Good article by Scarbinsky

[timNem]

Rodriguez decision could re-open the door for Saban

Saturday, December 09, 2006
Don't be shocked if the University of Alabama's long and winding search for a new head football coach ends up right where it began.

At the doorstep of Nick Saban.

After losing Rich Rodriguez back to West Virginia, landing Saban would be the greatest comeback in Alabama history.
It would be the only way for the program to save face after its biggest embarrassment since Mike Price's Florida vacation.

It may be a long shot, but it still could happen - only if Alabama is willing to exhibit a lot more intelligence and patience than it has to date in this search.

There was a glimmer of hope in that direction Friday.

As soon as word started to filter back from West Virginia that Rodriguez was waffling on his commitment to accept the job, Alabama AD Mal Moore wasted no time in turning his attention back to his original target.

There's good reason to believe that the Alabama camp made contact with the Saban camp Friday to ask if he still might be interested in the Alabama job.

There's good reason to believe that Alabama's renewed interest in Saban was not completely dismissed.

That doesn't mean that suddenly Alabama and Saban are on the same page, or that the doubters in the Alabama inner circle have belatedly scrambled onto the Saban bandwagon.

A serious difference of opinion among Alabama's decision-makers is what turned the school away from Saban and toward Rodriguez, seemingly for good, earlier this week.

The biggest concern about Saban was the prospect of waiting for him until after his Miami Dolphins finished their season Dec.31 and then having him decide not to take the job.

Good call there.

The people who were afraid of getting left at the altar in January by a BCS championship coach just got jilted in December by a Big East championship coach.

As usual, in the blame game that plays out alongside every Alabama coaching search, the AD gets fingered as the loser. But this latest malfunction goes far beyond Moore.

If he didn't get his man, it's because he wasn't allowed to go after his man. His man, from the beginning, was Saban.

Moore was ready to wait until after Miami's season ended to meet with Saban and get serious about a deal. Moore was willing to wait until January to try and secure the no-nonsense proven winner Alabama needs.

Because some trustees in particular weren't ready or willing to wait for Saban, Moore wasn't able to wait.

But now the game has changed.

Now there's no reason for Alabama not to wait to get serious about Saban. If there's still any chance that he would agree to take the Alabama job - and there is - Alabama has to take that chance.

What does the program have to lose now that its pride has gone down for the count one more time?

Any coach from the B list or the C list that Alabama might be able to hire in the next week is likely to be just as available next month. And forget the notion that recruiting is taking a beating.

Introduce Saban in January, and Alabama will add far more quality prospects than it loses for years to come.

The only saving grace in the Rodriguez debacle is that Alabama struck out swinging. Heads should roll in that inner circle if Alabama walks away from Saban for a second time without swinging from the heels.

E-mail: kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com

[Imhotep]

It looks like Nick Saben will be forced to put a restraining order against the UA. How many times does this guy have to tell you NO, before you will leave him alone?

Nick Saban has absolutely ZERO interest in the Bammer job. Your football program is being played like a fiddle by Sexton, Spurrier, Saban, RR and any other coach for a big pay raise.

This entire coaching search has been nothing but one huge embarrassment for both Alabama and the SEC.

Why in the hell did you guys fire Mike Shula without having a coach lined up ready to sign on the dotted line?

You people have no idea how bad you look to the rest of the country. It looks like Forrest Gump himself is in charge of this humiliating coaching search. The entire Alabama football program looks like a worthless job that nobody in their right mind would ever take.

It's truly amazing how many new AU fans we will gain at the end of your coaching search. You people have no idea how many colleges despise Alabama by the way you have acted throughout this entire coaching search.

For your own good, take my advice and just shut the f$&% up!!!

[timNem]

It looks like Nick Saben will be forced to put a restraining order against the UA. How many times does this guy have to tell you NO, before you will leave him alone?

Nick Saban has absolutely ZERO interest in the Bammer job. Your football program is being played like a fiddle by Sexton, Spurrier, Saban, RR and any other coach for a big pay raise.

This entire coaching search has been nothing but one huge embarrassment for both Alabama and the SEC.

Why in the hell did you guys fire Mike Shula without having a coach lined up ready to sign on the dotted line?

You people have no idea how bad you look to the rest of the country. It looks like Forrest Gump himself is in charge of this humiliating coaching search. The entire Alabama football program looks like a worthless job that nobody in their right mind would ever take.

It's truly amazing how many new AU fans we will gain at the end of your coaching search. You people have no idea how many colleges despise Alabama by the way you have acted throughout this entire coaching search.

For your own good, take my advice and just shut the f$&% up!!!Hey Millenium Eagle, sounds like you may be bitter about something. It will all work out.

