I'll give a belated holiday shout-out and requisite tip of the glass to the new year. (BTW, I say nothing wrong with doing your resolutions on New Year's if that's when the motivation hits you; I usually end up doing so, but this year it seems unnecessary, since I kinda did that for my b'day a couple of months ago--still working on those ones.)
Anyways, back to college football--man, I love college football. (Professional's just so... professional --you know?)
And I gotta say, having watched my two main teams on New Year's--Oklahoma (by birth) and Michigan (by youthful choice), the Rose Bowl was one of the most disappointing I've seen, and one of the most disappointing of this amazing season. A sad end to a GREAT season for a very good team (but the officiating couldn't have been better). As for the Fiesta Bowl, that was one of the best games I've seen in a long time, and anyone who missed it, should feel regret. From the start I resolved that I'd be at least as glad if little Boise State somehow actually won. And what a great ending it was! Wow.
That game seriously warmed the heart (and made up for the chill the Rose Bowl cast upon it).
Anyhow: Cheers.
6:47 PM, January 04, 2007
If you were to capture the Walrus and examine his tongue I bet it would be crimson. Why? because he is a major consumer of the crimson koolaide. In his world Gawd himself reached down and blessed the Alabama Crimson Tide and has shunned all her gridiron enemies. If crimson had feet it could walk on water, if the flood was coming $aban would build a charismatic ark and keep all the good people from drowning. Hehe I jest of course, my tongue would be a certain colour of orange, but I guess I keep participating in this debate because I am tired of all the 'bammers clinging to the past as a way of demonstrating their potency in the present. I am glad though that I flushed the Walrus out into making a bold prediction about how long $aban will the the Commander in Chief of the Army of the future Tornado Victims of America. The Walrus admitted that he "think(s) Saban is in for the long haul," and $aban "said he'd be at Bama til he retires. This time, I think I might actually believe him." Let's see either of them will stand by their word:
Walrus I propose a friendly wager; (let's assume that we will all be alive in 4 years that the internet is still somewhere that people like us can go and exchange ideas.) I'll set the over/under for $aban at 4 years (because that is longer than he has stayed anywhere else.) Walrus will you accept my wager that he will not last that long? I propose some kind of public humiliation as the stake. Something along the lines of the loser will appear in a picture on the internets of themselves wearing a shirt proclaiming their love for the winner's football program. We've got plenty of time, think about it.
We do agree Walrus that the salaries of college coaches are absurd. Have the actions of 'bama made this problem diminish in any way? (no why should they?) Well, have the actions of 'bama exacerbated this situation in any way? Well yeah. They have raised the bar in terms of pure $$ and 'prestige expectations.' An 'everybody is doing it' excuse might work if your client wasn't the most egregious offender.
Plus you think Dennis Dodd agrees with you?
""Tuscaloosa's Twosome is a unique pair. One is 'Bama itself, a freak show full of shadowy characters and unrealistic expectations, looked down upon from above by a legend.
The other is Saban, a dictatorial sourpuss who changes jobs like I change shirts.""
Judge, the affirmative's key argument has NOT gone unanswered: 'bama is distinctly in the cross hairs of this argument because the most prestigious and feared college football program in the history of mankind has been reduced to begging and (based on market conditions) had to severely over pay to get a leader who has a track record of leaving prestigious programs for ever increasing piles of cold hard cash. The 'bama coach is now by far the most lavishly compensated coach in the country, not based on his 5 national championships in a row, or his recent triumphant super bowl victories, but because 'bama is in such a mess that no one else would take the job for half as much. And please educate all of us who are unwashed and ignorant: 'bama hasn't has a "coaching carousel"? 5 coaches in 5 years. To someone who is not swilling the same brew as you are this seems like a carousel. Or are you saying that the carousel is understandable based on inside info you have? Here is how I see it, Debose got ran off for lying about an improper relationship with a female employee, the school settled a sexual harassment claim by the woman for $350,000. Franchoine had enough sense to bolt when he saw the lingering effects of the University 'being caught' doing naughty things. Mike Price has the hookers in a hotel room on the University credit card scandal. Shula get beat by Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in the same year! Seriously, that is a train wreck.
As you may be able to tell, this whole ordeal has been quite amusing to me, especially yesterday. Lets look at a round up of the Alabama newspapers coverage of the $aban triumphant ascension to the holy seat in Tuscaloosa:
1. I am not the only one who spells $aban with a $ :
picture
2. from a Tuscaloosa News story:
Colette Connell, one of the more exuberant fans at the airport, even had her own Saban cheer: “Praise the Lord, God is so good, Nick is now in the Bama hood.”
The Times Daily got a picture of Colette actually kissing $aban.
In the same Tuscaloosa News story:
Later that day, Connell was arrested for driving under the influence.
(snicker)
OK on to more important matters: I got the latest edition of Panther Notes in the mail. Nothing very exciting to report but the actual Panther Notes magazine itself has gone through a major overhaul. I don't know if it has a new producer or just new software but it is very picture heavy, looks much more professional, and had only 4 pages of sports in the back. The weird news is that now all of MHBS's basketball games are broadcast on the internets (www.mhbs.org) and our favourite vasectomy explaining Bible teacher is the voice!
7:32 AM, January 05, 2007
darkfire and octavio,
Sorry I had a long, dramatic day so I was unable to respond. I should be able to while I'm at work tomorrow.
