We all remember that it was the day of last year's Sugar Bowl that Saban was announced as the new Bama coach. What stunned me was that in the hours before the game, all the talk on Bourbon Street and the SuperDome environs was about - Saban. The actual game with ND was an afterthought. That amazed me then, and the 'hatred' many of our fans have for Saban amazes me now. How anyone can call Saban a 'traitor' or somesuch for taking a better-paying job in the NFL and then leaving for Alabama when that didn't work out is beyond me. I simply don't see the connection. LSU has played football since 1893. The best 7 years we've ever had have been the last 7, and Saban built that program. If anything, LSU should honor Saban by naming a building after him - perhaps the academic center that he pushed the administration to build. I hope we cream Alabama today, but i'll wish Saban well in all his other games. He will always have a fond place in my heart for the glory he brought to LSU after so many frustrating years.
The media is focusing too much on negative fans, mostly youngsters who never sat through 8 losing seasons in the 1990's. They throw the word "hate" around too easily. But mostly, the media is mistaking passionate fans for hateful fans. I don't hate Nick one bit. I just hate it that he's going to be an annual opponent of ours in the West Division, so we can't exactly love and support him anymore. He's the opponent now, no longer one of "us", but it was his choice, not ours. There will be no building named for Nick at LSU, and rightfully so. One must be an LSU guy who retires from LSU to rate that honor, like Bertman or McClendon or Bernie Moore. LSU was simply a stepping stone for Nick, just like Michigan State, Miami and probably Alabama. Nick spent most of his playing, college coaching, and NFL coaching in and around Ohio, where most of his family lives. Whenever Ohio State is looking for a new coach, Nick will be a candidate.
Everyone was sorry and disappointed when Saban decided to leave LSU for the NFL. I said at the time that it was a mistake he would end up regretting. I was right. But I never faulted him for the decision, any more than I faulted him for the decision to leave the NFL and get back into college football. Nor did I fault him for taking the Alabama position, especially when you consider the salary. I was disappointed that he would chose to coach a rival of LSU after all that LSU has meant to him, and he has meant to LSU. But that was the position that was available at the time. Still, it is hard not to feel like he knifed us in the back. Regardless of my feelings, he certainly did not owe LSU anything. But I understand the decision. If he can be faulted for anything, it is for the way he handled it. I also feel that the Bama boosters, in offering him the kind of salary that they did, have opened a door that may be hard to shut. They have set a new standard for coaches' salaries that is hard to justify.
I'll give you my take on it: It boils down to a lack of integrity and class. I objected to Saban's annual courtship with the NFL. Each year they would come calling and Saban would deny the rumours. LSU made him the highest paid coach in college football. Still he listened to offers. Then he claimed he was happy being the LSU coach. Then he decided to announce IN ORLANDO AT THE BOWL GAME that he was leaving. Then goes to Miami and flops. He doesn't stay and finish the job, doesn't fufill his commitment. Then he flat out lies on national tv about becoming the Bama coach. Then he tries to take credit for LSU Sugar Bowl appearance, ie...those are my players. Then he made some disparaging remarks about the current LSU coaching staff during recruiting. The point is this. If you are going to leave, fine but have some class and tell the people up front, in Baton Rouge. If you take a hotshot NFL job stay and either succeed or get canned like the rest of the NFL coaches. Be a professional, ie...don't quit! If you don't want to talk to reporters about it the answer is "no comment". Period. If your former team is doing well don't try to wrap yourself in the LSU flag after you bailed. And if you are going to recruit in Louisiana (which is understandable as he has good contacts....) then do it in a classy way. Negative recruiting is for classless, deceitful, manipulative ego maniacs. Which as far as I know are not likeable qualities. Then again you may say nice guys finish last. Tell that to Les Miles after he takes Bama to the woodshed!:geauxtige
Indeed, but Bama was desperate. Make no doubt about it, Nick was hired to win championships. If he doesn't repeat his success at LSU and soon, they will turn on him quicker than you can say Mike Shula. Nick won the SECCG in his second season at LSU. If he doesn't get there by next year, the grumbling in Tuscaloosa will begin.
I disagree, I think they will give him 2 more years. They know their talent level, and particularly depth, is not up to par. They'll look at his recruiting, and it looks like he has a good class going, and they'll wait. My bosses boss went to Bama, and he's happy. He went to the Tenn. game, and he smiled a lot the next week. So, this year plus two more for the honeymoon. The fourth year, he'll have to produce, or the howls will be out. I do think they expect to see progress each year.
Plus, though Bama threw the world at him, he went to one of our rivals. Now he will be playing against us each year and will always be recruiting against us. In recruiting, you present your school to the high school athlete and talk down your opponent. So now Nicky is telling recruits how bad LSU is. That, to me, is a problem. He could have formed a long time dynasty here and then, yes, we name a building after him, like we named a street for the Skipper. He wasn't here long enough for any permanent accolades.
I've never hated Saban, and I don't now. I think he made some (for lack of a better term) "selfish" decisions and threw loyalty out the window. OK, so he wanted a better situation for himself and his family and decided to go NFL. That stung when he did it, but I got over it, and quite frankly I think we have a better coaching staff. But thats just a personal opinion. What made me a little peeved with him was taking the "Bama" job the way he did. Knowing full well it was a school we play on a regular basis, I thought that was kinda crappy of him. But, here again, I'm over it. I've never heard of any misconduct or "underhandedness" in as much as "recruiting" in Louisiana, but I don't live there anymore and they don't say that much about the Tigers over here on TV unless they beat the Gators. I still think it doesn't matter who's walking the other sideline as long as my Tigers win. I will say this though, if LSU wins big, it will be just deserts.