[TaySC]

"long and winding search"

I thought the Bama fans had been telling us it was 2 weeks? :blink:

[CrimsonTide12xs]

It looks like Nick Saben will be forced to put a restraining order against the UA. How many times does this guy have to tell you NO, before you will leave him alone?

Nick Saban has absolutely ZERO interest in the Bammer job. Your football program is being played like a fiddle by Sexton, Spurrier, Saban, RR and any other coach for a big pay raise.

This entire coaching search has been nothing but one huge embarrassment for both Alabama and the SEC.

Why in the hell did you guys fire Mike Shula without having a coach lined up ready to sign on the dotted line?

You people have no idea how bad you look to the rest of the country. It looks like Forrest Gump himself is in charge of this humiliating coaching search. The entire Alabama football program looks like a worthless job that nobody in their right mind would ever take.

It's truly amazing how many new AU fans we will gain at the end of your coaching search. You people have no idea how many colleges despise Alabama by the way you have acted throughout this entire coaching search.

For your own good, take my advice and just shut the f$&% up!!!

What a JackHole...
:angry:

[WallyGoat]

"long and winding search"

I thought the Bama fans had been telling us it was 2 weeks? :blink:

Well, two weeks since Shula was fired and the media firestorm errupted about the coaching search, anyway.

Besides, Mal Moore says there is no time line for finding a coach. I can't wait until January for a new HC. Keep the search under wraps and quiet, let the media buzz die down, save Bama's image and try hard not to make them look more desperate than they already look.

[Cianne]

Meanwhile...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/Syanne/landing_blooper_img.jpg?t=1165723326

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

There's good reason to believe that the Alabama camp made contact with the Saban camp Friday to ask if he still might be interested in the Alabama job.

Nick Saban and his agent both stated several times that he was never interested in the job to begin with, so how could Saban still be interested in a job he never wanted to begin with?

[AUChamps]

Alabama, I think you've just blackballed yourself from any future relations with Jimmy Sexton after the way Mal and the Gang have been throughout this coaching search.

[BamaDude06]

Nick Saban and his agent both stated several times that he was never interested in the job to begin with, so how could Saban still be interested in a job he never wanted to begin with?
How many times did Tubbs deny interest in the Auburn job before he took it?

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

How many times did Tubbs deny interest in the Auburn job before he took it?

No clue I wasn't really that worried about it to be honest. Do you know how many?

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Nick Saban and his agent both stated several times that he was never interested in the job to begin with, so how could Saban still be interested in a job he never wanted to begin with?
You can't believe everything you hear. It was once said that RR was going to be the next UA coach. Tommy Tuberville said the only way he was leaving Oxford, MS, was in a pine box. The next day the U-haul was loaded and headed to Auburn. Things aren't always as they seem.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b175/cromagnumspacebaton/irr.jpg

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

You can't believe everything you hear. It was once said that RR was going to be the next UA coach. Tommy Tuberville said the only way he was leaving Oxford, MS, was in a pine box. The next day the U-haul was loaded and headed to Auburn. Things aren't always as they seem.


Yeah but coming to AU was a step UP, not a step down as it would be for RR or Saban to go to Alabama.

[AUChamps]

No clue I wasn't really that worried about it to be honest. Do you know how many?
the 1998 season was a BAD one for Auburn. Most of us were pissed at the way Buster Brown left town right in the middle of the season that we weren't thinking about Tubs being our man until it was announced.

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Gimme a break.

[Cianne]

Gimme a break.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/Syanne/kitkat.jpg?t=1165725207

There ya go.

[CrimsonTide12xs]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/Syanne/kitkat.jpg?t=1165725207

There ya go.Thanks. How about a 100,000 Grand instead?
:laugh:

[Cianne]

Thanks. How about a 100,000 Grand instead?
:laugh:

Who do I look like? Logan Young?

[AUChamps]

Who do I look like? Logan Young?
Dead men tell no tales, remember?

[TaySC]

Thanks. How about a 100,000 Grand instead?
:laugh:


http://www.junkfoodblog.com/uploaded_images/nestle-100-grand-peanuts-714635.jpg

WAIT!...... you said 100,000 GRAND... never heard of one of those before. :laugh:

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Who do I look like? Logan Young?That's a low blow. Phil Fulmer was still pissed the Bear said his mother looked like a man and he didn't get the players he though he should have out of Memphis. Well he has open season in the Bluff City now and he still can't field a decent team. Anyway Ole Miss has a checkered past as well remember this dirty laundry:

The NCAA banned the Rebels from post-season play and live television for the 1987 season after a two-year investigation found that Ole Miss recruits had received cash and other gifts from boosters.