1:42 AM, January 06, 2007
Good drama, I hope. (Is that an oxymoron?)
3:25 PM, January 06, 2007
darkfire, the Fiesta Bowl was nothing short of phenomenal. That will go down as one of the best bowl games in history. By the way, if you get on youtube you can see the crazy last few minutes of the game.
I think good drama can indeed happen but it certainly wasn't what happened yesterday. When the reality hits home that a certain friend is not who you thought they were, it really tends to suck elephant balls...especially because it seems that I always discover that about the person right before (or after) they choose to disappear from my life completely...and then I'm left to figure out just what the hell happened. But hey, shit happens. Thewalrus is alive and well (and single).
Oh, by the way darkfire, I just met a guy whose hometown is K.C. His name is Matt Wertz and he has a fairly popular band. I don't know if you've heard of them or not.
Now for octavio's response...
5:37 PM, January 06, 2007
octavio,
God didn't reach down and crown the Crimson Tide? Geez, first it's Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the GOP. Now this? What's the world coming to?
Ah, a weighty wager indeed. I'll agree to that. Let me make sure I understand the wager. You're saying he'll leave in less than 4 and I'm saying he'll stay for (at least) 4 right? The only condition I would place on that is this: if we win a national championship before then (I know that's a big if), then the deal is off because I think he'll leave if he gets that in less than four years. Also, if he is fired for extraneous reasons (such as a scandal), it's off too. Otherwise, we're on.
I don't know that I'll really waste time arguing about whether the money is too high because I agree with you here. My main point was that smearing Bama on those terms is a moot point because it's merely a matter of degree.
I don't even know that I would really disagree with Dodd's quote there. I think the Board is indeed pretty shady and that Saban has a horrible history of being fickle. I don't think, however, that Bama's expectations are any more unrealistic than any other football team in the country. Ask any player, coach or fan out there if they expect the best from their team. If they say no, well they must be from Auburn ;)
I wasn't disagreeing about the recent existence of a "coaching carousel" at Bama. I was simply saying that people say that without addressing the specifics. You however did so I'll respond.
Think about how it went. As you said, there was scandal with Dubose. Fired. Franchione came in and was accepted by everyone but betrayed his team and bolted (his flight makes Saban look like a saint). So we hired Price who decided to bang a prostitute and give her the school credit card. Fired. Shula stays for four years but goes 2-14 against LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, and Tennessee (note that in 4 years he never beat LSU or Auburn). He never won a game when entering the fourth quarter trailing. Never. A talented team goes 6-7 a year after going 10-2 and progressively got worse. So what did we do? We cut him loose. Shula is the only one who is even debatable. (By the way he didn't lose to Vanderbilt).
Bama was indeed desperate for a good coach because they were sick of putting up with losers (in every sense). Bama has had just as much difficulty as anyone else getting coaches. We were turned down by Spurrier and Rodriguez for reasons that had nothing to do with Bama. They simply like where they are. The fact that someone like Saban would leave the NFL to come to Bama is rather complimentary...and I was almost going to say it was providential. So if your coaching carousel argument is the only thing that makes Alabama distinct, well it just takes a closer look to clear that up.
As far as snickering at drunk college football fanatics, I'm right there with you. The whole crowd at the airport thing was rather amusing to me as well. If nothing else, it goes to show how loyal Bama fans are. Who else greets a new coach at an airport?? Those silly silly fans I tell you... Hey, compare them to Cubs fans and Bama fans actually look sane (in other words we don't have fans running on the field catching a touchdown pass right before it's caught by one of our players...(sigh)...what might have been...). Did I mention I'm a Cardinals fan too? Hehe...I just can't peel that red off my tongue for the life of me!
6:37 PM, January 06, 2007
Walrus,
Glad you caught the Fiesta Bowl.
I hadn't heard of Wertz, but I'm streaming the songs he's got on his site now.
Genuinely sorry to hear about the bad drama, man.
Two pints o' Guiness on me.
1:24 AM, January 07, 2007
Wow, Florida completely SPANKED OSU last night. I am an official 'Gator Hater' but I was grinning the whole game. Good job repping for the SEC Gators.
Walrus,
the bet is almost agreed to, you have the terms right, but I object to one of your stipulations.
I do agree with the if $aban wins a National Championship then the bet is officially off. I also agree that if monkeys start flying out of my anus then I will wear a 'bama shirt into the hospital so the news media can see. BUT Scandal? Seeing as how at least one of your former coaches has left in a scandal I do not accept that as a term of the bet.
So for clarity sake, on Jan 04 2011 IF Nick $aban is still the coach at 'bama I will borrow a 'bama shirt from one of my more rotund coworkers and wear it to be photographed for the world, if Nick $aban is not the 'bama coach (or he has won a National Championship after today) then you will proudly display a picture (not photo shopped) of yourself in Auburn attire.
Agreed?
10:10 AM, January 09, 2007
That was indeed an amazing domination by Florida.
I'll definitely be on for the bet but since the bet is essentially about how long Saban will stay to be the football coach, well, it needs to be within reason. If his entire family dies from an accident and he has to retire, that shouldn't count. If the scandal surrounds something like what Price did, then I'll stay with the bet.
10:54 PM, January 09, 2007
Agreed then, if he leaves in scandal then I win, if he leaves due to tragedy then the bet of cancelled. We can let the fine sober patrons of this bar be the judge of what constitutes scandal vs tragedy.
12:18 PM, January 10, 2007
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