Bama starting to see the light with Saban...

Here's a post I got a kick out of...and it sums this up quite well...

Well, I guess my few friends and I haven't heard we are dissapointed in our new staff. Who would have thought it? Perhaps a closer look at this group of losers will reveal why we should have been sheptical from the start.

In the interest of all speaking with the same dissapointed voice allow me to point out why I should loathe this staff.

M Applewhite is and was the darling of the state of Texas (I know I lived there at the time) as a leader and "coach" on the field at UT. He performed a miracle with Rice's offense which got better and better as the year went on. With a boss who is defensive minded and a plan that was centered around the defense. But a closer look reveals he is red headed (as in red headed step child) and what kind of true leader is named "Major" which is only one step above Lt. Why not General Applewhite?

Then you have Burton Burns who was sought after by most of college football at one time or another as a skill position coach and is known as a tremendous recruiter. But he used to coach at Tulane, aka "TOLAME" by knowledgeable (an oxymoron for sure) LSU fans.

Then you have C Cignetti. Famous coaching family, long term on the job as coach at his last stops. Headed up the strongest part of NC St program which was recruiting. Excuse me but before he was the RC at NC St. I don't believe you had many NFL teams stopping off there looking for first round draft choices such as Rivers, Williams (number one overall and ahead of Bush) and the other TWO DL'S PICKED in THE FIRST ROUND LAST YEAR! But hey Williams ain't no BUSH and the geniuses at AU had Rivers as a TE so who knows how good he would have been had Cignetti brought him in at his true position.

Ron Middleton was a formidable coach at Ole Miss and Tampa Bay. A hardnosed son of a gun and a great recruiter for Cutcliff. But he IS A BARNER!

Joe Pendry is a tremendous offensive coach with a thick resume and great achievements. NFL head coach, USFL head coach etc. But heck fire the guy is the same age as old folks like Bill and Hil Clinton, GW Bush, John Edwards, and Bill Richarson, none of whom am I going to vote for.

Kirby Smart had several job offers by other NFL teams but most were dummies and fell out of the playoffs early.

Kevin Steele can go anywhere in America and they will "make" a spot for him. Great linebacker coach and always one of the top 25 recruiters in America. Odds on to get the FSU job next. But so what. FSU was a girls school until the early fifties.

L Thompson may own Mobile, he did before. He has coaches like G O'Leary (twice) and N Saban on his resume, both of whom jumped at the chance to hire him again. But O'Leary lied on his resume and NS would not commit professional suicide and kill his team coming down the stetch by telling reporters what they wanted to hear so they could turn the Dolphins into a soap opera in late December. How dare him deny them this vulgar opportunity.

And of course B Davis had the last three stops with Saban who is suppossed to be notoriously hard to please. In fact it appears Nick "won't leave home without him". But the picture I saw of him was of a big bear of a man who is sure to be an overpowering presence with college age players who are tender in years. Some of whom MAY be intimidated and unable to fully express their individuality.

Tom Alles has been a fixture at Ohio St. A ragtag outfit for sure who was killed by the man who may not have invented football but who surely will perfect it, Urban Meyer.

And the guy at GT, in one short year jumped GT from next to last in recruiting in the ACC to top twelve IN AMERICA! But who knows maybe some of these kids thought they were going to Georgia (home of Ray Melick) and were only staying the recruiting weekend in Atlanta to be close to the Cheetah Three.

And finally Rocky Colburn, an ex-Tider who did accept Saban's frantic plea for anyone with Alabama connections to join him. But of all those ex-Tiders who rejected NS (actually only Dabo but he does the work of three men so it is fair and accurate for RM to "embellish here a bit, well maybe more than a bit but whose quibbling. I know Rockey and he is truly a "mean man" with a serious agenda. Not someone to trifle with. So to that extent you can probably dress him up but be careful where you take him.

In any event I am now dreading the fall and next winter's recruiting and I invite any other Tide fans who were lost in their love for Saban and staff to join me in my misery.- RedDog on TI

 

Frankly the article doen't sound like much of a slam of Saban. Seems to be saying some Bama fans are grumbling, but Saban did what he could and has signed on some good recruiters which should change the fortunes of Bama football in a few years. As far a other assistants, it has been reported that he asked permision and talked to Jimbo and to LSU's strength coach and the talk around Memphis is he talked to at least one Tennessee Assistant and one Arkansas Assistant - don't know who and I do not recall seeing any reports about Saban asking permission to talk to anyone at Tennessee or Arknasas.

One thing Terry and other Bama fans need to get over is the press picking about things Saban does. For good or bad, Saban's rules about no assistants or players talking to the press never has been popular with reporters and I am sure there will be some negative reporting in Alabama newspapers and on Alabama TV stations as a result.

You can bet that with Alabama's first loss next season there will be some very pointed articles written concerning Saban's salary, all the fanfare around his hiring and the lack of results. I remember what the LSU fanbase was like after we lost to VT and to UAB under Saban. None of this negative reporting may be justified, or it may be justified. In either case, it will happen and the Bama diehards will just have to live with it just like us LSU diehards lived with it. I'll have to admit it will be entertaining for a change to see someone else bitch and moan and defend, defend, defend about what everyone else says about their coach.

 

The salaries haven't been released yet, to my knowledge. (it's a matter of public record so I'd imagine when all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed we'll have actual figures released.) Without a doubt, it'll be the highest paid staff in the SEC...if not the NCAA.

You have to figure most of them got a boost in what they were making at their previous position. As example, when Dabo Swinney was contacted he was offered about 100K more than Clemson was paying. I'm fairly certain Burns got that boost as well.

 

Re: Here's a post I got a kick out of...and it sums this up quite well...

I heard Jerry Rice is going to interview to replace their WR coach.

 

Bama fans are extremely happy with the staff. My neighbor already has a Major Applewhite shirt...no lie. :dis: The dude is just a **** stirrer.

 

That's not good. Move. Fast.

 

I'm not the least bit worried about what the press is saying about Saban as long as it has an ounce of truth to it. What gets me about this article, and the way it is being portrayed here, is that Bamafans are upset about the staff...Bama fans starting to see the light with Saban, etc.

I realize, fully, that writers need to talk about football at some point during the off-season because that is what sells papers. One would/should expect some journalistic integrity but it is a trait that seemingly is long lost on the majority of those writers calling themselves "journalist."

Very early this morning I saw the article. (as in 5AM EST) and throughout the day have been watching Alabama fans reactions to this assertation Melick has made. (7+ forums) As I mentioned earlier, I've yet to see ONE person agree with what he's said.

Facts: A trait long lost on many in the print media.