The penalties were a source of embarrassment for Gerald Turner, then Ole Miss' chancellor and previously the head of the NCAA's President's Commission, and one of the first milestones in Turner's stormy relationship with Brewer.

"We have made some mistakes," Brewer said at a news conference following the announcement of the sanctions. "We are being punished for those mistakes, and we do not intend ever to be in this situation again."

However, in December 1993, Brewer and Ole Miss were again hit by allegations of recruiting violations. The NCAA would eventually cite the program for 15 transgressions, all of them serious and some of them embarrassingly lurid. An NCAA report said that Ole Miss boosters and coaches had offered recruits gifts, including cash and, in one case, a car. Boosters were also accused of breaking national rules by taking recruits 30 miles outside of Oxford, sometimes to strip clubs in Memphis.

Most damningly, the NCAA alleged that Ole Miss knowingly allowed the violations to occur, demonstrating a lack of institutional control of the football program.

The charges forced Athletics Director Warner Alford to resign in July 1994. One day later, Turner fired Brewer, granting him 30 days' paid leave but no other severance package for the three years remaining on his contract.

Bama's not the only one and if the NCAA would dig hard enough I would be willing to bet every team in the nation has done something to break the rules.


:glare:

[Cianne]

Yep, we got caught and got the worst NCAA penalties in history next to SMU's death penalty.

However, you were the one that said you wanted a 100,000 grand which was exactly the amount that Logan Young paid the Memphis coach in cash for Albert Means. Not my fault that you set yourself up for that.

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Yep, we got caught and got the worst NCAA penalties in history next to SMU's death penalty.

However, you were the one that said you wanted a 100,000 grand which was exactly the amount that Logan Young paid the Memphis coach in cash for Albert Means. Not my fault that you set yourself up for that.

No harm No foul.

Yes, I did leave myself open for that one but you were wrong about the amount, it was $150,000. I was living in Memphis when all that was going on. My thoughts were the guy got $150,000 and said he didn't like Bama, and wanted to come home and play at the University of Memphis(why leave Bama to play there, i will never understand)---the last I heard Means was dropped from the Texans. He probably would have been a better player had he just shut up and stayed at Bama. Last I heard he was selling cars on Covington Pike in Memphis. And again if NCAA looked really hard at every team they would find something.

[Cianne]

No it was $100,000 cash and two cars which would get you to $150,000.

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Yeah but coming to AU was a step UP, not a step down as it would be for RR or Saban to go to Alabama. Well, you know Tubby is from Arky and a job could be opening up there, Houston Nutt could be leaving, Tubby would be taking another step up by going home to the Natural State, better players and all...SOOOOIIIIEEEE TUBBY.

[AUChamps]

Well, you know Tubby is from Arky and a job could be opening up there, Houston Nutt could be leaving, Tubby would be taking another step up by going home to the Natural State, better players and all...SOOOOIIIIEEEE TUBBY.
Yes, but you forget that in order for that to happen that Houston Nutt would have to come to Alabama from Arkansas.

You guys want Nutt or a Bowden? And you cannot say neither.

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

Well, you know Tubby is from Arky and a job could be opening up there, Houston Nutt could be leaving, Tubby would be taking another step up by going home to the Natural State, better players and all...SOOOOIIIIEEEE TUBBY.
Please explain to me how Arkansas having 1 good season in the last decade riding the coattails of 2-3 NFL caliber all-star players (who will all be gone after next year, mind you) would be a step up from a program with an amazing SEC record over the last 5 years, BCS win, SEC champs, and winning seasons, not to mention top recruiting classes. Do you have any idea what Arkansas recruiting classes have looked like/been ranked the last 10 years, save DMAC, Jones, Monk, and Mustain?

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Yes, but you forget that in order for that to happen that Houston Nutt would have to come to Alabama from Arkansas.

You guys want Nutt or a Bowden? And you cannot say neither.

Man, that's a tough one. I don't know they are both a couple of freaks. I don't know as much about Bowden. What I do know is that NUTT is one weird SOB.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v259/gatorben/nuttstunnaz.gif

[AUChamps]

Dude that's not even a good photochop. You gotta dig deeper then that bro.

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Please explain to me how Arkansas having 1 good season in the last decade riding the coattails of 2-3 NFL caliber all-star players (who will all be gone after next year, mind you) would be a step up from a program with an amazing SEC record over the last 5 years, BCS win, SEC champs, and winning seasons, not to mention top recruiting classes. Do you have any idea what Arkansas recruiting classes have looked like/been ranked the last 10 years, save DMAC, Jones, Monk, and Mustain?

