The hire of Orgeron makes me a lot less disappointed about Steele and gives me a more of a wait and see feeling. Still, based strictly on record and stats and some reports on the internet, the hire is a bit concerning. Based on what you're saying, I'm hoping the coaching staff as a whole can take up his hands on slack and get the players to execute Steele's vision. Hopefully even if Steele tanks and Miles gets run out of town, our recruiting chops can leave the cupboard full (without violations) for the next guy to come in and take off running. I think Steele's performance is important for Miles' future, but Cameron's still more so. If 2014 wasn' a blip and Cameron isn't the answer to Miles' offensive woes, not sure a successful Steele is good enough to keep Miles above water. Probably the best bet is a continued grind fluctuating between mediocrity and elite status. I'm still hopeful Cameron was the answer and Steel/Orgeron will keep us solid on D (hell, while I'm hoping, maybe they're an improvement).
This may not be the best analogy, but you can't take a guy like Mike Leach and expect him to be teaching technique on offense very well. But, when it comes to understanding the offensive side of the ball? Different story entirely.
It takes a special person to relate to a bunch of young freakishly gifted athletes. Hope the combination of Steele's IQ and Orgeron's visceral relatability works. Pleasure to talk with you, good stuff.
Saban would never ask a asst to work more hrs in a day, than he would. That said, he wants them to work long hrs. Quick story,I know, I got a few of them. A coach I know saw Major Applewhite in the airport, this was when he was working for nick. He talked a while then asked who he was recruiting and flew into see. When he game the name, he told Major, you know how long and firm the guy was. Major told this to nick, his reply. "I pay you good for what you do and when I tell you to go somewhere, you go!" So if nick tells me to go to Africa, guess where I'm heading? People know what they are getting into with working for nick, long hours. Many work for him, pad the resume and move on.
" It will be interesting to hear Nick Saban's reaction to the moves because Steele and Thompson aren't just any assistants. They're also more than two of the best recruiters in the business. They're guys that Saban has hired multiple times because he values what they bring to a staff. It also says something about how much they've valued working with Saban that Steele and Thompson had returned to work with him, Steele once and Thompson twice. Remember what Steele said about this Alabama coaching staff at Sugar Bowl media day two weeks ago in New Orleans? "There's a bond, a brotherhood if you will," Steele said. "There's always going to be disagreements, but we're all pulling in the same direction. There are no hidden agendas. We've got a close group." And now two members of that group have departed in a 24-hour period. Is this a coincidence, a course correction endorsed by the head coach or - as a person close to the program suggested - a sign that working for Saban has become more uncomfortable than usual in the wake of the semifinal loss to Ohio State? It's important to note that one or more Alabama assistants leave every year and the program manages to survive these departures, whatever motivates them. The Crimson Tide won the 2009 and 2011 national titles with Thompson at Tennessee and Steele at Clemson. Thompson came back for the 2012 BCS title repeat, but Steele didn't return until 2013. So it's not as if Alabama is doomed without them. Saban knows how to hire quality coaches, and one of his strengths is coaching his coaches. He's also known to point coaches toward the door when they've outlived their perceived usefulness - see Doug Nussmeier a year ago - but any suggestion that Saban nudged out Steele and Thompson because Alabama surrendered 44 points in the Iron Bowl win over Auburn and 42 points in the semifinal loss to Ohio State seems a bit of a stretch. Kirby Smart coordinates the defense, Saban oversees it and besides, the biggest problem on that side of the ball has been secondary play. Who's been working with the defensive backs on a daily basis? Not Steele and Thompson. Smart and Saban." http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/01/kevin_steele_to_lsu_and_lance.html
Are you proud of running people off, amigo? This is supposed to be fun, why do you have to turn it into a war?
I banter with the best, Hondo. But I don't want people to go away for disagreeing with me. Not Shane and not you. Not anybody. Ragging on Tap and Dad because of their viewpoint gets old and we are diminished when they get fed up and leave. That's all. Shane doesn't take it personally. Everybody grumbles, this is a thing I grumble about. We need more members, not fewer.
I didn't run him off, in fact I haven't had any interaction with tap in quite some time, others have. I do however know his M/O and merely made an observation. As for people that disagree with me? Doesn't bother me, how boring of a world would it be if everyone agreed on everything. I don't have any issue with disagreement. What I have issue with, and this has been documented, is with people who clearly have information, that like to brag about having the information, then won't give you the information that they know EVERYONE wants. Before you start, I get it, they can't reveal sources and I'm fine with that. The point is, don't get on here and tout if you aren't going to give up the goods. You yourself were privy to a little morsel the other night just as I was. Did I get on here and say oh oh oh guess what I heard, oh wait, I can't tell you. That is dumb. I just kept quiet and let it play out.
The guys I've learned the most from have been the most demanding warfighters. At some point you want to branch out to see if you can put what you've learned into practice. Nothing wrong with it, shouldn't be looked at as a negative.