Man you need to take a Xanax/alprazolam . Go to your family physician and have him hold up a picture of any other team in the SEC or any other NCAA team for that matter. After he sees your anxious/combative reaction, he will happily prescribe you some. It's ridiculous. According to you no other team has accomplished anything with the exception of AU.
:wacko:

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Dude that's not even a good photochop. You gotta dig deeper then that bro. Here is this better...
http://img46.exs.cx/img46/4605/fb3.jpg

[Imhotep]

I can't believe that the bamers are even posting at this time.

I have a serious question for the delusional Bama fans: "Why did you fire Mike Shula AND NOT HAVE ANYONE LINED UP TO REPLACE HIM?"

If I'm an AD, I would have made sure I had a replacement before firing one of my own, who accepted the job when nobody else wanted to.

Now do you people understand why nobody wants the job? The entire Bamer nation threw one of their own under the bus.

You have become the laughing stock of college football, and a embarrassment to the SEC.

Why any recruit in their right mind would want to play football for your embarrassing program is beyond me. Do you people still have the www.welcomecoachsaban.com website up?

http://d21c.com/walpurgis9/happies/faces/064.gifhttp://d21c.com/walpurgis9/happies/faces/064.gifhttp://d21c.com/walpurgis9/happies/faces/064.gif

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Here's Fat Phil just for good measure...http://home.comcast.net/~coachdoug1/phatphil.jpg

[CrimsonTide12xs]

I can't believe that the bamers are even posting at this time.

I have a serious question for the delusional Bama fans: "Why did you fire Mike Shula AND NOT HAVE ANYONE LINED UP TO REPLACE HIM?"

If I'm an AD, I would have made sure I had a replacement before firing one of my own, who accepted the job when nobody else wanted to.

Now do you people understand why nobody wants the job? The entire Bamer nation threw one of their own under the bus.

You have become the laughing stock of college football, and a embarrassment to the SEC.

Why any recruit in their right mind would want to play football for your embarrassing program is beyond me. Do you people still have the www.welcomecoachsaban.com website up?

http://d21c.com/walpurgis9/happies/faces/064.gifhttp://d21c.com/walpurgis9/happies/faces/064.gifhttp://d21c.com/walpurgis9/happies/faces/064.gif



MilleneumEagle you just won't give up will you? You are absolutely pathetic... You are worse than a Bammer could ever be. Go crawl back in your hole. Before you get yourself banned again.
:glare:

[AUChamps]

Step 1: Watch this movie.
http://www.jimaftercollege.com/movies/movie.covers/large/weekend.at.bernies.jpg

Step 2: Map of Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Elmwood+Cemetery&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.150864,59.765625&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=33.494739,-86.830015&spn=0.031995,0.058365&om=1

Step 3: Go to Home Depot or Lowe's.
http://www.stonehill.edu/sihc/Pictures/Shovels/1879catalogpage.jpg

Questions?

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Hey, you can direct that somewhere else. I have never once said anything about the Bear.

[Imhotep]

Answer the ?

"Why did you fire Mike Shula AND NOT HAVE ANYONE LINED UP TO REPLACE HIM?"

Nobody wants to coach at the black hole for coaches....

Your recruiting will be in shambles for many many years.....

Keep up the good work....

[AU Blaaaaaaaake]

Man you need to take a Xanax/alprazolam . Go to your family physician and have him hold up a picture of any other team in the SEC or any other NCAA team for that matter. After he sees your anxious/combative reaction, he will happily prescribe you some. It's ridiculous. According to you no other team has accomplished anything with the exception of AU.
:wacko:
You're right that kind of thought process is clearly over your head. I'll do my best not to make you feel inferior next time you would like to debate college football. My bad.

[CrimsonTide12xs]

Not over my head at all, inferior I think not. AU is not the only team in the SEC to have made some accomplishments this year. And as far as beating Bama, I'll give you credit AU did do that. So did 5 other teams. This year it was not a hard thing to do if that makes it even more of an accomplishment to you.

[WallyGoat]

Answer the ?

"Why did you fire Mike Shula AND NOT HAVE ANYONE LINED UP TO REPLACE HIM?"

Nobody wants to coach at the black hole for coaches....

Your recruiting will be in shambles for many many years.....

Keep up the good work....

Nobdy wants to answer you. Why? You didn't say please.

[autiger1126]

Man you need to take a Xanax/alprazolam . Go to your family physician and have him hold up a picture of any other team in the SEC or any other NCAA team for that matter. After he sees your anxious/combative reaction, he will happily prescribe you some. It's ridiculous. According to you no other team has accomplished anything with the exception of AU.
:wacko:
this coming from the guy who backlashed at an ole miss fan when he said something about logan young...